ADMIN-CORE

Project Summary The Administrative Core of Cherokee Nation (CN) Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) provides the organizational hub for the jointly conducted student career enhancement, capacity building and research projects that comprise CN NARCH. CN NARCH is novel, yet complex, as it includes alliances with universities that train among the largest numbers of Native American students in the nation. To address this complexity, the Administrative Core establishes shared leadership between the participating institutions, a Tribal- Campus Internal Advisory Committee, and processes and procedures for regular communication and decision making among the CN NARCH partners. The research, capacity building and training activities of CN NARCH are integrated and mutually reinforcing, with the ultimate goal of providing CN with the capacity to pursue independent research to address tribal health disparities. The Administrative Core specific aims are to: 1) provide joint leadership and infrastructure to ensure effective operational oversight; 2) conduct rigorous planning and implementation processes for all CN NARCH projects; 3) conduct program evaluation to gauge overall success of CN NARCH; 4) and pursue funding to ensure sustainability of our efforts to increase research capacity at CN. A major goal of CN NARCH is to build the foundation for future tribally engaged cancer research. The Administrative Core proposed herein is essential to this effort, as it ensures that all aspects of the program are integrated into a collaborative effort addressing health research needs for CN.