Instrumentation

The Metabolomics Core Facility is constantly developing and optimizing LCMS and GCMS methods. Priorities for new method development depend on a number of factors, including staff availability and user demand.

Equipment

Quadrupole time of flight LC/MS

Our Agilent 6545B Q-TOF is coupled to a 1290 Infinity II liquid chromatography system and the Agilent Jet Stream source. This system is primarily dedicated to targeted metabolomics and stable isotope tracing analysis using hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) but is also suitable for non-targeted metabolomics. For particular metabolic pathways, or compound classes, new methods can also be developed/optimized according to customers needs — please inquire.

Triple quadrupole LC/MS

The Agilent 6470A tandem quadruple mass spectrometer is coupled to a 1290 Infinity II liquid chromatography system and the Agilent Jet Stream source. This system is dedicated to a reversed-phase ion-pairing chromatography (with tributylamine as an ion paring agent), enabling the simultaneous detection and quantification of diverse classes of endogenous metabolites within a single run. First developed by Drs. Amy Caudy, Joshua Rabinowitz and Adam Rosebrock, this robust and reproducible metabolomics dMRM database and method (PDF, 3.7 MB) allows for the detection of over 200 central carbon metabolites.

Single quadrupole GC/MS

Our Agilent 5977B MSD is equipped with a 7890B GC, EI/CI high efficiency sources and a 7693A autosampler. It is supported by the Fiehn GC/MS metabolomics retention time locked library and Agilent’s suite of analysis software (Mass Hunter, Profinder and Mass Profiler Professional). This system is primarily used for targeted metabolomics but is also suitable for untargeted metabolomics and stable isotope tracing analysis.

Refrigerated SpeedVac

Our Acid-Resistant Refrigerated CentriVap Vacuum Concentrator (LabConco Corporation, Kansas City, MO) is the only commercially available refrigeration vacuum concentrator that cools to -4°C, effectively protecting heat sensitive compounds such as nucleotides and reduced glutathione. Our system is equipped with a -105°C CentriVap Cold Trap, a rotary vacuum pump, high capacity rotors (132 or 148 sample capacity) and a CentriZap Strobe Light. This instrument was acquired by and is shared between the Metabolomics Core Facility and the Proteomics Resource Centre.

Metabolomics Core Facility

Shipping address:
Attn: Shama Naz
Metabolomics Core Facility
University of Ottawa
Roger Guindon Hall
451 Smyth Road, Room 1129/1130
Ottawa ON K1H 8M5

Shama Naz, PhD

Manager, Metabolomics Core Facility
Office: RGN 4108; Core facility: RGN 4520; Lab: RGN 4210B
Phone: 613-562-5800 ext. 8018
snaz3@uOttawa.ca

Mireille Khacho, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology
Director, Metabolomics Core Facility
mkhacho@uottawa.ca