PROJECT SUMMARY – Administrative/Program Enrichment Core The overall goal of the Administrative/Program Enrichment Core (Admin Core) of the San Diego Nathan Shock Center (SD-NCS) is to facilitate and promote research into the basic mechanisms of aging, with an emphasis on revealing heterogeneities in the aging process. The Admin Core will serve as the central point of contact for all SD-NCS activities, maintaining lines of communication between SD-NSC Cores, as well as between SD- NSC and the External Advisory Panel, other Nathan Shock Centers (including the Nathan Shock Centers Coordinating Center (NSC3)), the external research community, and other regional research Centers. The Admin Core will serve three key functions. First, the Admin Core will oversee activities of the three Research Resource Cores, namely the Human Cell Models of Aging Core, the Heterogeneity of Aging Core, and the Integrative Models of Aging Core, to ensure that high quality and efficient services are provided to investigators performing aging research. This will include both operational and financial oversight. The Admin Core will help to coordinate the flow of data and resources between Cores (workflow optimization), as well as the dissemination of data and resources to research labs. The Admin Core will perform regular quality control assessments, monitor the uptake of Core services by the research community, and balance demand for Core services with workflow capacity. Finally, the Admin Core will coordinate efforts of an External Advisory Panel and implement panel recommendations to improve Core services. Second, the Admin Core will facilitate efforts of the Research Development Core to launch new aging research projects and to promote faculty development and training. The Admin Core will coordinate efforts to establish and maintain a robust career development program for aging investigators, with an emphasis on junior investigators and established investigators entering the aging research field. The Admin Core will help run a pilot grant program, run logistics for training workshops, and facilitate a mentorship program. Effectiveness of these programs will be monitored and evaluated by the Admin Core, and adjustments made to these activities based on input from the Executive Committee and External Advisory Panel. Third, the Admin Core will organize and oversee outreach activities of the SD-NSC. This will include establishing and maintaining a website to advertise SD-NSC Core services and NSC accomplishment; interfacing extensively with NSC3, other NSCs, the three SD-NSC participating Institutions, and other regional research Centers to foster collaborations; working with the Salk Communications Office to publicize SD-NSC accomplishments; and organizing lectures, symposia, podcasts, and community events to widely broadcast the importance of aging research. Finally, to accomplish these tasks, the Admin Core will provide project management services to ensure the three Phases of SD-NSC set- up, launch, and operation are completed on time and that deliverables are achieved. This will include collection of quantifiable metrics relevant to all SD-NSC activities to measure success in collaboration with NSC3.