MRI-R2: Acquisition of a MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometer

New York University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). With this award from the Major Research and Instrumentation (MRI) program, Professor Paramjit S. Arora, James W Canary and Michael D Ward will acquire a MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometer. The instrument will be used in a large number of research projects, for example: a) the design of synthetic helices as inhibitors of protein-protein interactions; b) structural DNA nanotechnology; c) reaction pathways of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species with DNA; d) charge transfer interactions in crystals and their relevance to MALDI mass spectrometry; e) the structure of the backbone in unfolded proteins; f) protein mimetics - synthesis of macromolecular sequence-specific heteropolymers; g) bioaffinity interactions and microarray technologies; and, h) design, synthesis and photophysical properties of photosynthetic model systems. A MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometer (matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization - time of flight mass spectrometer system) is used to identify the chemical composition of a sample by measuring the mass of the molecular constituents in the sample after they are ionized and detected by the mass spectrometer. The MALDI method provides a soft ionization method for producing ions from large molecules and biomolecules with less complication than when more energetic ionization protocols are employed. The TOF feature is an analysis technique that separates the ions based on their masses after they are produced. The instrument will provide structural and compositional characterization for a core group of faculty users, as well as the teaching and undergraduate/graduate student research programs, in the NYU Department of Chemistry and the Polytechnic Institute of NYU.