B. Administration, Organization and Operation of the Center

1. Administration:

The administrative framework of Baylor College of Medicine is streamlined compared to many similar research institutions. The College's President, Dr. Peter Traber, is advised by a small panel of Vice Presidents, each one charged with overseeing a particular aspect of College function. This group administers the various departments and functions of the school. One of those departments is Cell Biology, whose chairman is Dr. Bert W. O'Malley. Due to the coincidence of his titles as both Departmental Chairman and Director of the Center for Reproductive Biology Research, administration of the Center by Dr. O'Malley is easily coordinated within the framework of the department's policies.

2. Organization and Operation :

The overall organization of the Center is described in the organizational chart in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Organizational Chart of the Center

The Center Director will be Dr. Bert W. O'Malley who has more than 27 years of experience in managing this NICHD Center. He will chair the quarterly meetings of the Center personnel and the annual meetings of the Research Advisory Committee. Dr. Francesco DeMayo, an experienced reproductive scientist, will act as Co-Director and will chair the monthly meetings of the Operations Committee and coordinate the Core Laboratory operations and the educational program. The individual projects and related financial expenditures will be strictly under the control of the principal investigators, assisted by Ms. Sherry Hudson and Mr. Marty Weick.

3. Advisory Committees:

a. The Research Advisory Committee is constructed to present an independent evaluation of the quality of science carried out in the Center. The Committee shall serve dual functions. First, they have agreed to serve as continuing scientific consultants to the Center relative to project operations and technology. Second, they will meet annually to evaluate the overall Center progress and to advise the Director on all aspects of Center operations. The Committee will consist of seven members, three from outside of Baylor College of Medicine and four members from inside Baylor. External Advisors will consist of Keith L. Parker, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Medicine and Head of the Division of Endocrinology, University of Texas Southwestern School of Medicine, Jeffrey D. Blaustein, Ph.D., Professor, Neuroscience and Behavior Program, Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, and R. Jeffrey Chang, M.D., Professor, Department of Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego. The external members of the Research Advisory Committee were chosen to compliment the scientific program of the Center. Dr. Blaustein's expertise lies in the area of neuroendocrine regulation and will compliment Project I. Dr Parker's expertise lies in the molecular endocrinological regulation of gonadal gene expression and development and will compliment Projects II and III. Dr. Chang is an authority on human fertility and will compliment Project IV. The internal members will consist of Dr. David Wheeler, Director, Baylor Molecular Biology Computation Resource; Dr. Robert Rich, Vice President for Research, Baylor College of Medicine, Martin P. Weick, Administrator, Department of Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine and the Center Principal Investigator, Dr. O'Malley. Dr. O'Malley will chair the committee. The Research Advisory Committee will review the progress of the Center annually and evaluate the progress of the Center and make suggestions regarding the execution and direction of the Center's research program.

b. The Operations Committee will be chaired by Dr. DeMayo and is composed of all Center Project and Core Laboratory Directors plus Dr. David Wheeler (Director, Baylor Molecular Biology Computation Resource) and Mr. Marty Weick (Department of Cell Biology). The Operations Committee will evaluate Core usage by the Project leaders as well as deal with personnel, equipment and space items. The personnel component would be activated if a Center member resigns and the Operations Committee will advise on personnel recruitment. It would also mediate any personnel problems that could arise. This Committee will advise on general equipment needs and purchases. Although individual laboratory space is under control of the senior investigator, the Committee will function to advise on use of joint facilities, assignment of office space for trainees and visitors, and lab/facility expansion in the advent of new space acquisition. Also, this committee will serve to develop and monitor an up-to-date electronic communications paradigm for all Center investigators, trainees and technical staff.

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