Shared Resource Management

University Of Colorado Denver, Aurora CO

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT Shared Resource (SR) Management is under the direction of the Associate Director for Basic Research, Ford (THI), and is structured to ensure that the University of Colorado Cancer Center (UCCC) invests in cutting edge technologies and research services that advance the research efforts of UCCC members. In the last cycle, the CCSG supported 10 SRs. Twelve SRs are presented in this renewal representing new SRs, added services and technologies, and restructured SRs that are aligned with UCCC members' current research and are focused on developing and innovating services and processes, and adopting new technologies to help drive members' research forward. The roster of SRs includes Animal Imaging, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Cell Technologies, Drug Discovery and Development, Flow Cytometry, Functional Genomics, Genomics, Human Immune Monitoring, Mass Spectrometry, Pathology, Population Health, and Structural Biology. In addition, a Pre-clinical Human Immune System Mouse Models SR is under development to support UCCC member research in tumor immunology and novel immunology-based therapies. To ensure that UCCC SRs serve members optimally, input and evaluation is solicited from users, internal and external advisory groups, and institutional stakeholders to inform decisions made by the UCCC Executive Committee (EC) on investments in, and changes to, UCCC SRs including the allocation of CCSG and institutional support, capital investments, development of new SRs, and sunsetting outdated or underperforming SRs. Over the past funding period, capital and operational investments totaling $26.9M have enabled the acquisition of cutting edge technologies such as multiplexed immunostaining (Vectra/MIBI), a NovaSeq 6000, a 10x Genomics Chromium to support single cell sequencing efforts, and a 9.4 Tesla MRI for high resolution imaging; upgrades of NMR systems, IncuCytes, IVIS and CT scanners; multiple mass spectrometers; addition of equipment to drive efficiencies (e.g. Sony MA900 self-run cell sorter; development of applications to support basic analyses of RNAseq data); replacement of aging equipment; and addition of services to drive member research forward (e.g. CryoEM for structural studies, organoid models for tumor biology studies, and high-throughput screening for drug discovery), while keeping all within reach of most funded investigators. Ninety-four percent (94% / n=247) of UCCC members have used the SRs over the funding period demonstrating the value of the SRs to members' research. Sixty percent (60%) of the UCCC users were peer-reviewed at the time of use. UCCC SRs contributed to 548 cancer-focused publications in the past cycle, many of which are high-profile as demonstrated by the fact that 21% have an impact factor (IF) ≥ 10 and that publications appear in journals such as Cell, Cancer Cell, and Nature Medicine. In short, UCCC SR Management is committed to ensuring each SR is providing essential, cutting edge equipment and services to UCCC members in their pursuit of advancing cancer research.