LSU DENTAL COBRE: BIOMEDICAL EQUIPMENT CORE

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Introduction: The Biomedical Equipment Core provides one mechanism to enhance the collaborative efforts within individual research projects, while also acting as a nexus for interaction between members of the various research foci. The Biomedical Equipment Core provides researchers with the equipment and technical expertise to rapidly advance their individual research projects. Methods: The Core houses and maintains a variety of multi-user items of equipment. The Core also provides technical advice and expertise useful to a variety of Center researchers. During this funding period, the Core was to hire a new manager and acquire several pieces of shared equipment. In addition, the Core was to reorganize its existing space in order to optimize equipment use. Results: During year 4 of this project, the Core has undergone some major changes. Following Hurricane Katrina, the research enterprises of the COBRE were moved first to Baton Rogue and then back to New Orleans. In the last year, all of he Core equipment was physically moved to the Medical Education Building, some five miles from its original location in the School of Dentistry. There it has undergone extensive inspection, service and maintenance in order to provide continuing support for our investigators. This has been overseen by a newly hired Core manager, who maintains the equipment as well as provides technical support for researchers. In addition, the Core has acquired and operated two new major instruments, an Atomic Force Microscope and a Laser Dissection Microscope. As the year draws to a close, the Core is being prepared for an upcoming move back to our permanent laboratory space at the School of Dentistry. Thus in year 4, the Core will have been moved and re-organized completely, twice. Discussion: The recent events have required unprecedented changes in the Core laboratories. The expansion of the Center of Excellence in Oral and Craniofacial Biology and the newly established Department of Oral Biology has been greatly enhanced by the existence of centralized Core Facilities. Many faculty and staff are now utilizing its equipment and services, and we anticipate this to increase over the next year. The recent progress of the Core has met with approval from the EAC.