A high sensitivity triple quadruple mass spectrometer coupled to an ultra-high pressure liquid chromatograph system for quantitative analysis

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The triple quadrupole mass spectrometer based LC-MS/MS system has been widely adopted as the most sensitive methodology for the quantitation of small and large organic molecules in complex biological samples for both industrial and academic research laboratories. The triple quadruple MS system has other unique capabilities, including precursor ion scan and neutral loss scan with high sensitivity, which are important tools for disease biomarker and bioactive natural products discoveries. Compounds that have a similar structure, either with identical backbone or functional groups, can be identified using the targeted scan option offered from a triple quadruple mass spectrometer. Despite the fact that Warwick Chemistry has one of the largest mass spectrometry facilities in the UK, consisting of multiple ESI-Q-TOF, MALDI-TOF and ESI-Ion trap mass spectrometers, we lack an instrument that is suitable for ultra-high sensitivity quantitative analysis, and this is hindering us from acquiring important information from biological samples. We urgently require a triple quadruple type of mass spectrometer for LC-MS/MS based quantitation in multiple reaction monitoring mode. The new instrument will enable us to significantly expand and enhance our current research activities in many RCUK (mainly BBSRC) funded projects. This will include metabolomics studies on British ash trees (BB/N021452/1, Led by Prof Murray Grant), where the aim is to discover reliable biomarkers for ash dieback disease, and establish a database for British ash tree metabolome. In turn this will pave the way for future disease diagnosis and the selective cultivation of a pathogen resistant genome type ash tree. Another major BBSRC funded project (sLoLa BB/K002341/1, led by Prof Gregory Challis) aims to discover bioactive agrichemicals from bacteria through microbial genome mining. The unique precursor ion scan and neutral loss scan capabilities on the proposed instrument will enable swift identification of compounds that belong to the same family, or which have the same functional groups, with high sensitivity. Many other projects including the quantitation of novel organometallic anticancer drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs and anti-viral drugs, as well as the investigation of their metabolism, will also benefit from accessing the proposed instrument. The new instrument will also enable us to train the next generation of scientists on the most advanced mass spectrometer, which will enable them to gain hands-on experience that will be extremely beneficial for their future career development. Our research led teaching means that even undergraduate students can also benefit from the access to a state of the art facility.The proposed instrument will be incorporated into, and will complement and significantly enhance our existing mass spectrometry facility though the addition of new capabilities. The new MS will not only benefit our students and staff in Warwick, our academic and industrial collaborators will also benefit from receiving training, and access to the most advanced MS technologies.