Analytical Chemistry Shared Resource (ACSR)

University Of Arizona, Tucson AZ

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY SHARED RESOURCE: ABSTRACT The Analytical Chemistry Shared Resource (ACSR) enhances the capabilities and productivity of University of Arizona Cancer Center (UACC) investigators by providing a state-of-the-art centralized resource for bioanalytical chemistry assays to support basic, translational, and clinical research. ACSR provides comprehensive services from study design consultation and method development to sample storage, preparation, assay, and data analysis. Established in 2001, ACSR offers a wide variety of bioanalytical assays along with the capabilities to develop and validate new methods. Using cutting-edge instrumentation, ACSR produces highly sensitive quantitative measurements of cancer therapeutics, preventive agents, bioactive food components, nutrients, carcinogens, inorganic elements, and endogenous metabolites in various biological specimens, as well as qualitative studies in untargeted metabolomics and lipidomics profiling. ACSR also supports pharmacokinetic (PK) study design, data analysis, and data interpretation. Co-Directed by Hsiao-Hui (Sherry) Chow, PhD, and Justin Snider, PhD, ACSR is supported by two staff members with deep expertise in quantitative analysis of exogenous and endogenous small molecules and untargeted metabolomics analysis. ACSR utilizes various mechanisms to assess programmatic needs and relies heavily on input from the Scientific Advisory Committee and member surveys to prioritize development of services and capabilities. An expanding repository of bioanalytical assay protocols, many of which can be readily applied to new projects, support a broad spectrum of research projects in a cost-effective manner to meet user timelines. ACSR is capable of performing untargeted metabolomics/lipidomics analyses with the recruitment of Snider in 2020 and recently acquired access to state-of-the art instrumentation for such analyses. Services provided by ACSR are essential for assessing the systemic bioavailability and tissue distribution of novel cancer therapeutics and preventive interventions; measuring the extent of systemic and target tissue carcinogen exposure; measuring endogenous metabolites in biofluids and tissues as surrogate cancer-risk and/or end-point biomarkers in population-based, clinical, and translational research; and assessing metabolic changes to define the mechanisms underlying carcinogenesis and develop new treatment strategies. During CY20, ACSR has supported 33 investigators (70% UACC Members). Of the 8,243 hours of instrument usage in CY20, 86% were for UACC Members. This work supported projects from 23 funded grants and three investigator-initiated clinical trials (IITs) on cancer therapeutics and preventive interventions. ACSR provided bioanalytical chemistry and/or integrated PK support for nine novel agents in preclinical drug development. Since 2016, ACSR services have supported 37 publications from Member research and the submission of 61 grant applications.