Discovery of Chemical Probes and Therapeutic Leads, Phase 3, Admin Core

Project Summary We propose a Phase III COBRE to continue and sustain our work to discover new chemical probes and lead molecules for biological research and therapeutic discovery. This core will provide the administrative structures that will enable us to grow the center through faculty recruitment and a pilot project program that will support the growth of chemical biology and lead discovery research at UD. We describe a plan for promoting collaboration and supporting a diverse base of investigators, including new investigators and those faculty who will be renewing their first proposals. We outline a plan for growing our research cores, including the new proteomics lab and custom synthesis lab, and we describe how our core facilities will be sustained in the period beyond COBRE funding. During Phase III, COBRE will sponsor innovative programming to grow and sustain the center, including seminars, Diversity Supplement workshops, Career Long Collaborative workshops, and high school outreach activities. The COBRE will also sponsor travel and coordinate abstract submissions for center representation at annual IDeA (NISBRE/NERIC) conferences. We will also sponsor travel each year for a center investigator from prior phases to represent COBRE at SACNAS and NOBBChE. Providing support for investigators to succeed in obtaining new grant support will be priority in Phase III. All COBRE investigators will continue to participate in the center, the core facilities, and the center programming which includes Grant Development Award opportunities and a new workshop for developing MIRA applications. Discovery COBRE will provide resources, facilities and a network of support and collaboration that will maximize the ability to retain successful faculty members. The collaborations within this center will continue to generate new ideas and collaborative proposals, with ties that will continue to prove a powerful tool for retaining COBRE faculty.