Biomolecular Research Core

Project Summary – Biomolecular Research Core The overarching goal of the Biomolecular Research Core is to provide critical components of the research infrastructure needed for the success of our biomedical research programs. Access to instrumentation is essential in enabling Boise State University to build a research capability that will support researchers in their endeavor to carry out multidisciplinary research in the area on matrix biology. During COBRE Phase I, the Biomolecular Research Core supported 16 junior investigators within the COBRE in Matrix Biology as well as more established biomedical researchers. Five disciplines across campus are represented among the junior investigator projects including Biological Sciences, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Physics, Material Sciences, Electrical Engineering. Through the services offered to the research community by the BRC, we now have a much larger community of early and mid-career researchers, as well as investigators who have well- established research programs. The total number of annual users increased from 50 in 2014 to 119 in 2017, more than doubling in this time period. Investigators supported by the BRC published 78 peer-reviewed manuscripts that cite the BRC and the COBRE award, and they made more than 700 scientific presentations. The Core facility is equipped for histology, microscopy, and mass spectrometry for proteomics and metabolomics analysis. In partnership with the University of Idaho and Idaho State University, junior investigators will continue to have access to next-generation sequencing instrumentation and technical staff, which will allow them to combine transcriptomics with proteomics. The Core has enhanced current and future NIH-supported research and will continue to do so in Phase II. Establishing and operating the Core is integral to the Center of Biomedical Research Excellence in Matrix Biology and we will continue to work toward sustainable biomedical research growth at Boise State. This facility will be sustained through a business plan based on a fee-for-service model and partnership with departments, schools, and colleges within the university to assure that we are working toward a shared vision and common goals for biomedical research growth that are consistent with the mission of Boise State University.