Clinical Nutrition Research Center

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1 History
2 Center Research
3 CNRU Labs and Resources
4 Training Activities
5 External links

[edit] History

The UAB Clinical Nutrition Research Center (CNRC) (University-Wide Interdisciplinary Research Center) was founded by the late Roland L. Weinsier, M.D., Dr.P.H. in 1996 and is an NIH-funded, university-wide research center established to foster a multidisciplinary approach to basic, clinical, and translational research with an emphasis on understanding the metabolic factors, environmental influences, and associated genetic traits underlying nutrition and obesity-related health problems.

The CNRC comprises 86 investigators from 25 academic units, with total direct funding of $53.5 million for nutrition/obesity research. The CNRC is comprised of three research core facilities, a pilot/feasibility program, and an enrichment program.

[edit] Center Research

The Center's research focuses on nutrition and obesity. To foster research, the Center provides a Pilot/Feasibility program which annually offers between two and five $25,000 grants to investigators new to the fields of obesity or nutrition. A second year of funding is possible based on a competitive renewal process. One Pilot/Feasibility grant awardee is also selected as the Center's Named New Investigator and is eligible to receive up to $35,000 per year in salary support, in addition to the grant. The Center also maintains several labs (described below) and has access to specialized equipment, including a respiration chamber to measure 24-hour energy expenditure and substrate oxidation; an underwater weighing system; a BodPod for measuring whole-body density using air displacement plethysmography; a Lunar Prodigy dual-energy x-ray absorptiometer; a hormone substrate assay facility; a muscle molecular and histochemistry laboratory; and a small animal phenotyping facility.

[edit] CNRU Labs and Resources

The CNRU offers extensive laboratory and personnel resources in support of nutrition and obesity-related research. Center resources include four Core Laboratories: the Energy Metabolism and Body Composition Core, the Genetics and Molecular Methods Development Core, the Small Animal Phenotyping Core, and the Biostatistics and Statistical Genetics Core.

[edit] Energy Metabolism and Body Composition Core

Directed by Barbara Gower, PhD, this Core offers approximately 4,000 square feet of laboratory space for assessments of energy expenditure (short-term and free-living), fuel utilization, body composition (4-compartment model), hormone/substrate assays, and insulin sensitivity testing. All of these assessments are performed routinely in pediatric and adult subjects. The Energy Metabolism and Body Composition Core and its related laboratory facilities offer the following resources:

[edit] Human Energy Expenditure and Body Composition

Respiration chamber for measurements of 24-hour energy expenditure and substrate oxidation Deltatrac Metabolic Monitor for measurements of resting energy expenditure and substrate utilization GC/IRMS assessment of O18 and deuterium for determination of total body water and free-living energy expenditure by doubly-labeled water Underwater weighing and air displacement plethysmography for body composition assessment Analysis of abdominal fat distribution from CT scan (scans performed in the Department of Radiology)

[edit] Hormone/Substrate Analyses

Insulin, glucose, hormones (e.g., leptin, adiponectin, steroid hormones), lipids Mathematical modeling for insulin sensitivity determination using the Bergman minimal model

[edit] Genetics Core

Under the direction of W. Timothy Garvey, MD, this Core provides investigators performing nutrition/obesity-related research access to common Core resources in order to enhance and strengthen the quality of genetic and molecular studies. The CNRC Genetics Core Facility is located in the Susan Mott Webb Nutrition Sciences Building. Core equipment includes an Agilent Bioanalyzer, an ABI310 capillary electrophoresis DNA analyzer, a CEQ 8000 Genetic/DNA Analysis System, a Stratagene MX 3000 Real time Quantitative PCR, thermal cyclers, sample storage equipment, etc.

[edit] Core Services

The Nutritional Genomics Component/Facility offers consultation and services in the area of molecular methods development, genome analysis, and management of genetic databases and sample banks, as specified below:

Sample processing and DNA extraction and storage Biomedical Sample Bank and Database Management Racial genetic admixture assessment (in consultation with Dr. M. Shriver) Quantitative RT-PCR Automated DNA fragment analysis and polymorphism typing DNA sequencing Semi-automated RNA and DNA fragment analysis (Agilent Bioanalyzer) Mouse marker genotyping for speedcongenics Microsatellites (mouse and human) Molecular and bioinformatics consultation services

In addition to its traditional DNA analyses, the Core is expanding services in two areas. The first is in DNA extraction and storage combined with banking of biological specimens and database management. CNRC investigators have studied several large human population samples and are engaged in several funded cohort studies. The Core has centralized services for banking of the biological specimens (serum, plasma, urine, DNA, muscle/fat biopsies) and database management. This has increased the efficiency and efficacy of these processes, facilitated cross-collaboration, and expanded the capacity for hypothesis testing. Investigators can now draw from a larger pool of data in collaboration with their colleagues to test specific hypotheses, and appropriate biological samples can be identified electronically and aliquoted for targeted assays. Of course the Core is careful to assure that all IRB and informed consent procedures are in place for these studies.

The second area of development is quantification of racial genetic admixture. Based on emerging interests among our investigators, it is anticipated the racial admixture typing will eventually become a major focus of the Core's activities. We believe this variable is critical for better understanding the causes of health disparities. This capacity of the Core will support our investigators in studying the genetic basis of obesity, the Metabolic Syndrome, and other nutritional diseases. Since Caucasian admixture can vary widely in African American individuals, this variable will be quantified to assess the impact of racial genetic composition on obesity phenotypes. Thus, the need for these services will increase. The typing involves a panel of ancestry informative genetic markers, and Dr. Mark Shriver at Pennsylvania State University is acting as a consultant in developing these services.

[edit] Small Animal Phenotyping Core

Directed by Tim R. Nagy, PhD, this Core provides for the assessment of energy expenditure, body composition, fat distribution, and insulin sensitivity in animal models. The Core is located in the Webb Nutrition Sciences Building.

The Core provides the following services:

Body composition by chemical carcass analysis In vivo body composition by Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in mice, rats, and other small animals In vivo fat distribution using micro-computed tomography (uCT) In vivo liver fat content Bone mineral content and density using DXA and uCT 24-hr energy expenditure and substrate oxidation in mice and rats Caloric content of food and feces via bomb calorimetry Insulin sensitivity via hyperinulinemic-euglycemic clamps

[edit] Biostatistics/Statistical Genetics Core

Under the interim direction of Renee Desmond, PhD, this Core provides advice in study design, power calculations, data acquisition/ management, and appropriate statistical methods of analysis and reporting. The specific aims of the Biostatistics Core are to:

Coordinate and manage statistical activities to ensure that investigators have ready access to statistical consultation and support. Provide statistical consultation on study design and research proposal development. Provide statistical analyses for CNRU projects including statistical genetics. Participate in teaching and training activities of the CNRU Develop methodologies for novel experimental designs and statistical analyses.

The Core includes Drs. David B. Allison, José Fernández, Suzanne Perumean-Chaney, and Hui-Yi Lin who provide the following special expertise in statistical genetics: 1) Coordination and management of statistical activities in the CNRU to ensure that investigators have ready access to statistical consultation and support 2) Statistical consultation on study design and research proposal development 3) Statistical analyses for CNRU projects including statistical genetics 4) Teaching and training activities in the CNRU 5) Development of methodologies for novel experimental designs and analyses.

[edit] Training Activities

Training is offered for medical trainees, physicians, graduate and postgraduate trainees, allied health professionals, and research scientists through the CNRC Enrichment Program. The Enrichment Program provides regular updates to trainees and investigators in the areas of nutrition and obesity. A post-doctoral T32 training grant for obesity-related research is available and funded by the NIDDK. Applications are being accepted from qualified U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The CNRC Seminar Series brings top nutrition researchers from both on and off campus to the podium each week during the academic year (a schedule of speakers may be found at http://main.uab.edu/shrp/default.aspx?pid=86224