From materials to microorganisms: The emergence of MALDI-TOF as a tool for clinical diagnostics

In this whitepaper, Bruker reflects on the history of MALDI-TOF, tracing its origins to Bruker's early contributions in developing the first commercial MALDI-TOF system. It examines the expanding applications of MALDI-TOF, from materials and pharmaceuticals to biomolecular analysis, driven by advancements in instrumentation, software, and mass-spectral reference libraries. The paper also discusses the ongoing evolution of MALDI Biotyper^® applications, emphasizing its role in enhancing patient care through rapid, simple, and cost-effective microorganism identification in hospital settings.