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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

Blood proteomics: insights from public data

Author(s)
Asier Larrea, Chengxin Dai, Jochen Schwenk, Benjamin Neely, Cesar Martin, Yasset Perez-Riverol
The circulating blood proteome comprises soluble and cellular components that reflect physiological and pathological states across tissues. Advances in mass...

Certification of Standard Reference Material®s 3672a & 3673a: Organic Contaminants in Smokers' Urine (Frozen) & Organic Contaminants in Non-Smokers' Urine (Frozen)

Author(s)
Ashley Russell, Ben Blount, Julianne Botelho, Christina Brosius, Carolyn Burdette, Antonia Calafat, Johanna Camara, Jun Feng, Nathanael Heckert, Jennifer Hoguet, Kevin Huncik, Maria Morel Espinosa, Maria Ospina, Jared Ragland, Christopher Reese, Michael Rybak, Tiffany Seyler, Liza Valentin-Blasini, Lanqing Wang, Elena Wood, Baoyun Xia
Standard Reference Material (SRM) 3672a Organic Contaminants in Smokers' Urine (Frozen) and SRM 3673a Organic Contaminants in Non-Smokers' Urine (Frozen) are...

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...

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 Office Manager

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