GENERAL CLINICAL RESEARCH CENTER

The New York University Medical Center (NYUMC) has established a multicategorical GCRC at Bellevue Hospital Center, providing inpatient facilities for 12 beds (mixed pediatrics (4) and adults (8)) and 6 outpatient examination rooms. In addition, reconstruction is now being completed on a GCRC satellite outpatient unit which will contain 6 additional examination rooms. This proposal requests approval for years 34-38 of operation. The PI. of the NYUMC GCRC appointed William N. Rom, MD, MPH, Program Director (effective 7/1/1991) who has established a new clinical research theme emphasizing molecular biology and the diseases incompassing HIV infection and cancer. The NYU effort is multidisciplinary, with extensive collaboration among departments and between basic and clinical scientists. The GCRC has undergone extensive renovation to accommodate these new directions. New projects emphasize maternal-fetal HIV transmission, new approaches to therapies in HIV infection, use of cytokine approaches in the new epidemic of tuberculosis, novel molecular therapies in cancer, molecular endocrinology, modulating inflammation and fibrotic processes by altering adhesion molecules, growth factors or signal transduction, and evaluating the brain with exciting new technologies including PET and MRI. The GCRC is utilized by practically all of the clinical departments, and the program director is a member of the executive committee of the Skirball Institute for Biomolecular Medicine which is comprised of NYU'S leading basic science researchers. A newly constituted executive advisory committee reviews all protocols for approval and prioritization. The GCRC core laboratory has been redesigned to address the future in molecular and cell biology. New equipment has been purchased, including a DNA synthesizer, thermal cycler, gel electrophoresis apparatus, tissue culture hoods and incubators for performing routine molecular biology functions on GCRC protocols. More importantly, the core laboratory will provide an educational function by teaching clinical investigators research skills in molecular biology to compete for funding to develop new therapies for clinical studies using approaches to evaluate cytokines, growth factors, and gene therapy. A CDMAS has been established to provide NYU GCRC investigators with the most advanced computer and biostatistical consultation available. Located within Bellevue Hospital Center, the GCRC has access to large populations for study, including many HIV-infected individuals and minorities. NYU and Bellevue work closely together to assure the highest quality care and research investigations.