# Thermo IQ-X high-resolution mass spectrometer

> **NIH NIH S10** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2024 · $737,125

## Abstract

Project Summary
 The requested instrumentation in this proposal is an ultra-high resolution mass spectrometer coupled to
an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography system that will be used for lipidomics, metabolomics, isotope
tracing, and structural elucidation experiments. Specifically, we are requesting funds for a Thermo Scientific™
Orbitrap™ IQ-X™ Tribrid™ Mass Spectrometer coupled to a Vanquish dual column liquid chromatography
system, to expand our technological capabilities and offerings to its user base. This instrument will be housed in
the Translational Biomarker Core (TBC) in the Center of Excellence in Toxicology (CEET) at the Perelman
School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania (Penn). The TBC currently serves over 80 investigators
from Penn and beyond. These collaborations range from fee-for-service customers to extensive grant-based
collaborations. Until 2016, the TBC only offered targeted quantification assays and proteomics methodologies.
 In 2016, the Core acquired a Dionex™ Ultimate™ HPG-3400RS ultra high-pressure liquid-
chromatography (UPLC) that was interfaced with an Orbitrap QE-HF that was running proteomics using a nano-
flow-LC in the Blair laboratory. With limited instrument time, the Core developed its lipidomic platform by
combining the HRMS raw data with Lipids Search (Thermo) software for lipids identification. This assay is one
of the most requested assays offered by the Core, and through collaborations, we have now more than 300 lipids
standards used for calibration curves. During the University restrictions due to Covid-19 in spring 2020, we ran
the 600 metabolomics standards commercially available, building a library for Compound Discoverer 3.2
(Thermo). The metabolomics workflow was used for several successful grant submissions during the last two
years. The Core would like to expand its capabilities to run these types of highly multiplexed and untargeted
omics routinely, to expand technological capabilities, and fit offerings to its user base needs. This proposal
highlights the need of omics assays from 29 users (28 with NIH funding). Additionally, the core has established
ongoing collaborations with institutes and centers at Penn including Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP),
the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, and the Institute of Immunology. Given the focus of
the users on the identification of novel small molecule biomarkers of inflammation and related chronic diseases
such as cancer and diabetes, this mass spectrometer is urgent and vital for our research projects. Expertise in
the Core includes staff that is responsible for instrument maintenance, sample preparation, method development,
and data analysis, including large data sets that require the use of bioinformatics software for differential analysis.
 Furthermore, having a dedicated HRMS instrument will complement the recent expansion of our Core
staff. It will allow method development time to expand core ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10854283
- **Project number:** 1S10OD034344-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** A. Clementina Mesaros
- **Activity code:** S10 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $737,125
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-01 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10854283

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10854283, Thermo IQ-X high-resolution mass spectrometer (1S10OD034344-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-15 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10854283. Licensed CC0.

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