COBRE in Digestive and Liver Disease

Medical University Of South Carolina, Charleston SC

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

Animal Models of Digestive Disease Core – Project Summary The objective of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) in Digestive & Liver Disease (CDLD) is to enhance research infrastructure and expand research capacity to enable outstanding and collaborative biomedical research in digestive and liver diseases. The Animal Models of Digestive Disease Core has helped begin to establish and will sustain the CDLD as the driving force for digestive and liver diseases research at MUSC through the provision of highly specialized and high quality Core resources. Performance of digestive disease research requires utilization of unique and complex models of disease. Thus, we have developed the Animal Models of Digestive Disease Core to specifically support CDLD Research Project Leaders (RPLs) and all MUSC digestive disease researchers with a distinctive, unified, and skilled Facility that provides access to essential animal models and guidance on research project planning and implementation. This Core currently leverages and will continue to leverage existing resources and expertise within the MUSC Division of Laboratory Animal Resources (DLAR) in order to efficiently provide and support in vivo models of digestive disease. Core leaders will offer CDLD researchers specialized knowledge, mentorship and training on animal models so that they obtain sufficient, high quality data for their projects, which will then form the basis of their successful competition for future independent extramural funding. It should be pointed out that while supporting RPLs’ research is a primary objective for the MUSC CDLD and the AMDDC, all investigators at MUSC will have access to the models, resources, and training that the Core provides. This is expected to support the overarching COBRE vision by enhancing MUSC’s research infrastructure. To achieve the stated objective, the AMDDC will focus on 2 distinct but related specific aims in Phase 2 as follows: 1) the Core will continue to provide animal models of digestive and liver diseases and 2) a state of the art gnotobiotics facility. In addition, the Core utilizes and will continue to utilize a highly effective 1:1 training and mentoring approach. Members of this Core are skilled and highly experienced, supporting the generation of high quality data and life-long learning for CDLD Members.