Core Resources

Biostatistics Core – Approximately 2.0 FTE of biostatistician support is available to Department of Pediatrics faculty and researchers through the Biostatistics Core. An additional 3.0 FTE in biostatistician support is available to researchers within the UW Carbone Cancer Center. The biostatisticians provide researchers with ongoing oversight and senior statistical support. They work with investigators and staff to identify research questions of interest and the relevant data from their databases, to develop appropriate statistical analysis plans and to disseminate the results through presentations at scientific meetings and publications in peer-reviewed journals. They follow standardized procedures for transferring data from the investigator’s databases into SAS and work with the investigators and their staff to maintain standardized procedures for tracking data forms and checking for completeness and clarity of entered data.

For more information, please contact Jens Eickhoff at 265-5376 or eickhoff@biostat.wisc.edu.


Computer Services & Media Core – Researchers in the Department of Pediatrics receive a wide range of computer and media support provided by the 9.0 FTE of Computer Services & Media Core. Staff members collaborate with investigators to create/enhance figures for publication and grant-related use as well as design and print posters up to 44″ high to showcase scientific research findings. Researchers also rely on this team for assistance with PowerPoint presentations, brochures, logos, slides, page layout and other graphic design projects. Other services include: 1) flexible technology and security support, 2) powerful and highly redundant physical and virtual server infrastructure, 3) high-speed, expandable, secure, and HIPAA-compliant network storage and 4) custom web development and data analysis.

For more information, please contact the Computer Services staff.


microscopeElectrophysiology and Cellular Imaging Core – This core facility is equipped to perform combined live cell microscopy, and patch-clamp electrophysiology. This core is capable of studying physiology at a cellular level for detection of visual function in small laboratory animal models of disease. The live cell imaging is capable of studying cellular signaling mechanisms like pH changes, intracellular localization and redistribution of signaling components through real-time fluorescence image capture. Ratiometric intracellular calcium concentrations, nitric oxide concentrations and changes in membrane potential can be achieved as a function of time by using fluorescent-tags as markers. Patch-clamp recording in combination with fluorescence microscopy enables the study of both voltage-gated and ligand-gated ion channel physiology. This core is located in the Service Memorial Institute lab of the Medical Science Center.  This facility is electrically isolated, has in-line filters to reduce electrical noise, and has copper wire embedded walls and ceiling to minimize environmental electrical noise. It is equipped with a dedicated Nikon C2 point scanning confocal microscope system, a NIKON ECLIPSE FN1 fixed stage upright microscope furnished with epifluorescence, and a patch-clamp rig. The microscopes have 60X water and 100X oil immersion lenses and Nomarski DIC-IR optics and appropriate filter sets for Fura-2, DAPI, GFP, FITC, TRITC, a Photometric CoolSNAPHQ2 digital camera, X-Y Narishige translators, computer controlled solution perfusion system, Burleigh patch-clamp manipulators, Molecular Device’s Axopatch 200B patch-clamp amplifier, Digidata 1440A data acquisition system, P-clamp 10 and NIS-Elements software, high-speed workstation for data storage and analysis, Sutter P-1000 pipette puller, Narishige MF-830 microforge and TMC vibration isolation table. There exists an easy mount Ussing chamber system for studying transport across epithelial barriers by measuring transepithelial voltage and passing current. This core also has diagnostic capabilities for vision diseases through the measurement and interpretation of retinal electrical responses from isolated retina flat mounts or by in vivo studies in small animals using a Handheld Multi-species Electroretinography (HMsERG model 2000) and an Espion E3 full featured modular electrophysiology system.

For more information, please contact Bikash Pattnaik at 608-265-9486 or bikashp@pediatrics.wisc.edu.


Pediatric Clinical Research Coordination (PCRC)-Study Coordination – The Pediatric Clinical Research Coordination Program provides Department of Pediatrics faculty and staff with comprehensive support to conduct clinical research studies at the University of Wisconsin. Staff members have extensive experience in all areas of pharmaceutical research, PI-initiated research and registries in all pediatric specialties. This program is designed to handle multiple research studies simultaneously, to meet enrollment goals and to facilitate rapid budget and contract turnaround to promote timely study initiation. Overall objectives include:

  • Coordination of all aspects of research studies, including multi-center trials and investigator-initiated research;
  • Administrative, regulatory, and operational support to investigators to promote study initiation and implementation;
  • Support for outcomes and disease management research;
  • Implementation of translational research projects; and
  • Referral to and facilitation of biostatistics support with the Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics for clinical research for safety (DSMB) and endpoint analysis.

 

For more information, please contact Bridget Johnson at 608-263-1400 or bridget.johnson@pediatrics.wisc.edu


Virology Core – The Virology Core functions to support virus-related research by providing comprehensive viral identification assays and standardized viral reagents to both national and international researchers. The Virology Core is available to researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for: 1) comprehensive molecular diagnostics for respiratory viruses and bacteria,  2) the production and maintenance of a steady supply of high quality reagents to fulfill the needs of projects, including purified respiratory rhinovirus preparations, specific recombinant viral proteins, and antibodies to viruses and defined viral components, 3) the production of HRV-A16 inoculum for human investigational use with a reverse genetics approach, 4) consultation with investigators and personnel regarding the use of virus preparations and analysis of infected samples and 5) consultation with investigators and personnel regarding RNA and DNA extraction techniques and molecular detection of respiratory pathogens.

For more information, please contact Yury Bochkov at 608-263-8553 or yabochkov@wisc.edu


WiscNet – WiscNet is a community pediatric research network comprised of 8 UW Health pediatric primary care clinics that are available to facilitate clinical studies. The offices of the primary care providers are very well-designed for the care of children. Each examining room has at least 100 square feet and is decorated appropriately for the evaluation of children. A research nurse is stationed at several of the sites during clinic hours for immediate and expeditious enrollment.

For more information, please contact Bridget Johnson at 608-263-1400 or bridget.johnson@pediatrics.wisc.edu