The Mass and NMR Spectroscopy Facility Core provides the Burn Trauma Center with the capability to apply mass spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy techniques to study phenomena at the tissue, cellular, and genetic levels. The Mass Spectroscopy Facility supports research that allows our investigators to apply tracer techniques for the following applications in our research: amino acid metabolism, glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, nitrate/nitric oxide, protein turnover, protein phosphorylation, and substrate kinetics/oxidaticn. The Mass Spectroscopy Facility offers several services to the Burn Trauma Center. (1) Provides timely and accurate determinations of stable isotope enrichments of tracers and their derivatives in bodily fluids, tissues, and expired air. (2) Assists in the development of new methods for isotope analyses of compounds in blood, tissues, and urine as required to meet the needs of our investigators. (3) Provides quality control for all analysis conducted in support of the research studies that involve the use of stable nuclides as tracers. The NMR Spectroscopy Facility supports research to develop methodologies that will permit our investigators to assess key metabolites in the TCA Cycle in tissue extracts and using magnetic angle spinning, in the whole tissue. In addition, the investigators will be able to assess mitochondrial energy coupling in vivo, as expressed by the ratio of ATP synthesis to TCA cycle, using C13/P31 NMR. Finally, the investigators will be able to assess the mitochondrial 2-oxogulterate-malate carrier especially since there is no transport of NADH across the mitochondrial membrane and reducing equivalents produced in the cytosol from glycolysis are carried into the mitochondria as malate. The NMR Spectroscopy Facility offers several services to the Burn Trauma Center. (1) Noninvasive assessment of gluconeogenesis and TCA cycle flux in humans. (2) NMR of tissue extracts using existing and new techniques. (3) Development of new technologies using high resolution magnetic angle spinning to perform NMR measurements in small, intact, unprocessed tissues. (4) In vivo NMR spectroscopy and MR imaging microscopy (MRI) of murine models of burn injury. These facilities enable research in all 4 projects and funds to support these activities directly are included in each project. Support is requested for personnel and supplies for methodology and technology development.
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