COBRE in Neurodevelopment and Its Disorders

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OVERALL – PROJECT SUMMARY The overall goal of the Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) in Neurodevelopment and Its Disorders (CNDD) is to enhance research capacity by enabling outstanding multidisciplinary collaborative research in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). This area is of importance to the state of South Carolina as the diagnosis rate and proportion of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) who have significant cognitive impairments is estimated to be higher than those of the nation. The specific aims are to: 1) Mentor a strong cadre of early career scientists to become independently funded investigators in NDD research; 2) Establish sustainable core resources to support modern NDD research while leveraging institutional investments; and 3) Promote sustainability of the CNDD through creation of multidisciplinary research programs, rigorous evaluation, strategic improvement, and mission alignment with other Centers at MUSC and across the state of South Carolina. The Center is led by a multidisciplinary team, composed of a department chair with extensive experience in molecular neurobiology, an expert in the field of complement biology, and a clinical psychologist focused on ASD research within the MUSC College of Medicine, coalescing resources to achieve their overarching objective of building a critical mass of funded investigators that will allow MUSC to compete for future external peer-reviewed programmatic grant support. This application highlights four of our most outstanding Junior Investigators (JIs) who will benefit from an innovative multiple source mentoring plan which features both internal and external mentors. We anticipate each of these JIs to transition to independent NIH funding within the first three years of the project. The CNDD also includes three Cores that will support not only the JIs but also NDD investigators throughout MUSC. Scientific cores include the: 1) Genomic and Bioinformatic Core, which will provide technical assistance, computational infrastructure, and training opportunities; 2) Mouse Behavioral Phenotyping Core, which will provide access to and training in behavioral analyses of mice; and 3) Small Animal Brain Imaging Core, which will provide access to modern brain imaging technologies that can extend the scope and impact of neurodevelopment research. Additionally, the CNDD will foster collaborations among NDD researchers by promoting interdisciplinary scientific exchange through our enrichment activities and build research capabilities through our Pilot Project Program. With NIH and institutional support, the expansion of research capabilities, development of JIs, and promotion of integrative, multidisciplinary NDD research programs, the proposed CNDD will substantially enhance basic, translational, and clinical research at MUSC. Together with key institutional investments across the state, the CNDD will enable the formation of a sustainable, thriving hub of world-class research in neurodevelopment and its disorders in South Carolina.