Campus-Wide Mass Spectrometry Center
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The
coupling of new mass spectrometric techniques with new and
significant research problems requires considerable interaction
between mass spectrometrist and mass spectrometry user. For this
reason, Purdue University created the Campus-wide Mass Spectrometry
Center (CWMSC) in October of 1985, with the following goals:
1) to coordinate the operation and maintenance of mass spectrometers
which are located in different departments
and are used for routine analyses,
2) to provide research groups working on significant problems with
access to all of the mass spectrometers on campus,
3) to increase awareness in the University community of the
opportunities for problem solving by mass spectrometry and
4) to coordinate the acquisition of new instrumentation as needs
evolve.
Decentralization and shared resources are important features of this
facility. Key to the success of the facility is the Director, who
supervises the staff mass spectrometrists providing routine service across campus,
assists investigators in defining (and recognizing) their needs in
mass spectrometry, coordinates access to research mass spectrometers
and through clinics, research group seminars, and other means
educates the University in mass spectrometry. The CWMSC which
utilizes mass spectrometers located in the Departments of
Biochemistry, Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy,
insures a high level of quality control for the more routine types
of analyses, and provides a collaborative analytical mass
spectrometry capability to the Purdue research community. In order
to more efficiently utilize the mass spectrometry resources on
campus the CWMSC has pursued a plan designed to maximize the
utilization of the mass spectrometers in the three departments. This
is being done in a variety of ways:
(a) the coordination of sample analyses, since differing capabilities
are available in different departments (Biochemistry -
capillary GC/MS, electron impact and chemical ionization probe,
plasma desorption, matrix-assisted laser desorption; Chemistry -
electron impact and positive and negative chemical ionization probe,
desorption chemical ionization ICPMS; Medicinal Chemistry and
Pharmacognosy - electrospray ionization, electron impact and chemical
ionization probe, high resolution mass measurement),
(b) the education of researchers campus-wide as to availability and
capabilities of modern mass spectrometry,
(c) maintaining close investigator-operator ties such that the
analysis is not done without the necessary background for providing
quality results, and
(d) the presence of a director to coordinate access to the mass spectrometers,
address questions relating to the interpretation of the spectra,
train instrument operators, assist users in their search for new
research funds and provide troubleshooting expertise to minimize
instrument downtime.
The CWMSC is organized as shown in Table 1. The department
heads (or their designated representative) meet with the director
individually on a regular basis and as a group at least once per
year. They act as a resource for the Director as well as to provide
their input from a departmental perspective for new initiatives in
steering the direction of mass spectrometry at Purdue. Each
department head (or their representative) is a mass spectrometry
user and is committed to the decentralized, but coordinated concept
of mass spectrometry at Purdue. This can be seen by the
collaborative effort used to obtain funds from all three
departments/schools to purchase the matrix-assisted laser desorption
instrument located in the Department of Biochemistry. In addition,
the central administration is strongly supportive of mass
spectrometry. A former Vice President for Research launched the
concept of a Campus-wide Mass Spectrometry Center and provided the
Director's salary for the first three years.
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