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Material Measurement Laboratory /Chemical Sciences Division

Biochemical and Exposure Science Group

The Biochemical and Exposure Science Group provides measurement science, standards, reference data, and technology to support measurements of molecules in biotic and abiotic matrices at the nexus of chemistry and biology.

About

The Biochemical and Exposure Science Group (BESG) provides the measurement science, standards, technology, and data that advance environmental and human health research, the circular economy, the bioeconomy, and commerce. With expertise in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, and optical spectroscopy, the group measures trace organic compounds in analytical samples, profiles biomolecules such as proteins, lipids, hormones, and metabolites, and assesses chemical contaminants, clinical biomarkers, and industrial products. BESG develops and certifies Standard Reference Materials, disseminates reference data to improve quality assurance and harmonization of measurements, and transfers technology to government agencies, industry, academia, and scientific organizations. By working closely with international standards organizations and National Metrology Institutes, BESG establishes comparability of measurement capabilities to support innovation and commerce.

SELECT FOCUS AREAS

Graphic representing a round bottome flask filled with blue liquid, and a chemical structure, magnifying glass, and gears radiating off the flask.
Legacy and Emerging Organic Contaminants
Graphic for Omics Measurements; A blue circle containing compound molecules, a protein ribbon structure, and two analytical instruments.
Omics Measurements
Picture of jars containing reference materials 8256, 8257, 8258, and 8259: Wild caught and aquacultured shrimp and salmon
Technological Advances in Aquaculture

Core Capabilities

Photograph of high field NMR instrument
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Facility
Photograph of a laboratory instrument consisting of a large component on a mobile bench (the mass spectrometer), and a smaller component with stacked modules (the liquid chromatograph).
Mass Spectrometry Instrument Lab

News and Updates

Latest Publications

Redefining Reference Materials for the Evolving Metabolomics Landscape

Author(s)
Tracey Johnston, Fabio Casu, Ashley Russell, Hariharan Iyer, Kristine Gierz, William Davis, Amanda Bayless
The evolution of metabolomics, a field aimed at comprehensively measuring the chemical composition of a biological matrix, fundamentally reshaped the landscape...

The need for standardization and improved open (meta)data practices in metaproteomics

Author(s)
Tim Van Den Bossche, Kay Schallert, Jean Armengaud, Zhibin Ning, Daniel Figeys, Pratik Jagtap, Benoît Kunath, Lucia Grenga, Juan Antonio Vizcaino, Benjamin Neely, Leyuan Li, Drik Benndorf, Nico Jehmlich, Paul Wilmes, Robert Hettich, Jana Seifert, Sergio Uzzau, Mary Lipton, Manuel Kleiner, Magnus Arntzen, Lennart Martens, Robert Heyer
Metaproteomics enables functional insight into microbial communities by identifying and quantifying proteins in complex samples. Yet, heterogeneous analytical...

Awards

Katherine Peter

Katherine Peter Honored with Morgan Early Career Award

Dr. Peter is a National Research Council Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Research Chemist with the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the United States, having joined the institute in 2019 from her postdoctoral position at the Center...

Press Coverage

Contacts

Group Leader

Group Office Manager

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