The UC Davis Molecular Structure Facility is home to several state-of-the-art mass spectrometers (see Instrumentation). These instruments, located in 9 Hutchison Hall, are used to identify proteins and to determine the molecular weight and/or structure of species ranging in size from diatomic molecules to large proteins. In order to do this, sample molecules are ionized using electrospray, matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI), or electron impact, and the resulting ions are analyzed by one of several types of mass analyzers, quadrupole, quadrupole ion trap, time of flight (TOF) or hybrid quadrupole-TOF, giving rise to a mass spectrum.

Given below are links to several mass spectrometry tutorial sites.