This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. In this program year we, along with the Laboratory of Molecular Computations and Bioinformatics, pursued introduction of our combined capabilities to the wider university community through presenting seminars in the Departments of Chemistry and Biology. These two departments we anticipate to offer substantial opportunities for building future collaborations that engage RCMI staff and resources. We used these opportunities to discuss some of our current ongoing research activities, currently available resources, and emerging new resources and the types of experimental studies that they can support. We participated very actively in this year's International RCMI Symposium on Health Disparities, held in December 2004 at Baltimore, MD. We made five presentations on projects supported by the Core at this meeting. Overall, we have made ten abstracted presentations of work supported by the core this year. We have also added at least two new collaborative projects to our portfolio of activities. The installation of an extensive equipment upgrade for the 400 MHz spectrometer was begun in March of 2005, a major culminating objective of the funding of this core component of the program. This upgrade includes a two-channel transmitter/receiver configuration for double resonance experiments, a digital 28-shim magnet homogeneity system, a biological and materials microimaging accessory with high-powered field gradients, and several probes for detection of a wide range of biologically relevant nuclei. Completion of installation is anticipated to occur in April of 2005. Specialized training of facility staff in operation of the instrumentation will commence in the spring and summer of 2005 through course-vouchers provided by instrument vendor, Bruker Biospin. With Dr. Wang's leadership, we succeeded in being awarded a training grant in molecular imaging sciences from the US Army. US Army Medical Command (Wang) 07/01/2005-06/30/2009 A Partnership Training Program In Breast Cancer Research Using Molecular Imaging Techniques This is a training partnership program, with Dr. Bhujwalla at Johns Hopkins University, to train faculty at Howard University in molecular imaging principles and practices. This program has two components: a collaborative research component and a training component. The research component includes two projects using MRI and optical imaging techniques to study the functions of macrophage in tumor bearing animals. The training component includes organizing workshops, symposiums and lab internships for the trainees.
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