CORE A ? ADMINISTRATIVE CORE Vittorio Gallo, PhD Core Director Director, DC-IDDRC Children?s National Health System William Gaillard, MD, PhD Associate Director, DC-IDDRC Children?s National Health System Kerstin Hildebrandt, MSHS Director of Operations, Children?s Research Institute Children?s National Health System Nikkie Adesida, BA Project Coordinator Children?s National Health System Abstract The Administrative Core (AC) of the District of Columbia Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (DC-IDDRC) provides leadership and coordinates all DC-IDDRC activities at the four partnering institutions: Children?s National Health System (CNHS), George Washington University (GWU), Georgetown University Medical Center (GU) and Howard University (HU). This core plays a crucial role to ensure that our DC-IDDRC continues to be an efficient, effective, cohesive and integrated interdisciplinary program for the advancement of IDDR. The primary objectives of the AC are to provide: (a) Overall vision, strategic planning and direction of the DC-IDDRC and supervision, integration and management of the research cores; (b) Educational and training programs; (c) A home for the IDDR community (?centeredness?) at each of the member institutions by bringing together a diverse group of investigators; (d) Dissemination of new knowledge; (e) Advocacy and engagement with philanthropic agencies/foundations, governmental agencies and patient advocacy groups to enhance support for IDDR; (f) Collaborations with other IDDRCs within the Network. Our specific aims to reach these goals include: (a) assure that all DC-IDDRC investigators have access to state-of- the art, high quality, cost-effective research core support; (b) promote integration of basic/applied, translational and clinical investigation; (c) closely monitor effectiveness, cost/charge backs and needs for support of research cores; (d) ensure quality control, coordination and integration of services between cores; (e) evaluate and develop new technology required by DC-IDDRC investigators; (f) enhance visibility of core laboratory services to our research community and potential users, and promote recruitment of new investigators at DC- IDDRC institutions; (g) assist DC-IDDRC investigators in familiarizing themselves with core functions; and (h) provide leadership and be an active participant in the Mid-Atlantic IDDRC Consortium with Children?s Hospital Philadelphia and Kennedy Krieger Institute, and more broadly for the national IDDRC Network. The DC-IDDRC educational goals include: (a) supporting DC-IDDRC seminars and related lecture series; (b) attract and recruit outstanding junior investigators to IDD-related research programs through training grants and fellowships that are specifically targeted to this cohort; and attract/recruit senior investigators into IDDR; (c) disseminate and communicate DC-IDDRC research findings; and (d) support/promote the overall goals of the DC-IDDRC and of the IDDRC Network through networking and advocacy. In summary, the AC will play a pivotal role in future development and expansion of the DC-IDDRC through Administration, Research, Education and Training, Advocacy, and Dissemination.