October 2025 RRN Feature: Organoid Research Core
The Organoid Research Core (ORC), located at The Assembly in Shadyside, contains a large collection of patient-derived organoids (PDOs) from both healthy and breast cancer tissue. PDOs are generated by dissociating tissue, embedding it in an extracellular matrix, then expanding it into a 3D structure. As a result, PDOs recapitulate the tissue they originated from in function, structure and biological complexity. PDOs serve as a valuable tool in personalized medicine applications, such as drug screening and disease modeling.
August 2025 RRN Feature: Genomics Analysis Core and Bioinformatics Core Facility at CHP
Previous editions of the Research Resource Nexus introduced the Center for Advanced Genomics and the data production core labs represented there. This web hub will soon be reconfigured to include information on finding analytical support for genomic data, including the analytical services provided by the following facilities:
New 600 MHz NMR Spectrometer!
We are excited to announce the acquisition of a state-of-the-art 600 MHz NMR spectrometer, significantly enhancing our institution's analytical capabilities.
June 2025 RRN Feature: Center for Advanced Genomics: Single Cell Core
This month the Research Resource Nexus continues our series on the Center for Advanced Genomics, an umbrella website designed to help investigators determine which of the member cores is the best fit for their project needs. Member cores include:
Dr. Damodaran Delivers Invited Lectures in India
Dr. Damodaran recently presented invited talks on "Strategies for Ultra-High Resolution NMR Spectroscopy" at two premier Indian institutions: the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) in Pune and the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Tiruchirappalli. These sessions highlighted cutting-edge techniques for complex molecular characterization.
May 2025 RRN Feature: Center for Advanced Genomics: Health Sciences Sequencing Core
Last month the Research Resource Nexus introduced the Center for Advanced Genomics—a centralized website designed to help investigators determine which of the center’s member cores best fit their project needs. Member cores include
April 2025 RRN Feature: Center for Advanced Genomics: High Throughput Genomics Core
Massively parallel next-generation sequencing technology is an essential tool that supports a wide range of biological research from whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to single-cell analysis and spatial transcriptomics. The University of Pittsburgh has multiple cores that provide sequencing services, each with its own concentration and skill set. The Center for Advanced Genomics is an umbrella website designed to help investigators determine which member core best supports their project needs. Member cores include the following:
International Outreach: Invited Online Lecture for UFPE Brazil
Dr. Damodaran delivered an invited virtual talk on advanced NMR spectroscopy for the Department of Fundamental Chemistry at the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE) in Brazil. The session fostered international collaboration, sharing insights on ultra-high resolution techniques with a global audience of researchers and students.
February 2025 RRN Feature: Research Histology
Histology studies the microscopic structure of biological tissues and involves processing and staining biological specimens for visual analysis. These staining methods require specialized skills that come only with hands-on experience. Histological work is also time-consuming, expensive and often constrained by limited sample quantities. As a result, principal investigators frequently face difficulty maintaining trained operators as students and technical staff rotate in and out of the lab. Histology cores offer a solution.
November 2024 RRN Feature: Unified Flow Core
The ability to phenotype mixed cell populations and to isolate specific cell types for controlled analysis has broad application in biological research. This breadth of utility makes cytometers and cell sorters ideally suited for placement in a shared resource setting. This month we introduce the Unified Flow Core (UFC), the primary flow cytometry and sorting resource at the University of Pittsburgh.
September 2024 RRN Feature: Health Services Research Data Center
In the age of generation, analysis and reanalysis of large multidimensional datasets, shared resources centered on computing infrastructure, data management and analysis have become as essential to the research mission as those focused on wet lab applications. In this edition of the Research Resource Nexus, we introduce the Health Services Research Data Center, a shared resource that maintains a secure computing infrastructure for HIPAA-protected data and the support services to use it effectively. Please note: This facility does not provide statistical analysis.
June 2024 RRN Feature: Small Molecule Biomarker Core
Last month’s Research Resource Nexus edition provided information on Pitt’s mass spectrometry resources for the global analysis of proteins, lipids and small molecules. This month, we introduce the Small Molecule Biomarker Core, which provides expert mass spectrometry support for specific and targeted biomarker applications.
May 2024 RRN Feature: Mass Spectrometry Core
Instruments that support cutting-edge methodologies are often too expensive for the average principal investigator to purchase and maintain. These instruments also require operators with specialized training and knowledge and offer experimental capacity beyond the needs of a single lab.
Institutional shared research facilities make these specialized technologies available and enable groundbreaking discoveries by sharing ownership and operation costs and by employing instrument specialists to minimize costly operator errors.
April 2024 RRN Feature: Pitt Biospecimen Core
Each shared research resource focuses on a particular technology, application or instrument type, which enables personnel to develop expert knowledge within that specialty. This expertise is available to Pitt investigators—freeing them from spending time and resources developing a knowledge base peripheral to their research focus.
March 2024 RRN Feature: Peptide and Peptoid Synthesis Core
Shared research resources are labs and offices that provide specialized technical resources to support research across specialties and disciplines. Funded by a combination of institutional support, user fees and grants, these facilities are an integral part of Pitt's research infrastructure. Offering access to specialized expertise and instrumentation without bias, they propel Pitt toward biomedical research excellence.
Western Pa. is set to 'level up' its quantum capabilities with an $11.6 million investment from Pitt
Quantum physics can sometimes seem almost metaphysical, but even the field that introduced spooky action at a distance is grounded in the tangible world of computers, networks and sensors.
To usher in the next era of quantum technology, researchers need specialized, made-to-spec equipment that can crunch data faster and bring the field farther.