ABSTRACT – Administrative Core The Administrative Core of this NHLBI Program Project Grant (PPG) will serve the following key functions: general administration, accounting, clerical support, data administration, and organizing the internal & external advisory board meetings. The coordination of research activities and the handling of routine paperwork for the University of California and the National Institutes of Health necessitate a strong and efficient administrative component. General administration includes supervision (by the core leader, Dr. Kalyanam Shivkumar) with the assistance of the Co-I Dr. Jeffrey Ardell for the data and resource management components. Amiksha Gandhi, assisting with clerical and accounting functions, scheduling weekly PPG meetings, assistance with travel arrangements, handling paperwork for travel reimbursements. She will also be assisting with material transfer agreements, solving computer software and connectivity issues, organizing documents for domestic and international shipments, and notifying project and core leaders of due dates for the animal research applications, radiation safety applications, biosafety applications, and training courses. The clerical component includes final formatting of reports and manuscripts, preparing bibliographies, writing and distributing memos, sending emails to PPG staff, coordinating letters of collaboration, performing final formatting of the project and core reports for our external advisory board meeting. The accounting component includes ordering and receiving supplies purchased by the cores and projects, tracking and recording deliveries, returning damaged shipments or supplies that were delivered by mistake, maintaining laboratory equipment service contracts, managing consortium agreements, and maintaining financial ledgers in accordance with university procedures. In coordinating these functions, Dr. Shivkumar will work closely with both Ms. Amiksha Gandhi. Planning the annual external advisory board meeting is an important duty of the Administrative Core; preparing for the external advisory board meeting involves assembling the annual report, assisting with travel, housing and transportation for the external advisors, reserving a retreat location, and deciding the menu and dining arrangements (luncheons, coffee breaks, and evening dinners). The Administrative Core will serve the three component Projects and Cores A and B equally.