CORE--SHARED SCIENTIFIC RESOURCES

共享科学资源核心是在南卡罗来纳医科大学酒精研究中心建立的，目的是促进酒精治疗研究的执行，提高研究效率，最大限度地利用资源，并通过标准化和集中服务提供质量控制。所提供的核心服务是针对那些最有可能被几个项目利用的服务以及那些最适合集中的服务量身定制的。在实现最初的具体目标方面取得的进展是显著的。在最初的几年里，个人被雇佣和培训，关键系统被安置到位，服务组织被完善。由此产生的系统运行平稳，核心服务被许多在中心资助内外资助的酒精研究人员使用，对服务的需求继续增长。通过鼓励不同的项目一起工作，加强了沟通，建立了一个有凝聚力的工作单元，提高了数据库管理的效率，并提高了生产力。此更新申请建议延续三个最初的特定目标并添加一个新目标。持续的具体目标是：1)继续提供集中的主观招募和筛选；2)继续提供集中的药房、医疗和化验服务；3)继续提供统计和数据库管理服务。新的目标，具体目标4，是开发和提供集中的研究助理培训。后一个目标代表了我们集中功能的自然延伸，预计将导致研究更加统一，并加强科学质量控制。总之，服务的集中显然提高了任何大型研究活动的质量和效率，但重要的是，它减少了重复工作和对现有资源的竞争，特别是对学科的竞争。最初的资助期是为了建立一个定义明确的共享科学资源核心。领导是强有力的，获得服务的途径是明确的，质量控制是持续监测的。

The Shared Scientific Resource Core was established in the Alcohol Research Center at the Medical University of South Carolina to facilitate the execution of alcohol treatment research, to improve research efficiency, to maximize resource utilization, and to provide quality control through standardization and centralization of services. The Core services provided were tailored to those most likely to be utilized by several projects as well as those most amenable to centralization. The progress made in addressing the original specific aims were outstanding. Individuals were hired and trained, critical systems were put into place, and services organization were refined over the course of the first few years. The resulting systems function smoothly, the Core services are utilized by many alcohol researchers funded both inside and outside of the Center grant, and demand for services continues to grow. By encouraging the various projects to work together, communication has been enhanced, a cohesive working unit has been established, database management has been efficient, and productivity has been increased. This renewal application proposes to continue three of the original specific aims and to add one new aim. The continuing Specific Aims are: 1) to continue to provide centralized subjective recruitment and screening; 2) to continue to provide centralized pharmacy, medical, and laboratory services; and 3) to continue to provide statistical and database management services. The new aim, Specific Aim 4, is to develop and provide centralized research assistant training. This latter aim represents a natural extension of our centralized functions and is expected to result in more uniformity across studies and enhanced scientific quality control. In summary, centralization of services clearly improves quality and efficiency in any large research operation, but importantly it reduces duplication of effort and competition for available resources, especially subjects. The initial funding period followed for the establishment of a well-defined Shared Scientific Resource Core. Leadership is strong, the access to the services has been clearly identified, and quality control is continuously monitored.