Shimadzu, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Partner

Shimadzu Scientific Instruments (SSI) has announced the opening of the Shimadzu Laboratory for Advanced Applied and Analytical Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM). The new 2,000-square-foot laboratory and office suite is a hub for research across the entire UWM campus, as well as a classroom for teaching the theory and practice of mass spectrometry. The new lab, located inside of UWM’s Kenwood Interdisciplinary Research Complex, was made possible by a $1.13 million grant from Shimadzu Scientific Instruments.

Equipped with an array of Shimadzu’s analytical instruments, the lab is able to support diverse programs in drug discovery, freshwater science, food and beverage, environmental science, and other basic life science and chemistry studies. The facility features six mass spectrometers, sample preparation tools, UV-visible and FTIR spectrometers, liquid and gas chromatography systems, and a fully equipped tissue culture suite to enable discovery and toxicology research.

The Milwaukee Institute for Drug Discovery (MIDD), part of UWM’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, is the primary user of the lab. The institute uses the lab to conduct NIH-funded research on new drugs for pain, schizophrenia, and asthma, as well as anti-infective and anti-cancer drugs.

MIDD frequently uses the instrumentation for structural analysis of newly synthesized drug compounds, assessment of drug metabolism and stability, and pharmacokinetics and bio-distribution. Neuroscientists at the university have adopted the MALDI-TOF MS for studies on central nervous system development, pain processes, and learning.

“Our relationship with Shimadzu allows us ready access to the market’s latest analytical innovations,” said Dr. Douglas Stafford, Director of MIDD. “In the future, we hope that this lab will be used to host user workshops on new applications and instruments. This will help to keep our scientists ahead of the curve by staying connected to the wide network of MS users.”

“The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, in conjunction with MIDD, is a vibrant, growing research community, supporting interdisciplinary applications in numerous scientific programs,” said Terry Adams, VP Marketing at Shimadzu Scientific Instruments. “Shimadzu is proud to have our name associated with such an outstanding institution and we are eager to work with the many researchers and students utilizing this impressive laboratory.”