# Core-001: Histological Assessment Core

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2020 · $172,166

## Abstract

Michigan Integrative Musculoskeletal Health Core Center – Core B 
Project Summary 
Histology is an essential component of virtually all in vivo musculoskeletal studies. The 
centralization of histologic efforts allows for high quality, reasonably priced histology, and 
ensures, in collaboration with the other Resource Cores, an efficient, integrated, hierarchical, 
and cost-effective approach to the evaluation of tissue phenotypes. The Histological 
Assessment Core (Core B) will provide investigators with access to state-of-the-art 
technologies, training on the use of techniques and devices, and consultation on experimental 
design, protocol development, data analysis and interpretation. Core B will include capabilities 
and expertise in the histologic assessment of cartilage and bone, particularly using paraffin and 
plastic sections as well as analysis of muscles, tendons, and ligaments and with experimental 
procedures performed on frozen sections. The Core will also maintain a plasmid stock for the 
synthesis of riboprobes and provide guidance in the use of these reagents on tissue sections. 
These offerings were chosen based on the needs across all musculoskeletal tissues of the 
Research Community at the University of Michigan. The services and facilities of the Core will 
be available to investigators on a first-come, first-served basis, although the general guidelines 
will be flexible to accommodate high priority deadlines, such as meetings, publications and grant 
application deadlines. Four Aims are proposed: the Core will provide expertise and guidance on 
the design of experiments in Aim 1, and expertise and training on the generation of high quality 
histological sections and the use of state-of-art histologic techniques in Aim 2. Further, in Aim 3, 
the Core will provide guidance with interpretation of results and make recommendations for 
future studies. Lastly, the overall goal of Aim 4 is to enable the research community through 
ongoing technology development and education. Centralizing the histological assessments of 
musculoskeletal tissues in a Core facility will leverage the expertise in this area of the Core staff 
and ensure high quality, efficient use of resources and equipment, proper training, and 
intellectual engagement with experts to advance understanding of musculoskeletal biology, 
health, and disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9984286
- **Project number:** 5P30AR069620-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Ernestina Schipani
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $172,166
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-08-01 → 2021-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9984286

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9984286, Core-001: Histological Assessment Core (5P30AR069620-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9984286. Licensed CC0.

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