The purpose of the Molecular Biology core is to facilitate the application of the tools of molecular genetics to the study of gastrointestinal peptides and their physiological functions. In all aspects, the Molecular Biology Core functions to provide essential services and serves as an educational resource to all Center Investigators. Although basic molecular techniques are widely available to Center investigators through commercial sources, there remain specific services that are best provided by pooled resources and by highly trained personnel such as those that can be provided by a Center. During the prior funding period, three Core programs were provided: the Transgenic Animal Program, the Viral Vector Program and the Gene Expression Program. The Molecular Biology Core has added a Microarray Gene Chip Program and has essentially updated the Gene Expression Program to provide education and training in those techniques that can be performed in the investigators own laboratory after receiving some theoretical and practical training. Since investigator needs have likely moved beyond basic gene expression approaches to involve such techniques as chromatin structure and analysis, this primarily education program has been renamed the Molecular Techniques Training Program. Investigators needing assistance with basic molecular techniques, e.g., quantitative RT-PCR and more sophisticated techniques, e.g., chromatin immunoprecipitation assays (ChIP), can receive training from the Core Director (Dr. Merchant) and her associate (Dr. Bai).