RCC
Since its creation, the BBRC has provided critical infrastructure and resources through the Research Capacity Core (RCC), (previously, the Research Infrastructure Core). This core has evolved through the years to meet the needs of our researchers and the institution and continues to be a critical component. The fundamental goal of the BBRC is to enhance biomedical research capabilities, support foundational RCMI U54 research and pilot projects, while following best practices for core facilities.
Informed by the NIH-wide Strategic Plan that includes an objective dedicated to understanding the contextual factors of health, and the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) framework that identifies the need for advancing scientific understanding of the causes of poor health outcomes by investigating “Health Determinants through Basic, Behavioral, and Applied Research,” we have substantially reorganized the RCC infrastructure. While maintaining a foundational Core Research Resources (CRR) unit, two new units have been developed, the Hispanic Health Hub (H3) and the Integrative Analytics (IA) unit (Figure 1). Each unit provides specialized processes and services that are critical to the success of the BBRC.
The RCC leadership platform includes an RCC Lead and designated unit directors (Figure 2), each of whom have substantial expertise in their specialized areas of research, along with a profound understanding of the instrumentation under their supervision. Dr. Renato Aguilera, Professor of Biological Sciences, will continue in his role as RCC Lead, a position that he has held for the past 18 years. Dr. Igor Almeida, Professor of Biological Sciences, will direct the CRR unit, he is a world-renowned expert on proteomics and was the co-director of the previous Biomolecule Analysis and Omics (BAO) unit. Dr. Elisa Robles, MD, PhD and Research Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, has spearheaded ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ data and tissue repository efforts for the past five years and will continue this role as director of the H3 unit. Dr. Ming Ying Leung,
Professor of Mathematical Sciences, has led the ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ Bioinformatics program for over 20 years and will direct the IA unit.
