Core Facilities

HEXT Core Facility Project

Overview

Goal

In autumn 2010 the HEXT Initiative (Hamburg Center for Experimental Therapy Research) established several UKE core facilities. These units offer researchers access to a range of complex key technologies, which would otherwise demand a long period of training and/or large investments. By making the scientific expertise of different UKE institutes available to the broader scientific community, synergies can be achieved. Furthermore, by facilitating access to large-scale instruments within UKE, investment funds can be saved and used more effectively.

The HEXT project finances scientific and technical staff in the facilities to provide support for interested researchers.
Since techniques and instruments are continuously further developed, core facilities at UKE won't be static institutions but will respond to the needs of the scientific community.

Initiator

HEXT forms a common roof for translational groups at UKE and related research centers. Scientifically, it aims at improved translation of experimental results with a focus on cardiovascular, autoimmune diseases and cancer.
Translating results from basic research to novel therapies ("from bench to bedside") is highly complex. Independent from the starting point for translation, certain costly technologies have to be available for most or all groups. The HEXT initiative aims at creating an environment that provides transparency about the existing technologies at the UKE campus with the establishment of core facilities. Scientists at all stages of their career should have the optimal conditions to learn, interact and develop their scientific concepts towards novel therapies. By these means, HEXT fosters the concentration of intellectual/technological expertise, increases the critical mass in high-end technology and thereby creates a place that attracts the most talented scientists.

Talks and Seminars

To further develop the core facilities as a platform for scientific communication and information, HEXT plans to run an accompanying seminar series. Start of the series is scheduled for autumn 2011. In- and external speakers will be invited to give talks about topics related to translational research and the technical expertise of the core facilities.

Workshops and Trainings

The core facilities offer regularly (and by request) workshops covering the key technologies of the units. These workshops are open to scientists, PhD-students and students. Further they offer trainings covering the use of different instruments like certain microscopes. Dates for workshops and trainings will be announced here.