Sealy Center on Aging

Biorepository and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory

The Biorepository and Mass Spectrometry Laboratory (~3,000 sq ft space) is located on the 10th floor of the Medical Research Building. It has a satellite laboratory (approximately 300 sq ft) for the initial processing of human samples located on the 4th floor of the John Sealy Annex Building. The inter-connecting labs in the MRB allow for science collaboration among researchers interested in muscle biology and metabolism in aging.

Analytical Services

• Sample biorepository and tracking
• Measurement of stable isotope enrichment in biological samples by mass spectrometry (protein, lipid and glucose metabolism)
• Metabolic modeling

• two Agilent Technologies 6890A Gas Chromatograph 5975C Mass Spectrometers with EI and autosampler
• one Agilent Technologies 6890 Gas Chromatograph equipped with Flame Ionization Detector and autosampler
• one Thermo Delta V Gas Chromatograph-Combustion-Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer with GasBench for measurement of very low enrichments of deuterium, ¹³C, ¹⁵N, ¹⁸O, in muscle, blood and breath
• three Speed-vacuum systems for sample concentration and desiccation
• one nitrogen evaporator (N-Evap) for sample desiccation
• one Sorvall microcentrifuge
• one Jouan bench centrifuge to separate blood subfractions
• one Spectrophotometer
• one MiniProtean electrophoresis system with blotting apparatus
• nine -80° C freezers
• one -20° C freezer
• two 4 C° refrigerator for sample and reagent storage
• one 121 L liquid nitrogen dewar for tissue sample storage
• one Biosafety sterile cabinet
• four fume hoods
• standard lab items (e.g. water-baths, microplate reader, rotators, shakers, sonicators, high-speed and micro centrifuges)