Center for Neuroplasticity at the University of Puerto Rico

描述（由申请人提供）：波多黎各大学（UPR）医学科学校区提议建立一个COBRE中心，该中心将大大加强该机构的研究基础设施，并将影响全岛的生物医学调查。波多黎各大学的COBRE神经可塑性中心的具体目标是：1）促进初级研究人员发展为具有直接生物医学意义的项目的竞争力研究人员。将实施一项强化的指导计划，目标是创造一种与主要研究密集型大学相媲美的“研究文化”。2)提供神经影像和电生理设施（NIEF），为波多黎各的神经科学界提供最先进的仪器、培训和专业知识。NIEF将位于神经生物学研究所，但将在COBRE在研究所建立完善后，将超高端仪器纳入新的生物分子科学大楼（BSB）; 3）与波多黎各的IDEA生物医学研究卓越网络（INBRE）实体合作; 4）支持在基础研究层面增加跨学科合作的计划活动。拟议的COBRE的主要优势包括：1）PI，他既是一位有成就的研究人员，在NIH内有广泛的资金和咨询活动，也是一位经验丰富的管理人员，有成功启动研究和培训计划的历史; 2）年轻，积极进取和高度敬业的科学家团队; 3）目前神经生物学研究所的智力和科学成就水平提供了增强的导师可能性; 3）合理规划未来，部署新的BSB作为COBRE神经可塑性中心未来综合和合作研究的中心枢纽; 4）普遍定期审议管理局对确保项目既定目标的全面承诺。这个普遍定期审议COBRE中心应该为未来几十年的普遍定期审议系统的基础和转化研究确定途径和基准。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The University of Puerto Rico (UPR) Medical Sciences Campus proposes to establish a COBRE Center that will significantly strengthen the research infrastructure of the institution and that will impact biomedical investigation throughout the island. The specific aims of this COBRE Center for Neuroplasticity at the University of Puerto Rico are to: 1) Foster development of junior investigators into competitive researchers working on projects with direct biomedical significance. An intensive mentoring program will be implemented with the goal of creating a "culture of research" comparable to that of major research-intensive universities. 2) Provide a Neuroimaging and Electrophysiology Facility (NIEF) that will offer state-of-the-art instrumentation, training, and expertise to the neuroscienc community of Puerto Rico. The NIEF will be located in the Institute of Neurobiology, but will incorporate ultra-high-end instrumentation in the new Biomolecular Sciences Building (BSB) after the COBRE has become well-established at the Institute; 3) Partner with IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) entities in Puerto Rico; 4) Support programmatic activities that increase interdisciplinary collaborations at the basic research level. The major strengths of the proposed COBRE include: 1) the PI, who is both an accomplished researcher with extensive funding and advisory activities within the NIH, and an experienced administrator with a history of successful initiation of research and training programs; 2) the team of young, aggressive and highly committed scientists; 3) enhanced mentorship possibilities provided by the current level of intellectual and scientific accomplishment present at the Institute of Neurobiology; 3) rational planning for the future by deployment of the new BSB as a centralized hub for integrated and collaborative research in the future of the COBRE Center for Neuroplasticity; 4) the full commitment of the UPR Administration toward assuring the stated goals of the project. This UPR COBRE Center should define pathways and benchmarks for basic and translational research across the UPR system for the next decades.