Cells, Tissues, Bioanalysis and Bioinformatics (CTBB) Core
About the Core
One of the most scientifically critical yet logistically challenging aspects of studying mechanisms of disease pathogenesis is the need to test hypotheses generated using cells and experimental animals in actual patient tissues. Basic science researchers face several challenges, including but not limited to, identifying clinical collaborators with access to patient populations, completing the necessary regulatory process, procuring, storing and distributing tissue samples, performing reliable bioanalysis and using cutting-edge computational methods to test the various hypotheses.
The goal of the Cells, Tissues, Bioanalysis and Biostatistics (CTBB) core supported by the Kansas Center for Metabolic and Obesity Research (KC-MORE) is to make this tedious process simple, centralized and efficient for research project leaders as well as the broader scientific community at KU Medical Center performing research on obesity, metabolism and obesity-related disease conditions.
Building on our existing biobanking infrastructure, we are developing a pipeline for metabolism and obesity research that will procure needed clinical samples by completing the regulatory process, store these samples and distribute them to investigators. Our core provides technical expertise to facilitate integration of a broad range of bioanalytical methods. This includes custom development of new assays and utilization of existing institutional cores funded by other COBRE and IDeA grants. Finally, we also have a dedicated biostatistics and bioinformatics component in the CTBB core. Technological advances have made it very easy to generate large genomic, transcriptomics, metabolomic and population-based datasets. More and more researchers, both basic and clinical, are generating and using Big Data in their research. A major hurdle faced by the research community is the lack of biostatistics and bioinformatics expertise which inevitably slows down such investigations. Working in collaboration with Kansas Institute for Precision Medicine, we provide dedicated bioinformatic and biostatistics capabilities for our investigators.
The overall goal of the CTBB core is to support the KC-MORE by providing logistic and technical expertise in performing translational research with maximum efficiency and state-of-the-art methodology.
Our Specific Aims
The goal of this component is to collect, store and distribute tissue samples including blood, serum, plasma, liver, adipose tissue and muscle from patients of various obesity associated diseases. An already established liver tissue bank will be expanded and further developed to support obesity and metabolic disease research.
The goal of this component is to provide expertise and technical support in performing high-throughput assays on human, rodent and cell culture samples using cutting-edge technologies such as Luminex, Simoa from Quantirex and standard genomics, proteomics and metabolomics platforms. The CTBB core will employ a dedicated technician who will be trained in conducting multiple assays and provide their expertise to KC-MORE researchers and beyond.
The goal of this component is to provide biostatistics expertise to the research project leaders, investigators receiving pilot awards and other investigators from across campus. This includes extending the biostatistical expertise for high dimension data generated by the Metabolism and Human Energy Balance cores. For this aim, we will collaborate with the Quantitative Omics core, which is part of the Kansas Institute for Precision Medicine COBRE.
Core Team
The CTBB core team will include a clinical coordinator who will oversee obtaining IRB approvals and forming the bridge between the multiple clinical entities who will provide research samples and the research project leaders and investigators working within the KC-MORE. The clinical coordinator will be supported by a full-time research technician who will coordinate sample procurement, storage and distribution. Additionally, this technician will have the skills to perform various bioanalytical techniques and to coordinate with analytical cores as needed to facilitate successful data collection. The CTBB team will be supervised by the core co-directors Dr. Apte and Dr Weinman.
Successful establishment of the CTBB core will provide a one stop solution for multiple projects requiring diverse services by creating a simple and efficient pipeline for effective translational research focused on metabolism and obesity in the KC-MORE COBRE.