# Administrative Core

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA LINCOLN · 2024 · $610,273

## Abstract

In 2014, the Founding Director of Nebraska Center for the Prevention of Obesity Diseases through Dietary
Molecules (NPOD), Dr. Janos Zempleni, secured COBRE funding to build infrastructure — including this
Administrative Core — with the mission to prevent, treat and cure obesity and co-morbidities, major health threats
to Americans, with bioactive food compounds. The focus on bioactive food compounds is unique among obesity
research centers in the U.S. Consumers can realize the benefits of bioactive food compounds without major
lifestyle changes or great cost. Prior to NPOD, there was no formalized obesity research in Nebraska. NPOD is
on a strong trajectory toward sustainability, evidenced by metrics such as $195 million in external funding
secured by members, 5-fold growth in member base, an annual revenue of $266,335 by its Research Core
(equaling 84% of the Core's operating expenses), $173,444 in F&A cost return in FY 2022, and institutional
commitments equaling $2,717,139 and including two tenure-leading hires in Phase 3 and three years beyond
Phase 3. University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL)-based director, Dr. Janos Zempleni, a leader in bioactive food
compounds, and University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC)-based Associate Director and expert in liver
disease, Dr. Carol Casey, are committed to guiding NPOD through Phase 3 and beyond. Three external Advisory
Committee members have served in that role since Year 1 and will continue to guide leadership and evaluate
NPOD progress toward sustainability. NPOD leadership will continue to use a Steering Committee of seven
internal faculty and senior research officials; its predecessor has been instrumental identifying opportunities and
fostering collaborations between UNL and UNMC. This nimble committee will support NPOD's succession plan
by preparing three candidates for future NPOD directorship through engagement in high-level decision-making
and connection with UNL leadership. The Administrative Core will administer NPOD's Pilot Projects Program,
which will prioritize new and early-stage investigators and those underrepresented in their disciplines, in addition
to applications with a clear path to large, multiple-PI funding. NPOD's pursuit of sustainability in Phase 3 will be
guided by the following Specific Aims for the Administrative Core. Specific Aim 1: Increase NPOD's critical
mass of investigators conducting clinically important research through the Center's Pilot Projects Program
and a new faculty hire in a tenure-leading appointment and expertise in electronic health records. Specific Aim
2: Position NPOD's Research Core for long-term sustainability through growing user base and revenue and
leveraging institutional commitments. Specific Aim 3: Increase NPOD's research expenditures through
enabling the submission of large, multidisciplinary grant applications and mentoring pilot grant recipients to
success. Specific Aim 4: Prepare a future director of NPOD as part of the Center's long-te...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10934438
- **Project number:** 1P30GM154608-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA LINCOLN
- **Principal Investigator:** JANOS ZEMPLENI
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $610,273
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-06-15 → 2029-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10934438

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10934438, Administrative Core (1P30GM154608-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-08 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10934438. Licensed CC0.

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