Drs. Potts and Kronenberg are responsible for overall direction of the projects and cores of this program project. They meet regularly, together and with principal investigators and core directors, to discuss ongoing research and to assure continuous integration of work by all participating groups. Further, as scientific opportunities arise, Drs. Potts and Kronenberg coordinate the modifications of aims and goals of each project and encourage new collaborative opportunities. To facilitate close interactions among participants in the program project and to share information with groups of other scientists whose research complements our own, regular research meetings are planned. The responsiveness and quality of the work of the core facilities are carefully monitored. Each week four meetings, open to all staff members and regularly attended by participants in this program project, are held within the Endocrine Unit. Drs. Potts and Kronenberg plan the topics to be discussed each week. The purpose of these informal and very interactive meetings is to present new ideas and seek input from colleagues about ongoing research. In addition, three journal clubs, each focused on a specific area pertinent to the Program Project (Gene Regulation & Development, Cell Signaling, and Clinical Research) meet weekly to discuss recent publications related to those topics. In addition, monthly meetings are held with four different groups of scientists from outside the Endocrine Unit (the MGH Renal Unit, scientists in the Center for Regenerative Medicine led by Dr. David Scadden, colleagues from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and Harvard School of Public Health, and scientists in the Genetics Department at Harvard Medical School). These meetings provide critical forums for the sharing of information within the wider research community. All have attracted increasing interest from scientists within and outside MGH, expanding the range of topics presented and encouraging broader collaborations. The careful planning of Drs. Potts and Kronenberg is responsible for the success of these monthly meetings. Another vital function of the Core Directors is fiscal oversight for the program project. Centralization of administrative support functions necessary for monitoring program project resources is more cost-effective and efficient than distributing those responsibilities among the individual projects and cores. Reporting requirements, compliance with hospital and government regulations, and careful budgeting of expenses to prevent cost overruns help to assure that resources are appropriately allocated. These vital functions performed with direction from Drs. Potts and Kronenberg.