# Admin Core - Phase 2

> **NIH NIH P20** · UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO HEALTH SCIS CTR · 2024 · $704,246

## Abstract

In Phase I, the Autophagy, Inflammation and Metabolism (AIM) center’s Administrative Core (AC) established 
a nationally unique thematic center focused on autophagy, inflammation, and metabolism. These interlinked 
areas are of fundamental and biomedical value and impact human health, including aging, circulatory 
diseases, cancer, infection, autoimmune disorders, neurodegeneration, obesity, and diabetes. Inflammation 
and metabolism are at the core of national and global health issues, as well as in New Mexico, being driven by 
health disparities, obesity, and aging populations. The AC coordinated all AIM operations and ensured AIM’s 
impact at University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center. The AC has overseen AIM’s growth from a local 
to internationally recognized entity and has catalyzed AIM’s demonstrable impact on the scientific field. AIM 
publications have a Weighed Relative Citation Ratio of 356.9 (“highly influential set of articles” per iCite 
definition). All four junior investigators (mentored PIs; mPIs) from the initial cohort graduated by obtaining 
independent R01s. In Phase II, the AC will strengthen the AIM center based on experiences in Phase I and will 
lead AIM’s progress toward sustainability. Strengthening mentoring and support for mPIs and other 
investigators will remain a key focus, with additional approaches implemented to increase mentor skills and 
evaluate mentoring effectiveness. The AC will coordinate its multi-pronged pilot programs with scientific core 
utilization. Additionally, the AC will promote partnerships with other IDeA centers. Sustainability planning began 
in Phase I with a task force, and in Phase II will be under the purview of the sustainability director and a 
sustainability committee. 
The long-term goal of the AC is to lead AIM to become a self-sustained, impactful center. The AC will provide 
programmatic and scientific leadership, evaluation, reporting, approval, and financial oversight. The AC will 
build the next generation of AIM leaders, formalized through extended individual development plans for 
graduating mPIs, customizing their roles as they and the AIM center mature. The AC will foster connections 
with IDeA programs, form an innovative tri-CoBRE council with joint retreats, interact with all stake holders, 
including advisory committees and the NIGMS program, prepare reports, ensure compliance, and align AIM with 
institutional goals, in turn influencing them. The AC specific aims are: 
1. Strengthen success of mPIs and further increase critical mass of AIM investigators. 
2. Augment scientific core capabilities and foster AIM activities leading to sustainability. 
3. Set AIM’s vision, provide management, build the next generation of center leaders, and strengthen 
 AIM’s interactions.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10922688
- **Project number:** 5P20GM121176-08
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO HEALTH SCIS CTR
- **Principal Investigator:** VOJO P DERETIC
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $704,246
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-01 → 2027-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10922688

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10922688, Admin Core - Phase 2 (5P20GM121176-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10922688. Licensed CC0.

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