Project Abstract
The goal of this proposal is to request funds to acquire a new Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Eclipse Tribrid mass
spectrometer, with ETD, UVPD, FAIMS, and high mass range capabilities to enable cutting-edge protein analysis
at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). The proposed instrumentation will significantly update in-
house mass spectrometry (MS) technology located in the Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Biomedical FT-
MS Shared Resource Laboratory (SRL). The Biomedical FT-MS SRL is a MS-based shared research facility that
provides the entire UAB research community, and others, with high resolution LC-MS methods for proteomics,
glycoprotein analysis, protein biochemistry, and PTM characterization. The Biomedical FT-MS SRL has been
serving UAB investigators and the community for more than 17 years. Currently, all experiments are conducted
on a LTQ Orbitrap Velos Pro hybrid mass spectrometer with ETD that has been in service for 13 years. This is
the only high-resolution instrument at UAB with ETD capabilities for direct assessment of protein glycosylation
and other modifications. As a result, we consistently have samples running on the instrument 6 out of 7 days
each week and are met with increasing demand to provide innovative and customized methods to support NIH-
funded research. The requested instrumentation will exclusively provide the substantial technological upgrades
needed to fill the gaps in our current capabilities, by expanding the ability to analyze heavily modified proteins,
intact proteins and protein complexes such as (glycosylated) antibodies, and crosslinked proteins. These vital
upgrades include maximum speed, sensitivity, mass accuracy and resolving power across essentially all
bioanalytical and chemical applications to ensure accurate identification and monitoring of analytes. The
Biomedical FT-MS SRL has the necessary physical and administrative infrastructure to support a new mass
spectrometer, in addition to technical expertise and motivation to support new and current projects .Acquisition
of the Orbitrap Eclipse Tribrid will also alleviate the burden of consistent maintenance and monitoring of the
instrument, and free up the scientific personnel to perform other research duties. Implementing this new
technology will transform the NIH-funded projects by providing UAB investigators with new tools to support their
research.