Organizational Structure
The substantive work of the Center will be accomplished through two integrated Cores, the
Administrative Core and the Pilot Studies Cores. The work of the Administrative Core will be led
by Dr. Nancy McCain as the Director, Dr. Mary Jo Grap as Coordinator of Post-award Services, Dr. Cindy
Munro as Coordinator of Measurement Services, and Dr. R.K. Elswick as the Coordinator of Data
Services. Dr. Rita Pickler will serve as the Director of the Pilot Studies Core, which will be
focused on pre-award study development. The Pilot Studies Core will be functionally integrated
with the work of the Administrative Core. This matrix organizational structure (Figure below)
focuses the work of the Center investigators and maximally uses the expertise of Center personnel,
including its funded researchers, to support the development of pilot studies as well as future
development of the research programs of the Pilot Study Investigators. The first Pilot Study
Investigators in the CBCR are Dr. Sadeeka Al-Majid, Dr. Anne Boyle, and Dr. Rita Jablonski.
View Organizational Diagram (opens in new window)
The CBCR organizational structure will function to:
- manage, coordinate, and integrate the components and activities of the Center;
- review utilization of funds, including funds for pilot and feasibility studies;
- manage the shared resources of the Center, such as laboratory facilities and personnel;
expert advisement and direct assistance with research design, psychometrics and other
instrumentation; grants management; data collection and database management; and quantitative
and qualitative data analysis support; and
- provide information to the Center Director on the activities of the Center.
As Center Director, Dr. McCain will chair the Executive Committee and will serve as the Director
of the Administrative Core. She will coordinate the services of the Administrative and Pilot Studies
Cores through regular communication and direct collaboration with the three Administrative Services
Coordinators (the Post-award, Measurement, and Data Services Coordinators) and the Pilot Study Core
Director. The Center Director will meet individually with each of these individuals not less than
every two weeks to discuss coordination of CBCR services and evaluate progress of the CBCR as a
whole, the functioning of the relevant Service component or Core, and any issues regarding progress
of the individual pilot studies within the Center. Additionally, the Center Director will serve as
liaison with the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) through collaboration with its Director,
Dr. John Clore, as well as the nursing administrator, Ms. Lou Usry. Dr. McCain currently is a member
of the GCRC Advisory Committee and will continue to meet with that group on a monthly basis.
The Executive Committee of the CBCR will be comprised of the Center Director as Chair, the
three Administrative Core Service Coordinators, the Pilot Study Core Director, and the Center Grants
Administrator (Business Manager). The Executive Committee will meet monthly and as needed to achieve
the following goals:
- facilitate the work of the pilot study investigators;
- maintain communication and collaboration among Center personnel;
- monitor the activities of Center Cores in achieving program and pilot study goals;
- provide direction for use of CBCR resources, including liaison with the GCRC and
interdisciplinary collaborators as needed;
- review the budget status and ongoing allocations of Center funds;
- implement the CBCR evaluation plan; and
- project and coordinate future goals and research activities to build upon the base developed
from implementation of this Center.
The CBCR Advisory Council is comprised of (a) from the School of Nursing, the Center Executive Committee and Dr. Patty Gray, Chair of the Council; (b) Dr. John Clore, the Program Director of the General Clinical Research Center; (c) from the School of Medicine, Dr. Jerry Miller (Chair, Department of Biomedical Engineering), Dr. Richard Wenzel (Chair, Department of Internal Medicine), and Dr. Joel Silverman (Chair, Department of Psychiatry); and (d) two expert consultants outside VCU, Dr. Gail Ironson (University of Miami) and Dr. Janice Zeller (Rush University). This broad representation will ensure that interdisciplinary perspectives are represented as well as facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration within the Center. Drs. Clore, Wenzel, Silverman, and Miller will bring expertise related to clinical research design and endocrinology, infectious disease, stress and mental health, biomedical engineering applications, respectively. The non-VCU consultants will bring to the Center their expertise in planning and carrying out biobehavioral clinical research. They will make suggestions for and evaluate progress toward the goals of the center, aid in evaluating the pilot studies, and aid in designing and evaluating measures of both psychosocial and biological variables. The Advisory Council will meet as needed, but not less than every four months in grant year 1 and every six months in grant years 2 through 5. The Advisory Council will meet on the VCU campus for an annual meeting early in each year of the grant; other meetings will be held using teleconferencing.
The Advisory Council will
- advise the Executive Committee and Center Director regarding management of the CBCR;
- advise Center personnel about trends, opportunities, and emerging directions related to
biobehavioral clinical research and the interests of the CBCR;
- assist in the overall evaluation of Center activities according to the Evaluation Plan;
- select pilot study applications for Center funding in grant years 2 through 5; and
- facilitate planning and implementation of collaborative, interdisciplinary research efforts
within the School, University, and beyond.
In the role of Center Grants Administrator (CGA), Ms. Jeanette Acree will serve as the business
management official responsible for day-to-day financial management of the CBCR. Ms. Acree is a
Certified Research Administrator currently employed full-time by the School of Nursing in the
position of Business Manager. She will devote 10% direct effort to the Center grant, and she will
supervise the services of a Research Administrative Professional (AP) assigned to Center activities.
The Research AP will be assigned to manage each of the Pilot Studies funded through the Center,
which will enable close collaboration for grants management for the pilot study investigators. The
Center Director and the CGA will meet not less than weekly to provide budget oversight and
monitoring for the Center, including oversight of the individual pilot study budgets. Budget
formulation and planning will be the responsibility of the Center Director in collaboration with
the scientific staff. The CGA will be directly involved in the budgetary process and provide
consultation in matters of fiscal administration and evaluation. The CGA will maintain the Center's
financial records and assure compliance with University and federal standards related to fiscal
matters. In collaboration with the Center Director, the CGA will be responsible for budget planning
and forecasting, monthly budget reconciliation, and annual fiscal reporting. She also will serve as
the direct liaison for matters concerning the CBCR to the University's Office of Grants and
Contracts and the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration.
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