MS CEPR RESEARCH RESOURCES CORE B SUMMARY The goal of the Research Resources Core B of the Mississippi Center of Excellence in Perinatal Research (MS CEPR) COBRE in Phase 2 is to continue to provide investigators and trainees with access to state-of-the-art equipment and technical expertise needed to perform their research. During Phase 1, new Sub-cores were developed: Animal and Telemetry, Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting (FACS) and Flow Cytometry, Mitochondrial Research, Confocal Microscopy, Pediatric Echocardiography, Genomics, and Statistical Analyses. New state-of-the-art equipment was purchased for these Sub-cores by UMMC and the MS CEPR COBRE. Two of these Sub-cores are now independent revenue neutral recharge centers, the Pediatric Echo and Genomics Sub-cores. For Phase 2, a new sub-core was added, the Clinical Research Sub-core, that provides support for research project leaders (RPLs) and pilot project leaders (PPLs) in performing clinical studies. Faculty and staff of Core B interact closely with RPLs and PPLs and their trainees, and are dedicated to providing coordinated and collaborative resources to support their research. In addition, Core B personnel provide expert assistance in the use of existing methods but are also available for development of new methods and assays, improvement of existing assays, provide interpretation of results and data, provide training, technical support, and supervision for equipment and analytical tools. The MS CEPR Sub-cores are unique and their expertise is not available in the other COBREs on campus (the Cardiorenal and Metabolic Diseases Research COBRE (P20 GM104357) (CMDR, now in Phase 2) or the Center for Psychiatric Neurosciences COBRE (P30 GM103328, now completed Phase 3)) or the University of Southern Mississippi INBRE program, but are available to their investigators. The Specific Aims of the Research Resources Core B in Phase 2 include the following: 1) To continue to support and adapt state-of-the-art research services to meet the needs of RPLs and PPLs and facilitate recruitment of new investigators and center members; 2) To continue to provide access to, maintenance, training and supervision in use of state-of-the-art equipment for all investigators, staff and students, internal and external; 3) To optimize all assays and core services, to provide improvement in existing assays and services, and to assist in the interpretation of results and data; 4) To develop a recharge center business model for all Sub-cores in Core B that is compliant with federal funding guidelines to provide sustainability of Core B services, equipment, and facilities. The services of Core B are absolutely necessary for the successful completion of the studies described in Projects 1-3 and will be an asset to PPLs as well. In addition, other investigators, both intramural and extramural, have access to the Research Resources Core B services.