Duquesne University and Agilent Technologies have established a centre of excellence (COE) for mass spectrometry (MS) at the university.
The facility enables a range of research in life sciences and environmental analysis, including metabolomics and trace lipid analysis; the effects of chronic exposure to heavy metals; how the residues of some veterinary drugs affect the food chain; the analysis of toxins in food; the identification of biomarkers for autism; the identification of factors affecting the immune system; the research of inherited 'knock-out diseases' such as Fabry's disease; and an area of study called environmental proteomics (including the protein profiles of organisms as they are exposed to different environmental compounds).
The university received two National Science Foundation grants totalling nearly USD1m (GBP670,000).
The grants were used to acquire the following Agilent instrumentation and software: the 1200 Series rapid-resolution liquid chromatograph (LC); 1200 Series HPLC-chip/MS systems; 6500 Series accurate mass quadrupole time-of-flight LC/MS systems; 6400 Series triple quadrupole LC/MS systems; and the 6200 Series accurate mass time-of-flight MS system.
The Duquesne scientists also use the Agilent Spectrum Mill for Masshunter Workstation software for the rapid identification of large numbers of proteins and peptides.
The new COE will serve as Agilent's regional showcase for the latest technologies in MS, where researchers can see Agilent equipment in use investigating real problems.
The centre will provide a forum for the development of applications and the testing of new ideas in the search for advances in life sciences, biomedicine, bioengineering and materials sciences.
In addition to its own research, the Duquesne COE also works closely with other community organisations.
For example, the laboratory supports the research investigations of a number of genetic-based disorders by the Allegheny General Hospital Allegheny Singer Research Institute and autism studies at the Children's Institute of Pittsburgh.
Dr H M Kingston, professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and a principal investigator, said: 'As metrologists, we're working to solve important problems.
'We did a study of the epigenetics of immune-system responses in autistic children, screening 100 children for 70 toxins, and the TOF, Q-TOF and ICP-MS instruments were used for this.
'We're now researching toxins in food and their effects on children.
'For example, one form of selenium is healthful for humans, but there are 40 species of selenium and some of these are toxic,' added Kingston.
Dr Partha Basu, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Duquesne University, is investigating the protein profiles of organisms that metabolise nitrate in the hope of developing bioremediation methods for removing metallic contamination from the environment.
He is also studying the proteomic mechanisms of how Roxarsone, an anti-parasite drug administered to chickens, is converted to inorganic arsenic, which can then enter the food chain.
