Administrative Core

Administrative Core – Project Summary The Wake Forest Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (WF ADRC) provides a comprehensive, integrated infrastructure to facilitate research aimed at identifying the causes of AD, and elucidating the role of vascular/metabolic factors in transitions from normal aging to AD and other dementias. The WF ADRC also

provides resources to better understand disease heterogeneity and the multi-faceted impact of health disparities on AD risk. The Administrative Core ensures that ADRC scientific and programmatic goals are achieved by providing visionary oversight and effective governance to all Center activities, and scientific

direction to the Center as a whole. The Core will be directed by an Executive Committee, whose members include the Director, Associate Directors, Core and Service Leaders, and the Program Manager. The Executive Committee will be guided by an Internal Advisory Committee (IAC) composed of institutional

leaders who meet regularly to facilitate the achievement of ADRC aims and promote the growth of AD research at WF. The Core will be also guided by an External Advisory Committee (EAC), chosen in consultation with the NIA and consisting of members of other ADRCs and scientific leaders. The EAC will meet annually to review WF ADRC program goals and progress. We will also seek input about ADRC

engagement with our community and participants through our Community and Participant Advisory Boards. Expansion of AD-related research and impactful utilization of valuable scientific resources are important goals for all ADRCs. The Administrative Core Committee for Resource Utilization and Research EXpansion

(CRUX) oversees a coordinated series of activities to ensure that ADRC resources contribute to high-impact research and that new translational scientists are brought into the field. In the past cycle, the CRUX facilitated the rapid and successful integration of our new ADRC into the larger ADRC network, providing data and

biospecimen resources to the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (NACC), the National Centralized Repository for AD (NCRAD), other ADRCs and AD investigators world-wide. Through its distinctive theme and innovative phenotyping, our ADRC contributes to National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) Research

Milestones involving metabolic/vascular factors, health disparities, translational models and trial design. WF ADRC’s ability to achieve its scientific and educational mission depends on the efficacy of its Administrative Core. In its inaugural cycle, Core leaders developed and led vigorous interdisciplinary research

and educational programs. We have established effective Executive and Internal Advisory Committees, launched a successful pilot program that has drawn creative new investigators to AD research, and established multiple high-impact collaborations. Our comprehensive activities to date demonstrate that Administrative Core

members have the vision, influence, and commitment to ensure the far-reaching success of the WF ADRC.