COBRE for the Center for Molecular Medicine: Genetic Technologies Core

This COBRE Phase III proposal is aimed at sustaining and transitioning to independence the research infrastructure developed during the Phases I and II of COBRE funding. Our COBRE on the Molecular Basis of Human Disease and the Center for Molecular Medicine has had a number of successes. During the previous funding period 30 junior faculty from 12 different departments and centers were mentored. The mentored junior faculty received 30 NIH RO1 grants, 5 other NIH grants, and 30 peer-reviewed extramural grants. The members of the Center published more than 370 research papers. The Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, in which the COBRE is housed, rose from 28th to its current position of 14th in NIH rankings in terms of Public Medical School Biochemistry Departments, and 28th overall during the tenure of the COBRE. Research funding more than doubled over this period excluding monies from the COBRE grant. These and other successes can in large part be attributed to the availability of the scientific cores associated with the COBRE. For this application, we propose to transition three scientific cores to independence of NIH/NIGMS support and to enhance and upgrade core technologies. It is worth noting that two of our original cores have or soon will transition to independence; the Proteomics core developed by this COBRE is now a University run fee-for-service core, and the COBRE supported Microscopy core is soon to become a department supported core. During the proposed five-year transition period we will increase the competitiveness of our cores so as to attract greater usage and cost recovery. Through the use of vouchers we will promote core usage. Through pilot grants we will develop new research collaborations and competitive grant submissions and broaden our outreach. The Administrative Core will serve as the focal point of the grant and in conjunction with the Program Coordinator and the Oversight Committee will serve as the operational arm of the Center. An External Advisory Committee, consisting of world-renown scientists will provide ongoing assessment and evaluation of the Center. Continuing Institutional commitments will ensure programmatic growth, and long-term sustainability. The Genetic Technologies Core provides a centralized resource for the production of recombinant viral constructs for COBRE members as well as other researchers outside the UK campus. In addition the core fills a previously unmet need for assistance with basic recombinant DNA technologies, especially for the growing number of investigators focused on clinical and translational explorations whose prior training or laboratory set-up made the use of such technologies problematical. To meet this need, the Genetic Technologies expanded its services to include a range of DNA manipulatory and analytical techniques. Technologies for manipulating the genomes of complex model species have advanced to the point where it is possible to create sophisticated cellular and animal models of many human diseases.