Based on our extensive administrative experience over many years, including oversight to a number of multi- investigator / multi-institutional / multi-disciplinary research programs, we believe a strong leadership component, as proposed in this Coordination Core, is not just necessary?but essential to see that the overall goals of this U54 NIH Tissue Mapping Center (TMC) program are met. This, within the context that such a unit is but one component within the greater Human BioMolecular Atlas Program (HuBMAP) effort. Indeed, we believe the Coordination Core, proposed within this U54, represents a key component in terms of seeing that the programmatic goals and milestones for this U54 TMC program are established / prioritized / modified, according to a combination of needs and progress; all for the end purpose of seeing each achieved and the goals are met. Also central to this is the belief is the concept that the Coordination Core effectively oversees?and reacts to a number of ?continuously moving parts?; both those emanating from internal as well as external resources (e.g., other TMC, HuBMAP investigators, HIVE). Entities within this specific U54 TMC proposal, as well as the greater HuBMAP initiative, will require a degree of management skills/activities ranging from communications to resource allocation, fiscal oversight to scientific coordination, and of course, guiding progress in scientific outcomes. While seemingly complex, we would again posit that based on our experience, we have a strong belief that each of these activities can be approached with a strong degree of confidence and contend that our proposed effort in response to this TMC initiative, as defined in RFA-RM-17-027, has the ability to make a significant impact towards the overall goals of the HubMAB program. Specifically, we see ourselves as providing the administrative services, coordination of activities within our own TMC, sharing of expertise/resources with other TMCs, and contributions of data to the HuBMAP consortium as well as the wider research community as exceedingly important efforts. To achieve this notion, we pose a TMC Coordination Core that would be set forward to achieve the following four Specific Aims:
Aim 1 : Coordinate the fiscal and scientific aspects of the U54 program;
Aim 2 : Facilitate communication among investigators within the program;
Aim 3 : Coordinate ongoing feedback with regard to the progress and success of the program;
and Aim 4 :
Aim 4 : Organize the collection of human materials, generate appropriate data sets, and facilitate communication of program results. The Coordination Core of this proposed U54 will also be responsible for a number of additional communications including: 1) communications with the NIH (e.g., organizing the annual progress reports); 2) providing materials for Human Institutional Review Board considerations; 3) communications with the HuBMAP and HIVE; and 4) assistance with publications and presentation of program results.
