The goal of this application is to establish core facilities to support basic science research at the Massachusetts General Hospital's Interdepartmental Neuroscience Center. The Center consists of faculty from four departments with shared interests in basic and applied neuroscience. The Center's focus is on the etiology, diagnosis and treatment of a variety of neurological disorders including neurological disorders of childhood onset, traumatic/ischemic brain and spinal cord injury, malignant and benign tumor growth, pathophysiology of pain and neurodegenerative diseases. The research base at the Center has grown enormously since the Center's inception in 1988. The growth is accompanied by an equally strong and rapid increase in demand for shared equipment and facilities. In response to this critical shortage, the Center's investigators have raised institutional and external funding to establish some core services. However, those services fall considerably short of the continually rising demand. In response to the NINDS Program Announcement, a detailed survey of the needs of NINDS-funded laboratories was conducted and an evaluation of existing shared equipment and facilities at the Center was undertaken. Based on those evaluations and taking into account the shared needs, technical expertise and strengths of the Center's faculty, the present application seeks to establish the following 4 core facilities: A) Monoclonal antibody production, B) Microscopy and image analysis, C) Vector development and production, and D) Nucleic acid quantitation. An administrative core to support the Center by ensuring adherence to NINDS guidelines, periodically evaluating core utilization and performance is also proposed. The cores will serve the needs of 15 NINDS-funded projects as well as other projects, as per the NINDS Program requirements. The cores will support ongoing research and stimulate development of novel technology by (i) offering service, equipment and expertise not available in individual laboratories and (ii) fostering synergistic interactions among the Center's investigators. The cores do not overlap with or duplicate in any way existing shared facilities. A detailed plan for efficient and equitable dispensation of services is proposed. Institutional support in the form of research space, funding for equipment purchase and personnel salary has been secured. The core facilities program will offer comprehensive and integrated resources to stimulate and strengthen research activity throughout the Neuroscience Center.
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