Fat City: Ultratrace Lipid Analysis using Laser-induced Fluorescence and Mass Spectrometry

The central theme of our research program is the quantitative determination of lipids. There are a number of projects that depend from that central theme. For more information, see the Research Page.

Trace lipid detection with laser-induced fluorescence. This project uses nanoliter or smaller droplets produced in microfluidic chips to create fluorescently-labeled lipids. Applications in multidimensional LC detection and the detection of efflux of lipids and other small molecules from cells. Funded by NIH.

Multidimensional HPLC of lipids. This project combines multiple modes of chromatography to provide high resolution separation of a range of lipids resulting from solid phase or liquid-liquid extraction from tissues or cultured cells. Primary focus is on “polar” neutral lipids. Funded by NIH.

Solid phase lysis and extraction of lipids. Capillary and microfluidic platforms for the selective isolation of lipids from tissue or cell samples. Funded by NIH.

Lipidomics. High resolution and high dynamic range profiling of polar neutral lipids from tissue and cultured cells using multidimensional LC and tandem mass spectrometry (QTOF and QqQ). Major application is with profiling polar neutral lipids for elucidating their metabolism and for determining the roles of fatty acid amide metabolism and signaling in affective disorders. Funded by NIH and NSF.

Metabolomics. With Dr. Jana Patton-Vogt of the Department of Biological Sciences at Duquesne. Determination of the metabolism of phospholipids, especially the role of the deacylation of glycerophosphoinositols, cholines, ethanolamines, etc. and the downstream products of deacylation. The primary tools are molecular biology in yeast constructs and LC with tandem mass spectrometry.