Research Interests
The DMPI Metabolomics Core is a leader in applying both targeted and non-targeted mass spectrometry (MS)-based metabolomics to better detect and understand chronic human diseases. The laboratory is equipped with a comprehensive suite of twelve MS instruments (Waters, Agilent, Sciex, and Thermo Fisher) that allow both targeted and non-targeted metabolomics assays to be conducted on a wide array of sample types including plasma, blood spots, tissue, urine, cerebral spinal fluid, and cell culture. For targeted analyses, the lab deploys four triple quadrupole (MS/MS) instruments and a gas chromatography (GC)/MS instrument to measure more than 300 specific metabolites across seven chemical classes: 1) 66 species of acylcarnitines; 2) 47 amino acids and biogenic amines 3) 67 acyl CoAs species; 4) 20 organic acids; 5) 21 ceramides; 6) 34 sphingomyelins, and 7) 36 nucleotides and purine/pyrimidine pathway intermediates. Accurate quantitation of the metabolites in the targeted assays is achieved by using isotope dilution or pseudo-isotope dilution techniques and quality control calibrators derived from biologic matrices and commercially available analytical standards.