Operations and Maintenance Support for the BioZone MS Facility

生物区质谱仪(BMSF)与多伦多大学化学工程和应用化学系有关，是生物区生物工程中心的一部分。BMSF为内部和外部研究人员和学生提供包括方法开发、样品制备和小分子和聚合物分析在内的所有方面的质谱分析方面的服务和培训。BMSF的仪器基础包括五个顶尖的MS系统，非常适合在各种化学工程和生物技术项目中进行定量分析。该设备由共同申请者(Edwards、Evans、Chan、Mahadean、Savchenko和Yakunin)使用最近的CFI、Genome Canada和MRI资金获得。 由于现代MS系统的高度技术复杂性，大多数研究人员不能自主使用它们，需要MS专家的帮助。BMSF由两位MS专家运营和维护：Andrei Starostine(PhD)和Robert Flick(MSc)，他们在质谱学基础、生物物理学和生物化学方面拥有广泛的专业知识。在过去的一年里，BMSF已经处理了超过1500个MS样本，比前一年增加了50%，表明对这项服务的需求很高，而且增长迅速。BMSF的学术和非学术用户总数达到近20个实验室。除了BMSF的常规操作和维护支持外，我们的MS专家还积极参与培训研究人员和学生，了解在BMSF中建立的各种MS技术，并通过实践培训和研讨会在用户中传播协议。到目前为止，BMSF已经建立和开发了超过25种MS样品制备和分析方案，包括鉴定各种外源物质、反应产物、维生素、抗生素、脂肪酸以及多糖和糖蛋白。去年，BMSF在MS样品制备和分析方面培训了20多名研究生和博士后。 因此，BMSF正在为加拿大广泛的学术和非学术用户提供服务。通过将BMSF作为用户友好的尖端MS设施继续运营，我们将确保在MS分析和培训方面为现有用户和新用户提供不间断的服务。此外，加拿大的大学实验室和公司将受益于招聘经过现代MS分析方法培训的熟练学生、博士后和HQP，为他们带来新的研究知识和专业知识。

The BioZone mass spectrometry facility (BMSF) is associated with the Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry at the University of Toronto and is part of the BioZone Centre for Bioengineering. The BMSF provides services and training to internal and external researchers and students in all aspects of mass spectrometry (MS) analysis including method development, sample preparation, and analysis of both small molecules and polymers. The instrumental base of BMSF includes five top-of-the-line MS systems well suited for quantitative analyses in a wide variety of chemical engineering and biotechnology projects. This equipment was acquired by the co-applicants (Edwards, Evans, Chan, Mahadevan, Savchenko, and Yakunin) using recent CFI, Genome Canada, and MRI funding. Due to a high level of technical complexity of modern MS systems, most researchers cannot use them autonomously and require a help from a MS specialist. The BMSF is operated and maintained by the two MS specialists: Andrei Starostine (PhD) and Robert Flick (MSc), with extensive expertise in mass spectrometry fundamentals, biophysics, and biochemistry. During the last year, BMSF has processed over 1,500 individual MS samples, 50% more than the previous year, indicating a high and rapidly growing demand for this service. The total number of academic and non-academic users of BMSF amounted to almost 20 labs. In addition to regular operations and maintenance support for BMSF, both our MS specialists are actively involved in the training of researchers and students in diverse MS techniques established in BMSF and dissemination of protocols among users by means of hands-on training and seminars. To date, the BMSF has established and developed over 25 protocols for MS sample preparation and analysis including the identification of various xenobiotics, reaction products, vitamins, antibiotics, fatty acids, as well as glycans and glycoproteins. Last year, the BMSF trained over 20 graduate students and postdocs in MS sample preparation and analysis. Thus, the BMSF is serving to a broad base of academic and non-academic users in Canada. By continuing the BMSF operation as a user-friendly, cutting-edge MS facility, we will ensure uninterrupted services to the present and new users in MS analysis and training. In addition, university labs and companies in Canada will benefit from recruiting skilled students, postdocs, and HQPs trained in modern methods of MS analysis, bringing new research knowledge and expertise to them.