The University of Maryland Baltimore (UMB) is submitting this application for a Planning Grant to support the development of a formal application for a multidisciplinary MCRC. The objectives to be accomplished with this one-year planning grant are to: 1) develop a biostatistics/research design core, under the direction of Paul Stolley, M.D., Professor and Head, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, that will serve as the foundation of the proposed University of Maryland MCRC; 2) develop the organizational infrastructure, under the direction of Marc Hochberg, M.D., M.P.H., Professor of Medicine and Head, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, necessary for the establishment of the proposed University of Maryland MCRC; 3) identify and organize the research base, under the direction of Barry S. Handwerger, M.D., Professor and Associate Chair for Research, Department of Medicine; 4) plan and develop multidisciplinary clinical research projects in collaboration with clinical investigators within the UMB Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work and Dentistry, the Baltimore VAMC, the UMB Program in Alternative and Complementary Medicine, and existing Organized Research Centers (ORCs) at the UMB, including the ORC on Aging, and ORC on Genetics of Asthma and Complex Chronic Diseases; 5) create External and Internal Advisory Committees (EAC and IAC). The EAC, which will be composed of internationally-known clinical investigators in the field of rheumatology and musculoskeletal diseases, will review the plans for the MCRC and critique the proposed projects at their various stages of development. The IAC, which will be comprised of UMB clinical investigators and intramural research administrators, will ensure that all relevant clinical research programs within the University have been notified of the MCRC planning process and solicited for their participation in either the development of projects or feasibility studies. 6) submit a formal application for a University of Maryland MCRC.
