ADMINISTRATIVE CORE A ABSTRACT. Coordinated leadership through a strong administrative structure is an essential component of the success of complex multiple-laboratory projects. This is particularly true for projects involving human research as there are additional recruitment, safety, and regulatory concerns that must be met. The purpose of Core A is to facilitate progress of the projects of the PPG in understanding the processes that underly plasma cell development and its dysregulation in disease. To accomplish this objective, we will continue to build and refine the infrastructure that we have been developing over the previous 5 years for the administration of this PPG. The function of Core A will continue to be to provide administrative support, organization, coordination and efficient management of this PPG with the overarching goal of ensuring the scientific productivity of all projects. Core A will be directed by Dr. Iñaki Sanz (overall P.I., and Project 4 Leader), who in addition to being a world class expert on human B cell biology, has also accumulated substantial experience in directing multi-investigator research programs over the past 20 years. He will be assisted by two recruited expert staff members; Dr. Amy Stout who has extensive experience providing administrative and financial support and overseeing multi-center projects at Emory University and Ms. Sang Le who has 15 years experience overseeing specimen collection programs and enabling large clinical trials within the Emory IRB system. Through administrative oversight and guidance, we will ensure proper and timely fiscal management and efficient use of human and financial resources. Core A will make sure that all staff and support personnel are trained and accredited for safety, Institutional Review Board, and institutional animal care and use purposes. Core A will also track study enrollment and provide a continuing review of enrollment to PIs to ensure overall patient recruitment goals and timelines are being met. The Core will continue to provide scientific coordination and interaction through structured monthly, quarterly, and yearly meetings, and will monitor project progress and assist PIs with annual progress reports. Oversight will additionally be provided by an established External Advisory Board of accomplished immunologists with extensive relevant expertise in B cell biology, tolerance, inflammation and epigenetics. Core A will facilitate interactions between PPG leadership and the External Advisory Board through planning and execution of a yearly meeting designed to provide project updates, discuss ongoing and future studies, and obtain objective feedback on the overall status of the program. The core will also ensure timely dissemination of results and data sharing though project presentation and publication targets. By streamlining and consolidating administrative task and providing strategic leadership and internal and external coordination, Core A will enable ...