Infrastructure

The Center largely builds on pre-​existing instruments, methods, workflows, and expertise that the Zamboni lab established over the past 15 years.

Mass spectrometry

For untargeted metabolomics and lipidomics, our workhorses are the SCIEX ZenoTOF 7600 system, a Thermo Fisher Orbitrap IQ-X, and an Agilent 6550 QTOF for flow injection. For special projects, we also have a Thermo QExactive HF-X, Agilent 6546 and 6520 QTOFs, a SCIEX QTRAP 5500, and an Agilent 6495C for targeted measurements.

Sample preparation

For project that require large scale or highly reproducible sample preparation, we have established several key protocols for e.g. polar and lipid fractions, cold (-20°C) and hot (up to 90°C) extraction, protein precipitation, lipid depletion, etc. on automated liquid handling devices such as the Hamilton Star and the Agilent Bravo systems.

Data processing and storage

Data analysis relies on workflows, methods, and algorithms that we developed to combine depth and breadth of metabolite coverage, scalability, and accuracy. Data and results and kept on a dedicated infrastructure provided by ETH IT Services. Results are delivered through Leonhardmed or directly by encrypted file transfer.