About Cores

Core mission

Cores, or Scientific Service Centers are Advanced Technology Centers dedicated to meeting scientists’ research needs. Cores help investigators reach their scientific goals through access to state-of-the-art technology and consultation with top-level scientific expertise. While the cores’ primary mission is to serve the OHSU campus investigators, most cores welcome users from outside of OHSU, both academic and commercial.  For more information on core services, please view the core service profile sheet.

University Shared Resources

The University Shared Resources (USR) program assists cores in maintaining optimal scientific and financial operations to benefit the OHSU investigators and research. A subset of cores on campus that meet the specific USR criteria and offer services to a wide variety of campus investigators may apply for membership in the USR. Membership offers various benefits to the core, including financial assistance. New USR core applications are evaluated by a variety of OHSU stakeholders, including members of the Research Oversight Committee. For more information, email the USR Program Director, Andy Chitty

Program director, University Shared Resources

The program director leads the strategic oversight and long-range planning of the USR, is the central contact for shared resources at OHSU, and serves as a strategic liaison for scientific and financial operations between research cores and Central Financial Services. The program director acts as an advocate for cores within the university and the community and will guide decisions regarding current research cores and establishment of new core services. The program director works in close collaboration with the senior vice president of research, the Research Oversight Committee and the Core Directors on decisions regarding maintenance, establishment, and support of University Shared Resources. 

Core Oversight Committee

The Core Oversight Committee (COC) is the deliberative body that assists and advises the Program Director and the Chief Research Officer in the development of policies regarding University Shared Resources. It is comprised of various research stakeholders, including core resource users. The Committee evaluates current core facilities and assesses the need for new campus cores. Evaluations ensure that cores meet both scientific and fiscal expectations and continue to add value to the OHSU research community. The COC assists in decisions regarding financial support of shared resources.