Administrative Core

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Summary – Administrative Core (A) The long-term goals of the Washington University in Saint Louis (WUSTL) Resource-Based Center for Musculoskeletal Biology and Medicine (a.k.a., the “Center”) are to advance musculoskeletal research towards a better understanding of the biological basis of disease, and to develop and test biologically based interventions. We represent a Research Community of 81 investigators with $66 million in annual funding. A strength of our Research Community is in the use of animal models. Therefore, the overall objective for the Center and its Administrative Core is to support the development, implementation and evaluation of animal models for musculoskeletal biology and medicine. We will pursue this objective through our Leadership activities and Enrichment Program. The Administrative Core will provide leadership of the Center through a transparent organizational structure. We will coordinate all Center communications to our Research Community and the broader WUSTL community. We will participate in outreach activities and partnerships with other campus centers and programs to represent musculoskeletal research interests. We will provide guidance and oversight of the Research Cores to ensure that they are accessible, cost-effective and state- of-the-art. Through regular evaluation of utilization and performance, we will ensure that the Cores have strong impact locally and nationally. Since 2009, we have supported 343 publications that have been cited 6687 times. We propose a multi-faceted Enrichment Program to sustain and enhance the environment for musculoskeletal research at WUSTL, and to foster the development of the next generation of musculoskeletal investigators. Through a Pilot & Feasibility (P&F) Grant Program we will provide seed funding for meritorious projects that have potential to build to larger grant proposals, and that provide critical support to Early Stage Investigators or those new to musculoskeletal research. Since its inception, P&F Program awardees have earned 21 external grant awards on work related to their pilot grants. We will also provide numerous opportunities for exchange of new ideas and findings, through research and educational seminars, symposia and networking events. Lastly, we will support rigorous research approaches by providing expert consulting on the use of mouse genetic models, as well as study design and biostatistics. In summary, we will provide essential support for our Research Community to develop, implement and evaluate animal models for musculoskeletal biology and medicine, while fostering development of the next generation of musculoskeletal investigators.