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GCRC lab boasts more space, new equipment by Heather Murphy Public Relations Su Yang, General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) lab director, whips around her new lab, similar to a child showing off her Christmas loot.  “We’ve been looking and waiting for this space for two years,” she said. “We are so excited to have this new lab.” At the center of Yang’s joy is the new state-of-the-art molecular lab on the second floor of the  Clinical Sciences Building. She points out the MegaBace 1000 DNA sequencer: “This sequencer uses capillary technique to read DNA base by base and can process up to 600 bases at a time. Now, instead of waiting overnight for 36 DNA samples to be read, we can finish 48 samples in two hours.” In addition to the DNA sequencer, the GCRC lab is equipped with the Helix system (also called denature HPLC), which can be used for a single nucleotide mutation analysis. Yang’s new lab is part of the GCRC, currently under renovation on the second floor of the Clinical Sciences Building to bring all of the GCRC elements under one roof. Funded by the NIH, the GCRC is one of 85 centers nationwide with the objective of providing clinical support services to those undertaking research. The GCRC receives $2 million annually to provide equipment, staffing, supplies, clinical lab testing and administrative support to MUSC’s researchers. After a recent survey of the investigators served by the GCRC, the staff felt the need to restructure current services to better reflect the needs of investigator-initiated research as well as industry-initiated research, which has seen a surge in the last few years.  Enter the MUSC Research Support Center, a new entity overseeing the GCRC and a new Clinical Trials Center.  By deregulating some of the GCRC space, investigators concerned with cost and regulatory problems should feel better about using the services. The physical and human resources are organized under the Research Support Center but are shared between the two programs with separate accounting and organizational structures to remain in compliance with the NIH guidelines and assure financial viability of both programs.  The Research Support Center’s leadership consists of Peter Wilson, M.D., GCRC program director, Kathleen Brady, M.D., Ph.D., Psychiatry, and L. Lyndon Key, M.D., Pediatrics professor and chairman “We responded to a need of many of our investigators to be more flexible in the support that we offer,” said Vickie Wickman, GCRC administrative director. “By separating our services into clinical trials and GCRC-funded research, we are better prepared to offer one-on-one and customized service. Centralizing all of this under the Research Support Center will help ensure compliance, research subject protection, cost effectiveness and will create less paperwork.” The renovations will be complete at the end of November, and services under the umbrella of the Research Support Center will include additional outpatient clinic space and procedure rooms, dental research space, a bone density suite with adult and infant analysis capabilities, echocardiology and oximetry services, a large state of the art kitchen and dining area, and a new clean lab to support an islet transplant program. As far as Yang is concerned, the lab is ready to go. “We really have three roles when it comes to research support services here at MUSC,” she said. “We provide standardization, core facilities and services when talking about things like DNA sequencing and multiple analyses, something difficult to achieve in individual labs. Secondly, we’re a molecular lab so we are in a position to introduce those forefront molecular technologies in biomedical science to research investigators. And we’re able to provide training in a molecular laboratory setting, and that way, everyone’s education gets stronger.” In addition to molecular services, the lab provides sample-processing services for clinical analysis, sample storage, and shipping to central labs. Another survey item that Wickman and the GCRC staff felt deserved attention was a new research coordinator position. “This individual would help with IRB submissions, subject recruitment, study implementation and coordination, and act as an intermediary between sponsors and investigators or investigators and subjects,” Wickman said. “And by centralizing this position under the center, it will save time and money for investigators that need only some services and not all. The services will be based on individualized contracts and thus customized to the study and the investigator’s needs.” For more information on the new Research Support Center, services offered to MUSC investigators, or to inquire about the research coordinator position, e-mail Wickman at wickmanv@musc.edu              Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.