Translational Biomarkers Core

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The overall goal of the Translational Biomarkers Core of the Center for American Indian and Rural Health Equity (CAIRHE) is to help COBRE-supported and other Montana State University (MSU) and regional investigators pursue multidisciplinary biomedical research by providing facilities, instrumentation, analytical services, and mentoring on biomarker assessments for diet, lifestyle, and chronic disease. Carrying out validated and culturally relevant biomedical research addressing social determinants of health is a critical research challenge in the Institutional Development Award (IDeA) state of Montana, which lacks a medical school and is home to Native and rural populations that face significant health disparities. In order to address this need, CAIRHE established the Translational Biomarkers Core during COBRE Phase I to strengthen the biomedical research capacity of its junior investigators and the capacity of other researchers to carry out translational interventions and clinical trials that address health equity. This includes investigators of the Montana IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE), the American Indian/Alaska Native Clinical and Translational Research Program (CTRP), and other programs. The Core will pursue the following three Specific Aims that leverage resources of CAIRHE and MSU. Aim 1: The Core will provide and maintain required state-of-the-art instrumentation in support of CAIRHE project leaders and other Center, INBRE, CTRP, and MSU investigators for use in validated biomarker analyses within health equity research projects. Major instruments maintained include a multiplex immunoassay analyzer, dual high- and ultra-performance liquid chromatography module, flow cytometer, spectrophotometer, fluorometer, and real-time PCR unit. Aim 2: The Core will provide lab analytical services to conduct validated biomarker assessments for CAIRHE investigators using Core instrumentation (as described in Aim 1) and protocols. These biomarker assessments will supplement observational and self-reported methods of CAIRHE investigators, providing a multidisciplinary approach that is innovative at MSU for examining social determinants of health. Assessments offered will focus on measurement of diet, lifestyle, and chronic disease biomarkers including inflammation, oxidative stress, hormones, metabolic disease, growth factors, kidney toxicity, and drug and alcohol use. Aim 3: The Core will provide guidance to Center faculty regarding its capabilities, including expertise and consultation on selection and/or modification of biomarker assessments, as well as training on use of instruments and analytical protocols. Ultimately, the Core will work toward the fulfillment of CAIRHE's mission to reduce significant health disparities in Native and rural communities while helping more junior investigators achieve independent status.