The M3 Research Center
Malignome, Metabolome and Microbiome

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574

Address: Otfried-Müller-Straße 37
72076 Tübingen

Office

frontend.sr-only_#{element.icon}: +49 7071 29-82518
Michael Lehmann

frontend.sr-only_#{element.icon}: m3-office@med.uni-tuebingen.de

Metabolomics Core Technology

Our Core Technology Metabolomics is equipped with cutting-edge analytical systems for the preparation and analysis of biological samples such as tissue, serum, urine, cerebrospinal, cell culture or fecal samples from a variety of different human diseases or animal models. We furthermore provide full service from study design until biostatistical analysis for dissemination and publication of metabolomics and lipidomics data including multiplexed MALDI imaging.

In a total of three laboratories we make use of the following state-of-the-art instrumentation for targeted, untargeted, quantitative, and spatial metabolomics and lipidomics:

Contact

If you are interested in our technologies please contact:

Dr. Christoph Trautwein

E-mail address: christoph.trautwein@med.uni-tuebingen.de

Dr. Jannik Sprengel

E-mail address: jannik.sprengel@med.uni-tuebingen.de

Sample preparation

LE220-plus Focused-ultrasonicator

The LE220-plus Focused-ultrasonicator is a scalable, automated and batch-reproducible ultrasound sample preparation instrument. Designed for integration with high-throughput laboratory automation, the LE220-plus includes an integrated AFA ultraCUBE water chiller and a water conditioning module and is used for the extraction of polar metabolites and lipids from solid and semi-solid sample.

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HTX TM-Sprayer™

The HTX TM-Sprayer™ is a user-friendly, versatile spraying system that automates sample preparation, ensuring a highly uniform and consistent matrix coating for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) workflows.

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LEICA DM 1000 LED

In the same pipeline we use the LEICA DM 1000 LED to assess spraying performance in the quality control workflow for MALDI imaging. This highly versatile and high-quality microscope is ideal for clinical and laboratory use.

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targeted + quantitative analysis

AB Sciex QTRAP 6500 - Exion UPLC

The QTRAP 6500 system is a hybrid triple quadrupole-linear ion trap mass spectrometer with revolutionary IonDriveTM Technology. Additionally, the system includes a SCIEX SelexION differential mobility separation (DMS) device for enhanced selectivity. It provides the best LOQs to enable the detection and quantification of the compounds within mass range 5 - 2,000 Da in the most challenging matrices.Coupled to the ExionLC AD UHPLC, this system is very suitable for applications requiring ultimate sensitivity for ultra-low-level quantitation of small and large molecules, such as the quantification of very low-abundant non-protein-bonded steroids in serum, saliva or urine.

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untargeted + quantitative analysis

Bruker Impact II qTOF - Elute UPLC and VIP-HESI

The Bruker Impact II qTOF Mass Spectrometer with the VIP-HESI Source provides a robust high throughput platform for both untargeted methods, where it can be combined with TIMS Ion Mobility Data from our two timsTOF Spectrometers. Targeted quantitative methods can also be applied with sensitivity comparable to a triple quadrupole MS while maintaining high mass accuracy and exact identification through MS/MS Fragments, allowing for absolute quantification of chosen metabolite classes such as amino acids or bile acids.

The Vacuum Insulated Probe - Heated Electrospray Ionisation (VIP-HESI) Source provides further gains in sensitivity due to improved ionisation as the sample is vacuum insulated until it meets the heated probe gas ensuring greater stability of thermally labile compounds.. Additionally the combination of an active gas flow exhaust with a 90 degree angle between sprayer tip and MS Entry provides lowered levels of chemical noise as non-ionised compounds are prevented from entering the spectrometer.
Utilising the VIP-HESI source in conjunction with the robustness of the Impact II is particularly useful for high throughput studies, where a 24/7 operation with minimal drift is of great importance, even with dirty matrices such as fecal or urine samples.

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MALDI Imaging spatial metabolomics

Bruker timsTOF flex MALDI-2 - Elute UPLC

The timsTOF is an advanced mass spectrometry system combining trapped ion mobility spectrometry (TIMS) and time-of-flight (TOF) technology. Integrated with the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) technology allows for spatially resolved label-free mass spectrometric analysis for mapping the distribution of molecules for spatial metabolomics and lipidomics analyses in a variety of tissue samples, and identifying regions of interest for further specialized SpatialOMx® workflows. Similar to timsTOF Pro2, further molecular information is obtained in CCS dimension, as well as it is equipped with an Elute LC system. The timsTOF Flex MALDI imaging approach guarantees high spatial resolution down to 5 - 10 μm pixels, enabling single cell metabolomics and lipidomics applications. Rapid acquisition rates and high sensitivity for detecting low-abundance compounds.

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4D lipidomics + 4D metabolomics

Bruker timsTOF pro 2 - Elute plus UPLC and VIP-HESI

The timsTOF Pro2 combines high resolution mass spectrometry with ion mobility. The trapped ion mobility spectrometry (tims) device, which is located between the ion source and the TOF analyzer, adds another dimension of separation based on the physical structure of the ions (collisional cross section = CCS). Hence, so-called 4D (4 dimensions = retention time, m/z ratio, MS/MS spectra and CCS) metabolomics/lipidomics measurements can be performed, which allows the separation of co-eluting and isobaric components.

These features enable untargeted screening of lipids and metabolites in biofluid samples (e.g. blood serum, CSF, urine) and tissue or cell homogenates. Analytes of interest are identified with the help of Omics databases and subsequently further quantified via targeted methods.

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