The overall goal for this Administrafive Core (Core A) is to provide effective administrative and scientific management to facilitate Interdisciplinary integrafion of the research and training activities developed under this ICEMR program. Core A will provide support to Project 1 on epidemiology, Project 2 on transmission and Project 3 on pathogenesis and their articulafion with the DM Core (Core B). Organizationally, the ICEMR will be administered by the Caucaseco Scientific Research Center (CAUCASECO SRC) under the direcfion of Dr. Socrates Herrera, who will have the responsibility to articulate and guarantee an efficient communicafion among the PLs and CLs for Core B and C. CAUCASECO SRC will be legally and financially accountable for the use of funds for this ICEMR and will be responsible for all necessary administrative functions. Core A will contribute to the activities assigned to the Program Director (PD), the PLs and the CLs, as well as to all training activities and the special projects, promofing effective administrative and scientific management for team building. This includes key elements that will help us meet the overall goal of this ICEMR for establishment of the Centro Latino Americano de Investigacion en Malaria-CLAIM that will provide the necessary knowledge, tools, and evidence-based strategies for use by the Nafional Malaria Control Program (NMCP) of the partner countries in this project. Core A will ensure an efficient communication with a "common language" among scientists, experts in diverse disciplines and staff members ofthe NMCP, and with endemic communities. It will ensure the accomplishment of the project milestones within the proposed fimelines and promote creative interdisciplinary approaches to tackle critical features responsible for malaria transmission maintenance that cannot be solved through standard disciplinary approaches. Moreover, it will promote partnerships with government officials and stakeholders in the partner countries as a means for fast-tracking research results into translafional steps towards malaria eliminafion. Models emerging from CLAIM activifies will have broader regional and global applications for solving major malaria disease problems. Our emphasis on high-impact interdisciplinary science will have a direct impact on local, regional, and global policy related to the control of diseases. Accordingly these significant'goals, strategies, and outcomes require the full scope of activities described. Core A team has the necessary background and experience to provide effective leadership for this program project. Nevertheless, we will promote coordination and integration of Projects and Cores by working interactively with the NIAID program staff, and will remain fiexible enough to implement changes when needed to better serve the overall ICEMR team. As we have demonstrated in past NIH projects with significant internafional components, the design of our scientific management plan will promote a solid foundation for facilitafing interdisciplinary collaboration and scientific productivity.

RELEVANCE: This core will play a key role on effective administrative and scientific management to facilitate interdisciplinary integrafion ofthe research and training activifies developed under this ICEMR program.