Administrative Core

PROJECT SUMMARY/ ABSTRACT: COVID-19 exemplifies the dire consequences of being unprepared for the next health crisis. One looming crisis involves the insidious rise of antibiotic resistant bacterial infections, necessitating the research described in our U19 application entitled “Innovative strategies to combat antibiotic-resistant infections” in response to RFA-AI-20-001 (Combating Antibiotic-resistant Bacteria Interdisciplinary Research Units (CARBIRU)). Our proposal is leveraged to translate basic science into new types of antibiotic-sparing medicines for common infections in the United States as well as common hospital-acquired infections. This U19 application utilizes a multi-departmental, multi-institutional, and interdisciplinary group of highly motivated microbiology, cell biology/physiology, immunology and medicinal chemistry researchers to develop antibiotic-sparing therapeutics and compounds that are capable of: i) treating common infections; and/or ii) increasing sensitivity to the current arsenal of available antibiotics. The Administrative Core (AC) will be responsible for coordinating the activities and monitoring the progress of the three research projects and the two scientific cores to achieve the overall goals of the U19 program. To accomplish this, the AC Leader, with the help of an Executive Committee comprising of the Leaders of the Research Projects and Cores, will oversee and coordinate the activities of the members of the Projects and Cores by: i) fostering frequent interactions; ii) supporting the exchange of data, methodologies, and ideas; iii) facilitating interactions with institutional and outside experts to gain advice for better functioning of the overall program and for translation of the program's findings into therapeutics development; and iv) coordinating financial and scientific progress reporting to granting agency staff. In addition, the AC will coordinate active participation in the U19 to ensure its overall success.