NCRR's Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) support thematic multidisciplinary centers that augment and strengthen institutional biomedical research capacity. This is accomplished by expanding and developing biomedical faculty research capability and enhancing research infrastructure, including the establishment of core facilities needed to carry out the objectives of a multidisciplinary, collaborative program.
These centers are led by NIH-funded investigators with expertise central to the theme of the grant proposal. The centers promote collaborative interactive efforts among researchers with complementary backgrounds, skills, and expertise. In some instances, COBRE support will facilitate the development of new disease-specific research centers or augment the capability of existing centers. Researchers supported through the COBREs are expected to compete independently for external peer-reviewed grant support.
Each COBRE includes:
- a principal investigator who is an established biomedical or behavioral research scientist with expertise central to the research theme of the center, has an active research laboratory, has relevant peer-reviewed funding, and has demonstrated administrative leadership and mentoring experience;
- three to five individual research projects—each supervised by a single junior investigator—that stand alone but share a common thematic scientific focus; and
- at least one mentor for each junior investigator, and a development and mentoring plan addressing how the junior investigators will transition to competitive grant support from NIH Institutes and Centers or other Federal or non-Federal agencies or organizations.
Upcoming Events
Webinar: Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence for Clinical and
Translational Research
March 25,2010 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. EST
The NCRR Division of Research Infrastructure will conduct a webinar to
disseminate information about a new initiative to promote the development of
Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence for Clinical and Translational
Research (COBRE-CT) at institutions that are eligible to receive grant support
through the Institutional Development Award (IDeA) program. The COBRE-CT
initiative aims to strengthen and enhance clinical and translational research
infrastructure at IDeA-eligible research institutions that award doctoral
degrees in health-related sciences as well as independent research institutes
with clinical components or collaborating clinical entities.
NCRR welcomes input from the IDeA community regarding the COBRE-CT initiative. Webinar participants will be able to submit questions and comments prior to, during and after the event. Details about the webinar program and instructions for participating will be posted to the above linked page several weeks prior to the event.