OKRA Consortium
The George M. O’Brien Kidney Resource Alliance (OKRA) is a consortium of National Resource Centers (NRCs) whose primary purpose is to provide kidney researchers with specialized resources, tools, technologies, services, and expertise beyond those typically available in an individual lab or institutional core.
National Coordinating Center
Discover the heart of kidney research innovation at the George M. O’Brien Kidney Resource Alliance (OKRA) National Coordinating Center, centrally positioned within the UAB School of Public Health. Our primary objective is to lead, manage, and harmonize all aspects of the OKRA consortium. Our multifaceted approach aligns with five key aims:
- Facilitating Consortium Operations: Providing crucial administrative support, fostering effective communication, and promoting collaboration among the OKRA consortium through standardized procedures and specialized sub-committees.
- Expanding Data Management and Access: Establish and maintain a comprehensive web-based portal for sharing protocols, data, tools, and other essential resources across the OKRA consortium.
- Empowering Researcher Development: Offering team science workshops, mentorship programs tailored to various career stages, and virtual office hours, enabling early-stage investigators to collaborate seamlessly with the OKRA National Resource Centers (NRCs).
- Prioritizing Patient Perspectives: Actively engaging patient viewpoints, preferences, and priorities through our Patient Advisory Council, enriching the insights of OKRA NRCs and the consortium as a whole.
- Supporting Investigator Initiatives: Administering the OKRA Opportunity Pool Program, national pilot program, offering pre-submission scientific and biostatistics consultation, rigorous peer review, and ongoing mentorship to bolster early-stage investigators, newcomers to kidney research, and collaborations within the broader kidney research community.
The OKRA NCC stands committed to supporting the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the O’Brien Kidney Consortium in advancing kidney research nationwide, with a shared goal of maximizing impact and fostering tangible improvements in kidney health across the nation.
National Resource Centers
