Administrative Core Center for Bio-behavioral Mechanisms of Eating Behavior PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The primary goal of this application is to strengthen biomedically oriented clinical research in the area of eating disorders and eating behaviors at the Sanford Center for Bio-behavioral Research. The proposed Center for Bio-behavioral Mechanisms of Eating Beahavior (CBM-EB) will focus on the study of bio- behavioral mechanisms in eating disorders and problematic eating behavior, including obesity. The CBM-EB will be based in Sanford Center for Bio-behavioral Research and also include the UND School of Medicine and North Dakota State University. In addition to establishing an enduring clinical research center which addresses serious psychiatric disorders like eating disorders, as well as problems related to obesity, a major function of the center will be to train and support early stage investigators in their efforts to become independent scientists. The Center will require integrated administrative oversight to ensure excellent training opportunities and optimal functioning of several of the core elements in the Center. The overall goals for the Center can be characterized with the following set of specific aims. Aim 1 will be to establish an enduring center of excellence in eating disorders and eating behavior that will facilitate research on clinically relevant mechanistic processes at the Center for Bio-behavioral Research. Aim 2 will be to establish three research cores and a clinical research training program to foster scientific and educational progress. Aim 3 will be to provide broad based clinical research training, professional development, and mentorship to five early career investigators.