Cardiff Small Molecules Facility

We analyse lipids and small molecules on three state-of-the-art mass spectrometers housed within our facility.

Techniques are available to separate, identify and quantify complex mixtures of lipids and other small molecules from a vast range of biological samples.

We provide analytical and technical services through our experts in data acquisition and interpretation with access to a varied range of analytical equipment.

Whether it is just analysis of a single sample that is required, or more comprehensive analysis of many samples using multiple techniques, we are ideally placed to provide the answers you need.

You may be an experienced biochemist and know exactly the information you want, but if not, we could help you to identify what you need to know and how to achieve your aims.

Our established research grade assays

• Oxylipins (eicosanoids, prostaglandins, leukotrienes)
• Cholesterol and cholesterol esters
• Native phospholipids (PC, PE, PG, PI, PS, Lyso PC/PE/PG/PI/PS)
• Oxidised phospholipids
• Sphingomyelins
• Interested in other small molecules?  We can offer a bespoke service to set up quantitative assays for your metabolites of interest.

Equipment and services

Sample processing

• Technician support is available to extract lipids from your biological samples using optimised protocols which include liquid liquid phase and solid phase extraction.
• Beadruptor technology is available allowing us to process a wide range of tissues, including bone.
• The facility is equipped with a Tecan liquid handling robot for high sample throughput.

LC/MS

Triple Quad Q trap mass spectrometry

• The facility houses two Sciex Q Traps (Sciex 6500 and Sciex 7500-ES ionisation) coupled to shimadzu LCs capable of UPLC.  The system allows sensitive and flexible analyses of a range of analytes using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) targeted analysis.

Accurate mass QToF

• Our Waters SynaptXS QToF (ES ionisation) allows an untargeted approach with high resolution accurate mass acquisition.

Services

We provide a full technical service from experimental design advice, sample processing, LC/MS data acquisition, data analysis and quantitation, and interpretation.  If you are already an experienced MS user, we can also provide access to our state of the art equipment and consumables.

Data evaluation and interpretation

We support data analysis, quantitation and interpretation, and training is available in the use of software such as Sciex OS and Multiquant.

To discuss your requirements, please contact us