This Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant is intended to support multi-project, interdisciplinary and multi-institutional translational research in glioblastoma. The governance structure of this Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC) SPORE grant will provide the foundation for the implementation, execution and ultimate success of all projects and cores. The Administration Core will serve as the hub for this governance structure and will aim to achieve a number of specific objectives as defined below. We will implement a plan to establish experienced, centralized program leadership and administration. The Glioma SPORE Director and Co-Director are senior administrators and researchers who have worked together on prior DF/HCC inifiatives and who provide strong, complementary leadership for the grant. The trans-institutional administrative team consists of senior personnel at DF/HCC institutions who have worked together effecfively in the preparafion of this grant applicafion. We have incorporated two senior clinical and imaging scientists into the Administrafion Core to supervise Glioma SPORE-specific clinical trials and imaging studies, respectively, and to enable this Glioma SPORE to capitalize on existing DF/HCC Cores to support these types of studies. We will establish an effective internal and external committee structure to provide expertise, advice and oversight of the program. Each of the committees consists of collaborative, complementary members who have already worked together in the preparation of this SPORE application. A series of regular Glioma SPORE meetings involving both administrative and scientific SPORE staff are planned to facilitate close collaboration, troubleshooting and monitoring of the SPORE program. We will establish an effective internal and external communicafions program, which will include a Glioma SPORE-specific component. An established and extensive DF/HCC communications infrastructure will be utilized to promote open, regular, trans-institutional communicafion regarding SPORE opportunities and activities. We will implement an active SPORE program to enhance participation by underrepresented minorities and women.
Glioblastomas are the third leading cause of cancer-related death among middle-aged men and the fourth leading cause of death for women between 15-34 years of age (http://www.CBTRUS.org). In the fullness of time, the work that we propose with targeted therapies could change the standard of care and improve patient outcomes for these tumors. The Administrafion Core will serve as the 'hub' for the governance of this SPORE research program.
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