Martin Jarrold, a Distinguished Professor and Robert and Marjorie Mann Chair in Chemistry at Indiana University Bloomington, is set to retire after a long career at the university. This year also marks the commercial launch of his refined charge detection mass spectrometer, a scientific instrument that aims to advance research into genetic disorders.
The new device will become available in fall 2025 through a partnership between Megadalton Solutions, a startup co-founded by Jarrold, and Waters Corp. The spectrometer enables scientists to accurately measure large molecules that traditional mass spectrometers cannot analyze.
Traditional mass spectrometry is used to identify unknown materials by measuring molecular mass but is limited to smaller molecules. The charge detection mass spectrometer expands this capability, allowing for analysis of larger molecules such as plastics and proteins. This broader measurement range supports research into biological materials like gene therapies, which could improve treatments for rare genetic diseases.
“Gene therapies can be spectacularly successful,” Jarrold said. “There are children who are sick with a disease that could kill them or drastically shorten their life. One shot of gene therapy could completely solve their problem.”
David Clemmer, another Distinguished Professor and Robert and Marjorie Mann Chair in Chemistry at IU Bloomington, described Jarrold as an influential figure in his field. “I can’t really express what having a colleague like Martin Jarrold means to me,” Clemmer said. “I have considered him for many years to be the very top measurement and physical chemist in his field.”
Clemmer encouraged Jarrold to commercialize the technology so it could reach more scientists. “The tools that Martin developed in his lab as prototypes would not serve the world if they only existed in his lab,” Clemmer said. “I kept telling him, you need to start a company and commercialize this, because it could get this instrument out to the masses.”
Megadalton Solutions was established as an incubator for the technology. The IU Innovation and Commercialization Office supported the effort by helping secure patents and facilitating the partnership with Waters Corp.
Jarrold credited Indiana University’s resources as essential to developing the instrument. He highlighted the university’s Mechanical Instrument Services and Electronic Instrument Services groups for their support. “We would not have been able to do what we’re doing without those resources,” Jarrold said. “I can count on one hand the number of chemistry departments in this country that have access to the resources at the quality that we have here.”
IU Bloomington Chancellor David Reingold commented on the department’s history: “The Department of Chemistry at IU Bloomington has a long history of conducting creative and transformative research,” he said. “We’re proud to support work like Jarrold’s: technological advancements that will drastically improve the lives of Hoosiers living with rare genetic disorders.”
To mark both Jarrold’s retirement and the launch of his invention, Waters Corp. will host a conference celebrating these milestones. Additionally, colleagues have established the Martin and Caroline Jarrold Fellowship in Measurement Science, which will help recruit new graduate students to IU’s chemistry program.
Reflecting on his relationship with Jarrold, Clemmer added: “If you have four or five people in your life who are interested in the things you’re interested in, and they’re very good at what they do, you should not take that for granted,” Clemmer said. “That’s all you really need to change the world.”
