Delivers targeted, quantitative and comprehensive metabolomic services.
The Metabolomic Innovation Centre (TMIC) is a leading North American facility for advanced metabolomics and lipidomics research, supporting clinical, biomedical, environmental, and agricultural studies. TMIC provides expertise in targeted and untargeted metabolomic profiling, absolute and semi-relative quantification, and high throughput workflows for large-scale studies.
TMIC has access to state-of-the-art metabolomics infrastructure capable of fully quantifying up to 2000 chemical species, including calculated sums and ratios—approximately five times more comprehensive than most currently available services. Using complementary technologies, TMIC can also identify more than 8000 potential biomarkers within a single sample. Capabilities include quantitative metabolomics and lipidomics using isotopic standards, mass spectrometry imaging, and comprehensive metabolomic and lipidomic profiling enabled by advanced chemical isotope labeling strategies. Across a wide range of analytical platforms, TMIC routinely detects, identifies and measures diverse metabolite classes and pathways in biofluids, plant materials, environmental samples, and other sample matrices.
TMIC also hosts globally recognized, freely accessible bioinformatics resources, including the Human Metabolome Database and MetaboAnalyst, and provides expert support for data analysis and interpretation. The ongoing development of ISO-certified clinical metabolomics facilities further enhances TMIC’s capacity for regulated, clinical and translational research.
The facility provides metabolomics and lipidomics services to academic, government and industry users across a wide range of sectors, including human health, agriculture and agrifood, environment and natural resources, and forestry. Metabolomic profiling is available for a broad variety of sample types, including serum and plasma, urine, tissue, fecal samples, plant material, food, animal samples, cells and cell extracts, as well as many other complex biological matrices.
Quantitative Metabolomics and Lipidomics: Services are offered using a diverse suite of mass spectrometry and NMR platforms. These services support the quantitative analysis of up to several hundred metabolites, lipids, and minerals, with stable isotope-labelled standards included to enable absolute quantification. Researchers can quantify changes in key metabolic pathways such as the TCA cycle, central carbon metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism.
Untargeted Metabolomics and Lipidomics: Analyses are performed using high-resolution mass spectrometry and NMR. The facility employs a wide range of sample separation and introduction techniques, along with advanced chemical isotope labeling strategies. Depending on sample type, analyses routinely detect up to 10,000 features and enable identification of approximately 7000-10,000 metabolites. Comprehensive statistical analyses are included as part of the service offering.
Global Metabolomics: This service combines broad metabolite detection with accurate relative quantification in a single, streamlined workflow. Using Chemical Isotope Labeling (CIL), global metabolomics delivers extensive metabolome coverage while allowing precise quantification comparisons across samples. It is well suited for studies requiring both discovery-driven analysis and comparative metabolite profiling.
Data Analysis and Bioinformatics: A range of freely accessible resources including metabolomics databases and data analysis software, are available through the TMIC website.
ISO-Certified Facilities: Select metabolomics services are delivered through ISO-certified laboratories, including an ISO 15189 accredited facility at the University of Alberta and ISO 15189-certified medical laboratories at the Lady Davis Institute-Jewish General Hospital, McGill University.
- Agriculture, animal science and food
- Defence and security industries
- Environmental technologies and related services
- Fisheries and aquaculture
- Life sciences, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment
Specialized labs and equipment
- High resolution mass spectrometry for metabolomics: Untargeted metabolomics profiling and metabolite identification using quadrupole time of flight (QTOF), time of flight (TOF), and hybrid quadrupole Orbitrap mass spectrometers.
- Targeted and quantitative metabolomics: Targeted, quantitative analysis using tandem quadrupole, ion trap, and QTRAP mass spectrometers for precise metabolite quantification.
- Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC MS) platforms: Ultra high pressure and high performance liquid chromatography systems coupled to mass spectrometers for separation and analysis of complex biofluids and biological samples.
- Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC MS): Analysis of volatile and semi volatile compounds using single and two dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) coupled with flame ionization detection and time of flight mass spectrometry.
- Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy: High field NMR spectroscopy (600–700 MHz) for identification and quantification of water soluble metabolites.
- Capillary electrophoresis based separations: High efficiency separation of small molecules using capillary electrophoresis coupled to ultraviolet detection or time of flight mass spectrometry for targeted and untargeted metabolomics.
- Elemental and metal analysis: Determination of metals and mineral content using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS).
- MALDI mass spectrometry: Matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry for rapid, high resolution metabolomics analysis.
- Automated sample preparation and high throughput workflows: Robotic liquid handling and automated sample preparation systems supporting high throughput metabolomics studies.
Private and public sector research partners
- University of Alberta
- University of Victoria
- University of British Columbia
- McMaster University
- McGill University / Lady Davis Institute at the Jewish General Hospital
- Concordia University