Early Days in the Hunt Laboratory at UVA, 1969 to 1980

• Published in: Molecular & cellular proteomics 2024-11, Vol.23 (12), p.100874, Article 100874
• Main Authors: Gale, P. Jane, Stafford, George C., Morris, Howard R., McEwen, Charles N.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: chemical ionization; gas chromatograph; liquid chromatograph; mass spectrometer; Pulsed Positive Negative Ion Chemical Ionization; Triple Stage Quadrupole
• ISSN: 1535-9476; 1535-9484; 1535-9484
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2024.100874

Arriving at the University of Virginia in the autumn of 1969, Donald Hunt began his 50+ year career in academics with the study of organometallic chemistry, on which he had done his PhD thesis work, and mass spectrometry, to which he was introduced while a postdoc in Klaus Biemann’s laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In the 1970s, Hunt’s lab pioneered the use of negative chemical ionization (CI) to enhance sensitivity for studying organic molecules, developed a system for simultaneously obtaining positive and negative CI spectra to augment structure elucidation, and built a prototype triple quadrupole instrument so effective at collisional dissociation that its commercial counterpart became the analytical instrument of choice for mixture analysis for the next decade and beyond. Foreseeing that the future lay in the analysis of biological molecules, by the end of the decade Hunt shifted his focus to peptides. The analysis of protein fragments had suddenly become more accessible thanks to the advent of the triple quadrupole and Barber’s introduction of fast atom bombardment. As the 1980s began and Hunt and his team sought to pursue larger and larger pieces of proteins, his attention turned to the development of mass spectrometers with greater mass range. While recounting their memories of these events, several of Hunt’s students and colleagues pay tribute to his support for them as individuals, as well as to his infectious enthusiasm for scientific endeavors that he so generously shared. [Display omitted] •1969 Don Hunt joins UVA Chem; research on organometallics and chemical ionization.•Grad student Stafford develops pulsed pos/neg ion chem ioniz (PPNICI) mass spec.•Hunt students/postdocs use PPNICI to target EPA priority pollutants in mixtures.•Grad student Shabanowitz builds prototype triple quad MS after Enke/Yost ASMS talk.•Hunt convinces Finnigan to commercialize the instrument based on Shabanowitz design.•With Hunt methodologies, triple quad instruments become choice for mixture analysis.•After sabbatical, Hunt refocuses lab on peptide analysis with permethylation/FAB. While recounting their memories of the 1970 scientific events in the laboratory of Donald F Hunt at the University of Virginia, several Hunt students and colleagues pay tribute to Hunt’s support for them as individuals, as well as to his infectious enthusiasm for scientific endeavors that he so generously shared.