Core A is essential to the success of the SPORE and provides oversight and support of all SPORE projectsand activities; ensures compliance with all general, governmental, and National Cancer Institute(NCI)/National Institutes of Health (NIH) regulations and requirements; coordinates communications andconsultations with the NCI project officer and other NCI staff in preparing all required reports andpublications; coordinates all SPORE-related meetings and communications of the Executive Committee,Internal and External Advisory Boards, the Biostatistics and Data Management Core (Core B), and theTissue Procurement, Pathology and Biomarker Core (Core C); and other key functions. Over the previousgrant period, Core A oversaw the annual budget/rebudget development, distribution, and oversight of grantfunds; supported the Executive Committee and advisory boards in scheduling and coordinating regularlyscheduled meetings and ad hoc consultations; coordinated the annual solicitation, review, and awardprocess for the Career Development and the Developmental Research Programs; served as the primaryliaison in developing potential InterSPORE collaborations and with the NCI SPORE program representatives;and interacted on a regular basis with Core Directors and Project Leaders to review progress, identifyproblems, and resolve issues hampering successful achievement of their aims. The past trial activation andaccrual record of this HN SPORE was the appropriate target of criticism in our previous review; thus, theSPORE leadership team has implemented several mechanisms to enhance the oversight, and thusactivation and accrual, of our SPORE clinical trials, including 1) quarterly accrual report submissions to theExecutive Committee (and more frequently should concerns arise); quarterly presentations by the Pis of theSPORE trials to the Executive Committee on accrual progress; annual review of all trials by the Internal andExternal Advisory Boards; and a requirement to address accrual deficiencies within six-months or risk studyclosure or replacement. Major SPORE and Core A leadership changes occurred in the fall of 2006, when Dr.Scott M. Lippman succeeded Dr. Waun Ki Hong as SPORE PI and Core A Director and Dr. Rakesh Kumarsucceeded Dr. Reuben Lotan as a SPORE Co-Pi and Core A Co-Director (sharing these roles with Dr. GaryL. dayman, who continues a Co-Pi and Co-Director from the previous grant period). The experiencedleadership of the HN SPORE will ensure full compliance with all policies and procedures required of NCIandNIH-funded research programs to successfully achieve the SPORE's overall aims.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 370 publications
