Administrative Core - EPIC

PROJECT SUMMARY Eukaryotic pathogens cause significant disease globally, and more locally, threaten the health of citizens in South Carolina and the Southeastern United States. Clemson University’s strength in eukaryotic pathogens research led the Clemson University Board of Trustees to approve formation of the Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation

Center (EPIC) in January 2013. The overarching theme of EPIC is the study of globally important eukaryotic pathogens using state-of-the-art molecular, cellular, biochemical, genetic, chemical, biophysical, and genomic approaches. The Specific Aims of the Administrative Core proposal are: (1) to continue building Clemson EPIC

into a nationally and internationally recognized research center, (2) to recruit high quality faculty with diverse research interests to build critical mass and expand the breadth of EPIC, and (3) to develop and administer a comprehensive mentoring program to enhance Target Investigator (TI) success in research and grantsmanship.

Three key approaches to achieving these aims are: (i) expanding the breadth of expertise by hiring additional faculty and postdoctoral researchers in the area of eukaryotic pathogenesis and providing them with comprehensive and intensive mentoring in research and grantsmanship to provide them with the tools to

successfully compete for NIH R01 or equivalent funding; (ii) continuing to host presentations by top researchers in the field at the Cellular Biology of Eukaryotic Pathogens meeting and at Center/Departmental/College seminars to raise EPIC’s profile; and (iii) enhancing research infrastructure within EPIC and the Clemson Light

Imaging Facility and the Clemson University Genomics and Bioinformatics core facilities to aid in the research enterprise. The overall plan for the EPIC Administrative Core combined with the demonstrated commitment of the College of Science and the Clemson University Administration will position EPIC to truly achieve the status

of a Center for Biomedical Research Excellence.