The mass spectrometry-based Metabolomics Service Core is the hub of the Center’s overall services. The core consists of a central mass spectrometry laboratory and branches to four faculty-guided WCMC advanced service laboratories (Fiehn, Newman, Hammock, Taha) that specialize in specific branches of metabolism. All service requests must use our central ordering platform to receive, log, distribute, and report samples and studies. See the list of all metabolites detected by the WCMC. Please request accurate cost estimates for your specific project from metabolomics@ucdavis.edu.
Estimated Costs
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Our Assays and Platforms
Untargeted analyses
Untargeted analyses screen for all detectable compounds using validated chromatography/mass spectrometry methods, and 15-25 internal standards.
Depending on the sample type and platform, 10-30% of all detectable peaks are identified by retention times and mass spectra from MassBank of North America, yielding additional hundreds of structurally unknown compounds for discovery work. Quantitative data are typically reported as relative peak intensities (for example, normalized to the peak intensities found in quality control samples).
Targeted analyses
Targeted analyses screen only for sets of defined, carefully selected metabolites with high importance in specific biological matrices. Targeted assays perform absolute quantification using sets of stable isotope-labeled internal standards. Usually, targeted assays are performed on low abundant compounds that are not detected by discovery-driven untargeted analyses.
