Translational Research and Core Expert Support (TRaCES)

TRaCES, or Translational Research and Core Expert Support, is a programmatic initiative in the Department of Pharmacology & Physiology that supports translational and research-driven partnerships between scientists and clinicians. Founded and led by Dr. Olimpia Meucci (department chair and TRaCES Executive Director) and colleagues, TRaCES aims to elevate ongoing research in the department by providing clinical tissue samples to faculty, offering experimental and technical support, and connecting researchers and clinicians interested in scientific collaborations.

TRaCES investigators currently focus on neuroHIV, cancer metastasis, and inflammation in the brain, which are major areas of interest in the department. The TRaCES initiative embraces clinical and academic collaborations that expand our research focus, technical capacity, and training opportunities for graduate and medical students. These projects capitalize on Dr. Meucci’s collaboration with Dr. Atom Sarkar, a practicing neurosurgeon in the region. TRaCES also hosts a core facility co-directed by Dr. Joshua Jackson and Dr. Rachel Van Duyne, which processes tissue samples and supports TRaCES research projects. The core also provides support for bioinformatics analyses, including multi-omics pipelines and advanced multi-electrode array analyses via computational staff and other research faculty in the Meucci lab, as well as virology consultation via the Klase lab (PhABL).

If you are a scientist or clinician interested in collaborating with TRaCES, please contact Dr. Meucci.