The Mass Spectrometry Facility @ UMass Chan Medical School
Fuller Building
222 Maple Avenue
Shrewsbury, MA 01545
Inquiries
Request for Services, Policies and Shipping
Information for Project Initiation, Sample Submission, and Inquiries
To initiate a project, submit a sample, or schedule instrument time, you must follow the WORKFLOW outlined on the right. This workflow ensures that all steps are completed in the correct order for smooth project initiation and sample handling.
Additional Information: All service requests are managed through the Service Request Portal. It helps streamline communication and tracking. Through the portal, you can:
- Submit service requests and provide detailed sample information
- Schedule instrument time and upload required documentation
- Communicate directly with Facility staff for guidance and updates
- Track the progress of your samples and services in real time
All projects and services are subject to approval by the Facility Director. Most new projects require a consultation prior to initiation of work. Consultations include advice on the best experimental approach, timing of the experiment, sample preparation and charges. Samples are accepted only after the project has been approved and assigned to a Facility staff member.
Rates. Our rate sheet captures the per sample cost or hourly rate for most of our services. In general, costs for most proteomics projects can be determined from the rate sheet. However, most small molecule projects are quotated by proposal and initiate following mutual acceptance.
The Facility will not accept BIOHAZARDOUS and RADIOLABELED samples.
Select agents (http://www.selectagents.gov) WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED unless certified to be inactivated by a process validated to be effective, and approved by the UMass Chan IBC in accordance with the UMass Chan Select Agents Program. RG3 agents (e.g. HIV, M. tuberculosis, Prions, et al) must also be certified to be inactivated by a validated process.
Guidelines for submitting samples for protein analysis
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Sample preparation by SDS PAGE should be performed with a dedicated gel electrophoresis apparatus for protein analysis. All glassware and reagents should be freshly prepared and handled with gloves at all times. Gel bands can be stained with Coomassie Blue or colloidal variants. For silver staining use a mass spectrometry compatible kit (e.g. Sigma ProteoSilver, or BioRad Silver Stain Plus). It is extremely important to remember that when preparing low abundance proteins that precautions must be taken to prevent keratin contamination. Wear gloves and excise bands of interest in a dust free environment. Excised gel bands should be thoroughly washed with Milli-Q grade water and placed in 1.5 ml microcentrifuge tubes (pre-rinsed) with a little water to keep them moist. Gel bands should be stored at 4oC prior to shipping. For samples submitted for intact molecular weight analysis please consult with a staff member on the chemical makeup of the solution for compatibility with mass spectrometry. |
Guidelines for shipping
Gel bands can be shipped via an overnight courier at ambient temperature. Samples should be placed in a secondary container to prevent tube breakage during shipment. Solution phase samples that are not completely dried down should be shipped on dry ice. Please send notification via email prior to shipping so that a staff member can take receipt of your samples.
For compliance on packaging and transport of hazardous substances see IATA (http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/dangerous_goods/Pages/infectious_substances.aspx) and DOT (http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat) for additional guidance.
Samples may be shipped by overnight service to:
Mass Spectrometry Facility
University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
222 Maple Avenue, Fuller Building
Shrewsbury, MA 01545
508.856.8113 (vm)
msf@umassmed.edu
The Mass Spectrometry Facility @ UMass Chan Medical School
Fuller Building
222 Maple Avenue
Shrewsbury, MA 01545
Inquiries