CORE--SHARED SCIENTIFIC RESOURCES

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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.