Ultraflex II Mass Spectrometer for Biomedical Research

描述（由申请人提供）：蛋白质组学是一门新的科学，旨在提供正常和病理组织中蛋白质表达和翻译后修饰模式的全局描述，它建立在质谱分析复杂蛋白质组合的非凡灵敏度和鉴别能力的基础上。质谱分析整个蛋白质组的方法正经历着快速的发展。特别是，新的仪器和程序正在出现，避免了使用蛋白质水解消化将蛋白质分解成小片段以使其易于质谱分析的需要。新技术为迄今为止很少受到关注的蛋白质组的采样成分以及研究健康和疾病中组织分化和功能的细节提供了重要的机会。为了利用这些发展，St. Jude儿童研究医院的核心设施Hartwell生物信息学和生物技术中心正在寻求扩大其质谱分析能力。最先进的仪器将使用基质辅助激光解吸/电离飞行时间质谱法对未消化组织样品中的蛋白质表达进行多维分析，并对组织切片进行直接成像以研究组织分化模式。同样的仪器将使脂质分布和药物靶向的成像研究以前无法在该机构。我们已经确定了六个主要的，由NIH资助的研究项目，正在St. Jude儿童研究医院进行，迫切需要这项技术。这些课程涵盖了广泛的主题，包括药理学，分子药理学，遗传学和肿瘤细胞生物学，以及发育神经生物学。还有许多其他项目也有类似的需求，或者在不久的将来会有类似的需求。该仪器将被纳入哈特韦尔中心，以满足基础生物医学研究的当前和未来需求。孟菲斯圣犹达儿童研究医院正在寻求部署一种具有组织成像新功能的质谱仪，以研究正常和病理组织类型。该仪器将提供有关负责不同细胞类型功能特化的蛋白质的信息，形成细胞膜的各种脂质的分布，以及用于治疗癌症的药物的分布。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The new science of proteomics, which seeks to provide global descriptions of protein expression and post-translational modification patterns in normal and pathologic tissues, is founded on the extraordinary sensitivity and discriminating power of mass spectrometry for the study of complex assemblages of proteins. The methodology for mass spectrometric analysis of entire proteomes is undergoing rapid evolution. In particular, new instrumentation and procedures are emerging that circumvent the need to employ proteolytic digestion to break proteins into small fragments for the purpose of rendering them tractable to mass spectrometric analysis. The new techniques open significant opportunities for sampling components of the proteome that have hitherto received little attention, and for investigating details of tissue differentiation and function in health and disease. To take advantage of these developments, the Hartwell Center for Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, a core facility at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, is seeking to expand its mass spectrometry capabilities. A state-of-the-art instrument that uses matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time- of-flight mass spectrometry will be deployed for multidimensional analysis of protein expression in undigested tissue samples, and for direct imaging of tissue sections to study patterns of tissue differentiation. The same instrumentation will enable imaging studies of lipid distribution and drug targeting previously unavailable at the institution. We have identified six major, NIH funded research programs under way at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital with immediate need for this technology. These programs cover a broad range of topics including Pharmaceutical Science, Molecular Pharmacology, Genetics and Tumor Cell Biology, and Developmental Neurobiology. There are many other programs that have similar needs, or will have in the near future. The instrument will be incorporated into the Hartwell Center for present and future needs in basic biomedical research. Relevance St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis is seeking to deploy a mass spectrometer with new capabilities for tissue imaging to study normal and pathologic tissue types. The instrument will provide information about the proteins responsible for functional specialization of different cell types, the distribution of the various lipids that form cell membranes, and the distribution of drugs that are administered for the treatment of cancers.