CENTER ADMINISTRATION PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Center Administration at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) continues to evolve to enable optimal support of a consortium Comprehensive Cancer Center with statewide responsibility and a cancer program deployed across RWJBarnabas Health (RWJBH), the largest health system in the state. Key responsibilities align with expectations of NCI-designated Center Administration and the CINJ Strategic Plan. Administration continues to be led by Linda Tanzer, who serves as the Center’s senior administrative executive. Gina Londino- Greenberg was promoted to Senior Director of Research Administration. Administration achieved and supported many important accomplishments over this grant period, during a period of dramatic growth as reflected below: 1) Budget - oversaw a 57% increase in CINJ total operating budget, including an increase in state support from $31M to $53M; 2) Space - managed planning of new 12-story, 520,000 sf cancer center; 3) Recruitment - provided support to recruit/onboard 77 new faculty; 4) Clinical Research Operations- oversaw reorganization and new hiring models for Clinical Protocol and Data Monitoring (CPDM), creation of Clinical Trials Steering Committee, ongoing Lean Six Sigma process improvement, and improved network infrastructure, leading to an 80% increase in accruals to interventional treatment trials and improved staffing levels from ~66% to 90%; 5) Peer-reviewed funding -contributed to a 23% increase, including several major awards (e.g., Shen’s NCI P01CA250957 and White’s NCI/CaResearch UK Cancer Grand Challenges award OT2CA278609). Other key accomplishments of Administration include development of the 2021-2025 Strategic Plan and oversight of reporting and evaluation activities. Administration was also instrumental in enabling transformative initiatives, including: facilitating development of a signature cancer immunology and immunotherapy initiative; providing Leadership with enhanced data analytics capabilities; assisting in the establishment of an Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI); and center restructuring to implement the Integrated Practice Agreement with RWJBH (optimizing impact on research). Over the next grant period, Administration will: 1) further integrate and finance functions with research initiatives and Centers of Excellence by appointing experienced business managers to work hand-in-hand with science leadership; 2) restructure support for faculty affairs and mentorship, and workforce development by appointing a Director to oversee these three areas; 3) oversee the operationalization of the research floor of the new CINJ Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center, supervise renovations to our current main facility and coordinate occupation of that space by Population Science, Community Outreach and Biomedical Informatics; 4) work with the administration of Princeton University’s (PU) School of Public and International Affairs to assist plans to e...