Adminstrative Core

SUMMARY: ADMINISTRATIVE CORE The overall goal of the Administrative Core of this Program Project Grant (PPG) is to facilitate, coordinate, and support the 4 PPG Projects, their collaborators, and the iPSC Gene Editing Core (iGEC) in their mission of advancing our understanding and treatment of lung diseases using pluripotent stem cell-based approaches. Many daily interactions, monthly group meetings, regular advisory board meetings, and contractual agreements are required to integrate and synergize the many components of this proposed Program Project Grant (PPG). In addition, shared research aims are commonly pursued between multiple projects and their subcontracts, and a broad variety of gene-edited stem cell lines, protocols, vectors, therapeutic approaches, and datasets are anticipated to be produced, curated, and archived for public sharing. Ensuring cohesion, transparency, synergy, cost-efficiency, and smooth communications, here we propose an Administrative Core with a defined organizational and management structure. We define the chain of responsibility for management of the PPG, outline effective use of the shared Scientific Core (iGEC), explain our plans for internal quality controls of on-going research, and detail methods for management of day-to-day activities, contractual agreements, allocation of funds, and resolution of disputes. The Administrative Core will be led by the PPG Program Director and corresponding Principal Investigator, Dr. Darrell Kotton. Dr. Kotton will supervise a PPG Program Manager and Administrative Assistant to lead this PPG, which is supported by a variety of Boston University administrative offices, Institutes, Departments, and Centers, including a state-of-the-art physically contiguous Center for Regenerative Medicine (CReM), which serves as the physical home of the offices and laboratories of all 4 Project Leaders and the proposed iGEC. An Internal Advisory Board and External Advisory Board, together comprising an Executive Oversight Committee, will provide essential oversight, monitoring, and guidance, maximizing the success and productivity of the entire PPG team as the group works together to understand mechanisms driving genetic lung diseases and to advance next generation therapeutic approaches designed to ameliorate dysfunctional lung airway and alveolar cells.