The Administrative Core will provide the infrastructure required to manage and oversee the actions of the Center for research on Obesity and Oxalate Research (COOKS). It will be housed in academic offices of the Department of Urology at UAB. The Center Director will be Dean Assimos, MD, the Chair of the Department, who has specialized in treating kidney stone patients throughout his career and in conducting research on stone removal and prevention of the disease. He will be assisted by two Associate Directors: Ross Holmes, PhD, who specializes in oxalate-related research and Barbara Gower, PhD, who specializes in obesity research. The Director and Associate Directors will meet monthly, or as needed, to review the functioning and administration of the Center.
Three specific aims were developed for the Administrative Core: 1) To provide direction, administrative support and organizational structure to facilitate the function of the Center. 2) To establish a website that provides an up to date description of Center activities including its Educational Enrichment Program, and a portal for communication of results and access to data for the investigators. 3) To develop an educational enrichment program, which provides administrative and educational platforms to enhance expertise on this subject, attract others into this field of research, and promote intra/extra institutional collaborations. The efficient operation of the Administrative Core will be a key element in ensuring the success of the Center and the development of a successful R01 or Program Project Grant Application.
