quantitative Mass Spectrometry Facility - qMSF

Since 2003, the quantitative Mass Spectrometry Facility (qMSF) located at the CHUV is available to all biomedical investigators, but mainly researchers from the Faculty of Biology and Medicine (FBM).

Its goal is to assist users in basic, clinical and biomedical research in the development of routine and diagnostic applications.

Its technology allows quantitative identification and analysis of small molecules (i.e. drugs), endogenous substances, hormones or even peptides.

Contact:

Bertrand Rochat, Coordinator
+41 21 314 4158
Bertrand.Rochat@chuv.ch

www.unil.ch/qmsf

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Dear fellow scientists,

Metabolomics is a fast-developing field of research that analyzes small molecules and studies biological systems comprehensively. Due to recent improvements in liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry (LC-MS), metabolomics can now determine quantitatively or semi-quantitatively and with high sensitivity various classes of small molecules such as cell metabolites, drugs, native peptides, or lipids. Analysis can target specific classes of molecules or aim at global analysis of hundreds of metabolites at a single time and with high sensitivity. This approach is now widely used in all fields of biological and biomedical research and complements proteomic and transcriptomic or sequencing technologies in the study of biological processes.

Several basic and clinical scientists at UNIL-CHUV are now proposing to develop a metabolomic platform on site. However, to adequately plan such developments, we need to have a better estimate of the interest in developing such capability as well as the present needs of researchers of UNIL-CHUV in the field of metabolomics. Presently, the UNIL-CHUV qMSF platform performs LC-MS analyses and is equipped to perform targeted analysis of several metabolites: amino-acids, organic acids, acylcarnitines, steroids, bile acids, fatty acids, leukotrienes, or ceramides. However, because of the labor-intensive nature of the technology and the requirement for updated, expensive equipment the use of such a platform would need more resources.

The goal of this letter is therefore to collect your present and anticipated needs in metabolomic analysis and to determine whether the availability of such a platform would help you design new types of experiments. Bertrand Rochat, head of the qMSF Platform, is at your disposal for further questions concerning the potential use of Metabolomic in your studies, or for an eventual presentation in your Service/Department of this technology and its potential use in research.

We would be grateful if you could fill up the attached questionnaire and return it to Bertrand Rochat (bertrand.rochat@chuv.ch) by February 8, 2012. These questionnaires will then be analyzed by the end of February and proposal for Metabolomic developments will be submitted to the Décanat mid-March.

Sincerely,

Bertrand Rochat
Head of qMSF platform

Bernard Thorens
For the Metabolomic Steering Committee