Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease

Univ Of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill NC

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY The burden of digestive and liver diseases in the US exceeds $119.6 billion. The overall principle that guides the Center for Gastrointestinal Biology and Disease (CGIBD) is that improvement in the lives of patients with digestive and liver disease will be accelerated by multidisciplinary research on gastrointestinal biology that can be rapidly translated into new therapies. The overall mission is to promote and enhance multidisciplinary research on various aspects of clinically relevant gastrointestinal biology, pathophysiology, and epidemiology to reduce the burden of digestive disease. The Center achieves this mission through the following specific aims:1) Foster cutting-edge research by maintaining core facilities that provide new technologies, expertise, training, technical assistance, laboratory animals, biostatistical and clinical research support. 2) Accelerate digestive disease discovery by offering pilot/feasibility funds to promising investigators; 95% of whom have received research funding following their P/F during the past 10 years. The P/F program also serves as an incubator – 71% of current members have received a P/F award. 3) Promote multi-disciplinary collaborative investigation through a scientific enrichment program. 4) Advance the careers of junior faculty and trainees through professional development and training activities. Members include 46 full and 10 associate members from 24 departments in 3 universities located in the Research Triangle of North Carolina. The annual direct costs for digestive disease-related grants to members total $29.2 million with 48.1% from NIDDK and 33.1% from other NIH institutes. Of the 56 members, 52% have one or more current research grants from NIDDK. The overarching theme for the Center is Bioresilience, a theme that encompasses the wide range of research conducted by the membership. Within the theme, members cluster into three program areas: microbiome, clinical/translational research, and regeneration and repair. To support the research of members, the Center proposes an Administrative Core and the following scientific cores: 1) Advanced Analytics; 2) Clinical Research; 3) Gnotobiotic Animal; 4) Large Animal Models. These cores have evolved to support the scientific directions of center members and to provide new investigative opportunities. The cores improve efficiency, lower cost, and provide services that would not otherwise be available to investigators. During the past 5 years, 95% of members wrote papers with 2 or more CGIBD members as authors. Through all its activities, the Center improves communication, promotes collaboration, develops careers, and generally enriches the environment for digestive disease research to lead to critical scientific advances.