Biomedical Research at the University of Guam: Equipment

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The specific aim of the proposed University of Guam SCORE program is to provide opportunities for the faculty to conduct biomedically significant research utilizing the research facilities of the University of Guam, thus enhancing the overall research environment. The UOG SCORE program has four goals: 1) Increase the on-site capacity of University of Guam faculty to do cutting-edge biomedical research; 2) Increase the opportunities for UOG faculty to do biomedical research off-site at research-intensive institutions; 3) Improve the research climate at UOG, in the areas of quality, capacity, and productivity, for biomedical research; and 4) Strengthen the link between research and teaching and learning so that students can benefit from the enhanced research activities and can contribute valuable perspectives from their unique cultural views to the faculty's biomedical research endeavors. The program currently includes four research projects. Two of the projects focus on marine biomedical research and will utilize the biologically diverse tropical marine environment of Guam. Research projects include 1) studies of reproductive biology and genetics of corals, 2) chemical variation in biomedically active natural products in coral-reef macroalgae and sponges, 3) novel regulatory transcription elongation factors that play a role in human tumorigenesis, and 4) the reactivity of aminyl and thiyl radicals in hydrogen atom abstraction reactions. In this proposed equipment supplement, the SCORE faculty members have identified key equipment needs that will facilitate all four of the research projects. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) instrumentation is requested that will provide enhanced analytical expertise for these research projects, and a freeze dryer is requested for basic preparation and preservation of marine samples.