About

The Biomolecular Analysis Facility (BAF) provides a centralized setting for a diverse but interactive suite of services, instrumentation, and expertise in the areas of proteomics, metabolomics, small molecules, and molecular interactions (Mass Spectrometry Section and Shared Instrumentation Section).  BAF research services have been provided to the School of Medicine for over 28 years. The highly skilled staff has the necessary expertise to provide investigators with not only rapid, high quality data but also with the pre- and post-experiment consultation necessary for successful experiments.  This complete approach to service gives investigators confidence in their work leading to publications and additional grants.  The labs, instruments, and personnel of the BAF are all located on the first floor of Pinn Hall allowing investigators to easily utilize and integrate multiple ‘omics’ techniques in their research.  In addition, the BAF has significant ties to other shared resources such as Flow Cytometry, Biorepository and Tissue Research Facility, Animal Models of Disease, and Advanced Microscopy Facility.  In some cases, these facilities provide the samples/material utilized in the BAF while in others they use BAF-generated results to initiate further research experiments.

In addition to user fees, the facility is supported by a co-pay from the School of Medicine and receives grants for instrumentation from the Virginia Equipment Trust Fund (ETF), NIH (S10), and the School of Medicine. The Core is part of the Comprehensive Cancer Center, and CC PIs receive an additional co-pay for services (~20%). The mass spectrometry laboratory was established in 1995 and supported for the initial five years by a grant from the W.M. Keck Foundation.