Welcome to Dr. David H. Russell's Research Group at the Texas A&M University. Research activities in the Russell Research Group (RRG) are in the general area of mass spectrometry (MS) and gas-phase ion chemistry. Soft ionization methods, such as matrix-assisted laser desorption and electrospray ionization are commonly used for the analysis of peptides and proteins in the gas phase. Specific research areas include: biological chemistry, fundamental gas-phase ion chemistry, instrumentation development, using nanoparticles to facilitate laser desorption/ionization, spatially dynamic optics for imaging mass spectrometry, peptide fragmentation and proteomics applications. Novel instrumentation plays an increasingly important role in biological mass spectrometry and the RRG is actively pursuing new instrument methods centered around time-of-flight ion mobility instruments, and focuses on developing more versatile and sensitive methods for structural characterization.