The goal of the Bio-Analytical Redox Biology (BARB) core is to provide state-of-the-art services in mitochondrial and cellular metabolism and oxidative stress assessment. Since its intiation in 2008, the BARB Core has provided services at a rate that has increased on average by 215% per year. New services will include the ex vivo measurement of cellular/tissue bioenergetics, mitochondrial metabolomics (citric acid cycle intermediates), and introduction of new measures of oxidative stress that will utilize 2-hydroxyethidium and related molecules employing mass spectrometry. These services will expand upon the current services and provide novel measures for research in diabetes and cardiometabolic disease.
The specific aims are: 1) Provide services to DRC Members and pilot & feasibility grant awardees in: (A) Mitochondrial metabolism: isolation, bioenergetics, membrane potential, ATP generation, oxidant production (amplex red), mt DNA damage; (B) Oxidative stress assessment (oxidized lipids, 3NT, aconitase inactivation, lipid peroxidation, LPO products, isoprostanes, GSH/GSSG, dihydroethidine and related compounds inactivation, S0D2 activity and GSH/GSSG); and (C) Cellular metabolism analyses - cell and tissue (permeabilized tissue - in situ/ex vivo) bioenergetics, citric acid cycle intermediate metabolomics and enzyme peptidomics. 2) To reduce cost and investigator time commitment by accessing the centralized resources of the core. 3) To provide investigators opportunities to learn and develop new research methodologies through recurring workshops and consultations that utilize BARB core services. 4) Development of new methodologies that extend research capabilities in redox and free radical biology.
These aims are based on the expressed needs of funded DRC investigators. The BARB core is unique within UAB and at NIDDK diabetes centers. The Core plans to continue the development of technologies to keep our investigators appraised of current developments in bioenergetics, metabolism, and oxidant stress quantification, via a continued outreach program consisting of tutorials and seminars.
The BARB Core is at the forefront of methods assessing mitochondrial metabolism, energetics, and oxidative stress, which are processes central to the pathogenesis of diabetes and cardiometabolic disease. The constellation of core services reflects an area of excellence in the DRC investigator base, and is unique among NIDDK diabetes centers and nation-wide. The Core will continue its outstanding and increasing record of service and facilitate advances pertaining to metabolic and vascular patholoav in diabetes.
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