Clinical and Translational Obesity Research Core

The objective of the Clinical and Translational Research Core is to enhance and expand the translational research capabilities of investigators performing research studies in obesity and/or nutrition-related diseases. Obtaining human samples is often a challenging process and for many researchers, a significant research barrier.

Our Core will provide access to a biobank of obesity-relevant tissues. Additionally, we facilitate collaborations among researchers by maintaining a database of obesity-related human research at both Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center, Texas Children’s Hospital and the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center.

We also provide consultative services to anyone embarking on a human nutrition- or obesity-related research project to both enhance the rigor of the study, facilitate collaborations and provide information on the nutrition-related resources available within the Texas Medical Center.

Resources & Services

The tissue biobank will contain adult and pediatric tissues across the age, sex, and BMI spectrum. Tissues that are currently available include:
Adolescents with severe obesity
1. Subcutaneous adipose tissue
2. Visceral adipose tissue
3. Liver
4. Plasma
5. Serum
6. Small intestine
7. Buffy coat
8. Red blood cells
The Core hosts the NORC Human Research Study Repository, which is a data repository for human studies in nutrition and obesity.
This repository maintains high level data on demographics, types of data available, and types of biospecimens collected through individual projects at participating HNORC centers. Researchers who would like to collaborate can use this repository to identify completed and ongoing studies.
All researchers who contribute data have the ability to independently search the repository. Researchers who have not contributed data can contact the core directors for assistance at CTORC@bcm.edu.

Visit the Human Research Study Repository.
The Core will provide consultation for human obesity research studies, including help with the following:
1. Research design and statistical consultation
2. Pre-IRB protocol review
3. Identifying available resources