Orbitrap Eclipse Tribrid Mass Spectrometer for Biomedical High end USERS

Project Abstract The goal of this proposal is to request funds to acquire a new Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Eclipse Tribrid mass spectrometer, with ETD, UVPD, FAIMS, and high mass range capabilities to enable cutting-edge protein analysis at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). The proposed instrumentation will significantly update in-

house mass spectrometry (MS) technology located in the Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Biomedical FT- MS Shared Resource Laboratory (SRL). The Biomedical FT-MS SRL is a MS-based shared research facility that provides the entire UAB research community, and others, with high resolution LC-MS methods for proteomics,

glycoprotein analysis, protein biochemistry, and PTM characterization. The Biomedical FT-MS SRL has been serving UAB investigators and the community for more than 17-years. Currently, all experiments are conducted on a LTQ Orbitrap Velos Pro hybrid mass spectrometer with ETD that has been in service for 13-years. This is

the only high-resolution instrument at UAB with ETD capabilities for direct assessment of protein glycosylation and other modifications. As a result, we consistently have samples running on the instrument 6 out of 7 days each week and are met with increasing demand to provide innovative and customized methods to support NIH-

funded research. The requested instrumentation will exclusively provide the substantial technological upgrades needed to fill the gaps in our current capabilities, by expanding the ability to analyze heavily modified proteins, intact proteins and protein complexes such as (glycosylated) antibodies, and crosslinked proteins. These vital

upgrades include maximum speed, sensitivity, mass accuracy and resolving power across essentially all bioanalytical and chemical applications to ensure accurate identification and monitoring of analytes. The Biomedical FT-MS SRL has the necessary physical and administrative infrastructure to support a new mass

spectrometer, in addition to technical expertise and motivation to support new and current projects .Acquisition of the Orbitrap Eclipse Tribrid will also alleviate the burden of consistent maintenance and monitoring of the instrument, and free up the scientific personnel to perform other research duties. Implementing this new

technology will transform the NIH-funded projects by providing UAB investigators with new tools to support their research.