Following a community-wide survey and discussions with various stakeholders, Cornell Research & Innovation (R&I) plans to commit substantial supplementary resources to enhance the core facilities at the Biotechnology Resource Center (BRC) at Cornell University. This strategic investment aims to strengthen the BRC's technological capabilities and better support the life sciences research community in driving innovation and reducing operational inefficiencies and bottlenecks across campus. The BRC currently includes the following facilities: Genomics, Bioinformatics, Genome Innovation, Epigenomics, Imaging, Proteomics and Metabolomics, and Flow Cytometry. Learn more about current technologies and services offered at the BRC here https://www.biotech.cornell.edu/facilities-brc.
To ensure these resources are deployed with the greatest impact, R&I is seeking input from the Cornell research community on current and anticipated technology needs, capacity requirements, and service enhancements. Community input will guide strategic planning and coordination with BRC directors to prioritize investments with broad scientific benefit for researchers across campus.
Request for Input
We invite input on technology and service needs that will serve the Cornell community and will have broad impact through the following:
- NEW TECHNOLOGIES, EQUIPMENT, OR SERVICES
- Emerging technologies, techniques, or methodologies not currently available through the BRC that would enable new or expanded life science research capabilities
- Specialized equipment needs for your research programs as well as the broader Cornell life sciences community
- New or expanded support services, such as data management, computational analysis, training, or expertise development that would accelerate research progress
- EXPANDED CAPACITY AND ACCESS
- Strategies for resolution of current bottlenecks or access limitations affecting your research or the broader Cornell life sciences community
- Expansion of existing infrastructure
- Services requiring greater availability, increased capacity, or enhanced throughput
- Extended operating hours or scheduling needs
- Educational, training, or technical support enhancements
- UPDATES AND MODERNIZATION
- Existing equipment requiring upgrade or replacement
- Technology refreshes needed to maintain competitive research capabilities
- Infrastructure improvements to support current and future research demands
How to Provide Input
All members of the Cornell community, including PIs, technical staff, postdocs, students, and key administrators (e.g., department chairs, college representatives, and center/institute directors), are encouraged to submit input via the following dedicated website: https://biohpc.cornell.edu/restricted03/rfi.aspx
Implementation
R&I will work closely with the BRC director and BRC facility directors to analyze submitted input and develop an implementation phase. Collected data will be made available on the BRC website, and experts or key stakeholders in the community may be contacted for advice and specialized consultation.
Decisions regarding implementation of proposed enhancements will be made based on:
- Projected impact on life science researchers across campus, including potential to enhance research quality, efficiency, and outcomes
- Relative community demand, including overall level of interest and anticipated usage across the Cornell community
- Feasibility and sustainability, including cost of ownership, long-term maintenance, and sustainable core operations
- Alignment with the BRC’s long-term strategic vision, mission scope, and campus-wide research priorities
Timeline
Input will be accepted through March 31st, 2026. We encourage early submission to ensure thorough consideration of all input.
Questions?
For questions regarding this RFI or the input process, please contact: Marcus B. Smolka, associate vice provost at Cornell Research and Innovation.
We thank you in advance for your thoughtful participation in this important initiative to strengthen Cornell's life sciences research infrastructure.