Resource Laboratory Space
Parkinson's Disease Research Laboratory ( PDRL) has 950 sq. ft. laboratory space, located in the Neurosensory Center. The laboratory equipments include one double laminar flow hood, one Class II CO2 incubator, two refrigerator and one freezer, two centrifuges, one Water HPLC with electrochemical detector, two PCR including one with real-time measurement function, one BioTec spectrometry with micro-plate reader, one Zeiss cryostat tissue cut machine, one Nikon fluorescent microscope and one Zeiss inverted microscopes, animal perfusion system, and other basic equipment essential to cell culture, histochemistry, and molecular biology work.
Other Resources and Environment
Clinical: Clinical facilities include Parkinson Disease Center (3,317 sq. ft of dedicated space in the Smith Tower, 18th Floor) the Neurology Department, Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital. There are over 23,000 patients in the database and over 10,000 patients visit the center every year. The center provides clinical data, DNA specimens, and other materials from patients with PD and control subjects for this study.
Genetic Materials Bank: The DNA Bank, established in the PDRL, located on the second floor of Neurosensory Center, Baylor College of Medicine serves as a repository for genetic material from patients with various neurodegenerative and movement disorders. We have already collected over 1,000 DNA and 300 RNA specimens from patients with PD and other movement disorders.
Animal Facilities: Animal facilities requested for this proposal include housing of transgenic or knock-out mice at the Baylor College of Medicine main animal facility. Additionally, we have space in the Neurosensory Center satellite animal facility for care and feeding of mice and rats, required for this proposal.
Computers: Most computer analyses will be performed on personal computers housed in the PDRL. Each senior research scientist and research associate has their own computer to perform data analysis. Additional resources are available through the Computer Resource Center at Baylor College of Medicine, or in link with specific computer centers via Telnet or Ethernet from Baylor College of Medicine computer link system or the Department of Neurology computer link server.
Office: Two office rooms (total 300 sq. ft) are assigned for P.I. and for research associate scientist and technician. Other office facilities are primarily available through the Department of Neurology, while other secretarial support services are available at Baylor College of Medicine. These services include the extensive purchasing department services at Baylor College of Medicine, and the Grants Management Offices of the Department of Neurology and of Baylor College of Medicine.