PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The broad, long-term goal of this proposal is to advance the long-term research of investigators at The
Jackson Laboratory (JAX) and in the Maine research community by bringing to the Bar Harbor, ME campus a
new ThermoFisher Scientific Orbitrap Fusion Lumos Tribrid Mass Spectrometer. Research at JAX focuses on
discovering precise genomic solutions for disease and empowering the global biomedical community in our
shared quest to improve human health. As part of this mission, JAX investigators are drastically increasing
their use of mass spectrometry-based proteomics and metabolomics, as these approaches are key to many
biological discoveries linking genomics to phenotype. The scale of these experiments is also increasing as
investigators consider multiple mouse strains with different genetic backgrounds and/or outbred mouse
models. Within-institution proteomics is critical for ensuring reproducibility among experiments and to enable
cost- and time-efficient analysis. The current instrumentation at JAX, an Agilent 6530A QTOF purchased eight
years ago, has severe limitations. The capacity of this aging instrument is severely limited, and investigators
have encountered a number of challenges to outsourcing, including cost and availability. Together these
represent a significant roadblock to research across JAX campuses, as mass spectrometry-based `omics
techniques are proving critical to many investigators. The ThermoFisher Scientific Orbitrap Fusion Lumos
Tribrid Mass Spectrometer addresses a significant number of these limitations. This system has additional
fragmentation capabilities, unique isobaric labeling analysis capabilities, among the highest levels of sensitivity
and mass resolution, and is capable of performing the needed myriad of proteomics analyses. In addition, JAX
provides access to this premier instrument through the Mass Spectrometry and Protein Chemistry Service to
researchers at regional institutions lacking this technology. Availability of the Lumos will significantly increase
the capacity of MSPC to ensure high-quality, cost-effective proteomics analyses for the research programs of
JAX investigators and researchers at regional institutions.