Administrative Core

ADMINISTRATIVE CORE (ADM): PROJECT SUMMARY The Administrative Core (ADM) is a necessary component of the Columbia University Senescence Tissue Mapping (CUSTMAP) Center; it will provide research and logistical oversight and facilitate communication amongst all Center Cores as well as with the SenNet Consortium Organization and Data Coordination Center (CODCC), the SenNet consortium at large, and the NIH. The ADM, composed of a Director, all Center PIs (MPIs), an Executive Committee (all Core leadership), and support staff (Program Manager and Systems Analyst), will oversee and coordinate the direction of three Cores (a Biospecimen Core (BIO), a Biological Analysis Core (BAC), and a Data Analysis Core (DAC)). These Cores will contribute to the study of senescence in three primary tissue types, i.e., skin, brain, and spinal cord, across the adult lifespan. The ADM will have three main functions in support of the CUSTMAP Center and ultimately the SenNet consortium initiative. The first is Leadership, highlighted in Aim 1: Provide scientific leadership and governance structure to ensure integration and function of the CUSTMAP Center components and activities. CUSTMAP Center activities will span multiple sites (CUIMC-All Cores, Edinburgh University-BIO, New York Genome Center-BAC, and New York University- DAC) and therefore will require a central governing and organizing structure. The ADM will be the hub for decision making, all Center documentation, and adherence to ethical policies. Importantly, the ADM will ensure the CUSTMAP Center research is compliant with agreed upon standards and a resource sharing plan, formally set by the Center and with the NIH. The second role is Center Coordination, highlighted in Aim 2: Facilitate internal communication and promote synergy within the CUSTMAP Center. The ADM will provide coordination across all CUSTMAP Center Cores. Central to this Aim is an innovative, customized laboratory information management system (LIMS) in coordination with OpenSpecimen to track samples, the associated metadata, and experimental outputs. The ADM will organize regular Executive Committee meetings as an open forum for the sharing of successes, ideas and trouble shooting. The ADM will compile biannual Progress reports from each Core for evaluation by the SenNet Steering Committee and annual reports for evaluation by an Internal Advisory Board (internal to CUIMC, external to CUSTMAP). Finally, the ADM will facilitate Network Coordination, highlighted in Aim 3: Foster collaboration and integration of the CUSTMAP Center with the SenNet consortium. The ADM will collaborate with the CUSTMAP DAC and the SenNet CODCC to develop harmonious Standard Operating Practices (SOPs), Common Data Elements (CDEs) and suitable data packages and will oversee the delivery of quality data to the CODCC. The ADM will also leverage interactions with other TMCs in the SenNet consortium to optimize SOPs, assay protocols, consent materials, and data analysis, etc. The ADM will provide the seamless integration of multiple moving parts, at multiple sites, to produce high quality, meaningful data towards the SenNet goal of high-resolution atlases of senescence in diverse healthy tissues.