FW: AAA

Everson, Anita [PRI] (AEverson@prius.jnj.com)
Wed, 4 Nov 1998 12:36:31 -0500

One issue which hasn't been mentioned yet that figures most importantly in
our decision to mothball our 6300 is downsizing. As most of you are
probably painfully aware, it's the core lab that is first to get its budget
cut. 10 years ago we had 10 people fulltime with 2-3 student workers in the
summer; 5 years ago we had 5 people fulltime with 1 student worker in the
summer; now we have 4 fulltime people and no student workers. Over those
ten years our output has been required to triple, with much faster
turnaround times. We have been forced to mothball protein sequencing and
are now considering mothballing the 6300 primarily because of the lack of
hands, and secondarily because of the decreasing demand for these services.
We gave them up reluctantly, because we believe that these methods are
valuable and often are the only techniques for resolving certain issues
(such as protein/peptide quantitation and sequence problems). But we have
been forced to give them up because the "bottom line" (part of this "market
driven philosophy" which I also loathe) is that they do not give a good
enough return for the time invested. More and more we are having to turn to
outside contract labs to perform those tasks we used to routinely do
in-house.

Anita Everson
Peptide Lab
RW Johnson PRI, La Jolla CA
aeverson@prius.jnj.com

> ----------
> From:
> lsiconolfi-baez@netmail.hscbklyn.edu[SMTP:lsiconolfi-baez@netmail.hscbklyn
> .edu]
> Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 1998 8:04 AM
> To: Recipients of ABRF List
> Subject: Re: AAA
>
>
> Bryan,
>
> Our 420 isn't "quite" mothballed. During the last three summers, when
>
> students (often high school or pre med) have asked to come into the
> lab, I've had them work on AAA.
>
> Within our institution, I've only had two single sample requests for
> AAA from researchers in those three years. I've denied them both
> because the machine was not "up and running". The time it would have
> taken to bring the system to a level at which I could produce the
> quality analysis they were used to getting from us in the past was
> prohibitive. As a result, we have decided to no longer provide AAA as
>
> a core lab service.
>
> This is actually grievous to me, mostly perhaps because it follows a
> type of "market" driven philosophy which I so loathe. The request for
>
> protein quantitation may be small, but if the trend causes too many
> of
> us to shut down our operations, protein quantitation will fall into
> the realm of relativity.
>
> Looking forward to hearing how others feel about the need AAA,
>
> Linda
>
> Big Apple Minute:
> The sun is shining on this crisp election day. I will take it as
> encouragement that although the ballot of candidates again looks like
>
> making a choice between the lesser of evils, if I don't exercise my
> right to vote I'd be adding further lack of diligence to system
> falling apart from lack of use.
>
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Linda Siconolfi-Baez
> Core Protein Sequencing Center
> SUNY Health Science Cntr.
> 450 Clarkson Ave.
> Box 8
> Brooklyn, N.Y. 11203
> 718-270-1267 (phone)
> 718-270-3316 (fax)
> lsiconolfi-baez@netmail.hscbklyn.edu
> http://www.hscbklyn.edu/SUNY/Biochem/Bioparts/ProtSeq.html
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
>
>
>
>
> ______________________________ Reply Separator
> _________________________________
> Subject: AAA
> Author: <bch143@abdn.ac.uk > at Internet
> Date: 11/2/98 4:55 PM
>
>
> Hello folks,
> we are in the process of applying for funds to allow us to
> upgrade at
> least one of our two 477's with a Procise. We also have a 420A AAA (no
> longer
> available) and we are wondering about the direction to go as regards this
>
> instrument. How many of you guys still feel a need for keeping your AAA's
> going?
> I heard a rumour that there quite a few 420A's and other insruments
> mothballed
> out there.
> Grateful for any input.
> Regards,
> Bryan.
> --
> Bryan Dunbar
> Protein Facility
> Dept. of Molecular & Cell Biology
> University of Aberdeen
> Polwarth Building
> Foresterhill
> Aberdeen
> AB25 2ZD
> Tel:- +44 (0)1224 273103
> Fax:- +44 (0)1224 273104
> e-mail:- b.dunbar@abdn.ac.uk
>
>
>
>