Core Services
The Center provides its researchers with state-of-the-art core services designed to improve efficiency, timeliness and precision of vital technical procedures needed across research boundaries. Click on a Core Service below to learn more.

Basic Science Cores
  • Animal Metabolism & Behavior
    • Directors:  Ingram, Donald K.
      Website: http://labs.pbrc.edu/AMBC/

      The newly established Comparative Behavior and Metabolic Core brings together several existing systems for the non-invasive assaying of metabolism, body composition and activity in rodents.
  • Cell Culture
    • Directors:  Gimble, Jeffrey, Teran-Garcia, Margarita L.

      The cell culture core provides investigators the opportunity to use equipment dedicated to cell and tissue culture needs with part-time personnel support and maintenance. Cell cultures can be developed from human and animal tissues and employed as disease models relevant to cancer, cardiovascular, diabetes, neurological, obesity, and stem cell research. The facility includes the following shared equipment: biological safety cabinets (4), humidified incubators (3), microscopes (2) and a digital camera system, automated carbon dioxide manifold, water baths, balances, pH meter, liquid nitrogen cryotanks for cell storage, and freezer/refrigerators for storage of reagents. All users of the facility and their personnel will be required to complete mandatory training with the PBRC Safety Officer before they begin their work. The cell culture core facility is under controlled access. The core includes a dedicated room available within for the use of viral vectors requiring Biological Safety Level 2 control or radioisotopes. Contact the core directors to inquire about the conduct of such studies in advance.
  • Comparative Biology
    • Directors:  Robert, Barry J.

      There is no description available at this time. Please check back later.
  • Genomics
    • Directors:  Kozak, Leslie P., Koza, Robert A.
      Website: http://gcf.pbrc.edu

      The Genomics Core Facility (GCF) provides DNA sequencing, DNA fragment analysis, qualitative and quantitative analysis of DNA and RNA samples, quantitative PCR, microarray spotting, hybridization, and scanning, robotics, and bioinformatics services. Individual and small group training and consultation services are offered for sequence analysis, real-time PCR, and microarray analysis.

      The GCF laboratory services are available to any researcher. The goal of the GCF is to provide high quality service at low cost to facilitate research. Use of the Genomics Core Facility services are scheduled on a first come, first serve basis. The wait time for instrument use is rarely more than one day and is frequently shorter.
  • Proteomics
    • Directors:  Kheterpal, Indu K.

      The Pennington Biomedical Research Center has developed a state-of-the-art high throughput proteomics facility. The proteomics facility allows researchers to measure the relative abundance of proteins within a cell or tissue, determine the subcellular localization of proteins, examine the extent of protein modification, and identify proteins which are secreted from cells. The technology is built around high resolution analytical 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis using multiple gel size formats (7 - 18 cm IEF gels and corresponding SDS-gels) and multiple staining protocols (silver, sypro ruby, western blot with detection). Sensitive imaging techniques coupled with sophisticated imaging and analysis software provides capabilities for spot matching between multiple gels, spot quantitation, the preparation of an annotated “Master Gel, and routine statistical analysis.

      The facility also provides state-of-the-art high throughput identification of peptides and proteins. Automated spot picking from preparative 2d-gel electrophoresis and automated in-gel protein digestion, peptide extraction, and MALDI slide spotting facilitates sample preparation for protein identification. A MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer is used to identify proteins through peptide mass fingerprinting. A Q-TOF mass spectrometer is used to verify protein identification through multiple partial peptide sequencing. An integrated data management system provides tracking of all samples through the process, annotation of samples with experimental conditions, and integration with external public proteomic and metabolic databases.
  • Transgenics
    • Directors:  Mynatt, Randall L.

      The GEMC currently produces mice for faculty at Pennington Biomedical Research Center as well as investigators at other institutions. The GEMC utilizes pronuclear microinjection and embryonic stem cell technologies to control gene expression in mice. The mission of the core is to establish a service at PBRC that will allow for the controlled manipulation of gene expression and facilitate investigators in understanding gene function. The core strives to provide services at prices that are below those that are commercially available.

      Personnel
      Director: Randall Mynatt Ph.D.
      Transgene preparation and Gene Targeting: Jingying Zhang, Ph.D.
      Embryo injection: Steven Bond, BS
      Embryo injection: Dieyun Ding, BS

      Services Provided
      A. Transgene Preparation
      B. Pronuclear Microinjection of Transgenes and Bacterial Artificial Chromosmes
      C. Gene targeting
      D. Injection of Embryonic Stem Cells
      E. Cryopreservation
      F. Rederivation

      For More information and pricing contact Randall Mynatt 225-767-3100

Clinical Research Cores
  • Clinical Chemistry
    • Directors:  Rood, Jennifer C.

      The mission of the Clinical Chemistry Core is to develop innovative methodology, provide accurate and timely tests results and foster a climate of personal and professional achievement. The Core performs more than 250 different clinical assays to support clinical trials, basic researchers, the U.S. Army Institute of Environmental Medicine, and contracting clients.
  • Dietary Assessment
    • Directors:  Champagne, Catherine M.

      The mission of the Dietary Assessment Core is to provide accurate information on dietary intakes of research study participants who keep food records, food frequency questionnaires, and/or dietary recalls. This Core also designs menus meeting specific nutrient targets which can be used by either study participants or metabolic kitchen staff.
  • Exercise Testing
    • Directors:  Earnest, Conrad P.

      There is no description available at this time. Please check back later.
  • Imaging/MRS
    • Directors:  Smith, Steven R.

      There is no description available at this time. Please check back later.
  • In-patient Clinic
    • Directors:  Smith, Steven R.

      The inpatient unit serves the needs of clinical investigators for the conduct of advanced clinical endpoints in clinical studies of obesity, diabetes and metabolism. The consists of:
      - seven rooms, with two beds each, for overnight clinical stays and procedures. These rooms have been recently renovated and are comfortably furnished with large windows, private bath facilities, and telephones.
      - two rooms dedicated for the conduct of euglycemic hyperinsulinemic ‘clamps’
      - a procedure room for oral glucose tolerance testing, IV glucose tolerance testing, pharmacokinetic studies, and other related procedures
      - a dedicated biopsy room for adipose tissue and skeletal muscle biopsies
      - a satellite clinical chemistry sample processing and accessioning room
      - a room dedicated to the measurement of food intake and macronutrient selection
      - a fully equipped Inpatient Unit / Eating Laboratory Metabolic Kitchen
      - a lounge/sunroom for volunteers where they can watch TV/DVDs, surf the internet and play games
      - a large nursing station that includes a remote pharmacy, internet/intranet access and work table
      - a psychology data collection area for questionnaire completion
      - immediately adjacent facilities: DEXA, chocardiography, ultrasound, 3T MRI/MRS and pulmonary function testing units. The unit is staffed 24-hours, 7-days a week except major holidays.
  • Library and Information Center
    • Directors:  Steib, Lori C.

      The Library & Information Center offers print and electronic resources and literature assistance to the researchers at the Center. Staffed by a Director, an Assistant Librarian and a Graduate Assistant, the Library & Information Center offers reference and information services, interlibrary loan processing, bibliographic instruction, and access to electronic databases to all Pennington Biomedical Research Center employees.

      The Information Center, a member of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine and LOUIS, The Louisiana Library Network, is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. During the last 12-month period, the Information Center processed more than 5,000 requests.

      Center employees may access many databases through the PINE intranet service, including: Medline via PubMed and EbscoHost; Science Citation Index, Social Science Citation Index, and Arts & Humanities Citation Index and Journal Citation Reports via ISI’s Web of Knowledge. The EbscoHost suite includes such databases such as Agricola, PsychInfo, Social Science Abstracts, Biological Abstracts, as well as the full text journal databases Biomedical References Collection and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. The Library and Information Center continues to keep pace with the developing electronic resources and programming technologies, recently implementing a new online catalog system, and planning for electronic document delivery to the desktop of Center employees.
  • Mass Spectrometry
    • Directors:  Rood, Jennifer C.

      The Mass Spectrometry facility provides core services in two areas: energy expenditure and metabolism. Stable isotopes, or heavy atoms, are used as tracers to study human metabolism.
  • Metabolic Chambers
    • Directors:  Levitan, Lilian

      The main goal of the metabolic chambers core is to perform and provide reliable and reproducible assessments of energy expenditure and substrate oxidation in humans. The technique used for these measurements is indirect calorimetry.

      Two types of equipment for these measurements are available at the Pennington Center. Metabolic carts (Deltatrac II metabolic monitors) are used for measurements under resting conditions. The Center has eight of those devices, which are used for the assessment of energy metabolism under resting conditions such as resting metabolic rate (RMR) and the acute effects of possible thermogenic stimuli such as a meal or pharmaceutical and herbal compounds. In addition, the metabolic carts are used during insulin clamp studies to calculate glucose oxidation. The carts use the ventilated hood technique which makes measurements over several hours possible. During 2004 and 2005, we performed approximately 1700 measurements for a variety of studies.

      For the measurements of energy expenditure and substrate oxidation on a 24-hour basis whole room indirect calorimeters are used. The Center has two metabolic chambers, (10 feet x 12 feet x 8 feet). Because studies include periods of 24 hours up to 7 consecutive days in the chambers, they are designed to provide a pleasant environment to our study participants. During the last few years, the programming of our chambers was updated to allow for minute to minute data output, making the chambers not only useful for the measurements of 24-hour energy metabolism but also for the assessments of acute changes. During 2004 and 2005 we performed close to 450 measurements of 24H energy expenditure for several studies.
  • Outpatient
    • Directors:  Greenway, Frank L.

      The Outpatient Clinic Core supports clinical trials by recruiting participants, scheduling screenings, and collecting research data. Screening is a three-step process from initial phone screening to determine study eligibility, more extensive screening in the clinic with body measurements and blood sampling to the physical exam for subjects passing these initial screening steps.

      The Outpatient Clinical Core is on the first floor of the clinical research building which occupies 16,485 square feet of space plus four trailer annexes housing 22 offices, two conference rooms and ten examination rooms, two of which are new. The core has a conference room, three eating monitors and a phlebotomy laboratory as well as three electrocardiogram rooms, three weight and blood pressure stalls and four interview rooms, all of which are newly created.

      The Outpatient Clinic employs 40 people: an administrator, a quality assurance specialist, two physicians, a physician assistant, three recruiters, a public relations specialist, ten nurses, seven study coordinators, three dietitians, a medical record librarian with two assistants, five secretarial personnel, a data entry supervisor and two part-time pharmacists. The clinic has access to an eating monitor laboratory to measure food intake and an ultrasound facility to evaluate heart valves and blood vessels.
  • Recruitment
    • Directors:  Church, Timothy S.

      There is no description available at this time. Please check back later.
  • Research Kitchen
    • Directors: 
      Website: http://labs.pbrc.edu/metabolickitchen/

      The mission of the Metabolic Kitchen Core is “to support nutritional research by designing, preparing and serving meals with safety, accuracy and consistency that meet study-specific criteria and produce valid scientific results.”

      The Metabolic Kitchen Core is located on the second floor of the Clinical Research Building. It is divided into four fully equipped individual kitchen areas that are ideal for conducting simultaneously various protocols. One unit is dedicated to the inpatient unit while another is a baking kitchen. In the metabolic kitchen, there also is a tray service area; dish room; and areas for dry, refrigerated and frozen storage in the storeroom, walk-in refrigerator, and walk-in freezer. On-site are additional dry, refrigerated and frozen food storage areas.

      Staff includes research dietitians who have the primary responsibility for planning and managing the dietary component of feeding study protocols. Research specialists, food service coordinators, hostesses, and student workers prepare and serve the research-designated diets.
Population Science Cores
  • Biostatistics & Data Management
    • Directors:  Johnson, William D.

      As the name implies, the Biostatistics and Data Management Core has two primary functions. Through collaboration with Center scientists, our biostatisticians provide statistical support for clinical and non-clinical studies conducted at the Center. And, our data management team, consisting of systems analysts and applications programmers, is responsible for implementation and maintenance of the Central Clinical Database, the institution’s primary archive of clinical research data.

      Biostatistical functions of the Core include general statistical consultation, experimental design consultation, sample size determination and power analyses, data analysis and interpretation, and reporting of results of clinical studies. In addition, our biostatisticians pursue independent research in statistical theory and methods related to the planning and conduct of clinical trials.

      The database management team’s responsibilities center on the prime mission of creating and maintaining the unified central database for clinical data at PBRC. In addition, our programmers are charged with development of the specialized applications that are used to collect clinical data from diverse sources throughout the institution. Also, this group has responsibility for the continuing development of CDA, an application that provides authorized users a web-based portal to the clinical database.