NERLSCD: A Model for Regional Networking of Life Sciences Core Directors

CF-16 The Northeast Regional Life Sciences Core Directors (NERLSCD) annual meeting is a forum that provides an exceptional opportunity for life sciences core facility directors and managers to network with colleagues, to learn about biotechnology advances and applications, and to discuss the challenges and results of implementing shared research resources. There are plenary sessions, workshops and discussion forums on operational and management issues facing biotechnology core laboratories. There are technical workshops on genomics, functional genomics, proteomics, imaging, and other technologies, including next generation sequencing, genotyping, microarrays, real-time PCR, proteomics and mass spectrometry, metabolomics, protein production and characterization, optical imaging, stem cells, transgenics, bioinformatics and bio-IT. A core facility poster session offers an opportunity for learning about regional life sciences shared resources and services. The NERLSCD meeting was established in 2006 as a result of a grass roots effort of core directors in the region to provide a structured yet informal setting for networking and for addressing the operational and technical challenges of life sciences core laboratories. The fourth annual NERLSCD meeting was held at Cornell University in NY in 2009. The diverse attendees of the meeting reflect the broad appeal and usefulness of this meeting for core directors at many institutions in the region. The NERLSCD meeting facilitates networking of regional resources and thus helps reduce duplication of costly research biotechnology infrastructure. The meeting supports a diverse array of core directors and managers who play a crucial role in facilitating advances in knowledge and understanding in a wide variety of life sciences research areas. This regional networking meeting for life sciences core facility directors can serve as an example for the organization, funding, structure, and content of regional meetings for core facility directors in other regions of the United States and in other countries.