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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

Plastic and Non-Plastic Particles in the Sand of Tetiaroa Atoll

Author(s)
Katherine Lasdin, Nuria Viladrich Canudas, Katherine Shaw, Pierrick Harnay, Romina Centurion, Jacqueline Padilla-Gamino
Quantifying plastic debris in remote and pristine natural environments is critical for assessing the extent of global pollution and its potential effects on

Certification of Standard Reference Material® 1947a: Great Lakes Fish Tissue

Author(s)
Carolyn Burdette, Kelsey Blevins, Ashley Russell, Colleen Bryan Sallee, Amy Cuthbertson, Debra Ellisor, Nathanael Heckert, Jennifer Hoguet, Kevin Huncik, Amanda Moors, Jennifer Ness, Jessica Reiner
Standard Reference Material (SRM) 1947a Great Lakes Fish Tissue is intended to be used in the evaluation of analytical methods for the determination of

Securing the Future of NMR Metabolomics Reproducibility: A Call for Standardized Reporting

Author(s)
Tracey Johnston, Fabio Casu, Amanda Bayless, Erik Andersson, Robert Brua, Munki Choo, Arthur S. Edison, Hamid R. Eghbalnia, Candace Fleischer, Goncalo J Gouveia, Jeffrey C. Hoch, Gagandeep Kaur, Da-Wei Li, Wimal Pathmasiri, Istvan Pelczer, Fay Probert, Daniel Raftery, David Rovnyak, Michael Secreto, Panteleimon Takis, Mario Uchimiya, David S Wishart, Ali Yilmaz, Lloyd Sumner, Robert Powers, Valerie Copie, Teklab Gebregiworgis
Metabolomics has been a rapidly growing multidisciplinary field with ever increasing demand and usability, attracting a surge of new researchers. While their

Awards

Press Coverage

Contacts

Group Office Manager

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