Expanding Biomedical Research Capacity at Bryant University - Bryant University requests NIH funding to build three shared research spaces that will significantly expand the institution’s biomedical research capacity. The proposed project will include (1) the expansion and modernization of an analytical laboratory designed to support faculty research and undergraduate training across a variety of scientific disciplines; (2) the construction of a tissue culture lab that will house a laminar flow hood, a biosafety level II cabinet, and incubators to support level II cell culture work; and (3) the construction of a microscopy room that will house the first confocal microscope in Rhode Island with Raman capabilities to image live cells. Creating these shared research spaces will revolutionize the biomedical research that Bryant can conduct. The current analytical laboratory is a 761-square- foot facility that is outdated and under-outfitted to support cutting-edge research. This project will increase the size of the space by 45%, to 1,500 square feet, and will modernize this shared research space with equipment necessary for the institution to become a leader in biomedical research. Currently, Bryant does not have a microscopy room or any space on campus dedicated to tissue culture work. This means that the faculty can only conduct rudimentary sampling or cannot conduct research for risk of biohazard. Lastly, a 250-square-foot microscopy room will be built to house a confocal microscope with Raman capabilities. The research these spaces will make possible will enhance critical work on women’s health disparities, particularly in the areas of antibiotic resistance and addiction, both conditions that disproportionately affect women. With the proposed construction, Bryant will realize the following four objectives: (1) transform and expand critical research space available to Bryant faculty and students (with a 10% increase in student researchers annually over five years); (2) make possible new research on women’s health, particularly regarding antibiotic resistance and addiction (with a 50% increase in publications over five years); (3) enable interdisciplinary collaborations and foster innovation in biomedical research in Rhode Island (with a 100% increase in outside researchers who use Bryant facilities over five years); and (4) prepare students for careers in the biomedical sciences through hands-on research and training experiences (with 100% of all SHBS students, excluding psychology, trained on new lab instruments and techniques).
