Cheryl A. Frye - US grants

meeting /conference /symposium

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Progestins mediate the onset and duration of the mating posture, lordosis, in female rodents through actions in the hypothalamus and ventral tegmental area (VTA). In the hypothalamus, progesterone (P) has traditional, "genomic" actions via intracellular progestin receptors (PRs). In the VTA, 3a-hydroxy-5a-pregnan-20-one (3a,5a-THP) has "non-genomic" actions independent of PRs to facilitate lordosis that may involve GABA-Benzodiazepine receptors (GBRs) and/or NMDA type glutamate receptors (NMDARs). In addition to lordosis, 3a,5a-THP may influence other social behaviors, as well as exploration and anxiety. Levels of 3a,5a-THP can also change with behavioral and/or environmental stimuli. Thus, experiments will test the hypothesis that rapid biosynthesis of, or metabolism to, 3a,5a-THP and its non-genomic actions at GBRs and/or NMDARs influence social and sexual behaviors (socio-sexual behaviors) and socio-sexual behaviors alter central 3a,5a-THP concentrations via similar mechanisms. Using classic behavioral endocrinology, pharmacology, and radioimmunoassay methods in a model of socio-sexual behaviors, experiments will investigate: 1) the causal effects of 3a,5a-THP in the midbrain VTA to facilitate socio-sexual behaviors. 2) The effects of various socio-sexual behaviors on midbrain 3a,5a-THP levels. If midbrain 3a,5a-THP is altered in response to socio-sexual behaviors, then this will suggest 3a,5a-THP in the midbrain mediates, and can be reflexively altered by, socio-sexual stimuli. 3) 3a,5a-THP can be formed in the VTA from metabolism of progestins produced peripherally by endocrine glands or centrally via biosynthesis in glial cells. The relative importance of 3a,5a-THP in the VTA from central biosynthesis vs metabolism of peripheral progestins to effect, or be increased by, socio-sexual behaviors will be investigated. 4) 3a,5a-THP may have actions at non-genomic substrates, such as GBRs and/or NMDARs. Whether behavioral effects of 3a,5a-THP, or 3a,5a-THP formation in response to socio-sexual behaviors, are in part due to non-genomic actions at these receptors in the VTA will be examined. Together, these experiments will elucidate the function, source, and mechanisms of 3a,5a-THP's actions in the VTA for socio-sexual behaviors and reveal how 3a,5a-THP increases in response to these behaviors. This research, investigating novel behavioral functions of 3a,5a-THP, will extend knowledge of the neurobiology of progestins, relevant for socio-sexual behaviors, and their connections to systems that regulate emotions. 3a,5a-THP is implicated in stress and the pathophysiology and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. Thus, 3a,5a-THP's role and actions to enhance reproduction and social bonds, minimize aggression, influence affective aspects of social behaviors, and to mediate responses to behavioral and/or environmental stimuli needs to be understood.

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): North East Under/graduate Research Organization for Neuroscience (N.E.U.R.O.N.) is committed to enhancing research training, education, and professional development of neuroscience trainees and educators through an annual conference. Previous funding established N.E.U.R.O.N. as a professional conference. To date, there have been nine annual conferences, with ~1600 participants. At each meeting, students and faculty engage in research b attending poster sessions, workshops, and a keynote address. Past keynote speakers have included Drs. Bruce McEwen (Rockefeller University), Pat Goldman-Rakic (Yale University School of Med.), Robert Sapolsky (Stanford University), Sandra Witelson (McMaster University), Ed Kravitz (Harvard Med. School), Donald Pfaff (Rockefeller University), Eve Marder (Brandeis University), Huda Akil (U Michigan), and Dr. Joseph LeDoux (New York University). Drs. Mark Bear (M.I.T.), Sarah Leibowitz (Rockefeller University), Michael Meaney (McGill University), and Carla Schatz (Harvard Med. School), have provisionally agreed to give keynote addresses at future meetings. Because N.E.U.R.O.N. is already an established meeting, the focus is now on increasing diversity (racial, ethnic, economic, academic) of its participants. More speakers and mentors from under- represented racial and ethnic groups have been enlisted. Persons from all academic backgrounds (small colleges, large institutions, and industry) are included on The Steering Committee. We will continue to hold a large, annual, conference in New York City (CUNY Hunter) aimed at attracting students to Neuroscience. We also propose to hold a smaller conference in Boston (Northeastern/Simmons) aimed at retaining students already interested in Neuroscience. At both conferences, academic outreach activities will be discussed through workshops aimed at organizing activities in celebration of Brain Awareness Week. N.E.U.R.O.N. is recognized for excellence in neuroscience, and the focus now will be to enhance racial-, ethnic-, economic-, and academic diversity of participants. In addition, we hope to use both meetings (New York City and Boston) to both attract and retain students in Neuroscience. Both of these outcomes are congruous with the Public Health Service's mission to ensure that there is a resource of well-trained scientists and health-care providers in the United States. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): North East Under/graduate Research Organization for Neuroscience (N.E.U.R.O.N.) is committed to enhancing research training, education, and professional development of neuroscience trainees and educators through an annual conference. Previous funding established N.E.U.R.O.N. as a professional conference. To date, there have been nine annual conferences, with ~1600 participants. At each meeting, students and faculty engage in research b attending poster sessions, workshops, and a keynote address. Past keynote speakers have included Drs. Bruce McEwen (Rockefeller University), Pat Goldman-Rakic (Yale University School of Med.), Robert Sapolsky (Stanford University), Sandra Witelson (McMaster University), Ed Kravitz (Harvard Med. School), Donald Pfaff (Rockefeller University), Eve Marder (Brandeis University), Huda Akil (U Michigan), and Dr. Joseph LeDoux (New York University). Drs. Mark Bear (M.I.T.), Sarah Leibowitz (Rockefeller University), Michael Meaney (McGill University), and Carla Schatz (Harvard Med. School), have provisionally agreed to give keynote addresses at future meetings. Because N.E.U.R.O.N. is already an established meeting, the focus is now on increasing diversity (racial, ethnic, economic, academic) of its participants. More speakers and mentors from under- represented racial and ethnic groups have been enlisted. Persons from all academic backgrounds (small colleges, large institutions, and industry) are included on The Steering Committee. We will continue to hold a large, annual, conference in New York City (CUNY Hunter) aimed at attracting students to Neuroscience. We also propose to hold a smaller conference in Boston (Northeastern/Simmons) aimed at retaining students already interested in Neuroscience. At both conferences, academic outreach activities will be discussed through workshops aimed at organizing activities in celebration of Brain Awareness Week. N.E.U.R.O.N. is recognized for excellence in neuroscience, and the focus now will be to enhance racial-, ethnic-, economic-, and academic diversity of participants. In addition, we hope to use both meetings (New York City and Boston) to both attract and retain students in Neuroscience. Both of these outcomes are congruous with the Public Health Service's mission to ensure that there is a resource of well-trained scientists and health-care providers in the United States. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]

Progesterone (P) mediates exploration, anxiety, social and sexual (socio-sexual) behaviors of female rodents in part through actions of its product, 3[unreadable]-hydroxy-5[unreadable]-pregnan-20-one (3[unreadable],5[unreadable]-THP). In the ventral tegmental area (VTA), 3[unreadable],5[unreadable]-THP has actions to facilitate socio-sexual behavior through GABAA/Benzodiazepine (GBRs) and/or NMDA type glutamate (NMDARs), rather than via intracellular progestin receptors. 3[unreadable],5[unreadable]-THP levels in the midbrain VTA both facilitate, and are enhanced by, socio-sexual behavior. The pregnane X receptor (PXR) mediates the production of, and/or metabolism to, various neurobiological factors. PXR is localized to the midbrain VTA of rats. Our hypothesis is that PXR-dependent biosynthesis of 3[unreadable],5[unreadable]-THP in the VTA underlies facilitation of, and/or response to, socio-sexual behaviors. Using classic behavioral endocrinology, pharmacology, and radioimmunoassay methods, in conjunction with tools of molecular biology, in a rat model of socio-sexual behaviors, aims will be to investigate. 1) The causal actions of PXR in the midbrain VTA for 3[unreadable],5[unreadable]-THP to facilitate socio-sexual behaviors. 2) The effects of socio-sexual behaviors on PXR-dependent midbrain 3[unreadable],5[unreadable]-THP levels. If PXR and 3[unreadable],5[unreadable]-THP are altered in response to socio-sexual behaviors, and blocking PXR attenuates behavior-induced 3[unreadable],5[unreadable]-THP, then effects of 3[unreadable],5[unreadable]-THP in the midbrain to mediate, and be dynamically altered by, socio-sexual stimuli are PXR-dependent. 3) 3[unreadable],5[unreadable]- THP can be formed in the VTA from metabolism of P produced peripherally by ovaries or adrenals or centrally via biosynthesis in brain. The role of PXR for 3[unreadable],5[unreadable]-THP in the VTA to be produced from central biosynthesis and/or metabolism from peripheral P to facilitate, or be increased by, socio-sexual behaviors will be investigated. 4) 3[unreadable],5[unreadable]-THP may have PXR- dependent actions involving GBRs and/or NMDARs. Whether behavioral effects of 3[unreadable],5[unreadable]- THP, or 3[unreadable],5[unreadable]-THP formation in response to socio-sexual behaviors, are in part due to PXR-dependent effects at GBRs and/or NMDARs, will be examined. Investigating novel behavioral functions of 3[unreadable],5[unreadable]-THP will extend our knowledge of the neurobiology of progestogens, relevant for socio-sexual behaviors, and their connections to systems that regulate emotions. 3[unreadable],5[unreadable]-THP is implicated in stress regulation, pathophysiology and/or treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. Thus, further understanding of 3[unreadable],5[unreadable]-THP's role and mechanisms to enhance reproduction/social bonds, minimize aggression, influence affective aspects of social behaviors, and to mediate responses to stress, are essential.

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Progesterone (P) mediates exploration, anxiety, social responding of female rodents in part through actions of its product, 3a-hydroxy-5a-pregnan-20-one (3a,5a-THP). In the ventral tegmental area (VTA), 3a,5a-THP has actions to facilitate affective and social behaviors through GABAA/Benzodiazepine (GBRs) and/or NMDA type glutamate (NMDARs), rather than via intracellular progestin receptors. 3a,5a-THP levels in the midbrain VTA both facilitate, and are enhanced by, affective and social behavior. The pregnane X receptor (PXR) mediates the production of, and/or metabolism to, various neurobiological factors. PXR is localized to the midbrain VTA of rats. Our hypothesis is that PXR-dependent biosynthesis of 3a,5a-THP in the VTA underlies facilitation of, and/or response to, affective and social behavior. Using classic methods of behavioral endocrinology, pharmacology, in conjunction with tools of molecular biology, in a rat model of affective/social behaviors, the following aims will be to investigate. 1) The causal actions of PXR in the midbrain VTA for 3a,5a-THP to facilitate affective/social behaviors. 2) The effects of affective/social behaviors on PXR-dependent midbrain 3a,5a-THP levels. If PXR and 3a,5a-THP are altered in response to affective/social behaviors, and blocking PXR attenuates behavior- induced 3a,5a-THP, then effects of 3a,5a-THP in the midbrain to mediate, and be dynamically altered by, social stimuli are PXR-dependent. 3) 3a,5a-THP can be formed in the VTA from metabolism of P produced peripherally by ovaries or adrenals or centrally via biosynthesis in brain. The role of PXR for 3a,5a-THP in the VTA to be produced from central biosynthesis and/or metabolism from peripheral P to facilitate, or be increased by, affective/social behaviors will be investigated. 4) 3a,5a-THP may have PXR-dependent actions involving GBRs and/or NMDARs. Whether behavioral effects of 3a,5a-THP, or 3a,5a-THP formation in response to affective/social behaviors, are in part due to PXR- dependent effects at GBRs and/or NMDARs, will be examined. Investigating novel behavioral functions of 3a,5a-THP will extend our knowledge of the neurobiology of progestogens, relevant for affective/social behaviors, and their connections to systems that regulate emotions. 3a,5a-THP is implicated in stress regulation, pathophysiology and/or treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. Thus, further understanding of 3a,5a-THP's role and mechanisms to enhance reproduction/social bonds, minimize aggression, influence affective aspects of social behaviors, and to mediate responses to stress, are essential. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Progestogens mediate exploration, anxiety, and social responding behavior in rodents, in part through non-classic actions in the midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA), and can be enhanced by engaging in affective and social behaviors. The role of the pregnane xenobiotic receptor (PXR) in mediating formation of progestogens and their non- traditional actions in the midbrain VTA will be investigated. Elucidation of PXR as a mediating factor in this phenomena will provide greater understanding of the mechanisms of progestogens underlying sex and/or hormonally-mediated effects on social and/or affective processes, and/or the etiology and/or treatment of some stress-sensitive neuropsychiatric disorders. Further understanding of progestogens'effects and mechanisms are vital to provide insight into normative and pathophysiological processes.

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Progesterone (P) mediates exploration, anxiety, social responding of female rodents in part through actions of its product, 3a-hydroxy-5a-pregnan-20-one (3a,5a-THP). In the ventral tegmental area (VTA), 3a,5a-THP has actions to facilitate affective and social behaviors through GABAA/Benzodiazepine (GBRs) and/or NMDA type glutamate (NMDARs), rather than via intracellular progestin receptors. 3a,5a-THP levels in the midbrain VTA both facilitate, and are enhanced by, affective and social behavior. The pregnane X receptor (PXR) mediates the production of, and/or metabolism to, various neurobiological factors. PXR is localized to the midbrain VTA of rats. Our hypothesis is that PXR-dependent biosynthesis of 3a,5a-THP in the VTA underlies facilitation of, and/or response to, affective and social behavior. Using classic methods of behavioral endocrinology, pharmacology, in conjunction with tools of molecular biology, in a rat model of affective/social behaviors, the following aims will be to investigate. 1) The causal actions of PXR in the midbrain VTA for 3a,5a-THP to facilitate affective/social behaviors. 2) The effects of affective/social behaviors on PXR-dependent midbrain 3a,5a-THP levels. If PXR and 3a,5a-THP are altered in response to affective/social behaviors, and blocking PXR attenuates behavior- induced 3a,5a-THP, then effects of 3a,5a-THP in the midbrain to mediate, and be dynamically altered by, social stimuli are PXR-dependent. 3) 3a,5a-THP can be formed in the VTA from metabolism of P produced peripherally by ovaries or adrenals or centrally via biosynthesis in brain. The role of PXR for 3a,5a-THP in the VTA to be produced from central biosynthesis and/or metabolism from peripheral P to facilitate, or be increased by, affective/social behaviors will be investigated. 4) 3a,5a-THP may have PXR-dependent actions involving GBRs and/or NMDARs. Whether behavioral effects of 3a,5a-THP, or 3a,5a-THP formation in response to affective/social behaviors, are in part due to PXR- dependent effects at GBRs and/or NMDARs, will be examined. Investigating novel behavioral functions of 3a,5a-THP will extend our knowledge of the neurobiology of progestogens, relevant for affective/social behaviors, and their connections to systems that regulate emotions. 3a,5a-THP is implicated in stress regulation, pathophysiology and/or treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. Thus, further understanding of 3a,5a-THP's role and mechanisms to enhance reproduction/social bonds, minimize aggression, influence affective aspects of social behaviors, and to mediate responses to stress, are essential. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Progestogens mediate exploration, anxiety, and social responding behavior in rodents, in part through non-classic actions in the midbrain ventral tegmental area (VTA), and can be enhanced by engaging in affective and social behaviors. The role of the pregnane xenobiotic receptor (PXR) in mediating formation of progestogens and their non- traditional actions in the midbrain VTA will be investigated. Elucidation of PXR as a mediating factor in this phenomena will provide greater understanding of the mechanisms of progestogens underlying sex and/or hormonally-mediated effects on social and/or affective processes, and/or the etiology and/or treatment of some stress-sensitive neuropsychiatric disorders. Further understanding of progestogens' effects and mechanisms are vital to provide insight into normative and pathophysiological processes.

This proposal for Alaska INBRE-2 aims to strengthen and expand our Alaska network for biomedical research and training and to ensure that it is self-sustaining. INBRE-2 research builds on the advances made in INBRE-1 to fill out Alaska expertise in basic cell biology and in chemical and microbial disease agents from the environment, including emerging infectious zoonotic diseases like avian influenza and tularemia. These microbiology and toxicology themes interface with the strong ecology programs in Alaska. BRIN and INBRE hired 7 faculty who are well-started on their research and teaching careers and are already competing successfully for federal research grants. The bioinformatics/computational core and instrumentation support will continue to be assets for programs across the life sciences on all campuses of the University of Alaska (UA). Major INBRE-2 investments focus on 7 additional faculty, students, faculty setups, collaborative research partnerships (including joint appointments with state public health labs), administrative support for research, and educational outreach. Our INBRE faculty community includes those hired by INBRE-1, other affiliate UA faculty who are becoming collaborators in biomedical research, and new hires to fill in gaps in microbiology, toxicology, cell biology, and clinical-translational applications of research. One of the new scientists is an executive director for biomedical research for the Alaska university system. INBRE initiatives parallel UA's own and are tightly linked to mainline UA priorities and evolving governance. The Alaska INBRE network has two major nodes, at UAA (Anchorage) and UAF (Fairbanks). INBRE has partnerships with: the State Department of Public Health, other smaller college units, K-12 education, the health delivery community, and collaborators in the Northwest region. It supports graduate fellowships and undergraduate research awards and formalizes the process of making students aware of on-campus research opportunities. It continues to sponsor postdoctoral fellows and to encourage their integration into the UA's academic culture. It funds and facilitates a suite of programs for pre-college students, particularly those in rural villages where Alaska Natives are in majority. We assist, train, and counsel students to do research in high school, to learn modem biology in summer courses, to transition to college, to do research in college and to apply for post-graduate training. The educational pipeline that draws students from rural Alaska toward the university can become a two-way conduit that encourages these communities to better teach us what they know and what they need.

The Developmental Research Project Program will build on expertise developed in IDeA Network for Biomedical Excellence (INBRE) programs 1 and 2 to take advantage of Alaska, its unique environment, animal and human populations, and exposure to contaminants. The program will leverage our biomedical research focus on basic leading to translational research to improve overall health in the state focusing on One Health (interactions of environment, animals, people). We will support new and existing INBRE faculty, expand the network of INBRE faculty, and move toward a translational research perspective. To do this, we will make seed grants available to all INBRE affiliates. Priority for funding will go to junior and newly-hired faculty who do not have independent funding. Priority will also go to faculty whose projects are translational and compliant with institutional animal or human subjects research guidelines and University of Alaska (UA)'s Responsible Conduct of Research. Faculty who have already received INBRE funding will only be considered for additional funding if they are addressing novel areas or collaborations. These seed grants will act as a bridge for faculty to obtain extramural funding. Grant proposals will be reviewed externally by an expert in the field, and faculty will have a chance to re-write their proposals to improve and resubmit them for internal review based on feedback. All INBRE faculty are strongly encouraged to have mentors. While mentors will serve a more traditional role for junior faculty, they will act as consultants or collaborators for senior faculty. Faculty will also be supported with research infrastructure. INBRES relies on outstanding resources by the institution, several of which INBRE supports via staffing, maintenance, and puchase of new equipment. Faculty will be supported in their professional development by promoting networking, scientific ethics and skills training, and opportunities for presentations at INBRES events. To expand our network and broaden the range of expertise in the program, we will recruit faculty from clinical domains at UA, which will foster new collaborations. While maintaining basic biomedical research capacity among faculty, we will expand the potential for them to take a translational approach with improved access to clinical resources.

The Biomedical Informatics Core in IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE)3 will increase access to biomedical informatics resources and expertise both on- and off-site by facilitating a distributed core to enable training and the use of biomedical informatics in INBRE research. By appointing a biostatistician with clinical research experience as Lead ofthe Biomedical Informatics core, and by providing biostatistical support via consultants, we will increase the basic and translational research capacity ofthe INBRE faculty at University of Alaska (UA). To meet the full range of biomedical informatics needs at UA, particularly those needs that go beyond our current capacity, we will make funding available for contractual services with expert biomedical informatcians and programmers in specialized fields. We will target western INBRE biomedical informatics sites for collaborative contractual services and exchange of expertise. As a part of these contractual services, we will leverage our position and association with INBRE, to require contractors to provide our group with introductions and talk to our researchers about the services they are providing, as well as follow-up consultations after the work has been done. The Biomedical Informatics core will also provide training opportunities and pilot award funding for project utilizing biomedical informatics technologies. Trainees, post-docs, staff and faculty members will be invited to attend formal biomedical informatics workshops, and to visit other institutions/collaborators with specialized expertise. The Core will offer 2 week intramural biomedical informatics workshops on the UA Fairbanks campus. Further, we plan yearly competitions for multiple pilot awards that will enable researcher to initiate projects that require advanced biomedical informatics resources, such as next generation sequencing technology and/or proteomics or metabolomics profiling. Recruiting a biostatistician with clinical experience as director ofthe core, and providing biostatistical support via consultants, will increase the translational research capacity of bioinformatics at UA. By accomplishing these goals, we will enhance collaboration with other western IDeA states as well as build bioinformatics and enhace translational research capacity at UA.

This Alteration and Renovation request will provide University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), a primarily undergraduate partner institution that is the designated health campus of UA, with improved physical space in the form of a Clinical-Translational Research Center (CTRC). Funds in this Alteration and Renovation Core will be utilized to provide three functional spaces dedicated to research activities in the translational and clinical domains: 1) Reception/desk area for research staff member and research participant, 2) Physical exam and sample collection area, 3) Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) lab for sample processing and data acquisition. Expanding and promoting collaborative, interdisciplinary research is a primary component of the vision for health sciences at UA. The CTRC will provide dedicated space to allow UAA faculty to participate in biomedical research as teams, spanning the lab-subject-community research domains within the Alaska IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE)3 themes. The CTRC will leverage our biomedical research focus on basic leading to translational research to improve overall health in the state. Research teams will include both current INBRE faculty, as well as faculty primarily from the School of Nursing, the WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho) School of Medical Education, the Department of Health Sciences, and the School of Allied Health which have historically not been affiliated with Alaska INBRE. The CTRC will achieve the following four goals; 1) Allow faculty with significant prior experience in translational health sciences, but who have not participated in previous Alaska INBRE cycles, to become active, engaged participants to further build biomedical research capacity in Alaska, 2) Provide infrastructure to facilitate the development of research experiences, theses and dissertations of a translational nature for health professional undergraduate and graduate students, 3) Disseminate knowledge by using translational research strategies to address significant health problems for Alaska, 4) Increase the number of biomedical faculty using translational research approaches to address the unique environment, people and exposure to environmental agents in Alaska. These four goals support the overall programmatic goals of Alaska INBRES.

An essential part of our biomedical research program is increasing the number of students in the biomedical field and creating a pipeline for students interested in health careers to enter the state's workforce. To create this pipeline as part of our Research Training Core, we will first target diversity students enrolled in the University of Alaska (UA) system for recruitment into Institutional Development Award Network for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE)-supported labs, with emphasis on Alaska Native People. We will familiarize students with INBRE by collaborating with UA programs that serve diversity students and facilitating informational sessions and presentations at parents' orientation, open houses, and other activities. The PI and Core lead will be integral to the recruitment process, as both represent diverse populations and serve as role models to students with similar backgrounds. To appeal to a variety of students, we will communicate the breadth of career options (from public health counselor to doctorate to health degrees (nursing, pharmacy, veterinarian, physicians and their assistants) to lab technician) for which early science training is an important preparatory step. Our curriculum will reflect evifence based training, as a meas to prepare students for evidence based research and medical practices. To retain students in the INBRE program, we will support funded training opportunities including individualized training plans and workshops for professional development. Additionally, we will enhance the state-wide biomedical curriculum by proposing three new degrees utilizing existing curricula, including a minor and graduate certificate in biomedical research, as well as a five-year BS/MS program in biomedical sciences. By accomplishing these goals, we will provide hands-on research experiences to, and establish training and career development activities for, participating students at primarily undergraduate institutions, community colleges, and diversityserving institutions; Alaska INBRE will serve as a pipeline to health research careers. As a long-term outcome, increasing the number of well-trained and well-educated students into the biomedical workforce will reduce the risk to people living in rural Alaska by improving knowledge and health care in the population.

The Administrafive Core has three main goals, to institufionalize administrative services, protect faculty fime for conducfing quality biomedical research, and provide oversight and evaluations for the program. The Alaska IDeA Networkfor Biomedical Excellence (INBRE)3 administrafion consists ofthe PI, co-lnvesfigator. Program Coordinator, and three addifional staff members to assist the executive staff. The Core supports INBRE's faculty by redirecfing the burden of research administration to staff, allowing faculty to focus primarily on their research. Protecting faculty fime for conducfing quality biomedical research will also benefit stakeholders, such as trainees, staff, and collaborators. Periodic evaluafions will be shared among the Management Advisory Committee (MAC), External Advisory Committee (EAC) and Steering Committee (SC) with staff support. The PI and co-lnvesfigator will prepare a two page status report of INBRE progress every six months and distribute it to all members ofthe MAC, EAC, and SC and to other administrafive offices of University of Alaska. Status Reports and the comments of all the advisory committees will be exchanged and will be used in construcfing the agenda for advisory committee meefings and for the annual joint meeting of the EAC and SC, which is traditionally held in Alaska in the late summer. An Executive Officer will keep a journal ofthe concerns raised by the advisory committees over the year and of their resolution, to be distributed at the joint meefing. In the event of any conflicts at the individual faculty level. Dr. Jarrett will serve as a resource for conflict mediafion. During years two and five, we will ufilize an outside team, managed by Dr. Cotter, to conduct formative and summafive evaluafions. Evaluafion procedures have been established by a conceptual framework that each core consists of inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes. Outputs are fied directly to activifies and can be measured as an indication of progress. By accomplishing these goals, the Core will provide logisfical support for faculty, which will enable us to build our biomedical expertise and effectively assess the advancement and growth ofthe program, ensuring future success. Faculty who are more focused on their research are more likely to be on a positive updward trajectory.