Our Services

Users who want to access the BMSF on a "do it yourself" basis (DIY) first need to be inducted to the relevant BMSF lab to gain access.  The induction process will also include user and project registration. Training arrangements are usually determined after discussing analytical/project needs with a BMSF staff member.

Once induction and registration is complete, training times can be arranged.  The specific requirements of the training should be discussed with BMSF prior to induction. The cost of training is based on the instrument time used and is charged at the fee-for-service rate (FFS).  Once trained, the hourly rate for independent user access is substantially less than for analysis undertaken by BMSF staff.

Users who reach competency levels required to operate selected BMSF equipment are then able to book time on those instruments to embark on their project. The BMSF staff who trained the user is usually available to provide ongoing coaching in the use of the equipment as needed to reinforce the training.

What is a Collaboration with the BMSF?

A collaboration is defined as a research project requiring significant intellectual input from BMSF staff so as to warrant those staff to co-authorship the resulting research publications. Under these circumstances the project is registered as being collaborative and the collaboration is expected to generate research grant funding with named investigators from the BMSF. These grants are normally prepared collaboratively and are required to include one or more budget lines for the total access costs estimated for the project. In some cases limited pilot studies to generate preliminary data in support of research grants may proceed with shared access fees.

BMSF Author Address

Publications resulting from collaborations with the BMSF are required to name the BMSF staff member(s) involved in the list of authors. These names are to be linked to the following address:

Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Facility, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, UNSW Sydney 2052, Australia

Required Acknowledgement

All research publications (be they collaborative or non-collaborative) that contain data obtained with resources at the BMSF are required to explicitly acknowledge this with the following wording or similar wording having the same meaning:

Mass spectrometric results (or specify this more precisely) were obtained at the Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Facility within the Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre of the University of New South Wales. {Insert this sentence only if the the BMSF provided any "omic" analysis: This work was undertaken using infrastructure provided by NSW Government co-investment in the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Scheme (NCRIS).} Subsidised access to this facility is gratefully acknowledged.

Project and User Registration

Research collaborations are required to be registered. This involves project registration, including funding sources for access costs and individual user registrations for those working on the project. For this a Project Registration Form should be completed. The project details are usually filled in with assistance from the BMSF staff who will be active in the collaboration.

If a project requires mass spectrometric analysis that is routine, then it is likely to proceed with minimal BMSF involvement in attracting grant funding, postgraduate supervision and authorship of research publications.

Samples may be submitted along with an Analysis Request Form and the analysis request is directed to an instrument and analyst.

For projects that require more input from a BMSF staff member (for example, method development, sample analysis and processing, and data analysis) and where the user is unable to be trained to run samples, a Project Registration Form should be submitted.

A wide range of Chemistry samples are processed routinely, or as a service, within the BMSF each year, often in conjunction with other units of the Analytical Centre. A number of successful research projects are also undertaken in close collaboration with UNSW researchers. Staff within the BMSF can assist in designing and implementing mass spectrometry for many different projects.

High Resolution Molecular Weight Confirmation by Electrospray:

This service is offered by nanospary on the Orbitrap XL every Tuesday. Samples should be submitted by Tuesday morning prior to the service being run. If you are interested in this service please email Leanne Stephenson or Lewis Adler.

Direct Insertion Electron Impact solids probe analysis:

A low resolution electron impact service using the DSQII (a single quadrupole mass spectrometer) is available on request. If you are interested in this service please email Lewis Adler to arrange submission of samples (a special sample cup is required).

MALDI (matrix assisted laser desorption ionization):

High and low mass measurements of solids or co-crystallised samples are available using Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization. Samples should be submitted to the upper campus laboratory for analysis. For more information please contact us.

Training:

A key endeavour of the BMSF is to facilitate user access and training in mass spectrometry and LC. If you are interested in analysing your own samples please contact us to arrange a meeting.

Samples may also be submitted for routine mass analysis, LC/MS, GC/MS, and HPLC (including fractionation). Service samples will be run weekly or as arranged with individual users. Where possible we would recommend users be trained to operate the instruments, with BMSF staff providing ongoing support and advice as required. 

For further information on the services offered, or to make suggestions on new capabilities required by the BMSF, please email us.

Planning for your Research Needs

Each project at the BMSF incurs costs in terms of instrument time, sample preparation and staff input. It is necessary that a part-contribution to these costs be made by the users, and, so far as possible, that these costs are planned for and included in the budget of research proposals. Most access fees at the BMSF are charged on the basis of the hours of instrument time used.

Public sector researchers are charged a base hourly cost (Academic Rate) that is tied to the actual operational costs to provide this access. Government and institutional infrastructure funding contribute to this base rate to reduce it to a net user charge. It is recommended that budgets in research grant applications list the total net costs requested from the funding agency and, in separate columns, the Institutional and other Government contributions to the base access costs. The access fee schedules in this site show the base rates and the contributions to these from all sources.

The BMSF can provide assistance in preparing and justifying grant budgets the following ways:

• Determining an appropriate number of hours of access required by the project
• Describing the nature of the mass spectrometry to be undertaken
• Providing a clear statement of the contributions to the costs for analysis are subsidised institutionally and otherwise.

Example of budget line for year 2 (ARC):

Example of Justification of Funding (ARC):

The research project requires the proteomic analysis of affinity pull-downs of subcellular fractions at the rate of 5 samples per week for 40 weeks in years 2 and 3 with an estimated 8 hours instrument time per 5 sample. The base cost for student operated access to mass spectrometry at the BMSF is $86/hour to which the university contributes $50 (UNSW projects) and NSW Government Funding tied to NCRIS contributes $11. A balance of $25 is requested from the ARC.

If space permits add further specific explanation of why mass spectrometry is necessary, for example: "Tandem mass spectrometry combined with liquid chromatography is, at present, the most effective method of confident protein identification and the elucidation of post-translational modification of proteins."

Required Acknowledgement

More information can be found here.