The objective of establishing a centralized core laboratory facility is to make best use of the center's resources and to avoid redundance in equipment and personnel. In this core unit, we propose to establish three independent laboratories: two- dimensional electrophoresis laboratory, radioimmunoassay laboratory, and light and electron microscopy preparation laboratory. The major responsibility of this centralized core laboratory facility is to provide technical services and support to four proposed research project. Since all procedures in these laboratories require precision and repetitive manipulations, they can be best carried out by centralized, and experienced personnel. Two-dimensional electrophoresis will consist of not only the electrophoresis component but also the computerized image analysis facility. The ISO-DALT system of two-dimensional electrophoresis will be used in this laboratory. It is anticipated that approximately 800 gels will be processed by this laboratory each year. Radioimmunoassay for serum testosterone and estradiol, tissue dihydortestostrone, human serum and prostatic tissue levels of prostatic acid phosphatase and prostatic specific antigen, rat serum prolactin and dog serum leutinizing hormone has been proposed in various studies in the four research projects. All these procedures have been established in the Department of Urology. By establishing a centralized radioimmunoassay laboratory, laboratory radioimmunoassay procedures can be carried out in a very efficient manner. It also avoids the serious problems associated with scheduling efficient manner. It also avoids the serious problems associated with scheduling of instrument utilization time, if all research projects were to conduct their own radioimmunoassay analysis using the same radioactivity counting instruments. The light and electron microscopy preparation laboratory will be responsible for the processing of all specimens generated by the four research projects for light and electron microscopy. Evaluation of the sections produced by this laboratory will be the responsiblity of respective principal investigators of the four projects. Like the radioimmunoassay laboratory and the 2-D laboratory, the light and electron microscopy preparation will be centralized with in intention of efficient operation and high standard of production.
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