Frequently Asked Questions
Authorship
If our core staffs contribute intellectually to your project, we appreciate the name of our personnel to be included as a co-author in your publication. If we did not contribute in your project intellectually, we appreciate our metabolomics core’s name to be considered in your acknowledge section of your paper. The activities such as method development for your project, contributing in your experimental design, helping you with data analysis, statistical analysis, pathway analysis, and interpretation of MS collected data, draft of the article or revise it should be recognized as an intellectual contribution.
Fee
The metabolomics fee can be viewed in our price list. The price listed on our website is ONLY for UT Southwestern customers. The fee for the external academic customers and industry customers are twice and three times based on the list amount respectively.
Discount
We do not offer any discount to our collaborators.
Sample Size
Cultured cells: 2-3 million cells per mL.
Tissue: 20-50 mg of solid tissue.
Serum, plasma and urine: 150-250 microliter.
Sample Preparation
At this time, we do not provide sample preparation for our customers. However, we will provide you a consultation regarding sample preparation. We recommend our customer to schedule a virtual meeting with Dr. Baniasadi prior to doing their own sample preparation. We will help you to choose a proper plan for your metabolomics project.
Minimum Sample in LC-MS Vial Included Insert
We need 50uL of each sample and 150uL of QC sample (a pool of all samples). Information about proper LC-MS vial and insert for our HPLC are as follows:
- Thermo Scientific™ SUN-SRi™ Unassembled 8-425 Vial Kits Thermo Scientific™ 200 420
- Thermo Scientific™ SUN-SRi™ Standard Opening/StepVial II™ Inserts (Manufacturer: Thermo Scientific™ 200 232)
Submitting Samples
Please see the sample submission instruction page.
Sample Preferred Codes
We prefer that you label your sample simply such as C-1, C-2, C-3, W-1, W-2, W-3. In addition, please label all LC-MS vials with the service number provided by the core.
Turn-around Times
Our turn-around time is usually 3-4 weeks.
Expected Received Results
For a relative quantitative analysis using targeted metabolomics: we provide you an excel file with retention time, peak intensity and peak area, including %CV for QC sample.
For a relative quantitative analysis using untargeted metabolomics (up to 381 metabolites): we provide you an excel file with retention time of detected metabolites, peak intensity, peak area, mass accuracy error (ppm) and %CV of detected metabolites in your QC sample (a pool of samples run at the beginning and end of acquisition batch).
For an exact mass determination measurement: we provide you a PowerPoint file with Extracted ion chromatograms (XIC), as well as the mass accuracy error (ppm) related to the chemical formula of interest.
For a relative quantitative analysis using untargeted metabolomics (discovery biomarkers): we provide you an excel file with m/z value, retention time, intensity, fold change, p-value, and number of identified metabolites using our “in house MS/MS library included up to 381 MS/MS spectra” and %CV of detected m/z value in your QC sample (a pool of samples run at the beginning and end of acquisition batch). Statistical analysis such as PCA, PLSDA, volcano plots, Whisker plot, pathway analysis, ROC curve analysis and heat maps will be performed based on user request.
Shipping
Before shipping samples, please contact Dr. Baniasadi. You should ship your samples overnight in a proper freezer box with of plenty dry ice, at the beginning of the week. LC-MS vials in the box need to be sealed completely and not loose during shipping. Please provide us your FedEx tracking number and ship your samples to the following address:
ATTN: Dr. Hamid Baniasadi
Ste. L4.256B
2929 N. Stemmons Freeway
Central Supply Warehouse
Dallas, TX 75247