Center of Biomedical Research

描述（由申请人提供）：博伊西州立大学在基质生物学研究和应用方面有着卓越的记录，这些研究和应用涉及到我们国家面临的许多最具挑战性的健康问题。从历史上看，研究工作的基础一直是个人 不同部门的实验室。近年来，独立研究人员之间以跨学科的方式开展了特别合作，大大扩展了应用于健康的研究技能和视野。到目前为止，我们一直受到缺乏集中机制的限制，无法有效地将新的合作转化为新的研究发现。为了利用广泛，多样化的研究基础，我们建议在矩阵生物学中创建生物医学研究卓越中心（COBRE）。博伊西州立大学的生物医学研究基地有50多名成员，他们在过去十年中为研究提供了超过1.55亿美元的支持。COBRE在矩阵生物学的主要目标是1）支持初级研究人员，2）提高既定科学家的生产力，3）促进初级和既定研究人员之间的合作，以及4）建立生物医学研究基础设施。项目重点是支持与疾病进展和组织修复/再生中细胞-基质相互作用相关的动物模型分析，并提供仪器和技术支持。提出了三个核心：一个行政核心，一个生物医学研究动物园核心，和一个生物分子研究核心。我们的研究工作将致力于在分子，细胞和组织水平上了解细胞外基质，以直接影响我们对癌症转移，心血管钙化，肝纤维化和韧带损伤等病理生理学的理解。行政核心将赞助初级研究人员的职业发展，促进现有研究人员之间的新合作，赞助促进信息，想法和试剂交流的活动，并在基质生物学的主题重点内从事有价值的研究的非成员。一个试点项目计划将提供资金，以年轻的研究人员和建立研究谁提出应用他们的专业知识矩阵生物学。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Boise State University has an emerging record of excellence in matrix biology research and application to many of the most challenging health concerns facing our nation. Historically, the base for the research effort has been from individual laboratories in distinct departments. In recent years, ad hoc collaborations have developed between independent researchers, in an interdisciplinary manner, significantly expanding the research skill set and vision applied to health. To date, we have been limited by the lack of a centralized mechanism to leverage new collaborations efficiently into new research discoveries. To capitalize on the broad, diverse research base, we propose to create the Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) in Matrix Biology. Boise State's biomedical research base has over 50 members who have generated over $155M in research support in the past decade. The primary goals of the COBRE in Matrix Biology are 1) to support junior investigators, 2) to enhance the productivity of established scientists, 3) to facilitate collaboration between both junior and established researchers, and 4) to build biomedical research infrastructure. Programmatic emphases are to support the analysis of animal models relevant to cell-matrix interactions in disease progression and tissue repair/regeneration and to provide access to instrumentation and technical support. Three Cores are proposed: an Administrative Core, a Biomedical Research Vivarium Core, and a Biomolecular Research Core. Our research efforts will be directed toward an understanding of extracellular matrix at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels to directly impact our understanding of the pathophysiology of cancer metastasis, cardiovascular calcification, liver fibrosis, and ligament injury to name a few. The Administrative Core will sponsor career development of junior investigators, facilitate new collaborations between established investigators, sponsor activities to promote exchange of information, ideas and reagents, and engage non-members doing meritorious research within the thematic focus of matrix biology. A Pilot Project program will provide funding to young investigators and to established investigators who propose applying their expertise to matrix biology.