Administration Core

ADMINISTRATIVE CORE – SUMMARY Men are more likely to develop cancer than women in nearly every non-reproductive tissue type. Bladder cancer typifies this sex-bias phenomenon as the male-to-female risk ratio ranking 1st in mortality and 2nd in incidence. This male-bias persists even after adjustment for other known risk factors, supporting the idea that a fundamental biological process(es) underlies sexual dimorphism. The overall goal of this Program Project Grant (PPG) is to elucidate the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying sex-biased incidence and mortality seen in bladder cancer. The Administrative Core (Admin Core) provides the leadership for overall scientific direction and program oversight and administrative, fiscal, and organizational coordination of all research activities of Projects and shared Resource Cores. The Specific Aims of the Admin Core are as follows. Aim 1: To provide leadership for overall scientific direction and program oversight. This includes setting the research agenda focused on advancing basic understanding of sex differences in bladder cancer. The Admin Core will oversee programmatic activities including scientific integrity, data management and ensuring data integrity, and direct expenditures. Aim 2: To facilitate communication and integration of the PPG investigators and Resource Core leaders. In addition to regular monthly virtual and in-person progress updates and communications, the Admin Core will facilitate constructive review and enhancement of research progress through frequent and deliberate interactions with subject matter experts via Internal and External Scientific Advisory Committees. Aim 3: To provide overall administrative and fiscal management support. This includes ensuring compliance with all terms and conditions of the grant, and consulting and communicating with extramural NCI/NIH staff in submitting all necessary internal and external research reports. The Admin Core will also establish and monitor policies for inclusion of women and ethnic minorities in research related to sex differences in bladder cancer.