- ADMINISTRATIVE CORE We propose the Vanderbilt Urologic Infection Repository (VUIR) as a first-in-kind resource for host-pathogen discovery, one that systematically connects [1] medical data from a vast number of patients who suffer from urinary tract infections (UTIs) to [2] a biobank of the actual causative organisms. As an informatic and biologic network, the VUIR will facilitate novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies to combat UTIs, while providing a tool to elucidate their underlying pathogenesis. At the same time?given the extensive scope of the VUIR and its potential for multidisciplinary innovation?the need arises for a strong administrative foundation to coordinate the program's daily activities and bring to fruition its scientific vision. To these ends, a critical strength of the VUIR will be its associated Administrative Core (AdCore), a defined personnel structure for organizational success. The faculty leadership team of the AdCore holds broad expertise in clinical urology (Dr. Douglass Clayton), microbial pathogenesis (Dr. Maria Hadjifrangiskou), and clinical pathology/laboratory medicine (Dr. Jonathan Schmitz), further supported by both a Local Executive Committee and External Advisory Committee. These groups will likewise include strategic representation from informaticians, infectious disease specialists, hospital epidemiologists, and microbiome experts, providing ongoing thematic direction to the VUIR from the diverse fields to which the program will contribute. The AdCore will also incorporate dedicated logistical support from professionals with extensive background in academic and financial administration, as well as web-site design and event management. In total, this group will ensure that our logistical operations are both proactive and responsive, coordinating interactions and disseminating specimens/data within and beyond Vanderbilt. The AdCore will create synergy between the VUIR and complementary institutional structures for precision medicine and translational discovery, as well as champion pilot projects that build upon VUIR resources. Our ultimate goal, however, is to create a network of affiliated collaborators across the United States, clinicians and investigators who could both benefit from and contribute to the combined wealth of data and specimens. Finally, in addition to supporting scientific innovations, the AdCore will ensure we develop a concomitant footprint in education and service. Through a combination of workshops, seminars, and immersive experiences, we will connect nationwide experts in urogenital infection-biology to diverse trainees, from undergraduate students to postdoctoral/clinical fellows. In addition to content-area education, these interactions will foster networking and career-development experiences, including opportunities for individuals from underrepresented groups. And reaching beyond academia, the AdCore will promote outreach to the larger community, building on existing Vanderbilt programs to educate the public on our scientific mission. In this way, this administrative foundation of the VUIR will maximize the program's ability to generate discoveries, while disseminating information to broad and varied audiences.
