Molecular Center of Health and Disease

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Overall-Abstract Chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer are among the most prevalent health conditions in the United States, responsible for 7 out of every 10 deaths. Mississippi ranks first or second in 8 of 10 leading causes of death, with 90% of the population having 1-2 chronic diseases. While chronic diseases can be treated through early intervention, targeted medical therapies, and improved diet and exercise, an understanding of genetic susceptibility and molecular mechanisms involved in disease onset has the potential to halt progression and return an individual to a healthier state. Advances in technology now allow for unprecedented insight into genome complexity and its interaction with the environment using genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic datasets. The integration of these datasets with physiological information using computational approaches can provide systematic insight into the molecular, cellular, and overall physiology associated with the health-disease continuum. We propose to establish a new Phase I COBRE, the Molecular Center of Health and Disease (MCHD) to facilitate research under a central theme of molecular physiology to enhance the depth of education, mentorship, and training of researchers to generate unique opportunities in the application of omics technology and computational biology. The MCHD will be comprised of multiple components including an administrative unit, education and mentoring programs, a pilot project program, two research cores, and three major project investigators. The overall objectives of the MCHD are: (1) to develop infrastructure and state-of- the-art research core facilities essential for cutting edge basic, clinical, and translational approaches to study the health and disease continuum. The MCHD, through Core B will enhance existing -omics technology (e.g., single cell RNAseq and spatial transcriptomics), proteomic capabilities, and establish a new innovative core, involving CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology to interrogate gene function and biological pathways; and Core C will establish critical computing infrastructure and computational biology analysis not currently available at the University; (2) to establish meaningful education, mentoring programs, and research support for promising new investigators to nurture them into productive, independently funded investigators, who will be effective collaborators on multidisciplinary research teams. This will be accomplished through offering a “Genetic and - Omics Academy” (didactic instruction and observership) to strengthen researcher understanding of molecular and computational approaches, a robust mentoring program involving one-on-one and team mentoring, career development opportunities, and providing a high level of research support through each core; and (3) to enhance collaborations and interactions among investigators across multiple disciplines at UMMC, promote cooperation between other IDeA supported programs, including existing COBRE, IDeA-CTR, and external partnership with the Mississippi-INBRE.