Temporary course schedule:

 

Full day course:

Course 1 (FD1): Title Microextraction technologies for laboratory and on-site

Instructors: Janusz Pawliszyn, Waterloo University (Canada); Barbara Bojko, Copernicus University (Poland); Emanuela Gionfriddo, Buffalo University (USA)

In this course several microextraction technologies will be discussed, namely solid phase microextraction (SPME), thin film microextraction (TFME) and needle trap devices (NT). The main principles of these techniques, different calibration methods, coupling strategies to GC, LC, and MS, method development steps, and advantages and disadvantages of each microextraction approach will be covered. In addition, during this short course, recent advances, developments and applications of each technique in fields such as forensic, environmental, food and flavor, and clinical analysis will be described. Other topics that will be covered involve the application of SPME for determination of free concentration, binding studies, in vivo chemical biopsy sampling of freely moving animals for pharmacokinetic and metabolomic studies, direct tissue analysis, and automation of SPME and related technologies in high-throughput format including direct MS.

This course is designed for new and current SPME, TFME and NT users. The topics that will be covered in this course will be of interest to analytical chemists, laboratory supervisors, scientists and industry regulators in the environmental, food, flavor and fragrance, pharmaceutical, clinical, cosmetic, forensic and other fields interested in effective high throughput determination of target analytes in complex matrices. The features of in vivo chemical biopsy sampling will be of particular interest to biologists and life scientists.

Course 2 (FD2): Title From guesswork to design: fighting variability in sample preparation through DoE 

Instructors: Agnieska Smolinska, University of Maastricht, Netherlands

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to Design of Experiments (DoE), combining clear theoretical foundations with practical applications across the full spectrum of analytical workflows. The training emphasises how structured, statistically driven experimental planning can greatly improve sample-preparation strategies, extraction efficiency, and method robustness—areas highly relevant to analytical chemistry and beyond.

The theoretical component covers the core principles of DoE, including factor screening, interaction effects, response-surface modelling, and multi-objective optimization. Participants will learn how to select and interpret full and fractional factorial designs, D-optimal designs, model coefficients, contour plots, and desirability functions. Strong attention is given to experimental logic, model assumptions, and reproducibility, enabling participants to confidently design and evaluate their own studies.

The practical component demonstrates how these concepts apply to a wide variety of real-world analytical challenges. Case studies will highlight DoE-driven optimization of sampling procedures, headspace and sorptive extraction conditions, sorbent and material selection, sample-preparation workflows, derivatisation strategies, enzyme-based assays, and metabolite-extraction efficiency. Chromatographic examples will still be included for participants who work in separation science, but only as one of several application domains.

By the end of the course, participants will understand how to design efficient, statistically sound experiments that improve sensitivity, robustness, and reproducibility across many areas of sample preparation and analysis. The training equips researchers and practitioners with practical skills that reduce trial-and-error work, increase method performance, and support high-quality results in diverse scientific contexts.

 

Half-day courses:

Course 1 (HD1): Title: Paper-based electrochemical devices: smart analytical tools for sustainable sample treatment and analyte detection

Instructors: Fabiana Arduini, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy

In this course, I will discuss the tipping points in the roadmap of electrochemical paper-based analytical devices by harnessing the multiple characteristics of paper, such as cost-effectiveness, widespread accessibility, mechanical strength, porosity, and the capability to be easily cut, folded, modified, and assembled. I will highlight how the use of paper in electrochemical devices not only provides additional features to the electrochemical devices such as the environmentally friendless, ease multiplexed analysis, and three tridimensional structures by folding and unfolding operations but how it has broken down barriers for delivering measurement without (i) addition of reagents, (ii) sample treatment for liquid, aerosol, and solid samples, and (iii) any additional pump for microfluidics.

 

Course 2 (HD2): Title: "Eutectic Solvents in Liquid Microextraction: From Basics to Best Practice"

Instructors: Lorena Vidal,  Universidad de Alicante, Spain

This course provides a comprehensive overview of eutectic solvents (i.e., DES, natural DES and magnetic DES) and their applications in liquid-phase microextraction. Participants will learn the fundamental principles governing eutectic solvent formation, its physicochemical properties, and the advantages of using it as a green extractant. The course will cover method development, optimization strategies, and analytical performance evaluation through practical examples. Emphasis will be placed on best practices for reproducibility, sustainability, and integration into analytical workflows. Ideal for researchers and practitioners seeking to enhance their expertise in green sample preparation and analytical chemistry.

 

Course 3 (HD3): Title: Sample preparation for metabolomics

Instructors: Dajana Vuckovic, Concordia University; Arianna Cirillo, Concordia University, Canada

This course discusses various sample preparation techniques for accurate and reproducible metabolite profiling. Topics include strategies for handling diverse biological matrices such as plasma, urine, and tissue; methods for metabolite extraction and stabilization; approaches to evaluate/minimize degradation and contamination; and strategies for the successful implementation of microsampling approaches. Additional topics include solvent and extraction optimization, as well as normalization strategies for quantitative analysis. The attendees will also learn how sample preparation influences downstream analytical performance on both nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry (MS) platforms, and how to tailor protocols for targeted/untargeted metabolomics and multi-omics. Finally, quality control measures, including internal standard selection and the best practices for ensuring consistency across large-scale studies, will be discussed.

Course 4 (HD4): Title: Interfacing sample preparation with mass spectrometry: commercial alternatives and beyond

Instructors: María Soledad Cárdenas Aranzana and Rafael Lucena, University of Cordoba, Spain

This course will provide students with an overview of the potential of direct coupling between sample preparation techniques and mass spectrometry. The main advantages and a critical assessment of the current limitations that will guide future developments in the field will be discussed to provide the audience with a solid background on the topic. Starting with substrate spray approaches, the course will also cover developments using other ionization sources. The description of the main interfaces reported for such combinations will be the core of the course. This discussion will be driven by affordability, emphasizing, when possible, how these interfaces can be built with commercial, cost-effective components. Selected examples from different analytical fields (e.g., biological, environmental, and food analysis) will be presented and discussed to fully demonstrate the application scope of this strategy.

The course is designed for Ph.D. students involved in either sample preparation or mass spectrometry, as it focuses on their combination. It can inspire them in their current research to develop novel and innovative couplings. Also, postdoctoral students and analytical chemists in general will be a target audience, as this can complement their background in both approaches.