CORE CENTER

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Boys Town National Research Hospital
(BTNRH) Core Center has been designed to meet current and anticipated needs in
three areas: 1) laboratory computing, 2) use of transgenic and knockout mouse
models, and 3) recruitment of human subjects.
The first of the proposed research cores, Laboratory Computing, under the
direction of Stephen Neely, will provide central support for the unique needs
associated with real-time data collection as well as research database support.
By making it feasible to share engineering and programming staff across R01s and
by providing the additional support required to develop more general data
collection and analysis tools, this core will facilitate sharing of software
across laboratories both within our facility and with the auditory research
community as a whole.
The second research core, Transgenic Mouse Models, under the direction of
Dominic Cosgrove, will provide support for the use of unique mouse strains in
research by providing integrated animal husbandry and genotyping services. The
addition of a technician to our Animal Care Facility will allow us to adopt a
uniformly high standard of care, implement routine health monitoring, and
operate a more effective breeding program. The addition of a technician
responsible for genotyping will provide the information required for breeding
and research in a timely manner. This core will foster collaboration by
facilitating the sharing of mouse strains within the research program.
The third research core, Human Subject Recruitment, under the direction of
Michael Gorga, will provide better access to specific types of research subjects
while maintaining confidentiality. Recruitment of subjects is a major bottleneck
in all of our research projects. With a coordinated effort, we not only can
achieve a great increase in efficiency within projects, but also can enable
collaboration across research projects that will extend the range of the
research program.
Our current user base includes 10 R01 grants and 5 P01 projects for which 16
senior staff members serve as principal investigators or co-investigators. The
list of key personnel includes 4 additional staff members who are likely to join
the user base during the five-year cycle of the Core Center.