The Biobehavioral Lab is now located at ITS Manning, 211 Manning Drive. Welcome to our new space!
Planning a Grant Proposal? We’re Here to Support You!
Dear PIs, thank you for your interest in working with the UNC Biobehavioral Lab (BBL)! We are excited to support your research and look forward to working with you. Our team typically needs approximately two weeks to prepare your quote and letter of support for your grant proposal. We appreciate your planning ahead and will do our best to support you throughout the process. We look forward to collaborating with you and supporting your research!
Overview of Services
Founded in 1989, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing Biobehavioral Laboratory (BBL) is a shared research core dedicated to advancing high-quality biobehavioral, clinical, translational, and population health research. As research increasingly moves beyond traditional laboratory settings into homes, communities, workplaces, and other real-world environments, BBL specializes in supporting innovative, participant-centered approaches to data collection. Our mission is to help investigators conduct high-quality field-based, remote, ambulatory, and community-based research through minimally invasive biospecimen collection, digital phenotyping technologies, and comprehensive research support.
Services Highlight
BBL's unique services include:
- Blood Draw Service: BBL streamlines research by providing a one-stop solution that reduces the operational burden for investigators. Participants can complete study visits in our lab, with convenient parking, blood collection by NC-licensed RNs, biospecimen processing, secure sample storage, and biomarker analysis—all within the BBL
- Multiplex Biomarker Analysis with a Meso Scale Discovery (MSD) or Lumines Flexmap 3D MultiPlex Platform: In addition to traditional ELISA assays, the BBL offers multiplex biomarker analysis using Meso Scale Discovery (MSD) and Lumines Flexmap 3D technology. This advanced platform enables the simultaneous measurement of multiple biomarkers from small-volume biospecimens, helping investigators maximize limited samples while obtaining comprehensive biomarker profiles.
- Supporting Research Beyond the Laboratory: We specialize in field-based, community-based, home-based, remote, and ambulatory research by providing practical, participant-friendly data collection solutions.
- Minimally Invasive Biomarker Collection and Analysis: In addition to traditional serum and plasma biomarker analyses from venous blood, BBL offers minimally invasive biomarker collection and analysis using dried blood spot (DBS), Tasso+ at-home capillary blood collection, hair (e.g., hair cortisol), and urine samples, enabling investigators to collect high-quality biological data with minimal participant burden.
- Molecular Biology and Functional Genomics: BBL supports molecular and translational research through gene expression analysis, RNA/microRNA profiling, protein expression analysis, cell culture, and functional genomics techniques, enabling investigators to characterize molecular pathways and validate biological mechanisms.
- Digital Phenotyping and Wearable Technologies: BBL supports the use of ActiGraph wearable devices to objectively measure physical activity, sleep, and other real-world behavioral patterns.
- Clinical Research Space: We provide dedicated examination rooms and research facilities for blood collection, physical examinations, one-on-one or focus group interviews, intervention delivery, participant visits, and other clinical research activities.
- Behavioral Observation Software: BBL offers behavioral coding and analysis using Noldus Observer XT software for observational and intervention studies.
- Body Composition and Physiological Assessments: We provide research-grade body composition assessments (BOD POD) and Pulse Wave Analysis and Velocity Software to support clinical and translational studies.
- Veterinary Biomarker Analysis: In addition to human biospecimens, BBL supports animal research by analyzing blood, muscle tissue, and tear samples from horses and other animals.
The BBL staff is committed to assisting and promoting faculty and graduate students’ efforts in the use of biobehavioral measures and physiological parameters in their research. The BBL is located on the ground floor of ITS Manning Room 1200. Faculty and graduate students are encouraged to visit. For more information on how to request equipment or a research consultation with BBL faculty, feel free to call us at 919.966.7598 or email us at sonbbl@unc.edu.
Leadership
Ya-Ke "Grace" Wu, Ph.D., MSN, RN | Lab Director
Cody McGrath, MS | Lab Manager
Location and hours of operation
| Hours |
Location |
|
8:00 am - 4:00 pm
|
211 Manning Drive
Chapel Hill, NC, 27599
|
Links and Resources
- UNC Biobehavioral Lab
Welcome!
