Core A will continue to provide scientific, fiscal, administrative, and logistic oversight to all aspects of the Center. As before, Core personnel will facilitate communication among investigators and the sharing of reagents, tools, specimens, and data to ensure appropriate allocation and effective use of Center funds. The Core will also continue to: provide clerical support; coordinate interactions between facility cores and research projects; organize regular investigator meetings and; provide biostatistical support. In addition to these functions, the Core will develop and implement a clear path for transition to and attainment of independent status of the Cores. The Core will provide leadership and administrative support needed to maintain the thematic focus of the Center and to achieve Center goal. It will provide oversight to a pilot project program that provides seed funding for promising projects by new investigators. Core personnel will encourage the exploratoin of new research avenues and phase out unpromising resarch and maximize the intellectual environment of the Center. The Core will also provide statistical support to assist in study design and analysis and help in developing grant proposals and maintain data and biospecimen biorepositories. It will monitor evaluate overall Center progress in achieving specific milestones. Core personel will prepare annual scientific reports and financial statements and plan and organize symposia, seminars and regulary-scheduled meetings. They will invite prominent scientists to present seminars and interact with Center members and communiate with University and NIH officials to report progress and discuss Center related issues. In consultation with the external and internal advisory committee, the Program Director will evaluate core progress and the achievement of Center goals. If required, Core A personnel will work with university officials to increase the critical mass of investigators working in the Center. If it becomes necessary, Core A will adopt remedial measures for Principal Investigators who fail to satisfactory review by the External Advisory Committee. The Core will also maintain a Center Website and faciliate the dissemination of information about Center activities as well as diabetes and obesity.