The Smith Group is an interdisciplinary group of researchers developing new technologies to drive biological research. Mass spectrometry is the central technology platform that we utilize and develop. Major focus areas include the development of improved strategies and tools for bottom-up, top-down, and intact mass proteomics; mass spectrometric analysis of RNA modifications, also known as epitranscriptomics; and the study of the protein modification wherein dehydroamino acids are formed from phosphoserine and phosphothreonine residues, that appear to play important roles in both Alzheimer’s disease and the HIV viral life cycle. We apply these tools and drive their development in important biological systems with the aid of talented biologists and clinician collaborators.