The Multi-omics Mass Spectrometry Core (MMSC) at USC School of Pharmacy serves the scientific research community at USC as well as external collaborators. Our Core is equipped with state-of-the-art instruments for imaging mass spectrometry (IMS), high-throughput screening, and quantitative metabolomic and proteomics. Our Core is dedicated to actively collaborate with internal and external research groups in providing comprehensive service in MALDI imaging and high-throughput screening of small molecules, peptides, and proteins using mass spectrometry.
Our consultations and services are detailed as follows:
Mass spectrometry imaging:
- Regular tissue freezing with liquid nitrogen conserving tissue shape and integrity
- Cryosectioning of frozen and FFPE tissues
- Sample preparation for MALDI imaging including regular washing, desalting, and lipid/protein/dye removal.
- MALDI matrix purification and solution preparation
- Robotic matrix deposition on tissue sections using HTX M5 sprayer
- MALDI imaging of various tissue types at high spatial resolution (20 um) and super high speed (40 pixels per second).
- On-tissue trypsin digestion for protein identification and proteomics studies
- MALDI MS/MS for compound/protein identification
- Targeted small molecule/drug imaging and identification
- Comprehensive data analysis such as heat map visualization, pathology-guided IMS, and statistical analysis
Mass spectrometry-based high-throughput screening:
- Preparation of enzymatic reaction such as enzyme/substrate stock handling and preparation, enzyme/small molecule dispensing and incubation, reaction quenching and aliquoting.
- Generating dose-response source plates with serial dilutions up to 16 different concentrations
- Rigorous data analysis including IC50 calculations, single point and DR curve plotting
- Z’ calculations for plate-to-plate variations
- Hit identification
Proteomics and quantitative mass spectrometry:
- 1D SDS PAGE
- Tryptic and peptic digestion of proteins, both in solution on-gel digestion
- LC/MS of intact proteins
- LC/MS/MS for protein identification and post-translational modification (PTM) analysis
- Site-specific modifications of proteins such as lysine acetylation and methylation.
- MRM and PRM assays for metabolite, drug, and protein quantitation in biological samples such as plasma and cell culture.
To request our services, please complete our service request form.
- Bruker Rapiflex MALDI Tissuetyper
- HTX M5 Matrix sprayer – HTX imaging
- Thermo Fisher Q-Exactive Orbitrap equipped with a nano-LC system (LC/MS/MS)
- Sciex QTRAP 6500+ equipped with Agilent 1290 Infinity II HPLC
- Sciex QTRAP 5500 equipped with Agilent 1290 Infinity II HPLC