The Iowa Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Center (DERC) is designed to foster a multidisciplinary approach to the study of diabetes and hormone action at the cellular and molecular level. Investigations primarily relate to insulin, IGFs and glucose transporters but also include investigation of cellular effects of steroid hormones, GnRH, prolactin, CGRP, LH/FSH and growth factors (glia maturation factor, TGF-beta, cytokines). The Center has five major goals: 1) to develop molecular biology approaches to diabetes and hormone action research; 2) to centralize facilities that were being duplicated in several different laboratories; 3) to provide, as core resources, facilities and expertise that are not available at the University and permit new areas of investigation by multiple DERC investigators; 4) to test new hypotheses related to diabetes and mechanisms of hormone action through the Pilot and Feasibility Program; and 5) to promote multidisciplinary approaches to the study of diabetes and hormone action through collaborative studies. To achieve these goals, the Center has developed several resources: An Administrative Core; Molecular Biology Core (Recombinant DNA and DNA Synthesis); Cell Biology Core (Media and Protein Production); Membrane Biology Core (Central Facility for Peptide Iodination, Signal Transduction Analysis and In situ Hybridization); a Pilot and Feasibility Study Program to support pilot studies related to the Center theme; a Computer Core; and an Enrichment Program of seminar speakers and workshops.