Shared Resource 12: Nutrient and Phytochemical Analytics (NPASR)

PROJECT SUMMARY – NUTRIENT AND PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYTICS SHARED RESOURCE (NPASR) The mission of the NPASR is to provide niche services supporting research with high quality assays for biomarkers of tobacco exposure, specific nutrients, or a vast array of anti-cancer phytochemicals found in food sources. NPASR primarily supports the Molecular Carcinogenesis and Chemoprevention (MCC) and the Cancer Control (CC) Programs, which have robust research examining the role of diet and tobacco in cancer etiology, prevention, and survivorship. The NPASR co-Directors are Drs. Steven Clinton, a translational researcher in cancer prevention (interim co-Director, Senior Faculty Advisor; MCC co-Leader) and Devin Peterson, a senior food science chemist in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences. The Specific Aims of the NPASR are to: 1) provide expert, leading-edge bioanalytical method development and quantitative analysis of nutrients and bioactive phytochemicals in foodstuffs; 2) conduct targeted quantitative analysis of nutrients, bioactive phytochemicals and their metabolites in biological samples generated from in vitro, in vivo and human studies using HPLC-MS/MS techniques; and 3) perform untargeted metabolomics and lipidomics services for cancer-related studies. NPASR technologies include state-of-the-art ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), mass spectrometry (MS) and liquid chromatography triple quadrupole MS/MS (LC- MS/MS). NPASR has added several new analytical capabilities during the current funding cycle including: 1) ion mobility hardware facilitating a broad semi-quantitative lipidomics platform; 2) a second MS instrument to support untargeted metabolomics and lipidomics demand; and 3) a state-of-the-art MS/MS for utmost sensitivity. During the current funding cycle, the NPASR supported 49 publications (2 > 10 impact factor), 55 users, and 6 NCI grants, including 1 P50, 3 R01s, 1 U19 and 1 U01, involving all five CCC programs. These efforts and publications have contributed to defining biomarkers of exposure or intake, and provided novel insight into phytochemical absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. More recently, NPASR has expanded into targeted and untargeted metabolomics supporting our understanding of individual cancer risk due to tobacco exposure, nutrients, specific foods, and dietary patterns. To meet future demands of OSUCC Investigators aligned with OSUCCC strategic priorities, NPASR will further support, for example, studies of metabolomic- microbiome interactions, genetic determinants of metabolism and tobacco use biomarkers. During the next grant cycle, lipidomics and bioactive lipid analytic capabilities will be expanded to meet the needs of a growing user base of all five programs. The NPASR provides a critical service for CCC members evaluating foods, nutrients and carcinogens that spans research disciplines from cell culture and experimental animal studies to human trials and molecular epidemiology. The annual budget of the NPASR is $387,249, yet the CCSG request is $74,239. As such, the NPASR leverages extensive institutional support and seeks only 19.2% support from CCSG funds.