Administrative and Mentoring Core

The Administrative & Mentoring (Admin) Core will promote the strategic vision for the COBRE in Neurodevelopment and Its Disorders (CNDD), provide essential structure and mentoring, and enhance rigor and transparency in research projects and cores. As the pivotal interface for all CNDD projects, cores, activities, and programs, the Admin Core will emphasize the use of best practices and approaches with proven effectiveness to train our Research Project Leaders (RPL) in the art of rigorous research and launch their independent research careers. Ensuring the Center’s sustainability, the Admin Core will provide opportunities for MUSC neurodevelopment-related investigators to collaborate through enrichment offerings and promote new NDD-related scientific programs through the PPP. The Admin Core forms the foundation for our long-term goal of integrating basic, translational, and clinical research in our thematic area of disorders of nervous system development (e.g., ASD, ADHD, intellectual disability, seizure disorders, schizophrenia, and neonatal/pediatric brain trauma).

The Administrative and Mentoring Core provides:
• Administrative leadership, integration, management, prioritization, oversight, and accountability for all CNDD activities, services, interactions, and dissemination of results.

• Mentorship of early career Research Project Leaders to obtain extramural funding and transition to independent academic research careers focused on neurodevelopmental disorders research by providing a comprehensive mentoring platform.

• A robust, competitive, peer-reviewed CNDD Pilot Projects Program to encourage MUSC researchers to investigate neurodevelopmental disorders, expand utilization of CNDD cores, and increase potential for neurodevelopmental disorder researchers to obtain federal support.

• Support for the biostatistical needs of the RPLs and other CNDD scientists by ensuring sound experimental design and analysis for all CNDD-supported projects and development of novel biostatistical methods to enhance the reliability and impact of studies conducted by CNDD investigators.