The NICHD Biomedical Mass Spectrometry Core Facility was created to provide high-end mass-spectrometric services to scientists within the NICHD Intramural Research Program (IRP). Particular focus has been in the areas of proteomics, biomarker discovery, protein characterization, and detection of post-translational modifications. The core also performs quantitative analyses of small bio-molecules, including lipids and steroids, and is located in the 9D corridor of Building 10 on the NIH campus.
Staff are available for consultation with all labs within the DIR, provided that existing resources are distributed equally among investigators requesting our services. The facility aims to ensure that its instruments obtain only reliable, high-quality data and that its clients receive only statistically meaningful analyses. For each project, staff members meet with scientists involved in the study to discuss the experimental design.
The facility has an internationally recognized capability in characterization of proteins and peptides by mass spectrometry, including: (i) identification of proteins isolated by electrophoresis; (ii) confirming molecular weights of recombinant or synthetic proteins and peptides; (iii) determining sites of specific post-translational modifications including phosphorylation, glutamylation, AMPylation, and disulfide bond formation; (iv) quantification of particular post-translational modifications; and (v) sequencing peptides de novo. In addition, the facility has extensive experience and skill in the identification and quantification of small endogenous molecules including phospholipids, steroids, and sugars. In this area, the capability is primarily in quantification of endogenous levels of particular molecules and their metabolites.
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