The Biobehavioral Lab is now located at ITS Manning, 211 Manning Drive. Welcome to our new space!
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:
- 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. We also provide custom biomarker assay development to support investigators with specialized and emerging biomarker needs.
- 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. 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) 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!
