The Diabetes-Endocrinology Research Center (DERC) was established at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center (UMMC) five years ago. Emphasis has been on studies related to the etiology, complications and treatment of diabetes, and on a wide range of endocrine investigators. The DERC is built on a research base of 35 funded investigators currently involved in diabetes/endocrinology research. It has substantially facilitated existing studies, new projects and collaborations. Three core laboratory facilities have been established. These include a Protein Chemistry Core Facility that provides significant benefits to DERC investigators in the sequencing of new hormones, hormone mediators, and receptors, including the insulin receptor. There is a Cell Science Core Facility which has been of great value in tissue culture, monoclonal antibody production, and cell sorting. The Morphology Core Facility has provided important capabilities including light microscopy, electron microscopy, morphometric analysis, radioautography, and immunocytochemistry. In this application it is proposed to establish a Radioimmunoassay Core Facility, and to add statistical and computational services to the Cell Science Core Facility. In addition to these Core Laboratory Facilities, the administrative structure includes a Director, Associate Director, seven member Executive Committee, and 12 member Advisory Committee. The latter includes six scientists from outside the UMMC faculty. The Administrative Core is responsible for directing the activities of the DERC including the enrichment and the pilot and feasibility study programs.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 707 publications
