Mass Spectrometry Facility

Molecular Instrumentation Center (MIC)

Bruker SolariX mass spectrometer

Overview

The Mass Spectrometry Facility has one GCMS, one MALDI-MS, one DART-MS, one ICP-MS, one LC-TOF, two LC-QTOF, two LC-triple Quads, and two LC-orbitrap instruments for qualitative and quantitative analyses. The facility is located in 1434 Molecular Science Building (MSB). Members of the UCLA community, other academic institutions, and commercial enterprises may use the mass spectrometers after training by the Mass Spectrometry Laboratory staff.

All users will have their grants recharged for use of the mass spectrometers. Users from Departments other than Chemistry and Biochemistry must request a 6-digit recharge account prior to use of the spectrometers 

Download application form

Leadership

Contact

Website: MIC Mass Spectrometry Facility

Services

Small molecule mass measurement

Instruments: Agilent GC-Ion trap, Agilent GC-TOF, Waters LC-TOF, Thermo DART-Orbitrap, Agilent 6545 LC-QTOF

Small molecule quantification with MRM mode

Instruments: Sciex 4000 QTRAP QQQ, Sciex API 4000 QQQ, Agilent 6460 QQQ

Trace metal quantification

Instrument: Agilent QQQ ICP-MS

Peptides and intact proteins analysis

Instruments: Shimadzu MALDI 8020 (coming winter 2025), Agilent 6530 LC-QTOF, Thermo Q Exactive plus Orbitrap

Metabolomic analysis

Instruments: Thermo Q-Exactive plus Orbitrap MS coupled with Thermo Vanquish UPLC, Agilent 6545 LC-QTOF

Proteomic analysis:

Instruments: Thermo Q-Exactive plus Orbitrap MS coupled with Thermo Ultimate 3000 nanoLC

MIC staff offer instrumentation training, analysis service, and consultation for sample preparation, experiment design, data mining, and operation of the various instruments.

Instrumentation 

Mass Spectrometers

Use our Selection Tool to help you choose the right instrument for your sample.

MS Selection Tool

Mass Spectrometers for Small Molecules

  • Agilent 6890N Quad GC/MS with EI and CI ionization capabilities
  • Agilent 7250 Q-TOF GC/MS with low energy EI
  • Agilent 6545 Q-TOF LC/MS with 1260 Infinity LC
  • Agilent 8800 Triple Quads ICP MS
  • Sciex API 4000 Triple Quads (QQQ), with ESI and APCI capabilities
  • Sciex 4000 QTrap Triple Quads(QQQ), with ESI and APCI capabilities
  • Agilent 6460 QQQ with ESI
  • Waters LCT Premier TOF LC/MS with ACQUITY UPLC
  • Thermo Exactive Plus Orbitrap with IonSense ID-CUBE DART source

Mass Spectrometers for bio-molecules

  • Agilent 6530 Q-TOF LC/MS with 1260 Infinity LC
  • Shimadzu MALDI 8020 (coming winter 2025)
  • Thermo LTQ FT-ICR MS with Eksigent NanoLC
  • Thermo Q Exactive Plus Orbitrap™ MS with Vanquish UPLC
  • Thermo Q Exactive Orbitrap MS with UltiMate 3000 nanoLC
  • Bruker Solarix 15T FT-ICR with ESI and MALDI ionization capabilities

Sample Preparation Equipment

  • Thermo (Sorvall) LEGEND RT+ centrifuge with refrigeration
  • Thermo Savant SpeedVac SPD121P
  • Thermo Fisher Scientific isotemp incubator
  • Labconco filtered enclosure

Pricing

If your funding is managed in a department other than Chemistry and Biochemistry, please apply for a chemistry recharge account. 

Download application form

Usage of the instruments in the Mass Spec lab will be recharged based on the amount of time they are used. The current rates for the recharged instruments are as follows.

  • User-run (open access) rates for most Mass Spectrometers are $50/hour (UCLA) and $105.24/hour (external).
  • Staff-run rates are $150/hour (UCLA) and $302.14/hour (external).
  • MALDI rates are $100/hour (UCLA) and $201.53/hour (external).
  • The Exactive Plus with the DART source is charged at $27/sample (UCLA) and $156.32/sample (external).
  • There is no charge for using the provided data analysis PCs.

In addition to providing instruments for independent use, the Mass Spec Lab offers staff consultation services to help users develop, troubleshoot, and optimize their analysis.  Fees for these services are charged as follows.

Staff consultation rates are $120/hour (UCLA) and $180.19/hour (external).

  • Consultation fees are only charged after they are approved by the user.
  • Consultation fees are charged in 15 min increments.
  • Staff services that involve instrument use are charged as a combination of consultation and instrument use costs.

Consultation fees are charged primarily for the following services.

  • Extensive user training.
  • Extensive method development.
  • Data collection / analysis for submitted samples.
  • Instrument hardware modifications.

There is no charge for the following common staff services.

  • Help with method development or data analysis for routine qualitative or relative quantitative analyses.
  • Help with instrument operation.
  • Troubleshooting a possibly malfunctioning instrument.