ADMINISTRATIVE CORE PROJECT SUMMARY COBRE Phase I, Comparative Biology of Tissue Repair, Regeneration and Aging, supported the development and growth of the Kathryn W. Davis Center for Regenerative Biology and Medicine (Davis Center). The Davis Center is the major research focus of the MDI Biological Laboratory (MDIBL). COBRE Phase II will support three Project Leaders and two scientific cores, and will continue to support the growth of the Davis Center in order to establish a critical mass of investigators and a self-sustaining research program. The Administrative Core is critical to the management and success of COBRE Phase II. The COBRE PD/PI and Administrative Core Director, Dr. Kevin Strange, has primary responsibility for administering the program and overseeing the development of the COBRE, its faculty and its cores. He is assisted by the Administrative Core Co-Director, Dr. Nadia Rosenthal, and Program Coordinator, Ms. Amy Somes. Decisions regarding budgets, core usage and direction of the COBRE are made by the Director and Co-Director with advice from the External Advisory Committee (EAC) and Internal Advisory Committee (IAC). Leadership and oversight includes coordination and integration of Project Leader research programs with Center resources and activities; establishing and managing the allocation of Center resources; organizing Center activities; organizing EAC and IAC meetings; management of a rigorous faculty career development plan; faculty and program evaluation; faculty recruitment; and interactions with other groups to further COBRE goals. COBRE Phase I supported four early-career Project Leaders and one mid-career Project Leader. Phase I was highly successful both from formative and summative standpoints. All five Project Leaders graduated from Phase I with independent research program grant support and achieved multiple other successes including publication of significant peer-reviewed papers, creation of patented/patentable intellectual property, receipt of foundation and R21 grants, significant peer recognition and, for the mid-career Project Leader, a major and productive change in his laboratory research direction. The success of Phase I is directly attributable to the implementation of a rigorous career development plan that will be utilized in Phase II. Elements of this plan include a rigorous faculty recruitment process, biannual EAC reviews, biannual Project Leader career SWOT analyses and scientific advisor reviews, mandatory grant proposal development and review, peer-to-peer mentoring, and regular group meetings and meetings with the Administrative Core Director and Co-Director. MDIBL’s long-term strategic scientific goal is to build a world-class research program in regenerative biology and medicine. The Davis Center will remain MDIBL’s sole research focus for the foreseeable future and its sustainability is therefore of the highest priority to MDIBL leadership. Sustainability wil...