The Northern California Institute for Research and Education in San Francisco will receive up to $6.04 million to fund the MRI initiative. The focus will be on using MRI to better understand, diagnose and treat a range of conditions including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig's disease).
The second BTRC award (up to $4.94 million over five years) goes to the University of California, San Diego, which will use the money to establish a centre specializing in computational mass spectrometry and open-access software tools for research in proteomics.
The goal of a proteomics experiment is often to identify thousands of proteins present in a complex biological sample, and to detect differences in the amounts or structures of these proteins when samples are compared (e.g. a tumour vs normal tissue). Looking at these differences, and how they relate to one another, can shed light on the causes or progression of a disease and how drugs might be able to treat the disease.
There are now 52 BTRCs, organized into five broad technology areas: imaging; informatics; optical and laser technology; technology for structural biology; and technology for systems biology. "At these centres, researchers nationwide can gain access to advanced instrumentation, software and support for a range of biomedical problems," said NCRR director Barbara Alving.
As well as engaging in collaborative research, the BTRCs also provide hands-on laboratory training, short courses, workshops and online resources.