Smart Biotech Scientist | The CMC and Bioprocessing Podcast for Process Development and Manufacturing Leaders 207: Cryogenic Infrared Ion Spectroscopy: From Mass Spec Limitations to Molecular Precision with Tom Rizzo - Part 1
What if you could identify every structural variant in your biologics—without ambiguity, without massive sample requirements, and without the guesswork that plagues traditional mass spectrometry? Cryogenic infrared ion spectroscopy (CIRIS) makes it possible, transforming molecular characterization from frustrating puzzle to precise science.
Today's guest, Professor Tom Rizzo, bridges the gap between academic innovation and industrial application. As former Dean of the School of Basic Sciences at EPFL in Lausanne and now Chief Scientific Officer at Isospec Analytics, Tom has spent over two decades developing analytical techniques that solve problems conventional methods can't touch.
His journey from a childhood fascination sparked by chemistry demonstrations at the 1964 New York World's Fair to pioneering a breakthrough technology reveals both the persistence required for true innovation and the pathway from laboratory curiosity to commercial reality. For bioprocess scientists struggling with glycan characterization, isomer identification, or any structural puzzle where mass spec alone falls short, this conversation offers both validation and solutions.
Episode Highlights:
- The fundamental limitations of current biomolecular analysis methods and why innovation is critical (02:51)
- From World's Fair chemistry demos to laser spectroscopy: Tom Rizzo's path to analytical innovation (03:31)
- The two-decade quest to combine mass spectrometry sensitivity with laser spectroscopy precision—and the machine that finally made it work (04:26)
- Why Tom transitioned from academic leadership to Isospec Analytics: bringing lab techniques to production environments (09:17)
- CIRIS fundamentals: how cooling ions to 10 Kelvin unlocks molecular fingerprints that room-temperature methods miss (11:14)
- CIRIS advantages for biologics: single-ion sensitivity, isomer discrimination, and unique molecular "fingerprints" for definitive identification (14:25)
- Integrating CIRIS into existing bioprocess workflows: LC-MS compatibility and the path to commercial instrumentation (17:29)
- Hard-won lessons from translating academic breakthroughs into industrial tools (17:43)
When mass spectrometry hits its limits—distinguishing isomers, characterizing glycans, identifying unknowns in complex mixtures—cryogenic infrared ion spectroscopy provides the structural resolution you need. This isn't incremental improvement; it's a fundamental expansion of what's analytically possible.
If you're facing molecular identification challenges that conventional methods can't solve, or if you're curious how next-generation analytical techniques will transform bioprocess development, this episode delivers actionable insights from a scientist who's lived both the innovation and implementation journey.
Connect with Tom Rizzo:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-rizzo-4a0a6314/
Contact email: tom@isospec.ch
Isospec Analytics website: www.isospecanalytics.com
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