Administrative Core

Summary, Administrative Core The proposal “Thalamus in the middle: computations in multi-regional neural circuits” aims to combine expertise in theory, molecular neuroscience, modern high-throughput anatomy, cellular and synaptic neurophysiology, and large-scale neurophysiology in the context of quantitative behavior. The overall project consists of five Projects, focusing on how information flows from subcortical areas, through thalamus, to control cortical activity modes and thereby shape behavior; a Molecular Science Core, a Data Science Core, and an Administrative Core with 5 PIs and two collaborative sites. Realizing the potential of this project requires strong administrative leadership to integrate and synergize efforts across the collaborating researchers at New York University and the Allen Institute. The Administrative Core will provide the structure, leadership and operational management of the overall project to advance the goal of understanding neural computation in subcortex → thalamus → cortex circuits. This will include project management, strategic planning, progress reporting, fiscal management, and support for collaboration and communication. The Administrative Core will create an infrastructure that fosters communication and collaboration among the members, as well as garnering input from the external research community through the formation of an External Scientific Advisory Board. The overall project will form a Steering Committee and Project Teams to oversee the collaborative, standardized, and on-time data generation, data analysis, and public data sharing process. Project management best practices, such as milestones, progress reporting and tracking, collaborative software programs, and a responsibility matrix will be applied to ensure achievement of performance objectives and milestones, optimized communication, and resource utilization and prioritization. In addition, the Administrative Core will foster joint data analysis efforts across projects and Institutions. To produce a high-quality tools and data resource, rigorous standardization and quality control practices will be adopted by all members. Finally, the Administrative Core will implement and maintain fiscal and subcontractor management processes for all members, manage publication and authorship decisions and conflict resolution. With the implementation of this entire infrastructure, we anticipate that this project and the resources it produces will have a broad and meaningful impact on uncovering the logic of signal routing from subcortical areas to the frontal cortex thalamus.