Bioengineering Service Core

University Of Washington, Seattle WA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

BIOENGINEERING SERVICE CORE PROJECT SUMMARY Advances at the cutting edge of biomedical research necessarily exploit an array of complex tools for measurement, control, and data analysis -- tools that not only need to be developed but may later require maintenance or enhancement. The Bioengineering Service Core [BSC] provides an avenue for researchers who are experts in biological sciences, but not necessarily in engineering or materials, to appropriately use modern technology in solving problems encountered while investigating biomedical questions. The functions of the Bioengineering Core include [1] selection, modification, design, or fabrication of equipment for new or expanded investigations, [2] priority repair of malfunctioning devices responsible for the failure of existing experiments; [3] development of devices to enhance or monitor the health of non-human primates, or technology that reduces their physical restraints, and [4] training of researchers and students in the best use of existing equipment, and dissemination of instrument design documents. As conceived in the legislation that created the Centers, BSC has no research or development program of its own. Funding BSC makes it possible to have a shared facility that reduces the overall cost of critical specialized technical instruments and services. These are provided to a wide community of investigators. BSC staff disseminate their expertise outside our Center to other investigators employing non-human primates through the education of visiting scientists and students and via a web site which is used to share instrument design. Many of BSC's personnel have been with the Center for 10 to 20 years, so it has developed a collective wealth of experience regarding which instrumentation will perform competently in experiments with the intelligent, inquisitive and dexterous non-human primate. These capabilities would be more expensive to achieve and maintain if they were funded by individual researchers. In the previous 5-years, Bioengineering supported 58 PIs using 164 budgets to perform 1319 contracted jobs. Analyzing same-period labor records shows that 51% of BSC effort was spent on jobs for Neuro Core Staff at the WaNPRC, 29% for affiliated researchers at the University of Washington, 13% for Colony and other Center support operations; and 8% for investigators from other institutions. A user survey conducted independently of BSC - by the WaNPRC Administration - showed that the vast majority of PIs using Bioengineering Services considered these services ?critical? to the success of their investigations. Due to the cost (both financial and delay) of developing wholly new materials or basic electronic devices, BSC uses existing technologies to solve the needs of the biologists. The complexity of modern technology still requires substantial expertise to achieve the required performance and reliability. New technologies are introduced as they become practical on small production scales. P51 funding currently covers about 50% of BSC costs, the balance covered by RO1 and similar investigator grants that are separately vetted.