Core Center Grant (P30)

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) recently awarded a Research Core Center (P30) in musculoskeletal biology and medicine to the University of Rochester, which runs from January 1, 2022 through August 31, 2026. The Rochester Resource-based Center for Bone, Muscle and Orthopaedic Research (ROCSTARR), which is led by Dr. Edward Schwarz (Director) and Dr. Laura Calvi (Co-Director), provides shared facilities and services to groups of established, currently funded investigators addressing scientific problems in musculoskeletal biology and medicine, in order to improve efficiency, accelerate the pace of research, and ensure greater productivity. Additionally, through its unique Enrichment Program designed to expand the research base, the ROCSTARR aims to facilitate the development and promotion of Research Assistant Professors and New Physician-Scientists. There are three Cores. The Administrative Core oversees the entire program and runs the Enrichment Program that includes: a Mentoring sub-Core, a Clinical Research sub-Core, a Visiting Professor Program, Travel Grants and an Annual Research Symposium. The Histology, Biochemistry, and Molecular Imaging (HBMI) Core, which is led by Dr. Alayna Loiselle (Director) and Dr. Brendan Boyce (Co-Director), will facilitate cellular and molecular assays, histology and morphometry. The Biomechanics and Multimodal Tissue Imaging (BMTI) Core, which is run by Dr. Hani Awad (Director) and Dr. Shu-Chi (Allison) Yeh (Co-Director), will facilitate in vivo translational research (mechanical testing, micro-CT, in vivo multispectral and ultrasound imaging). The ROCSTARR is heavily leveraged by institutional support from the School of Medicine & Dentistry and the NIH funded UR CTSI. Finally, the ROCSTARR will award pilot project grants (four $25,000 grants per year) to Physician-Scientists and Research Assistant Professors who have not received NIH R01 or equivalent grant funding as Principal Investigator, for research aimed at improving the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system and its component tissues. Key public health problems addressed by this research include, but are not limited to osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and muscular dystrophies. The ROCSTARR intends to combine and provide additional resources for research into these areas of human health.