About the Core 

The Human Energy Balance (HEB) core is an integral part of the Kansas Center for Metabolism and Obesity Research (KC-MORE). The HEB core integrates facilities, equipment, and expertise on the University of Kansas Medical Center campus and makes them available to support investigators to perform human subject-based research and training on the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity, and the regulation of body weight and body composition. Areas of study include physiology/biology (homeostatic processes), the environment (availability of energy-dense foods, sedentary jobs, etc.), and behavioral factors (diet, exercise). The interactions between these factors are highly complex and not well understood, which results in variability in their effects on regulating body weight and body composition.

The HEB core centralizes facilities, equipment, expertise, and training opportunities to study these outcomes by providing:

1. An Energy Expenditure/Exercise Physiology Division to study metabolic effects of exercise, energy expenditure, body composition, and other health-fitness outcomes. 
2. An Energy Intake Division to measure and control nutrition and energy intake in research participants. 
3. A Clinical Weight Management Division to support researchers studying novel approaches to regulate body weight, which includes weight loss and maintenance. 

Investigators who are requesting services or are seeking consultation are to complete the Human Energy Balance (HEB) Core application form:

Human Energy Balance (HEB) Core application

The general review and implementation of an application submitted to the HEB Core is illustrated in the figure below. Investigators are encouraged to be familiar with these flows and to plan accordingly when making requests for the HEB Core.

Text summary of the process illustrated in the above diagram:

The process starts with 'Investigator Submits an Application to the Human Energy Balance (HEB) Core.' The application is reviewed by the HEB within one week, with the possibility of requesting additional information. A meeting is then scheduled with the Principal Investigator (PI) and HEB regarding the request.

If the request is to support an existing study, the process involves establishing a budget, finalizing the protocol, and finalizing logistics (milestones, scheduling). This leads to an agreement between the PI and HEB, after which regulatory documents are provided to HEB, and the project is initiated.

If the request is for support for a grant application, the next steps include establishing a budget for HEB core services, preparing additional content (methods, facilities, equipment, biosketches), and obtaining letters of support from KC-MORE and HEB. Documents are then provided to the PI to include in the grant application. The PI provides a copy of the submitted grant application to HEB. The timeline from the initial application to providing documents for the grant application is at least one month.

For requests to use an existing dataset, the budget is established (if applicable), the dataset is identified, the protocol is finalized, and logistics (milestones, etc.) are finalized. This leads to an agreement between the PI and HEB, after which regulatory documents are provided to HEB, and the project is initiated.