Acquisition of a Bruker Daltonics OmniFLEXTM Bench-Top MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometer for Interdisciplinary Research in an Undergraduate College Setting

在Harris博士的指导下，Wellesley学院获得了一笔赠款，用于本科生跨学科研究的台式MALDI-TOF质谱仪。质谱仪是一种可以非常精确地测定原子和分子质量的仪器，多年来一直是主要在化学系进行的研究的关键仪器。最近技术的发展，允许电离和挥发（基质辅助激光解吸电离（MALDI）技术）的大生物分子（即蛋白质）刺激了新一代质谱仪的发展，这些质谱仪正在成为生物学和生物化学研究的重要组成部分。因此，这项提案的目标是获得这种最先进的仪器，以使对生命化学感兴趣的本科生能够与两个系的教师进行跨学科的合作研究。因此，MALDI-TOF质谱仪的拟议收购将对韦尔斯利学院化学系和生物系的广泛教师和本科生研究生以及我们课程中的特定课程产生重大影响。韦尔斯利学院的主要使命是为女性提供本科教育，这一承诺在女性传统上代表性不足的科学领域具有特殊意义。在生物科学系和化学系，24名全职教师在教学和研究方面都保持着很高的水平。许多教师都有校外资金，这些资金支持生产性研究项目，这些项目也以培养本科生为重点。因此，质谱仪不仅会对研究培训产生影响，而且还会为我们大部分教员改善研究环境。几个拟议的项目将使用MALDI-TOF利用肽质量指纹识别源自聚丙烯酰胺凝胶的未知蛋白质。生物学家计划使用原核生物（蓝藻）和真核生物（拟南芥和酵母菌）模型系统来识别响应氧化和pH胁迫以及独特的蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用的蛋白质组学变化。有机化学家，将使用质谱法作为研究项目的一部分，以了解稳定模型b-sheet构象所涉及的力。化学系的另一位教员将使用质谱法获取与酶活性调节相关的结构信息。此外，还计划将质谱仪整合到中高级水平的本科实验室设置中。将使用新型质谱仪进行的项目的科学价值，以及它们对女本科生教学和研究培训的关注，直接说明了这项工作的智力价值。该项目的资金是对我们下一代学生的重要投资。

A grant has been awarded to Wellesley College under the direction of Dr. Harris to acquire a bench-top MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer for interdisciplinary research in an undergraduate setting. A mass spectrometer is an instrument that can very accurately determine the mass of atoms and molecules and has for many years been a key instrument for research conducted primarily in Chemistry Departments. The development of recent techniques that allow for the ionization and volatilization (the matrix assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) technique ) of large biomolecules (i.e. proteins) has spurred the development of a new generation of mass spectrometers that are becoming essential components for research in biology and biochemistry. It was therefore the goal of this proposal to acquire this state of the art instrumentation in an effort to allow undergraduate students who are interested in the chemistry of life to engage in collaborative interdisciplinary research efforts with faculty in both departments. The proposed acquisition of the MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer will therefore have a significant impact on a broad base of faculty and undergraduate research students in the Chemistry and Biology Departments at Wellesley College, as well as specific courses in our curriculum. The primary mission at Wellesley College is the undergraduate education of women and this commitment has taken on a special meaning in the sciences where women have traditionally been underrepresented. In the Biological Sciences and Chemistry Departments, the permanent full-time faculty of 24 members maintains high standards for both teaching and research. Many of the faculty have extramural funding, which supports productive research programs that also are focused on training undergraduate students. Therefore, the mass spectrometer will not only have an impact on research training, but will also enhance the research environment for a high proportion of our faculty. Several of the proposed projects will use the MALDI-TOF to identify unknown proteins derived from polyacrylamide gels utilizing peptide mass fingerprinting. The biologists plan to use prokaryotic (cyanobacterial) and eukaryotic (Arabidopsis and Saccharomyces) model systems to identify proteomic changes in response to oxidative and pH stress and unique protein-protein interactions. An organic chemist, will use mass spectrometry as a part of a research project to understand the forces involved in stabilizing the conformations of model b-sheets. Another faculty member in the chemistry department, will use mass spectrometry to acquire structural information relevant to the regulation of enzyme activity. There are also plans to integrate the mass spectrometer into undergraduate lab settings at both intermediate and advanced levels. The scientific merit of the projects that will be undertaken using the new mass spectrometer, and their focus on the teaching and research training of female undergraduates, speaks directly to the intellectual merit this undertaking The funding of this project represents a critical investment in our next generation of students.