Mass Spectrometry Lab

Mass Spectrometry Lab GENERAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Hours of Operation The lab manager and/or his assistants are available from 9 am – 5 pm Monday through Friday except for official University holidays. Except the LTQ XL system, all instruments in operational are available to certified users 24/7. The manager has the right to terminate the operation for repair and maintenance.

Fee Agreement 1. PIs are responsible for paying user fees within 30 days (15 days for outside users) of receiving an invoice. Approval by the PI in writing must be received before a new user is permitted to use the service or be trained to use the instruments. 2. Invoices will be generated using the current billing rates.

Requirements, Responsibilities, and Procedures 1. Outside users of the analytical service may download the sample info form. Deliver the completed form with the samples to Dr. Siheng Li by mail or in person. Email him at [email protected] before the delivery. 2. UH users may click user login (Group name: UH_MASSSPEC) to request the service. After the sample information is entered, a label will be generated. Print the label and firmly stick it to the sample vial. Immediately bring the samples and line them up in the designated refrigerator on the 5th floor of SERC building. Samples will be collected twice daily at noon and 5 pm. For direct infusion analysis, results are available online typically on the same day. 3. Users of the instrument are required to attend the UH EH06 - General Laboratory Safety and Hazardous Materials Orientation course or an equivalent course from the user’s parent organization/university. Complete and sign the attached form. 4. Users of the GCMS and MALDI-TOF-MS instruments are required to be trained and certified before use. Contact Dr. Siheng Li at [email protected] to schedule for training. 5. Users of the LCQ Deca XP LCMS system are also required to successfully complete either BCHS 4397 “Selected Topics in Biochemical and Biophysical Sciences” (Cr. 3, taught by Prof. Steven Bark), or CHEM 6394 Selected Topics in Organic Chemistry (Cr. 3.0, taught by Prof. Chengzhi Cai). Dr. Bark’s course covers in depth biological mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography, especially for proteomics, metabolomics and protein interactions. Pending for approval, Dr. Cai’s course will cover chemical and biological mass spectrometry, instrumentation and liquid chromatography, especially for students working on chemical synthesis and chemical biology. Users must also be trained and certified. Contact Dr. Siheng Li at [email protected] to register for training. 6. Certified users may reserve instrument time at user login (Group name: UH_MASSSPEC). Sample information is needed. 7. To use an instrument, the user must login and logout. If a user forgets to logout, the PI is responsible for accrued charges unless other arrangements are made with the lab manager. 8. Using internet on the instrument computers is strictly forbidden. 9. When instrument users encounter problems outside the scope of their training, they should not attempt to repair or troubleshoot on their own. Seek help from the lab manager. If the lab manager or his assistants are not available immediately to assist with problems encountered by a user, the user should logout and report the problem to the manager via email. Should an emergency happen, the user should also email Dr. Chengzhi Cai at [email protected]. 10. All sample preparation except the last desalting/filtering step should be performed in the user’s lab. To use the GC- MS, users should bring samples at analyte concentration < 0.5 mg/mL, and filter it to the sample vial for injection. To use the MALDI-TOF, users should bring in samples ready to spot on a MALDI plate. To use the LCQ Deca XP, users are required to bring samples with a weight concentration of totally dissolved mixture less than 10 g/mL (better < 1 g/mL. Double check the concentration to ensure <10 g/mL!). All samples must be desalted or filtered to the sample vials or into a 96-well plate at the mass spectrometry lab. 11. Users are required to clean up after using the Mass Spec Lab. Untidy users will be assessed $50 clean up fee. 12. Users must strictly adhere to the guidelines for using the instruments. PIs will be responsible for damage caused by users not following proper procedures.

Reservations To use the instruments, users must reserve instrument time at user login (Group name: UH_MASSSPEC). There is NO walk-on use permitted. Instruments can be reserved up to 48 h in advance. Cancellations are accepted up to 1 h prior to the reserved time. If a reservation is not cancelled at least 1 h prior to the reserved time, the PI is responsible for 1 hour usage at the lowest published rate for the type of user. Consumables Pipettes, filters, pipette tips and ziptips are provided free of charge. All other consumables and chemicals are provided by the users.

Infractions Users who do not follow Mass Spec Lab procedures may be temporarily or permanently banned from the lab, depending on the severity of the infraction. Users who are banned may appeal to the Chair of Chemistry for redress.

Mass Spectrometry Lab Signature Acknowledgment Form for Instrument User

User Name:

PI Name: Date:

Please sign and date verifying that you have completed the following:

1. I have read and understand the lab general policies for the Mass Spec Lab.

2. I have completed the UH General Laboratory Safety and Hazardous Materials Orientation course or have completed an equivalent course at my home institution.