REACHnet is a PCORI-funded clinical data research network (CDRN) designed to help Louisiana clinicians and researchers conduct robust comparative effectiveness research with integrated recruitment and data solutions. REACHnet supports all forms of clinical research, with a specific focus on pragmatic research, which integrates research activities into clinical workflow with minimal disruption to patients, providers, and health systems. REACHnet services include data requests, data linkage, research consulting, recruitment support, regulatory support, and stakeholder engagement.

More information: www.reachnet.org

The BRC is a NIH-funded dietary supplement research center, focused on botanicals and metabolic syndrome. The goal of the Center is to provide a comprehensive evaluation of botanicals in addressing the pathophysiologic mechanisms that lead to the development of insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome. The Botanical Core facilitates the work of all BRC projects and cores by cultivating plants, isolating bioactives, and producing and studying botanical therapeutics.  The Integrative Biology Core provides state-of-the-art animal models, in vivo metabolic phenotyping and ex vivo proteomic and metabolomic profiling. To contact these cores, email botanical@pbrc.edu.

More information: http://botanical.pbrc.edu

1) Mentoring in Obesity & Diabetes Research in Louisiana (PI: Thomas Gettys, PhD, Pennington Biomedical)

• Genomics Core
  (supported by the Pennington Biomedical COBRE & Nutritional Obesity Research Center)
  The Genomics Core Facility seeks to achieve high quality research data production through education of core facility users, optimal use of qPCR and RNA/DNA quality and quantity instrumentation, and quality Sanger sequencing, next-generation sequencing, robotics, and microarray services. (More information)
  
  
• Cell Biology & Bioimaging Core
  (supported by the Pennington Biomedical COBRE & Nutrition Obesity Research Center)
  The Cell Biology and Bioimaging Core (CBBC) provides access to state of the art imaging, analytical, and histological equipment as well as technical expertise and assistance to researchers.
  (More information)

2) Mentoring in Cardiovascular Biology (PI: Daniel Kapusta, PhD, LSU Health New Orleans; Co-PI: K. Gus Kousoulas, PhD, Tulane HSC)

• Cell & Molecular Analysis Core
  This Core provides investigators with cell culture facilities and state-of-the-art technologies for proteomics research, the latter including 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. The Cell and Molecular Analysis Core added services to investigators for Electron Paramagnetic Resonance imaging (EPR), HPLC, flow cytometry, RT and QT PCR, cell signaling, and radioligand binding.
  
  
• Imaging & Histology Core
  This core provides investigators with an array of state-of-the-art microscopes and imaging capabilities for research and services for histological/morphological preparation, fixation and analysis of tissues and cells. This core is equipped with a variety of Zeiss, Leica Corporation and Olympus Microscopes that provide valuable imaging amenities and applications (including laser capture microscopy, TIRF, FRET, and confocal). A recent addition to the histology component is the purchase of a 30-slide Ventana automated immunostainer.
  
  
• Vascular & Cardiac Function Core
  This Core provides valuable services for the design and development of new animal models for cardiovascular research, including: 1) ultrasound imaging in small or large animals, 2) radio telemetry (DSI) measurement of blood pressure and heart rate, 3) Millar cardiac pressure-volume analysis, 4) CNS stereotaxic microinjection and microdialysis, 5) conscious or anesthetized sympathetic nerve recording, 6) tissue collection, 7) blood flow analysis, 8) plethysmography, 9) flame photometry measurement of urine/plasma sodium/potassium concentration, and 10) assessment of renal hemodynamic and excretory function performed under acute or chronic (daily) conditions.

For more information or to contact these Cores, please click here.

3) Tulane Hypertension & Renal  Center of Excellence (PI: L. Gabriel Navar, PhD, Tulane HSC)

• Mouse Phenotyping Core: This Core provides services in: 1) 24-hour hemodynamic & activity monitoring by radio telemetry system, 2) Blood pressure determinations by plethysmography, 3)Single-mouse metabolic cages study, 4) Renal functional experimentation, 5) Renal nerve activity recording, and 6) Echocardiography. (More Information)
  
  
• Molecular & Analytical Core:  This Core provides a comprehensive service for molecular biology, imaging and biochemistry support. This facility serves as the resource to instruments and equipment needed to perform advanced molecular biology, semi-quantitative immuno-histochemistry and bio-analytical experiments, and support training of junior faculty, postdoctoral fellows, graduate and medical students in the areas of physiology, hypertension and cardiovascular and renal diseases.(More Information)
  
  
• Animal & Gene Targeted Core: This Core supports the study of genetic traits in intact animals has transgenic and gene-targeting experiments in which desired genetic changes are made in the germ-line. The facility maintains and generates new breeding pairs, genotyping, and colonies of genetically manipulated mouse and rat. These genetically engineered mouse and rat models and gene-targeted mouse strains are made available to investigators for hypertension, cardiovascular & renal research. (More Information)

• Clinical & Translational Core:  This Core promotes and facilitates clinical and translational studies in hypertension, kidney disorders, and related cardiovascular diseases. (More Information)

4) Mentoring in Cancer Genetics (PI: Prescott Deininger, PhD, Tulane University)

• Cell Analysis Core Facility: This Core provides instrumentation, such as BD Pathway, BD LSRII Analyzer, BD FACSAria.(More Information)
  
  
• Cancer Crusaders Next Generation Sequence Analysis Core:  This Core currently provides standard analysis of genome and transcriptome data. The core will be working on a continuous basis to update existing processing methods as well as exploring the implementation of new algorithms and pipelines.(More Information)
  
  
• LCRC Biospecimen Core Laboratory: This Core provides services in tissue procurement, blood procurement, quality assurance/histopathologic review, and biospecimen storage. The goal of the repository is to support LCRC programmatic research in order to further improve our understanding of those molecular factors that contribute to cancer and that may lead to prevention, early detection, and cure.(More Information) 

This Program focuses on the discovery and development of a wide range of drugs (especially repurposed and natural products) that affect multiple diseases. INLET offers expertise in assay development, screening, drug design and delivery, in vivo and in vitro models of cancer, pharmacology and toxicology, as well as early clinical development strategies for the discovery of new small molecule therapies. The INLET screening center is equipped with liquid handlers, robotic screening devices, and high content, real time, screening assay platforms such as Cellomics and the Essen Bioscience Incucyte.

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The program provides bioinformatics solutions and services on a COST-RECOVERY or SHARED COST basis through its Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics Laboratory. We provide high quality; custom bioinformatics, computational genomics, statistical genetics and computational systems biology analysis support services and solutions to basic science, clinical and translational researchers and to our collaborating partners.

More information: http://www.medschool.lsuhsc.edu/bioinformatics/

The Pennington Biomedical NORC has a NIH-funded base and includes basic and clinical research addressing the most prominent causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States related to nutritionally induced chronic diseases, many of them linked to obesity. The NORC supports clinical investigation addressing the etiology of nutritionally induced chronic diseased across the entire age span, from gestational and perinatal development through childhood and adolescence, to young and middle-aged adults up to elderly individuals.  Pennington NORC’s platform includes three scientific Cores: a Molecular Mechanisms Core (genomics and cellular), very closely related to a Human Phenotyping Core (characterization of phenotypes predisposing to obesity and the metabolic syndrome and behavioral interventions to counteract those) and an Animal Models and Phenotyping Core.

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The ISPCTN is a component of the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program funded by the NIH. The goal of the ISPCTN is to provide medically underserved and rural populations with access to state-of-the-art clinical trials, apply findings from relevant pediatric cohort studies to children in IDeA state locations, and build pediatric research capacity at a national level. It also support professional development of faculty-level pediatricians and their support teams in the conduct of clinical trials research. Within Louisiana, a collaboration between Pennington Biomedical Research Center (Baton Rouge) and Tulane University School of Medicine (New Orleans) serves as an ISPCTN site, leveraging existing clinical research expertise in obesity, maternal-fetal health, asthma, neurodevelopment and birth outcomes. The objective of this program is to support a novel partnership between Pennington Biomedical and Tulane University, institutions with complementary expertise in pediatric health, capable of conducting a broad range of clinical trials.

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Local Contact: Daniel Hsia, MD, Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Daniel.Hsia@pbrc.edu

N3C is building a centralized national data resource — the NCATS N3C Data Enclave — that the research community can use to study COVID-19 and identify potential treatments as the pandemic continues to evolve. Specifically, the N3C will enable the rapid collection and analysis of clinical, laboratory and diagnostic data from hospitals and health care plans. If successful, this approach will be applicable to other research questions and may serve as a model for addressing future public health emergencies.

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Questions and more information on how to access N3C, contact the LA CaTS Biomedical Informatics Core at Biomedinformatics@LACaTS.org.