Susan Olesik has long been at the forefront of separation science, driving advances in chromatography, mass spectrometry, and nanoscale materials. Ahead of HPLC 2026, she shares insights into her latest research – and the evolving challenges shaping the field at a time of growing uncertainty for US science.
Meet the Expert: Susan Olesik
Susan Olesik obtained her PhD from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison under James Taylor, specializing in mass spectrometry. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship with Milos Novotny at Indiana University, working on supercritical fluids combined with FTIR. This was followed by a second postdoctoral position with Tomas Baer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, focusing on gas-phase ion chemistry. She later joined The Ohio State University as a faculty member, where her work has focused on separation science and mass spectrometry.
She is best known for her research in three key areas of separation science: enhanced-fluidity liquid chromatography (EFLC), the development of carbon-based stationary phases, and the design of nanoscale materials for chromatographic and mass spectrometric applications. More recently, her work has explored biologically relevant compounds, as well as improving separation efficiency and ionization efficiency in surface-assisted laser desorption ionization (SALDI) using nanoparticle and nanofiber arrays and related devices.
Olesik has been recognized in The Analytical Scientist Power List (including as a Top 10 Mentor and Educator of the Decade in 2023), received a NASA commendation for contributing a GC column to the Cassini-Huygens probe, and earned numerous other honors – including ACS Fellow (2009), AAAS Fellow (2012), the ACS Award in Chromatography (2014), OSU Distinguished University Professor (2020), and the 2023 Dal Nogare Award.
What is the current focus of your research?
Our current research focuses on several key areas. First, we are working to improve the speed and resolution of chromatographic separations for biological samples, using enhanced-fluidity liquid chromatography.
Second, we are exploring the use of enhanced-fluidity solvents to improve detection limits in electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for biological compounds.
Third, we are developing novel nanomaterials aimed at enhancing chromatographic performance.
Finally, we are investigating alternatives to MALDI for mass spectrometry, with the goal of expanding analytical capabilities in this space.
What will your presentation focus on, and what added value does it bring to analytical science?
My presentation will highlight the unique properties of carbon materials, with a particular focus on carbon nanomaterials and their application in separation science. The aim is to demonstrate how these materials can enhance analytical performance, particularly in terms of separation efficiency and selectivity.
Who will be most interested in this work, and what are the key application areas?
This work will be of interest to anyone seeking improved separation performance – whether in terms of speed, selectivity, or chromatographic resolution.
The potential applications are broad, spanning biomaterials, pesticides and herbicides, and pharmaceutical compounds.
Why is HPLC 2026 important?
The HPLC conference is the place to meet and interact with international experts across the broad field of liquid-phase separation science. The range of presentations spans from microscale to preparative-scale work, with contributors from major industrial, academic, and government laboratories. It is a key venue for showcasing the most cutting-edge developments in separation science.
Attending HPLC 2026 is important because, as analytical chemists, our goal is to help solve some of today’s most challenging problems. For example, identifying systems of biomarkers that truly indicate a disease state – often across a wide range of concentrations in biological fluids. Similar challenges exist in separating environmental pollutants and their metabolites to better understand their impact on plants and animals.
The point is that new methods are continually being developed to push separation science – and its integration with detection technologies – into areas where there is a clear and growing need.
HPLC is also a place where innovators present new ideas and receive feedback from peers, often leading to collaborative opportunities. In addition, the vendor presentations provide excellent opportunities for users to discuss specific needs and explore a wide array of state-of-the-art commercial solutions. The commercial exhibits bring together leading organizations in the field, and the information gained from these interactions is invaluable and should not be missed.
Why is networking and knowledge exchange so important at HPLC – and what can early-career researchers gain from attending?
The networking opportunities at the HPLC conference are spectacular. Experts from across the world attend, and the exchange between European, US, and other international communities brings unique perspectives that are very important in moving science forward.
For young PhD scientists, it is important to attend to see the scope of liquid separation science highlighted at the conference and to begin developing their own network, including both peers and internationally renowned experts.
How are current budget challenges affecting the field – and what could the short- and long-term consequences be?
At least within the US, these are intensely challenging times for science. With federal research funding becoming increasingly uncertain, there is a real need for the community to come together and consider how we will sustain the field.
This is critically important because, without continued support for training new BS-, MS-, and PhD-level scientists, we risk losing an entire generation. Such a loss would have significant consequences – not only for scientific progress, but also for local economies and the continued generation of new knowledge.
All of us must work together to define a path forward through these challenging times.
HPLC 2026: At a Glance
Program co-chair Jared Anderson examines the scientific scope, training opportunities, and emerging themes at this year’s international meeting on liquid phase separations
By Jared L. Anderson, Alice Hudson Professor of Chemistry and Faculty Scientist, Iowa State University and Ames National Laboratory, Iowa, USA
The 55th International Symposium on High Performance Liquid Phase Separations and Related Techniques (HPLC 2026) will be held June 6–11, 2026, in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. Hosted at the JW Marriott, the conference is one of the leading international meetings dedicated to liquid-phase separations, bringing together researchers from academia, industry, and regulatory bodies.
The scientific program reflects the breadth of modern separation science, covering chromatographic theory, detection strategies, multidimensional LC, hyphenated techniques, supercritical fluid chromatography, and advances in stationary phase design. Application areas include biopharmaceutical analysis, omics, complex mixture characterization, and therapeutic oligonucleotides.
Pre-conference short courses (June 6–7) provide both foundational and applied training. Topics include two-dimensional LC, LC–MS/MS method development, artificial intelligence in separations, and analytical approaches for oligonucleotide therapeutics, alongside sessions on (U)HPLC, sample preparation, chiral separations, and protein biopharmaceutical analysis.
The plenary program features leading figures in the field, including Susan Olesik, Dan Armstrong, Sarah O’Keeffe, Yasushi Ishihama, Luis Colón, and Gunda Köllensperger. A wide range of keynote presentations further explores advances in areas such as proteomics, lipidomics, column technologies, affinity separations, and chemometric analysis.
In addition to the scientific sessions, HPLC 2026 includes a large exhibition and vendor seminars, reflecting the close interaction between instrument developers and end users. The meeting also supports early-career scientists through travel grants, poster sessions, and training opportunities, reinforcing its role as a key forum for both education and scientific exchange in separation science.
To find out more, visit: https://hplc2026-symposium.org/
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