RCMI Proteomics

The RCMI Proteomics Laboratory, located at Howard University Hospital, provides services associated with analysis of an entire complement of proteins related to a particular process. The laboratory runs several research projects and provides collaborative consolidation of instrumentation, technical expertise, and support personnel to enhance the impact and availability of mass spectrometry and other analytical techniques.

Services and Instrumentation

Protein identification analysis including peptide mapping by nano-LC-MS, peptide sequencing by nano-LC-MS/MS and database query using Proteome Discoverer 1.2 ($20/hour, HPLC-MS/MS running time is 2 hours for each sample)
Protein phosphorylation analysis
Label-free quantitative analysis of protein samples using SIEVE 2.1 (Thermo Scientific)
Small molecules and their metabolites analysis

In addition to the available services, the RCMI Proteomics Laboratory has the following instrumentation:

Prominence nano HPLC with autosampler (Shimadzu)
LTQ-XL Orbitrap (nano-ESI mode) Mass Spectrometer (Thermo)
Proteome Discoverer 1.2 with the licenses for SEQUEST and ZCore search engines
SIEVE 2.1 software (Thermo Scientific) with license for Ingenuity
Akta-Purifier HPLC (GE Healthcare)
Luminescent spectrometers (Perkin Elmer and Promega)
Plate reader (Bio-Rad)
Flow cytometers: FACSVerse (Becton Dickinson) and Bioanalyzer 2100 (Agilent)
XRS+ imaging station (Bio-Rad)
SpeedVac (Savant)
Bio-Plex (Bio-Rad)
Hunter 2D Thin Layer Electrophoresis System (CBS)

View a list of selected publications based on work done through the RCMI Proteomics service.

Leadership

The laboratory is directed by Dr. Sergei Nekhai, Professor of Medicine and co-Directed by Dr. Tatiana Ammosova, Assistant Professor at the Howard University College of Medicine. Dr. Nekhai and his staff are available to assist DC CFAR investigators or train them in the use of laboratory instruments.

Open House

On July 21, 2021 the DC CFAR Basic Sciences Core hosted an Open House that served as a training seminar focused on the Orbitrap Exploris 480 Mass Spectrometer. It included a presentation by Thermo Fisher Scientific Specialist Christopher Bolcato, featuring its uses for quantitative and single cell proteomics. Proteomics workflow and Proteome Discoverer 5.0 data analysis program was also discussed.