Phase III COBRE in Vascular Biology

COBRE血管生物学成立于2000年，其目标是了解血管重塑和疾病的机制。在过去的两个COBRE资助期间，我们已经建立了一个成功的合作中心，独立的心血管生物学研究人员。我们的科学进步的组成部分是在关键领域建立机构核心设施，以支持我们的研究计划的成功。本申请中描述的核心设施已发展成为广泛使用的机构和区域资源，增加了科学合作，我们研究的质量和影响，从而提高了我们研究人员的竞争力。COBRE第三阶段过渡性支持申请旨在进一步加强现有的四个核心设施，实现自我可持续性，同时还提供试点项目支持，以促进使用最先进战略的合作研究。该COBRE在I-II期的成功包括组建了一个高度协作的研究团队，专注于血管生物学中相互关联的主题，为每位研究者提供独立的校外资金，制定了一个由内部和外部顾问提供投入的指导计划，以及发展重要的研究基础设施，以支持缅因州医学中心研究所（MMCRI）所有研究项目的目标。本申请的具体目的是：1）保持对所有中心研究者、学员和工作人员的指导和培训，2）促进学院化、智力激励的环境，以促进科学卓越，3）通过改善基础设施、高级培训和财务可持续性，使中心保持在血管研究的前沿，以及4）通过试点项目计划促进合作并增加赠款资助机会。这些目标将通过保持最先进的研究技术和专业知识，并通过合作多研究者和计划赠款实现自给自足，继续推动该计划在全国的突出地位。我们的生物医学研究项目也有助于NIH的使命，以改善国家的健康，我们的重点是了解疾病的机制。

The COBRE in Vascular Biology was established in 2000 with the goal of understanding the mechanisms of vascular remodeling and disease. In the past two funding periods of COBRE support, we have built a successful center of collaborative, independent cardiovascular biology researchers. Integral to our scientific progress was the establishment of institutional core facilities in areas critical to support success of our research program. The core facilities described in this application have developed into widely used institutional and regional resources that have increased scientific collaboration, the quality and impact of our research, and thus the competitiveness of our investigators. This Phase III COBRE application for transitional support aims to further enhance four existing core facilities towards self-sustainability, while additionally providing pilot project support to foster collaborative research using state-of-the-art strategies. The successes of this COBRE in Phases I-II included the assembly of a highly collaborative team of investigators focused on inter-related themes in vascular biology, achievement of independent extramural funding for each investigator, development of a mentoring program with input from both internal and external advisors, and the development of significant research infrastructure to support the goals of all research programs at Maine Medical Center Research Institute (MMCRl). The specific aims of this application are: 1) to maintain mentorship and training of all Center investigators, trainees, and staff, 2) to promote a collegial, intellectually stimulating environment that fosters scientific excellence, 3) to maintain the Center at the cutting edge of vascular research through infrastructure improvements, advanced training, and financial sustainability, and 4) to stimulate collaborations and enhance grant funding opportunities through a pilot project program. These aims will continue to advance this program towards national prominence by maintaining state-of-the art research technologies and expertise, and toward self-sufficiency through collaborative multi-investigator and program grants. Our biomedical research programs also contribute to the NIH mission to improve the nation's health, with our focus on understanding mechanisms of disease.