The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) first awarded a Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) grant to MDI Biological Laboratory in September 2013. The COBRE Program is part of the NIGMS Institutional Development Award (IDeA) Program. Now in its third five year phase as of July 2024, this grant builds upon MDI Bio Lab’s unique scientific expertise, providing direct core facility support for junior scientists as they establish independently funded research programs and for established labs carrying out the mission of advancing the understanding of regenerative biology and aging.
The current COBRE phase will support the transition to self-sustainability of MDI Biological Laboratory’s state-of-the-art Core facilities for comparative animal models, comparative genomics and data science, and light microscopy. In addition to providing essential Core facility support, the primary aims of COBRE III are:
- To support Pilot Project grant awards in aging and regeneration and promote innovation and independent research program development for junior investigators in Northeast IDeA states.
- Provide Bioimage Analyst services to fully explore information in 3D images of biological tissues and organs and assist with 3D imaging, cloud computing, and microscopy course development at MDIBL.
- Provide Technology Access Grants for short term visiting scientists from Northeast IDeA states to utilize the MesoSPIM in their own studies.
- Provide internships in Aquaculture and veterinary animal management and contribute to workforce development in Maine.
- Maintain a state of the art Data Science Core to provide bioinformatic services and education to empower investigators to fully probe genomic sets and assist in experimental design.
This invaluable Core support will secure progress that’s been made after hiring, promoting, and retaining successful COBRE investigators in MDI Bio Lab’s Kathryn W. Davis Center for Regenerative Biology and Aging, and the center’s emergence as a leading research institute in comparative biology.