The evolution of analysis in life science research and molecular medicine:The potential role of separations

The Review considers the current state and possible future of separation me thods in the rapidly developing field of bioscience. For example, drug deve lopment by combinatorial methods allow the synthesis of more than 10(3) com pounds per day and it is clear that the analysis of such large numbers of s amples will need a radically new approach in which the technology developed for the etching of integrated electronic circuits is likely to play a majo r role. An alternative possibility is the development of multiple analyses with parallel bundles of open tubular columns. There are many practical pro blems to be overcome but it is probable that chromatographic and electropho resis methods coupled with mass spectrometry will figure prominently until such time as miniaturisation at a molecular level using nanotubes becomes a reality.