The goal of this application for a Skin Diseases Research Center is to establish an interdisciplinary center of excellence in investigative dermatology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). UAB is an institution with a distinguished record in promoting interactive, cooperative Centers that transcend departmental boundaries, allowing researchers to come together and focus interests on common goals. The primary emphasis of this Center will be on immunodermatology, but the effectiveness of the Center will be enhanced by inclusion of investigators in other skin-related disciplines that have unique expertise to contribute. The Center will be based in the Department of Dermatology, which has made great strides in recent years in developing programs of excellence in dermatological research. The research base of the UAB-SDRC is comprised of twenty-eight investigators from eleven different departments within the University. Each has expertise in skin disease research or has unique skills that they will contribute, through Core facility services, to enhance the quality of the skin-related research within the Center. The goals and objectives of the Center will be achieved through the establishment of three Core facilities: 1) Skin Cell Culture; 2) Tissue Resources, Molecular Analysis and Immunopathology; and 3) Skin Proteomics Core. These Cores are critical to the success of the program and will provide the members with the most current services, equipment, training and consultation in an efficient and cost-effective manner. The SDRC will also support a Pilot and Feasibility Studies program. For this application, four Pilot and Feasibility Studies were selected from nine that were submitted and accurately reflect the diversity of scientific interests within the University. An Enrichment Program will support the scientific studies and will maximize cooperative interaction at all levels. The Center will be administered by an Administrative Core, the Director and Co- Director of which, were carefully selected to coordinate an interdisciplinary approach to skin diseases research emphasizing immunodermatology. The Administrative Core will be responsible for coordinating Center activities and for enhancing communication among UAB-SDRC investigators. The ultimate goal of the SDRC will be to generate new knowledge that will have a sustained impact on cutaneous biology aimed at improving the quality of life of patients with skin diseases.
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