Paul Kline

pkline@mtsu.edu

Tom Cheatham

College of Basic & Applied Sciences

Discipline specific equipment

DSB 208

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Interest in biochemistry is rapidly growing at MTSU. For example, enrollment in Biochemical Techniques (CHEM 4530) has grown 400% in the last six years (10 students in Fall 2001 to 40 students in Spring 2007). Interest in biochemical research, both at the graduate and undergraduate levels, has followed a similar trend. Providing a meaningful experience in both the teaching and research laboratories requires a minimum level of equipment. Most of the traditional instrumentation in biochemistry has been qualitative. Increasingly however procedures in biochemistry require a more quantitative approach. One such technique is mass spectrometry, which can determine the molecular weight of large biomolecules. We propose to purchase a mass spectrometer to attach to our existing capillary electrophoresis instrument. This will increase the capability of this instrument many fold. In addition we plan to upgrade our existing mass spectrometer. It is several years old, and without this upgrade we will lose service support this year. These instruments will form the core of an analytical biochemistry facility in the new science building. In addition to biochemistry, these instruments have been and will be used in virtually every area of chemistry. These instruments have the potential of benefiting virtually all of our upper division students.