Mass Spectrometry/Omics Core
The Mass Spectrometry Core offers cost effective, state-of-the-art instrumentation for structural analysis of biological molecules and for qualitative and quantitative assays of nutrients and metabolites in physiologic fluids.
Directors: Kevin Schey, PhD and Jeffrey Spraggins, PhD
Core Aims
- Provide access to state-of-the-art mass spectrometry equipment for analysis of small molecule drugs and endogenous metabolites (host and microbial), including targeted and discovery metabolomics and lipidomics, in an open-access analytical facility.
- Provide access to a state-of-the-art proteomics facility for identification, characterization and quantitation of proteins and whole proteomes.
- Provide access to a pioneering imaging mass spectrometry facility for spatial localization of proteins, peptides, lipids, metabolites, and drugs in tissues.
- Provide professional guidance on experimental design, development of analytical assays, and data interpretation.
- Train users on sample preparation, instrument operation, and data analysis as well as on bioinformatics analysis of complex omics data and storage of large datasets.
- Promote interactions between other VDDRC Cores to facilitate the collaborative mission of the VDDRC research enterprise.
Core Services
- Identification of lipids, drugs and metabolites by GC/MS and HR-LC/MS
- Proteomics for identification and characterization of proteins by LC-MS/MS techniques
- Determination of posttranslational modifications of proteins & peptides by LC-MS/MS
- Quantification of protein expression by label-free or stable isotope labeled proteins by LC-MS/MS
- Spatial localization of drugs, lipids, metabolites and proteins by imaging MS
- Quantification of trace elements in physiologic fluids by ICP-MS
- Development of novel analytical methods using mass spectrometry
- Interpretation & analysis of mass spectrometry data
- Education & training in mass spectrometry principles and operation