Neurosurgical Research Programs
 

Integrative Research in the Prevention and Treatment of

Diseases and Injury of the Brain and Spine

Research Laboratories and Core Facilities

Faculty members in the Department of Neurological Surgery focus their research on specific areas related to their clinical expertise, and typically work in collaboration with scientists at one or more of the School’s numerous centers, institutes and core facilities. Principal investigators operate individual laboratories at the three campuses in close proximity to their clinical work. These laboratories are used for the collection and analysis of data, surgical tissue and animal experimentation associated with the respective research projects. Technicians and research scientists in these laboratories provide an interface between clinician investigators and respective core facilities for advanced scientific experimentation and collaboration. Most neurosurgical research projects are anchored with one or more of the core facilities and programs listed below, providing countless opportunities for translational science, and the development and application of technology. A matrix model of integrational neuroscience insures an ongoing flow of data and the translation of discoveries from the operating room or bedside, to the laboratory bench, and back to the patient.

Clinical Research Nurses are assigned to individual research projects, and act as a liaison with patients regarding opportunities to participate in clinical trials. They also assist in data gathering and consent for specific studies. Extensive computer and network facilities are available at each clinical site for interface with research and clinical databases.

The following are core facilities and research groups engaged in collaborations with our neurosurgical teams:  

Chicago Campus, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and the Chicago Rehabilitation Institute

Core Facilities

MD Analyze neurosurgical outcomes database

Advance Photon Source – Argonne National Laboratory

Analytical Services Laboratory

Feinberg School of Medicine - Core Facilities Bioinformatics Core (BioGNU) Biostatistics Core Cell Imaging Facility Flow Cytometry—Interdepartmental Immunobiology Center Flow Cytometry—Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University (RHLCCC) Genomics Core Facility Monoclonal Antibody Core siRNA Library Core - High Throughput Analysis Laboratory Transgenic-Targeted Mutagenesis Facility Behavioral Phenotyping Core Facility (FSM Core as of FY08) Please click here, For a complete listing of Northwestern University's Shared and Core Facilities Bioinformatics Core (BioGNU) Biomedical informatics expertise and services that broadly encompass the design, development, and operation of web-based data access, data handling services, data integration services and data analysis services for life science data Services Provided: Bioinformatics systems development and consulting;   Bioinformatics software-vector NTI site license; Matlab site license; Direct project support for phenotype/genotype studies Director: Warren Kibbe, PhD                                                    Location:  676 N Saint Clair, 12th floor, Chicago Campus Web Site: http://www.cancer.northwestern.edu/Research/core_facilities_info.cfm?ID=1 Biostatistics Core Biostatistical support and expert consultation for the planning, design, development and execution of studies, and the analysis and interpretation of data, as well as the preparation of reports and manuscripts for basic science, clinical and epidemiologic research projects Services Provided: Development of new studies, statistical analyses, data management and education Director: Jenny Huang, PhD Location:  680 N. Lake Shore Drive, 11th floor, Chicago Campus Web Site: http://www.cancer.northwestern.edu/Research/core_facilities_info.cfm?ID=2%20 Cell Imaging Facility  Studies biological processes at the tissue, cellular, and subcellular levels Services Provided: Light microscopy, electron microscopy, and image processing/analysis Director: Teng-Leong Chew, MD Location: 303 E. Chicago Avenue, Morton & Searle Buildings, 2nd Floor, Chicago Campus Web Site: http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/cif/ Flow Cytometry—Interdepartmental Immunobiology Center Access to "user friendly" instrumentation for strictly analytical flow cytometry applications Services Provided: Routine data collection/analysis consultation for experiment design and sample preparation; cell sorting and assay development, user access to Becton Dickinson flow machines; training for usage of machines is provided as a prerequisite for use of the facility. Director: Stephen Miller, PhD Location: 300 E. Superior, Tarry Building, 6th Floor, Chicago Campus Web Site: http://www.medschool.northwestern.edu/depts/ibc/core.html Flow Cytometry—Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University (RHLCCC)   Comprehensive flow cytometry and cell sorting services Services Provided: Routine data collection/analysis consultation for experiment design and sample preparation; cell sorting and assay development, user access to Becton Dickinson flow machines; training for usage of machines is provided as a prerequisite for use of the facility. Director: Charles Goolsby, PhD Location: 710 North Fairbanks Court, 8th Floor, Chicago Campus Web Site: http://www.cancer.northwestern.edu/Research/core_facilities_info.cfm?ID=7 Genomics Core Facility Gene expression profiling, SNP analysis, DNA extraction and DNA sequencing Services Provided: High Through put DNA extraction; SNP Analysis; Whole Genome Amplification; Expression profiling services; Globin mRNA ; reduction from blood total RNA; RNA quality control; RT-PCR; Sequencing; Educational Activities; Instrument usage   Director: Nadereh Jafari, PhD Location: 300 E. Chicago Avenue, Ward Building, 9th Floor, Chicago Campus Web Site: http://www.medschool.northwestern.edu/cgm/genomics/index.html/ Monoclonal Antibody Core Creation of hybridoma cell lines & production of monoclonal antibodies from these cell lines Services Provided: Immunization of animals with antigens or direct injection of  cDNAs, test  bleeds, evaluation of immune response, somatic cell fusions, screening and cloning of  hybridomas, antibody isotyping and mycroplasma testing, large scale antibody production Director: Izolda Popova, MD, PhD Location: 300 E. Chicago Avenue, Ward Building, 19th Floor, Chicago Campus Web Site: http://www.basic.northwestern.edu/sharedresources/monoclonal/ siRNA Library Core - High Throughput Analysis Laboratory The HTA provides academic, industrial, and private researchers with equipment and expertise for the development and execution of high throughput biological analysis and screening. The facility is fully equipped with state-of-the-art liquid handling, plate detection and automated microbial culture handling capabilities. Services Provided: Automated colony picking, Yeast two-hybrid analysis, Synthetic Genetic Array (SGA) analysis, Microbial library replication and rearraying, Enzyme and cell-based assays, Hit picking and library reformatting, HT solid phase extraction, Large-scale pipetting/plate filling The facility also assists researchers in developing HT nucleic acid purification and cloning protocols and develops novel automated methods to increase assay and sample preparation throughput. Please browse this site for a complete description of facility capabilities, and feel free to contact HTA to discuss your project. Location: 2205 Tech Drive, Hogan Building, 2nd Floor, Evanston Campus Web Site: http://www.biochem.northwestern.edu/hta/about.htm Transgenic-Targeted Mutagenesis Facility Produce knockout chimeric mice using homologous recombination and mouse embryonic stem cells Movie 1  Movie 2 Services Provided: Director: Warren Tourtellotte, PhD, Lynn Doglio, PhD Location: 300 E. Superior, Tarry Building, 4th Floor Web Site: http://www.lurie.northwestern.edu/Research/core_facilities_info.cfm?ID=17 Behavioral Phenotyping Core Facility (FSM Core as of FY08) Services Provided: TBD Director: John Disterhoft, PhD Location: TBD Web Site: TBD

Clinical Trials

General Clinical Research Center

HIV Clinical Trials

Northwestern Center for Clinical Research

Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University

Children's Memorial Hospital

Centers and Institutes

Children’s Memorial Research Center

Core Programs

Developmental Systems Biology
Neurobiology
Disease Pathogenesis
The Mary Ann & J. Milburn Smith Child Health Research Program
Human and Molecular Genetics

Shared Facilities

Transgenic and targeted mutagenesis facility
Automated DNA sequencing facility
Genomics and gene chip facilities and computational biology core
Microscopy and imaging facility

Evanston Northwestern Healthcare (ENH) and Evanston Campus of Northwestern University (NWU)

Centers and Institutes

ENH Research Institute
ENH Center for Outcomes Research and Education (CORE)
Center for Advanced Magnetic Resonance Research
NWU Institute for Nanotechnology
Core Programs
NWU Interdepartmental Biological Sciences Program (IBiS)
Human Genetics Program
ENH Neuro-Oncology Program
ENH Movement Disorders Program

Shared Facilities

Neuro-Anatomy and Skull Base Surgical Simulation and Education Laboratory (ENH Skull Base Lab)
NWU Center for Nanofabrication and Molecular Self-Assembly (NAMSA)

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