External Advisory Committee

External Advisory Committee: Over the last 10 years, the EAC membership has transitioned to accommodate the specific target investigators, projects and cores, as well as help with recruitment of new investigators to the CPR. Throughout COBRE Phase II, the EAC has remained the same and has provided oversight for the CPR including provision of specific input regarding academic progress of the TIs, the mentoring program, the cores and the coordination of the CPR within the institution and within the research community in the state. In COBRE I & II, the EAC has been particularly effective in extending a collaborative network for our investigators. The EAC provides biannual review of our COBRE program with respect to progress, advancement of investigators, pilot projects review and confirmation. In addition to their teleconference availability throughout the year, they attend the annual retreat. At the retreat and throughout the year, they provide formal evaluation of investigators, usage and status of cores, and make recommendations for alterations where necessary. Over the last 10 years, the EAC has met with all of our investigators and have given formal evaluations on their progress. They have often provided review of investigators’ grant proposals, given advice to mentees, and have invited junior faculty to their institutions for seminars. Finally, they will provide guidance to the COBRE PD/PI and PC.

• Daniel Carson, Ph.D., formerly Professor and Chairman of the Department of Biological Sciences, UD and became Dean of Rice University’s Wiess School of Natural Sciences, Houston, Texas in 2009. Dr. Carson has been an active member of the EAC, providing not only a direct link to the UD’s resources and COBRE programs but also his insight into program development and resource allocation. His intimate knowledge of our program as well as those in Delaware is particularly valuable to our center.

• William W. Fox, M.D., is a physician-scientist and Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, PA. The close proximity of his laboratory and his role as a physician-scientist assures accessibility and value of Dr. Fox to members of the COBRE Program and guidance of the pilot program.

• Steven R. Houser, Ph.D., is the Laura H. Carnell Professor of Physiology and Medicine, Chairman of Physiology and Director, Cardiovascular Research Group at Temple University School of Medicine. Dr. Houser has interacted with several TIs and has connected them with regional and national collaborators.

• Frederic Morin, M.D., is the former chairman of Pediatrics in the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Buffalo and now, Dean, of the College of Medicine at the University of Vermont. Dr. Morin’s strong pediatric translational experiences greatly enhance our program. In addition, Dean Morin oversees the University of Vermont COBRE and INBRE programs which are now several phases ahead of our program. Dean Morin has provided valuable insight in program development and recruitment.

• David Perlmutter, M.D., is the Chair and Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatrician and Chief, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Hospital and former president of the Society of Pediatric Research. Dr. Perlmutter is also a successful cell biologist and physiologist, and currently is the PI on 3 NIH grants and a contributor to 4 other NIH studies. His experience in developing translational pediatric research programs will be an asset to our program.