Templated Grant Language

Ohio University and its colleges, schools and institutes offer a dynamic and comprehensive scientific environment that is strongly supportive of the proposed project and its success. Established in 1804, Ohio University (OHIO) is the oldest public institution of higher learning in the state of Ohio and the first in the Northwest Territory of the United States. To fulfill its mission to serve the state’s residents, OHIO has 11 campuses or centers throughout the state of Ohio, including the main campus in Athens, five regional campuses, two clinically focused extension campuses, and several research centers. OHIO has more than 28,000 students, with ~ 17,000 undergraduates, 1,000 medical students and 2,500 graduate students. Approximately one-third of incoming first-year students are first-generation students, 28% are Federal Pell Grant eligible. The undergraduate population has become increasingly diverse over the past decade. Approximately 40% of OHIO students are enrolled in STEM-related degree programs that arise from one of four different colleges and include programs such as Biological Sciences, Translational Biomedical Sciences, and Biomedical Engineering. OHIO is also home to four biomedically-focused research institutes: Diabetes Institute (DI), Edison Biotechnology Institute, Infectious and Tropical Disease Institute, and Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI). Over the past decade, focused growth of these institutes (notably DI and OMNI) resulted in more than a two-fold increase in OHIO’s NIH funding. OHIO is fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifies OHIO as an R1 Research University (very high research activity) under the basic classification category. Ohio University has an extensive research infrastructure across the state of Ohio, the greater Appalachian region, and nationally.

The University’s Alden Library collections consist of more than three million volumes of books, e-books, e-journals, databases, photographs, maps, DVDs, and images. In addition to general collections, unique materials are held in Archives and Special Collections, the Fine Arts Library, the Music & Dance Library, and the Center for International Collections. Investigators have access to most major electronic database search systems, including MEDLINE, PSYCINFO, etc. Online library content is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from all on campus and off campus locations with internet access. Alden Library offers fast and efficient inter-library loan services to obtain research articles not directly available to investigators through the university’s library. Assistance from a librarian is available by email, phone, text, or internet chat, as well as in person. Libraries are open seven days a week.  

OHIO’s main campus includes computing facilities that serve the university as a whole (including regional campuses) as well as facilities whose primary function is to support activities on the main campus. These facilities include central systems, microcomputers (both PC and Apple), and workstations. Some of these facilities are dedicated to a particular college or department's use, and some are available to all students and faculty. All computers have network connections and so can also be used to access central services and the internet via campus-wide wireless internet. Central systems also provide access to a variety of software, including statistical data analysis packages, and compilers for programming languages. 

Ohio University’s Alden Library collections consist of more than three million volumes of books, e-books, e-journals, databases, photographs, maps, DVDs, and images. In addition to general collections, unique materials are held in Archives and Special Collections, the Fine Arts Library, the Music & Dance Library, and the Center for International Collections. Investigators have access to most major electronic database search systems, including MEDLINE, PSYCINFO, etc. Online library content is accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from all on campus and off campus locations with internet access. Alden Library offers fast and efficient inter-library loan services to obtain research articles not directly available to investigators through the university’s library. Assistance from a librarian is available by email, phone, text, or internet chat, as well as in person. Libraries are open seven days a week.  

OHIO’s main campus includes computing facilities that serve the university as a whole (including regional campuses) as well as facilities whose primary function is to support activities on the main campus. These facilities include central systems, microcomputers (both PC and Apple), and workstations. Some of these facilities are dedicated to a particular college or department's use, and some are available to all students and faculty. All computers have network connections and so can also be used to access central services and the internet via campus-wide wireless internet. Central systems also provide access to a variety of software, including statistical data analysis packages, and compilers for programming languages. 

Established in 1975, the Heritage College is the state’s largest medical school with respect to student enrollment and is the state’s only osteopathic medical school. The college currently trains future clinicians on three strategically placed campuses (Athens, Dublin, and Cleveland) across the state and throughout a nearly statewide clinical training network that directly impacts the health and wellness state and regional residents. HCOM is a distinguished leader in providing a patient-centered, clinically integrated medical education continuum with an emphasis on primary care. The College received a transformational $105M gift, the largest ever received at a public university in Ohio, from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation. Approximately half of these funds were targeted to support research, new faculty hires, and enhanced research facilities. HCOM is home to three research institutes (Diabetes Institute, Infectious and Tropical Disease Institute and the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute) that provide opportunities to foster collaboration and increase research impact. These institutes have a history of working together to sponsor seminar speakers, bringing in internationally recognized scientists and hosting national and international visiting scholars.

HCOM faculty and staff are on the Athens campus are located in five research buildings, each with different capacities. Heritage Hall houses the administrative offices, including the Executive Dean and Admissions, labs for gross anatomy and osteopathic manipulative medicine, the medical library, clinical and instructional faculty offices, classrooms and small meeting rooms, and the state-of-the-art Heritage Clinical Training and Assessment Center. This building also has several large rooms that provide flexible space and are equipped with contemporary audio-visual technology for training to produce high-quality, interactive presentations. Irvine Hall houses HCOM’s Department of Biomedical Sciences, Office of Research and Grants and the Clinical and Translational Research Unit. The Academic and Research Center (ARC)houses laboratories, classrooms, and meeting rooms to foster collaboration between HCOM and Russ College of Engineering and Technology. Konneker Research Laboratories is a 40,000 square feet laboratory housing the Edison Biotechnology Institute that is designated to meet the needs of interdisciplinary biotechnology research with 40,000 square feet of laboratory space, state-of-the-art equipment, and a vivarium. The research laboratory areas occupy BSL-2 lab spaces equipped with biosafety hoods designated to conduct molecular biology and microbiology experiments. The Life Sciences Research Facility houses several large-format laboratory suites, shared research facilities (e.g., electron microscopy) and equipment to support contemporary approaches in interdisciplinary biology (microbiology, molecular biology, neuroscience) in additional to a vivarium.

A new Translational Research Facility will support clinical and translational research by offering a high quality, modern, flexible, and accessible research and clinical space focused on providing access to public-facing research. This state-of-the-art facility will be the new home of the Clinical and Translational Research Unit (CTRU), Community Health Programs, a non-profit community pharmacy, a vivarium, in addition to multiple researchers from, but not limited to, the Diabetes Institute (DI) and the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI), and Appalachian Institute to Advance Health Equity Science (ADVANCE). Infrastructure in this facility will support the full spectrum (T0-T4) of clinical and translational research. As currently designed, the facility will host approximately 81,000 square feet (gross square footage) and is estimated to cost approximately $62M. The anticipated occupancy date is 2025-2026.

HCOM’s Office of Inclusion develops and implements strategies, programs, and activities on the three HCOM campuses that promote diversity through educational learning experiences and cultural competency training for students, faculty, and staff. Faculty, staff, and students participate in mandatory training and are provided access to OHIO wellness and support services. Educational programs, scholarships and student organization funding are offered. Several pre-college diversity programs are available including the Early Assurance Program, Aspiring Doctors Precollege Program at the Cleveland Campus, the Medical Academy at the Dublin Campus, Summer Scholars, and the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship, among others. A reporting tool for harassment, discrimination, bias, and retaliation is available to all faculty, staff, and students. The Office of Inclusion collaborates with other OHIO offices such as the University Equity and Civil Rights Compliance (ECRC), Office of Diversity and Inclusion and University Human Resources to address any incidents of bias and discrimination. Diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion are incorporated into the HCOM strategy with the goal to recruit, retain, and engage individuals who share our values of empathy, collaboration, and introspection, cultivating an environment and community that promotes individual growth to enhance our mission towards culturally competent care, education, and research. 

The HCOM Office of Research and Grants (ORG), under the direction of associate dean for research and innovation, Darlene Berryman, PhD, LD, RD, provides the infrastructure, leadership, training, and resources to promote integrated scholarly activity, enhance research productivity, and increase external funding of research programs. ORG leads the college’s strategic research initiatives. Additionally, ORG provides administrative support for faculty research in addition to fostering collaborative efforts with partners both within OHIO and external to the university. The office continually works to facilitate the expansion of the college’s research portfolio with healthcare system partners such as the Cleveland Clinic, OhioHealth, and Kettering Health Network and to provide additional opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to engage in research. Three HCOM institutes (the Diabetes Institute, Infectious and Tropical Disease Institute and the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute) and the Clinical and Translational Research Unit research are under the direction of ORG. HCOM, in partnership with the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation, oversees a $5M Diabetes Research Endowed Chair position, two research chairs supported by a $4M Translational Research Endowment, and an additional $7M Translational Research Endowment that supports professorships and fellowships to faculty at any stage of their research career. ORG directs HCOM shared research cores including The Clinical and Translational Research Unit, the Statistical Core for Health and Medicine, Microscopy, Histology and Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping labs. The office provides a full range of services and resources to college faculty, staff, and students, including internal funding for faculty pilot and enhancement projects, student research seed projects, publication fees, and research travel support. Other services include poster editing and printing, grant funding searches and writing assistance, research mentor resources and research seminars. 

The Department of Biomedical Sciences is comprised of 48 faculty members with expertise in diverse biomedical and biological disciplines. Collectively, these talents are used to support the Research, Teaching and Service missions of Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (HCOM) as well as those of Ohio University and of the profession.

Research: Faculty within the Department of Biomedical Sciences are dedicated to basic and applied research in the life sciences.  Research programs with the department encompass a wide range of foci including, but not limited to, Cancer Biology, Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, Integrative Anatomy and Biomechanics, Immunology, Molecular Microbiology, Molecular Medicine, Musculoskeletal and Neurologic Disease. Several faculty within the department are also members of research institutes at Ohio University including the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute, the Diabetes Institute, and the Infectious and Topical Diseases Institute.

Teaching: Faculty within the Department of Biomedical Sciences are dedicated to teaching medical students within the Pathways to Health and Wellness undergraduate and graduate medical curriculum. All basic sciences content of the medical school curriculum, ranging from medical morphology to cell biology, is developed and delivered by members of the Department of Biomedical Sciences. Many faculty members also participate in the formal training of PhD and Masters students within graduate programs including the Translational Biomedical Sciences, Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Biological Sciences graduate programs.

Service: Faculty of the Department of Biomedical Sciences participate in service activities for The Heritage College, Ohio University and the southeast Ohio community, as well as medical and scientific communities at the state, national, and international levels. Examples of such service include participation and leadership in college and university committees, national and international grant review panels (ex: NIH, NSF, AHA, DOD) and professional societies. 

The Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) Department, consisting of 30 academic and 14 clinical faculty, integrates the principles and practice of osteopathic medicine throughout the continuum of osteopathic medical education at the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine.  The mission of Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine curriculum is to develop in students the necessary knowledge, skills and values essential in addressing overall health and well-being via osteopathic manipulative treatments of systemic dysfunction. Our training emphasis ensures that students become strong members of the medical profession who can best serve their patients, their clinical settings, and their communities.

Research: OMM faculty conduct research related to commonly treated patient health conditions such as allergic rhinitis/sinusitis and musculoskeletal complaints as well as medical education theory and practices.

Teaching: The OMM curriculum contributes to the educational preparation of competent osteopathic physicians by emphasizing the uniqueness of osteopathic medicine at each level of the educational process. The focus of this curriculum is the development of integrated cognitive and palpatory skills in diagnosis and treatment, using the guiding philosophy and principles of osteopathic medicine. Central to this endeavor is the elaboration and refinement of knowledge in the disciplines of anatomy and physiology. Among basic disciplines for medical practice, these two have critical bearing on osteopathic theory, methods and practice.

Service: Faculty in the OMM department are actively engaged in our local campus communities around the state and engage in community and outreach events such as free health clinics and fundraisers for community charities. Our department hosts and conducts four to five annual OMM-related CME events, with plans to increase offerings. Many OMM faculty hold local, state and national leadership positions within professional and specialty societies.

The Department of Primary Care (DPC), originally established as the Department of Family Medicine in 1976, is the largest clinical department at OU-HCOM, consisting of more than 40 clinical faculty, eight full-time faculty researchers, and several staff members. It represents a diverse group of physicians, psychologists, educators, and PhD researchers who mentor and teach throughout the medical education continuum. The mission of the Department of Primary Care is to serve as innovative leaders, mentors, and teachers at all levels of osteopathic medical education, to advance collaborative primary care research and to provide comprehensive primary care for the improved well-being of Ohio communities.

Our medical specialty areas include:

• Primary Care
• Pediatrics
• Psychiatry
• Geriatric Medicine
• Gender-affirming healthcare
• Internal Medicine
• Sexually Transmitted Infections

Research: DPC Faculty conduct research in the following areas:

• Diabetology
• Quality improvement (health)
• Health communications
• Amish community
• Breast cancer
• Exercise psychology
• Pediatric Obesity
• Medical Education
• Geriatrics

Teaching: Primary Care faculty serve as preceptors for learners at all levels of training, from the first-year medical student to senior family medicine residents.

Service: Many of our faculty participate in services activities for Ohio University, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, and serve on state, national and international associations. Examples include:

• Department of Primary Care Anti-Racism Book Discussion Committee
• Associate Director, Office of Rural and Underserved Programs (ORUP)
• Membership on the following Heritage College Committees:
  • Executive Committee
  • Curriculum Committee
  • Membership, Nominating and Bylaws Committee
  • Student Selection Advisory
  • Committee on Student Progress
  • Research and Scholarly Awards
  • Medical Student Assistance
• Curriculum Leadership roles in the Pathways to Health and Wellness Curriculum (PHWC) at Heritage College:
  • Clinical Course Director
  • Wellness Course Director
  • Patient Encounter Liaison
  • Clinical Skills and OMM Liaison
• Rising Suns Non-Profit Pharmacy
• Ohio University Faculty Senate representatives
• Faculty Elected Representative, Heritage College
• Mentor to medical students and undergraduate students
• Coach, Heritage College Rural and Urban Scholars Program
• Member, Ohio University Teaching Learning and Assessment Committee
• Associate Editor on the Journal of Osteopathic Medicine
• Editorial Board Member:  BMC Public Health
• Advisor to Heritage College student organizations:
  • Student Osteopathic Medical Association (SOMA)
  • Student Association American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (SACOFP)
  • American Medical Student Association (AMSA)
  • Bobcats and Buddies
  • Care Clinic
  • Gold Humanism Honor Society
  • Ohio Pride:  A Chapter of Medical Student Pride Alliance
  • Ohio Women in Medicine
  • Psychiatry and Neurology Club
  • Student National Medical Association (SNMA)
  • Student Osteopathic Internal Medicine Association (SOIMA)
  • Addiction Medicine
• Ohio Osteopathic Association House of Delegate Reference Committee
• American Osteopathic Association Board of Education
• American Osteopathic Association House of Delegate Member/Reference Committee
• American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP) CME Chair
• American Diabetes Association

The Department of Social Medicine is an interdisciplinary group of 13 full-time academic faculty which includes 4 instructional faculty and 9 nonclinical tenure track faculty who are social scientists, health professionals, humanities scholars, and medical educators. Their scholarship illuminates people and the myriad forces that shape their health care experiences.  Collectively, our work examines health care delivery and outcomes across multiple levels: individual, community, population, societal, cultural, and global.

Our department’s diversity of disciplines is one of our greatest strengths. Collectively, our research and educational expertise includes clinical ethics, health disparities, sociology, behavioral health, maternal and reproductive health, global health, healthy aging, medical education, narrative medicine, health policy, and cultural competence.  

Our teaching, research, professional service, and advocacy efforts inform medical students, health professionals and the general public about issues relevant to the social determinants of health and illness, factors that impede or promote health equity, and health system sciences.

Research: A sampling of our research programs include:

• Brain health and dementia prevention
• Aging in Ohio
• Gender, health, and workforce experiences
• Maternal, infant and child health; reproductive health; vaccine resistance
• Structural racism, chronic stress, and infant mortality among urban black mothers
• Trauma-informed Primary Care
• Community Health Worker workforce development
• Increasing access to opioid use disorder services in rural underserved communities
• Medical trauma and medical gaslighting; ethically engaging complex patients
• Medical necessity, healthcare access, and healthy policy
• Cultural humility and intercultural communication

Teaching: A sampling of our teaching programs include:

• Transformative Care Continuum (TCC): an accelerated pathway program in partnership with the Cleveland Clinic. Based on medical competencies and rooted in health systems sciences, the TCC aims to increase the number of primary care physicians serving the evolving needs of underserved communities.
• The Open Book Project: a Narrative Medicine Elective Pathway for Social Justice and Inclusion
• Health Policy Clinical Rotation
• Racism in Medicine 

Service: We participate in service activities for the Heritage College, the osteopathic profession, Ohio University and the southeast Ohio community, as well as medical and scientific communities at the state, national, and international levels. Examples include:

• Osteopathic Health Policy Fellowship
• Global Health Initiative
• The Institute to Advance Health Equity Research
• Editorships: World Medical & Health Policy; Journal of Human Lactation; BMC Public Health
• Department of Primary Care Antiracism Book Discussion Committee
• Chief Inclusion Officer, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Dean of Admissions, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Medical Student Assistance Program
• Research and Scholarly Affairs Committee
• Faculty Advisor, Medical Ethics Club
• Faculty Advisor, Future Physicians for Patients Club
• Medical Director, Doctors on the Street
• Member, Diversity and Inclusion External Advisory Board, University of Groningen, Netherlands

Research: Our faculty conduct research in the following areas:  

• Cardiology
• Diabetology
• Endocrinology
• Lifestyle medicine
• Military and aerospace medicine
• Obstetrics and gynecology
• Pediatrics

Service: We participate in service activities for the Heritage College, the osteopathic profession, Ohio University and the southeast Ohio community, as well as medical and scientific communities at the state, national, and international levels. Examples include:

• Heritage College Diabetes Institute CAT Camp
• Heritage College Free Clinic
• Community lifestyle medicine classes
• Sisters Health Foundation
• Athens Has Heart Fund
• Secretary, American College of Diabetology
• Advisory Board Member, American College of Lifestyle Medicine Health System Council
• Judge, Ohio Osteopathic Symposium
• Service on Cardi-OH and the Maternal Child Health Advisory Team
• Senator, Ohio University Faculty Senate
• Faculty Elected Representative, Heritage College
• Coach, Heritage College Rural and Urban Scholars Program
• Heritage College/OhioHealth cardiometabolic disease clinic development
• Federal scientific grant reviewer
• Membership on the following Heritage College Committees:
  • Research Council
  • Promotion & Tenure Committee
  • Medical Student Assistance Program
  • Committee on Student Progress
  • Research and Scholarly Awards Committee
• Advisor to multiple Heritage College student organizations, including:
  • Sigma Sigma Phi
  • Cardiothoracic club
  • Emergency Medicine clubs
  • Pediatrics club
  • Ob/Gyn clubs
  • Lifestyle Medicine club
  • Radiology Club
• Mentor to medical students and undergraduate students
• Editorial board member and reviewer for numerous publications 

Community-Focused Description

To best meet the needs in the surrounding communities and to reduce the diabetes burden regionally, nationally, and globally, HCOM and OHIO have invested heavily in advancing diabetes research, clinical care, and both community and professional education efforts. These efforts are highlighted by the creation in 2012 of the Diabetes Institute (DI). The establishment of DI shows a commitment by the university to being a leader of knowledge and distinctive educational experiences for the prevention and treatment of diabetes. The DI was a recipient of substantial funds from a $105 million gift given to the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine by the Osteopathic Heritage Foundations.  These funds helped build core research capabilities through the purchase of equipment to support diabetes research and hiring of faculty with strong research programs in diabetes and metabolic disorders more generally.

The scientific environment for diabetes-related research is vibrant and well supported by the DI, focusing on innovative basic and translational research, progressive clinical care, education, and community outreach to improve the lives of those affected by diabetes. The institute’s membership includes 64 faculty, staff and clinicians associated with the institute’s four foci (research, education, clinical, and community outreach) plus over 150 trainees. Faculty and staff are located in six different academic units at OU, stimulating collaborative research across colleges and disciplines.

The DI connects with community members in many ways including 1) helping connect adult and pediatric patients with resources through a diabetes navigator program, 2) implementing the National Diabetes Prevention Program working to reduce the growing burden of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes,  3) hosting diabetes peer-support services, 4) implementing diabetes self-management education for those with diabetes, and 5) hosting a diabetes day camp for youth with type 1 diabetes.

In order to engage a broad range of individuals, the institute hosts research seminars, coalition meetings, a healthcare provider summit and research symposium. The monthly research seminar series provides a forum to share research findings, cultivate collaborative interactions and facilitate diabetes education. Speakers include institute members, students, and researchers from other institutions. The biennial research symposium keeps DI investigators at the forefront of diabetes related research featuring prominent researchers. The DI nurtures relationships with clinicians through the Diabetes Coalition, which meets quarterly to provide health care professionals with current best practices to provide comprehensive diabetes education, medical care and public advocacy for a 13-county region. Additionally, the biennial healthcare provider summit provides continuing medical education for providers offering an in-depth consideration of diabetes care, prevention, and management.

Research-Focused Description

The DI houses its administrative offices and staff (executive director, associate director, director of operations, outreach initiatives manager, diabetes educator, and outcomes and resource manager) on the Athens campus of Ohio University.

The DI is focused on creating a culture of research excellence that explores and links cutting-edge, basic laboratory investigations with innovative and dynamic clinical research studies to enhance diabetes patient care, prevention, and cure as well as the comorbidities that are commonly associated with diabetes. The scientific environment for diabetes-related research is vibrant and well supported by the DI, HCOM and OHIO. For example, the DI was a recipient of substantial funds from the $105 million gift given to HCOM by the Osteopathic Heritage Foundations. These funds have helped build core research capabilities through the purchase of equipment to support diabetes research and cluster hiring of faculty with strong research programs in diabetes or its associated comorbidities.

Institute members are a collaborative group of research scientists, clinicians, professors, educators, health administrators, and students with a common interest in diabetes. Institute membership includes 64 faculty, staff, and clinicians plus over 150 trainees. Faculty and staff associated with the institute’s four divisions (research, education, clinical, and community outreach) are located across six academic units at OHIO and collaborate with researchers based at institutions around the world. 

Biomedical scientists within DI conduct basic and translational research in diabetes and obesity and its complications via collaborative research partnerships throughout the university and community. Specific biomedical research strengths in islet function, adipose tissue biology, cardiometabolic disease and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease are evidenced by current NIH and other funding mechanisms. DI Investigators have published more than 750 peer-reviewed articles and are well respected in their fields, having achieved prestigious honors including the Innovation Award from the Endocrine Society and an Early Investigator Award from the American Diabetes Association. Notably, an OHIO scientist was chosen as one of 18 scientists worldwide to comment about their contributions to the diabetes field to mark the 100-year anniversary of the discovery of insulin. In addition to research, DI is charged with providing affordable clinical care and outreach programs to the underserved in our region as well as innovative educational initiatives to students and health professionals – directly benefitting the region and local community served. To that end, DI recently received a NIH R25 grant to increase the number of underrepresented minority and Appalachian undergraduates who enter graduate programs in the biological sciences, health sciences or related fields nationally. As one of OHIO’s newest and most successful institutes, research of DI significantly contributes to national and international biomedical research efforts and prepares future scientists in this area for basic and translational research.

In addition to the active research portfolio, the DI engages a broad range of individuals by hosting monthly seminars, quarterly coalition meetings, and frequent invited lectures. These events provide multiple opportunities to share research findings, cultivate collaborative interactions, and facilitate diabetes education. Speakers include institute members, students, and prominent researchers from other institutions. In addition, the DI hosts an annual summit featuring eminent scientists and clinicians to further promote translational research. 

The Infectious and Tropical Disease Institute (ITDI) at Ohio University was founded in 1989, with the mission to improve the health status of communities through sustainable and comprehensive research, service, and educational initiatives related to infectious diseases. Through focused initiatives on tropical disease, bacterial pathogenesis, and reproductive and sexual health, the ITDI forges multidisciplinary and multi-national collaborations among researchers, health-care professionals, public health leaders, and educators to minimize the impact of infectious diseases on populations. 

Following its vision, the ITDI promotes multidisciplinary collaborations and accelerates change, locally and internationally, looking to constantly improve human well-being by advancing science, education, and training related to the prevention, control, and treatment of infectious and tropical diseases. The ITDI currently works with seven Principal Investigators (PI) from different fields, including microbiologists, epidemiologists, health communication specialists, among other disciplines, and via robust partnerships with several institutions worldwide.

Among its partnerships, the ITDI has a productive relationship with the Center for Research on Health in Latin America (CISeAL) in Quito, Ecuador at the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador (PUCE). Through these institutions, ITDI conducts international training programs for students in several fields, such as medicine, health communications, social determinants of health studies, and many others. The Healthy Living Initiative (HLI) is a program developed from these partnerships, working with communities in southern Ecuador to develop a Chagas disease prevention model addressing the interrelated social, economic, and political factors that drive the disease in underserved populations. The HLI developed training opportunities for >1000 students to appreciate health barriers that communities in poverty experience every day. For more than 23 years, undergraduate, graduate, and medical students have been guided and trained by experienced investigators, conducting, and implementing research projects for improving the quality of life for Latin American populations.

In addition to international activities, ITDI is very proud of its mentorship activities, the opportunities provided to students, the participation of its investigators in many conferences nationwide, and the awards and grants received by its members. ITDI works with partners such as PUCE, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the American Heart Association (AHA), Partners of the Americas, the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund, and the Ecuadorian government through the Ministry of Housing and Development (MIDUVI) and the Ministry of Public Health (MSP).

For 2023-2024, ITDI projects big changes with new strategic goals focused on fostering excellence in research, increasing the investigators’ membership and fields of study, and growing the institute's reputation nationwide. 

The Heritage College Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI), whose mission is to advance the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of musculoskeletal and neurological disorders, serves as an interdisciplinary catalyst for cutting-edge research. There are two research “centers” nested under the OMNI umbrella: 1) OMNI’s Center for Healthy Aging, and 2) OMNI’s Injury and Pain Research Center. The research across these centers has an overarching aim of developing interventions that enhance physical function and wellbeing, and ultimately reducing disability and pain-related suffering.

OMNI is a highly interdisciplinary institute that consists of neuroscientists, physiologists, molecular and cell biologists, engineers, computer scientists, psychologists, physical therapists, and physicians working together in a highly collaborative manner. In addition to providing core infrastructure and pilot funding, OMNI also provides mentoring to junior scientists and hosts a seminar series. Currently, OMNI has 11 PIs, a medical director, six junior scholars, and dozens of trainees and affiliated scientists working under its umbrella. These investigators direct many pre-clinical and clinical research-based OMNI-affiliated laboratories. The pre-clinical laboratories include, but are not limited to, the Osteoarthritis Research Laboratory (Director: Shouan Zhu, PhD), the Skeletal Muscle Function and Physiology Laboratory (Director: Cory Baumann, PhD), the Bone and Experimental Pathology Laboratory (Director: Thomas Rosol, DVM, PhD), the  Functional Neuromuscular Genomics Laboratory (Director: Nathanial Szewczyk, PhD), the Biomaterials and Additive Manufacturing Laboratory (Director: Andrew Weems, PhD), the Skeletal Muscle Metabolism Laboratory (Director: Leslie Consitt, PhD), and the Comparative Functional Morphology and Biomechanics Laboratory  (Director Susan Williams, PhD). The clinical research laboratories include, but are not limited to, the Neuromuscular Biomechanics and Health Assessment Laboratory (Directors: Dustin Grooms, PhD and Janet Simon, PhD), the Neuromuscular Physiology Laboratory (Director: Brian Clark, PhD), the Clinical Psychophysiology Laboratory (Director: Christopher France, PhD) the BRAIN Lab (Director: Julie Suhr, PhD), the Social Neuroscience and Pain Laboratory (Director: Dominik Mischowski, PhD), and the Musculoskeletal and Neuroimaging Research Laboratory (Directors: Brian Clark, PhD and Dustin Grooms, PhD). Through partnerships OMNI’s Musculoskeletal and Neuroimaging Research Laboratory has access to a low-tesla, weight bearing MRI as well 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla magnets. 

OMNI is consistently striving towards development of innovative, integrated, and interdisciplinary team-based science that has the potential for bench-to-bedside-to-community impact. OMNI’s active extramural research grants enterprise of ~ $20-30 million. In the past five years, OMNI scientists have held the equivalent of ~ 10 NIH R01 grants. Collectively, OMNI PIs have published thousands of articles over the course of their careers. Ten of OMNI’s scientists’ work has been cited more than 2,000, and five of OMNI scientists have received more than 10,000 citations. Seven OMNI scientists have been ranked in the top 2% of their field based on career long citation (Ioannidis et al., PLoS Biology, 2020). According to SciVal, over the past decade OMNI scientists’ field-weighted citations for the “sarcopenia and cachexia” field is 8.35 (i.e., their work is cited 835-times more than others in the field), which ranks them in the 99.84% of institutions world-wide. OMNI trainees also have an outstanding record of accomplishments. With many of our trainees having secured many training grants from highly prestigious agencies (e.g., NIH, American Heart Association, etc.), and landing high sought after faculty positions at R1 institutions (e.g., University of Wisconsin-Madison, Rutgers, University of Central Florida, etc.). 

The Appalachian Institute to Advance Health Equity Science (ADVANCE) is the result of a decades-long effort by Ohio University to be attuned to the health needs of the surrounding region and issues of health equity more broadly. The initial effort began with the founding of the Center for Appalachian and Rural Health Research (CARHR), which was established in 1999 by the College of Osteopathic Medicine to focus on research aimed to understand and tackle the health disparities prevalent in these regions.

Building upon the foundation laid by CARHR, the evolution into the Appalachian Rural Health Institute in 2003 exemplified a commitment to expanding the scope and impact of the institute's work. This transformation enabled ARHI to further advance its mission of promoting the health and well-being of rural and Appalachian populations through interdisciplinary collaborations, community engagement, and innovative initiatives.

The history of ARHI reflects a dedication to addressing the unique health challenges faced by rural and Appalachian communities. By leveraging research and partnerships, the institute has sought to promote equitable access to healthcare, enhance health services, and advocate for the well-being of populations in these areas. In 2019 ARHI underwent a name change to Appalachian Institute to Advance Health Equity Science (ADVANCE) and a broadening shift in focus to health equity and health services research.

As the ADVANCE institute, our primary focus is on promoting collaboration and providing support for researchers who are studying topics related to health equity and health services. We have a diverse representation of 20 faculty from the colleges of Arts and Science, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, College of Health Sciences and Professions, and the Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service associated with our institute, contributing to a multidisciplinary approach.

Our mission at ADVANCE is to foster social science and health services research aimed at reducing health disparities caused by various social factors. We are dedicated to facilitating collaboration not only within Ohio University but also with our external partners.

With a visionary outlook, we strive to conduct cutting-edge research that not only addresses health disparities but also transforms the field of health equity research. Our goal is to make a tangible difference in communities by promoting equitable healthcare and improving the overall health outcomes of marginalized populations.

By providing collaborative opportunities, support, and an interdisciplinary perspective, ADVANCE aims to create a platform for meaningful research that brings us closer to a healthier and more equitable future.

Mission and Vision Statements:

Mission: ADVANCE fosters social science and health services research to reduce health disparities based on a wide range of social factors and supports collaboration across Ohio University and with our external partners.

Vision: ADVANCE researchers conduct cutting-edge work to reduce health disparities across communities and transform health equity research.

Facilities, Equipment and Other Resources

Laboratory: Edison Biotechnology Institute is designated to meet the needs of interdisciplinary biotechnology research with 40,000 ft2 of laboratory space and state-of-the-art equipment housed in the Konneker Research Laboratory. The laboratory areas occupy BSL-2 lab spaces equipped with biosafety hoods designated to conduct experimental research in both molecular biology and microbiology. The laboratory areas include six cell culture rooms and a bacteria culture room. In addition, chemical laboratory space to conduct compound separation, purification, and chemical modification. One walk-in cold room, a shared equipment room, and a microscopy room.

Shared facilities and equipment: Areas include one walk-in cold room (4°C and -20°C), two autoclaves, Barnstead Nanopure ultrapure water system, Accumet pH meter, Speed Vac/Gel Dryer, thermomixer, PCR machine(s), Applied Biosystems StepOne Plus RT-PCR machine, LI-COR Odyssey Fc Imaging System, Invitrogen countess automated cell counter, water-jacketed CO2 incubators, Becton Dickinson Accuri C6 flow cytometer with BD sampler, BioTek Cytation 3 absorbance/fluorescence plate reader, Agilent 1200-6120 Quadrupole LC/MS system, Waters HPLC/MS, Buchi P850 preparation chromatography system, Buchi R200 rotary evaporator, Ika rotary evaporator, vacuum pumps, Luminex 100/200 System, Xenogen IVIS imaging system, TriFoil Imaging eXplore CT120 system microCT scanner, computer-controlled Olympus IX70 fluorescence microscope with attached cell culture mini-incubator, and Zeiss Axio Observer 5 inverted microscope.

Vivarium: Ohio University is registered as a research facility by the USDA (31-R-082) and is fully accredited by the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, International (AAALAC, Int.). The facilities have been accredited since 2000. The Animal Resource Facility (ARF) located at the Edison Biotechnology Institute contains 12 mouse rooms (2 for bacteria treatment), six procedure rooms, one surgical suite, two cage washing rooms, and one freezer/storage room. Animals are maintained under veterinarian care and the aid of experienced lab technicians and support staff, who are certified through the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science (AALAS) and who provide daily oversight to all research animals in the facilities of EBI. 

Computers: Laboratory areas and office facilities are fully equipped with the latest high-end PC systems with all required software, including Microsoft Office, Adobe, EndNote, Qiim2, and R. All computers are linked to the internet for database searches. A local server and cloud base system are available.

Office: The office(s) is(are) in the Konneker Research Laboratory building. The building also has two conference rooms, private offices for the PIs, shared offices for the students, one library, one computer lab, and one auditorium. The building also provides in-house full-time professional administrative and grants accounting staff for support. 

The Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine Clinical & Translational Research Unit (CTRU) is a fee-based, centralized resource that supports OHIO faculty, staff, and students who are conducting research with human subjects. The CTRU provides support for all stages of research, from initial conception to final reporting.

The CTRU includes a CCRP-certified Director of the CTRU and Clinical Partnerships, a Medical Director (DO), two CCRC-certified RNs, a Senior Project Manager, a Research Coordinator, an Administrative Specialist, and an Outreach & Engagement Specialist. The CTRU staff are experienced with study participants of all ages and have expertise in a variety of therapeutic areas and methods, including but not limited to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, aging, and chronic back pain to interventional and drug studies to survey and qualitative interviewing. The CTRU supports NIH-funded trials, pharmaceutical-sponsored trials (Phase I-IV) and investigator-initiated trials. The staff are well versed in FDA regulatory guidelines and Good Clinical Practice.

The CTRU provides Research Study Physician, Project Management, Nursing, Research Assistant, and Recruitment services at an internal and external rate. These services may include assistance with project design, feasibility assessments, IRB protocol assistance, focus groups, regulatory guidance and oversight, budget development, project coordination, subject recruitment, informed consent management, physician oversight, protocol implementation, survey development, nursing services, qualitative interviewing, data collection and management, biospecimen collection and processing, imaging, and image analysis (DEXA, MRI, ultrasound), and subject reimbursement.

The CTRU currently occupies approximately 3,000 sq. ft. of space, primarily in Irvine Hall. The Academic Research Center adjacent to Irvine Hall houses the MRI facility with an Esaote G-Scan Brio Musculoskeletal Weight-Bearing MRI. The CTRU has multiple patient examination rooms that can accommodate minor procedures such as muscle biopsy. Additional spaces include an exercise physiology laboratory, an electrophysiology laboratory, phlebotomy areas, medication preparation and storage areas, a laboratory processing station, an intake room, devoted space for a Hologic DEXA scanner, shower and locker storage for participants, and a nutrition prep station. In addition, the CTRU has dedicated parking within 40 meters of the facility, a reception, and a waiting area. Conference room space is available.  OhioHealth Physician Group Heritage College and OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital are located within 75- and 800-meters, respectively, and can provide emergency response care if needed in a rapid response manner. Todd Fredricks, DO, the CTRU Medical Director, has space within the CTRU facilities.

Staff

Ramiro Malgor, MD; Associate Professor, Biomedical Sciences; Director, malgor@ohio.edu

Julie Buckley, Lab Manager, buckleyj@ohio.edu 

Location

Academic and Research Center

General Description

The Heritage College Histology Core Facility provides tissue preparation and analysis services. Preparation includes automatic tissue processing, paraffin embedding, and tissue sectioning. Histochemical staining techniques available include Hematoxylin & Eosin, PAS, and Sirius Red staining. A Cryostat (Leica CM1950) is available for processing frozen tissue samples. The laser micro-dissection system (LMD Leica 6000) is available to support genomic and proteomic analyses on tissue sections. A microcopy and digital image analysis room houses bright-field and fluorescence microscopes, which are equipped with color digital cameras for image capture and further digital image analysis. A Motic EasyScan slide scanner system creates digital slides. Technical support is also available for experimental design using immunohistological techniques, controls, image analysis quantification, and validation of the results.

• Tissue Processor Leica ASP300S: The Leica ASP300S is an innovative, smart processor for paraffin infiltration of tissue. The equipment can process a large number of tissue samples simultaneously, including formalin, alcohol, xylene, and paraffin.
• HistoCore Tissue Embedder Arcadia C: The HistoCore Arcadia is a programmable tissue​ embedding station. 
• Microtome Leica RM2235: The Leica RM2235 is a low-profile microtome that cuts (3-15 microns) paraffin-embedded tissues for slide preparation. 
• Leica Autostainer XL: The Leica Autostainer XL is a hematoxylin and eosin stainer.
• Cryostat Leica CM1950: This high precision microtome prepares tissue sections in frozen embedded tissue samples.
• LMD Leica 6000: The LMD Leica 6000 conducts laser capture microdissection and is a standard technique for sample isolation from heterogenous samples.​ Collected samples can be used for genomics, transcriptomics, diagnostics, and proteomics applications.​
• Motic Slide Scanner: This slide scanner prepares digital images from slides.  

Staff

Mark Berryman, PhD; Associate Professor, Biomedical Sciences; Director, berryman@ohio.edu

Jeff Thuma, Manager, thuma@ohio.edu 

Location

Academic and Research Center

General Description

The Heritage College Microscopy Core Facility houses two microscopes (Nikon E600 conventional widefield and Nikon A1R confocal) and a dedicated offline workstation for image analysis. These powerful systems permit the capture of high-quality images of fixed or living tissues, cells and molecules. A sample preparation area is available adjacent to the microscope room. This facility can accommodate a variety of specimens and assist a broad range of users.

Nikon E600 Widefield Microscope

• LED illumination for both transmitted and reflected (fluorescence) applications
• Six objective lenses
  • 10x Plan phase contrast (Air)
  • 20x Plan Apo DIC (Air)
  • 40x Plan Apo DIC (Air)
  • 40x Plan Fluor DIC (Air), long working distance
  • 60x Plan Apo DIC (Oil)
  • 100x Plan Apo DIC (Oil)
  • Three filter sets (blue, green, red)
  • 16.25 Megapixel monochrome camera
  • NIS Elements software, which integrates data acquisition and image analysis
• Fees
  • $5 per hour (Internal; Operated by user)
  • $10 per hour (External; Operated by user)

Nikon A1R Confocal Microscope

• Nikon Eclipse Ti inverted microscope
• Motorized XY stage
• Nikon's patented PFS Perfect Focus System to compensate for focal drift during time lapse and extended experiments
• High-speed piezo Z stage stepper for rapid Z-stack acquisition (100 um/s)
• LED illumination for both transmitted and reflected (fluorescent) light applications
• Five objective lenses
  • 10x Plan Apo (Air)
  • 20x Plan Apo DIC (Air)
  • 40x Plan Fluor DIC (Oil)
  • 60x Plan Apo Lambda DIC (Oil)
  • 100x Plan Apochromat Lambda DIC (Oil)
• Four lasers: 405nm, 488nm, 561nm, 640nm
• Two types of scanners: galvanometric and resonant
• The galvo scanner scans at ~1 frame per second at 512 x 512 pixels with a maximum image size of 4096 x 4096 pixels
• The resonant scanner can scan up to 30 frames per second at 512 x 512 pixels
• DU4 detector with four detection channels in the 400-820nm range; channels 2 and 3 are Gallium-Arsenide-Phosphide (GaAsP) detectors, which are very sensitive in the 500-600nm range and improve signal-to-noise ratio
• 32-channel spectral detector with wavelength resolution at 10nm/6nm/2.5nm gratings, allowing for separation of closely overlapping spectra and elimination of autofluorescence
• Stage-mounted environmental chamber is available to control temperature, humidity and gas during live imaging experiments
• NIS Elements software, which integrates data acquisition and image analysis
• Additional software upgrades including 3D deconvolution, calcium & FRET, and object tracking
• Fees
  • $25 per hour (Internal; Operated by user)
  • $60 per hour (External; Operated by user)

Staff

Chunmin Lo, PhD; Associate Professor, Biomedical Sciences; Director, loc@ohio.edu

Jeff Thuma, Lab Manager, thuma@ohio.edu

Location

Academic and Research Center

General Description

The Heritage College Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Core Facility houses a Comprehensive Lab Animal Monitoring System (CLAMS) for characterizing physiological traits in studies of energy homeostasis and animal activity in live mice via a bench-top platform. These powerful systems are fully automated and monitor food and water intake, energy expenditure and animal activity (locomotor and voluntary activity) in mice before and after drug treatments in a controlled temperature and lighting environment. Staff provide training for technical staff and students and assist in the interpretation of phenotypic data.

Comprehensive Lab Animal Monitoring System (CLAMS, Columbus Instruments)

• Temperature and light cycle-controlled system comprised of four components, including a food intake system that calculates energy intake by monitoring meal size and total food consumption; a water intake monitoring system; indirect open-circuit calorimeters that record energy expenditure; and an animal activity monitoring system which records voluntary and locomotor activity.
• Mouse holding cages and animal preparation area are used in conjunction with CLAMS.

Whole-body Composition Analyzer (Bruker Minispec Live Mice Analyzer, LF50)

• Includes a nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy probe, daily calibration and mouse restrainers. This system provides a precise method for measuring lean tissue and fat and fluid volume in mice and carcasses.

Staff 

Janet Simon, PhD; Associate Professor, Athletic Training; Director, simonj@ohio.edu  

Abhishek Wajpe, MPH; Biostatistician, abhishekwajpe@ohio.edu  

General Description 

The Statistical Core for Health and Medicine (SCHM) is a shared OHIO resource developed by the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine and the College of Health Sciences and Professions. SCHM provides centralized support for clinical and translational researchers in the areas of study design, project management, and biostatistics. The SCHM provides biostatistical support to investigators through direct consultations in one- or two-hour onsite or online appointments, with longer-term collaborative support provided as necessary/appropriate. These activities include, but are not limited to, assistance with (1) statistical design of clinical trials and biomedical studies, including sample size/power calculations; (2) hypothesis formulation and statistical framework development for proposals, abstracts and manuscripts; (3) database design and data analysis; and (4) response to reviews/critiques, and (5) new project planning. The SCHM also offers short courses on biostatistics and study design. These sessions are available to all investigators and students. The highest priority for support from the SCHM is given to investigator-initiated protocols, grant proposals, and projects involving new clinical and translational researchers. 

Other considerations to aid with development of methodology sections. For individual grants (e.g., R01) where a specific biostatistician is included as key personnel, with proportional effort for this named individual included in the budget. 

• This can be a good option for investigators who have developed research programs with a specific biostatistician and when a given budget can accommodate salary support for a named individual. 
• Please note that some SCHM biostatisticians are unable to commit additional effort to grants because of other commitments. The following biostatisticians currently can commit fractional effort to new grant proposals. 

A.1. Example of Language for Resources Page: 

Executive Director: 

Janet E. Simon, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Applied Statistics and Epidemiology and serves as the Executive Director of the Statistical Core for Health and Medicine. Dr. Simon has over 10 years of experience developing biostatistical methods (primarily for regression models and categorical data) and in the design and analysis of biomedical studies including clinical trials. 

A.2. Example of Language for Budget Justification: 

XXXX (Biostatistician) 1.2 calendar months 

XXXX will be responsible for providing input on project proposals, study design, data collection and management, statistical analysis, interpretation, and dissemination. XXXX will regularly examine all data in a blinded fashion to ensure rigor of the study outcomes and assist with completion of all study reporting and statistical analyses. 

Heritage College (HCOM) research facilities are mostly housed in three adjacent buildings on the West Green of the Athens Campus: Irvine Hall, Academic Research Center (ARC), and Life Sciences Building (LSB), with plans currently underway to develop a new Translational Research Building on the Athens Campus. Researchers within these buildings include highly collaborative faculty in three departments (Departments of Biomedical Sciences, Biological Sciences, and Biomedical Engineering), three institutes (DI, ITDI, and OMNI), and three colleges (Heritage College, College of Arts and Sciences, and Russ College of Engineering).

Irvine Hall contains administration and leadership for two HCOM institutes (OMNI and ITDI), the Translational Biomedical Sciences doctoral program, Department of Biological Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences, and research leadership for the Heritage College. Irvine Hall is also the hub for on-campus clinical research and the home of the Clinical and Translational Research Unit. There are several biomedical research labs in Irvine Hall.

The Academic and Research Center (ARC) was constructed in 2010 with the primary goal of increasing research collaborations, especially between medical researchers and biomedical engineers. ARC houses assorted educational spaces and 19 laboratories (15 for Heritage College researchers and four for Russ College of Engineering faculty). ARC is the site of most Diabetes Institute faculty and several shared biomedical research cores (e.g., histology and microscopy).

The Life Sciences Building (LSB), which opened in 2003, is the only building of the three fully dedicated to research, with no teaching or administrative functions. LSB contains laboratories for 19 active researchers. The first floor houses a comparative biomechanics laboratory, microscopy suite, and the main campus vivarium for biomedical researchers; the second floor houses assorted molecular and biomedical laboratories along with areas with approved safeguards/infrastructure for working with infectious microorganisms (~5500 ft2 of BSL2 space).

A new Translational Research Facility will support clinical and translational research by offering a high quality, modern, flexible, and accessible research and clinical space focused on providing access to public-facing research. This state-of-the-art facility will be the new home of the Clinical and Translational Research Unit (CTRU), Community Health Programs, a non-profit community pharmacy, a vivarium, in addition to multiple researchers from, but not limited to, the Diabetes Institute (DI) and the Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI), and Appalachian Institute to Advance Health Equity Science (ADVANCE). Infrastructure in this facility will support the full spectrum (T0-T4) of clinical and translational research. As currently designed, the facility will host approximately 81,000 square feet (gross square footage) and is estimated to cost approximately $62M. The anticipated occupancy date is 2025-2026.

Nigel Daniels, PhD, Director, danieln1@ohio.edu

The Genomics Facility provides complete DNA sequencing and next-generation sequencing (NGS) workflow services on a cost-recovery basis to the Ohio University research community, with fee-based services also available to external researchers. This includes support through research conceptualization, grant writing, methodology consultation, sample processing, sample QC/QA, library preparation, protocol optimization/customization, data analysis, and publication preparation. Additional services include training for user-accessible instrumentation and high-performance bioinformatics computation, ultra-low temperature (ULT) sample storage, secure data sharing and storage, ultrasonic sample shearing, real-time qPCR, DNA size selection, isoelectric focusing, and micropipette cleaning, repair, and calibration. 

The facility offers next-generation sequencing on the Illumina (MiSeq) and Ion Torrent (Personal Genome Machine) platforms. Tissue disruption is offered using a Covaris CryoPrep CP02, tissue homogenizer, and a PTFE tissue grinder. Sample shearing is offered using a Covaris S220 focused-ultrasonicator. DNA and RNA quality assessment and quantification is offered using an Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer, an Agilent 4150 TapeStation, a Nanodrop 1000, and a Qubit 3.0 Fluorometer. DNA size selection is offered using a Sage Scientific Pippin Prep. DNA sequencing and fragment analysis are offered using an Applied Biosystems 3130xl Genetic Analyzer. Isoelectric focusing is offered using an Agilent 3100 OFFGEL Fractionator. Real-time qPCR is offered using an Agilent AriaMx Real-time PCR system and a Stratagene Mx3000P qPCR system. A diverse bioinformatics toolkit is offered through Qiagen’s CLC Genomics Workbench including hosted license access for Ohio University clients. Finally, the Genomics Facility offers bioinformatics data analysis using an Ohio University-managed high-performance computing cluster with access available to Ohio University researchers. 

Services may be requested via the order forms available on the Genomics Facility website at https://www.ohio.edu/cas/genomics and other inquiries may be directed to genomics@ohio.edu. Samples may be dropped off at the Genomics Facility anytime in the –20°C freezer outside Porter Hall room 510.  

OHIO’s Office of Information and Technology (OIT) REDCap System is an online data processing and research information management system. OIT, with collaboration from Vanderbilt University and a consortium of institutional partners, houses a software toolset and workflow methodology for electronic collection and management of research and clinical trial data. REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) data collection projects rely on a thorough study-specific data dictionary defined in an iterative self-documenting process by all members of the research team with planning assistance from OIT and REDCap consultants. REDCap is a powerful tool for building and managing online surveys and electronic data capture. The research team can create and design surveys and forms in a web browser and engage potential respondents using a variety of notification methods. The REDCap System provides secure, web-based applications that are flexible enough to be used for a variety of types of research, provide an intuitive interface for users to enter data and have real time validation rules (with automated data type and range checks) at the time of entry. These systems offer easy data manipulation with audit trails and summaries for reporting, monitoring and querying patient records, and an automated export mechanism to common statistical packages (SPSS, SAS, Stata, R/S-Plus). The REDCap System is routinely maintained, secured, and backed up on OIT owned and maintained servers and are always kept in compliance with security standards.