The mission of the Framingham Heart Study?Brain Aging Program (FHS-BAP) is to conduct, facilitate and promote high impact research on the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of Alzheimer disease (AD) and related disorders. The Administrative Core serves as a focal organizational point to organize and harmonize research activities of the Clinical, Neuropsychology, and Data Cores and Projects 1-3 to maximize synergy, efficiency and productivity. In the proposed funding period, the Administrative Core will guide the extension and expansion of the rich FHS data resource and establish a management infrastructure that will greatly increase the sharing and utilization of this resource by other researchers worldwide. To accomplish these central goals, the Administrative Core will serve as the interface between internal FHS-BAP activities and external entities, and ensure that FHS-BAP activities meet all Core and project milestones and are consistent with the National Institute of Aging (NIA) AD research mission and in full compliance with all human subjects, and scientific integrity policy requirements of the NIH. We will form an External Advisory Committee (EAC) to advise on the formulation and execution of FHS-BAP priorities and proactively identify opportunities that will keep us on the forefront of forward-thinking science. Key to executing the Administrative Core's mission is to provide appropriate financial oversight of the entire FHS-BAP, track the disposition of materials provided and the outcomes of FHS-BAP supported research (publications and funded activities) and present progress in meeting the stated aims to the EAC feedback will be critical in assessing effectiveness of operational activities in meeting research priorities and their oversight and continuous input for improvements help ensure we achieve our stated goals. Additionally, consideration and coordination of FHS-BAP day-to-day operations with other FHS research programs (e.g., NHLBI funded FHS contract to support core health exams of FHS cohorts) and other ancillary studies that are collecting data from FHS participants at the FHS clinic based in Framingham, MA will be done in collaboration with an Internal Advisory Board (IAB), consisting of locally based BU faculty to better address time-sensitive logistical issues. The Administrative Core will also promote new innovative AD research using data generated by the FHS-BAP through a pilot project program that will encourage grant applications from junior faculty and postdoctoral fellows, as well as from established faculty who are new to the AD field, throughout BU and possibly other institutions. Additional efforts to foster innovative AD research will be facilitating cross-core/project interactions by promotion of collaborations between FHS-BAP investigators with local, national, and international research programs, by representing the FHS-BAP at scientific meetings and publicizing FHS-BAP data access and use through the Data Core and coordinating with the BU Alzheimer Disease Center to host seminars and symposia focused on AD research.
