Administrative Coordination of the Activities in the PPG The Core will operate as established in the current period of the grant, with Dr. Weinstein as the Program Director and PI of the Core, and a small team including part-time staff dedicated to performing the tasks defined by the Specific Aims. The Core will continue to oversee the entire Program Project and its scientific direction in order to achieve maximally possible integration and synergy from the work of the PPG teams - both at the collaborative level of experimental design and interpretation, and in the technical aspects of data evaluation and dissemination. A new task for the Core will be to coordinate the activities of the newly constituted Committee of Advisors (see below). The shared experiences and collaborative spirit that evolved during the current period of the grant, refined by the restructuring of the team for this application (see below), will continue to be the basis for the exceptionally good working relations and productive framework of the PPG. The Core will also continue to be responsible for coordinating and submitting annual Progress Reports, and all the financial reporting and coordination aspects of the PPG. The Core will continue to be responsible for scheduling, organizing and hosting on a regular basis the meetings that made possible the positive developments during the current period of the grant. The meetings alternated at the sites of the PPG, and consisted of inclusive gatherings. Each team contributed one or more complete scientific presentations from investigators in the different Projects, describing Research in Progress. The presentations were discussed extensively, and outcomes were discussed in a subsequent meeting. During part of the previous period, Projects #1 and #2 were at the same institution, but the periodic research and planning meeting have continued in the same pattern since the PD's move to Cornell's Weill Medical College. The logistics are simple, since all three projects are located in the same City, which enables as well very frequent unscheduled meeting, including interactions among the junior members of the labs and combined lab meetings (see specific details in the Introduction - General Overview of the PPG, above). As described in the previous submission of the PPG renewal we have made the following modifications of the structure relative to the first funded period: 1. The leadership of Project #3 is reorganized with Dr. Jay Gingrich as PI, and Dr. Renee Hen as Co-Pi. Dr. Gingrich is a young investigator who has a longstanding association with Dr. Hen, and has been working closely with him on all aspects of the Project - including close collaboration with the entire team of the PPG. The reorganization of the leadership recognizes Dr. Gingrich's scientific and administrative abilities, as well as his keen interest and desire to take over this Project #3 in close association with, and with the continuing interest and collaboration of, Dr. Hen. Dr. Gingrich enjoys the support and confidence of the entire PPG team. 2. We have developed an Advisory Committee for the PPG. The members were selected by the Pi's of the Projects, to offer wise and expert advice covering the areas of study in the PPG and reflecting the significant scientific strengths of the field. The Committee (see additional details in the Introduction - General Overview of the PPG, above) will include Drs. G. Aghajanian (Yale), M. Geyer (UC San Diego), R. lyengar (Mount Sinai), and B.L. Roth (Case Western). All of them are distinguished experts in research fields related directly to drug abuse biology and medicine. They have agreed enthusiastically (again) to serve in this capacity, as indicated in their letters. The Core will be responsible for the administration of logistics for the meetings of the Advisors with the PPG members, including funding of travel and accommodations.
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