Translational Technologies and Resources

Translational Technologies and Resources

The Translational Technologies and Resources Program (TTRP) integrates cross-disciplinary technologies and resources at BU to change the way that investigators and trainees access those technologies, incorporating innovative technologies more effectively into the translational research environment. The TTRP bridges core resources at the medical and Charles River campuses to support translational research and training. The bridge forged between the campuses gives translational researchers and trainees at the medical campus access to novel technologies developed in Engineering, Chemistry, and Physics, including the Center for Nanosciences and Nanobiotechnology, Biomedical Optics, Photonics, and Chemical Methodology and Library Development, and gives researchers and trainees in those departments access to clinical and translational resources at the medical campus.

We are attempting to re-engineer the process by which an investigator or trainee identifies and makes use of research technologies, centralizing information and training opportunities.  The Director and Laboratory Program Director and the individual Core Directors can assist investigators with this process.

Specific goals are to:

• Consolidate BUMC cores and integrate them with novel technologies from the BUCRC Departments of Engineering, Chemistry, and Physics to facilitate the translational research enterprise.
• Improve access to translational technologies through enhanced communications, information systems, and training.
• Promote a university-wide system of governance, oversight, and planning for core technology development and use.

Specific accomplishments to date include:

• Development of an on-line scheduling and billing system.
• Implementation of a core voucher program, to enhance access to Core facilities for trainees and pilot research studies.
• Support for shared instrumentation grant application development and review.
• Participation in regional Core Technology meetings that include the Harvard, Tufts, and University of Massachusetts CTSIs. The focus of these meetings is on best practices for development and oversight of core resources, and promotion of regional planning and use.

The TTRP is assisted in its efforts by a Core Advisory Committee (CAC), which advises the Provosts and Deans on Core Technology needs and priorities, including shared instrumentation grants.  Members of the CAC include faculty from the 3 schools of BUMC (Medicine, Dental Medicine, Public Health) and administrators from BUSM and BUMC.

Dr. David Seldin (dseldin@bu.edu) ^{BU Profile} serves as director of the TTRP for the BU CTSI and Co-Chair of the Core Advisory Committee, along with Dr. Douglas Rosene. Dr. Seldin is professor of Medicine and Microbiology, chief of the Section of Hematology-Oncology in the Department of Medicine, and director of the Amyloid Treatment and Research Program. Dr. Seldin has previously chaired the Transgenic Animal Committee and served on the Institutional Review Board and the GCRC Advisory Committee.

Dr. Tai Chen (taichen@bu.edu) ^{BU Profile} is the BU CTSI Core Laboratory director.  Dr. Chen is a Professor of Medicine and has directed the GCRC Assay Core Laboratory since 1989.  Dr. Chen is a biochemist and expert in a broad range of analytical techniques and assays.  In addition to supervising the BU CTSI Core Laboratory and reviewing assay results, he troubleshoots and develops new assays, coordinates efforts with the other core directors, oversees the core voucher program, and serves as a liaison with the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center.  He is available for core technology consulting and training.