Analytical Technologies Facility

National Research Council Canada, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
What the facility does

Supports plant-based R&D using specialised analytical platforms for qualitative and quantitative analysis of biochemicals in plant tissues and fermentation media.

Areas of expertise

The Analytical Technologies Facility provides infrastructure and research expertise at all levels of analytical steps, from experimental design and sample preparation to data collection, processing and data interpretation, delivering scientific information to identify, quantify, screen and profile small molecules and macromolecules in a variety of plant and fungal matrices as well as fermentation media. The facility offers a unique platform for comprehensive quantitative analysis of phytohormones. It provides advanced analytical techniques for determining seed oil quantity and acyl composition, as well as the biochemical and molecular characterization of genetic and environmental traits influencing oil quality and composition. Qualitative and quantitative proteomics capabilities to support pre-breeding and food processing development work are available. The facility also offers routine testing for antinutritional compounds in food and feed ingredients. Our clients often use our expertise in conjunction with other National Research Council research platforms such as plant growth, DNA services, cell technology and bioinformatics.

Research services
  • Phytohormone analysis
  • Biochemical characterization and antinutritional content
  • Targeted developmental pathways to improve crop performance/yield, grain/seed meal quality
  • Profiling plant seed storage proteins
  • Abiotic stress resilience
  • Profiling metabolites in plant-pathogen interactions during infection of crops
  • Creating value from plant-based oleo-chemical feedstocks using microbial platforms
  • Profiling seed fatty acid composition and oil content
  • Genetic improvement of bioactive phytoestrogens in pulses through quantitative selection
Sectors of application
  • Agriculture, animal science and food
  • Forestry and forest-based industries
  • Life sciences, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment
Specialized LabEquipmentFunction
 General analytical equipmentRelated to weighing, extraction, purification and concentration of phytochemicals, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, etc.
Plant hormone profiling suiteWaters Micromass Quattro Premierâ„¢ XE MS/MS with Waters ACQUITY UPLC equipped with a sample managerTriple linear quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer LC/MS/MS with ultra-performance liquid chromatograph (UPLC) system
Plant hormone profiling suiteDionex ICS-6000 systemHigh performance ion chromatograph
Plant hormone profiling suiteAgilent 1100 Series HPLC with fraction collectorHigh-performance liquid chromatograph
Plant hormone profiling suiteAgilent 1200 Series HPLC with fraction collectorHigh-performance liquid chromatograph
Mass spectrometry suiteAB SCIEX 4800 MALDI TOF/TOF MS, Proteomics Discovery systemMatrix assisted laser desorption ionization and tandem time of flight mass spectrometry
Mass spectrometry suiteBioRad Micromass ProteomeWorks Spot Cutter (for 2D Large Format)Location, excision and loading of protein spots into MTP after 2D electrophoresis gels
Mass spectrometry suiteWaters Micromass Preparative LC/MS system with MassPREP Automated Protein Digest moduleAutomated protein reduction, alkylation and in-gel digestion in microtiter plates
Mass spectrometry suiteApplied Biosystems VISION WorkstationRobotic sample handling system for separation of biological molecules
Mass spectrometry suiteThermo Fisher Q Exactive MS with Vanquish Flex UHPLCHigh-resolution benchtop quadrupole Orbitrap LC-MS
Mass spectrometry suiteWaters ZQ LC/MS SSingle quadrupole analytical LCMS System
Common labsSCIEX P/ACE MDQ Plus Capillary Electrophoresis system with UV detectorAutomated fast separations from complex samples
Common labsAgilent 1200 series HPLCHigh-performance liquid chromatograph
Common labsAgilent 1100 preparative scale HPLC with fraction collectorHigh-performance liquid chromatograph
Common labsAgilent 6890 GC SystemGas chromatograph with FID detector
Common labsAgilent 7890 GC SystemGas chromatograph with FID detector
Common labsAgilent 6890 equipped with a PAL3 autosampler for headspace analysisGas chromatograph coupled with mass spectrometer
Common labsAgilent 7890 GC-MC SystemGas chromatograph coupled with mass spectrometer
Common labsOxford Benchtop NMR MARAN ULTRA 23Benchtop nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) instrument