Released on: July 17, 2008, 7:11 am

Press Release Author: The Scott Partnership

Industry:

Press Release Summary: San Jose, CA., (July 17, 2008) - Thermo Fisher Scientific
Inc., the world leader in serving science, today announced that Harvard Medical
School (HMS) is using a range of its mass spectrometry instrumentation for
cutting-edge targeted proteomics applications. Scientists from North Carolina State
and Harvard Universities, along with John M. Asara Ph.D., director of the mass
spectrometry core facility at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), a
teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, have used a Thermo Scientific LTQ
linear ion trap and LTQ Orbitrap XL to extract and sequence tiny pieces of collagen
protein from dinosaurs. The sequences from a 68 million-year old Tyrannosaurus Rex
and a 160,000 to 600,000 year old mastodon are the oldest to ever be reported. The
protein fragments were compared to peptide/protein sequences in existing databases,
leading the researchers to propose a link between the T. rex and current day
chickens and the mastodon with modern elephants. Recently the Harvard team has been
able to place the T. rex on the animal kingdom\'s phylogenetic tree using molecular
evidence.


Press Release Body: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mass Spectrometry
Media Contact Information:
Name: Laura Browne/Charlotte Culley
Phone: +44 1477 539539
Email: thermo@scottpr.com
Website: www.scottpr.com

Secondary Contact Information:
Stephanie Kubina
+1 (408) 965-6022
stephanie.kubina@thermofisher.com

Thermo Fisher Scientific Mass Spectrometry Instruments Used by Harvard University to
Identify Proteins in Dinosaur Fossils and Cancer Pathways

San Jose, CA., (July 17, 2008) - Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in
serving science, today announced that Harvard Medical School (HMS) is using a range
of its mass spectrometry instrumentation for cutting-edge targeted proteomics
applications. Scientists from North Carolina State and Harvard Universities, along
with John M. Asara Ph.D., director of the mass spectrometry core facility at the
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical
School, have used a Thermo Scientific LTQ linear ion trap and LTQ Orbitrap XL to
extract and sequence tiny pieces of collagen protein from dinosaurs. The sequences
from a 68 million-year old Tyrannosaurus Rex and a 160,000 to 600,000 year old
mastodon are the oldest to ever be reported. The protein fragments were compared to
peptide/protein sequences in existing databases, leading the researchers to propose
a link between the T. rex and current day chickens and the mastodon with modern
elephants. Recently the Harvard team has been able to place the T. rex on the animal
kingdom\'s phylogenetic tree using molecular evidence.

John Asara (who is also an instructor in pathology at HMS) and his colleagues at
BIDMC provide the Longwood Medical Area and other researchers with proteomics
services. They use mass spectrometry to develop proteomics-based strategies for
identifying novel signaling proteins and modifications of functional significance to
cancer pathways. The mass spectrometry techniques he has developed for sequencing
proteins in human tumors using the LTQ linear ion trap and LTQ Orbitrap XL have also
been applicable to his work on fossilomics (the analysis of fossil bone proteins
from extinct organisms).

Asara credits the Thermo Scientific instrumentation with providing the sensitivity,
ultra high mass accuracy and resolution required by these challenging applications.
\"The LTQ increased our throughput and depth of analyses,\" he said. \"Additionally,
the LTQ Orbitrap XL has done wonders for sorting out minor sequence discrepancies.
With the LTQ Orbitrap XL, all forms of proteomics analysis are possible from
qualitative analysis to quantitative analysis through stable isotope labeling, as
well as label-free methods.\"

Both Asara\'s cancer research and fossilomics analyses benefit from the advanced
Thermo Scientific MS technology. \"The two technological advances that stand out with
my current instrumentation are the linear trap with dual ejection to two different
multipliers, which substantially increases sensitivity and scan speed, as well as
the Orbitrap\'s capability for high resolution accurate mass measurements,\" Asara
said. \"Additionally the HCD collision cell on the LTQ Orbitrap XL allows for
extremely high MS/MS mass accuracy and resolution, in addition to acquiring very low
molecular weight fragment ions.\"

For more information about Thermo Scientific MS instrumentation, please call
+1 800-532-4752, email analyze@thermofisher.com or visit
www.fossilomics.com.

Thermo Scientific is part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving
science.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO) is the world leader in serving science,
enabling our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. With annual
revenues of $10 billion, we have more than 30,000 employees and serve over 350,000
customers within pharmaceutical and biotech companies, hospitals and clinical
diagnostic labs, universities, research institutions and government agencies, as
well as environmental and industrial process control settings. Serving customers
through two premier brands, Thermo Scientific and Fisher Scientific, we help solve
analytical challenges from routine testing to complex research and discovery. Thermo
Scientific offers customers a complete range of high-end analytical instruments as
well as laboratory equipment, software, services, consumables and reagents to enable
integrated laboratory workflow solutions. Fisher Scientific provides a complete
portfolio of laboratory equipment, chemicals, supplies and services used in
healthcare, scientific research, safety and education. Together, we offer the most
convenient purchasing options to customers and continuously advance our technologies
to accelerate the pace of scientific discovery, enhance value for customers and fuel
growth for shareholders and employees alike. Visit www.thermofisher.com.

For further press information please contact: Laura Browne, The Scott Partnership, 1
Whiteside, Station Road, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire. CW4 8AA United Kingdom Tel: + 44
1477 539539 Fax: +44 1606 1477 539540 E-mail:
thermo@scottpr.com



Web Site: http://

Contact Details: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mass Spectrometry
Media Contact Information:
Name: Laura Browne/Charlotte Culley
Phone: +44 1477 539539
Email: thermo@scottpr.com
Website: www.scottpr.com

Secondary Contact Information:
Stephanie Kubina
+1 (408) 965-6022
stephanie.kubina@thermofisher.com