(Taken directly from the application) The Basic Mechanisms Core is designed to provide services and support for basic science studies involved in the understanding of the development, maintenance, and progression of obesity. The Core provides necessary support to Minnesota Obesity Center investigators to pursue the goals of the University of Minnesota Obesity Center, as greater mechanistic understanding can lead to more effective means of preventing obesity and its complications. To this end, the Core provides services, instruction, technical support, and financial support to members of the Minnesota Obesity Center. During the first four years of Center operation, the principal aim of this core has been provision of DNA sequencing services. At the time of the previous competitive submission in 1994, DNA sequencing was a relatively new and extremely important service that would clearly be useful in a core facility. Experience has proven the utility of that approach, and the facility has been and continues to be a benefit to Center investigators. During the next support period, the Basic Mechanisms Core will continue to provide DNA sequencing service to members of the Center. The re-application process has been an opportunity to create a new vision for what the Basic Mechanism Core can provide. This new vision is responsive to progress in basic and molecular science as well as to new developments in the local environment at the University of Minnesota. The Core proposes to add additional support to take advantage of these opportunities. The services include: 1) the University of Minnesota Mass Spectrometry Consortium for the sequencing of peptides and the analysis of modified amino acids; 2) the University of Minnesota Medical School Quantitative PCR Analysis Service, utilizing a newly acquired ABI model 7700; 3) the University of Minnesota Medical School newly acquired DNA chip manufacture and analysis systems. The Basic Mechanisms Core of the Minnesota Obesity Center will provide support to Center investigators who wish to take advantage of these services. Lastly, the Basic Mechanisms Core will continue to provide technical support to members of the Center who wish to establish new techniques within their laboratory. The Director and Co-Director will provide this expertise, or will direct the members to other laboratories within the University who can provide the necessary expertise. This service allows us to continue to provide training and educational activities related to basic mechanisms of disease to members of the Minnesota Obesity Center, as well as to the scientific community at large. Such services should allow us to continue to bring in new members of the research community into the Center to expand the research base of those who study problems of obesity.
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