Research Center for Auditory and Vestibular Studies

描述（由申请人提供）：我们寻求重新支持在华盛顿大学医学院耳鼻喉科扩大的听觉和前庭研究中心。该研究中心的主要目标是促进我们对生长，损伤，疾病以及主要与听力和平衡相关的正常和恢复功能的理解。研究核心已经重新设计和扩展，以更好地支持现有的研究计划，提供集中访问和培训的主要设备和共享资源，促进合作互动，并刺激新的合作研究方向。两个以前资助的研究核心被重新配置为显微镜和数字成像核心和组织学核心。两个新的研究核心包括动物内耳功能核心和人类前庭核心。该研究中心实际上位于医学院校园的CID研究大楼内，并拥有来自大学11个以上部门的调查人员。研究基础广泛，包括解剖学，生物化学，细胞生物学，发育生物学，遗传学，分子生物学，神经生物学和生理学等不同的研究领域。研究核心设施提供设备和服务，推动非传染性疾病防治特派团地区的研究。虽然四个核心设施中有三个强调使用转基因和突变小鼠模型，但它们也鼓励使用非小鼠模型。每个核心培训科学家掌握新的研究技术，并提供有限的援助，以促进新的合作研究方向。该中心通过鼓励与中心调查人员合作的积极机制吸引新的调查人员。该中心还支持研讨会，讲习班，讲座和感兴趣的期刊俱乐部。显微镜和数字成像核心支持使用多光子共聚焦显微镜、透射电子显微镜和扫描电子显微镜对基因和蛋白质表达进行高分辨率细胞、分子和超微结构研究。组织学核心优化组织的组织学处理和评估，以了解发育，功能，疾病和恢复过程。动物内耳功能核心提供了基因突变或实验操作后听觉/前庭功能的快速筛查和详细的生理评估。人类前庭核心帮助研究人员研究人类在移动（旋转或平移）环境中的空间感知和运动协调。除了支持基础研究项目外，人类前庭核心的加入还促进了转化研究的机会。 中心管理 导演：Dwayne D. Simmons博士

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We seek to renew support for an expanded Research Center for Auditory and Vestibular Studies in the Department of Otolaryngology at Washington University School of Medicine. The major goal of this Research Center is to advance our understanding of growth, injury, disease, and normal and recovered function primarily related to hearing and balance. The research cores have been redesigned and expanded to better support existing research programs, provide centralized access and training to major equipment and shared resources, promote cooperative interactions, and stimulate new collaborative research directions. Two previously funded research cores were re-configured into a Microscopy and Digital Imaging Core and a Histology Core. Two new research cores include an Animal Inner Ear Function Core and a Human Vestibular Core. The Research Center is physically located in the CID research building on the School of Medicine campus, and has investigators from more than 11 departments across the University. The research base is broad and encompasses such diverse areas of research as anatomy, biochemistry, cell biology, developmental biology, genetics, molecular biology, neurobiology, and physiology. The research core facilities provide equipment and services that advance research in NIDCD-mission areas. While three of the four core facilities emphasize the use of transgenic and mutant mouse models, they also encourage non-mouse models. Each core trains scientists in new research techniques and provides limited assistance to promote new collaborative research directions. The Center attracts new investigators through active mechanisms that encourage collaboration with Center investigators. The Center also supports seminars, workshops, lectures, and journal clubs of interest. The Microscopy and Digital Imaging Core supports high-resolution cellular, molecular and ultrastructural studies of gene and protein expression using multi-photon confocal microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The Histology Core optimizes histological processing and evaluation of tissues in order to understand development, function, disease, and recovery processes. The Animal Inner Ear Function Core provides both rapid screening and detailed physiological assessment of auditory/vestibular function after gene mutation or experimental manipulation. The Human Vestibular Core helps researchers investigate human spatial perception and motor coordination in a moving (rotating or translating) environment. In addition to supporting basic research programs, the addition of a Human Vestibular Core advances the opportunities for translational research. Center Administration Program Director: Dwayne D. Simmons, Ph.D.