Hockberger Philip, Weiss Jeffrey, Rosen Aaron, Ott Andrew
Office for Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA.
Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA; and.
J Biomol Tech. 2018 Sep;29(3):79-92. doi: 10.7171/jbt.18-2903-003. Epub 2018 Aug 6.
Core facilities are an integral component of modern research institutions. Here, we describe our efforts over the past decade to build a sustainable portfolio of core facilities at Northwestern University. Through careful strategic planning, coordination, investment, and oversight, we have developed a model for managing core facilities that addresses researchers' needs within 3 schools across 2 campuses. Our management model is a partnership between core directors and central administrators that maintains operational control of each facility at the local level to ensure that the needs of researchers are being addressed. Central administrative oversight ensures that facilities are compliant with federal regulations, are financially sound, and align with institutional priorities. This hybrid management model is comprised of 4 pillars that are essential and necessary to ensure the long-term viability and success of facilities: core personnel, core space, institutional investment, and institutional evaluation. With these pillars in place, our facilities are well positioned to fulfill their key value propositions, to demonstrate a robust return on the university's investment, and to ensure that facilities remain vibrant, sustainable components of the research ecosystem for the foreseeable future.
核心设施是现代研究机构不可或缺的组成部分。在此，我们描述过去十年里我们在西北大学构建可持续核心设施组合方面所做的努力。通过精心的战略规划、协调、投资和监督，我们开发了一种管理核心设施的模式，该模式满足了两个校区三所学校内研究人员的需求。我们的管理模式是核心主任与中央管理人员之间的一种合作关系，在地方层面维持对每个设施的运营控制，以确保研究人员的需求得到满足。中央行政监督确保设施符合联邦法规、财务状况良好，并与机构优先事项保持一致。这种混合管理模式由四个支柱组成，这些支柱对于确保设施的长期可行性和成功至关重要且必不可少：核心人员、核心空间、机构投资和机构评估。有了这些支柱，我们的设施能够很好地实现其关键价值主张，展现大学投资的强劲回报，并确保设施在可预见的未来仍然是研究生态系统中充满活力、可持续的组成部分。
