Administrative Core - Core A

Michigan Integrative Musculoskeletal Health Core Center – Core A Project Summary The Michigan Integrative Musculoskeletal Health Core Center (MiMHC) will provide outstanding, state-of-the-art resources and training to support research programs aimed at understanding mechanisms of musculoskeletal health and disease. The MiMHC is structured to be consistent with broader initiatives at UM aimed at promoting interactions across disciplines to treat complex diseases and to advance healthcare. Like the University, the MiMHC also recognizes that initiating and sustaining a culture of collaboration is essential for high impact research that will significantly advance our understanding of mechanisms of disease and injury. To achieve MiMHC goals, an Administrative Core will provide leadership and administrative support, thereby insuring success of the Resource Cores in their mission to enable the Research Community to conduct rigorous multidisciplinary research that is highly relevant to the NIAMS mission. The Administrative Core will accomplish its objectives through the execution of three Aims. First, the Administrative Core will establish, administer, and provide guidance to the Resource Cores to allow them to offer state of the art technologies and specialized assays that are generally not available through institutional cores but are needed to support center investigators studying bone, muscle, tendon, ligament, cartilage, and enthesis. Second, the Administrative Core will perform oversight of Core operations and provide the feedback needed to continually increase the effectiveness by which the Resource Cores enhance the scientific programs of Center investigators. Third, an Enrichment Program will promote greater interactions between basic scientists and clinicians, support career development of junior investigators building research programs in musculoskeletal health, and expand membership through outreach programs, education, and the development of new technologies for use by musculoskeletal researchers and their collaborators. In addition, the Administrative Core will establish a pilot program to promote novel basic musculoskeletal research focused on cross-tissue interactions and sex-specific differences as well as emerging translational research. Continual feedback from Center investigators and regular Center meetings will allow the Administrative Core to be adaptable and effective to best enable investigators to conduct outstanding research, create a rich community of musculoskeletal scientists, and promote new collaborations among musculoskeletal researchers to accelerate understanding of musculoskeletal health, injury and disease mechanisms.