A triple quadrupole LC MS/MS mass spectrometer for pharmaceutical research

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences awarded St. John's University $249,574 on July 1, 2026, under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859) to acquire a Shimadzu LCMS-8045RX triple quadrupole liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) instrument with Nexera XS ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and associated accessories.

The instrument supports pharmaceutical and biomedical research in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, enabling quantification of low-abundance small and macromolecules for pharmacokinetic studies of active drugs and metabolites, synthesis characterization, biodistribution analysis, and biomarker identification. The department operates a graduate program in drug discovery, pharmacology, drug delivery, nanotechnology, and toxicology with over 80 graduate students. Research applications include synthesis of novel drug classes including PROTACs, tumor and cellular uptake studies of nanomedicine formulations, drug delivery system characterization, pharmacokinetic studies, and metabolomics. The instrument will also support two graduate courses and will be made available to other departments at St. John's University and nearby community colleges. The vendor has provided a three-year service contract and training plan covering sample preparation, instrument operation, data acquisition, and maintenance.

Place of performance is Jamaica, New York. The period of performance runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Abstract

The requested S10 grant instrument - a triple quadrupole LC-MS/MS is very crucial for pharmaceutical and biomedical research due to its exceptional sensitivity and specificity in quantifying low-abundance small/macro molecules enabling precise pharmacokinetic of active drug and its metabolites, synthesis, biodistribution, and biomarker studies. Shimadzu lcms-8045RX with nexera XS uhplc with required accessories has been requested. Vendor has offered a very supportive training plan with 3 years of service contract. PI, listed users (6 faculties from the department) and their graduate students are relying on external services from academia/industry for the use of LC-MS/MS because IT is not available at ST. John's university. Our department of pharmaceutical sciences has a highly recognized graduate program in drug discovery, pharmacology, drug delivery, nanotechnology, and toxicology with over 80 graduate students. PI and listed users have strong interdisciplinary collaborations and active nigms R16 sure grants. At ST. John's university, LC MS/MS will be used for research related to synthesis of novel class of drugs including protacs, tumor/cellular uptake of nanomedicine, drug delivery system characterization, pharmacokinetic studies and metabolomics. IT will also be useful in providing teaching and training via 2 graduate courses. Based on availability of the instrument, PI and users will make IT accessible to other department at ST. John's university and nearby community colleges. IT will be housed in PI's analytical laboratory with access to graduate students from various labs. Appropriate training for sample preparation, operation, data acquisition and maintenance will be provided. University is generous in providing annual service contracts and repaid cost of shared instruments. The acquisition strengthens the research infrastructure at ST. John's university with students learning such modern analytical techniques.