New funds received by The University of Arizona go towards the purchase of a hybrid quadrupole (or linear ion trap) Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer with high-throughput, high-resolution, and high-mass accuracy and equipped with electron capture dissociation and infrared multi-photon dissociation. The goal; to help investigators solve problems that require detailed structural studies of proteins and protein complexes, post-translational protein modifications such as phosphorylation, Valley Fever vaccine candidates, polyamines important in colorectal cancer, and organic tholins of the type produced on Titan, a moon of Saturn.
The award came from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which provided $20.65 million for 14 High-End Instrumentation (HEI) grants that will fund cutting-edge equipment required to advance biomedical research. Awarded to research institutions around the country, the one-time grants support the purchase of sophisticated instruments costing more than $750,000.