Abstract
The Vermont Genetics Network Proteomics Facility was established in 2006 with the goals of providing expertise and the latest proteomics technology to researchers at different institutions within and outside of Vermont and establishing an educational environment for sharing experience and knowledge in proteomics. The proteomics facility is equipped with standard laboratory equipment and five mass spectrometers (Q-Exactive Plus, Q-Exactive, LTQ-Orbitrap Discovery, anLTQ coupled to an automated hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) platform, HDx-3 PAL, as well asanLTQ XL equipped with electron transfer dissociation capability). The facility has established a number of proteomics workflows over the years and enabled investigators to use an array of state-of-the-art mass spectrometry-based techniques for their proteomics experiments, ranging from characterization of post-translational modifications and protein interactions to large-scale quantitative proteomic analyses using stable isotopes (SILAC, dimethyl labeling and tandem mass tags). The facility's impact on the development of the network is evidenced by the increasing number of analyses (over 1,000 samples per year), user bases (66 faculty/post doctorate/staff, 26 graduate students and 59 undergraduates in 2017 - 2018 alone), number of publications that include data obtained at the facility (148 papers since 2006), and the number of grants supported (Over 50 grants from NIH, NSF, DOD, USDA, UVM and various Foundations). With the rapid growth of user bases, the facility continues to expand its capabilities to meet the ongoing and future research needs, including techniques for structural proteomics (HDX mass spectrometryand isotope-based cross-linking/mass spectrometry). Details can be found at www.uvm.edu/~vgn/proteomics. The facility is funded by NIH P20GM103449 (NIGMS INBRE).