Mass Spectrometry Research Center
The Mass Spectrometry Research Center (MSRC) is home to research and service involving mass spectrometry (MS) at Vanderbilt. MS instrumentation and MS-based analytical methods are essential tools for research in chemistry, biology and medicine. The application of MS instrumentation to proteomics provides new tools for disease detection and therapeutics. The MSRC houses three core laboratories. The Mass Spectrometry Core provides analytical instrumentation and support for analysis of chemical substances, including drugs, metabolites and diverse biomolecules. The Proteomics Core provides analytical proteomics services for molecular characterization of proteins and proteomes. The Tissue/Serum Proteomics Core provides proteome profiling and MS-based proteome imaging for direct analysis of intact tissue samples and for analysis of plasma, serum and other biofluids. These provide the local research community with world-class instrumentation and collaborative support of cutting-edge research in the medical and bioscience fields. Please visit the links to each laboratory for more details regarding our research projects and services.
Contact: Richard M. Caprioli—Director
Phone: 615-322-4336
Email: richard.m.caprioli@vanderbilt.edu
Website: http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/msrc/
- Mass Spectrometry Core
The Mass Spectrometry Core is an advanced shared instrument facility for the benefit of the local research community. Our mission is to provide cost effective, state-of-the-art instrumentation to students, fellows and faculty for identification and structural analysis of biological molecules and for qualitative and quantitative assays of drugs and metabolites in physiologic fluids. The facility is operated as an open-access core laboratory in which users are encouraged to run their own samples with the advice and assistance of Core personnel. The Core has four triple quadrupole LC/MS, two ion trap LC/MS, two GC/MS and one MALDI/TOF mass spectrometer available for service use. Low cost service fees are charged at an hourly rate for instrument use. Consultation, collaboration and data interpretation are available as a professional courtesy at no charge. The senior staff also offers a comprehensive training program covering the theoretical and practical aspects of mass spectrometry, techniques for sample preparation and assistance in data analysis and interpretation. Students and fellows are actively encouraged to learn to use each of the instruments available in the facility. To facilitate this open access model, the Core offers a series of training classes several times each year.
David L. Hachey—Director
Phone: 615-343-8382
Email: david.l.hachey@vanderbilt.edu
Website: mc.vanderbilt.edu/msrc/massspec/ - Proteomics Core
The Proteomics Core Laboratory provides state-of the-art MS instrumentation and analytical methods to analyze proteins and proteomes. New, high performance MS instruments and expertise in multiple analytical approaches provide exceptional flexibility in analytical proteomics approaches. These tools are integrated with powerful bioinformatics tools to mine, filter and assemble proteomics data. Proteomics Laboratory staff provide consultation on experimental design and sample preparation. Typically, digestion, protein and peptide separations, MS analyses and primary data workup are performed by Proteomics Laboratory personnel, although hands-on training in any aspect of proteomics analyses is provided to interested individuals. Electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometers for liquid chromatography-tandem MS (LC-MS-MS) experiments and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight (MALDI TOF) and MALDI TOF-TOF instruments are available for MS analyses. The Core offers training in proteomics several times a year to familiarize investigators with the various proteomics technologies.
David L. Hachey—Director
Phone: 615-343-8382
Email: david.l.hachey@vanderbilt.edu
Website: mc.vanderbilt.edu/msrc/proteomics/ - Tissue/Serum Proteomics Core
The Tissue/Serum Proteomics Core provides analysis of complex proteomes of tissue and biofluid samples for exploratory studies directed at analysiof disease states, responses to therapy and drug toxicity. Proteome profiling identifies mass spectral patterns derived from multiple proteins in a tissue or biofluid sample. Proteome imaging can be done by analyzing mass spectral data acquired across a grid within a tissue section. The Tissue/Serum Proteomics Core laboratory provides direct proteome profiling and protein imaging of intact tissues by MALDI-MS using techniques developed at Vanderbilt. The Core also provides proteome profiling of tissue, serum, plasma and other biofluids by "shotgun" LC-MS-MS methods and targeted quantitation of specific proteins by LC-MS-MS. This new Core Laboratory was established as a Shared Resource in the Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center.
Richard M. Caprioli—Director
Phone: 615-322-4336
Email: richard.m.caprioli@vanderbilt.edu
M. Wade Calcutt—Assistant Director
Phone: 615-322-3160
Email: wade.calcutt@vanderbilt.edu
Website: mc.vanderbilt.edu/msrc/tissue/
