This proposal, from a group of established investigators at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), is for the purchase of an LC/MS/MS equipment, fully dedicated to the analysis of various types of lipids and lipid-derived second messengers involved in pathobiology of several human disorders and diseases. Funds are requested for the purchase of an AB Sciex QTRAP 5500 mass spectrometer coupled to an Agilent HPLC system. Participants in this application include13 major users and 8 minor users who are active NIH-supported investigators, supported by about 50 R01 or P01 projects, of which at least 30 will be directly benefited by the instrument. These investigators are engaged in several basic and clinically relevant studies, including cell signaling pathways, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, and pulmonary and respiratory disorders, and are in need of a dedicated instrument to characterize and quantify various molecular species of phospholipids, sphingolipids, and neutral lipids in tissues, plasma, biological fluids and cultured cells. Further development of new and more sensitive measurement of bioactive lipids requires on-site availability of state-of-the-art mass spectrometer. The LC/MS instruments that are currently available and in operation at UIC are either not suitable for this purpose, or being utilized fully for other types of analyses, such as proteins, peptides and drug metabolites. Therefore, availability of a state-of-the-art dedicated equipment for analysis of various types of lipids, lipd-derived second messengers and bioactive phospho- and sphingo-lipids will enable the currently NIH funded and non-funded investigators to take advantage of the novel lipidomic methods recently developed by the UIC faculty, as well as by others, towards enhancing their productivity and ability to conduct cutting edge translational research.
Lipids are an important and diverse group of fat molecules that are implicated in several human diseases, including heart and lung diseases, obesity, cancer, diabetes, and inflammatory diseases. The investigators in this application are engaged in several clinically relevant projects that require sophisticated lipid analysis. The knowledge gained from these studies could provide valuable tools for improved diagnosis and treatment of several of the above diseases.
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