WSU Advanced Technology Center: Centralization and Modernization of Core Facilities

This proposal aims to establish the Wayne State University Advanced Technology Center (ATC) for cutting-edge analytical technologies occupying 10,425 square feet in the new Health Sciences Building (HSB) on the Wayne State University School of Medicine (WSU-SOM) campus. Developed with the Mott Center, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute (KCI), and the Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (IEHS), this initiative will facilitate innovative biomedical research through technologies provided by core facility laboratories. The ATC will provide state-of-the-art instrumentation and expertise to support multidisciplinary efforts in understanding disease mechanisms, developing novel therapies, and addressing critical health challenges, particularly those affecting urban and rural populations. The ATC will centralize the MICR (Microscopy, Imaging and Cytometry, Resources), Proteomic, and Lipidomic core facilities, which are currently dispersed across four aging buildings. These cores evolved independently over decades, resulting in physical separation and limited interaction. Centralization in the ATC while modernizing its infrastructure will optimize resource utilization and foster collaborative research. WSU investigators and external users rely on these cores to analyze samples from precious patient biopsies, controlled animal studies, and in vitro experiments. However, their physical separation limits the feasibility and efficiency of multi-omic research efforts. Samples often require partitioning for separate analyses at different facilities, creating redundancy in record keeping and regulatory oversight while at the same time reducing the ability to extract comprehensive, interconnected data. The centralized ATC addresses these challenges by facilitating the development of protocols across cores, utilizing a single reporting and oversight mechanism while providing different technologies, and enabling seamless integration of advanced experimental design. For instance, biobank specimens, patient samples, or toxicant-exposed tissues can undergo specialized imaging, cell sorting, and omics analyses in a seamless workflow. This integrated approach will maximize data generation, enhance scientific discovery, and advance investigator initiatives. The ATC will drive innovation beyond what each core could achieve individually, yielding benefits far greater than the sum of its parts. WSU’s core laboratories support a broad user base, including investigators from regional, national, and international institutions. The ATC will enhance WSU’s reputation as a premier resource for advanced technological solutions, offering high-quality services, training, workshops, and educational opportunities. The ATC will improve the efficiency and impact of research while also preparing the next generation of scientists through comprehensive training programs, including experiential learning opportunities designed to engage young scientists. Ongoing outreach to area schools, including a summer training program, demonstrates our structured and sustainable commitment to educational outreach.