? Administrative Core The Gulf South Center for Research and Solutions in Cancer Health Disparities (Gulf South-CARES-CHD) brings together investigators from academic and clinical research institutions in Louisiana, led by the Louisiana State University Cancer Center ? New Orleans (LSU CC-NO), to advance translational research on the genetic, biological and social mechanisms that promote and sustain cancer health disparities. The Administrative Core (AC) will facilitate the organization and implementation of the goals set by the leadership team. It will facilitate the contributions of investigators of the Louisiana Cancer Research Center (LCRC), the member institutions of the Gulf South ? NCORP, and the Pennington Biomedical Research Center ? all of which conduct research in cancer health disparities. Through the use of biospecimens provided mainly by the LCRC Tumor Biorepository, and patient information provided by the Louisiana Tumor Registry (LTR), investigators have been conducting research to understand the genetic, biological and social determinants that promote cancer health disparities in our region. With the leadership of the Co-PI/PD's and the Executive Committee, the AC will provide central oversight, coordination, support and logistics to investigators participating in the Gulf South- CARES-CHD research program. To achieve this, the AC has the following objectives: a) oversee research planning and implementation through regular meetings; b) coordinate and monitor pilot research projects; c) foster productive interactions among collaborators; d) ensure the highest standards of scientific integrity for all projects and program components and activities; e) stimulate new translational research collaborations related to health disparities; f) ensure horizontal and vertical integration among the programs and cores; and g) support the preparation of research projects and the submission of a future SPORE application. The AC is led by the contact PI and supported by a multidisciplinary team of established investigators that form the Executive Committee (EC). This leadership team is guided by an Internal Advisory Committee (IAB) comprised of academic researchers in various aspects of cancer and health disparities, as well as an External Advisory Committee (EAB) of SPORE investigators and leaders with expertise in the inclusion of minorities in cancer clinical trials. A series of planning and priority-setting steps have begun, with regular and ongoing in-person scientific meetings, to facilitate: 1) presentation and review of ongoing research in cancer health disparities, 2) planning of new RFAs for the submission and selection of Pilot Research Projects (PRP), 3) discussion of collaborations with existing P20's or SPOREs; and 4) planning future visits and reviews by Internal and External Advisory Board members. In summary, the AC facilitates the coordination and communication necessary for a seamless and mutually beneficial partnership among the participating members to advance the feasibility, planning and implementation of focused collaborations through the Gulf South CARES-CHD.
The Administrative Core (AC) of the Gulf South Center for Research and Solutions in Cancer Health Disparities (Gulf South-CARES-CHD) will provide all organizational and fiscal support to facilitate the development of all scientific research activities on Cancer Health Disparities proposed in this P20 planning grant. These include scheduling and planning of scientific meetings among all components of the Gulf South ? CARES-CHD, ensuring that all projects have adequate fiscal support and access to scientific cores, and supporting the submission of IRB protocols, clinical trials and any intellectual property applications. The AC will therefore be essential to ensuring the implementation of research in Cancer Health Disparities in Louisiana, which should spark the development of novel approaches to improve responses to current and future treatments and improve the outcomes for the minority and underserved patients who are disproportionately affected by these malignancies.
