COBRE PHASE III: Center for Neuroplasticity at the University of Puerto Rico

项目概要（总体部分）： UPR COBRE神经可塑性中心（UPR-CCfN）获得COBRE第1阶段奖 2013年，作为两个主要的普遍定期审议校园，神经生物学研究所（UPR-MSC）和 UPR Rio Piedras（UPR-RP）生物学系。UPR-CCfN自成立以来， 合作，包括几个普遍定期审议校园，包括生物和化学系 （UPRRP），生理学，药理学，药学和解剖学（UPR-MSC）， 化学系（UPR Humacao校区）和中加勒比大学医学院， 在COBRE第1-2阶段，UPR-CCfN达到了几个基准：（1） 它大大提高了新的和早期的普遍定期审议研究人员进行竞争性研究的能力， 神经科学领域的研究。(2)它已确定了24名调查员的必要人数。(3)它有 将COBRE神经成像和电生理设施（NIEF）核心开发成最先进的 UPR-CCfN研究人员和更大的UPR生物医学研究社区的资源。这是 通过提供出色的专业技术服务，培训和获得国家的， 最先进的荧光、共聚焦和多光子显微镜沿着， 电生理学，提高了我们研究人员的生产力。(4)一项重大成就 NIEF正在成为尼康卓越中心（NCOE），以其先进的 先进的研究成像的艺术设施。(5)UPR-CCfN已经大大增加了其 生物医学研究能力，因为它最近占用了一个新的国家的最先进的研究 基础设施，其中包括两层楼（约40平方米）超过2600万美元的机构投资 分子科学研究中心（MSRC）的30英尺）;神经可塑性中心（6楼）;以及 动物园（7楼）。(6)UPR-CcfN已经制定了一个强有力的业务计划， 我们的NIEF核心设施，提供COBRE阶段之后的技术支持和计划活动 3.在第3阶段，UPR-CCfN将继续提供多学科的研究人员， 尖端设施，科学能力，与公众的多学科合作， 用于治疗神经退行性疾病的生物制药部门。UPR-CCfN将促进 研究创新，最大限度地发挥研究协同作用和合作，以及指导和 创业我们的过度目标是，在第三阶段，UPR-CCfN将推进到一个世界- 公认的神经可塑性和神经变性中心， 应用.

Project Summary (Overall section): The UPR COBRE Center for Neuroplasticity (UPR-CCfN) was established with a COBRE phase 1 award in 2013 as a collaboration of two main UPR campuses, the Institute of Neurobiology (UPR-MSC) and the Department of Biology at UPR Rio Piedras (UPR-RP). The UPR-CCfN has since expanded collaborations to include several UPR campuses, including the Departments of Biology and Chemistry (UPRRP), Departments of Physiology, Pharmacology, Pharmacy, and Anatomy (UPR-MSC), Department of Chemistry (UPR Humacao campus), and Universidad Central del Caribe Medical School, a private institution in PR. During COBRE phases 1-2 the UPR-CCfN achieved several benchmarks: (1) It has significantly enhanced ability of new and early-stage UPR researchers to conduct competitive research in the area of neuroscience. (2) It has established a critical mass of 24 investigators. (3) It has developed the COBRE Neuroimaging and Electrophysiology Facility (NIEF) core into a state-of-the-art resource for the UPR-CCfN investigators and the larger UPR biomedical research community. This was accomplished by providing outstanding specialized technical services, training, and access to state-of- the-art instrumentation in fluorescence, confocal, and multiphoton microscopy along with electrophysiology that has enhanced the productivity of our researchers. (4) A major accomplishment of the NIEF was becoming a Nikon Center of Excellence (NCoE), globally renowned for its state-of-the- art facilities for advanced research imaging. (5) The UPR-CCfN has extraordinarily increased its biomedical research capacity as it recently took occupancy of a new state-of-the-art research infrastructure, which includes a more than $26 million institutional investment on two floors (~40 square feet) of the Molecular Science Research Center (MSRC); the Neuroplasticity Center (floor 6); and Vivarium (floor 7). (6) UPR-CCfN has developed a robust business plan that will sustain and upgrade our NIEF core facilities, provide technical support, and programmatic activities beyond COBRE Phase 3. During Phase 3 the UPR-CCfN will continue to provide a multidisciplinary cadre of investigators with cutting-edge facilities, scientific capability, and multidisciplinary collaborations with the public and biopharma sectors for the treatment of neurodegeneration-related diseases. The UPR-CCfN will foster research innovation, maximize research synergy and collaborations as well as mentoring and entrepreneurship. Our overreaching goal is that during Phase 3, the UPR-CCfN will propel into a world- recognized Center for Neuroplasticity and Neurodegeneration with translational/therapeutic applications.