Services
Expert metabolomics services including mass spectrometry, NMR and bioinformatics analysis for collaborative research or fee-for-service.
Partner With Us
CREAM supports researchers through two service models: collaborative research partnerships and charge-for-service analysis. In collaborative projects, CREAM investigators contribute research expertise to grant proposals and share in awarded budgets. For fee-for-service work, clients pay based on the specific analytical services provided.
Our team has partnered with more than 60 research groups nationwide, contributing to over 300 peer-reviewed publications and helping secure more than $250 million in federal research funding.
Ready to get started? Submit a service request below or contact us to discuss your project.
Our Services
Mass Spectrometry
The CREAM Mass Spectrometry Facility houses a unique combination of mass spectrometers that can implement various analytical projects and is typically capable of achieving global metabolite and lipid profiling, targeted metabolomics, and stable isotope-resolved metabolomics. Due to the analytical power of each MS and the wide range of applications represented by the combination, many problems outside of metabolomics can also be addressed.
The following provides rates for primary services offered by CREAM, focusing on collecting chemical mass spectra for user samples. However, support is also offered for experimental design, selection of appropriate instrumentation, sample preparation, data interpretation, and appropriate informatics. Samples can be received in various states of preparation for analysis, and clients have options to complete preparation at CREAM and/or pay for preparation.
Molecules | Sample processing cost (per sample) | Platforms | Instrumental analysis cost (per sample) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Untargeted Metabolomics | SCFAs | GC-MS | $100.00 | ||
| Polar Metabolites | GCxGC-MS | $170.00 | |||
| Polar Metabolites | Parallel 2DLC-MS (RPC and HILIC) | $200.00 | |||
| Lipids | Comprehensive HILIC x RPC-MS (collecting 5 HILIC fractions for further RPC separation) | $280.00 | |||
| Bile Acids | $80.00 | RPC-MS | $100.00 | ||
| Nucleosides | $80.00 | SPE-RPC-MS | $100.00 | ||
| Targeted metabolomics | SCFAs | GC-MS | $100.00 | ||
| Calibration curve | $500.00 | ||||
| LCFAs | $80.00 | RPC-MS | $100.00 | ||
| Calibration curve | $500.00 | ||||
| Oxylipins | $80.00 | RPC-MS | $100.00 | ||
| Calibration curve | $500.00 | ||||
| Bile Acids | $80.00 | SPE-RPC-MS | $100.00 | ||
| Calibration curve | $500.00 | ||||
| Nucleosides | $80.00 | RPC-MS | $100.00 | ||
| Calibration curve | $500.00 | ||||
| Other Molecules | quote | LC-MS | $100.00 | ||
| Calibration curve | $500.00 | ||||
Stable Isotope Resolved Metabolomics
| Polar Metabolites | Parallel 2DLC-MS (RPC and HILIC) | $200.00 | ||
| Epitranscriptomics | RNA | Oligonucleotides | $100 | RPC-MS | $100.00 |
| Nucleosides | $150 | RPC-MS | $100.00 | ||
Notes:
- Sample processing will not be charged if you process samples.
- The cost of constructing the calibration curve will not be charged if CREAM receives more than 10 samples.
- Our 2DLC is configured in parallel mode for profiling polar metabolites and comprehensive mode for profiling lipids using HILIC and RP columns. Each sample is analyzed on the 2DLC-MS system in negative and positive modes to obtain full MS spectra. Group-based pooled samples are also prepared, and 2DLC-MS/MS analyzes each pooled sample to obtain MS/MS spectra.
- All non-UofL customers will be charged an additional 75% cost to cover the F&A. The minimum project cost is $1000.00.
- Use the Instrument Request Form to request services.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)
Coming Soon
CREAM's NMR facility houses a suite of high-field spectrometers, including an 800 MHz system funded through a $2.3M NSF/EPSCoR grant. These instruments support structural analysis of proteins, complexes, and metabolites using advanced techniques such as TROSY and solid-state CP-MAS NMR.
NMR service pricing and request forms are currently being developed. In the meantime, explore our available instruments or contact us to discuss your project needs.
Bioinformatics
The bioinformatics research effort at CREAM has resulted in a suite of bioinformatics tools for deciphering biological information from massive metabolomics data, including GC-MS, GC×GC-TOF MS, direct infusion FTICR-MS, LC-MS, NMR. The deconvoluted instrument data are further employed for molecular association network and pathway analyses. These algorithms have been integrated into three data analysis pipelines: PDP, MetSign, and MetPP. In the last few years, we further integrated these pipelines and created a comprehensive bioinformatics infrastructure successfully employed in many biomedical projects.
At the University level, we are supported by an 8-gigabit campus backbone network comprised of over 77 miles of fiber in a dual ring configuration. The network can provide 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps, and 1 Gbps Ethernet service for faculty and staff communications needs. The campus wireless network utilizes 54 Mbps (802.11g) technology and is widely available across the campuses, with access to scheduled classrooms and public areas of most buildings. In addition, the University of Louisville is connected to the Internet2 node via dedicated fiber and currently has access to 1 Gbps of bandwidth. The Internet2 connection gives the University of Louisville direct access to the national research and education networks and enables participation in national networking initiatives such as caGRID/caBIG and the TeraGrid. We use this cluster for bioinformatics development and analyze the experimental data acquired from large-scale metabolomics studies.