The Midwest Proteome Center was created at the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFUMS)/Chicago Medical School in 2003 to bolster the proteomics initiatives centered upon mass spectrometry. As a targeted technology to update our research capabilities in structural biology and proteomics, and to insure state-of-the-art instrumentation for a major expansion already underway, RFUMS has targeted the acquisition of a ThermoFisher LTQ Orbitrap Velos with Electron Transfer Dissociation (ETD) mass spectrometer. With the exception of FT/ICR instruments, the Velos has the highest mass accuracy, resolution and dynamic range on the market, coupled with multiple fragmentation methods. Mass spectrometry is now a routine structure analysis and identification tool with the Midwest Proteome Center the nexus of many biomedical research initiatives identified by the University. This proposal requests the LTQ Orbitrap Velos ETD mass spectrometer to assist fifteen major users, seven of which have recently received New/Early stage NIH funding, in all five of the basic science research departments, funded by ten Institutes of the NIH requiring protein characterization, identification and proteomics. Currently, our NIH supported users exceed the capacity and specifications of our much older equipment, some about which are to lose manufacturer support;the fundamental reason for this request. While several universities 1.5 hours south in Chicago (the Chicago Biomedical Consortium comprising U. of Chicago, Northwestern U., and U. of Illinois in Chicago only) have older machines with an instrument similar to this request, in Core Facilities or within individual labs, researchers at RFUMS have no access to this crucial technology. As detailed in the NIH project descriptions, the rapidly expanding demands of our NIH supported researchers, and newly hired faculty, require the increased mass accuracy, resolution, throughput and capabilities afforded by the Orbitrap Velos ETD to assist studies of infectious diseases, cocaine addiction, muscle development, pulmonary insufficiency, neural cell signaling, nuclear cell biology and structural biology, with adjunct proteomic approaches to many of these areas. The Midwest Proteome Center core facility obtained a QSTAR XL (QqTOF) in 2003 under the auspices of the S10 program, and provided substantial """"""""bang for the buck"""""""" with supplemented funds from the institution. The seed planted by the NCRR 8 years ago yielded a bountiful harvest with respect to expansion of the instrument repertoire, increased user base, faculty hires obtaining New/Early Stage NIH funding and our established investigators availing themselves of """"""""cutting edge"""""""" technology. The wide breadth of disciplines supported by this submission is at the crossroads of the NIH Roadmap. The proposed LTQ Orbitrap Velos ETD is designed to meet the diverse and realized research needs of users in virtually every basic science department and research center at RFUMS.
This submission will augment sponsored research by providing mass spectrometry support in diverse areas funded by ten Institutes of the NIH. Fifteen major users have been enrolled, half of them New/Early Stage Investigators with their first grants. Crucial areas of health research to be explored are: infectious diseases, cocaine addiction, muscle development, pulmonary insufficiency, cell signaling in the brain, nuclear cell biology and membrane structural biology.
