Research Project
10182734
PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The Center of Research Excellence in Natural Products Neuroscience (CORE-NPN) at The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy (UM), initiated ten years ago through a COBRE grant, has developed a multidisciplinary team committed to evaluating the effects of natural products on the central nervous system (CNS). The Center now has the potential to develop and sustain an innovative and independently funded research center focused on treating disorders associated with the nervous system. The Administrative Core of the CORE-NPN has cultivated a team of scientists engaged in strengthening the competitiveness of our basic, translational, and entrepreneurial research projects at the interface of natural products and neuropharmacology. The Administrative Core will continue to organize mentoring support, Steering Committee (SC) meetings, External Advisory Council (EAC) meetings, the Distinguished Lectureship Series, the monthly meetings (Ignite- COBRE-Talks), the Annual CORE-NPN Symposium, preparation of Progress Reports, review of Pilot Project Applications, assistance in management of budgets, and conflict resolution that might arise with Research Core usage. Additionally, the Administrative Core will ensure that fee-for-service operations are consistent with University policies, track and monitor Core usage, evaluate Core operations, organize Annual Core Research Days, manage the Voucher program, foster collaborations with the UM Neuroscience Constellation and build partnerships with IDeA and other programs. Having built a critical mass of investigators who were funded during COBRE Phases I and II of the CORE-NPN, the objectives of Phase III will be to encourage faculty members to coalesce our research program in natural products and neuropharmacology and foster P01/P50/U19 grant applications. The activities of the Administrative Core will be structured so the CORE-NPN becomes a mature and sustainable Center. The specific aims to help accomplish our goals are: Specific Aim 1: To enhance sound competitiveness of the CORE-NPN faculty through collaborations and by fostering research working groups. This will facilitate the development of novel research and foster interactions among the CORE-NPN scientists and with faculty members of other IDeA programs. Specific Aim 2: To accelerate the research of promising faculty of the CORE-NPN through the Pilot Project Program using rigorous mentoring. The best novel ideas that come from Specific Aim 1 will be provided seed money to support the generation of critical data to support new competitive grant applications or to further develop a clinical or commercial product. Specific Aim 3: To advance an infrastructure of the Research Cores in order to enrich our research efforts and to reinforce the Cores sustainability. Research Cores will be supported to ensure they are state-of-the-art facilities. This will be accomplished with institutional support and planned outreach programs and collaborations during and beyond Phase III.
