Functional Analytics Core

PROJECT SUMMARY – Functional Analytics Core (FAC) The University of Michigan Skin Biology and Diseases Resource-based Center (UM-SBDRC) Functional Analytics Core (FAC) is a Resource Core that was designed to respond to the cutaneous research community’s increased requests for innovative and state-of-the-art systems biology tools and resources, consultation, training,

and genomic editing tools. In the last four years, the FAC has been heavily utilized by the research community and has helped to both accelerate and broaden access to resources and approaches that have helped to provide multiple novel insights into a broad array of immune-mediated and non-neoplastic cutaneous disorders. Building

on our experience and our expanding infrastructure, the FAC will continue to provide and expand the UM-SBDRC state-of-the-art infrastructure, resources, expertise, and training opportunities. The FAC is in line with the NIAMS mission to provide needed infrastructure, pooled facilities, services, and resources to groups of investigators

conducting research on skin biology and diseases. The goal of the FAC is to enhance, accelerate, and enrich the effectiveness of ongoing basic and translational research, and to help bring outside investigators into the field of cutaneous biology. This will be achieved through the two aims of the FAC: In Aim 1, where we provide

CRISPR/Cas9 genome and epigenome editing services for the generation of knockout, knock-in, and epigenome-modified keratinocytes, as well as functional characterization of these lines, and Aim 2, where we provide access to state-of-the-art systems biology analyses, tools, training, and resources, including searchable

extensive disease- and cytokine-specific gene datasets. These services are not widely available for the cutaneous research community, and the services, resources, and techniques made available through this Core will provide UM-SBDRC Members with highly innovative approaches that will promote and accelerate ongoing

research and help attract new research teams into the fold of cutaneous research.