MRI: Acquisition of A MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometer for Accurate Mass Determination of Biomolecules

The significance of this proposed Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) project is to fill in the existing gap of lacking scientific equipment to advance multidisciplinary research and to promote educational and outreach activities in the South Jersey area. Multiple schools and institutes will be benefited from acquiring the equipment, including 16 key user labs from 7 different departments at Rutgers-Camden, Rowan University and the Joint Health Sciences Center (JHSC) in Camden. The potential impacts include the enhancement of STEM outreach for under-represented/minority students in the Camden area; advancement of classroom teaching, experiential learning and research training for undergraduates and graduate students; the promotion of collaboration within local schools and industrial partners. The proposed equipment will also interface with existing facilities to enhance the setup of a core facility of Scientific Measurements at Rutgers University-Camden. The success of instrumental use will be evaluated by the number of users, product of publications, conference presentations, grant awards, class participation, outreach activities and other scientific disseminations. This project serves the interest and mission of NSF to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity and welfare; and to secure the national defense. The MALDI-TOF instrument is used for the analysis of various high molecular-weight biomolecules, such as nucleotides, peptides proteins and polysaccharides. The acquisition of this instrument will support multidisciplinary research programs and student education in the fields of biomimetic self-assembly, cellular biochemistry, protein chemistry, novel biomaterials, nanomaterials, forensic analysis and molecular sensing, as well as increasing knowledge of health-relevant mechanisms. Multiple research and outreach projects will be enhanced by this instrument, including: (1) Characterization of biomolecule modification and conjugation for developing biomimetic assemblies and smart reactors; (2) Development of biomaterials and biopolymers; (3) Nanoparticles synthesis, assembly and delivery; (4) Enhanced bimolecular characterization for studying cellular functions and activities; (5) Enhanced methods for forensic body fluid identification; (6) Characterization of peptides and proteins for bimolecular function; (7) Enhancement of research outreach and training.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.