At CU Boulder, Core Facilities are a cornerstone of the research enterprise—fueling scientific discovery, driving innovation and providing access to the tools and expertise necessary to advance knowledge across disciplines. 

These shared resources play a vital role in enabling faculty, students and research staff to pursue cutting-edge investigations without the need for individual labs to bear the full cost of instrumentation and specialized technical support. 

Each year, CU Boulder Core Facilities support hundreds of investigators from departments across campus, facilitating tens of thousands of hours of research activity. From imaging and proteomics to materials characterization and data analysis, these facilities serve as hubs of technological excellence. Their mission is clear: to empower your scientific success.  

Expert staff, world-class support 

What truly sets our Cores apart is the caliber of the professionals who operate them. Core Facilities staff are not only highly trained in the operation of advanced instrumentation, they are domain experts who bring deep knowledge, technical precision and consultative support to every project. Whether you are a seasoned investigator or embarking on your first independent research effort, Core Facilities staff are committed to guiding you through complex experimental design, data acquisition and analysis workflows. This partnership can be the key to unlocking new insights and elevating the impact of your work. 

Core Facilities: Acquiring instrumentation to advance your research 

Beyond supporting ongoing research, our Core Facilities actively lead the way in acquiring transformative technologies that expand the boundaries of what’s possible in experimental science. Since 2022, CU Boulder’s Core Facilities have secured more than $3 million in federal funding to acquire eight state-of-the-art instruments that directly benefit our research community—including four awards received in 2025 alone. These instruments span disciplines and offer capabilities that few individual labs could afford to implement independently. 

This strategic investment not only addresses our immediate research needs but positions CU Boulder to stay at the forefront of innovation for years to come. The technologies obtained through these awards will enable entirely new lines of inquiry, enhance our competitiveness for external funding, and ensure that our students and postdocs are trained on the most advanced tools available. 

CU Boulder is fortunate to have such a robust Core Facilities infrastructure, but the success of our Cores depends on the continued engagement of our research community. By utilizing these resources, collaborating with Core Facilities staff and including Cores in your grant proposals, you help sustain and grow this vital ecosystem. 

Core Facilities: Your local partners for success

Our Core Facilities are more than service providers—they are strategic partners in discovery. Whether you’re generating high-resolution images, analyzing genomic data or testing materials under extreme conditions, the Cores are here to support your work, amplify your impact and prepare you for what’s next. 

Learn more

To learn more about Core Facilities and how they can support your research, visit the Core Facilities and Shared Instrumentation website or reach out directly to Joe Dragavon (joseph.dragavon@colorado.edu), director of Core Facilities and Shared Instrumentation.