Overview of CNC Research and Resources

The UAB Comprehensive Neuroscience Center (CNC) is a network of UAB Neuroscience research faculty, clinicians, staff, students, and trainees with an interest in the neurosciences. As of 2021, CNC membership has grown to 557, with 179 faculty from 9 schools and 40 departments, with the remaining being research associates, postdocs, students, and staff. CNC serves as a focal point for fundamental, translational, and clinical neuroscience research at UAB.

Composition & Leadership
The CNC was established as a pilot UWIRC in 2006 and achieved full center status in 2009. Committees providing guidance to the CNC leadership consist of an External Review Committee (three faculty from other universities), Internal Review Committee (three UAB faculty), an Executive Committee (chairs of neuroscience-related UAB departments), and the CNC Leadership Council, comprised of the leaders of each of the 9 pillars of neuroscience research interests.

In the past 5 years, the CNC neuroscience network has expanded beyond the UAB campus to include members at Southern Research, Auburn University, University of Alabama, and University of South Alabama. The CNC is part of the Alabama Advanced Neuroimaging Consortium (AAIC), which was co-founded by the CNC and the Auburn Imaging Center.

Vision, Mission & Research Pillars
The efforts of the CNC are guided by our Vision “A world where the mysteries of the nervous system are solved.” We strive to achieve this vision through our Mission “To accelerate discovery by promoting excellence in fundamental, translational, and clinical neuroscience research, education, and clinical care through integrating the UAB-wide neuroscience community.” Within that mission, the CNC has fostered a pillar structure to facilitate effective cross-disciplinary collaboration among clusters of faculty focused on similar or complementary research.

Research themes include:

• Substance Use Disorders
• Circadian Rhythms
• Cognition and Cognitive Disorders
• Epilepsy
• Glial Biology
• Mental Illness
• Neurodegeneration
• Neuroengineering, Neuroimaging & Neuromodulation
• Pain

The CNC supports faculty recruitment for neurosciences at UAB. Each faculty recruit is encouraged to engage with the CNC and if hired, to be appointed faculty with the UWIRC CNC.

CNC Cores
The objective of the CNC Cores are to provide state-of-the-art equipment and technical support for experimental projects using animal models in neuroscience research. By sharing technical expertise, equipment, facilities, and professional staff, these Cores facilitate cross-project collaborations among different CNC laboratories.

• Digital upright brightfield and fluorescence microscope for automated stereology (Zeiss AxioImager with StereoInvestigator)
• Image Analysis Workstations (Imaris, NeuroLucida, StereoInvestigator)
• In vivo “miniscope” imaging and surgery suite (Inscopix)
• In vivo Fiber-Optic Confocal system (Leica FCM1000)
• Video-EEG Monitoring Laboratory
• Molecular Biology
  • BioRad "Gene-Gun" for biolistic transfection and fluorescence labeling of adherent cells and slices (neurons, glia)
  • Tissue culture room, cDNA plasmid expansion
• Optogenetics
  • Blue and yellow LEDs with bare fiber optic for in vitro slices (Plexon)
  • Blue and yellow LEDs with fiber optic launch for cannulas and commutator for in vivo behaving rodents (Plexon)

Grants in Preparation (GRiP)
This program offers grant writers an opportunity to have free access to pre-review to increase the level of competitiveness of proposals submitted by UAB Neuroscience faculty and students for federal and non-federally funded proposals. The CNC will facilitate a quality peer pre-review of proposals by experienced neuroscientists, peers in your discipline.

Pilot Awards
In 2020, the CNC launched the CNC Pilot Award program to provide early-stage investigators with seed money to start Neuroscience-related projects that would result in applications for extramural federal funding. The next application cycle opens in Summer 2022.

Director Responsibilities

The Director has overall responsibility for the CNC, leads the CNC Leadership team, provide scientific leadership and monitors the progress of the CNC Cores. The Director is responsible for effectively and efficiently managing the resources of the CNC and leading efforts to increase funding and other resources to promote and support interdisciplinary neuroscience research and education at UAB.

The Director engages in the following activities:

• Leads and directs the CNC to rapidly and creatively establish the necessary neuroscience initiatives to facilitate the translation of basic research discoveries into effective therapies;
• Develops and conveys a strategic vision for the UAB CNC;
• Facilitates all review and leadership committee meetings as needed;
• Provides guidance and scientific direction to all Core and Scientific Program leaders;
• Reviews membership and extends invitation to prospective members;
• Attends and actively participates in monthly Council of Center Directors meetings;
• Develops opportunities for entrepreneurship and innovation within the CNC network; and
• Engages in opportunities for philanthropy and fundraising through collaboration with the UAB Office of Research and the UAB Development team.

Interested faculty should be active members of the CNC and be free from other major academic leadership roles (e.g., department chair). Faculty members with an interest in the CNC Directorship should contact Dr. Jason Nichols (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) and include a curriculum vita and up to a 500-word statement addressing their interest in and vision for directing the CNC. Please also provide the names, titles, and contact information for two references—one a faculty member of the UAB CNC and a second that is a UAB faculty member or leader (e.g., Department Chair), but is not a member of the CNC. Application materials should be sent by January 5, 2022.