NIGMS STTR Award 3UT2GM148083-01S1 

CORE FACILITIES SHORT COURSE

Service core facilities that serve a broad audience are increasingly important to a successful academic biomedical enterprise. They are dependent on advanced technological approaches that need to be paired with skilled and experienced operators to acquire reliable and authentic data in a stable environment. This curriculum is designed to cover major issues that confront the management of these facilities.

 

Target Audience

Faculty and staff involved in the planning and/or operation of IDeA-supported biomedical service cores. Principal Investigators and institutional leaders in charge of core facility services are also invited to gain a better understanding of the issues surrounding the development and sustainability of service cores.

Alan Daugherty, Ph.D., DSc

Associate Vice President for Core Facilities

University of Kentucky

Contact: [email protected]

SESSION 1:

GUIDANCE IN MANAGING BIOMEDICAL CORE FACILITIES SUPPORTED BY NIH FUNDING

DATE: Monday, February 27, 2023

TIME: 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Eastern Time

Summary

Many Principal Investigators have either no or minimal experience or training in managing core facilities, and this shortcoming is compounded by appointing Core Directors based on their scientific/technical expertise without an appreciation for the spectrum of characteristics that are needed to operate and sustain successful core facilities which must adhere to Federal cost principles. This session is the first in the series to provide a road map for attaining the self-sustainability expected by the Funder.

SESSION 2:

GUIDANCE IN MANAGING BIOMEDICAL CORE FACILITIES: OPERATIONS

DATE: Monday, March 13, 2023

TIME: 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Eastern Time

Summary

Many operational aspects of service cores need to be considered for developing effective facilities. This includes staffing appropriately qualified people with a customer service mentality. Also, the equipment in the core needs to be matched to the users' needs and maintained in a highly functional state. The efficiency of the staff and equipment also needs to be optimized to facilitate access that can be managed by several software options. This session will discuss these aspects of core operations.

SESSION 3:

GUIDANCE IN MANAGING BIOMEDICAL CORE FACILITIES: ENHANCE DATA MANAGEMENT AND SERVICE CORE USE

DATE: Monday, April 10, 2023

TIME: 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Eastern Time

Summary

Institutional service cores should be managed in a mode that provides data that will be highly regarded with respect to rigor and reproducibility. This includes the management of information, data quality, and availability. To sustain service cores, they must maintain and enhance their user base. This session will explore strategies for both of these elements.

SESSION 4:

GUIDANCE IN MANAGING BIOMEDICAL CORE FACILITIES: FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

DATE: Monday, May 15, 2023

TIME: 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Eastern Time

Summary

For the service core to be sustained, there has to be a solid financial foundation. For most service cores this financial foundation is based on recovering costs from internal users. This session will explore modes of developing rate structures. The session will also discuss how to manage the fiscal affairs of service cores in a compliant mode. 

SESSION 5:

GUIDANCE IN MANAGING BIOMEDICAL CORE FACILITIES: VALUE ASSESSMENT AND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE ACADEMIC MISSION

DATE: Monday, June 12, 2023

TIME: 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm Eastern Time

Summary

It is common for service cores to rely on institutional financial support. To garner this support, it is helpful for the service core to document their contribution to the academic mission of the institute. This is most commonly done through participation in publications and grants. This session will discuss the benefits of fiscal and operations management oversight processes.