Using The Facility

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Supported by City of Hope's NCI-funded Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG)

Using the Facility

The Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Core is available on both a shared use and full service basis. Investigators should contact the manager, Gabriel Gugiu at 626-256-HOPE (4673) to discuss the experimental strategy for any sample analysis prior to sample submission.

Shared Use:
The facility is available to City of Hope and Beckman Research Institute users on a shared use basis. Investigators wishing to use the facility on a shared use or collaborative basis should contact Dr. Gugiu for more information.

How to Prepare Samples:
Please see the guidelines for preparing samples in order to obtain a successful analysis. Direct any concerns to the Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics manager, Gabriel Gugiu at 626-256-HOPE (4673) prior to sample submission.

Supplies Needed:
With few exceptions, it is not necessary for the investigator to provide supplies for analyses and projects carried out by the Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Core. The cost of these components is built into the fee schedules.

Turn-around Time:
The turn-around time for the mass analysis of a single sample is one to two days for nanospray MS on a simple mixture and 3-4 days for more complex samples. For samples submitted for LC/MS/MS analysis with database search, typical turn-around time is about two weeks (backlog dependent). For other samples, investigators will be apprised of the anticipated time required to obtain results of the requested analyses on a per sample basis when experimental details are discussed with the facility director or manager.

Training

All users who wish to run their own samples must be trained by a member of the MS facility prior to their intended use of the instrument. Please contact us to schedule a training session.

Rules for instrument use

Users must be trained in the specific technique and instrument they wish to use. Any other use must be discussed with the manager or assistant manager. Any fault observed with the instruments must be communicated to the facility personnel to promptly address the problem.

Signup for instrument time

All instruments sign-up is handled through the online calendars in Microsoft Outlook which can be located in “Public Folder\All Public Folders\Mass Spectrometry core\” or through the direct links provided on this website. Please respect the signup rules below.

1)   Instrument maintenance and repair takes precedence over other uses. Please discuss any concerns with us. We will attempt to accommodate you as best as we can.
2)   Mondays and Wednesdays are reserved for the LTQ-FT calibration and nanospray. No one may sign up on the LTQ-FT for more than 2 hours on Mondays and Wednesdays. Thursdays are reserved for Q-TOF maintenance and calibration and Tuesdays are reserved for QQQ maintenance and calibration.
3)   The LCQ is available without sign-up on a first-come, first-served basis.
4)   LC/MS/MS time may be signed up for in 1-3-day blocks. If you need less time than that, sign up only for the number of days you need so that others can use the instrument.
5)   No one may sign up for more than one week in any calendar month on a single instrument. For scheduling purposes, the first day of the time block determines its month.
6)   No one group/laboratory may sign up for more than 6 consecutive days in one month.
7)   Do not sign up more than 4 weeks ahead of time. It is permissible to sign up 5 weeks in advance if you need to coordinate with a collaborator who is visiting from off campus, or have lost your scheduled time because of unscheduled maintenance or repair work.
8)   If any time blocks are not signed up a week in advance they can be used by anybody even if they are in violation of the above rules.

General notice: Please do not sign up over someone else unless you contacted them and they either do not need their time anymore or they will use the instrument for shorter time than what they signed up for.