Administrative Core (A-Core)

Project Summary/Abstract: Administrative Core (A-Core) This Program, led by an overall Program Director, is comprised of three Projects and three Cores. The proposed program of research examines the associations of technology and digital media (TDM) with preschool-aged children’s development and health outcomes. The Administrative Core (A-Core) is the central organizing body for the Program. Its goal is to successfully coordinate the activities of the Projects and Cores in a way that facilitates teamwork, cooperation, and, ultimately, synergy in an efficient, cost-effective manner. The A-Core has 5 Specific Aims that were carefully constructed with this goal in mind. Specific Aim 1 begins this process by establishing a management plan for the overall Program. The plan consists of an Executive Leadership Team comprised of one Lead from each Project or Core, a program-wide communication and training plan, an external scientific advisory board, and a data safety and monitoring board. Specific Aim 2 will create a secure, centralized management system to house key documents and promote an atmosphere of transparency by providing ready access to key study documents. Specific Aim 3 will ensure Program activities are consistent with existing policies and procedures of both the Children’s Nutrition Research Center and the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine. Although Projects 1 and 3 will independently recruit participants for their respective Projects, Specific Aim 4 will help ensure consistency by coordinating and monitoring overall recruitment. And finally, Specific Aim 5 will develop risk mitigation plans that address risks to both participants and faculty/staff. By establishing a framework for promoting synergy among both the team and the Projects and Cores, a feedback loop will be created whereby team synergy and Project/Core synergy interact to promote overall Program synergy, thereby leading to greater Program impact. This approach will also create the framework for a sustainable system that will enable continuation of this research. Ultimately, the impact of this work is that it will contribute to more precise TDM guidelines. The proposed research is consistent with NICHD’s overall mission as well as the overall intent of RFA–HD-22-009.