ADMINISTRATIVE CORE A – PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The overall goals of the Administrative Core of the NCI-supported Mayo Clinic SPORE in hepatobiliary cancers (SPORE) are to stimulate and support innovative research in liver and biliary cancers and to expedite the translation of discoveries into more effective methods of prevention, detection, and treatment of these lethal cancers. The Core has addressed these goals successfully as the organizational hub of the SPORE during the current funding period. During the next funding period, this Core will continue to provide an organizational structure that coordinates the activities of translational research projects, scientific cores, community outreach, Developmental Research Program, and Career Enhancement Program at all three Mayo campuses and affiliated institutions (NCI, Rockefeller University, University of Pittsburgh). The Core coordinates the advisory functions of the Internal and External Advisory Boards, Patient Advocates, and the Community Engagement and Diversity Council. The SPORE leadership, Drs. Mark McNiven and Lewis Roberts, bring together unique and complementary expertise with synergistic efforts and are Co-Directors of this Core. This team has functioned successfully in the ongoing funding period, while identifying multiple opportunities to improve Core operations. Meaningful changes during the first four years that have markedly improved this SPORE included 1) recruitment of new and accomplished Advisory Board members aligned with new directions of the SPORE translational projects, 2) formal engagement of the Patient Advocates in SPORE evaluations and decision making, 3) formation of a new Community Engagement and Diversity Council to ensure inclusivity of underrepresented populations in patient communities, among SPORE leadership, and SPORE investigators, and 4) new seminar series and educational activities for SPORE investigators. The Core will continue to 1) provide leadership, organizational, administrative, and scientific support for all SPORE activities, 2) facilitate successful translational research collaborations, 3) ensure administrative management, fiscal oversight, and compliance to NIH policies, 4) promote community engagement, diversity initiatives, and activities of the patient advocates, 5) hold advisory, planning, evaluation, and scientific meetings and communicate new developments and opportunities to SPORE investigators, the scientific community, and the public, 6) oversee formal scientific review of SPORE research projects and ensure quality control, 7) ensure participation in NCI-sponsored activities, 8) coordinate participation of investigators in educational seminars, 9) secure and provide additional institutional support for translational projects, cores, pilot projects, and investigators, 10) ensure cross communication and integration within the SPORE, with the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, and with other SPOREs, 11) oversee enrollment of the canc...