maldi-ftms
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For immediate release, June 25, 2007
Contact: David Goldberg, 617-638-8491, [email protected]
RESEARCHERS AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
ACHIEVE FIRST SIGNAL ON THE CRYOGENIC MALDI-FTMS
Future use will aid in the identification, diagnosis and treatment of disease
Boston, MAResearchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) recently
achieved first signal on the Cryogenic Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Fourier
Transform Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-FTMS) being developed at the schools Cardiovascular
Proteomics Center (CPC). The Fourier transform mass spectrometer is the highest performanceinstrumentation currently available to those interested in structural characterization of proteins
and other biomolecules.
When working to its full capacity, the Cryogenic MALDI-FTMS will greatly enhance howwe study and understand disease, says Peter B. OConnor, PhD, research associate professor in
the Department of Biochemistry at BUSM and assistant director of the BUSM Mass
Spectrometry Resource. This technology will give us an unbiased view of a disease by
identifying proteins by comparing their peptides to those predicted from a DNA database, whichhelps identify biomarkers for disease. OConnor goes on to add that this new technology will
also allow researchers to identify which proteins are where during certain stages of disease
progression, enabling them to more positively identify disease and decide upon treatmentoptions.
The Cryogenic MALDI-FTMS is a major advance in Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron
Resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometry design. It enables MALDI-FTMS at extremely low
temperatures and involves close construction and integration of an FTICR instrument with amodern cryogenic superconducting magnet design.
This configuration provides three major advantages. First, the magnet bore and FTICR cell
chamber become very cold, which cryopumps the chamber and decreases the base pressure.
Second, because of the cryopumping, the bore tube diameter can be much smaller, allowing highhomogeneity and high magnetic fields to be generated at greatly reduced cost. Third, the cold
surfaces can be used to cool a preamplifier for improved signal-to-noise ratio.
The BUSM prototype instrument is designed with a 14 Tesla magnet at ~10 ppm
homogeneity over the 2x2 cylindrical ICR cell. When fully tuned, this instrument will provideperformance several orders of magnitude better than existing instruments, using parts that cost
about half as much and a magnet costing about four times less.
This instrument is funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Heart Lung andBlood Institute and the National Center for Research Resources.
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