Administrative Core

The Harvard/UCSF ROBIN Center will address molecular mechanisms of radiation response and resistance in childhood cancers, using the “quieter” genome of pediatric malignancies to identify radiation resistance mechanisms that are broadly applicable to adult and pediatric patients. The Center consists of a Molecular Characterization Trial, two Research Projects, two supporting Cores [one focused on Data Science and Advanced Dosimetry and the second on Imaging and Artificial Intelligence (AI)] as well as the critical Cross- Training Core (ROBIN-NEST). Collectively, these ROBIN Center components can be conceptualized as either “Scientific” or “Programmatic” in nature. Against this backdrop, this Administrative Core has two broad goals. Firstly, as the ROBIN Center’s “inward looking face”, the Administrative Core will support the Scientific and Programmatic missions. Secondly, the Administrative Core will serve as the “outward face” of the Harvard/UCSF Center and as point of contact with NCI, other ROBIN Centers, the radiation sciences workforce, and the lay public. The Administrative Core has three Specific Aims. Aim 1 (Scientific Support): The Core will implement electronic communication methods to facilitate transfer of accounting information, access to Research and Technology Management forms, access to clinical research databases, and access to cloud-based data and code sharing platforms. Aim 2 (Programmatic Support): The Core will unify the Harvard/UCSF sites Center via videoconferencing, in-person meetings, and online communication. Together with the ROBIN-NEST, the Core will host an Annual Retreat to harmonize vision and logistics across the ROBIN Center. Finally, the Core will request applications, evaluate, award, and administer pilot and trans-Network Projects. Aim 3 (NCI and Community Service): The Core will create the Harvard/UCSF ROBIN Center’s website as a public-facing source of data and resources. Critically, the Core will also work to strengthen the Harvard/UCSF Center with proactive strategies to broaden the makeup of our research groups, the radiation sciences workforce, communities served by our Center, and patients enrolled in our clinical trials. Daphne Haas-Kogan, M.D. and Franziska Michor, Ph.D. will serve as co-leaders of the Core and also as co-PIs of the Harvard/UCSF ROBIN itself. Each of the co-leads has extensive experience in leading multi-investigator, multi-institutional research initiatives. Dr. Haas-Kogan is the Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Boston Children’s Hospital, and Dr. Michor has led two iterations of NCI’s Physical Sciences Oncology Network’s (PSON) U54 initiative and also leads the DFCI Physical Sciences Oncology Center (DFCI PSOC). Drs. Haas- Kogan and Michor will be assisted by Simon Maisel, MS, who will report directly to the co-PIs.