Interdepartmental Neuroscience Center

本申请的目的是更新核心设施，以支持马萨诸塞州总医院（MGH）的神经科学研究。MGH跨部门神经科学中心由大约50名教师组成，他们在基础和应用神经科学方面有共同的兴趣。研究的重点是高影响，国家优先领域，如神经退行性疾病，发育神经障碍，运动障碍，创伤/缺血性脑和脊髓损伤，脑肿瘤，疼痛，吸毒成瘾，基因治疗和基础神经科学。自1988年中心成立以来，该中心的研究基地已大大扩大。与此同时，对共用设备和设施的需求也同样强劲和迅速地增长。为应对这一严重短缺，该中心的调查人员筹集了机构和外部资金，以发展一些核心服务。2003年，在NINDS P30奖的帮助下，建立了一个新的核心设施计划。这个项目对于维持神经科学研究，特别是新研究者的研究和促进新的合作非常有价值。本申请寻求更新对该核心设施计划的支持。我们对NINDS资助的实验室的需求进行了详细的调查，并评估了现有核心资源的利用情况。根据调查和评估的结果，我们寻求支持以更新和加强以下核心：A）显微镜和图像分析，B）核酸定量和C）病毒载体开发和生产。还提出了一个支持该方案的行政核心。这些核心将满足90个NINDS资助项目的需求，并根据计划指南为非NINDS资助项目提供服务。核心旨在支持正在进行的研究，特别是我们的初级教师，并通过a）提供个别实验室无法提供的服务，设备和专业知识和B）促进研究人员之间的协同互动来刺激新技术和研究的发展。提出了一个有效和公平分配服务的详细计划。核心中心已收到机构承诺的设备、工资和空间资金，不重复现有的共用设施。

The goal of this application is to renew Core facilities to support neuroscience research at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). The MGH Interdepartmental Neuroscience Center consists of about 50 faculty with shared interests in basic and applied neuroscience. The focus of the research is on high-impact, national priority areas such as neurodegenerative diseases, developmental neurological disorders, movement disorders, traumatic/ischemic brain and spinal cord injury, brain tumors, pain, drug addiction, gene therapy and basic neuroscience. The research base at the Center has grown enormously since the Center's inception in 1988. The growth is accompanied by an equally strong and rapid increase in demand for shared equipment and facilities. In response to this critical shortage, the Center's investigators have raised institutional and external funding to develop some core services. In 2003, with help from the NINDS P30 award a new core facilities program was established. This program has become extremely valuable for sustaining neuroscience research, especially that of new investigators and for fostering new collaborations. The present application seeks to renew support for this core facilities program. We conducted detailed surveys of the needs of NINDS-funded laboratories and evaluated utilization of the existing core resources. Based on the results of the surveys and evaluations, we seek support to renew and enhance the following cores: A) Microscopy and image analysis, B) Nucleic acid quantitation and C) Viral vector development and production. An administrative core to support the program is also proposed. The cores will serve the needs of 90 NINDS funded projects and also non-NINDS funded projects as per program guidelines. The Cores are designed to support ongoing research, especially of our junior faculty, and to stimulate development of novel technology and research by a) offering service, equipment and expertise not available in individual laboratories and b) fostering synergistic interactions among the investigators. A detailed plan for efficient and equitable dispensation of services is proposed. The Cores have received institutional commitment of funds for equipment, salary and space and do not duplicate existing shared facilities.