COBRE

COBRE

NIH Center of Biomedical Research Excellence

In the Fall of 2002, the Center for Environmental Health Sciences received an award of nearly $8.2 million in direct funds from the NCRR Institute of the National Institutes of Health under the Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) program. Research projects involved investigators from UM departments of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Biological Sciences, as well as from the College of Nursing at Montana State University.

These successful collaborations have resulted in an extension of the original five-year COBRE grant, which continues to substantially enhance the multi-disciplinary biomedical research program at CEHS.

COBRE Research Subprojects

• Arsenic toxicity causes vascular dysplasia, placental insufficiency and spontaneous abortion. Principal Investigator D. Coffin, Collaborators H. Beall and J. Cross.
• Evaluation of amphibole contamination in tree bark within Libby, MT and transportation corridors throughout the Pacific NW. Principal Investigator T. Ward, Collaborators A. Holian, J. Webber.
• SPARC and extracellular matrix production after amphibole exposure. Principal Investigator E. Putnam, Collaborator H. Sage.
• Regulation of macrophage function by components of woodsmoke. Principal Investigator C. Migliaccio
• Effects of the herbicide Atrazine on CD4+ T Cell Activation and Differentiation. Principal Investigator S. Wetzel, Collaborator M. Minnick.

CEHS Core Facilities

Molecular biology, molecular histology, fluorescent imaging and flow cytometry provide essental technology and instrumentation meeting COBRE program needs and strengthening UM's biomedical research infrastructure.

• Molecular Histology & Fluorescence Imaging - Director Diana Lurie, Staff Scientist Lou Herritt
• Fluorescence Cytometry - Director Kevan Roberts, Staff Scientist Pam Shaw
• Inhalation and Pulmonary Physiology - Co-directors Andrij Holian and Maria Morandi
• Staff Scientist Mary Buford