Core A: Administrative Core

ABSTRACT: ADMINISTRATIVE CORE The Administrative Core oversees operational and strategic planning for the University of Kansas Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (KU ADRC). Over a decade of P30 support, the Core managed growth that saw us become a leader in AD mitochondria/metabolism, lifestyle intervention, and prevention research. Supporting these programs required us to develop and implement unique infrastructure that promotes specialized molecular, clinical trial, recruitment, education, and patient care initiatives. In addition to defining Center strategy, the Core manages the resources needed to support our investigators. This includes biospecimen procurement plans; consent and compliance requirements; ensuring biospecimen storage; and facilitating access to biospecimens, data, consultation, and other Center services. We advise our other cores, monitor their productivity, and promote their seamless and synergistic cooperation. We verify NIA programmatic obligations are efficiently met and maintain Internal and External Advisory Committees. Up to this point we ran an immensely successful pilot project program; from 2011 through 2019 we saw 27 of 40 (68%) of our pilot recipients receive external grant support. The Core ensures all KU ADRC components receive adequate financial resources. Beyond managing our P30 budget, we accomplish this by identifying and procuring dollars from institutional ADRC stakeholders, developing philanthropy, and submitting P30 supplements. Whether designing strategy, tracking down dollars, identifying space, building resources, developing investigators, or growing the Center and advancing its agenda, the Administrative Core plays an integral role in both short-and-long term KU ADRC successes. Over the past 10 years we clearly transformed AD, AD-related, and brain aging research at the University of Kansas. During our next cycle we will continue our trajectory of guided, strategic growth that advances the AD research field and moves us closer to effective treatments and prevention strategies. We will accomplish these goals by focusing on a defined set of specific aims that include: (1) Managing infrastructure and routine operations; (2) Developing and empowering intellectual assets; and (3) Defining goals and amplifying impact.