MRI: Acquisition of an Electrospray Mass Spectrometer for Chemical Research and Training

凭借主要研究仪器（MRI）计划的这一奖项，来自霍华德大学的Oladapo Bakare教授及其同事Charles Hosten和Lystranne Maynard将获得具有电喷雾电离（ESI）功能的精确质量飞行时间液相色谱质谱仪（TOF-LC/MS）。该奖项将加强各级的研究培训和教育，特别是在以下领域：（a）开发用于有害金属离子选择性光学传感的荧光杯芳烃基离子载体，（B）杯芳烃在分子识别中的应用，（c）探测聚羟基丁酸戊酸酯（PHBV）共聚物的体内降解途径，（d）催化有机二酯和三酯磷酸盐的水解，（e）用于开发基于血红蛋白的氧载体的交联剂的合成，（f）通过赖氨酸乙酰化探测钙网蛋白的功能，（g）单分子整流器的表征，和（h）用于抗癌药物开发的天然产物的化学转化。用于通过测量样品中的分子成分在它们被电离并被质谱仪检测之后的质量来识别样品的化学成分。该仪器将液相色谱系统与质谱的质量分析能力相结合;飞行时间（TOF）质量分析仪具有高灵敏度和质量准确度，以帮助分析和解释所得数据。在样品被引入光谱仪之前，液相色谱仪将任何混合物分离成其分子组分。然后这些组分流入质谱仪，在质谱仪中使用电喷雾源将其电离。这些仪器不仅将用于研究，还将用于实验室课程，以培训大量学生使用这一重要的分析技术。其中许多学生来自代表性不足的群体，因为这所大学是首屈一指的少数民族服务机构之一。该仪器还将服务于邻近学院的学生和教师，如美国天主教大学。

With this award from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, Professor Oladapo Bakare from Howard University and colleagues Charles Hosten and Lystranne Maynard will acquire an accurate-mass time-of-flight liquid-chromatograph mass spectrometer (TOF-LC/MS) with electrospray ionization (ESI) capabilities. The award will enhance research training and education at all levels, especially in areas such as (a) development of fluorogenic calixarene-based ionophores for selective optical sensing of hazardous metal ions, (b) use of calixarenes in molecular recognition, (c) probing the in vivo degradation pathway of polyhydroxybutyrate valerate (PHBV) copolymer, (d) catalysis of hydrolysis of organic di- and tri-ester phosphates, (e) synthesis of cross-linkers for the development of hemoglobin based oxygen carriers, (f) probing functions of calreticulin through lysine acetylation, (g) characterization of unimolecular rectifiers, and (h) chemical transformation of natural products for anticancer drug development.Mass spectrometers (MS) are used to identify the chemical composition of a sample by measuring the mass of the molecular constituents in the sample after they are ionized and detected by the mass spectrometer. This instrument couples a liquid chromatography system with the mass analysis ability of mass spectrometry; the time-of-flight (TOF) mass analyzer has high sensitivity and mass accuracy to assist the analyses and interpretation of the resultant data. Before the sample is introduced into the spectrometer a liquid chromatograph separates any mixture into its molecular components. These components then flow into a mass spectrometer where they are ionized using an electrospay source. The instrumentation will be used not only for research but also in laboratory courses to train significant numbers of students in the use of this important analytical technique. Many of these students are from underrepresented groups since this university is one of the premiere minority-serving-institutions. The instrumentation will also serve students and faculty at neighboring colleges such as the Catholic University of America.