South Dakota IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence
Academic DepartmentThe South Dakota IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence supports and investigates biomedical research and scientific findings throughout the state.
Contact Us
Room: #233
414 E. Clark St.
Vermillion, SD 57069
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Since 2001, SD INBRE has received more than $78 million in NIH funding with seven partner institutions: Augustana University, Black Hills State University, Dakota Wesleyan University, Mount Marty University, Oglala Lakota College, Sisseton Wahpeton College, University of Sioux Falls, Dakota State University, South Dakota School of Mines, and Northern State University. With this funding, SD INBRE has accomplished the following goals:
- Continued developing a strong collaborative network within SD to enhance basic biomedical research capabilities.
- Fostered interdisciplinary research in control of cell growth.
- Maintained professionally staffed core facilities for use by investigators throughout the region.
- Provided research support and mentoring for junior investigators and faculty members from partner institutions.
- Provided training and research opportunities for students at predominantly undergraduate institutions.
- Introduced undergraduate students to graduate programs and career opportunities in biomedical sciences and bioinformatics.
- Fostered interest in further education and careers in science and research for students at tribal colleges through enhancement of science education programs and provision of research opportunities.
Impact of South Dakota INBRE
Since 2001, SD INBRE has received more than $78 million in NIH funding for the partner institutions of the University of South Dakota, Augustana University, Black Hills State University, Dakota Wesleyan University, Mount Marty University, Oglala Lakota College, Sisseton Wahpeton College, University of Sioux Falls, Dakota State University, South Dakota School of Mines, and Northern State University.
This funding supports Bioinformatics, Nucleic Acid Sequencing and Genotyping, and Proteomics Core Facilities for all South Dakota and regional researchers. The first goal of this program is to improve research capabilities in cell biology with special emphasis on proteomics and bioinformatics. The second goal of SD INBRE is to develop human resources in biomedical sciences and bioinformatics by supporting research of students and faculty from predominantly undergraduate institutions and tribal colleges.
The SD INBRE program invests in its undergraduate partner institutions by providing summer research support for 30 science faculty, summer student research fellowships for 55 undergraduates, and in scientific library databases for access to journal articles. This has resulted in increased success in the placement of students into biomedical graduate programs, and into jobs in the biomedical research workforce.
Success Stories
Faculty and Staff
Core Facilities Overview
The Bioinformatics Core is integral to the South Dakota IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (SD-INBRE), enhancing the state's biomedical research infrastructure. This Core specializes in bioinformatics and multi-omics data analytics, focusing on supporting the research and educational goals of the Research Match Core (RMC) across various scientific disciplines.
The Bioinformatics Core Research (BCR) contributes to the Research Match Core (RMC) by expanding research capacity, enhancing infrastructure, supporting faculty development, training students, and engaging in educational outreach. It advances biomedical research by integrating multi-omics data analytics, coordinating with the Data Science Core for efficient dataset management, and leveraging SD-INBRE’s computational resources. BCR aids faculty in securing funding through expertise in grantsmanship and fosters scholarly research by establishing a bioinformatics faculty position and maintaining cloud-based analytics tools. Additionally, it provides hands-on training for undergraduates through workshops and coursework while collaborating on new biomedical data analytics courses. Lastly, BCR promotes outreach initiatives to engage students in biomedical research through presentations and interactive activities.
Tissue Engineering and Cell Culture Laboratory (TECCL) aims to leverage alteration and renovation efforts to establish a specialized space for tissue engineering research. Key features of the TECCL include:
Biosafety Level: Designed to meet BSL-2 and potentially BSL-2+ standards.
Focus Area:
- Cell and tissue culture.
- Biomaterials engineering.
- Processing techniques (e.g., 3D bioprinting, spinning, dip-coating).
- Bio-soft matter characterization.
- Development of lab/tissue/organ-on-chip technologies.
- Fabrication and manufacturing, including platform development, biomimicry, microphysiological systems, and animal-free alternatives.
The TECCL is intended to serve as a cornerstone for advancing tissue engineering research at SDM, supporting the institution’s goals of establishing a research core and fostering collaborations, as outlined in the broader SD INBRE partnership objectives.
The Western South Dakota DNA Core Facility (WestCore) was established at Black Hills State University as part of the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN) in 2004. We provide critical infrastructure that enhances research, education and training in the biomedical sciences. WestCore supports research activities across the SD-BRIN network by providing services to our South Dakota academic institutions, as well as to investigators at public and private agencies & institutions nationwide. WestCore is currently supported in part by NIH IDeA Program Grant 2 P20 GM103443 from the INBRE Program of the National Institute for General Medical Sciences.
Supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences grant and a partnership between the Sanford School of Medicine and the South Dakota Biomedical Research Infrastructure Network (SD BRIN), the core facility provides researchers with the capability to rapidly analyze and identify protein expression patterns in their experimental systems.
Along with providing proteomic analysis, the core:
- Develops experimental design, protocols, data analysis and interpretation
- Provides consulting and advice in grant proposal, as well as data preparation to be submitted to proteomics journal according to the requirements
- Offers training in the use of common equipment such as the scanner, spot cutter, imaging software, technique and protocol issues and sample preparation
The INBRE Data Science Core (DSC) provides faculty and students with essential data science resources, services, and training to advance biomedical research. The DSC supports expertise in scientific programming, data analysis, management, and security, as well as access to big data and cloud computing. It facilitates the use of biomedical data repositories and promotes training in emerging fields such as machine learning, deep learning, and artificial intelligence. Additionally, the DSC fosters collaboration across INBRE networks to share training and research resources, ensuring innovative and impactful data-driven discoveries.
