The goal of the Cancer Proteomics Facility (CPF) is to facilitate the use of basic and advanced protein analysis techniques for cancer research applications at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. We recognize that the complexity and cost of some CPF capabilities create barriers for many investigators and work in a customized way to develop workflows to support every phase of a research project. This “guided solutions” approach begins with face-to-face meetings between investigators and members of the CPF staff to scope out the scientific merit of the research project.
For projects that have a significant statistical analysis component, a dedicated member of the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Biostatistics Facility is available to assist in the design and analysis of the experiment. For investigators, post-docs, and graduate students who are seeking to gain more experience with modern protein analysis methods, the CPF encourages users to take a hands-on approach and work side-by-side with CPF staff.
Sufficient laboratory space, sample preparation capability, reagents, mass spectrometers and informatics tools are available to support investigators working in the center. In this way, the CPF becomes a natural extension of investigators’ laboratories and enables modern protein analysis techniques to be readily incorporated into ongoing research and future proposals.