Duquesne University, USA, and Agilent Technologies have established a Centre of Excellence (COE) for mass spectrometry at the university. The facility enables a wide range of research in the life sciences and environmental analysis, including:

• metabolomics and trace lipid analysis, the effects of chronic exposure to heavy metals;
• how residues of some veterinary drugs affect the food chain;
• analysis of toxins in food;
• identifying biomarkers for autism;
• factors affecting the immune system;
• researching inherited “knock-out diseases” like Fabry’s disease; and
• an area of study called “environmental proteomics” (e.g. the protein profiles of organisms as they’re exposed to different environmental compounds).

“Researchers at Duquesne University are doing fascinating work aimed at solving important problems, and we’re very pleased to be part of the team,” said Gustavo Salem, Agilent vice president and general manager, Biological Systems Division.

Under the leadership of Dr Mitchell Johnson, associate professor, and Dr H.M. “Skip” Kingston, professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, the school has forged a partnership with Agilent. The centre will serve as Agilent’s regional showcase for the latest technologies in mass spectrometry, where researchers can see Agilent equipment in use investigating real problems. The centre will provide a forum for the development of new applications and the testing of new ideas in search of important advances in life sciences, biomedicine, bioengineering, materials sciences, and other fields.

In addition to its own research, the Duquesne COE also works closely with other community organisations. For example, the lab supports research investigations of a number of genetic-based disorders by the Allegheny General Hospital Allegheny Singer Research Institute and autism studies at the Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh.

“As metrologists, we’re working to solve important problems,” said Kingston, a principal investigator. “We did a study of the epigenetics of immune system responses in autistic children screening 100 children for 70 toxins, and the ToF, Q-ToF and ICP-MS instruments were used for this. We’re now researching toxins in food and their effects on children. For example, one form of selenium is healthful for humans, but there are 40 species of selenium and some of these are toxic.”

Another researcher is Dr Partha Basu, associate professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, who is investigating the protein profiles of organisms that metabolise nitrate in the hopes of developing bioremediation methods for removing metallic contamination from the environment. He is also studying the proteomic mechanisms of how Roxarsone, an anti-parasite drug administered to chickens, is converted to inorganic arsenic, which can then enter the food chain. “We hope to develop organisms that can do many amazing things,” said Basu.

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