With the growing appreciation that changes to specific molecules can reflect the broader biochemical anomalies arising from the cancer state, the study of lipids and small-molecule metabolites has become increasingly important for cancer research. The objective of the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Lipidomics/Metabolomics Core (VLMC) is therefore to provide cost effective lipid and small-metabolite analyses for VCU Massey Cancer Center (MCC) members. The VLMC supports the ability of MCC members to qualitatively and highly quantitatively investigate the lipidome and metabolome both in vitro and in vivo studies involving cancer cell lines, preclinical animal models of cancer, and/or patients with cancer. The VLMC does so by providing and maintaining a dedicated advanced lipidomic and metabolomic instrumentation suite that is nationally competitive. Specifically, the VLMC maintains 4 advanced QTRAP-type mass analyzers, each equipped with an ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) system. An additional quadrupole time-of- flight mass analyzer is equipped with a differential mobility source and a UPLC. In addition to instrumentation, the VLMC has developed, deployed, and proven state-of-the-art methodologies that contemplate overlapping targeted, semi-targeted, and non-targeted approaches to the identification and quantification of changes to the lipidome and metabolome in a high-throughput fashion and over a large dynamic range. The resource is directed by Charles Chalfant, PhD, who is supported by the technical director, D. Shanaka Wijesinghe, PhD, and an additional 2.0 FTEs. The resource director and/or staff support MCC programmatic science by providing consultative services for experimental design and data interpretation, method development, education to certify end-users in the use of the equipment, operator-assisted analysis, and instrument maintenance. The VLMC is a jointly managed (MCC and VCU) resource within close walking distance of MCC. Standard hours for the facility are 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, with certified users enjoying access 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. The usage of services and equipment is tracked and charged back. The VLMC adds significant value to MCC research by providing services that are critical to addressing the research questions of MCC members, services that otherwise would not be practically obtainable or would be cost prohibitive through alternative vendors or even other non-profit institutions. Overall, the instrumentation and expertise available in the VLMC have facilitated the development of a growing user base of MCC members, whose cancer-related research routinely garners peer-reviewed national funding and is published in high-impact scientific journals.
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