NCTR Research Disciplines

Microbiology

Detects food borne pathogens (naturally occurring or terroristic)
Understands the processes and pathways of microbial resistance
Understands how microflora in the gastrointestinal tract alter the effects of chemical and other microbial exposures
Develops microbes to clean up toxic spills in the environment
Develops models using microbes to predict the way that drugs will be metabolized (broken down and used or excreted) by mammals

Chemistry

Assures the chemical purity of other work throughout NCTR
In the area of counter terrorism, develops, validates, and applies methods using mass spectroscopy for the rapid and inexpensive identification of pathogens
Develops computer aided patter recognition methods to distinguish between hoax and real terrorist acts
Utilizes nanotechnology for developing cancer therapies
Utilizes nanotechnology for developing screens to detect bomb components
Develops sensor technologies for food freshness

Risk Assessment and Statistics

Toxicoinfomatics and Computational Models

Utilizes the latest computer technology to predict toxicity and biological action based on chemical structure
Utilizes artificial intelligence based neural net computer technologies to find significant information about chemical and biological action that may not be seen with conventional methods of analysis
Develops large databases (available on-line) to handle massive data arising from new technologies.

Genomics

Structural Genomics
- Detects genetic differences among individuals and assesses the impact these differences have in the reaction to drugs and the development of disease
- Develops means of determining individual susceptibility to prostate, breast, and colorectal cancer
Functional Genomics
- Detects changes in the functioning of genes following exposures to chemicals or biologicals
- Prints microarrays for lab animal and human studies
- Meets with other researchers to help design techniques to answer questions rapidly
Developmental Genomics
- Utilizes microarray technology to identify the presence of microorganisms for food protection and identifying terroristic events

Metabolomics

Develops indicators of toxicity and disease that heretofore have not been recognized or identified
Utilizes highly sophisticated technologies of nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry to analyze the chemical and biological pathway through the body
Focuses on how these pathways affect the liver, kidneys, and heart
Utilizes these technologies to compare toxicities across species to better understand how laboratory animals may or may not predict human toxicities

Proteomics

Utilizes mass spectrometry to analyze proteins
- In tissues of animals exposed to chemicals or pharmaceuticals
- To identify the virulence of microorganisms
- Collaborates with the pharmaceutical industry and academicians to develop new markers of adverse effects