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Project

Chromatography / mass spectrometry measuring platform for plant, animal and food / feed (MEET@ALL)

Main research question/goal
This project is a methodological measurement platform rather than a specific research project. Through long-term investments in equipment, personnel and know-how around chromatography / mass spectrometry, ILVO aims to leverage its research capacity. A related goal is that all research groups at ILVO can have easy access to the analysis capacity and the expertise of the platform. The platform creates opportunities for detection, identification and / or quantification of organic compounds in plant, animal and food / feed matrices. Chromatography-mass spectrometry based techniques play a crucial role in generating qualitative and / or quantitative information about the composition of various matrices (plant, animal, and food). Whereas liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS / MS) is suitable for sensitive and specific measurements of pre-selected components, the analytical world has seen a recent shift to high-resolution apparatus which can also distinguish non-pre-selected components with great selective capacity, mass-accuracy, sensitivity and dynamic reach. In addition to liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), a coupling between gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is also possible, which makes it possible to analyze volatile components (e.g. research on aroma, boar taint components, and the like).

Research approach
The high-performance high-resolution mass spectrometer (HRMS) forms the base of the platform, along with apparatus used for GC-MS and LC-MS / MS. The Meet@All research platform give all of the ILVO research groups access to GC-MS, LC-MS / MS and LC-HRMS analysis. This enables them to complement their ongoing research and expertise and tackle problems from different angles or to respond to questions which up to now had remained unresolved. The platform and the research team are structured in three (interactive) levels: a strategic steering committee, a technical working group and an operational team.

Relevance/Valorisation
The Meet@all platform encourages the multidisciplinary and coordinated approach of both current and future strategic research needs at ILVO. A wide range of applications is coming, ranging from component identification, profiling studies, etc. to analysis of target components in diverse matrices. Such equipment is essential to remain competitive in the world of proteomics, metabolomics, lipidomics – in a word, the "OMICS" era - given the immense diversity of components that can be analyzed: medicines and residues, metabolites, organic compounds, proteins (and modifications), peptides, lipids, glycoconjugates and other biological components. This infrastructure will allow new research questions to be explored, thus increasing the success rate for the publication of research results. The knowledge and experience gained is shared across ILVO via internal communication, training and scientific support of the researchers. Building innovative know-how also strengthens ILVO's position as a possible research partner within the (inter)national research landscape.
Date:1 Apr 2014 →  Today