UTMB Proteomics Center
The UTMB NHLBI Center for Airway Inflammation
consists of a multi-disciplinary team of scientists and
physician-scientists to study protein expression associated with
signaling pathways important in airway inflammation. In addition, the
Center is engaged in the development of innovative technologies for
application to proteomics research. It is the result of an NHLBI
initiative to establish centers to enhance and develop innovative
proteomics technologies and apply them to biological questions relevant
to heart, lung, blood, and sleep health and disease.
Proteomics Bioinformatics Core
As part of the Proteomics Section of the Biomolecular Resource Facility
and consistent with its mission, the goal of the Proteomics
Bioinformatics Core is to assist researchers at UTMB in their analyses
of gels and other proteomics separation technologies.
- The Protein Bioinformatics Core provides informatics tools,
including statistical tools, for the analysis of 1D and 2D
electrophoresis gels utilizing a software suite from Totallab (formerly
Nonlinear Dynamics) and sample tracking, data management and access
tools, using software from GenoLogics (Proteus LIMS). The BRF is a major
Nonlinear and GenoLogics partner and collaborates with these
manufacturers in the development of their software.
- The Bioinformatics Core interacts extensively with other BRF
Cores, and UTMB Centers and Departments and has integrated the
Progenesis software into high-end user groups. For example, the BRF has
installed the Editor Progenesis software at a number of sites across the
UTMB campus.
- Group training sessions are scheduled as needed, typically every six months.
Mass Spectrometry Core
The aim of the UTMB Mass Spectrometry Core (MSC) is to assemble
state-of-the-art instrumentation and highly skilled technical staff to
provide experimental capabilities required to support a broad range of
molecular-level research. Mass spectrometry (MS) plays an increasingly
important role in molecular-level research, and it is central to ‘omics’
research. The MSC is well-equiped to facilitate studies with a suite
of LC-MS systems including the ThermoScientific Fusion Orbitrap MS, the
Sciex 5600 TripleTOF, 6500 Qtrap, and 5800 MALDI TOF/TOF.
- Molecular weight determination of biomolecules such as lipids, metabolites, peptides and proteins.
- Protein identification from gel plugs or bands and solutions using
enzymatic digestion followed by MS or MS/MS using either MALDI or LCMS.
- Proteomics: identification of large numbers of proteins from complex
mixtures using LCMS. Can include quantitative measurements.
- Identification of post-translational modifications.
- Differential quantitation by label-free (DIA, DDA, or SWATH), iTRAQ,
TMT, or SILAC using the Thermo Orbitrap Fusion or Sciex 5600+ TripleTof.
- Quantitation of molecules using Selected Reaction Monitoring (SRM) or multi-reaction monitoring (MRM) on a 6500 QTrap.
- Advanced informatics from proteomics datasets: Beyond Mascot and Sequest output.