Administrative Core

PROJECT DESCRIPTION/ABSTRACT – ADMINISTRATIVE CORE The goal for our Center of Innovation for Brain Tumor Therapeutics is to develop effective novel therapeutic strategies for glioblastoma (GBM). The primary strategy pursued is focused on optimal integration of novel DNA damage response (DDR) inhibitors with standard-of-care genotoxic agents to potentiate the effects of proven therapies. The overarching framework applied to this problem incorporates fundamental tumor biology of DNA damage signaling integrated with cutting edge pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) evaluation of spatial drug distribution and effect and systems analysis of drug perturbation of signaling networks to develop optimized therapeutic strategies. Pre-clinical studies will be performed using a large, highly characterized panel of patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, and results from these studies will be used to guide development of pilot clinical trials in both Projects. The Therapy Evaluation Core will support the execution of these animal and human studies, and the Pharmacology Core will support the PK and PD analysis of specimens obtained in these animal and human studies. The highly integrated analyses planned across the two Projects and two Cores will be organized and facilitated by the Administrative Core. The Administrative Core also will facilitate the connection of the Center team with the broader Glioma Therapeutics Network. Functions for the Administrative Core can be broadly characterized as five specific aims: Aim 1: Provide overall leadership for the Center Aim 2: Guide scientific planning and evaluation of Projects and Cores Aim 3: Foster integration and communication of Project and Core teams Aim 4: Administrative management of the Center Aim 5: Facilitate interactions with the Glioma Therapeutics Network and external collaborators