The Molecular Biology Core Laboratory was established in 1995 at the Ponce School of Medicine (PSM). With the continuous support of NCRR-RCMI, this Core activity has experienced tremendous growth in capacity, number of users and has tangibly impacted upon the productivity of the research faculty in human health and health disparities at PSM, with over a 500% increase in presentations and publications citing our services in the past RCMI cycle. The MBCL will enter a new phase in this competing renewal that will continue to place major emphases on our fundamental mission to provide Access, Training, and Project Development assistance by promoting the implementation of molecular biology research in the work of both our current faculty and future recruits. As part of this next phase, our mission will expand to include greater emphasis on Service and will add new cutting edge technologies to modulate gene expression both in vitro and in vivo to complement our existing capacity to perform gene expression analyses and genetics studies. We will pursue these goals via four aims, briefly:
Aim 1 - To expand access to equipment and facilities;
Aim 2 - To provide technical/scientific support;
Aim 3 - To provide training for faculty and staff;and, Aim 4 - To actively promote the development of new projects and use of new technologies. All activities of the MBCL will be evaluated using methods to assess suitability and success in addressing the goals of this Core. In addition, a system of charge backs has been designed and begun to be implemented in order to provide for the continued institutionalization of this essential RCMI-sponsored activity. Public Statement Molecular biology is a field with tremendous capacity to advance our scientific understanding of disease and human health. Our Core facility provides a centralized source of expertise and access to sophisticated instrumentation in order to increase the productivity of the scientists at PSM so that they may more quickly make discoveries that can be translated to clinical implementation and thus have a measureable impact on improving health in the US and worldwide.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
Type
Research Centers in Minority Institutions Award (G12)
Project #
5G12MD007579-28
Application #
8573385
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRR1-RI-1)
Project Start
Project End
2014-12-31
Budget Start
2013-01-01
Budget End
2013-12-31
Support Year
28
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
$269,308
Indirect Cost
$96,769
Name
Ponce School of Medicine
Department
Type
DUNS #
105742043
City
Ponce
State
PR
Country
United States
Zip Code
00732
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