High performance ion mobility separation mass spectrometry (IMS MS) was thoroughly optimized to allow the discovery of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)-specific structures and the assessment of their roles as tumor markers or possible associated antigens. Ganglioside (GG) separation by IMS according to the charge state, carbohydrate chain length, degree of sialylation and ceramide composition, led to the identification of no less than 160 distinct components [1], which represents 3 folds the number of structures identified before. The detected GGs and asialo-GGs were found characterized by a high heterogeneity in their ceramide and glycan compositions, encompassing up five Neu5Ac residues. The tumor was found dominated in equal and high proportions by GD3 and GT1 forms, with a particular incidence of C24:1 fatty acids in the ceramide
