The Center for Analysis & Synthesis of Marcomolecules (CASM) at Stony Brook requests funding to acquire a robotic workstation for proteomics to process gel plugs for analysis by mass spectrometry. The institution has acquired an ABI Voyager research-grade MALDI mass spectrometer and a Micromass QToF tandem mass spectrometer to support proteomics research at Stony Brook. The present application seeks support for the acquisition of a Micromass MassPREP workstation to provide an automated, 96-well format digestion and spotting/sampling of gel plugs for detailed mass spectrometry. There are five major users who need the high-throughput capacity to enable their NIH-funded research. Dr. Danial Bogenhagen (Pharmacology) will employ the instrumentation in mitochondrial proteomics, an area of high interest, seeking to define the full complement of proteins that act in maintenance of mtDNA. Dr. Wen-Tien Chen (Medicine-Oncology) requires the instrumentation to enable his work on the proteomics of invasive cell protrusions involved in angiogenesis and metastasis. Dr. Malbon (Pharmacology) is using proteomics to deduce the composition of large macromolecular signaling complexes for G-protein-coupled receptors as well as in beta-catenin/Lef-Tcf pathways. Todd Miller (Physiology) requires this instrumentation in his proteomic analysis of tyrosine kinases, focusing upon the SH3-dependent partners of Hck and interacting protein partners for Jak2. William Van Nostrand (Medicine-Vascular Biology) is probing the processing of amyloid beta-protein precursor as well as the identification of new protein-protein interactions using proetomics. All of these investigators have published research based in protein chemistry and in mass spectrometry. To optimize the use of the instrumentation, the new workstation will be located in CASM, a protein core facility with more than a decade of experience. Three FTEs have been recruited to manage the mass spectrometry employed in proteomics. The institutional commitment includes the on-going support for these 3 FTEs as well as provision of funds to acquire a complementary automated gel scanner/spot picker jointly by the School of Medicine and the Vice-President for Research. The research proposals are high quality, well-funded by the NIH, and will benefit by the addition of this instrumentation. The institution has provided resources to enable the acquisition of two new mass spectrometers and this proposal builds on the investment.
