Untargeted Analysis Resource

SUMMARY UNTARGETED RESOURCE The Untargeted Analysis Resource is a multi-disciplinary exposomic program designed to integrate environmental measures and biological response into existing NIH studies. We hold weekly Steering Committee meetings of the full Lab Hub team to discuss jobs, troubleshoot workflows, and prioritize resources and activities in order to provide state-of-the-art service to HHEAR clients. Our team has considerable expertise in matching the underlying systems biology of untargeted exposure biomarkers to the study design and health phenotypes, with a range the biological specimen types that would be typically available in health studies. We also factor in subject age, occupation and the likely exposure scenarios. Our lab feasibility assessments help shape the science of a client's submission towards higher impact studies. We also counsel clients on preventing the wasting of precious samples on assays they may request, but which are deemed likely to be of limited values based on our many years of research experience and understanding of exposure scenarios. We work with the Administrative Core to coordinate services, including sample management, receiving, labeling and tracking. We serve as expert consultants with the Coordinating Center, PI/Clients and other HHEAR Resources. We collaborate with the Data Center in the management of results reporting, ensuring that data are properly formatted and have sufficient metadata, as well as participate in the analysis of exposure/phenotype relationships. We use automated sample handling and preparation methods and high throughput analytical procedures and rigorous inter-laboratory QA/QC procedures which include real time analysis monitoring and database management through state-of-the-art laboratory information management software, as well as automated data processing to reduce human error. Our methods ensure proper sample tracking and data reporting and avoid mismatches of samples to results. With substantial institutional resources at its disposal, the Untargeted Resource has doubled the number of mass spectrometry instruments to 14 in the last 3 years, ensuring our capacity to serve the needs of the HHEAR Network. Our team also conducts extensive outreach and was the only CHEAR lab hub to organize a National Exposome Symposium (held Nov 2-3, 2018 at Mount Sinai and themed on Exposomics) as described in the Administrative Core. QA/QC protocols and standard operating procedures for all target compounds have been established to maintain the quality of the chemical analysis. We participated in all CHEAR mandated QA/QC and PT programs including the round-robin analysis of a pooled urine sample between all Untargeted CHEAR Labs, and will do so for HHEAR. Overall, we process and analyze samples with a high degree of efficiency and accuracy, provide expert scientific consultation and integrate our work with the other Hub components while maintaining the highest standards of productivity and cost-effectiveness.