Admin Core

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The overall goal of the Administrative Core of the University of Chicago (UChicago) Digestive Diseases
Research Core Center (DDRCC) for Interdisciplinary Study of Inflammatory Intestinal Disorders (C-IID), is
to provide leadership and strategic vision to foster and expand research in the field of inflammatory diseases of the
bowel by its clinical and basic science faculty, particularly in the areas of microbiology, immunology,
genetics/genomics and translational and clinical research. These themes have defined our GI program over 75
years ago when Dr. Joseph B Kirsner put forward the hypothesis that IBD was caused by genetic, immunological,
and microbial factors. The C-IID Administrative Core leadership is provided by Dr. Bana Jabri, Director, Dr.
Eugene Chang Co-Director, and Dr. John Alverdy, Associate Director with the help of their administrative staff
and the C-IID Program Manager, in conjunction with the Executive Committee, the Internal Advisory
Committee, and the External Advisory Committee.
The Administrative Core will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the C-IID, including strategic,
scientific, and operational directions to insure effectiveness and impact of the program. It will continue to seek
opportunities to foster interaction and collaborations among its members. It will also identify member needs, and
optimize member benefits from Center Cores and Programs The administrative leadership also assures
responsiveness of the C-IID Cores to the needs of the members and provides oversight for Core functions.
This has led, for instance, to the addition of two computational scientists to help members with the analysis of
host and microbial next-generation sequencing data, and the creation of the Multiparametric Host Cell Analysis
core to promote utilization of state-of-the-art genomic technologies and enhance research in human
immunology and tissue cell analysis in the field of DD.
The proceedings of the monthly Executive Committee and Administrative Core meetings are reviewed on an
annual basis by the Internal Advisory Board (comprised of selected, prominent, senior leaders in the Biological
Sciences Division with expertise relevant to the goals of the C-IID) and the Dean of Biological Sciences, Dr.
Kenneth Polonsky. The Executive Committee consists of C-IID leadership, prominent University of Chicago
digestive diseases investigators. As the neutral review and sounding board, the External Advisory Board of the C-
IID reviews all requests, reports, and recommendations of the Executive Committee. The members of the External
Advisory Board include 5 internationally renowned investigators who are leaders in the area of digestive diseases,
particularly in the focus areas of the C-IID.
In summary, the Administrative Core of the C-IID provides leadership, programmatic vision, oversight, and
management of a highly multidisciplinary and innovative program that foster interaction, collaboration, and synergy
in studies of inflammatory diseases of the bowel.

Grant Number: 5P30DK042086-35
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: EUGENE CHANG