# Translational Biomarkers Core

> **NIH NIH P20** · MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY - BOZEMAN · 2020 · $136,394

## Abstract

The overall goal of the Translational Biomarkers Core of the Center for American Indian and Rural Health
Equity (CAIRHE) is to help COBRE-supported and other Montana State University (MSU) and regional
investigators pursue multidisciplinary biomedical research by providing facilities, instrumentation, analytical
services, and mentoring on biomarker assessments for diet, lifestyle, and chronic disease. Carrying out
validated and culturally relevant biomedical research addressing social determinants of health is a critical
research challenge in the Institutional Development Award (IDeA) state of Montana, which lacks a medical
school and is home to Native and rural populations that face significant health disparities. In order to address
this need, CAIRHE established the Translational Biomarkers Core during COBRE Phase I to strengthen the
biomedical research capacity of its junior investigators and the capacity of other researchers to carry out
translational interventions and clinical trials that address health equity. This includes investigators of the
Montana IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE), the American Indian/Alaska Native
Clinical and Translational Research Program (CTRP), and other programs. The Core will pursue the following
three Specific Aims that leverage resources of CAIRHE and MSU. Aim 1: The Core will provide and maintain
required state-of-the-art instrumentation in support of CAIRHE project leaders and other Center, INBRE,
CTRP, and MSU investigators for use in validated biomarker analyses within health equity research projects.
Major instruments maintained include a multiplex immunoassay analyzer, dual high- and ultra-performance
liquid chromatography module, flow cytometer, spectrophotometer, fluorometer, and real-time PCR unit. Aim 2:
The Core will provide lab analytical services to conduct validated biomarker assessments for CAIRHE
investigators using Core instrumentation (as described in Aim 1) and protocols. These biomarker assessments
will supplement observational and self-reported methods of CAIRHE investigators, providing a multidisciplinary
approach that is innovative at MSU for examining social determinants of health. Assessments offered will focus
on measurement of diet, lifestyle, and chronic disease biomarkers including inflammation, oxidative stress,
hormones, metabolic disease, growth factors, kidney toxicity, and drug and alcohol use. Aim 3: The Core will
provide guidance to Center faculty regarding its capabilities, including expertise and consultation on selection
and/or modification of biomarker assessments, as well as training on use of instruments and analytical
protocols. Ultimately, the Core will work toward the fulfillment of CAIRHE's mission to reduce significant health
disparities in Native and rural communities while helping more junior investigators achieve independent status.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10000169
- **Project number:** 5P20GM104417-07
- **Recipient organization:** MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY - BOZEMAN
- **Principal Investigator:** Selena Ahmed
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $136,394
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2014-09-15 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10000169

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10000169, Translational Biomarkers Core (5P20GM104417-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10000169. Licensed CC0.

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