The Photomachines project is conducting research in metabolomics, proteomics and lipidomics to identify microalgae with antiviral activity and substances for the treatment of specific types of cancer. To be successful in our research with high application potential, we need state-of-the-art technology.
One of the latest additions is a trio of devices that have arrived at the Institute of Microbiology of the CAS – Centre ALGATECH. The first device is a mass spectrometer using Trapped Ion Mobility Spectrometry (TIMS) in conjunction with Time-of-Flight (TOF). TIMS allows the separation of substances based on their shape and charge before they are analysed by the mass spectrometer, and the TOF analyser accelerates ions in vacuum and measures the time-of-flight, which depends on the mass of the ions.
For proteomic research, the second device in the trio, the NanoElute 2 nanoflow liquid chromatograph, is designed to work with very small sample volumes and is capable of separating thousands of peptides in a single sample.
The third device is the Agilent 1290 Infinity II ultra-high-performance liquid chromatograph, designed to analyse lipids and other small metabolites down to approximately 3000 Daltons. Small bioactive substances are the subject of research at the Laboratory of Microalgae Biotechnology of the Institute of Microbiology of the CAS – Centre ALGATECH.
New state-of-the-art equipment will enable 4D proteomics and 4D lipidomics.
