Southern California Research Center for ALPD and Cirrhosis

描述(申请人提供)：酒精性肝脏和胰腺疾病(ALPD)和肝硬变是全球主要的生活型疾病。南加州ALPD和肝硬变研究中心联合了来自南加州主要学术机构的57名研究人员，以追求成为疾病研究、培训和推广的领导者的共同使命。该中心自1999年成立以来，一直致力于临床相关动物模型的开发和使用，以获得对晚期ALPD易感性的分子机制的新见解。这些努力最终导致了最近的突破性发现，这些发现极大地促进了我们对酒精和第二次击中引起的协同阿尔茨海默病的理解。该中心的互动环境和基础设施在过去5年中得到了促进，研究基础增加了152%，达到每年850万美元；4个新的UOL/POI项目；198份出版物；产生了14名由NIH资助的早期调查人员；8名博士后过渡到教职；培训166名研究生和 20名本科生；组织3次社区研讨会和4次国际研讨会。作为一项独特的国家资源，该中心已向全国科学界提供了：229只啮齿动物作为ALPD模型，为17名外部研究人员提供了241份模型样本；为14名研究人员提供了329份肝细胞分离准备；以及自上次续签以来，为12名外部研究人员获得和申请拨款提供了支持。该中心将继续致力于成为阿尔茨海默氏症和肝硬化症领域独一无二的卓越科学中心，促进：1)为中心主题的前沿研究创造有利环境：阐明阿尔茨海默病的引发和致敏机制；2)向外部研究人员，包括NIAAA其他酒精研究中心的研究人员提供独特的模型、创新的遗传方法和专业知识；3)全面教育和培训，以培养阿尔茨海默病和肝硬化症的未来科学家；以及4)推广中心的新发现，在我们国内和全球社区宣传公共、医疗工作者和科学家的新发现。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Alcoholic liver and pancreatic diseases (ALPD) and cirrhosis constitute leading life-style diseases around the globe. The Southern California Research Center for ALPD and Cirrhosis unifies 57 investigators from major academic institutions in Southern California to pursue a common mission of being a leader in research, training, and outreach for the diseases. The center, since its inception in 1999, has devoted its efforts for development and use of clinically relevant animal models to gain novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the predisposition to advanced ALPD. These efforts culminated to recent groundbreaking discoveries which have significantly advanced our understanding of synergistic ALPD caused by alcohol and a second hit. The center's interactive environment and infrastructure have facilitated in the past 5 years, a 152% increase in research base to $8.5M/year; 4 new UOl/POI programs; 198 publications; generation of 14 NIH-funded early-stage investigators; transition of 8 postdocs to faculty positions; training 166 graduate and 20 undergraduate students; and organizing 3 community seminars and 4 international symposia. As a unique national resource, the center has provided to scientific communities across the nation: 229 rodents as ALPD models and 241 model samples for 17 outside investigators; 329 liver cell isolation preparations for 14 investigators; and support for grant acquisition and application by 12 outside investigators since the last renewal. The center will continue to strive as a unique scientific center of excellence in ALPD and cirrhosis by promoting: 1) environment conducive for leading-edge research on the center's theme: elucidation of the priming and sensitizing mechanisms for ALPD; 2) provision of unique models, innovative genetic approaches and expertise to outside investigators including those at other NIAAA Alcohol Research Centers; 3) comprehensive education and training to foster future generations of scientists in ALPD and cirrhosis; and 4) outreach efforts to disseminate the center's new findings to lay public, health care workers and scientists in our home and global communities.