The LSU-HSC leads a partnership of fourLouisiana institutions in a COBRE on neuroscience research. The ProgramDirector and established scientists are mentors to selected, highly promisingjunior faculty who propose four research projects that have been designed forthe common goal of mentoring to build new nationally competitive research.The scientific focus is on a central issue of neurobiology: to understandthe cellular and molecular basis of synaptic plasticity and neuronal survivalcritical to clarify the pathophysiology of neurological disorders such as:stroke, neural trauma and neurodegenerative diseases. This multidisciplinaryprogram involves cellular neurophysiology, molecular biology and behavioralneuroscience. To support the COBRE projects, core resources includefacilities for imaging , neurochemistry of lipid messengers and molecularneurobiology. A recruitment plan for years 2 to 5 further benefits thecollaborating institutions by actively attracting new research faculty whowill work under the guidance of established neuroscientists as mentors. Arelatively small administrative core funding is requested.
The specific aims to attain these objectives are: 1) to promote faculty development throughresearch projects; 2) to further develop a critical mass of competitiveextramurally funded investigators by the recruitment, start up, mentoring andretention of new faculty members; 3) to enhance the infrastructure criticalfor expanding neuroscience capability in Louisiana by developing three coreresearch modules at LSUHSC; 4) to provide scientific and grantsmanshipmentoring and strengthen the support network that promotes interactions; and5) to implement interim and outcome evaluations so as to keep this COBREprogram on track. This partnership rests on existing expertise and in our firmdecision to build a scientifically successful neuroscience alliance inLouisiana. The four target faculty and the four to-be-recruited faculty arethe critical building blocks to achieve these goals. The core resources arevital to the overall success of this consortium, not only in neuroscience butin all the biomedical sciences. The plans for mentoring junior faculty andthe recruitment plan will ensure a steady stream of new nationally competitiveneuroscientists in Louisiana.
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