GENERAL CLINICAL RESEARCH CENTER

德克萨斯大学加尔维斯顿综合临床研究中心(UTMB GCRC)自1963年以来一直在美国国立卫生研究院(NIH)的持续资助下运作。该中心的长期目标是提供设施和资源，协助UTMB调查人员进行高质量的以患者为中心的研究。我们的首要任务是帮助支持那些从NIH获得同行审查资金的科学家，但我们的任务包括使用其他形式的资金的调查人员。UTMB GCRC还为精心设计的试点研究提供资源，以帮助个人寻求新的外部资金。为了满足不断变化的临床研究人员的需求，该中心具有适应性。这一延续申请包括关于GCRC提供的新服务的建议，以集中目前无法获得或由几个调查人员重复的程序。这些新服务包括一个生理核心实验室、卫星门诊支持，以及为GCRC睡眠实验室和GCRC身体成分实验室提供的额外支持。目前提供的设施和资源包括住院室；三个独立的门诊设施、经验丰富的研究护士和饮食工作人员；以及代谢厨房：一个先进的程序室；一个40K的身体成分计数器；以及一个先进的计算机网络。扩大的教育活动包括GCRC课程课程，每周为研究员和教职员工提供课程，为医学生提供选修课，为研究生提供研究机会，以及每年一次的临床研究座谈会。UTMB GCRC是一个机构资源，为95名研究人员提供服务，其中33人是GCRC 65项研究方案的首席调查人员。在GCRC方案的主要研究人员中，94%的人有其他外部资金来支持他们以患者为导向的研究。这些调查人员中64%是获得NIH或其他联邦机构拨款的主要调查人员。UTMB GCRC的用户来自12个部门、30多个已确定的跨学科研究项目，以及医学院、护理学院、生物医学研究生院和联合健康学院。在GCRC的支持下进行的研究通过在了解正常人体生理、疾病发病机制和评估创新新疗法方面的重要进展，直接和间接地影响了医疗保健。对烧伤患者和糖尿病溃疡患者伤口愈合的代谢和内分泌方面进行了研究，目的是改善伤口环境以促进愈合。其他研究增加了对罕见遗传病和带有明显种族决定因素的疾病的代谢、营养和环境方面的了解。UTMB艾滋病临床试验单位的科学家使用GCRC研究艾滋病毒新疗法的基本方面。环境科学和癌症是UTMB的主要研究主题。GCRC关于子宫内膜癌发病机制以及饮食和环境中影响癌症风险的物质的研究与这些主题是一致的。神经科学是UTMB的强项，这反映在GCRC关于疼痛和胃肠动力的协议中。GCRC的未来计划包括提供一个新的和扩大的地点，更多地参与临床试验，增强计算机图像分析能力，扩大远程医疗活动，以及更多地关注与该大学服务的大量监狱人口相关的研究。UTMB打算让GCRC继续成为该校以患者为中心的研究和新的调查员教育的中心资源。

The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston General Clinical Research Center (UTMB GCRC) has been in operation with continuous funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since 1963. The long-term of this center is to provide facilities and resources to assist UTMB investigators in performing high quality patient-oriented research. Our first priority is to help support those scientists who have peer- reviewed funding from the NIH, but our mission includes of investigators with other forms of funding. The UTMB GCRC also provides resources for well designed pilot studies to assist individuals in pursuing new extramural funding. In order to meet the changing needs of clinical researchers, this center is adaptable. This continuation application includes proposals for new GCRC-provided services to centralize procedures that are currently unavailable or are duplicated by several investigators. These new services include a Physiologic Core Laboratory, satellite outpatient support, and additional support for the GCRC Sleep Laboratory and the GCRC Body Composition Laboratory. The facilities and resources that are currently provided include inpatient rooms; three separate outpatient facilities, experienced research nurses and dietary staff; and metabolic kitchen: an advanced procedure room; a 40K counter for body composition; and an advanced computer network. Expanded educational activities include a GCRC Curriculum Course with weekly sessions for fellows and faculty, an elective course for medical students, research opportunities for graduate students, and an annual Clinical Research Colloquium. The UTMB GCRC is an institutional resource that serves 95 investigators, of whom 33 are principal investigators on 65 GCRC research protocols. Of the GCRC protocol principal investigators, 94% have other extramural funding to support their patient-oriented research. Sixty-four percent of these investigators are principle investigators on grants from NIH or other federal agencies. The UTMB GCRC has users from 12 departments, from ore than 30 identified interdisciplinary research programs, and from the School of Medicine, School of Nursing, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and the School of Allied Health. The research conducted with the support the GCRC impacts health care directly and indirectly through important advances in understanding of normal human physiology, the pathogenesis of disease, and the evaluation of innovative new therapies. Metabolic and endocrine aspects of wound healing are studied in burn patients and patients with diabetic ulcers, with the aim of modifying the wound environment to promote healing. Other studies have increased knowledge about metabolic, nutritional and environmental aspects of rare genetic diseases and diseases with pronounced ethnic determinants. Scientists from the UTMB AIDS Clinical Trials Unit use the GCRC for studies of fundamental aspects of new therapies for HIV. Environmental science and cancer are major research themes at UTMB. GCRC studies on the pathogenesis of endometrial cancer and on substances in the diet and the environment that influence cancer risk are consistent with these themes. Neuroscience is a strength at UTMB, as reflected in GCRC protocols on pain and gastrointestinal motility. Future plans for the GCRC include providing a new and expanded location, greater involvement with clinical trials, enhanced capabilities for computer image analysis, expanded telemedicine activities, and increased attention to research relevant to the large prison population served by this university. UTMB intends that the GCRC remain the central resource on this campus for patient-oriented research and new investigator education.