Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The acquisition of the requested mass spectrometer will catalyze innovative research initiatives with significant implications across Oregon's agricultural sectors.The project encompasses a wide range of research areas, including organic potato storage, methane emissions from rangeland cattle, wildfire smoke exposure in vineyards, broccoli consumption and cancer prevention, and the mitigation of European Foulbrood disease in honey bee colonies.By inhibiting potato sprouting, we can reduce food waste and thus enhance the sustainability of our food supply chain. Efforts to mitigate methane emissions from rangeland cattle and manage wildfire smoke exposure in vineyards are essential for reducing the environmental impacts of climate change and thus increase the resilience of our vulnerable agricultural communities.Furthermore, research into the health benefits of broccoli consumption and the mitigation of European Foulbrood disease in honeybee colonies directly contribute to public health and enhanced agricultural and natural ecosystem integrity. The outcomes from these research endeavors have the potential to inform evidence-based policies and practices that promote human health, environmental stewardship, and agricultural resilience in Oregon, the Pacific Northwest region, and beyond.In addition to the instrument's capability to assist researchers in their efforts to translate research into action, the mass spectrometer will create valuable research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students at Oregon State University. By engaging students in hands-on research experiences, we can cultivate the next generation of agricultural researchers and empower them to address the complex challenges facing our agricultural industry as they prepare to be among the best to enter the next generation workforce.
Animal Health Component
60%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
40%
Applied
60%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The objective of this application is to strengthen our programs in nutrition, food science, and in agricultural science by acquiring a Sciex ZenoTOF 7600 high resolution/high accurate mass (HRAM) tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) system for the sensitive detection, identification, and quantification of small biomolecules in complex biological matrices. This state-of-the-art hybrid Quadrupole-Time of Flight (QToF) mass spectrometry system will support USDA-funded research directed by principal investigators in the Colleges of Agriculture, Science, Pharmacy, and Health, as well as in the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University (OSU) and the OSU Agricultural Extension Service. The Sciex ZenoTOF 7600 instrument will be sited in the OSU Mass Spectrometry Center and will bring new capability to the Center, i.e., the capability to perform Electron Assisted Dissociation (EAD) of molecular ions to gain deeper structural information on metabolites and other small molecules compared to Collision Induced Dissociation (CID) currently available. Technical improvements have resulted in a full order of magnitude gain in sensitivity compared to our current Sciex 5600 QToF instrument, which we purchased in 2010 and which we intend to replace to accommodate existing and future needs for high-quality profiling of metabolomes and lipidomes in food-derived products. The requested new instrument will support and advance research of a group of USDA-NIFA funded investigators in Oregon whose projects address USDA Strategic Goal 1: Combat Climate Change to Support America's Working Lands, Natural Resources and Communities, and Strategic Goal no. 4: Provide All Americans Safe, Nutritious Food.
Project Methods
The requested instrument will enable methods for mass spectrometric detection, identification, and quantification of plant and human metabolites in various biological samples with high sensitivity, precision, and accuracy. Examples of mass spectrometry-enabled methods include methods for characterization of primary and secondary metabolites in food plants, in food-producing farm animals, and in humans to assess food safety and health benefits of foods.