Nationally Recognized Research Centers of Excellence
The Boonshoft School of Medicine houses several research centers of excellence that are nationally recognized, as well as a University System of Ohio Center of Excellence. Medical students have ample opportunities to participate in this vibrant research community, and many present their work at the school’s annual Medical Student Research Symposium.
Designated as a University System of Ohio Center of Excellence, the Wright State University and Premier Health Neuroscience Institute represent a groundbreaking public-private partnership that unites the Dayton region’s most advanced biomedical research institution with the clinical resources of its largest hospital system. The research component of the institute is located in a cutting-edge Neuroscience Engineering Collaboration Building that opened in 2015 on the Wright State campus, with facilities dedicated to patient care and clinical research located at Miami Valley Hospital. In addition, the partners created a new clinical Department of Neurology and affiliated Neurology Residency Program within the Boonshoft School of Medicine. The institute already has a core cadre of NIH-funded neuroscientists.
The school’s key facilities also include the Matthew O. Diggs III Laboratory for Life Science Research, the first university research laboratory in Ohio to be awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-New Construction (LEED-NC) Gold status by the U.S. Green Building Council. In addition, the school is home to a fully accredited laboratory animal resources facility, a Biosafety Level 3 Facility, a chemical surety facility (XCSM), a genomics core facility with advanced gene array systems, proteomics analysis, and nuclear magnetic resonance laboratories with multiple mass spectrometers and related equipment and a confocal and electron microscopy imaging core facility.
Another collaboration between the Boonshoft School of Medicine and Premier Health led to the creation of the Clinical Trials Research Alliance (CTRA) to increase medical research opportunities for physicians and clinicians at the medical school and Premier hospitals. CTRA has completed trials for such leading sponsors and CROs as Abbott, AbbVie, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Genentech, Gilead Sciences, Inc., Quintiles, Pfizer, PPD, PRA, Parexel. and Sanofi.
A Broad Range of Investigation
The Center for Interventions, Treatment and Addictions Research (CITAR) advances the production, dissemination, and utilization of scientific knowledge and professional technology regarding the epidemiology, consequences, prevention, and treatment of substance abuse. It conducts wide-ranging research through programs such as the Dayton Area Drug Survey (DADS) and the NIDA National Early Warning System Network (iN3).
Wright State’s Center for Genomics Research (CGR) provides state-of-the-art technical assistance and facilities for basic and clinical science projects in the areas of gene expression, flow cytometry,y and genotyping. CGR supports Wright State researchers, as well as industry partners and collaborations with the 711th Human Performance Wing at the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
The Proteome Analysis Laboratory (PAL) is a Wright State facility for the analysis of protein/peptide expression in cells, tissues, and body fluids. Proteomics is the study of the intricate structure and function of thousands of proteins in cells and tissues. Diseases result when proteins, which are encoded by our genes, are defective or malfunctioning. Like the study of genetic defects, the in-depth study of proteins will produce medical advances. Current investigations involve the proteome and genome of the hypothalamic, pituitary, adrenal, and pancreatic-axis (HPAP-Axis) under normal, disease or chemically challenged conditions. One goal of the PAL is to provide high-quality proteomic services to Wright State faculty and staff and researchers outside of the university and to provide support for intramural and extramural grants.
The Cardio-Renal (CaRe) Institute is a multidisciplinary research hub dedicated to advancing our understanding of the complex interplay between cardiovascular and renal health. By fostering collaboration among clinicians, scientists, and educators, the CaRe Institute strives to accelerate the discovery of innovative treatments, improve patient outcomes, and train the next generation of health professionals in the prevention and management of cardiorenal diseases.