Acquisition scheduling and load balancing for targeted mass spectrometry

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, direct at least one processor of a computing device for mass spectrometry to perform a process comprising:

• generating, for a targeted assay of a sample, an acquisition schedule that schedules acquisition, by a mass spectrometer, of a set of mass spectra for each target analyte included in a set of target analytes included in a sample as each target analyte elutes from a separation system, wherein generating the acquisition schedule comprises:
• identifying an analyte group corresponding to each analyte included in a list of analytes estimated to be present in the sample;
• and
• selecting, from the list of analytes, the set of target analytes based on selection criteria and the analyte group corresponding to each respective analyte included in the list of analytes;
• and
• directing the mass spectrometer to acquire the mass spectra in accordance with the acquisition schedule.

A system for targeted mass spectrometry, comprising:

• a separation system configured to separate a plurality of target analytes included in a sample;
• a mass spectrometer coupled to the separation system and configured to acquire mass spectra for a set of target analytes included in the plurality of target analytes as the plurality of target analytes elute from the separation system;
• and
• a controller configured to:
• generate an acquisition schedule that schedules acquisition, by the mass spectrometer, of a set of mass spectra for each target analyte included in the set of target analytes, wherein the acquisition schedule specifies a dynamic acquisition cycle period that varies over time;
• and
• direct the mass spectrometer to acquire the set of mass spectra for the set of target analytes in accordance with the acquisition schedule.