The Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication (CIBC) will promote and coordinate interdisciplinary research focused on filling fundamental gaps in understanding spatial and temporal aspects of biomolecular communication. The CIBC will embrace approaches that span from the molecular and tissue levels to computational modeling. The CIBC's long-term goal is to leverage existing capabilities in basic biomedical research by fostering the development of integrated, interdisciplinary research teams with broad disciplinary representation to interrogate complex disease pathways from a wide range of perspectives. The CIBC's near-term goal is to support the research efforts and career development of early stage investigators whose research is broadly focused on understanding the regulation of biomedically relevant communication pathways. The interdisciplinary focus of CIBC, coupled with support for two essential research cores facilities, will serve as a natural mixing chamber to encourage new collaborations, especially by connecting researchers developing new molecular probes and analytical techniques with those researching specific disease pathways. The overall goal of the Administrative Core is to contribute to the CIBC's success by leading, implementing, and supporting the Center's primary activities. The four Specific Aims of the Administrative Core are to: 1) Develop and maintain an organizational structure to provide leadership and coordination of CIBC research and related activities; 2) Implement a faculty development and mentoring plan to further the research and career development of early stage investigators and catalyze their transition to independent investigators; 3) Provide enrichment activities for CIBC members to promote membership in the Center and encourage new research collaborations; and 4) Transition from IDeA program support as a self-sustaining center of biomedical research excellence. The Administrative Core defines the roles and responsibilities of the Director and Co-director, two advisory groups, two research core facilities and their directors, and the project leaders' scientific mentors, as well as the criteria for Center membership and selection as project leader. The faculty development and mentoring plan for early stage investigators leverages available university resources and combines them with responsive one-on-one mentoring to create the framework for individual mentoring plans for project leaders. The Administrative Core's enrichment activities will include monthly meetings, support for seminars, an annual Center retreat, travel awards for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, support for short-term faculty or student visits, a research core voucher program, and support for pilot projects. All Center activities will be monitored by a comprehensive evaluation plan. The Administrative Core will provide the essential structure to support CIBC in the development of novel research methods and cutting-edge bioanalytical and informatics tools to facilitate the study of complex disease, provide a suite of enrichment activities for its members, and chart the route to a self-sustaining center of biomedical research excellence.
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