PROJECT SUMMARY – ADMINISTRATIVE CORE The Administrative Core will provide organizational, fiscal, and scientific management of our Center for Cardiovascular Research in Biomechanics (CRiB) and help it obtain national and international recognition. The Core will implement multi-level mentoring strategies for faculty development, a pilot project program, and strategic planning and comprehensive evaluation that will help our CRiB Center achieve its three goals of 1) advancing research supporting the development of better cardiovascular materials and devices, 2) instituting an effective multidisciplinary mentoring program for junior faculty, and 3) developing self-sustainability. To accomplish this, the Administrative Core will use a five-prone approach. First, it will provide direction and administrative support to the CRiB Center projects and the Tissue Analysis Core (TAC), help our Research Project Leaders (RPLs) stay on track with achieving their goals, and manage fiscal and personnel matters. Second, the Administrative Core will coordinate a comprehensive mentoring program for RPLs leading the CRiB Center projects by pairing each junior investigator with senior NIH-funded clinicians and basic scientists, thereby enhancing their ability to obtain extramural funding while ensuring that their projects remain translational. Third, the Administrative Core will support the functions of the Advisory Committees, which will include the External (EAC), Internal (IAC), and Administrative (AAC) components. The AAC will advise on operational issues and strengthen the ties with IDeA-funded partners. The IAC will assist in strategic decisions, coordinate with local administration, and help facilitate the mentoring program. Feedback from the AAC and IAC will inform the EAC, which will provide oversight, guide strategic planning, coordinate mentoring, select pilot projects, approve new faculty hires, and facilitate RPL professional development. Fourth, the Administrative Core will maintain a pipeline of high-quality RPLs for the Center by recruiting new faculty to CRiB and attracting new members through the pilot project program, outreach activities, seminar series, journal clubs, Annual COBRE Research Day Conference, and presence at national and international conferences. Lastly, the Administrative Core will organize Center-wide scientific and career development activities for RPLs, including grant writing workshops, professional meetings, “mock panel” grant reviews, solicit input from external grant reviewers and grant editors to provide feedback to the RPLs on their applications, and support RPL graduate students with scholarships. Together, these activities will ensure the smooth operation of our Center, promote effective leadership under the direction of the PD/PI and the Associate Director, and ensure the synergistic function of the Advisory Committees that will all contribute to the sustained growth of our program.