This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. A major long-term objective of the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus is to expand and improve the environment for molecular neuroscience. To help meet that goal, this project will establish a Neurogenetics Core Facility at the Institute of Neurobiology (Specific Aim 1). This facility will be used to enhance the research capabilities of the present faculty and will serve as a resource for the further development of the Institute. A key feature of this aim will be to recruit a neurogeneticist to head the facility. Funds will be used to remodel lab space, obtain major instrumentation, support collaborations in the areas of neurogenetics or neurogenomics, and for the recruitment process. They will also be used to develop collaborative research teams between the Institute of Neurobiology and outside researchers. The operation of the Molecular Neurobiology Core Facility, established under the last RCMI initiative, will also be continued (Specific Aim 2). This facility is adjacent to the space that is being proposed to house the Neurogenetics Core. It has been used extensively by the participants in this proposal and is considered a vital asset for their research. All molecular biology at the Institute centers on this facility, and it is anticipated that it will also be an essential resource for investigation in neurogenetics. In addition, improvements will be made in communications between the Institute and research groups outside of Puerto Rico (Specific Aim 3). This will be accomplished by improving the internet connections, video conferencing capabilities and by implementing a mechanism to support collaborations with outside scientists. Taken together, these changes will add powerful new research and training capabilities to the Institute of Neurobiology, as well as enhance existing capabilities. They will also help create better links between current research and public health. These changes are required to meet the challenges of an evolving environment for Neuroscience research.
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