The URC Spotlight highlights University Research Centers at Missouri S&T. The Center for Biomedical Research is featured this month.

The Missouri S&T Center for Biomedical Research (CBR) is a multidisciplinary research center for new biomaterials, including devices, therapeutics, and other related biomedical topics. The center comprises members from almost all disciplines at S&T. Strengths include translational medicine, medical informatics, regeneration medicine, biosensing, traumatic brain injuries, and entrepreneurship and commercialization. The center is organizing symposia to facilitate collaboration with Saint Louis University School of Medicine, University of Missouri NextGen Precision Health, and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

In addition to being a platform to facilitate interdisciplinary research within and beyond campus, the center also provides technical support to all S&T faculty. The Center has a NIH-assured and USDA-registered vivarium. The vivarium houses a M3™ Compact MRI for mice and small animal imaging and a SPECTRAL AMI-HTX high throughput small animal imaging system. The Center also manages a Nikon A1R-HD confocal microscope. Members also have access to the newly purchased Shimadzu LCMS-9030 iMScope QT System, managed by the Center for Research in Energy and Environment, which allows for detecting tissue-specific localization of compounds.

S&T’s research awards from NIH and DHHS have increased dramatically since Fiscal Year 2021. Factors contributing to this rapid growth include:

• The right kind of hires campuswide
• Faculty encouraged to ride the waves of opportunities (e.g., traumatic brain injuries, pandemic)
• NIH Proposal Mentoring Program launched
• Improved research capacity (i.e., vivarium, imaging facilities, equipment purchases)
• Held monthly meetings and seminar events
• Organized workshops and symposia with SLU School of Medicine, UM NextGen Precision Health, and Washington University School of Medicine
• Facilitated individual collaborative effort with medical schools in Missouri

If you are interested in the Missouri S&T Center for Biomedical Research, please visit cbr.mst.edu or contact Dr. Yue-Wern Huang, director, at huangy@mst.edu.