NINDS Core Facilities and Research Resources

The Bioinformatics Core Facility is located in Building 10 (3B01) and consists of both Bioinformatics Scientist-staff and Bioinformatics Programmer-staff. Its mission is to collaboratively assist NINDS research staff with Bioinformatics-related projects as needed.

The Biospecimen Core was established in the fall of 2021, to provide sample acquisition and processing, sample tracking, storage, and sample shipment support. The core will first focus on establishing standard operating procedures, and maintaining a database on clinical information and laboratory results on each of patients from whom the specimens are acquired. For more information, please contact Niru Amin, Biospecimen Director).

The Electron MIcroscopy (EM) Core Facility facilitates NINDS investigators with the opportunity to use electron microscopic techniques in their research programs. The staff provide assistance in all aspects of electron microscopy including project planning, specimen preparation and training.

The Flow & Imaging Cytometry Core Facility provides intellectual, technical, training and collaborative support to NINDS and other intramural.

The Light Imaging Core Facility (LIF) provides intramural scientists with access to state-of-the-art light imaging equipment and expertise in light imaging techniques.

The Proteomics Core Facility provides amino acid sequencing of purified proteins/peptides for NINDS investigators. The facility is also available for collaborations involving protein/peptide purification and more complicated sequencing strategies.

The Clinical Proteomics Unit uses state-of-the-art mass spectroscopy based techniques to decipher the proteome in the cerebrospinal fluid and other biological materials. The search for a new Director is ongoing.

The primary goal of the Quantitative MRI (qMRI) Core Facility is to provide PIs access to research MRI resources developed within and outside NINDS, and to assist in their implementation as endpoints in clinical trials of neurological diseases. 

The Translational Neuroscience Center (TNC) provides an infrastructure to assist researchers in pre-clinical and clinical studies to develop new diagnostics and treatments for neurological diseases. The TNC is comprised of three.

• Drug Development Unit, directed by Joseph Steiner, Ph.D.  
  The Drug Development Unit provides assistance with development of throughput assays for identified targets for drug development using primary brain cells or stem cell derived neuronal and glial cells. 
• Neurodifferentiation Unit, directed by David Wang, Ph.D.
  The Neurodifferentiation Unit delineates new techniques for converting blood derived stem cells into neurons to develop personalized medicine and study disease pathogenesis.

The Viral Production Core Facility produces preclinical grade viruses for NIH investigators. The Facility is also available for consultation and advice on the use of lenti and AAV viral vectors as well as production of novel viral vectors.