Few academic health centers of our size are fortunate enough to have both a Clinical and Translational Science Award and a cancer center with comprehensive designation from the National Cancer Institute. These serve as the foundation of our ability to conduct cutting-edge research with an eye toward meeting the specific needs of our communities.
This work rests on an ability to create partnerships with communities to build trust and gain input in identifying key research priorities. In our experience, this is key to conducting studies whose outcomes will have a meaningful human impact.
Office of Research has a variety of available equipment as part of our shared research cores and facilities to be utilized by investigators.
The Analytical and Translational Genomics (ATG) shared resource provides access to next-generation sequencing including bulk and single-cell RNA-seq, and other genomics technologies coupled with expert bioinformatics analysis. ATG is available for use by all faculty at UNM and its affiliates, and all investigators are encouraged to contact ATG to find out how we can help with their research.
The UNM Cancer Center Animal Models shared resource offers support for preclinical animal studies including immunocompromised and humanized mouse models for cancer studies, cancer cell injection/implantation, drug treatment, tumor monitoring, live animal in vivo imaging and tumor burden quantification, necropsy, and animal pathology.
The Behavioral Measurement and Population Science (BMPS) shared resource supports the development and implementation of cancer-focused population science and patient-centered research through a dedicated research infrastructure.
The Bioinformatics shared resource works closely with the other Shared Resources that generate large, complex data sets. The faculty in the Biostatistics Shared Resource provides complementary expertise and assist with the data analysis. The Resource Directors collaborate with users to design experiments, develop new methods for data analysis and interpretation, integrate therapeutic knowledge, and assist with grant writing and data processing for publications.
The UNM Cancer Center Biostatistics Shared Resource (BSR) offers biostatistical collaboration and support for study design, statistical analysis, clinical trials, grant preparation and methodological development to investigators affiliated with the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center. In addition to providing biostatistics and data management support, we also provide expertise in the design and analysis of genetic/genomic studies, including next-generation sequencing, methylation, and gene expression research.
The Flow Cytometry Shared Resource is committed to providing high quality flow cytometry and cell sorting services to the UNM campus and surrounding biotech community. The Flow Cytometry Shared Resource is equipped to perform the majority of standard and advanced flow cytometry applications. Collectively, these technologies provide basic, translational and clinical researchers with the ability to examine cellular heterogeneity and cell state changes in large and diverse cell populations. Additionally, the Flow Cytometry Shared Resource provides training, service, instrumentation, computational resources and additional technical guidance for all researchers who use the facility through a bi-monthly newsletter and quarterly meetings.
The Fluorescence Microscopy shared resource aids basic and physician researchers to image samples and publish high profile articles. The Fluorescence Microscopy Shared Resource provides UNM researchers access to state-of-the art instrumentation for multiple fluorescence and transmitted light microscopy techniques.
The Human Tissue Repository and Tissue Analysis Shared Resource (HTR-TASR), which is funded by the Cancer Center and the Department of Pathology, have been set up to facilitate the translational research of the faculty in the Cancer Center, the Department of Pathology, the School of Medicine and across Institutes. These webpages describe the services offered and contact details of people in the HTR-TASR who can help and advice on tissue availability and all aspects of histology and molecular pathology.
The CTSC Biostatistics resource provides all HSC researchers ready access to appropriate expertise in study design, biostatistics, and basic data management through individual consultation with biostatistics faculty.
The mission of the CTSC Participant Clinical Interactions is to provide a flexible and dynamic infrastructure for human subjects research.
The mission of the CTSC Community Engagement and Research Core (CERC) is to provide research infrastructure that supports academic and community stakeholders to engage in mutually beneficial partnerships for effective clinical and translational research.
The Community Health Network (CHN) was created with the goal to reduce disparities between health care and research. The network provides an innovative, efficient, and accessible enrollment approach to research and clinical trials to diverse and rural populations throughout New Mexico.
DDRC provides a critical resource to speed and facilitate the identification of new drug candidates through a full-service drug discovery and repurposing pipeline to support translational scientists that include essential training, support for study and assay design, state-of-the-art technology, and dissemination by developing innovative laboratory-based or computationally based tools as required to support pilot projects. DDRC facilitates team formation, regulatory support, and trial design through local and network partnerships and implements first-in-human single-site and multi-site trials.
The enterprise of the CTSC informatics core is to harness the research potential of medical records, provide secure storage for human-subjects data, improve research efficiency, develop technologies to support research projects, and share these resources with researchers at the HSC.
The enterprise of the CTSC Regulatory Knowledge and Support Unit is to support the investigator community in developing regulatory and clinical strategies and fulfilling regulatory requirements for clinical research program along the continuum of clinical, translational, and community research.
The RHRSN is a collaboration of CTSAs with the mission to identify, test, and disseminate best practices for performing community-engaged clinical and translational research among rural providers and communities.
The CTSC Translational Laboratory (T-Laboratory) is comprised of 6,000 gsf of wet-lab space, located in the newly renovated UNM CTSC Building. The T-Laboratory offers state-of-the-art equipment and technical assistance with laboratory techniques for UNM HSC investigators. The experienced staff of the T-Laboratory provides specialized laboratory support, customized to meet the needs of the investigators in all aspects of research including protocol/assay development, budget preparation, and testing of patient samples for various assays.
Our state-of-the-art Animal Resource Facility (ARF) facility enables us to provide the best possible animal care for all teaching and research programs that use animals.
The Autophagy, Inflammation and Metabolism Core Facility supports researchers interested in autophagy, inflammation and metabolism research as a part of the NIGMS-funded AIM Center. We provide access to equipment capable of high content microscopy, single cell technologies, and metabolism research.
The Pre-Clinical Core is a component of the Center from Brain Recovery and Repair (P20GM109089). Its mission is to establish a centralized resource and expertise on automated behavior, in-vivo detection of neuronal activity, and structural analyses applicable to a range of pre-clinical models of brain and behavioral illnesses.
The Clinical Core is a fundamental component of the Center for Brain Recovery and Repair (CBRR) established by an NIGMS Center for Biomedical Research Excellence (CoBRE) grant (P20GM109089). The mission of the Clinical Core is to provide a centralized, interdisciplinary clinical research facility that provides state-of-the-art neuropsychological, neural stimulation, and neuroimaging equipment and space.
The HSC Electron Microscopy Facility in Albuquerque is open to staff, students, faculty and others who would like to use the equipment for research.
The HIRC provides administrative support for research conducted on clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners at the UNM Outpatient Surgery and Imaging Services (OSIS) center and at the UNM main hospital.
Based on fee-for-services, the HIRC will provide comprehensive research support to include budget development and pricing for grant submissions, registration and scheduling of research participants, and data transfer. Additional services include protocol development, data anonymization, medical physics QC, and image storage on a dedicated research PACS.
The IMAC & BACC is housed on the basement floor of the UNM College of Pharmacy (2502 Marble Ave NE). The Core’s valuable equipment, scientific knowledge, and technical guidance are accessible to both basic science and clinical researchers. We provide expertise and tools for a variety of modern molecular analyses, including ICP-MS, LC-MS/MS, mass spectrometry imaging, microplastics analysis via Pyrolysis-GC-MS, and EPR spin trapping. The Core is available on a fee-for-service basis to all UNM researchers, as well as extramural investigators. Users may utilize walk-up-use instruments as well as a large number of services performed on behalf of researchers by core facility scientists.
Beyond providing access to the advanced analytical instrumentation, the Core supports innovative protocol development, and provides training to students, fellows, and faculty in the integrated applications associated with the instrumentation. At the heart of all we do are detailed quality control procedures to assure consistent instrument analytical performance. Analytical workflows are tailored to each project and may involve optimizing separation techniques coupled with appropriate mass spectrometers. For most non-routine services, we encourage strong collaboration with our staff scientists throughout every phase of a project—from planning and execution to data analysis and interpretation.
The Interdisciplinary Substance Use And Brain Injury (ISUBI) center focuses on two interrelated health priorities of New Mexico: brain injury, and substance abuse. The 16,000 sq ft facility is funded by an NIH construction grant (CO6 ODO28370) and generous institutional support.
For use of any space and/or Core resources within the ISUBI second floor, you must have prior approval and a documented MOU approved by the relevant Core. Please contact Rebecca Hansana for inquiries related to use of the ISUBI center.
The Preclinical Imaging Core at Domenici Hall houses a 7T MRI scanner (Bruker BioSpec 70/30USR) and a PET insert for preclinical and molecular in vivo and ex vivo imaging. The scanner is equipped with state-of-the-art multi-channel RF coils, allowing high-resolution in vivo or ex vivo imaging for application in life science, biomedical and preclinical research. The facility provides comprehensive imaging services for both UNM/non-UNM investigators.
The Gait and Motion Analysis Laboratory facilitates multidisciplinary research activities in rehabilitation sciences and biomechanics, with state-of-the-art movement analysis equipment, including a motion capture system; electromyography, force places, and pressure mapping system; and computational and analytic software and support. Click here to learn more.