ncc

 

NNC » Mission and Aims

 

NCC Mission

The Neuroscience Neuroimaging Center consolidates resources and expertise in neuroimaging at the University of Pennsylvania to provide infrastructure support for both preclinical and clinical research relevant to the NINDS mission to reduce the burden of neurological disease.

The centralization of key infrastructure and methodological expertise has improved the quality and scope of neuroimaging methodologies available to investigators, and has reduced the cost of individual grant proposals, which would otherwise need to include much or all of their required expertise within their specific project budgets. Access to NNC infrastructure has also facilitated the creation of neuroimaging programs by senior faculty not previously using this methodology, the career development of junior faculty with limited resources, and the successful recruitment of investigators with neuroimaging programs to the University of Pennsylvania.

NNC Specific Aims:

Aim 1. Lower barriers to neuroimaging and simplify the process of carrying out neuroimaging research by streamlining access to expertise and resources needed data acquisition, data analysis and regulatory procedures.

Aim 2. Reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of neuroimaging research by consolidating expertise such that common technical, administrative, and regulatory challenges can be addressed once rather than repeatedly by individual investigators, and without having to include extensive technical costs in individual projects.

Aim 3. Increase the quality of neuroimaging research and facilitate new research directions by providing a mechanism for rapidly disseminating new methodologies to users and by fostering interactions between technically skilled personnel to address methodological challenges as well as collaborations between investigators with technical knowledge and investigators with biomedical expertise.