The Biology and Pathology of GI Epithelial Cells

The Digestive Diseases Research Core Center (DDRCC) at the University of Chicago was established in 1990 and is funded through an NIH/NIDDK sponsored Center grant (DK42086). Our Center offers services and resources to encourage and facilitate research involving the biology and pathobiology of gastrointestinal epithelial cells. The goals of the Center are to:

• Foster digestive disease-related research in a supportive, integrative, collaborative and multidisciplinary manner.
• Enhance the basic research capabilities of established digestive disease investigators.
• Encourage investigators not involved in digestive disease-related research to become interested in pursuing problems related to this important area of investigation.
• Develop and implement programs for training and establishment of young investigators in digestive-disease related research.
• Facilitate the transfer of new research findings to the clinical arena.
• Inform others in both professional and lay settings of the accomplishments, opportunities, and advances in digestive disease-related research.

The DDRCC currently includes approximately 70 investigators (31 members and 39 associate members) in the clinical and basic science departments of the Division of Biological Sciences. These departments include Medicine, Pediatrics, Pathology, Molecular Genetics & Cell Biology, Neurology and Pharmacological & Physiological Sciences and Surgery. In addition, the DDRCC of the University of Chicago has an External Advisory Board, comprised of eminent scientists in the field of digestive diseases-related research, who annually visit our DDRCC to review all of the activities of the Center, as well as to review and aid in the selection of our Pilot & Feasibiltiy applications and New Center Investigator (see below). Current members of this board include: Nicholas Davidson, M.D. (Chairman), Washington University; John Del Valle, M.D., University of Michigan Health Systems; Lloyd Mayer, M.D., The Mount Sinai Medical Center; Stephen Pandol, M.D., West Los Angeles VA Medical Center; Anil Rustgi, M.D., University of Pennsylvania; and George Wu, M.D., University of Connecticut. Listed below is specific information regarding the organization and services of the DDRCC.

The Administrative Core is responsible for the scientific direction and oversight of the DDRCC. It includes the Pilot and Feasibility Program, Enrichment Program, and the Clinical/Translational Research Component – the latter recently added to foster and facilitated clinical applications of basic research discovery. The Clinical Component, directed by Dr. Judy Cho, offers improved integration of existing patient databases, biostatistical support, and other services that will facilitate patient-oriented research.
In addition to an Administrative Core, the DDRCC has three Core laboratories, i.e., the Molecular Experimental and Pathology Core, under the direction of Drs. Jerrold Turner and Yang-Xin Fu; the Molecular/Biochemistry Core, under the direction of Drs. B. Marc Bissonnette and Judy Cho; and the Cell Biology Core, which has three Sections: the Cell Culture, Cell Structural, and Cell Physiology under the overall direction of Dr. Eugene Chang.

A brief description of the facilities and space available, as well as of the services offered to members and associate members of the DDRCC at the University of Chicago for each of the core laboratories is included in the menu on the left side of this page.

Principal Investigator/Director: Eugene B. Chang, MD
Phone: (773) 702-6458
e-mail: echang@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu

Assoc. Director: Jerrold R. Turner, M.D., Ph.D.
Phone: (773) 834-0687
e-mail: jturner@bsd.uchicago.edu

Grants Administrator: Lynn Kaczmarz
Phone: (773) 834-5811
e-mail: lkaczmar@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu

Financial Administrator: Cindy Cheers
Phone: (773) 702-9825
e-mail: ccheers@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu