How Are Cores Organized at NU?

Core facilities at Northwestern University operate under the overall supervision of the NU Office for Research (OR). The OR sets broad operating guidelines for NU cores and manages core-specific interactions between NU and other institutions, including the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Within Feinberg, cores are under the overall direction of the Vice Dean for Scientific Affairs and Graduate Studies. The program is managed by the Director for Research Core Planning, whose responsibilities include the evaluation of existing cores, the establishment of new cores based on strategic need or faculty proposals, an annual survey of user satisfaction and the annual funding competition. The director communicates with the cores’ faculty and staff at all levels.

Individual core facilities are supervised by Northwestern University faculty and are the fiscal responsibility of a host department or center. Feinberg does not "own" or operate core facilities, but rather manages a Research Cores Program that provides funding, support, and supervision. Many cores receive funding from more than one source and are thus accountable to more than one administrative unit (e.g. Feinberg and the Cancer Center).