Equipment: MRI: Track 1 Acquisition of a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer and accessories for the Kansas Lipidomics Research Center

About This Grant

An award is made to Kansas State University to acquire a Waters SYNAPT XS quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF) mass spectrometer (MS) with multiple options for sample introduction. The instrument will be housed at the Kansas Lipidomics Research Center (KLRC), an established analytical laboratory performing mass spectrometry-based lipid analysis at Kansas State University. Access to this state-of-the-art instrument will directly impact and advance the training of postdoctoral trainees, graduate students, and undergraduates. Through access to the SYNAPT XS and analysis of resulting data, trainee scientists will develop expertise in identifying and quantifying metabolites in complex mixtures, enabling them to pursue previously challenging research questions. Annual workshops on lipidomics and metabolomics will reach a broad audience and foster cross-disciplinary interactions involving metabolite analysis. By engaging with the KLRC and participating in these workshops, trainees will gain valuable technical skills in advanced mass spectrometry and metabolite profiling, positioning them for careers in industry and academia. The SYNAPT XS provides high-resolution, high-accuracy mass measurements that enable confident identification and quantification of lipid species and other small metabolites even in complex biological samples, offering insights into metabolic pathways and cellular functions. The high-accuracy mass measurements make it possible to detect and quantify stable isotope-labeled compounds to trace metabolite flow through pathways. The desorption electrospray ionization module (DESI) source will allow scientists to spatially map compounds to discover tissue-specific differences in metabolism. Planned projects will use the high mass accuracy provided by the SYNAPT XS to uncover the roles of lipids and metabolites in development, disease, host-pathogen interactions, stress resistance, and product quality. Key investigations focus on plant lipidomes, lipid dynamics in environmental stress responses, metabolic regulation in pathogen resistance, and improvements in biofuel feedstocks and agricultural products by manipulating lipid metabolism. Collectively, these studies will deepen understanding of metabolic pathways relevant to health, agriculture, and bioenergy. 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.