MT INBRE ADMINISTRATIVE CORE

Montana State University - Bozeman, Bozeman MT

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. The MT INBRE Administrative Core, comprised of Core Directors (Bioinformatics and Genomics, CBPR and Health Disparities, and Research), the Director of Student Programs, the Program Coordinator, and INBRE staff, is directed by the PI, Allen Harmsen, who is a senior funded researcher in infectious diseases and professor in the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases. Dr. Harmsen provides administrative oversight, chairs the Steering Committee, and, in collaboration with Dr. Anne Camper, serves as a research advocate and coordinator of the scientific research conducted under MT INBRE. Dr. Harmsen is responsible for management, staffing, resource allocation, and administering the MT INBRE in accordance with NIH policies. Dr. Ann Bertagnolli, MT INBRE Program Coordinator (PC), is responsible for communication within the network and serves as the liaison between the lead and partner institutions. The PC works closely with the Directors of the Cores and with the Director of Student Programs. She also supervises INBRE staff, including Fiscal Manager and Program Specialist (FM), Laurie Howell and Program and Communications Specialist (PCS), Valerie Holznagel. Ms. Howell manages fiscal operations and support for all aspects of the project, works with the Director of Student Programs to select INBRE undergraduate and graduate fellows and travel award recipients, and manages the Caf[unreadable] Scientifique (MT INBRE's speaker series). INBRE Public Relations, the Public Health Student Intern Program, and the BRIN/INBRE student database are managed by Ms. Holznagel. Three additional components of the Administrative Core are the Steering Committee (SC), the External Advisory Committee (EAC), and the INBRE Council. The SC includes the PI and PC, Core and Student Program Directors, and representatives from each of the MT INBRE partner institutions. The SC typically meets twice a year to review progress in INBRE programs, set priorities for research and educational efforts at the baccalaureate and tribal colleges, and make recommendations to the PI for future program development and research directions. The EAC also meets twice a year and interacts with Program Leaders and students through interviews, participation in network-wide meetings, conferences, and workshops. The EAC advises in the areas of research and faculty development, program planning, and identification of resources. In some cases, committee members provide mentoring assistance to Project Leaders, including helping them to identify potential national mentors and collaborators and sources of additional grant funding for their research. Additionally, the EAC works closely with the Administrative Core and INBRE Council to review MT INBRE's performance in meeting its specific aims and evaluating the longitudinal progress of the program. Formed at the recommendation of the EAC, the INBRE Council serves as an advisory group to the PI and includes Dr. Anne Camper, Dr. Ann Bertagnolli, and Ms. Sara Young. The Council meets on an "as needed" basis, typically about four times a year. The Administrative Core and Council, in their oversight capacity, ensure that all Cores work together to meet the specific aims of the overall INBRE program, particularly in the areas of mentoring (undergraduate and graduate students as well as junior faculty);translational research, particularly in health disparities;and pipeline development.