Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Mass spectrometry provides a measurement of molecular weight that is absolutely essential for the proper identification and characterization of new chemical compounds. We are requesting funds to help in the purchase of a mass spectrometer that can be used to provide this data. These funds will be used to purchase a micrOTOF II high-resolution mass spectrometer (HRMS) instrument that will: (i) replace our currently unusable mass spectrometer and (ii) build a LC-MS facility at the University of Winnipeg. The requested mass spectrometer will enable exact mass measurements of organic and inorganic compounds. The LC-MS system will help in analyzing mixtures of organic compounds and metabolomic profiling of crude extracts of medicinally important plants. This instrument will allow undergraduate/graduate students to acquire hands-on high-resolution mass spectral data that will dramatically advance the research capacity of synthetic, natural product and bio-analytical chemists, as well as soil chemists at the University of Winnipeg. It is anticipated that this team of applicants will train over 100 undergraduate and graduate students to use the requested instrument over the next six years.*