isotopologer

An isotopologer is a researcher who specializes in isotopologues, the variants of a molecule that differ only in the isotopic composition of their atoms. The term covers the study, identification, and quantification of isotopologues and, in broader usage, isotopomers—isotopic variants that differ in the position of isotopes within a molecule. Isotopologers work across chemistry, biochemistry, environmental science, and related fields to understand molecular processes, trace pathways, and measure isotopic enrichment.

They design labeling experiments using stable isotopes such as 13C, 15N, or 18O, and they analyze samples with techniques including isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), high-resolution mass spectrometry, gas or liquid chromatography coupled to MS, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance. Data processing involves correcting for natural abundance, modeling isotopologue distributions, and translating spectral signatures into quantitative information about synthesis, degradation, or fluxes in biological or geochemical systems.

Common applications include metabolic flux analysis in cells and tissues, carbon and nitrogen cycling studies in ecosystems and the atmosphere, tracer studies in pharmacology and materials science, and the authentication of foods and polymers. The term isotopologer is not widely standardized in the literature and is often used informally to describe professionals who perform isotopologue analysis within broader spectroscopy or isotope geochemistry roles.