Our Mission

MassCore is a nationwide network uniting Austria’s mass spectrometry core facilities across Graz, Linz, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Tulln and Vienna. Our mission is to foster collaboration, coordination, and innovation in mass spectrometry-based research, spanning proteomics, metabolomics, lipidomics and small molecule and chemical analysis. By connecting core facility heads and deputies, we aim to streamline knowledge exchange, promote shared infrastructure, and drive the development of next-generation technologies. Through our central platform, we offer researchers and potential users a unified entry point to expert contacts, service offerings, and resources, enhancing the visibility, accessibility, and impact of MS-based research throughout Austria.

Core facilities (in alphabetic order)

Below is an overview of MassCore facilities, listed alphabetically and by city. Each entry includes key technologies (e.g., metabolomics, proteomics, lipidomics), core expertise, service models, and contact details, along with links to the facility website and affiliated institution.

Graz

Core Facility Mass Spectrometry, Medical University Graz, Harald C. Köfeler

  • Diverse portfolio: Lipidomics, proteomics, metabolomics, multi-omics
  • Fee-for-service model
  • Lipidomics: target lists covering more than 5000 possible molecular lipid species in depth and about 1000 more exotic lipid species from mammalians, C. elegans, Drosophila, E. coli, yeast, archaea and plants by either reversed phase HPLC or HILIC
  • Proteomics: covering protein ID, label free quantitation, determination of intact protein molecular weight, phosphorylation sites (PTM) in DDA and DIA workflows
  • Metabolomics: covering around 400 metabolites including various derivatization and chromatographic protocols
  • Multi-Omics pathway integration: metabolomics, proteomics and lipidomics data acquired from one sample by a multi extraction protocol and subsequent data acquisition on all three omics platforms

Innsbruck

Innsbruck Medical University, Biocenter Division of Clinical Biochemistry, Bettina Sarg

  • Broad portfolio: Proteomics, Edman degradation, Atomic absorption spectrometry, Capillary electrophoresis
  • Fee-for-service model
  • Providing full service, including sample preparation, data analysis, pre- and post-experiment consulting, bioinformatics tools and report generation
  • Expertise: global proteomics with label-free quantification or TMT based quantification, PTM analysis, crosslinking MS, CE-MS, AAS quantitative determination of a wide range of elements

Linz

Johannes Kepler University Linz, BioMedical Mass Spectrometry (BMMS), Oliver Drews

  • Metabolomics, Proteomics
  • Mix service model: Primarily collaboration-based but also fee-for service
  • Proteomics complete workflow: starting with joint experimental design, QC, sample prep, primary analyses and up to validation
  • Customized targeted analytics: characterization of small molecules, biologics, peptides, proteins and protein complexes

Salzburg

Paris Lodron Universität Salzburg, Bioanalytical Research Labs, Christian Huber

  • Metabolomics, proteomics, phosphoproteomics
  • Mix service model: Primarily collaboration-based but also fee-for service.
  • Establishment of one- and two-dimensional chromatographic separation systems.
  • Protein glycosylation
  • Proteomics workflows
  • Customized target analysis

Tulln

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU University), Tulln, Core Facility Bioactive Molecules: Screening and Analysis (BMoSA), Maria Doppler

  • Diverse portfolio: MS-based and non-MS based
  • Mix service model: trained user mode (i.e., direct usage of instrumentation after receiving a training) or full service mode (i.e., experiment performance and experimental report generation by skilled staff)
  • Metabolomics: targeted as well as untargeted studies; broad expertise in stable isotope assisted techniques, mainly in the frame of untargeted metabolomics studies (global and tracer labeling)
  • Phytolabelboxes: special growing boxes for cultivation of plants under controlled conditions (e.g. 13C and/or 15N labeling of plants).
  • Customized targeted analytics: characterization of small molecules, polymers, volatiles, etc. non-MS based: microscopy, pipetting robots for diverse microbial assays and bioactivity testing, huge fungal/bacterial strain collection, cellular analysis, HPTLC, equipment for compound purification and IR-spectroscopy

Vienna

University of Vienna (UniVie), Faculty of  Life Science, Core Facility Research Support Facilities / Mass Spectrometry, Leila Afjehi-Sadat

  • Wide range of Proteomics and Protein mass spectrometry applications: Identification, quantification (label-free, labeling), and targeted analyses (e.g., PRM), phosphorylation
  • Mixed service model: fee-for-service measurements and collaborations. The instruments are operated exclusively by the Research Support Facility – Mass Spectrometry Team

BOKU University, Core facility Mass Spectrometry, Clemens Grünwald-Gruber and Gerrit Hermann

  • Broad portfolio: (glyco-)proteomics, glycomics, metabolomics as well as elemental and isotopic analysis.
  • Mix service model: trained user mode (i.e., direct usage of instrumentation after receiving a training) or “full service mode” (i.e., experiment performance and experimental report generation by skilled staff). Collaborations are also possible especially in glycoproteomics and for complex inquiries in the field of proteomics and metabolomics
  • Metabolomics: Identification and quantification of a broad range of small organic molecules (from Amino acids to whole cell extracts) – targeted or non targeted workflows. Absolute or relative quantification is offered
  • Elemental Analysis: Including absolute or relative quantification of a wide range of elements as well as LC-ICP-MS analysis facilitating absolute protein quantification and protein/elemental ratio analysis
  • Proteomics: core competencies include glycopeptide analysis, glycoproteomics, as well as classical shotgun proteomics, but we do offer services in all areas of protein/peptide analytics (intact protein measurements, identification of point mutations, detailed analysis of PTMs from purified proteins, HCP determination, etc.)

Max Perutz Labs, Markus Hartl

  • Proteomics
  • Fee-for-service model
  • Providing full service, including sample preparation, data analysis, report generation, and pre- and post-experiment consulting
  • Expertise: identification and quantification of peptides and proteins incl. PTMs (especially phosphorylation and lysine acetylation), interaction proteomics (e.g. BioID, APMS, etc.), targeted quantification (PRM), cross-linking MS, intact protein MS
  • Service available for internal and external users

Vienna Biocenter Core Facilities (VBCF), Thomas Koecher

  • Metabolomics
  • Fee-for-service & open-access model of operation
  • Full-service model
  • Targeted & untargeted Metabolomics, stable isotope tracing, derivatizations and method development.

Research Center for Molecular Medicine (CeMM), Molecule Discovery Platform, Stefan Kubicek and Miriam Abele

  • Proteomics, metabolomics, and chemical screening platform
  • Academic collaborative and commercial fee-for-service models
  • Metabolomics: Targeted metabolomics (Lipids, bile acids, amino acids, 200 metabolite panel incl. central carbon metabolites and related pathways) and isotope tracing
  • Proteomics: Expression proteomics (label-free, TMT, targeted assay, or fractionations), phospho-proteomics. Special focus on chemical proteomics, e.g. compound-protein interactions and compound mode of action elucidation. Analysis in DDA, DIA, and PRM mode depending on the project’s needs.
  • Synergy with the screening platform: Compound hits from the chemical screening platform can be further characterized with established proteomics and metabolomics workflows

Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA), Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology (GMI), Elisabeth Roitinger

  • Proteomics
  • Operation of VBCF Instrument Park for proteomics applications
  • Fee-for-service model. Same service price for all instruments
  • Expertise: characterization of purified proteins, global proteomics with label-free quantification or TMT based quantification, PTMs on purified proteins, on protein complexes or on global scale, targeted analysis of proteins in complex mixtures by PRM, crosslinking MS, intact MS, bioinformatics tools and report generation.
  • Service is only offered to the research groups of IMP, IMBA, GMI.

Medical University of Vienna (MedUni Vienna), Research Metabolomics Core Facility, Bory Petrova

  • Metabolomics
  • Mixed service model: Fee-for-service measurements, collaborations
  • Workflows include: targeted, untargeted, stable isotope tracing (targeted and untargeted) and targeted method development. Broad spectrum support from data to publication.

University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Vetmeduni), VetCore Facility for Research – Mass Spectrometry, Ebrahim Razzazi and Karin Hummel

  • Proteomics and small molecule analyses, upcoming expansion into metabolomics in 2025
  • Fee-for-service model according to service mode and instrument
  • Service modes available:
    1. Full-service mode (Comprehensive support provided by VetCore staff, including sample preparation, MS analyses, data evaluation and reporting).
    2. Self-service mode (Users handle specific parts of the workflow themselves with access to the facility resources).
    3. Rental-service mode (Trained users book and operate MS systems independently).
  • Focus areas:
    1. Proteomics: Qualitative and quantitative proteomics analyses including label free quantification, expertise in a wide range of species in the veterinary context and diverse sample matrices (e.g. cell culture, tissue, plasma, saliva, plant material).
    2. Small Molecules: Targeted analysis and quantification of small molecules including pharmaceuticals, toxins, and secondary plant compounds)

MedUni Vienna/UniVie, Joint Metabolomics Facility, Birgit Reiter

  • Clinical Metabolomics (KILM). Focus on targeted methods for biomarkers, metabolites and drugs, method validation according to international guidelines (exo and endogenous compounds), GLP certification (pharma) obtained in 2017 but not updated recently.
  • Fee-for-service model. Joint facility with Prof. Christopher Gerner (UniVie): Goal to combine omics platform and clinics, RBDR IVDR regulation, collaborations with clinical groups

Mass Spectrometry Centre (MSC) at Faculty of Chemistry, UniVie, Martin Zehl

  • Broad portfolio: synthetic organic and metal-organic compounds, biomolecules, proteins
  • Mix service model: fee-for-service measurements, collaborations, and shared instruments run solely by research groups
  • Chemical analysis: characterization of various compounds by GC/MS, LC/MS, ESI-MS, and MALDI- or LDI-MS (all techniques offered in high-resolution); LC/MS of intact proteins; ad-hoc method development for compound quantification by LC/MS (QqTOF or Orbitrap instruments)
  • Omics workflows: untargeted analysis of secondary metabolites from microorganism and plants (data analysis workflows offered); classical shotgun proteomics (no data analysis workflow offered)

MassCore Coordinators

The MassCore network is currently coordinated by two co-chairs, Bory Petrova and Markus Hartl. Coordination will rotate on an annual basis. This structure ensures shared responsibility, encourages collaboration, and promotes balanced representation across participating institutions.