About The LA-IRMS Collaboration
Find out about the companies and the individuals who have been driving the development of LA-IRMS over the last 6 years.
More Information
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About Sercon Instruments
Since its inception in 2001, Sercon has consistently demonstrated a commitment to advancing scientific research. With a specialised focus on research collaborations, our cutting-edge IRMS technologies empower researchers worldwide to delve deeper into their fields of study. Ours is an ongoing dedication to fostering innovation and collaboration within the scientific communities we serve.
As a result, we are trusted to support the scientific community globally by providing innovative instrumentation and software manufactured and developed in the UK. This is backed by consistently first rate service and support across the board.
The collaborations we have built – and continue to develop – with academics and researchers as well as with commercial and operational laboratory teams – underpin the success of our own journey as a business.
About Terra Analitic
Terra Analitic was established in 2017 as a commercial laboratory, initially focused primarily on archaeometry (petrology and elemental geochemistry). In 2018 the opportunity arose to design a bespoke sample chamber for LA IRMS analyses of tree cores and a team of our researchers and engineers set to work on the new project. We tested prototypes a year later at the prospective customer’s facility and following brilliant results the first isoScell model Δ100 was sold in 2020.
The three companies involved with the project (Sercon, Teledyne, and Terra Analitic) became vested in establishing a facility that focuses on LA IRMS hardware and R&D to offer this amazing tool to researchers looking for an answer to their peculiar stable isotope needs. As a result the Terra Analitic LA IRMS lab became functional in early 2022 and started extensive testing of LA IRMS capabilities on a wide variety of matrices.
About Teledyne Photon Machines
Teledyne Photon Machines, based in Montana, USA, has a deep history in laser ablation, having been formed from the acquisition of Photon Machines and the laser division of CETAC Technologies.
The company specializes in advanced, laser-based, instrumentation that has been engineered by a scientific process, working with key academic partners to innovate, test and prove our technologies.
Our products, software and services help users detect the presence and concentration of elements, and isotopes in all types of solid samples.
Application areas include geological, environmental, biological, pharmaceutical, academia, forensic, battery technologies and industrial quality control.
The Core Team
The core team who have been driving this important collaboration are from all three companies – feel free to connect with them on LinkedIn!
Garry Armstrong
Sercon Instruments
Director at Sercon Instruments, Garry's focus is on successfully enabling the global scientific community to undertake research by providing innovative, collaborative instrumentation and software manufactured and developed in the UK.
Garry was a founder of the LA-IRMS project with Teledyne Photon Machines, and Terra Analitic.
Montana Puscas
Terra Analitic
Montana has led the Terra Analitic research facility since its formation in 2017, has a PhD in stable isotope geochemistry and 20 years research experience.
An integral part of the isoScell laser ablation chamber design and development team, her focus is collaborative research, offering analytical solutions to research needs from various fields.
Damon Green
Teledyne Photon Machines
Damon has a PhD in geochemistry and >25 years experience in both lab-based and industry-based mass spectrometry.
Damon has worked in scientific/technical, commercial, marketing and product management roles for more than two decades and was a founder of the LA-IRMS project with Sercon Instruments and Terra Analitic.
Bill Spence
Teledyne Photon Machines
Bill leads global sales for Teledyne Photon Machines and has a technical background in mass spectrometry dating back to the mid-1990s.
Bill has held applications, marketing and sales positions at Thermo Fisher Scientific, CETAC Technologies and now Teledyne Photon Machines for more than 25 years.
Dr Ciprian Stremtan
Teledyne Photon Machines
Ciprian has a PhD in geochemistry and >20 years experience in research and industry with lasers and mass spectrometry, including IRMS. He has >60 published papers in a variety of scientific fields, mostly using laser and mass spectrometry techniques and has been at the heart of the development of the LA-IRMS and LA-CRDS methods and instrumentation.
Mark Gibson
Sercon Instruments
Sercon’s Business Development Manager, Mark’s LA IRMS attention is heavily focused on ensuring our existing and growing customer base and international agent partners understand this technique and the applications LA IRMS lends itself to. Engagement around the data led benefits of LA IRMS will expand the global scientific understanding around this nature of analysis.
Simon Moseley
Sercon Instruments
Installation & Service Manager with 17-years’ plus experience of Sercon IRMS systems, Simon’s focus is optimising instrument uptime and successful user experience. With a skilled engineering team, he manages global service, installation, training and maintenance needs, supporting delivery, safeguarding optimal performance and reliability. He stays in close contact with partners to offer comprehensive upgrade and refurbishment services.
Dr Lewis Banks
Teledyne Photon Machines
Lewis has a PhD in geochemistry and has been working with mass spectrometry in research and industry positions, including with the British Geological Survey, since 2017. Lewis has been involved in installation, servicing, customer training and solution development for Teledyne Photon Machines laser systems, including LA-IRMS for several years.
Dr Stijn Van Malderen
Teledyne Photon Machines
With a PhD in Analytical Chemistry Stijn runs innovation at Teledyne Photon Machines. Responsible for the development of many core technologies in Teledyne’s current portfolio, he has authored >100 peer-reviewed papers plus multiple patents. He is the lead developer of HDIP, a mass spectrometry data and image processing package which he founded in 2015.
Lucas Smith
Teledyne Photon Machines
Lucas leads sales for the Americas and Australia and has a technical background in chemistry instrumentation dating back to the early 2000s. He has held industry positions in Training Management, Product Management, Account and Sales Management since 2006 and has been with the CETAC Technologies and Teledyne teams for over a decade.
Ruan Hattingh
Teledyne Photon Machines
Ruan holds a Masters degree in Analytical Chemistry and leads the Teledyne Photon Machines global service team.
He has held positions such as R&D, lab manager and technical specialist in both instrumentation companies and research institutions over more than ten years.