The mission of the Translational Proteomics Center (TPC) is to strengthen the current capacity for biomedical research in proteomics in Puerto Rico. Loyda M. Meléndez, PhD, currently serves as Director of the Proteomics Service (PS).

This core facility is supported by RCMI /INBRE/ and Comprehensive Cancer Center and provides resources and expertise in Proteomics to scientists in Puerto Rico (UPR-Medical Sciences Campus, Ponce Health Sciences, and Universidad Central del Caribe), partner institutions in the PRINBRE Program, and other campuses of the UPR System.

The facility is well equipped with a Q Exactive™ Hybrid Quadrupole Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer from Thermo Scientific™. This is the backbone of the proteomics platform for the rapid discovery of multiple biomarkers, for protein identification and protein quantitation.

GOALS

• The TPC functions as a platform for biomarker discovery, protein identification and quantitation applied to basic research, diagnosis, and therapeutic monitoring of human diseases that affect our population.

• Integrates Proteomics with Bioinformatics (Statistics, Machine Learning, and Ingenuity Pathways) Core.

• Provides new methodologies on quantitative proteomics such as: TMT labelling, phosphoproteomics, and protein-protein interactions with in solution immunoprecipitation, and Mass Spectrometry.

• Provides validation strategies with available instrumentation (ELISA and Kinetic assays with Varioskan Lux instrumentation and Western blots with BioRad Electrophoresis Station, Transblot transfer system and the ChemiDoc). Provides instrumentation for protein isolation and processing such as Sorvall WX Ultra Ultracentrifuge among others.

• Provide workshops and trainings to faculty, students, and postodcs through the INBRE program. Guide the experimental design of RCMI and INBRE supported projects in proteomics and track users and visits through the RCMI Ticket System.