The Research Technologies Branch (RTB) Protein & Chemistry Section (PCS) enables intramural NIAID investigators to use state-of-the-art applications in mass spectrometry, assay development for protein, metabolite, lipid, and other bioactive small molecule characterization.
Computer generated image of a small molecule
Major Areas of Support
- Mass spectrometry (MS)
- Proteomics
- Metabolomics
- Lipidomics
- Protein purification
- Assay development
- Edman (N-terminal) protein sequencing
- Protein kinetics
- Biomolecular assembly characterization
- Bioinformatics
Instrumentation
Mass Spectrometry
- Thermo Scientific Orbitrap UVPD Fusion Lumos Mass Spectrometer equipped with Nano-LC Nano-Electrospray source
- Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Fusion Lumos Mass Spectrometer equipped with Nano-LC Nano-Electrospray source and a FAIMS Pro interface
- Thermo Scientific Orbitrap Fusion Tribrid Mass Spectrometer equipped with Nano-LC Nano-Electrospray source and CESI
- Thermo Scientific Q Exactive+ Biopharma platform
- Sciex QTrap 6500+
- Sciex QTrap 7500
Protein Sequencing
- Shimadzu Gradient PPSQ-53A Three Reactor Sequencer
Other Applications
- Refeyn Mass Photometer
- Octet R8
- AKTA Protein Purification
- Spectromax Plate Reader
Collaborative Technological Resources
- Experimental design
- Sample preparation for mass spectrometry-based analysis
- Mass spectrometry acquisition
- Bioinformatics
- Assay development
- Protein identification by N-terminal sequencing
- Protein purification
Selected Publications
Immunopathological and microbial signatures of inflammatory bowel disease in partial RAG deficiency.
Castagnoli R, Pala F, Subramanian P, Oguz C, Schwarz B, Lim AI, Burns AS, Fontana E, Bosticardo M, Corsino C, Angelova A, Delmonte OM, Kenney H, Riley D, Smith G, Ott de Bruin L, Oikonomou V, Dos Santos Dias L, Fink D, Bohrnsen E, Kimzey CD, Marseglia GL, Alva-Lozada G, Bergerson JRE, Brett A, Brigatti KW, Dimitrova D, Dutmer CM, Freeman AF, Ale H, Holland SM, Licciardi F, Pasic S, Poskitt LE, Potts DE, Dasso JF, Sharapova SO, Strauss KA, Ward BR, Yilmaz M, Kuhns DB, Lionakis MS, Daley SR, Kong HH, Segre JA, Villa A, Pittaluga S, Walter JE, Vujkovic-Cvijin I, Belkaid Y, Notarangelo LD. J Exp Med. 2025 Aug 4;222(8):e20241993. doi: 10.1084/jem.20241993. Epub 2025 May 2. PMID: 40314722
Evidence against efficient spontaneous disassembly of prions into small oligomers.
Shoup D, Hughson AG, Race B, Alam P, Dulebohn D, Priola SA, Caughey B. J Biol Chem. 2025 Jun 21;301(8):110411. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2025.110411. Online ahead of print. PMID: 40550330
Hepatitis C virus E1 recruits high-density lipoprotein to support infectivity and evade antibody recognition.
Casiano Matos J, Harichandran K, Tang J, Sviridov DO, Sidoti Migliore G, Suzuki M, Olano LR, Hobbs A, Kumar A, Paskel MU, Bonsignori M, Dearborn AD, Remaley AT, Marcotrigiano J. J Virol. 2024 Jan 23;98(1):e0084923. doi: 10.1128/jvi.00849-23. Epub 2024 Jan 4. PMID: 38174935
Gut microbiome shifts in adolescents after sleeve gastrectomy with increased oral-associated taxa and pro-inflammatory potential.
Akagbosu CO, McCauley KE, Namasivayam S, Romero-Soto HN, O'Brien W, Bacorn M, Bohrnsen E, Schwarz B, Mistry S, Burns AS, Perez-Chaparro PJ, Chen Q, LaPoint P, Patel A, Krausfeldt LE, Subramanian P, Sellers BA, Cheung F, Apps R, Douagi I, Levy S, Nadler EP, Hourigan SK.Gut Microbes. 2025 Dec;17(1):2467833. doi: 10.1080/19490976.2025.2467833. Epub 2025 Feb 19. PMID: 39971742
Functional human IgA targets a conserved site on malaria sporozoites.
Tan J, Cho H, Pholcharee T, Pereira LS, Doumbo S, Doumtabe D, Flynn BJ, Schön A, Kanatani S, Aylor SO, Oyen D, Vistein R, Wang L, Dillon M, Skinner J, Peterson M, Li S, Idris AH, Molina-Cruz A, Zhao M, Olano LR, Lee PJ, Roth A, Sinnis P, Barillas-Mury C, Kayentao K, Ongoiba A, Francica JR, Traore B, Wilson IA, Seder RA, Crompton PD. Sci Transl Med. 2021 Jun 23;13(599):eabg2344. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abg2344. PMID: 34162751; PMCID: PMC7611206.
Regioisomerization of Antimalarial Drug WR99210 Explains the Inactivity of a Commercial Stock.
Remcho TP, Guggilapu SD, Cruz P, Nardone GA, Heffernan G, O'Connor RD, Bewley CA, Wellems TE, Lane KD. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2020 Dec 16;65(1):e01385-20. doi: 10.1128/AAC.01385-20. PMID: 33077647; PMCID: PMC7927815.
Magnesium transporter 1 (MAGT1) deficiency causes selective defects in N-linked glycosylation and expression of immune-response genes.
Matsuda-Lennikov M, Biancalana M, Zou J, Ravell JC, Zheng L, Kanellopoulou C, Jiang P, Notarangelo G, Jing H, Masutani E, Oler AJ, Olano LR, Schulz BL, Lenardo MJ. J Biol Chem. 2019 Sep 13;294(37):13638-13656. doi: 10.1074/jbc.RA119.008903. Epub 2019 Jul 23. PMID: 31337704; PMCID: PMC6746436.
Access
Currently, collaborating with RTB is only available to federally funded institutions. Researchers may access all RTB support services by visiting RTB on Inside NIAID (this link is only available to NIAID lab scientists).
Leadership
L. Renee Olano, Ph.D.
Chief, Protein & Chemistry Section
L. Renee Olano, Ph.D.