Research and the knowledge generated through exploration is not an inevitability, even at a research institution like the University of Utah. Research requires data and equipment to generate and house information. The systems for accessing those needs weren’t always clear at universities throughout the country, leaving scientists stuck with only equipment they could budget for and data that they could generate on their own.
Then, the evolving model of core facilities and services began.
Cores are specialized services that provide university researchers access to tools, data, and collaboration that allow them to explore new frontiers of research.
Many of the cores at the U have equipment that would be impractical for an individual lab to operate and fund, allowing the university to house more modern technology and make it available to more researchers.
There are 26 health science cores at the U ranging from 3D metal printing to cell imaging to DNA sequencing and many more, most with a dedicated director who specializes in their respective areas. They position researchers to get insights from experienced collaborators who can assist with experimental design and help them understand how they can use the latest available technology the U has to offer.
An Evolution at Research Universities
In the 1990s and early 2000s, the administration at the U—simultaneous to several other institutions around the country—started to evolve an idea that would become what we now know as cores. They built infrastructure that allowed the university to acquire equipment that could be used by a variety of labs, faculty, and trainees.
James Cox, PhD, health sciences cores director, notes that there wasn’t a model in place at the time for cores, so a lot of trailblazing was required.
Cox credits Jerry Kaplan, PhD, for having the vision to initiate the cores system at the U, noting that Kaplan recognized that centralized resources would expand faculty capabilities. Under the leadership of John Phillips, PhD, the cores model became a variable in attracting talent and retaining researchers at the U who are making an impact in their respective fields. By extension, they built an increasingly compelling educational environment for students.
Scott Summers, PhD, has noted that “Utah has better cores than any place I have worked, and I love describing them to faculty recruits. You can see the candidate’s eyes light up as they envision how their research will thrive when they get access to such stellar resources.”
Our major mission is to partner with investigators to get their research done.
Cores in the U’s Research Landscape
The impact of cores at the U has created a cycle where valuable data is generated that leads to important discoveries, fast-advancing changes in technology are kept up with, and collaboration is fostered, validating the cores system and its continued role in research at the U.
Summers illustrates the discovery side of the cycle fueled by cores. “We have so many instances where our cores have enabled paradigm-shifting discoveries. Our metabolomics core has been an amazing catalyst for innovation that has uncovered how changes in fat, protein, and sugar metabolism fuel diabetes, heart failure, and cancer. These remarkable findings have spawned at least six different drug discovery programs, with several of the new compounds entering clinical trials.”
Cox notes that the example of the metabolomics core under the leadership of Summers and Jared Rutter, PhD, is one of many where experts at the U have leveraged cores to generate a wealth of reliable data. Because of that excellence, the U can continue to support the acquisition of new technology.
As cores and researchers combine to generate quality research data, research technology reminds us that the tools used to generate discoveries and data are advancing in tandem. The need to keep up often outpaces the budget of individual labs. Cox suggests that this highlights the continued importance of cores at the U, as the cores system is better positioned to maintain a collection of up-to-date technology.
Beyond modern technology and quality data, cores are a catalyst for collaboration. The U has a uniquely collaborative culture among researchers that creates a wealth of multidisciplinary research opportunities. Cores are a significant part of research collaboration. With embedded directors, they are positioned to offer insights on experimentation design and connect researchers to other colleagues who could add perspective and support research efforts.
How Can Cores Help You?
The equipment, data, and resources available through cores services represent an advance in the U’s capability to empower investigators that didn’t exist a generation ago.
If you are not familiar with the services available or need a refresher, be sure to visit the cores research facilities website to learn more. Services can be accessed by filling out a work authorization form found on the website.
For those looking for added guidance, each core director is available for consultation. They have resources within the university, along with industry connections in the biotechnology community that can add to the expansive insights that can be gained through leveraging cores services.