UMICH Metabolomics Core

Overview of Services

The Metabolomics Core measures concentrations of small molecules in biological samples on a recharge basis. We strive to provide GLP-quality analytical services at competitive prices, and regularly customize assays to fit investigators' needs. Services include initial consultation, method development, data collection, interpretation, and presentation. Core competencies include both targeted assays for most analyte classes as well as untargeted assays to evaluate the entire metabolome in biofluids and tissues, measurement of flux through various pathways using ¹³C-isotopomer analyses, and structural identification of isolated unknowns and potential biomarkers.

Services include:

• Pre-award support: Assist researchers with analytical needs, experimental design, and budgeting for grant proposals.
• Targeted Assays: Measure multiple analytes in biofluids, tissues, cultured cells, or stools
  • amino acids
  • acyl-carnitines, acyl-CoAs, nucleotide or nucleoside pools
  • glycolysis/TCA/nucleotides involved in central metabolism
  • short-chain fatty acids, phospholipids, ceramides, steroids, bile acids, and other lipid classes
  • trans-fatty acid analyses
  • vitamin, lipoic acid, cGAMP, tryptophan metabolites,
  • other assays developed upon request for any analyte
• Shotgun Lipidomics Assays: LC-MS/MS methods to quantify the entire lipidome in biological samples
  
• Untargeted Assays: Develop analytical methods and advanced statistical analyses to evaluate the entire metabolome in biological samples, through the NIH-funded MRC² organization. State of the art LC and GC chromatography coupled to mass spectrometers delivering high mass resolution and accuracy are used to survey the entire metabolome to generate novel hypotheses, provide a deeper understanding of physiology, and indicate how organisms adapt to stress.
• Cellular Bioenergetics: Measure aerobic respiration and glycolysis in cultured cells using a Seahorse XCF instrument through the MMOC facility.
• Statistical and Bioinformatics Analysis: Perform statistical analyses and provide tools to accurately quantify relative levels of metabolites for untargeted metabolomics. Provide data visualization, pathway tools such as Metscape, and services to interpret and integrate metabolomics data.

NOTE: For metabolomics experiments with smaller sample sets (<20) for common assays, there may be a delay in analysis. In order to maintain overall laboratory efficiency, small sets will be added to larger sample runs or pooled with other small sample sets for analysis. Core users may inquire about expedited analysis of smaller numbers of samples.

See the Project Requests page of our website, for detailed instructions on initiating a project with the Metabolomics Core varies depending on your institutional affiliation.

See our YouTube channel for videos or various topics including: metabolomics workflows, study design, bioinformatics tools, fluxomics, lipidomics and much more. 

Leadership

Maureen Kachman, Ph.D.
Managing Director, Metabolomics Core

(734)-232-0842
mkachman@umich.edu

Location and hours of operation:

Links and Resources

1. Services and Fees
2. Project Requests (Instructions)
3. MRC2 as a Regional Comprehensive Metabolomics Resource Core (RCMRC) funded by the NIH Metabolomics Common Funds Project 
4. MMOC as a Molecular Phenotyping Core
5. Wiki page that describes experimental design and experimental factors pertinent to metabolomics experiments 

Contacts