The ISMMS Metabolomics Core is committed to providing mass spectrometry approaches for small molecule analyses to ISMMS research groups and collaborators. The Core houses a comprehensive suite of technologies including liquid handling platform, liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The process begins with experimental design support to ensure samples are handled properly, necessary controls are included, and the study is sufficiently powered. Analytical capabilities are combined with custom informatics and statistics solutions to enable faster analysis and more approachable data interpretation.

In the Core, metabolite and small molecule analyses are performed by two liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) systems (Thermo Orbitrap IQ-X and Agilent 6495D QqQ) and one gas chromatography (GC)/MS system (Agilent 5977C). These instruments utilize a range of standard analytical methods, annotated with a chemical library of over 1000 compounds, to maximize compound coverage in every sample. In addition, these methods can be operated in an untargeted manner, allowing for screening for biomarkers and novel metabolites/lipids, and in the context of stable isotope tracing, which allows for assessment of metabolic flux.