Research Resources
Research Administration Core
The purposes of the Research Administration Core are to provide (1) a central resource for recruiting research subjects, (2) assistance with the recruitment of Hispanic and other minority research subjects, and (3) a team of research coordinators. The Research Administration Core also assembles and maintains records and forms that are made available to investigators who are dealing with regulatory issues that affect the conduct of research (i.e., IRB and GCRC forms, website where grant applications can be obtained, etc.).
Research Network Core
In addition to collaborations with investigators in a variety of disciplines at UNC, the Center has an ever-expanding Research Network of collaborating institutions outside UNC for large-scale, multi-center studies. These strategic alliances have been developed to take advantage of the specialized skills and expertise of investigators at other sites and to increase the pool of research subjects participating in Center studies. The Research Network has benefited from the development of new technologies for web-based data acquisition/sharing and research subject recruitment, as well as a growing library of FGID-related scannable and Internet-based questionnaires in different languages. The purposes of the Research Network Core are to (1) provide administrative support from the UNC Center for funded research collaborations; (2) provide data management for multi-center studies; and (3) provide Center investigators with research-ready sites with proven abilities, both nationally and internationally, to facilitate the funding of large-scale, multi-center studies.
Biometry Core
The primary purposes of the Biometry Core are to provide (1) consultation and advice on experimental design and statistical analysis; (2) data entry and data management for selected projects; and (3) data analysis for selected projects. Other capabilities of this core are: (4) developing questionnaire booklets for research studies; (5) developing data management and quality assurance procedures and manuals; (6) developing data management programs; (7) coding, entering and cleaning data; (8) developing random generation schemes for clinical trials; (9) overseeing the production of reports for data and safety monitoring boards and for regulatory agencies; and (10) assisting investigators in analyzing the data and developing research reports for publication.
Data Acquisition & Technology Applications Core (DATA)
The DATA Core provides researchers with sophisticated data acquisition and data-sharing methodologies, data management, and archiving of research data to facilitate the conduct of large studies (especially multi-site studies) by our UNC research team and our national and international Research Network collaborators. Capabilities of this core include (1) creating and scanning of machine-readable questionnaires, (2) internet surveys, (3) programs and websites for managing multi-site studies, (4) secure server for multi-site studies, (5) PDA-based symptom surveys, and (6) automated telephone data entry.
Education & Dissemination Core
The goals of the Education & Dissemination Core are to (1) meet the educational needs of patients and the general public, (2) educate health care providers in the diagnosis and treatment of functional GI and motility disorders, (3) disseminate research findings to professional and lay audiences, and (4) to utilize the Internet for the recruitment of research study subjects and for the conduct of internet-based surveys and other research projects.
Seed Grant Core
The NIH infrastructure grant provides funding for a Seed Grant Program (SGP) to support up to three pilot projects each fiscal year (each for $37,500 in direct costs), with application deadlines in December, April and August. The goals of the SGP are to encourage and develop new investigators by providing (1) funds to collect the pilot data essential to successful NIH applications, and (2) mentoring in grant writing as well as the conduct of a research project. Research seed grants are awarded to new investigators for studies related to functional GI and motility disorders.
Research Administration Core
The purposes of the Research Administration Core are to provide (1) a central resource for recruiting research subjects, (2) assistance with the recruitment of Hispanic and other minority research subjects, and (3) a team of research coordinators. The Research Administration Core also assembles and maintains records and forms that are made available to investigators who are dealing with regulatory issues that affect the conduct of research (i.e., IRB and GCRC forms, website where grant applications can be obtained, etc.).
Research Network Core
In addition to collaborations with investigators in a variety of disciplines at UNC, the Center has an ever-expanding Research Network of collaborating institutions outside UNC for large-scale, multi-center studies. These strategic alliances have been developed to take advantage of the specialized skills and expertise of investigators at other sites and to increase the pool of research subjects participating in Center studies. The Research Network has benefited from the development of new technologies for web-based data acquisition/sharing and research subject recruitment, as well as a growing library of FGID-related scannable and Internet-based questionnaires in different languages. The purposes of the Research Network Core are to (1) provide administrative support from the UNC Center for funded research collaborations; (2) provide data management for multi-center studies; and (3) provide Center investigators with research-ready sites with proven abilities, both nationally and internationally, to facilitate the funding of large-scale, multi-center studies.
Biometry Core
The primary purposes of the Biometry Core are to provide (1) consultation and advice on experimental design and statistical analysis; (2) data entry and data management for selected projects; and (3) data analysis for selected projects. Other capabilities of this core are: (4) developing questionnaire booklets for research studies; (5) developing data management and quality assurance procedures and manuals; (6) developing data management programs; (7) coding, entering and cleaning data; (8) developing random generation schemes for clinical trials; (9) overseeing the production of reports for data and safety monitoring boards and for regulatory agencies; and (10) assisting investigators in analyzing the data and developing research reports for publication.
Data Acquisition & Technology Applications Core (DATA)
The DATA Core provides researchers with sophisticated data acquisition and data-sharing methodologies, data management, and archiving of research data to facilitate the conduct of large studies (especially multi-site studies) by our UNC research team and our national and international Research Network collaborators. Capabilities of this core include (1) creating and scanning of machine-readable questionnaires, (2) internet surveys, (3) programs and websites for managing multi-site studies, (4) secure server for multi-site studies, (5) PDA-based symptom surveys, and (6) automated telephone data entry.
Education & Dissemination Core
The goals of the Education & Dissemination Core are to (1) meet the educational needs of patients and the general public, (2) educate health care providers in the diagnosis and treatment of functional GI and motility disorders, (3) disseminate research findings to professional and lay audiences, and (4) to utilize the Internet for the recruitment of research study subjects and for the conduct of internet-based surveys and other research projects.
Seed Grant Core
The NIH infrastructure grant provides funding for a Seed Grant Program (SGP) to support up to three pilot projects each fiscal year (each for $37,500 in direct costs), with application deadlines in December, April and August. The goals of the SGP are to encourage and develop new investigators by providing (1) funds to collect the pilot data essential to successful NIH applications, and (2) mentoring in grant writing as well as the conduct of a research project. Research seed grants are awarded to new investigators for studies related to functional GI and motility disorders.
