The Rwanda/DRC/Einstein HIV-Associated HPV-related Malignancies Research Center (HAMRC) is conceived and established as a partnership of equals, among University of Rwanda (UR), Rwanda Military Hospital (RMH), Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and Universit Protestante au Congo (UPC) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). While the Administrative Core is the engine and the driver of the Center, our vision also includes training in all competencies needed for successful independent research by UR and RMH, with progressive transfer of Center administrative responsibility, financial management and scientific leadership over the funding period. Thus the Administrative Core is structured both to provide efficient and fiscally prudent facilitation of all Center activities and projects, and to develop Congolese and Rwandan research leaders and train administrative staff for the Research Offices of RMH and UPC. The Administrative Core will also provide concrete adminsitrative services to all Consortium activities to optimize their efficiency and productivity. The Admnistrative Core is structured with a dual purpose: to develop administrative and grants management capacity in UR and RMH, and to manage optimally the leadership, strategic, administrative and fiscal activities of the Center to create the greatest scientific productivity and establish for DRC Rwanda a regional research hub in HPV/HIV-associated cancers. Specifically, the Core will support all the financial and administrative needs of both Projects and the Developmental and Shared Resources Cores. This will include assist in arranging all training activities, ensuring funds availability, procurement of equipment and supplies, coordinating travel to annual U54 Center meetings and international scientific conferences. It will specifically monitor availability of NIH grants administration training and conferences in Africa for our in-country administrators to attend.
Effective administration and leadership form the cornerstone of effective and productive organizations. The Center research and capacity building success requires an effective Administrative Core, so that the high-value research in HPV malignancies can be conducted and shared, and laboratory infrastructure can be effectively developed and optimally utilized. Developing local capacity to lead the Center is critical to research independence in Africa, and to the success of our Research projects and Cores.
