Core A: Administrative Core

ABSTRACT The Administrative Core (Core A) has four aims: 1) to provide management, integration and oversight of the P01 activities, facilitate communication and collaboration among the investigators, distribute research cigarettes to all projects and the Biomarker and Tobacco Constituents Core, and to establish a Data Safety and Monitoring Board (DSMB) to monitor participant safety. This aim will be facilitated by Drs. Dorothy Hatsukami and Peter Shields, the administrative team and the Steering Committee comprised of Project and Core Leaders; 2) to establish a Tobacco Product Evaluation Committee (TPEC), chaired by Dr. Shields and Mr. Micah Berman, that will provide a mechanism for discussing how the results from our studies are interrelated and contribute to the understanding of the potential public health impact of banning ventilation in cigarette filters; 3) to establish and manage a Scientific and Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC), chaired by Dr. Jonathan Samet, to provide a mechanism for the evaluation of our scientific productivity, significance and quality, and a resource for addressing unanticipated issues; and, 4) to establish and manage a Communications and Dissemination Committee (CDC), chaired by Drs. Richard O'Connor and Hatsukami, that will disseminate our findings to researchers, regulatory agencies and the public. The infrastructure provided by this Core will ensure optimal collaboration, project integration, and quality and impact of our results.