BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.4.2//EN TZID:America/New_York X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/New_York BEGIN:VEVENT UID:15@researchweek.unc.edu DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261020T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261020T143000 DTSTAMP:20260824T201313Z URL:https://researchweek.unc.edu/events/open-lab-tour-unc-biobehavioral-la b/ SUMMARY:Open Lab Tour: UNC Biobehavioral Lab DESCRIPTION:Discovering the Science Behind Biobehavioral Health Research\n\ nThe UNC Biobehavioral Lab (BBL) invites students\, researchers\, faculty\ , and community members to explore how innovative laboratory technologies can help researchers better understand the complex relationships among beh avior\, stress\, physiology\, and health.\nThe UNC Biobehavioral Lab was e stablished to provide a shared research environment where investigators ca n integrate behavioral\, physiological\, and biological measurements to ad vance health research. Under the leadership of Dr. Grace Wu\, the BBL has expanded its capabilities to support both laboratory- and field-based rese arch across a variety of populations and health conditions.\n\nWhat Visito rs Will See\n\nVisitors will learn how biological samples can be collected \, processed\, stored\, and analyzed\, as well as how digital-based physio logical and behavioral measurements can be collected in controlled laborat ory environments and in participants’ everyday lives. The tour will also highlight how the BBL uses minimally invasive technologies to collect bio marker and physiological data. These measurements can be integrated with f ield-based behavioral and health data\, providing researchers with a more complete picture of the factors that influence health and well-being.\n\nD emonstrations and Research Technologies\n\nThe Open Lab Tour will include demonstrations of several technologies used in biobehavioral research.\n\n Hair and Nail Sample Processing\nVisitors will learn about the use of biol ogical samples such as hair and nails in health research. The Mixer Mill M M400 will be demonstrated as an example of laboratory equipment used to pr ocess and homogenize solid biological samples into a powder that can be fu rther analyzed for biological markers. This approach allows researchers to explore biological information contained within minimally invasive specim ens and may be particularly useful for studies examining longer-term physi ological or environmental exposures.\n\nMultiplex Biomarker Analysis\nThe tour will introduce visitors to two platforms used for multiplex biomarker analysis: the Meso Scale Discovery (MSD) platform and the Luminex platfor m. Using dried blood spots and other biological specimens such as tears an d urine\, these technologies allow researchers to measure multiple protein -based biomarkers from a single sample with low concertation of target mar kers.\n\nExploring Biological Samples Under the Microscope\nVisitors will also see biological samples under a microscope. A demonstration will inclu de viewing cancer cells under the microscope\, providing visitors with a c lose-up look at cellular structures and illustrating how researchers can e xamine biological changes at the cellular level.\n\nField- and Home-Based Research Equipment\nA major focus of the BBL is bringing research beyond t he traditional laboratory. Visitors will see examples of equipment that re searchers can use to collect health data in participants’ homes and ever yday environments.\nDemonstrations will include:\nActiGraph wearable devic es and software\, which collect and analyze activity and sleep data from a participant’s wrist. These devices allow researchers to objectively mon itor physical activity\, sedentary behavior\, and sleep patterns in partic ipants’ everyday environments.\nHandheld and portable electrocardiograph y (ECG) devices. Visitors will see how these devices can capture real-time cardiac electrical activity in a convenient and minimally invasive manner . Portable ECG technologies can be particularly valuable for field-based a nd home-based research.\nWatchPAT ONE\, a portable home sleep-apnea testin g device that allows researchers to assess sleep-related physiological mea sures in participants’ home environments.\nToss-Caterpillar whole blood collection methods\, which provide a convenient approach for collecting sm all blood samples from arms for biomarker research.\nPoint-of-care HbA1c t esting equipment\, which can provide information about long-term blood glu cose control.\nPoint-of-care lipid and glucose testing equipment\, allowin g researchers to obtain metabolic measurements efficiently during home vis its or in field settings.\n\nBodPod Body Composition Assessment\nVisitors will also see the BodPod\, a noninvasive system used to assess body compos ition through air-displacement technology. Unlike methods that require ext ensive physical measurements or invasive procedures\, the BodPod uses chan ges in air pressure to estimate body composition. This technology allows r esearchers to obtain information about body composition efficiently and no ninvasively.\n\nAn Opportunity to Explore Research in Action\n\nThe UNC Bi obehavioral Lab Open Lab Tour offers visitors a behind-the-scenes look at how modern health research is conducted. Rather than simply learning about research methods in a classroom or textbook\, visitors will be able to se e the equipment\, spaces\, and technologies that researchers use to collec t meaningful biological and physiological data both in the lab and in the field settings. We welcome students\, trainees\, faculty\, researchers\, a lumni\, and anyone interested in learning more about how biobehavioral sci ence and real-world health research come together at the UNC Biobehavioral Lab.\n\nThis is an in-person event.\n\n ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://researchweek.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/ 2026/08/mm_fav_01162026_grace_wu_0004_.jpg CATEGORIES:In-person Event,School of Nursing LOCATION:ITS Manning Building\, 211 Manning Drive\, Chapel Hill\, NC\, 2759 9\, United States X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=211 Manning Drive\, Chapel Hill\, NC\, 27599\, United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE=ITS Manning B uilding:geo:0,0 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York X-LIC-LOCATION:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20260308T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR