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Mass Spectrometry Facility (UMASS-MSC)

The Center (UMASS-MSC) provides state-of-the-art analytical equipment, analytical services and expertise in mass spectrometry for UMass-Amherst, neighboring scientific communities and their collaborators. Currently, UMASS-MSC serves the needs of more than 30 groups with active life science research interests by facilitating a) development of new organic/inorganic synthetic materials; b) analysis of variety of post-translational modifications in proteins, including biopharmaceuticals; c) quantitative comparative analysis of protein levels; d) fundamental studies in protein/protein and protein/ligand interaction research areas etc., owing to its expanding capabilities in modern methods of mass spectrometry.

UMASS-MSC is also actively used within the framework of the NIH-funded Chemistry-Biology Interface (CBI) program (5T32 GM008515-15). Nineteen training faculty of the CBI program are users of the Facility’s instrumentation.

UMASS-MSC houses hybrid Quadrupole Time-of-Flight (Applied Biosystems QStar-XL), Double-Focusing Magnetic Sector (JEOL-700 MStation), Fourier-Transform Ion-Cyclotron Resonance (Bruker's SolariX 7T FT-ICR), Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization (Bruker's MALDI-OmnifleX), Bruker Esquire-LC Ion Trap mass-spectrometers and several HPLC, including Ultimate Nano-LC Packings, and GC Systems.

Instruments

  1. ABI-SCIEX QSTAR-XL
    • Mass range up to 2,000,000 Da
    • Mass resolution 15,000; mass accuracy < 10ppm
    • Equipped with Turbo-, Micro- and Nano- spray ESI-sources, NanoLC Packings Ultimate System
    • Unique pulsing/trapping capabilities and patented LINAC® collision cell technology enable you to scan precursor and product ions sensitively
    • Applications include the analysis of peptides, proteins, large noncovalent protein complexes, nanoparticles, oligonucleotides, synthetic polymers, carbohydrates, biopharmaceuticals
  2. Bruker OmnifleX MALDI-TOF
    • Mass range up to 300,000 Da (up to 5,000 Da in reflectron mode
    • MALDI in-source fragmentation (MALDI ISD)
    • Applications include analysis of non-volatile inorganic/organic molecules, nanoparticles, synthetic polymers, dendrimers, peptides (e.g. from in-gel digests of 2D gel spots), proteins, oligonucleotides, carbohydrates

  3. Esquire-LC Ion Trap
    • Mass range up to 100,000 Da
    • MS/MS and MS/MS/MS tools for structure elucidation
    • Equipped wth HP 1100 series HPLC System
    • Automatic ICC (ion charge control) to regulate the number of trapped ions in LC/MS experiments
    • Applications include LC/MS analysis of small molecules, mixture of peptides, proteins, oligoscharidies

  4. HP 5890 Series II Gas Chromatograph
    • Time table operation; 5 heated zones; 4 external event controls; store and recall set points; diagnostic function; 3 ramp oven programming
    • Compatible with ChemStation
    • Applications include chemical analysis, drug screening, food safety

  5. JEOL-700 MStation
    • Double-focusing magnetic sector instrument equipped with EI (electron impact) CI (chemical ionization), FAB (fast atom bombardment), FD (field desorption) and ESI (electrospray ionization) sources; GC (gas chromatography)
    • High resolution (60,000 at 10% valley)
    • Excellent linked-scan MS/MS performance
    • Optional collision chamber for the second field-free region
    • Mass range up to 500,000 Da