To advance the development of vaccines against major sexually-transmitted diseases, NIAID announced the the U19 Sexually Transmitted Infections Cooperative Research Center (STI CRC) program. In response, the University of North Carolina Chlamydia Vaccine Initiative (UNC-CVI) has assembled a group of seasoned Chlamydia researchers, STI clinicians and vaccine development experts to address the development of a vaccine to prevent the often-devastating health and reproductive consequences of Chlamydia infection in women. UNC-CVI will be a large and multifaceted organization, encompassing cores, projects and collaborators at multiple national and international sites. Establishing and maintaining the infrastructure to ensure the smooth and efficient running of this enterprise will be the responsibility of the Administrative Core A. Headed by Center PI Toni Darville MD and project PI Catherine O?Connell PhD, and backed by resources at UNC Chapel Hill, one of the country?s leading research universities. Core A leadership will combine scientific expertise with administrative experience to ensure the successful completion of the following specific aims: 1 ? Administrative oversight, ensure that UNC-CVI scientists and staff work synergistically to accomplish the short- and long-term goals of the Center?s research program, including management of finances, resources and biospecimens; 2 ? Communications oversight ? provide a conduit for the disparate components of the Center and NIH to share data and results, troubleshoot roadblocks, and disseminate information to the scientific community and the public; 3 ? Scientific oversight ? monitoring milestones and deliverables, and overseeing conflict resolution, reagent- and data sharing and intellectual property issues; 4 ? Developmental oversight, developing and administering the Development Research Program, to support the research and careers of the next generation of STI vaccine researchers; 5 ? Biostatistical support group, ensuring the Center projects and DRP awardees have access to the cutting-edge statistical expertise essential for effective basic, translational and clinical research.
