Metabolomics platform UAT offers the research community a Metabolomics Platform including mass spectrometry and chromatography equipment. These techniques, combined with others such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), allow us to obtain quantitative and qualitative data of analytes and small peptides that are present in biological substrates such as serum, plasma, urine, cell tissues, or cell cultures. Services: Development of analytical methods for detection and quantification of both endogenous and exogenous analytes in biological substrates (i.e. serum, urine, plasma, cerebrospinal fluid, cell tissues and cultures).It covers: Sample extraction/processing protocol Liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry method Methodological support of self-service users and training in the use of the equipment for freelancers. We also provide support in experimental design, implementation of new bioanalytical protocols and data analysis and interpretation.. Contact: metabolomica@vhir.org Applications: The chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques provide with high sensibility and allow to detect about 4000 different substances. Some examples of determinations we can offer are: Vitamins (i.e. D2 and D3) and hormones in serum or tissue samples Determination of intermediate and final metabolites of different biological pathways Pharmacokinetic studies and determination of drugs in biological fluids and tissues Amino acids in urine, serum and cerebrospinal fluid Lipid compounds in plasma or serum Determination of drugs in nanoparticle-release studies Drug encapsulation efficiency in nanoparticle formation Determination of endogenous metabolites and drugs in Dried Blood Spot (DBS) samples Stability studies of biological drugs Detection of endogenous peptide levels in plasma. Specification of peptides derived from trypsinization of plasma proteins. Development of custom, specific methods for the detection of one or more analytes (metabolites and peptides) is offered upon request. Equipment: ACQUITY UPLC coupled with Xevo TQ (Waters) Triple Quadrupole (TQ) mass spectrometer detector equipped with Electrospray Ionization Source (ESI). It also allows IntelliStart function, which automatically search for ion transitions and optimal cone voltages and collision energies. Software packages for equipment operation and analysis: MassLynx and TargetLynx. The system is also equipped with two additional detectors: ultraviolet/visible and fluorescence.
