Project Summary/Abstract. Indiana State University serves a broad student base from diverse
backgrounds. A large fraction (38%) of our students are Pell Grant eligible (47% of first-year, full-time
freshmen). Our students are a mix of students from urban and rural environments including a large
fraction from underserved communities.
We are requesting an instrument consisting of a capillary gas chromatograph coupled to a high-resolution
mass spectrometer capable of tandem mass spectrometry. The instrument will be used for
chromatographic separation of complex mixtures; determination of molecular formulas from accurate
mass measurement; identification of unknown compounds through electron impact and chemical
ionization fragmentation patterns; and data-dependent tandem mass spectrometry and high sensitivity
trace analysis using selected reaction monitoring. This instrument will replace a heavily used existing low-
resolution instrument which is reaching the end of its serviceable life and which no longer meets our
research needs.
This instrument will support three faculty research projects across three departments involving three
tenured faculty with extensive records of engaging undergraduates in research, two untenured faculty,
one a new hire in biochemistry. These faculty projects will provide biomedically relevant research and
teaching experiences to students across a range of backgrounds in chemistry, biology and environmental
science including metabolomics and trace analysis. Research and Educational projects to be supported
include 1. A Public Database for Discovery of Neuroactive Alkaloids in Poison Frogs, 2. Analysis of Pesticides
and Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS/PFOS) in Game Animals, 3. Rationally Redesigning Cytochrome P450s
for Direct C-H Amination 4. Lipidomics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa CYP168A1 Metabolism (CHEM 431L).
5. Techniques in Metabolomics and Proteomics
These projects will engage 6-8 chemistry undergraduate and 1-2 biology/EES graduate students each year
in research during our Summer Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE) program. Use in laboratory
courses will involve over 100 students each academic year in Sophomore Organic, Advanced Organic,
Inorganic and Biochemistry as well as a new combined course in metabolomics and proteomics being
developed. This state-of-the-art instrument and bioinformatics/chemoinformatics platforms will enhance
the research environment at Indiana State University and enable our students to pursue graduate and
professional degrees in biomedically relevant fields. The objectives in this project are relevant to the
institutional missions of NIGMS, NINDS, NIMH and NCATS as well as other institutes not involved in the
program such as NIEHS and NIDA.