UAMS’ Extensive Research Facilities Showcased at Latest Medical Discoveries Symposium
| Scientists conducting a wide range of basic, clinical and translational research at UAMS gathered May 14 at the Showcase of Medical Discoveries Symposium. Held on the 10th floor of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, the event highlighted the extensive capabilities of UAMS’ 16 core facilities that are available to help researchers with their studies.
A quarterly event sponsored by the UAMS Division of Research and Innovation, the showcase featured posters representing core facility programs and services available to researchers from numerous UAMS colleges and academic departments, including the UAMS colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy, the Translational Research Institute, the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute and the Psychiatric Research Institute.
“UAMS provides exceptional research support through our core facilities,” said Dan Voth, Ph.D., vice chancellor of research and innovation. “These cores play a vital role in advancing scientific discovery and providing state-of-the-art technologies, expert consultation and collaborative opportunities across a wide range of disciplines.
“Some of our new scientists may have been introduced to these resources when they first arrived at UAMS. This is an opportunity to reacquaint them with the great resources we have to support their work and the people who can help them.”
UAMS core research facilities featured at the showcase include:
- Bioanalytical Core, Ping-Ching Hsu, Ph.D.
- Bone Imaging Core, Charles O’Brien, Ph.D.
- Brain Imaging Research Center, G. Andrew James, Ph.D.
- Comprehensive Informatics Research Core, Fred Prior, Ph.D.
- Digital Microscopy Laboratory, Brain Storrie, Ph.D.
- DNA Damage and Toxicology Core, Alexei Banaian, M.D., Ph.D.
- DNA and Next Generation Sequencing Core, Jon Blevins, Ph.D.
- Experimental Pathology Core, Behjatolah Karbassi, Ph.D.
- Flow Cytometry, Jason Stumhofer, Ph.D.
- Genetic Models Core, Qiang Fu, M.D., Ph.D.
- Genomics Core, Donald Johann, M.D.
- History, Biomechanics and Human Tissue Core, Charles O’Brien, Ph.D.
- IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics Core, Alan Tackett, Ph.D.
- Metabolomics and Analytical Chemistry Core, Renny Lan, Ph.D.
- Radiation Biology Shared Resource Core, Marjan Boerma, Ph.D.
- Tissue Biorepository and Procurement Core, Steven Post, Ph.D.
Jesus Delgado-Calle, Ph.D., associate professor of physiology and cell biology, was on hand to share information about the Bone Imagining Center at the UAMS Center for Musculoskeletal Disease Research. The center provides advanced imaging and hands-on training to support the quantitative evaluation of tissue and cellular changes in musculoskeletal disorders.
Another impressive resource that supports UAMS clinical research is The Helen L. Porter and James T. Dyke Brain Imaging Research Center.
“Our goal is to help researchers and clinicians understand the brain’s complex relationship with human behavior,” said G. Andrew James. Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and director of the Brain Imaging Research Center. “We offer advanced brain imaging and brain mapping technologies that psychiatrists can use to study how the brain rewires itself in psychiatric and neurological disorders.”
The center also offers a full suite of MRI-compatible portable technology to support human research including monitors, headphones, button boxes, digital microphones and recording equipment.
Titiana Wolfe, Ph.D., assistant professor in the UAMS Department of Psychiatry, joined James at the showcase to share information about the center’s personalized brain mapping that supports the UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute’s SAINT TMS clinical service for refractory depression, as well as refractory epilepsy and multiple sclerosis.
Among the presenters were Fred Prior, Ph.D., distinguished professor and chair of the UAMS Department of Biomedical Informatics and director of the Comprehensive Informatics Resource Core. Prior, along with assistant professor Melody Greer, Ph.D., previewed the Bioinformatics Collaborative Resource Center that will provide information and matchmaking to researchers needing bioinformatics experts on projects.
For more information about any of the UAMS core research facilities featured at the showcase, contact the directors listed above or email the UAMS Research Support Team at RESHsupport@uams.edu.