Nebraska Center for the Prevention of Obesity Diseases through Dietary Molecules

项目总结/摘要 内布拉斯加州通过膳食分子预防肥胖病中心（NPOD）支持 研究识别预防、治疗和治愈肥胖及相关疾病的生物信号。的 NPOD的重点是食源性信号。由内布拉斯加大学林肯分校（UNL）领导， 与内布拉斯加大学医学中心（UNMC）的合作，NPOD研究人员有他们的任期 在16个单位交叉的基础和临床科学，包括营养，化学工程，生物化学， 胃肠病学和公共卫生，使NPOD成为真正的多学科努力。NPOD的长期目标是 加强内布拉斯加州的生物医学研究基础设施，同时对抗肥胖，这是一个主要的健康问题。 影响美国公民。NPOD的生物医学研究卓越中心（COBRE）第一阶段的成功 包括超过9600万美元的外部资金奖励，以支持研究和375本关于该中心的学术出版物。 主题. 10名初级调查员通过两个队列接受了指导，5名队列1项目中有4名 领导人从NPOD支持毕业，并在内部建立自己的独立调查员 中心第五名项目负责人在毕业前前往欧洲任职。第二组的五名项目负责人 正处于辅导期在第一阶段雇用了四名新教师，使中心能够 建立研究人员的临界质量的基础：NPOD的成员已经从13个教师在 该中心目前有51名调查员。在第一阶段，NPOD翻新了空间， 价值超过100万美元的设备，以创建生物医学和肥胖研究核心，包括肥胖和 营养实验室（1，976平方米）（英尺）动物实验室（606平方米）ft.）。行政核心提供监督 以确保中心有效运作。NPOD在第一阶段取得的许多成功 使其能够利用COBRE第二阶段的资金和机构承诺（例如，五个新员工， 约120万美元的启动包，超过100万美元的现金匹配）通过战略活动设计 最大化中心的成功具体而言，在第二阶段，NPOD将1）增加研究人员的临界质量 在UNL和UNMC另外雇用了五名初级研究员（通过UNL和UNMC雇用了一名营养基因组学研究员 UNL的卓越计划），使用试点和种子为中心招募新的初级和高级调查员 赠款资金，并继续发展战略联盟与内布拉斯加州的补充方案; 2） 为研究核心获得额外的设备，并通过统计数据提高严谨性和可重复性， 通过行政核心提供生物信息学咨询; 3）加强中心的指导结构 和协作，多学科的环境，通过增加外部导师和各种中心 活动; 4）扩大基础营养和肥胖研究与转化临床和 基于社区的研究。在第2阶段完成时，NPOD将按计划过渡到COBRE 第三阶段，追求NPOD的愿景，成为NIH指定的营养和肥胖研究中心。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The Nebraska Center for the Prevention of Obesity Diseases through Dietary Molecules (NPOD) supports research on the identification of biological signals that prevent, treat, and cure obesity and related diseases. The emphasis of NPOD is on food-borne signals. Led by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) in close collaboration with the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), NPOD investigators have their tenure homes in 16 units crossing basic and clinical sciences, including nutrition, chemical engineering, biochemistry, gastroenterology, and public health, making NPOD a truly multidisciplinary endeavor. NPOD’s long-term goal is to enhance the biomedical research infrastructure in Nebraska while combating obesity, a major health problem impacting U.S. citizens. NPOD’s Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) Phase 1 successes include over $96M in external funding awards to support research and 375 scholarly publications on the center’s theme. Ten junior investigators have been mentored through two cohorts, with four of the five Cohort 1 project leaders graduating from NPOD support and establishing themselves as independent investigators within the center. The fifth project leader departed for a position in Europe prior to graduation. Cohort 2’s five project leaders are in the middle of their mentoring period. The hire of four new faculty during Phase 1 enabled the center to lay the groundwork to build a critical mass of researchers: NPOD’s membership has grown from 13 faculty at the center’s inception to its current count of 51 investigators. During Phase 1, NPOD renovated space and added equipment worth over $1M to create the Biomedical and Obesity Research Core comprised of an Obesity and Nutrition Laboratory (1,976 sq. ft.) and Animal Laboratory (606 sq. ft.). An Administrative Core provides oversight of program activities to ensure the center functions effectively. NPOD’s many successes in Phase 1 have positioned it to leverage Phase 2 COBRE funding and institutional commitments (e.g., five new hires, approximately $1.2M toward start-up packages, and over $1M in cash matches) via strategic activities designed to maximize center success. Specifically, during Phase 2 NPOD will 1) increase its critical mass of researchers with an additional five junior investigator hires at UNL and UNMC (and a nutrigenomics investigator hire through UNL’s Programs of Excellence), recruiting new junior and senior investigators to the center using pilot and seed grant funding, and continuing to develop strategic alliances with complementary programs in Nebraska; 2) acquire additional equipment for the Research Core and enhance rigor and reproducibility with statistics and bioinformatics consultations offered through the Administrative Core; 3) enhance the center’s mentoring structure and collaborative, multidisciplinary environment through the addition of external mentors and various center activities; and 4) expand integration of fundamental nutrition and obesity research with translational clinical and community-based research. By the completion of Phase 2, NPOD will be on-track for transitioning into COBRE Phase 3 and pursuit of NPOD’s vision to become an NIH-designated Nutrition and Obesity Research Center.