Core A

The Administrative/Communication Core (Core A) is responsible for managing and overseeing the SPORE, disseminating information within the SPORE, and external interactions. The organizational structure provided by the Core and the administrative oversight, review, and monitoring  features of each component highlight the importance of this Core to the SPORE.  

Core A serves the entire project in several key areas of coordination and oversight. Core A will fund a Basic Science Director, a Clinical Research Director, a Nurse Coordinator, and a Research Coordinator, who will interact with the Biostatistics/Bioinformatics Core (Core B) and Tissue/Pathology/Immunology Core (Core C) as well as personnel from each project. Core A includes key administrative personnel and will coordinate essential Program interactions including all planning and evaluation activities, arranging and publicizing SPORE activities, data and safety monitoring, coordinating advisory committee meetings, producing annual reports and performing analysis of budgetary matters. Core A will also ensure effective utilization of laboratory facilities, division of laboratory responsibilities, and management of shared laboratory resources between pilot and major projects.  

The objectives of the Administrative/Communication Core are:

1. Provide administrative oversight and support to all activities of the SPORE, including Projects, Cores and Programs.  
2. Ensure compliance with all general, federal and local regulations and requirements.  
3. Oversee all communication and consultation with the NCI personnel in the preparation of all required reports and publications.  
4. Coordinate with other SPORE programs to promote and maintain communication and integration, and also oversee the distribution of materials between SPORE institutions.  
5. Enhance interaction and communications between JHU, UAB, and UCB by convening all meetings including the Steering Committee, the Internal and External Advisory Board Committees, monthly investigators meetings, quarterly research meetings, lectures and symposia.  
6. Coordinate data control and quality assurance issues in conjunction with the Internal Scientific Advisory Board and Tissue/Pathology/Immunology and Biostatistics/Bioinformatics Cores.  
7. Assume responsibility for maintenance of fiscal and budgetary functions.  
8. Establish and monitor policies for the recruitment of individuals from disadvantaged groups in all clinical studies and as SPORE investigators.  
9. Ensure protection of human subjects from research risks with implementation of a data safety and monitoring plan where appropriate.  
10. Implement policies to determine the success of ongoing projects with a clear plan describing how underperforming projects or cores would be replaced as well as a mechanism to identify new projects.  
11. Implement policies for replacement of key personnel and projects and cores when required.  
12. Assume responsibility for all issues related to technology transfer and management of intellectual property rights under the requirements of the Bayh-Dole Act NIH funding agreements.  
13. Ensure that the SPORE interactions with commercial entities uphold the principles of academic freedom, including the ability of SPORE investigators to collaborate freely and to send and receive biomedical research materials without undue restriction to other scientific investigators. 

Investigators