The General Clinic Research Center (GCRC) at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) provides the clinical research infrastructure necessary to perform high quality clinical research studies to scientific investigators who receive funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), other Federal agencies, foundations or industry. Committed to facilitating interdisciplinary and collaborative patient-oriented research, the GCRC equips scientists with the tools and specialized personnel required to perform high-quality human research in a safe and controlled setting. It was established at UCSD in 1974 through a competitive grant application to the National Institutes of Health, National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) and has been in continuous operation since that time. It is funded through 2010 on the current 5 year award cycle and is in the process of transitioning to a Clinical Translational Science Center through a new funding mechanism established by the NCRR.

Resources of UCSD GCRC Include

• Eight inpatient beds, two outpatient rooms and administrative support space at the UCSD Medical Center with adjacent nursing station and waiting room on the 9th floor – east wing
• Metabolic kitchen for specialized nutritional needs
• Informatics core for computer support
• Biostatisticians for assistance with project design and analysis
• A 1100 sq. ft. core laboratory for specialized assays
• An outpatient facility on the main La Jolla campus encompassing approximately 3000 square feet
• Laboratory for Sleep and Chronobiology including rooms on the 2nd floor of the VAMCSD as well as dedicated sleep rooms in the 9th floor unit
• DEXA scanner
• Exercise core with treadmill and metabolic cart, and stationary bicycles
• Dedicated Staffing including - registered nurses; polysomnography technologists; a registered dietitian; biostatisticians; computer systems manager/network administrator; technical laboratory staff; DEXA technicians; allied health care professionals