Dr. Andries Bruins

During the General Members' Meeting on 9 June 2020, the KNCV appointed Dr Andries Bruins as Member of Merit.

Dr Andries Bruins, Associate Professor in Groningen, has been treasurer for more than 25 years and thus the “financial conscience” of the Groningen Chemical Circle (GCK). In addition, during his long tenure on the board, he has played an important role in acquiring interesting speakers for the Circle's evening events.

Within the scientific field, Bruins has played a crucial role in the development of modern mass spectrometry, particularly with regard to the development of new ionisation techniques that revolutionised MS research and modern analytical chemistry. Andries Bruins obtained his BSc and PhD degrees in FT-ICR mass spectrometry at the University of Amsterdam, under the supervision of Prof. Nico Nibbering.

In 1985, during a visit to Cornell University, Andries Bruins developed the so-called “ion spray” technique together with Jack Henion and Tom Covey. In ion spray, liquid from a liquid chromatograph is sprayed through a stainless steel capillary (under high voltage) into the ionisation chamber of a mass spectrometer, whereby, for example, nitrogen is conducted at high speed past the exit of the tube, causing the liquid to become a fine mist. Partly thanks to this technique, mass spectrometry can be used in an increasing number of applications in the medical and life sciences, enabling developments in proteomics, among other things.

The board of the KNCV has accepted the nomination of Dr Andries Bruins by the Groningen Chemical Circle.