The NMR Facility provides qualified researchers in the biological, medical,
and physical sciences access to state-of-the-art NMR instrumentation for
spectroscopy and imaging. At present the Facility operates 10 spectrometers of
varying purposes and capabilities, five of which are housed in Building MS1-D
and four, operated jointly with the Chemistry Department, in the Chemistry
building. Four instruments are largely devoted to structural characterization
of organic and inorganic molecules. Two vertical bore spectrometers are used
primarily for solution studies of biomolecules, with an additional vertical bore
instrument for in vitro biological studies. Two horizontal magnet bore
spectrometers are utilized for in vivo spectroscopy and imaging of small
animals, imaging of materials, and in vitro spectroscopy of perfused organs.
One spectrometer is devoted to solid state NMR spectroscopy. All of the
spectrometers are multinuclear and a large variety of liquids, solids, surface,
and imaging coils are available for use. The Facility also has Linux computers
for off-line data processing. Listed below are the NMR spectrometers with their
field strengths and primary use.
|
Spectrometer |
Proton Frequency |
Tesla |
Primary Use |
Location |
|
Avance 800 |
800 MHz |
18.8 |
Liquids spectroscopy |
MS1-D |
|
Avance 600 |
600 MHz |
14.1 |
Liquids spectroscopy |
MS1-D |
|
VNMRS 600 |
600 MHz |
14.1 |
Liquids spectroscopy |
Chem 93 |
|
Avance 500 |
500 MHz |
11.75 |
Solids spectroscopy |
Kemper 51 |
|
Avance 500 |
500 MHz |
11.75 |
Liquids spectroscopy |
MS1-D |
|
Avance 400 |
400 MHz |
9.4 |
In vitro spectroscopy |
MS1-D |
|
Inova-400 |
400 MHz |
9.4 |
Liquids spectroscopy |
Chem 93 |
|
Mercury-300 |
300 MHz |
7.05 |
Liquids spectroscopy |
Chem 93 |
|
MercuryPlus-300 |
300 MHz |
7.05 |
Liquids spectroscopy |
Chem 3470 |
|
Biospec 7T |
300 MHz |
7.05 |
In vivo spectroscopy, imaging |
MS1-D |
The Facility provides an annual training class (offered every Fall quarter as BCM 230) to the campus to enable users with long term research projects to independently operate the spectrometers. For those needing occasional NMR data, the Facility has trained personnel to obtain spectra. Further information on the Facility including spectrometer scheduling procedures are available from the Facility office, 752-7794 or jhwalton@ucdavis.edu
Research at the Facility covers a wide range of fields. Some of the current projects follow. Organic and inorganic chemists characterize natural and synthesized molecules via NMR studies. In the biomedical field, in vivo spectroscopy and imaging are being used to study heart and brain metabolism, probe effects of drugs in shock therapy, and investigate oxygen binding to myoglobin in tissue. Biochemists and chemists are studying protein, nucleic acid, and carbohydrate structure/function relationships using liquids NMR. Chemical engineers utilize imaging methods to study multiphase transport phenomena, and food scientists are investigating hardening and ripening in foodstuffs such as vegetables and fruits by magnetic resonance imaging. Over seventy Campus faculty from more than two dozen departments utilize the Facility annually.