The recent American Society for Mass Spectrometry (ASMS) conference held May 31-June 4, 2026 in San Diego, CA introduced powerful new instruments, clever accessories, and interesting software. During the conference, we noted the most innovative new product introductions that will bring cutting-edge science into your labs.
Mass spectrometers with greater sensitivity and speed
Mass spectrometers (MS) are the heart of the innovations introduced at ASMS. These innovations are best explained by Rohan Thakur, president of TOFWERK, MS technologies and markets at Bruker, “Make the technology simpler and faster.” He continues with a common theme across the major MS instrument manufacturers, “Our sustained investment in instrumentation and software development delivers real performance gains and the scalability that emerging research and applied markets demand.”
Waters Xevo CDMS
The Xevo charge detection mass spectrometer (CDMS) uses an electrostatic linear ion trap that simultaneously measures mass and mass-to-charge ratio. This technology enables MS characterization of ultrahigh mass molecules up to 150+ MDa and opens up whole new areas for biomolecular research. “The Xevo CDMS does things that no other MS does,” according to Steve McDonald, senior director CDMS program, “by measuring individual particles, one at a time.”
Waters Cyclic IMS P20
The Cyclic IMS P20 combines high resolution, multi-pass time-of-flight with high resolution cyclic ion mobility. It generates 10 times the sensitivity for MS/MS and 15 times faster workflows. The wideband enhancement enables sensitivity to characterize low-abundant species. It also offers integrated DESI and MALDI sources for richer molecular images. Emma Marsden-Edwards, discovery program lead, explained that the key values of this instrument to scientists are ”massive improvements in the user experience, more sensitivity, and four to five orders of magnitude in dynamic range.” Kostas Thalassinos, professor of mass spectrometry at University College London, builds on the value of this instrument: “Being able to analyze all the competing conformations is key. We need high sensitivity and resolution to monitor these rare folding events. Dynamic range is the key problem.”
Waters Xevo MRT P10
The Xevo MRT P10 is a benchtop instrument designed for high-throughput multiomics research. It delivers up to 20 times more sensitivity in MS/MS experiments and double the acquisition speed. When combined with the DESI source it can deliver high spatial resolution of 5 microns, 100,000 mass resolution, and rapid scan speeds of up to 200 Hz. Richard Lock, director, Xevo MRT program, describes the benefits as “performance, speed, simplicity, and cost effectiveness.MS/MS data is critical to bottom-up research and sensitivity is critical to going faster.”
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Bruker timsMRMS
This powerful instrument combines two of Bruker’s signature technologies, high-resolution mass detection and high-resolution gas-phase separation. The resulting instrument is capable of one to 10 million mass resolution, parts-per-billion mass accuracy and four orders of magnitude dynamic range. Ultimately, it can create some of the highest quality MS data available. Thakur explains the benefits of this instrument: “We're converging breakthrough technologies—trapped ion mobility, trapped eXd fragmentation techniques, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and AI-driven analysis—to redefine proteoform analysis for functional proteomics 2.0 at scale. At ASMS, we unveiled our 'holy grail' hybrid 4D metabolomics workflow, integrated with MetaboScape, alongside the new timsMRMS for ultra-high-resolution analysis of complex mixtures such as biofuels or battery research.”
Agilent 9500 ICP-QQQ
This new ICP/MS instrument offers state of the art performance with significant improvements in ease of use, including advanced helium mode and the use of ambient air for oxygen mass shifts. These improvements lead to simpler operation, 33 percent faster acquisition times, and improved energy use. Geoff Winkett, VP and GM Spectroscopy and Vacuum division, emphasizes the motivation to develop this instrument: “The 9500 ICP-MS builds on Agilent’s legacy in elemental analysis by providing labs with the advanced capabilities they need to address increasingly complex analytical challenges with improved productivity and lower cost of ownership. It is designed to support confident decision-making through reliable, high-quality data.”
Interested in life sciences?
Sciex Novus V55
The Novus V55 is the fifth-generation triple quadrupole MS from Sciex. It features advancements that enable fast and efficient results. Chris Lock, VP of global R&D, explains the benefits of the new instrument: “With aeMRM [up to 1,000 MRMs per second], a 35 percent smaller footprint, and 40 percent savings in both energy consumption and lab cooling requirements, the novus V55 system will expand testing capabilities across pesticide and food analysis, pharmaceutical impurities, bioanalysis, PFAS testing, and more.”
Thermo Fisher Scientific Orbitrap Tribrid Apex
The Orbitrap Tribrid Apex MS combines three different mass analyzers, a quadrupole mass filter, a linear ion trap, and an orbitrap. It produces five times the sensitivity, collects data four times faster, and supports flexible fragmentation strategies. It comes in four different editions tuned to solve the most challenging problems around small molecules, structural biology, multiomics, and biopharma. The goal, according to Shane Elliott, VP and GM Life Science MS, is to “achieve speed, sensitivity, and mass range all on one platform.”
Thermo Fisher Scientific Orbitrap Excedion
The Orbitrap Excedion is designed to provide more complete, regulatory-ready data in complex drug development projects. It is aimed specifically at pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical labs. It delivers 10 times greater sensitivity and an extended mass range up to m/z 12,000. Ronald Tabaksblat, president, Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry, explains the motivation for designing this instrument: “It helps teams detect more compounds in complex samples, reduce analytical risk, and move therapies from development toward QC with greater confidence.”
Thermo Fisher Scientific Orbitrap Exploris GC S
The Orbitrap Exploris GC S is an advanced accurate mass GC/MS instrument designed for ultratrace detection in complex matrices. It is capable of 60,000 resolving power. The instrument features an advanced electron ionization source and easy-to-use controls and method templates. Tabaksblat says that this instrument “brings purpose-built Orbitrap performance to regulated dioxin and persistent organic pollutant testing, where environmental and food safety labs need to detect contaminants at ultra-trace levels with confidence.”
Software to aid instrument performance and data analysis
Software, including AI and ML tools, have an ever-increasing role in MS research and implementation. Software is a vital part of the sales process for MS instruments and an opportunity to partner with new companies and ideas. Aaron Robitaille, senior director, product & vertical marketing of MS at Thermo Fisher Scientific, says that “software has great opportunity to make innovation faster.”
Scott Hanton, Lab Manager
Science Machine
The Science Machine software uses AI agents to automate data processing from raw data to final reports. The goal is to tailor the integration of the platform with the lab’s tools, data, and workflows. It runs on a website, is browser-based, and works with data from all the major instrument manufacturers. The key to this software, according to Reka Tron, cofounder and fractional COO, is that “AI is only as good as the questions being asked. We have some pre-set templates and are happy to help you ask the questions.”
Shimadzu LabSolutions Insight Profiler
This new software from Shimadzu is aimed at non-targeted analysis by high-resolution LC/MS. It provides a single software approach to processing data for complex analyses. It enables users to set parameters once and use pre-built method templates. According to Neil Loftus, GM, MS Business Unit, “By integrating advanced feature detection, feature alignment, statistical processing, filtering, and compound identification using large-scale screening lists and MS/MS libraires into a single processing method, it allows both new and advanced users to generate results quickly in areas such as unknown analysis, suspect screening, and group-based studies such as metabolomics and lipidomics.”
Sciex OS 5.0 Software
Sciex has made significant upgrades to its OS software that includes metrics and status tracking, instrument monitoring, a standard report template creator, and an AI-driven chat function for rapid help. “To drive efficiency in execution, customers need software tools that provide the right insight. SCIEX OS 5.0 software contains new features and capabilities, refined with customers, to simplify their user experience and enable them to rapidly analyze complex MS data,” says Lock. The software also contains specific upgrades for the ZenoTOF instruments that include improvements to data-independent acquisition and an enhanced sensitivity mode.
Chromatography to improve speed and workflows
Agilent 8890B GC
The 8890B is the latest version of the vaunted Agilent gas chromatograph (GC). The motivation to develop it is explained by Warren Potts, VP and GM, Gas Phase Division. “The system is designed to help customers optimize workflows without changing critical methods while providing confidence in their data across a wide range of applications.” It combines the power and flexibility to deliver the most complex GC analyses with improvements in active monitoring, rapid cooling, retention time locking, hydrogen leak monitoring, and my favorite, a built-in light within the GC oven. This instrument has also achieved My Green Lab’s ACT sustainability label.
Phenomonex Endrix and Luna LC Columns
The new Endrix columns are engineered for extended lifetime and greater instrument uptime by solving failure modes in the columns, even with challenging analyses. Eric Lavold, VP of product management and strategy, emphasizes that these benefits show that “It’s more than surface chemistry” that makes these columns valuable. The Luna Omega HILIC columns are designed to improve separations for highly polar and hydrophilic analytes.
Shimadzu Nexera X4 UHPLC
The Nexera X4 UHPLC uses its new four-drive binary pump to deliver high gradient response to deliver fast analysis, shar peaks, and low solvent consumption. Its low dispersion tubing makes it an excellent partner for high-quality LC/MS analyses.
Equipment to enable better MS experiments
Shimadzu SICRIT
Shimadzu announced the acquisition of 75 percent of the outstanding shares in Plasmion GmBH and its novel ion source SICRIT (soft ionization by chemical reaction in transfer). SICRIT uses a plasma to enhance the direct ionization of a wide range of analytes with high sensitivity without significant sample preparation. It overcomes limitations of APCI and can help fill the analytical gap between gas and liquid chromatography. According to Thomas Wolfe, CEO of Plasmion, "SICRIT® is probably the most versatile ion source on the market, specifically dedicated to small molecules (m/z < 2000). It spans across GC and LC applications and can ionize almost anything from non-polar to polar components."
Peak Genius Neo
The Genius Neo is an advanced nitrogen gas generator designed to support analytical lab equipment like ultratrace LC/MS. This device produces the highest purity nitrogen of any generator from Peak. It was designed to deliver high sustainability with 35 percent lower power consumption and using recycled materials. According to Petra Gierga, head of product management, “Genius Neo is the result of truly exceptional work from the development team really putting our customers first and pushing the boundaries of nitrogen generation.”
Evosep Lupo
The Evosep Lupo is an automation device that provides better control for LC/MS sample preparation and enables walkaway time from complex workflows. “To fully realize AI-driven drug development, LC/MS-based proteomics must become standardized. Our users have been asking for scalable proteomics, not only as a reliable analytical tool, but as an AI-ready data foundation for the next generation of drug discovery and development,” says Morten Bern, CEO. The Lupo is designed to work seamlessly with the Evokits and Evotips and provides reduced variability and increased reproducibility.
The instrumentation and software improvements featured at ASMS 2026 help mass spectrometrists detect lower-abundance molecules in cells, providing deeper insights that can support earlier disease diagnosis and new therapy development.
