# Core A:  Administrative and Professional Development Core

> **NIH NIH P20** · MAINEHEALTH · 2021 · $614,631

## Abstract

The Administrative and Professional Development Core is led by Lucy Liaw and Clifford Rosen, the 
Principal Investigators of this COBRE program. Our goals as leaders of this COBRE program are to foster 
and support scientific productivity and collaboration, enhance and coordinate our research infrastructure, 
seek out and expand scientific expertise, and actively oversee and monitor a professional development 
program. To accomplish these goals, this Core will 1) provide leadership and scientific expertise in the area 
of mesenchymal tissue differentiation and signaling and neural interactions in metabolic health and disease, 
2) establish a core research group consisting of junior investigators supported by scientific and career 
mentors, 3) enhance scientific core facilities to support state-of-the-art research methodologies, and 4) 
administer a collaborative pilot project program. The COBRE consists of four thematically linked projects, 
and each project leader has two senior research mentors who are experts in the field. Additional advisory 
networks include an External Advisory Committee consisting of scientific experts and experienced program 
leaders, and a Steering Committee composed of scientific experts and stakeholders in biomedical research 
in Maine. Our clinical colleagues at Maine Medical Center will provide translational opportunities and 
important perspective and guidance on clinical challenges in the areas of metabolic health and disease. To 
support the advancement of our junior investigators and core facility leaders, we have dedicated 
professional development resources to support courses, workshops, and an innovative scientist leave 
program to foster collaboration and training. All of these strategies will support project and core leaders in 
achieving the benchmarks that are clearly defined within our Center. A robust evaluation program will help 
promote positive long-term outcomes. The specific aims of this Core and the overall program are: 
Specific Aim 1. Provide the leadership, governance, and advisory network to establish a new scientific 
program in mesenchymal progenitor cell biology and neural signaling to gain novel insights into the 
mechanisms underlying metabolic health and disease. 
Specific Aim 2. Provide project and mentorship support to launch the careers of promising junior 
investigators within this scientific program and help ensure their long-term scientific success as independent 
researchers. 
Specific Aim 3. Enhance the capabilities of our core facilities to support our COBRE investigators and 
other institutional and external researchers, and to stimulate innovative research methodologies and new 
collaborations. 
Specific Aim 4. Enhance our existing, COBRE-supported pilot project programs to focus on translational 
opportunities related to metabolic disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10246818
- **Project number:** 5P20GM121301-05
- **Recipient organization:** MAINEHEALTH
- **Principal Investigator:** Lucy Liaw
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $614,631
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-01 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10246818

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10246818, Core A:  Administrative and Professional Development Core (5P20GM121301-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10246818. Licensed CC0.

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