GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD MORNING
TO ACD MEMBERS.
THANKS FOR JOINING US OF THE
SECOND DAY OF WHAT I THINK WILL
BE INFORMATION PACKED.
WE'LL START WITH A PRESENTATION
ABOUT THE HELA WORKING GROUP AND
WANT TO SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THAT AND WE'LL HEAR ABOUT THE
RADX RAPID DIAGNOSTICS FOR COVID
AND A NEWLY INITIATED PROGRAM
THE SPOKE GENE THERAPY
CONSORTIUM WHICH I THINK IS COOL
AND EXCITING AND THEN A BREAK
AND THEN AN UPDATE ON VARIOUS
INITIATIVES REVOLVING AROUND
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND
ACCESSIBILITY INCLUDING UPDATE
FROM THE UNITE CO-CHAIRS, DEIA
PLANS FROM OUR CHIEF OFFICER ON
WORKFORCE DIVERSITY AND THE
PRESENTATION NEW FIRST AWARD TO
ENCOURAGE TENURE TRACK POSITIONS
AS DIVERSITY AS A MAJOR PART OF
THEIR INTEREST.
AND IF WE STAY ON TIME WE'LL
WRAP UP AROUND 4:45 AND I HAVE A
FEW THINGS TO SAY BEFORE WE
ADJOURN.
WE'LL TRY TO STICK TO THAT
TIMETABLE FAIRLY CLOSELY.
LARRY HAS HIS BELL AND WE DID
GREAT YESTERDAY, I MUST SAY
DESPITE THE FACT MANY PRESENTERS
WERE WELL DISCIPLINED AND A WAS
NOT AND LARRY WORKED IN
BREATHING ROOM WHERE I WAS
INVOLVED BASED ON PAST
EXPERIENCE HE KNEW THERE WAS
LIKELIHOOD OF SLIPPAGE.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'LL BE DOING IN
A FULL AFTERNOON AND LET'S GET
UNDERWAY AND I WANT TO SAY ABOUT
THE HELA GENOME WORKING GROUP.
THIS WAS FIRST CONVENED IN
SEPTEMBER 2013 AFTER WE CAME TO
AN AGREEMENT WITH THE LAKS
FAMILY OF WHO HAD OVERSIGHT TO
THE COMPLETE GENOME SEQUENCE OF
THE HELA CELLS SINCE THE FAMILY
MEMBERS HAD CONCERNS.
UP TO THIS MEETING CARRY
WOLINETZ HAD BEEN MY ACTING
CHIEF OF STAFF JOINED THE WHITE
HOUSE IN THE OFFICE OF SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY AND THAT'S
GREAT TO HAVE HER THERE TO HAVE
THIS KIND OF AN EXPERIENCED
PERSON WORKING THERE AND NOW
I'VE ASKED LARRY JORGENSON TO
STEP IN TO SERVE AS CO-CHAIR FOR
THIS WORKING GROUP WITH SPERO
MANSON.
THIS IS SPERO'S LAST TIME WITH
US SO AGAIN THANK YOU FOR YOUR
DEDICATION TO OVERSEEING THIS
IMPORTANT ACTIVITY.
JUST IN CASE YOU'RE NOT AS
FAMILIAR WITH DR. JORGENSON, SHE
SERVED IN NUMEROUS ROLES ACROSS
THE AGENCY PREVIOUSLY DEPUTY
DIRECTOR OF OSP AND LED NUMEROUS
SCIENCE AND POLICY INITIATIVES
SUCH AS THE BRAIN INITIATIVE,
REMEMBER THAT?
AND ALSO NCATS.
SHE KNOWS HOW TO GET STUFF DONE
AND TO DO SO IN A FASHION THAT'S
VERY ATTENTIVE TO PRINCIPLES OF
POLICY AND ETHICS.
JOIN ME IN WELCOMING LYRIC IN
HER NEW ROLE AS CO-CHAIR AND
SHE'LL BE REPORTING ON TWO DATA
ACCESS REQUESTS FOR ACD
CONSIDERATION.
OVER TO YOU, LYRIC.
>> THANK YOU, FRANCIS.
THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME HERE
TO TALK ABOUT THE HELA GENOME
WORKING GROUP AND WE'RE PLEASED
TO BE HERE TO DISCUSS THE TWO
DATA ACCESS REQUEST AND SEEK
YOUR CONCURRENCE.
FOR A REMINDER THERE A SHORT
DATA USE AGREEMENT WITH THE
FAMILY AND ALL PEOPLE WANTING TO
USE THE WHOLE GENOME SEQUENCE IN
THE DATABASE OF DB GAP ABIDE BY
THE TERMS OUTLINED IN THE GENOME
DATA USE AGREEMENT.
THESE AGREEMENT PRINCIPLES ARE
OUTLINED FOR YOUR RESULT HERE.
AGAIN, DATA CAN ONLY BE USED FOR
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCHERS AND
RESEARCHERS ARE ARE NOT TO MAKE
CONTACT WITH THE LACKS FAMILY OR
DISCLOSE COMMERCIAL PLANS AND
MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THE USE OF THE
SEQUENCE IN PUBLICATIONS AND ANY
WHOLE GENOME SEQUENCE DATA IN DB
GAP.
THERE ARE MEMBERS OF OUR WORKING
GROUP ARE OUTLINED OUR CO-CHAIR
HERE AND RUSS ALTMAN AND ALSO
MEMBERS OF THE LACKS FAMILY
WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT
PARTICIPATORY PROCESS AND THEY
REVIEW IN REVIEWING THE DATA
ACCESS.
ACCESS REQUESTS ARE REVIEWED TO
BE CONSISTENT WHETHER WITH THE
DATA ACCESS AGREEMENT.
THE PROPOSED RESEARCH FOCUSSED
ON HEALTH, MEDICAL OR BIOMEDICAL
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES ARE THERE
PLANS TO CREATE INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY OR FINDINGS.
THEY'RE TO ADDRESS THESE ITEMS
IN THEIR REQUEST AND RESEARCH
USE STATEMENT IN ADDITION TO
DESCRIBING THE OBJECTIVES,
DESIGN, ANALYSIS AND PLAN OF THE
PROPOSED RESEARCH.
SO ALL OF THESE REQUESTS COME
INTO THE WORKING GROUP AND THEY
REVIEW FOR THESE CONSISTENCY
PRINCIPLES.
SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THIS
WORKING GROUP THERE HAVE A
REVIEW OF 94 REQUESTS EVALUATED
BY THE WORKING GROUP 8 HAD -- 86
APPROVED AND FIVE DISAPPROVED
FOR FULFILLING THE AIMS.
THE WORKING GROUP REVIEWED AND
WE ARE SEEKING ON TWO FOR
APPROVAL.
THE FIRST DATA ACCESS REQUEST
FOCUSES ON REFERENCE TO
NON-CODING RNA SEQUENCES AND THE
CANCER SEQUENCES THAT MAY
CONTRIBUTE AND THIS IS FROM
SWEDEN USING THE HELA SEQUENCE
FOR DETECTION -- THIS IS THE
NON-CODING FOR CANCER
PROGRESSION.
THE NEXT ONE COMES FROM
WASHINGTON WHICH IS TALKING
ABOUT LOSS OF HETEROZYGOTITY
AND LOOKING AT ACCUMULATIONS
OVER TIME.
THEY WERE FOUND TO BE CONSISTENT
WITH THE DATA USE AGREEMENT BY
THE WORK GROUP AND SPERO BRING
THE TO YOU FOR DISCUSSION AND
VOTE OF SUPPORT.
BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO FAN
SIS, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'D LIKE
TO ADD ANYTHING TO THE
CONVERSATION.
I'LL TAKE THE PREROGATIVE SINCE
IT'S MY LAST TIME IN THIS
PARTICULAR CONTEXT FOR THE NEW
MEMBERS, THIS IS A REMARKABLE
INITIATIVE AND AS YOU
PARTICIPATE YOU'RE STRUCK BY THE
STRENGTH OF THE RELATIONSHIP
THAT'S BEEN ESTABLISHED WHEN NIH
AND THE LACKS FAMILY.
AND I THINK IT ACTUALLY HAS SET
THE TONE AND PROVIDED A MODEL
FOR MANY OF THE SUBSEQUENT DATA
USE AGREEMENTS AND APPROACHES TO
COLLABORATION WITH OTHER
ENTITIES WHETHER THEY'RE
FAMILIES OR COMMUNITIES
REFLECTED IN THE RADX INITIATIVE
OR ALL OF US PROGRAM AND
EMERGING NOW IN AIM AHEAD.
I HOPE THE ACD REPRESENTS HOW
CRITICAL THIS PARTICULAR
INITIATIVE IS NOT ONLY IN TERMS
OF ACCESS TO THIS PARTICULAR
GENOME BUT ALSO IN TERMS OF
SETTING THE TONE AND STAGE FOR
NIH'S RELATIONSHIPS FOR OTHER
STAKEHOLDERS AND CONSTITUENTS.
THANK YOU, LARRY.
>> THANK YOU, LYRIC.
THANK YOU, SPERO.
SPERO, I APPRECIATE YOUR
COMMENTS.
THIS IS TRUE.
THIS EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH THE
LACKS FAMILY OPENED OUR EYES IN
NEW WAYS TO RESPONSIBILITIES AND
OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE IN WORKING
WITH ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO WE
HOPE TO HAVE AS OUR PARTNERS IN
RESEARCH AND THEY HAVE BEEN AN
AMAZING GROUP OF DEDICATED
FAMILY MEMBERS AND TRYING TO BE
AS RESPONSIBLE AS WE CAN TO
THEIR EXPECTATIONS.
SO ACD MEMBERS YOU HAVE IN FRONT
OF YOU A PROPOSAL FOR TWO
APPLICATIONS TO BE ACCEPTED.
ARE THERE ANY ISSUES, QUESTIONS,
PEOPLE WANT TO RAISE?
I AM SEEING NONE.
DO WE NEED A VOTE.
>> TULA HAS ONE.
>> ARE THERE OTHER THAT NEED
THIS APPROVAL?
>> THIS IS A UNIQUE
CIRCUMSTANCES WE ARE A HIGHLY
UTILIZED CELL LINE WHOSE FAMILY
MEMBERS ARE KNOWN BECAUSE OF A
BOOK WRITTEN WITH THE LACKS
FAMILY.
IT'S A UNIQUE SITUATION BUT ONE
THAT'S TAUGHT US A LOT.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU.
>> FRANCIS, YOU CAN JUST DO A
QUICK VOTE AND WE CAN DO THAT BY
VOICE.
HOWEVER, THAT WILL SOUND IN THIS
SPACE BUT TO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR
SAY AYE.
ANYBODY OPPOSED, PLEASE?
>> ARE THERE ANY ABSTENTIONS?
OKAY.
SO WE CAN RECORD THEN AS A
UNANIMOUS VOTE IN FAVOR.
>> THANK YOU ALL.
AS I ALWAYS SAY AT THIS POINT I
WILL TAKE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS
UNDER CONSIDERATION BECAUSE
THAT'S WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO
AND DECIDE RATHER QUICKLY SINCE
I WON'T BE IN A DECIDING ROLE
MUCH FURTHER HOW TO GO FORWARD
AND I'M SURE YOU CAN GUESS THE
DECISION.
THANK YOU, LYRIC AND ESPECIALLY
SPERO FOR YOUR SIGNIFICANT
INVOLVEMENT IN MANY THINGS IN
THIS ACD BUT RIGHT NOW FOR WHAT
YOU'VE DONE FOR HELA.
I APPRECIATE IT AND YOUR WORDS
WERE GREAT.
ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT IT'S TIME
TO MOVE ON.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO RADX AND
UPDATES ABOUT VARIOUS PARTS
STARTING WITH RADX TECH AND THAT
MEANS BRUCE TROMBERG IS GOING TO
WALK US THROUGH SOME PRETTY COOL
TECHNOLOGY.
>> THANK YOU, FRANCIS.
THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR BEING
HERE TO LISTEN TO WHAT WE'VE
DONE.
I THINK THE LAST TIME I UPDATE
THE ACD WAS ABOUT A YEAR AGO AND
MUCH HAS HAPPENED.
I WON'T COVER EVERY DETAIL OF
THAT THE ROLLER COASTER RIDE BUT
HOPEFULLY YOU'LL GET A BIG
PICTURE FOR THE ACCOMPLISHMENT.
THIS IS AN NIH WIDE EFFORT.
I HAVE LISTED HERE ABOUT 20
FOLKS PRIMARILY FROM NIBIB.
THEY'VE BEEN ENGAGED AND
PROBABLY ANOTHER 40 OR SO
INDIVIDUALS ACROSS THE NIH AS
PROGRAM DIRECTORS IN CONTRACTING
WE USE THE ENTIRE CONTRACTING
GROUP IN NHLBI AND ISSUED
CONTRACTS AND THIS HAS BEEN
ESSENTIAL.
IT'S A WONDERFUL PROGRAM THAT
ILLUSTRATES THE ABILITY FOR ALL
OF NIH TO COME TOGETHER, REDUCE
THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN
INSTITUTES AND PITCH IN.
SO THIS ALL STARTED AS A
SOMEWHAT OPPORTUNITY AND BECAUSE
THIS IS FRANCIS' LAST ACD
MEETING I'LL EMBARRASS HIM A
LITTLE BIT AND THIS IS A
CONTRIBUTE TO FRANCIS' KNOWLEDGE
OF WHAT ALL INSTITUTES ARE DOING
AND NOT JUST WHAT OUR
TECHNOLOGIC CAPABILITIES ARE BUT
THE INNOVATION AND
ENTREPRENEURIAL COMMUNITY.
HE KNEW ABOUT THIS AND A TRIBUTE
TO COMMUNITY OPENLY TO CONGRESS
AND SAID WE'RE NOT DOING ENOUGH
TESTS IN THE -- IN THE UNITED
STATES AND IS THAT TRUE AND IF I
COULD TAKE YOU BACK TO 2020 WHEN
THIS WAS IN FORMULATION WE WERE
DOING 5 MILLION TESTS A MONTH
AND NOW WE'RE DOING 250 MILLION
TO 300 MILLION TESTS A MONTH AND
THE RADX HAS PLAYED A CRITICAL
ROLE.
OUR MISSION AT THE OUTSET WITH
THE IT DIFFERENT RADX AND ATP
PLATFORMS AND YOU'LL HEAR MORE
ABOUT THE OTHER RADX PROGRAMS
AFTER ME BUT OUR FOCUS HAS BEEN
ON EXPANDING THE TESTING
TECHNOLOGIES AND THE NUMBER AND
TYPE AND ACCESSIBILITY AND
OPTIMIZING THEIR PERFORMANCE.
WE HAVE NOT BEEN SATISFIED WITH
THE PERFORMANCE AT THAT TIME BUT
WE ALWAYS FELT IT WOULD BE
BETTER AND IT STILL CAN BE
BETTER.
WE WERE ABLE TO USE THIS WORKING
VERY CLOSELY WITH THE OFFICE OF
DIRECTOR, OUR WHOLE NIBIB TEAM
AS WELL AS FRANCIS, LYRIC, AND
OTHERS AND WE MET TWICE A WEEK
ROUGHLY SINCE MAY OF 2020.
FRANCIS, ARE YOU REALLY
RETIRING?
BECAUSE YOU'RE ON THIS EVERY DAY
AND HARD TO IMAGINE YOUR TRAIN
IS GOING TO STOP BUT WE HOPE IT
WILL.
THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE FORMED
WERE ABSOLUTELY KEY TO MAKING
ALL THIS STUFF HAPPEN AND WE DID
THAT AT THE OUTSIDE WITH BARDA
AND OASH AND WHITE HOUSE AND
CDC.
THESE HAVE BEEN CRITICAL TO
MAKING THIS WORK AND THERE'S
MORE THAN 12 INSTITUTES, CENTERS
AND OFFICES DEEPLY ENGAGED IN
AND HAVE A STAKE IN MAKING THE
PROGRAM SUCCESSFUL.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS WE GOT
THE PROGRAM OFF THE GROUND
QUICKLY WE'RE LEVERAGING AN
EXISTING NETWORK AND
COLLABORATING INSTITUTES HAVE
SUPPORTED OVER THE YEARS.
THE POINT OF CARE TECHNOLOGY
RESEARCH NETWORKS CO-LED BY
TIFFANY LASH AND OUR PROGRAM
DIRECTORS.
KNOWING WHAT THEY CAN DO AND
COULD EXPAND TO DO WITH MORE
RESOURCES GAVE US CONFIDENCE WE
COULD TAKE THAT APPROPRIATION
AND MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN.
THE NETWORK IS BUILT AROUND
UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITIES THEY EACH HAVE
SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT
FUNCTIONALITY.
WE ADDED NON-PROFITS.
IN TOTAL THERE'S ABOUT 900
EXPERTS AND CONTRIBUTE --
CONTRIBUTORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
AND THERE'S THREE FUNCTIONAL
COMPONENTS A VALIDATION CORE TO
ASSESS HOW TECHNOLOGY WORKS AND
CLINICAL STUDIES CORE TO GET
DAUGHTER FOR REGULATORY
APPLICATIONS AND HAVE STANDARD
TRIAL DESIGN AND ASK QUESTIONS
HOW PEOPLE UTILIZE TESTS AND A
DEPLOYMENT CORE FOCUSSED ON
IMPLEMENTATION AND HOW PEOPLE
USE TESTS.
IT'S REVIEWING AND FUNDING,
TESTING AND VALIDATING AND
PROVIDING EXPERT GUIDANCE THAT
CONTINUES AFTER THE PROJECT
COMES IN THE DOOR IN ORDER TO
REDUCE THE BARRIERS WE FIND BOTH
TO THE CREATION OF DEVICES AND
ALSO THEIR WIDESPREAD
DISSEMINATION AND MANUFACTURING.
I UPDATED YOU WITH APPLICATION
AND THOSE IN PHASE 2 AND NOW
WE'VE HAD A TOTAL OF 824
APPLICATIONS COME IN AND TWO
DIFFERENT FUNNELS.
THE FIRST WAS IN MAY OF 2020 AND
SECOND IN JUNE OF '21.
AND HAD 44 HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED
IN PHASE 2 AND SOME TENS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AWARDS TO
GOING TO SCALE UP AND AROUND
$700 MILLION HAS BEEN SPENT IN
WORK PACKAGE 2 OR PHASE 2.
THE GOAL OF THE FUNNEL AT THE
OUTSET WAS TO GET TESTS OUT
QUICKLY.
WITHIN FIVE TO SIX MONTHS OF
OPENING WITH THE ROLLING
SUBMISSION WE WANTED TO HAVE AN
IMPACT ON THE TEST MARKET.
NEXT SLIDE WE'LL ASSESS WHAT'S
COME OUT OF THIS.
A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PLATFORMS.
SOME OF THEM YOU'RE PROBABLY
FAMILIAR WITH IN POINT OF CARE
AND HOME TECHNOLOGIES.
POINT OF CARE AND RTPCR,
HANDHELD RAPID PLATFORMS LIKE
THE MAY SAND BISBY PLATFORM AND
BASED ON ANTIGEN AND LATERAL
FLOW AND ILLUME THE FIRST OVER
THE COUNTER AND DETECT IS A HOME
TEST AND A DIFFERENT LIMIT OF
DETECTION COMPARED TO THE RAPID
ANTIGEN TEST.
THERE'S A VARIETY OF INTERESTING
VARIATIONS.
I POINT OUT THE ANTIGEN TEST
USING A BULK ACOUSTIC WAVE
SENSOR GETTING IN DETAILS LATER
AND WE SUPPORTED LABORATORIES.
LABORATORY TECH AND THE
QUANTERIX PLATFORM AND IT'S
LIMITS OF DETECTION IS AN
ANTIGEN ASSAY ARE AS GOOD AS
NUCLEIC ACID WITHOUT
AMPLIFICATION A POWERFUL
PLATFORM AND WE SUPPORTED LABS
LIKE MEGA LABS AND HELIX, THE
UCLA LAB AND THEY REMAIN AN
IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF OUR
NETWORK AND I'LL GET INTO DETAIL
LATER AS I TALK ABOUT VARIANTS
HOW THEY'RE COMING BACK TO AN
IMPORTANT FUNCTIONAL ROLE.
WE ALSO SUPPORTED LAB PRODUCTS
LIKE THE CRISPR PRODUCT FROM
MAMMOTH AND SERIOUS NANO
SCIENCES WHICH MAKES A
MULTI-LAYERED NANO CORE PARTICLE
THAT PRECO-CONCENTRATES SAMPLES
AND HAVE SALIVA COLLECTION AND
SWABS AND THINGS TO MAKE IT
WORK.
SO WHAT'S OUR IMPACT BEEN SO
FAR?
FIVE MONTHS AFTER LAUNCH WE'RE
ABLE TO INCREASE CAPACITY BY 20
MILLION TESTS IN DECEMBER 2020
WEN I REPORTED LAST, WE HAD
IMPACTED THE TESTING LANDSCAPE
BY ABOUT 100 MILLION TESTS AND
THERE'S LABORATORY POINT OF CARE
HOME AND SO FORTH ARE CUMULATIVE
CAPACITY IN OCTOBER 2021.
WE JUST PASSED OVER A BILLION IN
TERMS OF THE ACCUMULATIVE
CAPACITY AND WE'RE AT 35EUEs
ISSUED WITH THE FIRST OVER THE
COUNTER HOME.
THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL
AUTHORIZATION HAS BEEN ABOUT A
BILLION DOLLARS RECEIVED AND
SPENT AND A FAR GREATER AMOUNT
OF CAPITAL AT LAST ABOUT $1.3
MILLION.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO IMPACT
NATIONAL POLICY.
AT FIRST WE THOUGHT THIS WAS
JUST A TECHNOLOGY PROBLEM AS
WE'VE GONE DEEPER IN THE RABBIT
HOLE IT'S ABOUT WILL PEOPLE
ACCEPT THE TECHNOLOGIES AND USE
THEM AND IN EARLY SEPTEMBER THE
PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED HOME TESTING
IS PART OF HIS PLAN FOR MANAGING
THE PANDEMIC.
THERE'S MANY AREAS OF TARGET FOR
HOME TESTING WORK,
ENTERTAINMENT, SCHOOL, THE
ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED A $3
MILLION PROCUREMENT OF TESTS
WE'VE BEEN ENCOURAGING OVER THE
COUNTER TESTS.
WE HAVE TWO MAJOR IMPLEMENTATION
ARMS YOU MAY THINK THOSE AS THE
LABORATORY EVALUATION PROGRAMS
FOR RADX.
ONE IS WHEN TO TEST DOT ORG AND
A SECOND IS SAY YES COVID TEST A
DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND
EVALUATION PROGRAM FOR
UNDERSTANDING EFFECTIVENESS AND
EFFICACY.
SO WHEN TO TEST DOT ORG AND I
ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO LOOK AT,
AT ITS CORE ARE CALCULATIONS FOR
DETERMINING ABOUT WHAT
ORGANIZERS AND INDIVIDUALS NEED
IN TERMS OF TEST.
THE INDIVIDUAL TESTICLE
CALCULATOR IS FAIRLY NEW AND HAS
LOTS OF RELEVANCE NOW AS MORE
OVER THE COUNTER TESTS ARE
ROLLING OUT.
HOW DO YOU DEPLOY AND MANAGE A
TEST AND HOW OFTEN DO YOU NEED
TO TAKE THEM.
STUDIES WE SUPPORTED IN RADX IN
THE PAST YEAR HELPED PROVIDE
GREATER INSIGHT ON THIS AND THE
NEED TO DO MULTIPLE TESTS IF
YOU'RE AT RISK FOR EXPOSURE IN
THE COURSE OF A WEEK.
THE VALUE OF SEQUENTIAL TESTING
AND THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF
THINGS YOU CAN FIND IN THE
CALCULATOR.
IT WALKS YOU THROUGH WITH A
WHOLE SERIES OF QUESTIONS THAT
ARE NOT VERY COMPLICATED SO I
ENCOURAGE YOU TO TRY AND GIVE
FEEDBACK ON WHAT YOU THINK AND
WE HAVE MORE THAN 50,000 USERS
AND HAVE IT FOR ORGANIZATIONS TO
MAKE DECISIONS WITH PLAYBOOKS
AVAILABLE AND LINKS TO PROJECTS
N95 TO WHEN INDIVIDUALS CAN DO
PURCHASING AND ORGANIZATIONS CAN
BE PURCHASING AND GET ADDITIONAL
GUIDANCE.
IF YOU'RE REALLY IN THE ASPECT
OF HOW THE CALCULATOR WORKS, YOU
CAN GO IN AND MODIFY AND CHANGE
VACCINATION RATES AND CHANGE HOW
WELL YOUR MASKS WORK SO THERE'S
A LOT OF FLEXIBILITY BEHIND THE
SCENES OR USE DEFAULT
PARAMETERS.
THE SECOND IMPLEMENTATION ARM IS
THE SAY YES PROGRAM IN THE O.D.
AND THIS HAS BEEN A SPECTACULAR
DEMONSTRATION OF HOW TESTS CAN
MOVE OUT.
THE PRINCIPLE WE'VE USED IS THE
WE'VE SUPPORTED IN RADX AND IT'S
MOVED INTO MULTIPLE DIFFERENT
SETTINGS.
IT'S A COLLABORATION ALSO WITH
RADX PROGRAMS THAT DUE CRI AS
WELL AS THE UNC CENTER FOR THE
COORDINATING CENTERS FOR RADX
U.P.
THERE'S SEVEN SITES THAT HAD
TESTS ROLLED OUT.
THEY'RE FRE TESTS.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF THE HAM
NEW HAMPSHIRE SAY YES PROGRAM
AND IN A DAY AND A HALF THE
ENTIRE STATE WAS BLANKETED AND
ORDERED A MILLION TESTS AND THE
POPULATION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE IS A
LITTLE OVER A MILLION SO
EVERYONE BASICALLY ORDERED A
TEST.
SIMILAR THINGS HAPPENED IN
HAWAI'I.
WASHINGTON IS ALSO IN THIS
PROGRAM, THE STATE OF
WASHINGTON.
THERE'S SEVEN DIFFERENT SITES
WHERE IT'S BEEN ROLLED OUT AND I
ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO LOOK AT
THIS.
IT'S A SPECTACULAR PROGRAM THAT
INVOLVES TARGETED AREAS AS WELL
AS FOLLOW-UP TO UNDERSTAND HOW
WELL PEOPLE USE THE TEST AND
WHAT'S THE EFFICACY OF AT HOME
TESTING AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE
ABLE TO ASSESS EFFECTIVENESS
OVER TIME BUT HAVE LOTS OF
EVIDENCE THAT FREQUENT TESTING
CAN BE EFFECTIVE.
IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT PLATFORM
WORK, WE'VE HAD TO BUILD DIGITAL
HEALTH PLATFORMS SO PEOPLE CAN
HAVE ONLINE FULFILLMENT OF
TESTS.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GO ONLINE
AND LOOK AT THE WEBSITE AND CAN
ORDER TESTS FROM THE INTERNET,
FROM YOUR PHONE.
THERE'S ALSO COMMUNITY
DISTRIBUTION SITES.
COMMUNITIES CAN GO ONLINE AND
GET TESTS DISTRIBUTED TO THOSE
AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS CAN STOP
BY AND PHYSICALLY PICK THEM UP.
SO THAT DIGITAL HEALTH PLATFORM
HAS BEEN BUILT BY ANOTHER
PERFORMER WE'VE BEEN WORKING
WITH SINCE THE BEGINNING, CARE
EVOLUTION.
THERE'S MANY FEATURES THAT ARE
BUILT INTO THE APP OR THE
WEBSITE THAT'S IN THIS PLATFORM.
ONE OF THE PUZZLES TO SOLVE IS
IS IT POSSIBLE NOT JUST TO ORDER
TESTS AND ALSO ONLINE TO GET
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THEIR USE, HAVE
VIDEOS AND SYMPTOM SURVEYS AND
SO FORTH BUT HOW TO REPORT THAT
INFORMATION ANONYMOUSLY TO
PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITIES.
LEAD BY NIBIB FOLKS WHO ARE
EXPERTS IN THIS AREA, THEY'VE
BUILT A STRUCTURE WORKING WITH
THE OFFICE OFF THE NATIONAL
COORDINATOR AND APHL TO BE ABLE
TO TAKE INFORMATION, STANDARDIZE
DATA ELEMENTS, STRUCTURE NHL7
AND SEND IT TO BE SENT OUT TO
STATES.
WE'VE DONE THIS SUCCESSFULLY IN
SAY YES COVID TEST PROGRAM BUT
IT'S JUST A START AND WE'RE
HOPING TO BE ABLE TO ROLL THIS
OUT AT LARGER SCALE.
NOT EVERYBODY WANTS TO DO THIS.
WE CAN ENVISION A TIME IN THE
FUTURE WHEN EVERYONE WILL DO
THIS.
HOW WILL WE GET THERE?
WE'RE BUILDING THE HIGHWAYS OR
ROADS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN AND WILL
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE
STAKEHOLDERS LIKE FDA AND CDC TO
HELP FACILITATE THIS.
EVERYONE IS WORRIED ABOUT
VARIANTS.
IN JANUARY AS SOON AS THE FDA
ISSUED THEIR FIRST WARNING OF A
TEST THAT MAY BE IMPACTED BY
VARIANTS WE STARTED A TASK
FORCE.
THE TASK FORCE IS DESIGNED FIRST
TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF
VARIANTS ON TEST PERFORMANCE NIK
NUCLEIC ACID TESTS AND DESIGN
TESTS WITH SNIP CHIPS AND
THERE'S THE ROSLYN DATABASE IT'S
A BIOINFORMATICS COMPANIES AND
HAVE A SPECTACULAR SET OF TOOLS
AND ARE AT THE CORE OF WHAT WE
DO.
THEY TAKE THE SEQUENCE PROVIDERS
PROVIDERS.
WE LOOK AT THE PRIMERS THE
COMPANIES USE, THIS IS
PROPRIETARY INFORMATION AND DO
RAPID SURVEILLANCE TO LOOK AT
WHETHER TESTS ARE LIKELY TO BE
IMPACTED FOR COMPANIES THAT MAKE
EPITOPE MAPPING WE CAN DO A
SIMILAR THING.
BASED ON THE INITIAL SCREENS AND
WHATEVER THE FDA ASKS US TO SO
WE'VE GONE BEYOND RADX TESTS AND
LOOK AT ANY TESTS AT SCALE IN
THE COUNTRY AND DO TESTING IN
THE VALIDATION CORE.
I SHOULD UPDATE THIS.
THERE'S MORE THAN 150,000
SAMPLES IN OUR BIO BANK AT EMORY
AND THAT ALLOWS FOLLOW-UP
LABORATORY TESTING OF THE
PERFORMANCE OF EVERY ONE OF
THESE TEST PLATFORM.
YOU CAN IMAGINE WE'RE DEEP INTO
THIS NOW WITH OMNICRON AND
HOPEFUL TO GET SPECIMENS BUT
ALSO LOOKING AT SYNTHETIC
SAMPLES AND THIS IS A
MULTI-AGENCY EFFORT AND EMORY,
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON AND OUR
TEAM.
THE COMPANION PIECE IS WORKING
WITH THESE TO IDENTIFY THE 16
MARKERS.
WE STARTED WITH 48 MARKERS AND
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE IT DOWN
TO 16.
THIS ALLOWS US TO LOOK AT NUMBER
ONE, THE POSITIVITY OF A SAMPLE,
IT'S LINEAGE.
ALL THE VARIANTS OF CONCERN
INCLUDING OMNICRON AND MUTATIONS
THAT MAY BE OF BIOLOGICAL
INTEREST.
IN THE PROCESS OF VALIDATING THE
16 MARKER AND BY THE TIME I MADE
THE SLIDES WHICH WAS A WEEK AGO
AND TODAY WE NOW HAVE A FOUR
MARKER FASTER APPROACH WHICH IS
REFLEX SAMPLING THAT CAN
DISTINGUISH BETWEEN OMNICRON AND
DELTA QUICKLY USING THE SAME
THERMO FISHER PLATFORM THAT CAN
BE ROLLED OUT TO ANY LABORATORY
IN THE COUNTRY AND WE'RE IN THE
PROCESS OF VALIDATING THAT.
THAT WILL START NEXT WEEK.
THE ADVANTAGES OF THE APPROACHES
IS THAT THEY'RE EFFECTIVELY REAL
TIME IN TERMS OF IDENTIFYING
VARIANTS.
THE CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND THE
PRICE PER TEST IS SUBSTANTIALLY
LESS THAN NGS AND THERE'S
GREATER ACCESS.
THESE ARE ADAPTABLE TO MOST
LABS.
SURVEILLANCE IS GOING ON AT A
ROUGHLY 3% TO 5% POSITIVE
SAMPLES BUT IT COULD BE ELEVATED
TO A HIGH LEVEL AS MUCH AS 50%
PERHAPS AND CAN BE MODIFIED
QUICKLY.
I HAVE NEW VARIANT INTEGRATION
AT 4 TO 6 WEEKS AND I CAN TELL
YOU WE'RE FASTER THAN THAT.
WITH THE APPEARANCE OF OMNICRON
WE'VE BEEN ABLE GET NEW VARIANT
INTEGRATION IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS.
A LOT OF THE POTENTIAL FOR THE
FUTURE DISRUPTION IN THAT AREA
IS IN NANO SCIENCE AND NANO
TECHNOLOGIES.
SOMEWHAT SURPRISING TO US WE
LOOKED AT OUR WHOLE PORTFOLIO OF
APPLICATIONS.
ABOUT 16% OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF
APPLICATIONS AND NANO PARTICLES.
SOME ARE PRETTY ESOTERIC AND
WE'VE SOLD TESTS WITH NANO
SCIENCE AND THE BEST EXAMPLE IS
THE ILLUME TEST USING AN
OPTO-ELECTRONIC DESIGN WITH
SOURCES AND DETECTERS AND THE
READ OUT IS DONE WITH QUANTUM
DOTS ON THE SHELVES OF
PHARMACIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
YOU CAN ORDER THEM FROM AMAZON.
WE HELPED ACCELERATE THE PROCESS
AND IT WAS BEING INCUBATE D AND
THIS USES PROBES INITIALLY
IMMOBILIZED IN THE LUMEN OF THE
PORES.
YOU CAN READ OUT TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF SENSOR ELEMENTS AND
IT'S POSSIBLE AT SOME POINT IN
THE FUTURE OUR AT HOME
DIAGNOSTIC TESTS WILL LOOK LIKE
OUR ELECTRONIC DEVICES LIKE WE
HAVE AT HOME FOR COMMUNICATIONS,
MEMORY STORAGE AND SO FORTH.
EVERYONE HAS HEARD ABOUT THE
DIFFICULTIES WITH REPORTING
INFRASTRUCTURE.
INFORMATION YOU SEE WHEN YOU
READ ABOUT IT IS NOT ACTUALLY
REAL TIME INFORMATION AND IT
OFTEN CAN TAKE QUITE A LONG TIME
FOR THAT TO BE REPORTED TO
PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITIES.
WE'RE ALSO NOT DOING SUFFICIENT
SCREENING AND SURVEILLANCE.
LAST SUMMER THE MULTIPLIER
BETWEEN WHAT THE COUNTRY SAID WE
HAD IN CASES AND THE TRUE NUMBER
OF CASES WAS ABOUT 6X.
WHEN SAID THERE WERE 3 MILLION
CASES IN JUNE OR JULY LAST YEAR,
THERE WERE ACTUALLY 18 MILLION
CASES.
THAT MULTIPLIER HAS REDUCED OVER
TIME BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE
TESTING GONE ON BUT
FUNDAMENTALLY WE NEED MORE
SCREENING AND SURVEILLANCE AND
TESTING.
AN APRIL 2020 THERE WERE TESTS
DONE AND IN OCTOBER TO 21, WE
ESTIMATED 240 MILLION AND IN
DECEMBER THERE WILL BE ABOUT 400
MILLION TESTS AND WE'VE SHIFT
FROM LABORATORY DOMINATED AS WE
WERE EARLY ON TO POINT OF CARE
AND OVER THE COUNTER TEST
DOMINATE AND WE MAKE IT ON
LAGGING AND INCOMPLETE DATA.
THIS SHOULD BE NUMBER FOUR.
MAYBE SHOULD BE NUMBER THREE.
THE COST OF TESTS THE DEMAND
EXCEEDS THE SUPPLY.
AND IN THE SIMPLE ECONOMIC WORLD
VIEW IF WE CAN TIP THAT BALANCE
WE MAY BE ABLE TO REDUCE COSTS.
WE HAVE OTHER IDEAS ON HOW TO
REDUCE THE COSTS AND WE'VE
CREATED A PROGRAM CALLED I TAP
INDEPENDENT TEST ASSESSMENT.
A COLLABORATION BETWEEN NIH AND
FDA TO ACCELERATE OVER THE
COUNTER AUTHORIZATIONS AND OUR
GOAL IS TO ADD TESTS TO THE
MARKET IN THREE MONTHS.
WE LAUNCHED AT THE END OF
OCTOBER.
WE'RE ABOUT ON TARGET TO DO
THIS.
HOPEFULLY IN JANUARY WE'LL HAVE
ANOTHER 100 MILLION OR SO TESTS
ROLLED OUT.
THERE'S CURRENTLY 10 UNDER
EVALUATION AND GOING THROUGH ALL
THE DATA COLLECTION TO GET
EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION.
EACH ONE HAS A VERY CUSTOMIZED
WORK PLAN IN ORDER TO GET TO
THAT POINT.
AND YOU'LL HAVE TO USE YOUR
IMAGINATION OR YOU CAN LOOK AT
THIS EDITORIAL IN NATURE BY A
TECHNOLOGY WHICH I RECALL IS
FROM EARLY RADX HAS BEEN GREAT
IN ACCELERATING THINGS BUT WHO
IS GOING TO PAY FOR ALL THESE
TESTS AND HOW ARE WE REALLY
GOING TO USE THEM IN
PERSONALIZED PRECISION MEDICINE.
THAT'S THE CHALLENGE.
POTENTIALLY IT'S AN ENDURING
TRANSFORMATION.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO LEVERAGE ALL
THESE THINGS AND ALL THESE
INVESTMENTS TO MAKE IT LASTING
FOR HOW WE DO HEALTH CARE.
WE HAVE MULTI-PLEX TESTS IN PO C
AND LABORATORY SETTINGS.
THESE ARE NEW APPROACHES THE
GENOTYPING FOR COST EFFECTIVE
SURVEILLANCE POSSIBLY IN FORMING
THERAPIES AS THEY BECOME
WIDESPREAD AND REAL TIME
REPORTING AND THEY'RE BUILDING
THE HIGHWAYS AND THE NETWORKS TO
MAKE THAT HAPPEN AND A BIG
CHALLENGE IS TO DO LOWER COST
TESTS WHICH WE NEED TO INCREASE
THE SUPPLY AND INTRODUCE FURTHER
AUTOMATION AND ALTER SOME OF THE
DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS WHICH ADD
QUITE A LOT OF COSTS TO THE
TESTS.
HOW DO WE LEVERAGE ALL OF WHAT
WE'VE DONE?
THE NETWORKS AND THE
TECHNOLOGIES AND MAKE THEM WORK
FOR OTHER PATHOGENS AND APPLY
THIS ALL TO PRECISION MEDICINE
AND THAT'S A QUESTION GOING
FORWARD AND ONE FOR GREAT
DISCUSSION.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR
ATTENTION.
>> WE HAVE ABOUT 10 MINUTES FOR
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
WHO WOULD LIKE TO START US OFF,
PLEASE?
>> IN THINKING ABOUT THE
PARADIGM LANDING AND WHERE WE
ARE COMPARED TO WHERE WE WANT TO
BE AND ARE THERE PLACES WHERE
YOU THINK THE FUTURE HAS ALREADY
ARRIVED WELL?
AND I ONLY HAVE LITTLE ANECDOTAL
THINGS FROM PEOPLE WHO SAY WELL,
WHEN I TRAVEL TO GERMANY THE
STATE OF TESTING THAT EVERYONE
CROSSING THE STREET WAS TESTING
THEMSELVES.
I ONLY HAVE THIN DATA BUT
CURIOUS IF YOU KNOW OF PLACES
WHERE YOU SEE THE STATE YOU
WOULD LIKE US TO GET TO AND WHAT
IT WILL TAKE TO GET THERE.
>> I COMBINATION OF WHAT'S GOING
ON IN EUROPE AND ASSETS IN THE
U.S. IS PROBABLY THE TRUE
SOLUTION.
IN EUROPE WE CAN POINT TO
SUBSTANTIAL GOVERNMENT
SUBSIDIES.
AS YOU KNOW THE PRESIDENT HAS
COMMITTED $3 MILLION TO TEST
PROCUREMENT.
THAT'S PRETTY GOOD BUT IT'S
PRETTY SMALL AND IF YOU THINK
ABOUT THE ENORMOUS CHALLENGE OF
TESTING ALL AMERICANS THAT WOULD
BE IN THE 1-1.5 BILLION TESTS A
MONTH.
THAT'S A PRETTY LARGE NUMBER FOR
FULLY SUBSIDIZED SUSTAINABLE
EFFORT.
THIS HAS BEEN DEBATED HEAVILY IN
THE PRESS.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO FOCUS KIND
OF FROM OUR WORLD OF TECHNOLOGY,
WHICH IS ABOUT ALL WE HAVE
CONTROL OVER IS TO TRY TO GET
THE COST OF THE TEST DOWN TO
WHERE THEY ARE COULD BE
AFFORDABLE AND FROM SURVEYS, WE
FIND THAT PEOPLE SAY THEY WOULD
TEST OFTEN IF THE TESTS COST
AROUND $2, $2-4 AND THINK IT'S
ACHIEVABLE NOT BY TIPPING THE
SUPPLY BUT INTRODUCING
EFFICIENCIES IN AUTOMATION,
LABELLING, PACKAGING AND THE
DISTRIBUTION AND BROKEN DOWN
WHERE THE COSTS ARE AND LOOKED
AT IT AS AN ENGINEERING WORK
FLOW DESIGN PROBLEM.
NOW, ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO
FULLY IMPLEMENT THAT.
THAT WILL DEPEND ON THE
CONTINUED FUNDING OF THE
PROGRAM.
THAT'S WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE SO IN
EUROPE THERE'S BEEN SPOTTY
QUALITY OF TESTS.
THE FDA HAS A HIGH BAR BY
COMPARISON IN TERMS OF
PERFORMANCE.
WE FORMED THIS NEW COLLABORATION
WITH THE FDA, ITAP GIVING A
BUFFER ZONE ALLOWING US TO BE
THE INDEPENDENT EVALUATORS AND
HELP FACILITATE THE APPLICATIONS
IF THE COMPANIES TO THE FDA.
THAT IS DRAMATICALLY
ACCELERATING THIS PROCESS AND I
THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED
AS A NATION FOR AN ENDURING
SYSTEM AND STRUCTURE.
BECAUSE AS ANY OF YOU WHO HAVE
GONE THROUGH THE FDA FOR
REGULATORY APPROVAL OF VIRTUALLY
ANYTHING YOU KNOW IT CAN BE HARD
TO UNDERSTAND OFTEN AT THE
OUTSET EVEN WITH YOUR EXPERT
GUIDANCE AND OFTEN TIMES IT GOES
BACK AND FORTH AND BACK AND
FORTH.
IMAGINE IF YOU COULD GET IT
RIGHT THE VERY FIRST TIME IN THE
APPLICATION, YOU KNOW WHAT THE
FDA WAS THINKING.
ALL THOSE QUESTIONS WERE
ANSWERED IN ADVANCE AND ALL OF
YOUR DATA WERE REALLY ORGANIZED
AND IN ORDER.
THAT'S KIND OF THE IDEA BEHIND
ITAP.
DO WE WANT TO SACRIFICE
PERFORMANCE?
WE KNOW IN EUROPE THERE'S SOME
TESTS THE FDA -- I WON'T NAME
NAMES, HAS COME OUT AND SAID IF
YOU FIND THIS TEST THROW IT IN
THE TRASH CAN IT DOESN'T WORK
VERY WELL.
WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THOSE
TESTS.
THERE IS A BAR OF PERFORMANCE
AND 80% SENSITIVITY FOR THE
RAPID ANTIGEN TESTS THEY'VE
ESTABLISHED IN PART WITH OUR
INPUT AND CONTRIBUTION.
IT INITIALLY STARTED AT 90%.
THEY'RE RELAXED IT DOWN BASED ON
EVIDENCE WE AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO PROVIDE.
I THINK WE'RE IN A GOOD SPOT
WITH PERFORMANCE BUT WE HAVE TO
GET THE PRICES DOWN.
>> THEY'RE MORE LIKE $10 TO $20?
WHAT IS SUB -- SUBSIDIZED AND
WHAT ISN'T?
>> IT'S IN THE COST OF THE
RETAIL OR SALES OUTLET IN
REDUCING THEIR MARK UP BUT THE
ACTUAL NUMBER OF HANDS THE TEST
HAS TO PASS THROUGH AFTER IT
GETS OUT OF MANUFACTURING SO THE
TRUCKS THE PEOPLE AND THE
WAREHOUSE AND THAT WAREHOUSE,
THEY ADD SOMEWHERE AROUND $8 TO
$10 PER TEST ON TO THE COST.
SO COST I THINK THE LEAST
EXPENSIVE ONE IS FROM IHEALTH.
YOU CAN ORDER IT ONLINE IT'S
ABOUT $7 PER TESTS.
YOU CAN BUY A PACK OF TWO TESTS
QUIDEL AND BINAX $5 OR $10.
>> SO WE'VE GOT ROBERTA AND THEN
SHELLEY AND WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE
MINUTES, BRUCE.
>> WE'RE TRYING TO DRIVE IT ON
LARGER SCALE BUT RIGHT NOW THERE
IS NO OTHER DRIVING FORCE TO
MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
THE CDC ARE NOT ALWAYS
ENTHUSIASTIC.
PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITIES ARE
NOT ALWAYS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT
GETTING THE DATA.
WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND THE
FDA THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.
SOME FOLKS IN THE CDC THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT.
WILL BE AN ONGOING DISCUSSION.
>> THE OTHER QUESTION IS WHETHER
IT'S POSSIBLE THAT ALL OF THIS
TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT IN
INDIVIDUAL AND POINT OF CARE AT
HOME TESTING COULD ADDRESS THE
CHALLENGE OF VACCINE RESISTANT
POPULATIONS AND IF THERE'S BEEN
ANY TARGETING OR MARKETING TO
THAT POPULATION THAT INCREASES
AT LEAST THE SELF-SURVEILLANCE.
>> THAT'S PART OF THE ONGOING
ACTIVES THEY IDENTIFY REGIONS OF
HIGH PRIORITY AND THOSE ARE SOME
REGIONS FOR ROLLOUT.
>> AND I TOOK THE WHEN TO TEST
SURVEY.
IT'S GREAT.
IT'S EASY PEESY AND IT'S GREAT
AND TELLS YOU AND GIVES A SENSE
OF YOU'RE SAFETY OR YOU GOT TO
GET TESTED NOW OR YOU'RE OKAY.
>> THE WHOLE THING IS SO
CONFUSING.
PEOPLE OFTEN SAY I DON'T
UNDERSTAND.
THIS IS JUST A DECISION ASSIST
DEVICE.
WE USE IT TO PICK RESTAURANTS.
WE MAY AS WELL USE IT TO FIGURE
OUT WHEN TO TEST.
>> LET'S HAVE ONE FINAL QUESTION
FROM SHELLEY AND BRUCE.
WE HAVE TWO MINUTES.
PLEASE, SHELLEY.
>> IT'S PRETTY QUICK.
BRUCE, I WAS AT A FAMILY
GATHERING AND THE NEXT COUPLE
DAYS LATER ONE OF THE FAMILY HAD
YOUNG CHILDREN AND HAD A FALSE
POSITIVE FROM AN
OVER-THE-COUNTER RAPID ANTIGEN
AND EVERYBODY THERE TEST.
WE MUST HAVE INVESTED ABOUT $500
IN THE OVER THE COUNTER TESTING
GROUPS.
MY QUESTION THE NANO PORE
CAPABILITY SOUNDS TERRIFIC.
I WONDERED HOW FAR IS THAT FROM
AVAILABILITY?
WHAT WILL THE PRICE POINT BE?
I DON'T THINK AS YOU SAY, YOU
HAVE TO GET THE PRICE DOWN TO
GET PEOPLE TO USE THESE.
>> WE WANT TO MAKE PERFECT TESTS
AT A LOW COST AND I'LL DEFER MY
ANSWER TO PERHAPS A FUTURE ACD
MEETING AND WE CAN UPDATE YOU ON
THAT BUT FALSE POSITIVES
UNFORTUNATELY ARE A CONSEQUENCE
OF THIS.
THEY'RE PRETTY LOW IN THE 2% TO
4%.
A BIG STUDY BY BINEX SAID
THEY'RE ABOUT 4%.
IF YOU'RE SYMPTOMATIC OR ARE
KNOWN EXPOSURE THE PERFORMANCE
OF THE TEST IS BETTER MINIMIZING
FALSE POSITIVES AND IF YOU DO IT
WITHIN 24 TO 36 HOURS BECAUSE OF
THE NATURE OF THE UNCERTAINTY
YOU CAN REDUCE THE RISK OF THE
OVERALL FALSE POSITIVE.
>> I WANT TO HAVE MONICA WEBB
HOOPER AND ALISON CERNICH TALK
ABOUT RADX UP AND MAKE SURE THE
FUNDS FROM CONGRESS ARE REACHING
OUT TO UNDER SERVED POPULATIONS
WHO WE KNOW IS BEEN HIT
EXTREMELY HARD BY COVID-19 AND
ALSO OFTEN IN A PLACE WHERE
TESTING IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR
VARIOUS REASONS.
THIS WAS A BIT BOLD.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT CONGRESS
WANTED TO US PARS THINGS THIS
WAY AND IT'S BEEN AN EXCITING
PROGRAM.
I'LL TURN IT OVER TO YOU.
>>
>> THANK YOU, I'M HERE TO TALK
ABOUT THE INITIATIVE.
RADX UP IS ONE COMPONENT OF THE
OVERALL INITIATIVE.
IT'S THE COMPONENT FOR WHICH
RATHER THAN DEVELOPING NEW
TECHNOLOGIES IS FOCUSSED ON
ALREADY FDA AUTHORIZED OR
APPROVED OR CLEARED TECHNOLOGIES
AND APPLYING COMMUNITY ENGAGED
RESEARCH METHODS TO INCREASE
BOTH ACCESS AND UPTAKE OF
COVID-19 TESTS IN UNDER SERVED
AND VULNERABLE POPULATIONS SO
THEY ARE NOT LEFT BEHIND.
THUS FAR RADXUP HAS OCCURRED IN
TWO PHASES AND WE'LL HAVE THE
FULL LAUNCH OF THE SECOND PHASE.
THE OVER ARCHING FOCUS IS ON
INTERVENTIONS TO REDUCE COVID-19
HEALTH DISPARITIES THROUGH
INCREASING TESTING AS THE
PRIMARY STRATEGY.
HERE'S THE TESTING RESEARCH
PROJECTS THE SOCIAL ETHICAL AND
BEHAVIORAL IMPLICATIONS OR SEBI
PROJECTS AND THE RETURN TO
SCHOOL PROJECT.
THE TESTING PROJECTS ARE SEEKING
TO EXPAND CAPACITY TO TEST
BROADLY IN HIGHLY AFFECTED
POPULATIONS AND UNDERSTAND
FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO DIS
T
TTO
TO DISPAIRITIES AND THERE'S
UNDERSTANDING AND ADDRESSING THE
ETHICAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS
WITH TESTING AND UPTAKE.
THE RETURN TO SCHOOL PROJECT
YOU'LL HEAR FROM DR. CERNICH
WERE INITIATED AND FOCUSSED ON
EVALUATING TESTING STRATEGIES IN
SCHOOL SETTING TO MAINTAIN
LEARNING IN A SAFE WAY AND I'LL
FOCUS ON THE TESTING AND SEBI
PROJECTS.
ACROSS THE RADX CONSORTIUM THE
ULTIMATE FOCUS IS TESTING
BROADLY AMONG TRADITIONALLY
UNDER SERVED GROUPS OR GROUPS
VULNERABLE TO COVID-19 INFECTION
AND SEVERE DISEASE DUE TO
MEDICAL COMORBIDITIES, AGE,
OCCUPATION, AND SOCIAL
DETERMINATES.
LIVING SITUATION IS ONE EXAMPLE.
AND TO INFORM THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF SPECIFIC AND BUNDLED
MITIGATION S SUCH AS EDUCATION
PROGRAMS AND VACCINATION.
AND ALLOW US TO UNDERSTAND THE
SET OF QUESTIONS OR THE COMMON
DATA ALMO COLLECTION WILL AID IN
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF RADX
AT THE CONSORTIUM LEVEL AND IN
CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHICS.
SO RADX HAS A RESEARCH
INFRASTRUCTURE FOR DATA SHARING
AND TO GENERATE KNOWLEDGE NOW IN
THE FUTURE PHASE 1 OF RADX
AWARDED GRANTS IN ADDITION TO
THE COORDINATION AND DATA
COLLECTION AND PHASE 1 WERE TO
GRANTEES WITH ESTABLISHED
RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURES AND
PARTNERSHIPS.
>> 11 AWARDS FOR PHASE 2 AND
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPLEMENTS.
AND FOR PROJECTS WITH THE
TESTING RESEARCH PROJECTS
INTERVENTIONS IN PHASE WE HAVE
10 COMPETITIVE REVISIONS AND
WILL SOON ANNOUNCE THE NEW
TESTING PROJECTS.
AND IN TOTAL PHASE 2 WILL ADD 59
NEW STUDIES AND EXPAND THE
POPULATION TO YOUNG PEOPLE
EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND
MEDICAL COMPLEXES.
AND WE UNDERSTAND FORMING
COLLABORATION WITH INITIATIVES
ALSO FOCUSSED ON ADDRESSING
COVID-19 DESPAIR -- DISPARITIES
AND THOSE AWARDED TO PHASE 1
PROJECTS.
THESE WERE PART OF A
COLLABORATION WITH THE COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT ALLIANCE AGAINST
COVID-19 DISPARITIES OR THE SEAL
INITIATIVE.
IT'S DEVELOPING AND PROVIDING
TRUSTWORTHY SCIENCE BASED
INFORMATION THROUGH ACTIVE
COMMUNITY ENGAGE
THE AND OUTMENT -- ENGAGEMENT TO
THOSE HARDEST HIT AND INCLUSIVE
PARTICIPATION IN RESEARCH.
AND THEY ARE STRATEGIC AND RADX
COLLABORATIONS DESIGNED TO
EXPAND THE OUTREACH AND
EDUCATION EFFORTS TO PROMOTE
TESTING AND FOSTER VACCINE
ACCEPTANCE AND UPTAKE.
PROJECTS SUPPORTED THROUGH THE
COLLABORATION ARE APPLYING
CULTURALLY CONGRUENT MODELS AND
LEVERAGING RESOURCES DEVELOPED
BY SEAL AND WORKING BIG OTHER
SEAL TEAMS AND BY APPLYING
CONCEPTS TO ADDRESS HESITANCY
AND ENCOURAGE VACCINATION AT THE
POINT OF TESTING.
SO RADX UP IS AN EFFORT THAT
SPANS MOST THE COUNTRY.
THERE ARE RADX SITES IN
TERRITORIES AND THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA AND DOESN'T INCLUDE
THOSE TO BE AWARDED SOON.
MOST RADXUP PROJECTS ARE SEEKING
TO INVOLVE MORE THAN ONE
POPULATION.
THE FIGURE ON THE RIGHT
ILLUSTRATE THE NUMBER OF
PROJECTS FOCUSSED ON SPECIFIED
GROUPS AND ILLUSTRATE THE
DIVERSITY AND THIS WILL EXPAND
WHEN WE INCLUDE THE NEW MEMBERS.
IN NOVEMBER WE HAVE A SUMMARY
WITH THE FULL LAUNCH OF PHASE 2
THERE'S OVER 100 PROJECTS
ENROLLED OVER 850,000 PEOPLE AN
CONDUCTED OVER 900,000 COVID-19
TESTS.
THERE'S SUBMITTING COMMON DATA
ELEMENTS.
THE CDC ADMINISTERS THE
COMMUNITY COLLABORATION GRANT
PROGRAM MADE 23 AWARDS TO
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS FOR
THEIR OUTREACH AND TESTING WORK,
AND ALSO THE RAPID RESEARCH
PILOT PROGRAM WHICH AWARDED NINE
GRANTS AND THERE'S 37 JOURNAL
PUBLICATIONS AND MORE UNDER
REVIEW.
I WANT TO MENTION FINDINGS FROM
TWO PUBLISHED PAPERS.
THIS IS FROM THE BALTIMORE AREA
AND HYPER DATA AND COMMUNITY
BASED TESTING AS WE KNOW
NATIONAL DATA ARE INCOMPLETE AND
CAN MISS LOCAL COMMUNITY
CHALLENGES.
THIS PROJECT RESPONDED TO HIGH
POSITIVITY RATE AMONG LATINOS
AND PARTNERED WITH LEADERS AND
WORKERS.
THE DATA WERE COLLECT EED SUMMER
AND FALL AND FOUND A POSITIVITY
RATE 31.5% COMPARED TO WHITE
PERSONS 3.4% SO IT WAS TEN TIMES
GREATER AND 8% FOR BLACK OR
AFRICAN AMERICAN PERSONS AND
AMONG THOSE WHO TESTED POSITIVE
VERSUS NEGATIVE WERE MORE LIKELY
TO REPORT SPANISH AS THEIR
PREFERRED LANGUAGE AND TO BE
YOUNGER AND HAVE A LARGER
HOUSEHOLD SIZE.
STUDIES LIKE THIS ARE IMPORTANT
BECAUSE THEY HELP US IDENTIFY
AREAS FOR TARGETED COMMUNITY
COMPETENT AND ENGAGED
INTERVENTIONS WHICH IS PART OF
THIS TEAM'S GRANT.
THE PANDEMIC HAS IMPLEMENTED
NOVEL DIAGNOSTICS AND
SELF-TESTING OR HOME TESTING
KITS WE KNOW IS OF HIGH INTEREST
AND IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO
IMPROVE HIGH TESTING IF WE CAN
GET THE KITS TO AFFECTED
INDIVIDUALS.
THIS IS AN ANALYSIS OF 84 ADULTS
MEAN AGE OF 35 YERSYEAR AND
FOUND MOTIVATION TO PERFORM WAS
HIGH.
90% OF THESE ADULTS WERE
MOTIVATED TO DISTRIBUTE
SELF-TESTING KITS TO CONTACTS IF
THEY WERE INFECTED.
86% WERE MOST VA-- MOTIVATED IF IN
CONTACT AND IT WAS ASSOCIATED
WITH DEMOGRAPHICS LIKE ABOVE
AVERAGE INCOME AND COMPLETION OF
COLLEGE.
ANALYSIS OF FACTORS WITH THESE
MOTIVATION VARIABLES FOUND
MOTIVATION TO SELF-TEST AFTER
RECEIVING A KIT FROM A
POTENTIALLY INFECTED CONTACT WAS
ASSOCIATED WITH ABOVE AVERAGE IM
INCOME AND HISPANIC HERITAGE AND
THE SECONDARY DISTRIBUTION OF
COVID-19 SELF TEST KIT MAY BE
ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED UPTAKE
IN CASE DETECTION.
WE WOULD WANT TO THINK ABOUT THE
NEEDS OF LOWER SOCIO ECONOMIC
INDIVIDUALS OR LOWER MOTIVATION
AND INTERVENTIONS TO INCREASE
MOTIVATION AND BEHAVIOR IN THIS
POPULATION.
THERE'S ALSO BEEN IMPORTANT
LESSONS LEARNED THAT WILL
CONTINUE TO BE STRENGTHENED
GOING FORWARD.
THE APPLICATION OF COMMUNITY
ENGAGED RESEARCH METHODS IS
FOUNDATIONAL TO RADXUP.
THEY REQUIRE PARTNERSHIP AND
ADDRESSING NEEDS.
WHAT WE LEARNED AMONG OTHER
LESSONS IS TESTING VACCINATION
STRATEGIES THAT ARE CULTURALLY
IMPORTANT ARE IMPORTANT FOR
INCREASING TRUST IN THE MESSAGES
AS INDIVIDUALS ARE TRYING TO
SORT THROUGH EVIDENCE-BASED
INFORMATION AND MISINFORMATION.
THE PROJECTS ALSO HAVE COMMUNITY
ADVISORY BOARDS OR STAKEHOLDER
GROUPS AS PART OF THEIR
COMMUNITY ENGAGED RESEARCH TO
PROVIDE KEY RECOMMENDATIONS AND
SUPPORT.
CONSENTING TO BE TESTING WE NEED
TO INCREASE THIS BEHAVIOR AND
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND GAINING
TRUST AND BEING FLEXIBLE AND
NIMBLE AND PARTNERING WITH
COMMUNITY CLINICS VERSUS LARGE
HEALTH SYSTEMS TO REACH UNDER
SERVED POPULATIONS.
BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO
DR. CERNICH I WANT TO SAY ONE
WORD ABOUT THE RADXUP CDCC THE
GUIDING PRINCIPLES WHERE IT'S
WORKING AT DUKE UNIVERSITY AND
UNC CHAPEL HILL ARE CONSISTENT
AND THEY'RE WORKING TO HELP
CREATE THE COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE
WE ENVISIONED OR THIS
CONSORTIUM.
THE CDCC HAS THE MAIN CORES WITH
THEIR LEADERSHIP AND
ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM PROVIDING
SUPPORT TO THESE TEAMS WHICH IS
FACILITATING THE RESEARCH AT THE
PROJECT LEVEL.
I'LL NOW HAND IT OVER TO
DR. CERNICH TO DISCUSS THE
RETURN TO SCHOOL PROGRAM.
>> THANK YOU, MONICA AND THANK
YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
THE CDC HAS OPERATIONAL GUIDANCE
FOR RETURNING CHILDREN TO SCHOOL
BUT WHAT A LOT OF THE
COMMUNITIES WERE COMING TO US
AND SAYING THEY WERE IN THE
EVIDENCE-BASED AND WHAT THE
INITIATIVE TRIED TO DO IS
PROVIDE EVIDENCE OF THE
APPROACHES AND MITIGATION
STRATEGIES IN THE SCHOOL SETTING
ESPECIALLY IN UNDER SERVED AND
VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES INCLUDING
TARGETING SCHOOLS WHERE OVER 50%
HAD REDUCED OR FREE LUNCH IN
THEIR SCHOOLS.
AROUND UNDERSTAND THE TESTING IN
THE SCHOOL COMMUNITIES.
LIKE WHAT YOU HEARD YESTERDAY.
THIS WAS A FAST-MOVING
INITIATIVE.
THE REASON IS MANY WERE AWARE
MANY SCHOOLS WORK ON A CALENDAR.
IF YOU'RE NOT IN A SCHOOL YOU
CAN'T GET TO STUDENTS.
WE MOVED FROM IDEA TO AWARD FOR
OUR FIRST PHASE OF THESE FROM
FEBRUARY TO APRIL AND JUNE AND
JULY.
WE USED THE OTHER TRANSACTION
AUTHORITY AN PROVIDES
FLEXIBILITY BECAUSE AS YOU
NOTICE IN OUR APPROACH WE
INITIALLY EMPHASIZED INCLUSION
OF ADOLESCENTS AND CHILDREN
UNDER 16 BECAUSE WHEN WE LAUNCH
C
WHO IS ELIGIBLE AND WE'RE
GETTING LOWER IN TERMS OF
VACCINE COVERAGE AND WE KNOW
VACCINATION RATES FOR CHILDREN
ARE NOT AS HIGH AS WE WOULD LIKE
AND UPTAKE IS NOT AS QUICK AS WE
WOULD LIKE.
WE'VE ALSO INCLUDED SCHOOL
PERSONNEL BECAUSE THEY'RE AT
RISK.
WE WANT TO MAINTAIN IN PERSON
INSTRUCTION NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF
THE LEARNING LOSS BUT LOSS OF
SUPPORTS LIKE NUTRITION.
SO WE WORE ABLE TO VERY QUICKLY
GET INTO THESE COMMUNITIES AND
TO INCLUDE A NUMBER OF UNDER
REPRESENTED MINORITIES AND
NATIVE HAWAIIANS AND OTHER
ISLANDERS AND TRIBAL NATION.
WE HAVE A GOOD REPRESENTATION OF
AGE IN VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
INCLUDING MIGRANT YOUTH AND
HOMELESS YOUTH AND INCLUDE
CHILDREN WITH COMPLEXITY OR
DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES.
THEY PARTICULARLY HAVE
DIFFICULTY WITH THE MITIGATION
STRATEGIES ADVISED BY THE CDC
SUCH AS MASKING OR PHYSICAL
DISTANCING AND THAT IS A
CHALLENGE FOR THE STAFF IN THESE
SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN
MAINTAIN SAFETY AND WELLNESS OF
THESE CHILDREN.
THE OTHER THING IS HAVING
CONCENTRATION IN SPECIAL
EDUCATION SCHOOLS AND EARLY
EDUCATION SITES AND TRIBAL
SCHOOLS.
WE HAVE A FAIRLY GOOD GEOGRAPHIC
DISTRIBUTION OF PROJECTS AND
WE'RE ALREADY IN THE SCHOOL
SETTING AND WE COULD IMPLEMENT
THE PHASE 2 AWARDED SITES WHERE
WE REQUESTED LETTERS OF INTENT
AND INVITED APPLICATIONS.
WE DO HAVE FAIRLY GOOD
GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE.
UNFORTUNATELY NOT AS MUCH IN THE
SOUTHEAST WHERE WE HAD A LARGE
SURGE OF CASES.
PRELIMINARY RESULTS.
THESE ARE MILESTONES BASED.
WE WERE ABLE TO SET TARGETS IN
TERMS IT OF WHAT THEY CAN TURN
AROUND.
WHAT WE'VE LEARNED ACROSS MANY
PROJECTS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO
RELEASE INITIAL RESULTS IN
AUGUST, TESTING IS FEASIBLE AND
ACCEPTABLE IN THE SCHOOL SETTING
CROSS A RANGE OF POPULATIONS.
THE OTHER IS AFTER WE
IMPLEMENTED TESTING PROGRAMS FOR
STUDENTS AND STAFF ESPECIALLY
AFTER EXPOSURE IF YOU HAD THE
EXPOSURE IN PLACE THE ACCESS TO
TESTING WAS INCREASED.
THEY SAW 37% INCREASE IN REGULAR
TESTING.
WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO REDUCE THE
NUMBER OF DAYS IN QUARANTINE AND
FOR PEOPLE WITH KIDS IN SCHOOL
IT'S SIGNIFICANT AND MOST THE
TIME THEY WERE ASKING FOR 10
DAYS IF EXPOSED AND THAT'S
INCREDIBLY DISRUPTIVE TO SCHOOLS
AND CHILDREN AND THIS PREDATES
THESE CHANGE SO WE'LL LOOK TO
THE FALL FOR WHAT THE CHANGES
WITH AND LEARNED SURVEILLANCE
AND POST-EXPOSURE AND YOU NEED A
REGULAR TESTING PROGRAM IN
PLACE.
THAT'S ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR
CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES.
WE HAD RESULTS PUBLISHED IN
PEDIATRICS IN A SUPPLEMENT LAST
MONTH.
QUANTITATIVELY WE'RE LEARNING
SOME OF THE MESSAGING WAS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT IN THE
SCHOOL SETTING.
THESE NEED TO BE SEEN AS SAFETY
MEASURES WITH THE MITIGATION
STRATEGIES AND GETS PEOPLE TO
PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH.
AND REALLY TRUSTED PARTNERS IN
THE SCHOOL SETTING ARE WA --
WHAT WE NEED WE GET INFORMATION
FROM RESEARCH AND INFORMATION
FROM NURSES AND MEDICAL
CONSULTANTS IN THEIR COMMUNITY,
THEIR PEDIATRICIANS AND WE NEED
DETAILED INFORMATION FOR
PARENTS.
THE COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS
IS IMPORTANT AND NEED TO KNOW
WHO IS TESTING THEIR KID AND
WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE GET
TESTED AND WHERE AND IF THEY THE
THAT THEY FEEL MORE CONFIDENT EN
TESTING PROGRAMS.
TWO EXAMPLES.
ONE IS COMING FROM SCHOOLS IN
TRIBAL NATIONS AND THEY FOUND IS
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.
NUMBER ONE, SCHOOLS NEED HELP
IMPLEMENTING THIS.
THEY HAVE LIMITED MEDICAL
PERSONNEL AND NEED THE SUPPORT.
AS WE LEARNED FROM OTHER STUDIES
RE-OPENING SCHOOLS DID NOT DRIVE
SPREAD.
THE REAL CHALLENGE IS RETURNING
TO SCHOOL.
ONLY 60% OF THEIR SCHOOL
POPULATIONS WERE RETURNING AND
WE'RE SEEING THIS IN OUR OTHER
SCHOOL POPULATIONS.
THAT'S CONCERNING.
WE'RE LOSING KIDS IN EDUCATION
AND EVEN WITH SAFETY MEASURES IN
PLACE AND MENTAL HEALTH IS A
SIGNIFICANT CONCERN AND THEY
NEED MORE RESOURCES FOR THIS.
THE OTHER IS WITH POPULATIONS.
WE NEED TO USE IN-HOME TESTING.
FAMILIES WILL ADHERE TO A
SCHEDULE.
THEY'LL LOG TEST AND REPORT
TESTS AND THAT'S HELPFUL IN
ENSURING THE KIDS ARE SAFE TO DO
TO SCHOOL AND WE'RE NOTIFIED
ABOUT POTENTIAL POSITIVE CASES.
IT'S ALSO GOOD TO KNOW FROM THE
PARENTS' PERSPECTIVE THEY DO
VALUE THE MITIGATION STRATEGIES
BUT WE HAVE WAYS TO GO TO
CONVINCE THEM THAT TESTING IS AN
IMPORTANT PART OF RETURNING
THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOL AND WA WHAT
WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE IT'S
A VALUE PIECE AND LOOK AT
SEROLOGY TO LOOK AT HOW TO
PREVENT OUTBREAKS OR CONTAIN
OUTBREAKS.
THE OTHER THINGS WE HOPE TO COME
FROM PHASE 2, WE'RE LOOKING AT
REDUCTION OF TRANSMISSION AND
INFORMATION ON MITIGATION
STRATEGIES AS MANY ARE AWARE,
SOME SCHOOLS ARE DROPPING ALL
MITIGATIONS.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THE BARRIERS
AND FACILITATORS OF TEST UPTAKE.
THE OTHER IS AS VACCINES ARE
ROLLING OUT SLOWLY WE NEED TO
KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT OF VACCINE
AND VACCINE HESITANCY ARE IN
THESE COMMUNITIES AND HOW THAT
IMPACTS TESTING UPTAKE.
WE'RE LOOKING TO DISSEMINATE THE
RESULTS SO TESTING IS AN
EFFECTIVE WAY TO CONTAIN
OUTBREAKS OR PREVENT OUTBREAKS
IN THE SCHOOL SETTING AND ALSO
WE'RE LOOKING AT SCHOOL
ATTENDANCE.
IF WE USE TESTING IS THAT HAVING
AN EFFECT ON ATTENDANCE FOR THE
KIDS OR INCREASING FEELINGS OF
SAFETY AND WHAT ARE THEIR
PERCEPTIONS OF TESTING.
AND FINALLY LOOKING AT HOW WE
HELP TO REDUCE THE QUARANTINE
TIME FOR KIDS WHO ARE EXPOSED.
THIS IS IMPORTANTLY IMPORTANT AS
THE TEST TO STAY APPROACHES
BEING IMPLEMENTED ACROSS THE
COUNTRY AND SO WHAT DOES THAT
MEAN WHEN WE SAY TEST TO STAY
AND THE PARAMETERS AND HOW MANY
DAYS TO STOP TESTING NEGATIVE
BEFORE WE STOP TESTING DAILY.
AND TWO PROGRAMS TO GET
INFORMATION THAT CAME FROM OUR
SECOND PHASE AWARDS LOOKING FOR
RESULTS.
ONE IS IN L.A. COUNTY.
THIS IS THE SECOND LARGEST
SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE UNITED
STATES AND HOPE THEY'RE
MONITORING CLOSELY THEIR SCHOOL
ATTENDANCE THE IMPACT OF TESTING
AND HAVE A LOT OF PROGRAMS
AROUND VACCINES AND VACCINE
HESITANCY AND HOPE TO LEARN A
LOT OF FROM THIS GROUP.
ALSO THIS IS THE FOURTH LARGEST
SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE COUNTRY
IN MIAMI AND THIS INCLUDES
MOBILE STRATEGIES AND WILL
INCLUDE INFORMATION FOR US ON
HEALTH INFORMATION AND VACCINE
CONFIDENCE AND THIS WILL
PROBABLY GIVE US MORE
INFORMATION AROUND THE
MITIGATION AND VARIATION
STRATEGIES AND HOW THE TESTING
IMPLEMENTATION WILL HELP PREVENT
OUTBREAKS.
WITH THAT I'LL TURN IT BACK TO
DR. HOOPER.
>> THANK YOU, ALISON.
OUR TEAM HAS BEGUN TO CONSIDER
FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR RADX UP.
SO PENDING SUITABLE FUNDING, WE
WOULD SEEK TO ACCOMPLISH A FEW
GOALS SUCH AS EXPANDING THE
REACH THROUGH ACCESS AND
IMPLEMENT WITH A FOCUS ON RAPID
TESTING INTERVENTIONS TO REDUCE
COVID-19 DISPARITIES AND ALSO TO
MAINTAIN THE PARTNERSHIP DRIVEN
APPROACH.
DOING THIS WITH STATE AND PUBLIC
LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS.
LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS OR NATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS.
THE FOCUS OF THE POTENTIAL NEXT
PHASE OF THIS WORK WOULD BE ON
RAPID ANTIGEN TESTING SUCH AS
WORKPLACES, SCHOOLS, CONCERTS
WHERE PEOPLE CONGREGATE AND SEEK
TO ANSWER RESEARCH QUESTIONS YOU
SEE HERE LOOKING AT THE SOCIAL,
ETHICAL AND BEHAVIORAL
IMPLICATIONS OF MITIGATION
STRATEGY MANDATES, TESTING AND
VACCINE MANDATES AND THEIR
IMPACT ON BEHAVIOR.
ALSO LOOKING AT NEW MODELS OF
TESTING AND OTHER TESTING SUCH
AS SEQUENCING TO HELP IDENTIFY
AND MITIGATE NEW VARIANTS.
LOOKING AT THE ROLE OF SOCIAL
DETERMINATES OF HEALTH AND
TESTING SPACE AND QUESTIONS
AROUND SURVEILLANCE AND IT'S
POTENTIAL TO HELP IDENTIFY CASES
THAT OCCUR IN VACCINATED PEOPLE
AND TO MINIMIZE TRANSMISSION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.
WE'RE DELIGHTED TO ANSWER
QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH.
WE'LL.
UP THE PRESENTATIONS FOR COMMENT
OR QUESTION.
ROBERTA, YOU HAVE YOUR HAND
RAISED.
FIRST, MY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE
RADXUP TEAM.
NOW THAT YOU'VE ACHIEVED SO MUCH
IN YOUR FUTURE PLANS WHETHER YOU
HAVE OR CURRENTLY HAVE THE
CAPACITY TO DERM SPEARS --
DETERMINE SPEARS OF INFLUENCE
AND YOU HAVE GROUPS DOING
STUDIES AND TO WHAT EXTENT CAN
YOU BEGIN TO ASK HERE'S THE
CORSET OF INNOVATORS, IF YOU
WILL, WHAT IS THEIR SPHERE OF
INFLUENCE AND THERE'S ONE GROUP
IN TEMPE, ARIZONA AND THAT'S
WHAT BROUGHT THE QUESTION UP.
>> ACROSS THE EFFORTS THAT FOCUS
ON HEALTH DISPARITIES WE THINK
ABOUT THE DOMAIN OF INFLUENCE
AND INFLUENCERS AND MESSENGERS
AND THE KEY POINT OF DELIVERY
THAT WOULD FACILITATE ACCEPTANCE
AND UPTAKE AS THE DATA CONTINUES
TO COME IN ABOUT THE VARIOUS
PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING SHARED
WITH OUR DATA COORDINATION
CENTER WE'LL HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO EXAMINE SOME
THINGS YOU'RE ASKING ABOUT AND
CAN ASSESS THE AND MANY PROJECTS
ARE WORKING WITH COMMUNITY BASED
HEALTH CLINICS AND NATIONAL AND
LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS AND WORKING
WITH LOCAL LEADERS AND ELECTED
OFFICIALS AND SOME ARE LOOKING
AT ON THE GROUND METHODS SUCH AS
COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, WORD
OF MOUTH.
IT VARIES.
WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE
DIFFERENT MESSENGERS AND THE KEY
POINTS OF DELIVERY ESPECIALLY IN
THINKING HOW TO ENHANCE AND MAN
MAN -- MAINTAIN TRUST AND I
THINK IN THE COMMUNITY ENGAGED
RESEARCH WILL AB LBU LBUT -- ALLOW US
TO ANSWER THE QUESTION YOU'RE
ASKING.
>> KRISTINA, DID YOU HAVE A
QUESTION?
>> NO, THAT ANSWERED IT.
PHENOMENAL WORK.
THANK YOU.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION FOR FRANCIS
AND LARRY IN PARTICULAR AND IT'S
GREAT TO SEE THE SPEED BUT I
WONDER IF THERE'S THOUGHTS ABOUT
THE NORMAL PROCESSES OF NIH
REVIEW AND SUBMISSION BEYOND THE
COVID TECHNOLOGIES UP TRYING TO
CHANGE THE WAY WE DO SCIENCE.
>> THAT'S A NICE BIG WONDERFUL
QUESTION TO CONTEMPLATE.
I DO THINK A PANDEMIC HAS
INSPIRED OUR WHOLE INSTITUTION
TO COME UP WITH CREATIVE WAYS TO
MOVE WITH REMARKABLE SPEED.
YOU HEARD ABOUT BRUCE ABOUT
GETTING MONEY FROM CONGRESS ON
APRIL 21 AND START FUNNEL APRIL
29.
WE HAVE TO ASSUME IT'S NOT THE
RIGHT THING FOR EVERYTHING.
LONG.
NONI HAS LOOKED AT WAYS TO SPEED
THAT UP.
WE HAVE ARPA-H LOOMING AS AN
EXAMPLE OF A DIFFERENT APPROACH
BUT ONE THAT WOULD ONLY REALLY
FIT CERTAIN PROJECTS THAT HAVE
THAT KIND OF USE-DRIVEN NEED TO
MOVE SOMETHING FORWARD WITH
PARTNERSHIPS THAT COULD BE
DEVELOPED ON THE SPOT AND HAS A
GOAL OF 120 DAYS HAVING A
PROJECT GO FORWARD FROM A
DIRECTOR TO HAVING IT STARTED.
THAT WOULD BE PRETTY SWEET TO BE
ABLE TO DO THAT.
YOU RAISE A GOOD POINT AND WE'VE
BEEN BANGING AWAY AT THIS.
WE STAND TO GO ANOTHER NOTCH
FURTHER.
LARRY, IT WILL BE YOUR PROBLEM
SO DO YOU WANT TO COMMENT ON
THIS.
>> AS THE CASE IN THE
INSTITUTION AND OTHERS ON THE
CALL, OUR STAFF HAVE WORKED
INCREDIBLE HOURS AND INCREDIBLE
PRESSURE TO MAKE SURE THINGS GET
DONE IN AS RAPID A WAY AS
POSSIBLE.
THEY UNDERSTAND AND IT'S THEIR
OBLIGATION AND DUTY TO THE WORLD
BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, I DON'T
THINK ONE COULD OR EVEN SHOULD
EXPECT THE STAFF TO MAINTAIN
THAT PACE FOR LESS URGENT OR
NON-PANDEMIC CIRCUMSTANCES.
THAT SAID, WHERE WE CAN
STREAMLINE, WHERE WE CAN ADD
ADDITIONAL EFFICIENCIES, WHICH
WE HAVE LEARNED THROUGH THIS
MANY MONTHS OF ACTIVITY, WE'RE
GOING TO DO THAT BUT WE NEED TO
BALANCE IT AGAINST THE WELL
BEING OF OUR STAFF WHICH I'M
SURE YOU'RE ALL DOING AT YOUR
INSTITUTIONS AS WELL.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS FROM THE DROUP?
-- GROUP?
OKAY.
I DON'T MIND UP PICKING UP A
LITTLE BIT OF TIME, FRANCIS.
>> I DON'T MIND EITHER.
WE SHOULD PROBABLY PRESS ON TO
NEXT TOPIC SO NEXT TOPIC SAY --
IS A SHIFT TO A PUBLIC-PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP YOU HEARD ABOUT
YESTERDAY PARTICULARLY FROM
COMMENTS FROM FRANCIS CUSS.
THIS WOULD BE THE LATEST
ADDITION TO THE AMP FAMILY IS
NOT FOCUSES ON ALZHEIMER'S OR
DIABETES OR THE RAREST DISEASES
AND THOSE BEING ULTRA RARE
GENETIC DISORDERS WHERE GENE
THERAPIES BEGIN TO SHOW PROMISE
BUT WHERE THE DIFFICULTY IN
MOUNTING SUCH CLINICAL TRIALS IS
RATHER DAUNTING IF YOU'RE AN
ACADEMIC INVESTIGATOR AND FOR
MANY OF THESE THERE WON'T BE A
LOT OF COMMERCIAL INTEREST
BECAUSE OF THE EXTREMELY SMALL
MARKET.
THIS IS AN EFFORT GATHERING
MOME
MOMENTUM AND INTRODUCING
DR. JONI RUTTER WHO HAS THE LEAD
IN THIS PROGRAM PROGRAM FROM THE
NIH SIDE WORKING WITH COLLEAGUES
IN INDUSTRY TO TELL YOU ABOUT
THE BESPOKE GENE THERAPY
CONSORTIUM.
OVER TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION
TO SPEAK TO THE ACD TODAY.
LOOKING AT THE LINEUP, BGTC DID
NOT ROLL OFF THE TONGUE LIKE
OTHER ACRONYMS.
I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT BY
THANKING PARLY PJ BROOKS AND
GREG LA ROSA FROM PFIZER AND AS
WELL AS COURTNEY SILVERTHORN AND
BRAD COMPARE -- GAREISSON AND I
DIDN'T WANT TO START WITHOUT
THANKING THESE FOLKS.
GENE THERAPY IS NOT A NEW
APPROACH.
THERE'S STILL MAJOR HURDLES WITH
GENE THERAPY THAT NEED FOCUSSED
EFFORT TO MOVE THE NEEDLE AFTER
DECADES OF VARIED EXPERIENCE AND
AS FRANCIS MENTIONED THERE'S
OVER 7,000 RARE DISEASES AND
ONLY ABOUT 5% HAVE A THERAPY.
THAT'S A PROBLEM.
THE GOOD THINGS IS THAT FOR
ABOUT 80% OF THOSE RARE DISEASES
WE KNOW THERE IS A SINGLE GENE
DEFECT THAT CAUSES THE DISEASE
BUT TRANSLATING THAT INTO A
THERAPEUTIC HAS BEEN REALLY THAT
DECADES LONG CHALLENGE AND
TRYING IT DO SOMETHING
DIFFERENT.
THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE GENE
THERAPY APPROVED LIKE TREATMENT
OF SPINAL ATROPHY AND THE GENE
THAT CAUSES SMA.
THAT'S A START BUT THERE'S AN
OPPORTUNITY HERE FOR BROADER
BENEFITS AND THE QUESTION IS HOW
DO WE GET THERE.
THE IDEA WITH THE BGTC IS TO
INCLUDE ADENO ASSOCIATED GENES
FOR THE VARIETY OF AGAINST TO BE
DELIVERED TO THE TARGET CELLS
AND TISSUES.
AND AS FRANCIS ALSO MENTIONED
THE TARGETED DISORDERS THAT
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE THOSE OF
THE RARE OR ULTRA RARE VARIETY.
THESE ARE PATIENTS WITH DISEASES
OF PREVALENCES OF TENS OR MAYBE
HUNDREDS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH THE
DISEASE YET THEY MAKE UP THE
THOUSANDS OF DISEASES OF RARE
DISEASES AND THEREFORE THOUSANDS
OF PEOPLE IN NEED OF TREATMENTS
AND SO THIS PROGRAM IS REALLY
SOMETHING THAT PROMISES HOPE FOR
THAT.
THE OTHER THING WAS THE IDEA OF
COMMERCIALIZATION AND THE
COMMERCIAL INTEREST AND BECAUSE
THESE ARE RARE DISEASES, THAT'S
QUITE LOW.
AND SO IF THERE'S A WAY WE CAN
REDUCE COSTS AND PERHAPS
STREAMLINE THE PROCESSES THAT
WILL STRENGTHEN PRE-CLINICAL AND
TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE AND
REGULATORY SCIENCE NEEDED WE CAN
GET THERE.
SO BGTC WAS LAUNCHED IN OCTOBER
TWO MONTHS AGO AND WE PUBLISHED
OUR FIRST RFAs LAST WEEK.
WE'RE JUST GETTING START AND IT
WILL TALK ABOUT THE PLANS TO
DATE.
THIS IS A HIGH LEVEL VIEW OF
WHAT THE BGTC IS GOING TO DO.
WE WILL BUILD CAPABILITIES
THROUGH TWO MAIN GOALS.
THE FIRST GOAL IS TO SUPPORT AAB
BIOLOGY AND THERE'S TYPES THAT
CAN TARGET CELLS AND TISSUES.
WE KNOW AAVs ARE THE MOST
RELIABLE AND SAFE OF THE
DELIVERY VEHICLES BUT FAR FROM
OPTIMIZED.
AND THERE'S HIGH DOSES TO BE
DELIVERED AND HOW SO HOW CAN WE
ENHANCE SPECTER GENERATION AND
ENHANCE THE THERAPEUTIC GENE
EXPRESSION AND THIS CAN REDUCE
THE DOSE, REDUCE THE NUMBER OF
EMPTY CAPSIDS AND REDUCE SIDE
AFFECTS AND WITH THAT WE SEE AN
INCREASE OF EFFICIENCY IN ORDER
OF MAGNITUDE IN TERMS OF
DELIVERY THIS KIND OF THERAPY.
THE SECOND MAJOR GOAL IS TO
STREAMLINE THE VECTOR GENERATION
PROCESS TO HAVE APPLICATIONS NOT
AS SERIES OF ONE-OFFS.
THIS WILL ALLOW US TO THINK OF
GENERATION AND EVERY --
OVERSIGHT WITHOUT BEING DONE DE
NOVO AND BGTC IS DESIGNING
ESSENTIALLY A STANDARD VECTOR
MENU AND PROCESS MENU AND
STANDARD DELIVERY MENU SO WE CAN
HAVE TEMPLATES THAT ARE
AVAILABLE TO RESEARCHERS THAT
APPLY AND ADAPT THIS APPROACH TO
AS MANY RARE DISEASES THAT ARE
AMENABLE TO GENE THERAPY.
THAT'S THE TWO-PRONGED APPROACH
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT AND
I'LL GIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE
DETAILS ON BOTH OF THESE.
FOR THE VECTOR OPTIMIZATION
THERE'S TWO RFs ARE OPEN AND ONE
WILL LOOK AT EVERY STEP IN THE
PATHWAY OF THE ENVIRONMENT LIFE
CYCLE AND INVOLVED IN THE
BIOLOGY OF HOST PRODUCER CELLS
TO INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY OF
PRODUCING THESE HIGH-QUALITY OR
CLINICAL GRADE AAV GENE THERAPY
VECTORS.
GOING FROM THE NUMBER ONE IN THE
CELL HERE IS VIRAL GENOME
REPLICATION AND PATHAGING AND
PACKAGING AND THE VIRAL GENOMES
TO PRODUCE PRODUCTIVE VIRUSES
AND THE TRANSPORT AND ANY WHAT
MIGHT AFFECT THE PROCESSES.
ALL ALONG TE WAY THERE'LL BE
STANDARD TESTS FOR THE PROCESSES
AND THEY'LL BE BROADLY
APPLICABLE TO ALL VIRAL VECTORS
ON THE STAGE.
ON THE OTHER SIDE WE'RE FOCUSSED
ON DEVELOPING THE METHODS TO
STUDY THE BIOLOGY OF AAV IN
TARGET CELLS TO ENHANCE THE GENE
EXPRESSION FOR WHAT'S GOING TO
BE SEEN IN PATIENTS.
HERE WE'RE LOOKING AT EVERYWHERE
FROM THE VIRUS INFECTED CELL TO
THE ENDOALSOME --
ENDOSOMAL STATE AND THE VIRAL
GENOMES AND ANY POST EXPRESSION
EVENT SUCH AS TRANSLATIONAL
MODIFICATIONS AND TRAFFIC OF THE
GENES AND WE'RE LOOKING FOR
STANDARD TESTS IN CELLS TO MAKE
SURE WE ARE SEEING IMPROVEMENT
IN THESE TYPES OF STUDIES FOR
ALL THE DIFFERENT VECTORS.
AND WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE
THE RESULTS WILL ULTIMATELY BE
ABLE TO BE USED TO IMPROVE THE
TARGET CELLS RELATED TO THE
DISEASES AND DISORDER RELATED TO
THE BGTC PROGRAM I'LL TALK ABOUT
IN A MOMENT.
THAT'S THE WORDS OF WHAT I JUST
SAID SO YOU HAVE BOTH FORMATS.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S
CROSS-TALK AND LEARNINGS ACROSS
THE GROUPS WORKING TOGETHER IN
THE BGTC TO HAVE NOT JUST
SCIENTIFIC EFFICIENCY AND
OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES IN THE
VARIETY OF EFFORTS THAT ARE
GOING TO BE ONGOING.
WE MENTIONED THE SMA IS ONE
APPROVED GEN THERAPY AND OF
COURSE THERE'S MANY OTHERS FOR
RARE DISORDER.
SMA IS SORT OF A ONE-OFF
THERAPY.
THERE'S GOOD EXAMPLES OF GENE
THERAPY IN ANIMAL MODELS AND
PROOF OF CONCEPT STUDIES THAT
HAVE WORKED WELL.
THE BOTTLENECK HAS BEEN GETTING
THEM TRANSLATED INTO THE CLINIC.
A KEY CONCEPT WITH BGTC IS TO
REUSE THE VECTOR PLATFORM, IF
YOU WILL, AND THE PROCESSES THAT
GET GENERATED FOR THAT.
THEY CAN BE APPLIED TO OTHER
BESPOKE THERAPIES AS OFFSHOOTS
RENDERED BY THE DONUT SHAPED
FIGURES AT THE BOTTOM.
THE BITS IN YELLOW WOULD BE
PROCESSES THAT WE COULD HAVE
STANDARDIZED METHODS FOR.
MANY OF US GREW UP IN THE LAB
WITH THE PROTOCOLS AND ONE OF
THE THINGS WE'D LIKE TO DO IS
BRING BACK THAT RECIPE BOOK AND
WE HAVE ONE FOR GENE THERAPY AND
CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT SO THERE'LL
BE A COOKBOOK SO WE DON'T HAVE
TO REINVENT THE WHEEL WHEN WE
WANT TO MAKE A GENE THERAPY FOR
A PARTICULAR DISEASE.
WORKING IN THE PUBLIC-PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP IS COMPETITIVE AND
THIS REMAINS TO BE SEEN BUT IT'S
A HUGE MOTIVATOR TO LOOK FORWARD
TO BUILDING SOMETHING LIKE THIS
AND HAVE A PLATFORM TO GENERATE
MORE GENE THERAPIES TO BE BEN
BENEFICI
BENEFICIAL.
I TALKED ABOUT THE CLINICAL SIDE
OF THINGS AND WANTED TO GIVE A
SENSE OF THE PILOT GETTING
STARTED TOO.
THE SUBMISSION PROCESS IS IN THE
LOWER HAND PART OF THE SLIDE AND
THIS WILL FEED INTO AND INFORM
THE VECTOR BIOLOGY AND GENE
EXPRESSION WORK ONGOING IN THE
NEXT TWO YEARS ONCE THE AWARDS
ARE MADE AND THEY'LL INFORM THE
OTHER TWO RFAs ON THE VIRAL AND
GONE EXPRESSION BIOLOGY TO
TARGET THE DISEASES THAT NEED TO
BE TARGET.
AND WE HAVE A PROCESS TO
NOMINATE THESE POTENTIAL
DISEASES TO BE STUDIED IN THE
BGTC BUT WE CAN ONLY PICK FIVE
TO SIX.
SO WE NEED A VERY PROCESS FOR
SELECTING THE DISEASES.
THE CHARACTERISTICS FOR TE
DISEASES WE'LL LOOK FOR IS
THEY'LL NEED TO HAVE A CLEAR
MONOGENIC CAUSE AMENABLE TO AAV,
THEY CAN'T HAVE A COMMERCIAL
BUSINESS CASE AT THE MOMENT AND
NEED SUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO
ARE UP A TRIAL WITH END POINTS
FOR MEASURED QUICKLY AND ARE
THERE ENOUGH PATIENTS TO DO A
POWERED TRIAL.
THAT'S WHAT WE'LL LOOK FOR IN
THE DISEASE NOMINATION PROCESS.
AT DOWN SELECTION WILL TAKE
PLACE AND LOOK AT OTHER
CONSIDERATIONS SUCH AS COST AND
THE ABILITY TO SECURE AN AAV
MANUFACTURING PIPELINE AND
PATIENT AVAILABILITY AND IN
ADDITION TO PROGRAM DIVERSITY OR
CELL TYPE DIVERSITY, WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THERE IS PATIENT
DIVERSITY TOO.
WE'LL PAIR THOSE WITH THE VECTOR
MANUFACTURING UP PLACE TO
SUPPORT THE FIRST IN HUMAN
CLINICAL TRIALS UNDER BGTC.
A FEW NOTES, WE HAVE MANY I.C.s
AND THOSE IN THE BRAIN
INITIATIVE AND THERE'S 10 I.C.s
IN THE BRAIN INITIATIVE INVOLVED
IF THE NIH SIDE AND DIFFERENT
BIO PHARMAS PLAYING A ROLE FROM
THE PROJECT AND HANDFUL OF
PATIENT ADVOCACY GROUPS AND
PATIENT ORGANIZATIONS NOW AT THE
TABLE AND WORKING TOWARDS
IMPLEMENTING THIS PLAN AND
PROVIDING THE FIVE-YEAR PUBLIC
AND PRIVATE FUNDING.
AND A SHOUT OUT TO THE FDA
WITHOUT PETER MARKS BEING
INVOLVED, HIS LEADERSHIP AND
VISION AND CREATIVITY IN
THINKING WITH THE REGULATORY
FRAMEWORK NEEDED FOR A FRAMEWORK
LIKE THIS IS IMPORTANT AND
MOTIVATING FOR THIS PROJECT AND
I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO
THE FDA AND THEIR ROLE AND
ESPECIALLY PETER MARKS.
WE'RE THINK OF OTHER DOMESTIC
PARTNERS AND THERE'S INTEREST
FROM CANADA AND U.K. AND AGAIN
THIS IS A WAY IT LOOK AT WHAT
OTHER NATIONAL GROUPS AND LOOK
AT REGULATORY APPROACHES FOR
DOING THIS AND THE CALIFORNIA
INSTITUTE OF REGENERATIVE
MEDICINES.
THERE'S GOOD INTEREST NATIONALLY
AND INTERNATIONAL AND WE'LL BE
OPEN TO OTHER OPPORTUNITIES AS
WE GO FORWARD AND MOVE TO THE
PROGRAM.
I WANTED TO GIVE A HIGHLIGHT OF
THE STRUCTURE.
WE'RE EXCITED WE HAVE A BIT OF A
COMMITTEE STRUCTURE.
WE MET A COUPLE TIMES, THREE
TIMES NOW WITH OUR STEERING
COMMITTEE AND HAVE TEAMS
INVOLVED IN THE PATH FORWARD TO
GET THE LARGER PROGRAM UNDERWAY.
WE ALSO HAVE A TIERED MODEL OF
INVESTMENT PARTNERS AND HAVE A
BUDGET OF NEARLY $90 MILLION
OVER THE FIVE YEARS FOR THIS
PROGRAM AND SO THIS IS JUST
SHOWING THE IDEA IF THERE ARE
PARTNERS THAT WANT TO COME IN
ALONG THE WAY, THERE'S DIFFERENT
WAYS IN WHICH THEY MIGHT BE ABLE
TO GET INVOLVED.
THIS IS THE LAST SLIDE I HAVE.
THIS SHOWS THE TIME LINE AND
DELIVERABLES FOR THIS PROGRAM.
WE LAUNCHED AT THE END OF
OCTOBER GOT OUR INITIAL RPs OUT
LAST WEEK AND AIM TO HAVE AWARDS
SELECTED BY Q2 OF '22 AND THE
DISEASE SELECTION SHORTLY
THEREAFTER AND BEGIN CLINICAL
TRIALS STARTING FY23 MAKING KEY
DECISIONS THERE AND BY THEN OF
THE PERIOD WE WOULD HAVE THE
REGULATORY FRAMEWORK AND THE AAV
CLINICAL MANUAL BY THE END OF
THAT AWARD PERIOD.
SO THAT IS THE BGTC IN A
NUTSHELL AND I HOPE UP FUTURE
ACD MEETING TO GIVE A DEEPER
SENSE OF HOW THAT'S GOING AND
WITH THAT I ALSO WANT TO TAKE A
MOMENT TO PERSONALLY THANK
FRANCIS FOR HIS HELP IN SUPPORT
IN GETTING THIS UP AND RUNNING.
THE AMP PROGRAM HAS BEEN A HUGE
SUCCESS UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP
AND THE BGTC IS A WAY TO ADD TO
THAT SUCCESS.
THANK YOU, FRANCIS FOR YOUR
HELP.
WHO KNOWS, PERHAPS THE BGTC MAY
PAVE THE WAY FOR GENE EDITING
AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU FOR
YOUR ATTENTION AND I'LL TAKE ANY
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
>> THANKS, VERY MUCH, JONI.
FRANCIS, I WAS WONDERING, BEFORE
WE START WITH QUESTIONS, DID YOU
WANT TO SAY A WORD ABOUT THE
ROLE THE FOUNDATION HAS BEEN
PLAYING ON THESE MANY EFFORTS
NOT JUST THIS ONE BUT OTHERS AS
WELL?
>> I THINK THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
RUN THE ACCELERATING MEDICINES
PARTNERSHIP NOR THE ACTIVE
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP ON
COVID YOU HEARD ABOUT YESTERDAY
WITHOUT THE FOUNDATION.
THEY'VE BEEN AN INCREDIBLE
PARTNER FOR US.
MARIA FERER AS THE CEO AND
PRESIDENT DID EVERYTHING TO MAKE
THOSE KINDS OF THINGS FEASIBLE
AND DAVID WOLLY SERVING AS THE
ACTING PRESIDENT AND CEO HAS
JUST GOT REMARKABLE SKILLS IN
WAYS IN WHICH THESE PARTNERSHIPS
CAN BE ASSEMBLED AND IMPLEMENTED
AND MANAGED.
THEY HAVE RECRUITED AN
INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVE TEAM OF
PROJECT MANAGERS WHO HAVE ALL
THE RIGHT SKILLS TO MAKE THESE
COMPLICATED EFFORTS GO FORWARD
WHO HAVE THE CREDIBILITY IN BOTH
THE ACADEMIC AND GOVERNMENT AND
INDUSTRY COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE
ALWAYS GOT THEIR EYES ON HOW TO
SET CLEAR MILESTONES,
GUIDELINES, GO/NO-GO DECISIONS
AND THE CREDIBILITY IN THIS
SPACE AND THAT'S BEEN TRUE FOR
THE BGTC.
NOW THAT DAVID WOLLY STEPPED UP
TO BE ACTING CEO AND PRESIDENT
COURTNEY SILVERTHORN STEPPED IN
AND IS A PERSON OF OBVIOUS
EXPERIENCE AND TALENT.
I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT JUST
WHAT A CRITICAL PARTNER THEY'VE
BEEN IN ALL THESE PARTNERSHIPS
WHICH HAS BEEN A BIG FOCUS IN MY
12 YEARS TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE
HAD THE CHANCE TO BRING SECTORS
TOGETHER, LET'S DO THIS BUT YOU
HAVE TO HAVE A WAY OF MAKING
THAT A REALITY AND FNIH HAS BEEN
A BIG PART OF THAT WAY.
>> LET'S BEGIN WITH COMMENTS AND
QUESTIONS.
KRISTINA, YOU'RE FIRST.
>> THANK YOU, SO MUCH
DR. RUTTER.
LOVED IT.
IT'S A MULTI-PART QUESTION MAYBE
BECAUSE I'M IN FINALS AND GIVING
MULTI-PART QUESTIONS.
NOT AN EXPERT BUT WHAT I
UNDERSTAND SMA IS ONE OF THE
FIRST BREAKTHROUGH DISEASES
ABOUT THIS PLATFORM AND WHAT WAS
IT ABOUT SMA THAT LENT ITSELF TO
THIS CURE AND IT'S ONLY FOR KIDS
UNDER 2.
I'M WONDERING IF IT JUST WORKS
FOR KIDS UNDER 2 OR A
COINCIDENCE AND WHY'S IT SO
EXPENSIVE AND HOW CAN WE REDUCE
COSTS?
>> IT'S NOT JUST FOR KIDS UNDER
2, THANK GOODNESS BECAUSE IT
HOLDS PROMISE FOR A LOT OF
PEOPLE.
PART OF SMA IS THE VECTOR ITSELF
THAT WAS DEVELOPED THAT ALSO
LEADS TO YOUR SECOND QUESTION,
THE COST ISSUE.
THERE'S MAJOR CHALLENGES.
ONE IS WE'RE ADDRESSING A COUPLE
OF THEM WITH THE BGTC THAT'S THE
HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY AND THE
YIELDS BEING USED BUT EACH OF
THE VECTORS AND DIFFERENT TYPES
CAN TARGET DIFFERENT CELL TYPES.
THAT SPECIFICITY IS SOMETHING
WE'RE INTERESTED IN ENSURING WE
DON'T HAVE GENE THERAPIES THAT
JUST GO TO ONE AND HIGHER YIELDS
AND THE COST OF CONSUMABLES AND
RAW MATERIALS ARE SOME THE
THINGS.
PROBLABLY THE BIGGEST ISSUE ARE
MANUFACTURING AND THERE'S
BOTTLENECKS IN THE
MANUFACTURING.
RIGHT NOW THERE'S A TWO-YEAR
WAIT IN THE QUEUE FOR
MANUFACTURING THESE TYPES OF
GENE THERAPY AAV VECTORS AND
THEY'RE BEING ADDED BUT STILL
INADEQUATE TO MEET DEMANDS IF
YOU LOOK AT THE SUBMISSIONS IN
THE FDA THEY'RE STARTING TO
CREEP UP AND HAVING DIFFICULTY
HANDLING THE NUMBERS OF THOSE.
AS WE START TO BOOST THOSE
MANUFACTURING QUEUES, I THINK
THAT BOTTLENECK IS PART OF THE
COST CHALLENGE.
THIS AND THE REGULATORY
LIMITATIONS ARE SOME OF THE
LIMITATIONS THAT HAVE A HIGH
BURDEN ON WA IT TAKES TO SHOW
PROOF OF PRINCIPLE TO SHOW THOSE
I & D STREAM LINES IF WE CAN
STREAMLINE THIS IT'S A REAL
CHANCE OF REDUCING THE COSTS AND
IF WE CAN STREAMLINE THE
MANUFACTURING AT THE SAME TIME
THE TWO COMBINED I HOPE WILL
MAKE A BIG DENT IN THE COST OF
DOING THIS BUT NOT ONLY THAT,
ALSO IN THE TIME IT TAKES TO BE
ABLE TO GET FROM CLINICAL TO
CLINICAL THERAPY.
>> THANKS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I HAVE FRANCIS CUSS AND ALEXA
AND THEN SHELLEY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT'S SO EXCITING TO SEE WHERE
THE AMP HAS GOT TO AND WHAT IT'S
ADDRESSING WHICH IS SO SORELY
NEEDED.
I UNDERSTAND IT'S PRETTY
COMPETITIVE BUT CAN YOU SAY A
WORD ABOUT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
WHICH IS ALWAYS AN INTERESTING
ISSUE AND HOW DO YOU SEE THE
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
COMMERCIALIZING GOING FORWARD.
OBVIOUSLY ONE MODEL FOR THESE
COMPANIES TO TAKE FORWARD AND I
GUESS ANOTHER MODEL MIGHT BE FOR
PHILANTHROPY AND WHERE'S THE
THINKING?
>> THE RESULTS WILL BE SHARED
WITH PARTNERS AND MADE AVAILABLE
TO THE FIELD TO MOVE TOGETHER IN
THAT SPACE.
IF THERE ARE THOUGH INSTANCES
WHERE IT MAKES SENSE FOR SOME
COMMERCIALIZATION TO HAPPEN, WE
HAVE A PROVISION TO ALLOW FOR
THOSE INSTANCES AS AGREED UPON
WITHIN THE BGTC.
THERE'S EXCEPTIONS BUT FOR THE
MOST PART IT'S PRETTY
COMPETITIVE AND WITH THE HOPE OF
BUILDING THIS BIG PLATFORM AND
IN FIVE YEARS MAKING SURE IT'S
DEMO
DEMOCK -- DEMOCRATIZED.
>> THIS IS INTERESTING WITH
THEMES RESONATING AND LOVE THE
CONCEPT OF A PLATFORM USABLE IN
OTHER AREAS.
MY QUESTION COMES FROM BOTH THAT
PRECEDED ME.
THINKING HOW YOU THINK THERE IS
NO BUSINESS CASE AROUND THEM?
WE'VE SEEN INVESTIGATORS AND
INDUSTRY TACKLING THESE
UNSUCCESSFULLY AND I WOULDN'T
WANT THAT TO LIMIT RESEARCH IN
SOME IMPORTANT AREAS.
>> IT'S A GOOD POINT.
IN THIS NOMINATION PROCESS, I
THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT
WE'LL BE EVALUATING BUT WE DON'T
WANT TO BE SEEN AS COMPETING
WITH COMPANIES WHO ARE CURRENTLY
TRYING TO PUT SOMETHING FORWARD.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT THAT'S
INTENDED TO DO.
IF THOSE COMPANIES DOMINATE A
PARTICULAR DISEASE TO GO THROUGH
THIS PLATFORM MAY BE A REASON
WHY WE CONSIDER IT AT THE TIME
BUT REALLY IT'S SIMPLY IT'S NOT
TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH THOSE
WORKING IN THIS SPACE ON A
PARTICULAR DISEASE.
>> TO STAY ON TIME, SHELLEY,
LAST WORD, PLEASE.
>> I'LL TRY TO BE QUICK.
I THOUGHT IT WAS A WONDERFUL
PRESENTATION AND SO EXCITING.
WE USE THESE VECTORS IN MOUSE
MODELS AND WOW, THEY'RE AMAZING.
SO EXCITING AND FROM AN AGING
REGENERATIVE MEDICINE POINT OF
VIEW THERE'S SO MUCH GOING ON.
I HAVE A QUESTION ON HOW YOU'RE
GOING FORWARD WITH THE FUNDING.
AS I UNDERSTAND YOU WERE GOING
TO SELECT FIVE TO SIX DISEASES.
ARE YOU ALSO GOING TO FUND A
SERIES OF GRANTS TO INVESTIGATE
THE BASIC BIOLOGY AND I DIDN'T
QUITE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE.
>> SORRY THAT WAS CONFUSING.
THE RFAs ON THE STREET ARE FOR
THE BIOLOGY PART OF THE AAV
BIOLOGY PART AND THOSE ARE FOR
THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF THE
PROGRAM.
AND SO THEY'LL BE FUNDED WITH
THE BGTC SUPPORT AND ALL THE
DATA WILL BE USED TO INFORM, OF
COURSE, HOW WE THEN SELECT THE
CLINICAL STUDIES GOING FORWARD
FUNDED SEPARATELY THAT THE TIME.
>> I SEE, THANK YOU.
SO EXCITING.
>> THANK YOU.
>> FRANCIS, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT
OVER TIME.
SO SHALL WE HAVE FOLKS COME BACK
AT 2:05 AS ADVERTISED?
>> I THINK WE CAN PROBABLY MAKE
THAT WORK.
SO YES, PEOPLE, ENJOY YOUR 12
MINUTES.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO TURN YOUR
VIDEO OFF AND GO GRAB A BITE IF
YOU HAVEN'T HAD ENOUGH ALREADY
OR A CUP OF COFFEE AND
REASSEMBLE AT 2:05 EASTERN.
>> I HOPE EVERYBODY GOT A BRIEF
BREAK BUT IT'S NOT A GOOD TIME
TO FADE AWAY IN MATERIALS OF
FOCUS BECAUSE WE HAVE IMPORTANT
DISCUSSIONS AHEAD.
THIS IS AN UPDATE UP THREE
DIFFERENT SEGMENTS ABOUT OUR
INITIATIVES ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY
AND INCLUSION AND ACCESSIBILITY,
DEIA.
I THINK 2020 WILL CERTAINLY BE
REMEMBERED BY MANY PEOPLE ON
THIS CALL AND PERHAPS BY HISTORY
NOT JUST FOR THE WAY IN WHICH
THE WORLD WAS DISRUPTED AND
DEVASTATED BY THE WORSE PANDEMIC
IN MORE THAN A CENTURY,
COVID-19, BUT ALSO BY THE
RECOGNITION OF RACISM IN AMERICA
BY GEORGE FOREMAN AND WE AT THE
NIH ARE SEEING THAT MORE CLEARLY
THAN BEFORE WERE DETERMINED NOT
TO WALK AWAY FROM THE
REALIZATION BUT TAKING ACTION.
FEELING THE NEED TO EXPRESS
SORROW AND APOLOGIES THAT HAVE
THINGS THAT HAVE GONE BY BUT NOT
STOPPING THERE AND SEEING WHAT
WE MAY BE ABLE TO DO TO CHANGE
WHAT IS PROBABLY CENTURIES OF
STRUCK -- STRUCTURAL RACISM AND
BRINGING TOGETHER TE PEOPLE WE
FELT WE COULD LEARN FROM AND
SEEKING TO MAKE CHANGES THAT
WOULD BRING US FORWARD IN A WAY
TO MAKE OUR WORKFORCE DIVERSE TO
LEAD TO GREATER PRODUCTIVITY AND
HEALTH DISPARITIES AGENDA
RE-ENLIVENED BIG THE IMPRESSION
THERE'S MORE WE COULD DO IN THAT
SPACE.
A BIG PART WHICH YOU HEARD ABOUT
BEFORE, ACD MEMBERS EXCEPT THOSE
BRAND NEW IS THE UNITE EFFORT
ACROSS NIH.
YOU'LL HEAR FROM THE CO-CHAIRS
FROM THE FIVE GROUPS.
EACH HAVE ONE OF THE FIVE
LETTERS OF THE WORD UNITE AS
THEIR IDENTIFIER.
THIS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED EFFORT
BRINGING PEOPLE FROM LEADERS AND
NOT SENIOR LEADERS BECAUSE WE
HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO LISTEN IN
WAYS WE HADN'T BEEN LISTENING
BEFORE AND UNITE AROUND SPECIFIC
GOALS AND THE MAKING OURSELVES
ACCOUNTABLE TO THAT HAVE COME A
LONG WAY IN THE SPACE OF TIME
AND A YEAR AGO WAS A BIT UNDER
THE RADAR UNTIL JANUARY OF 20th
OF THIS YEAR AND HAS BEEN A
LEADING FORCE FOR GOOD AND
TRYING TO RESHAPE THE VERY
NATURE OF OUR INSTITUTION AND
WILLINGNESS TO LOOK
UNFLINCHINGLY AT THINGS THAT
WERE NOT AS THEY SHOULD BE AND
MAKE A COMMITMENT TO CHANGE.
I WANT TO TURN THIS OVER THEN TO
THE FOLKS LEADING UNITE I WANT
TO GIVE CREDIT TO MARIE BERNARD
AND THE CO-CHAIRS OF THIS EFFORT
IN THIS VISIONARY EFFORT BROUGHT
TOGETHER ALMOST 100 PEOPLE TO
LEAD THIS FORWARD.
WE'LL NOW HEAR ABOUT WHERE THEY
ARE.
I'M NOT SURE WHO THE FIRST
PRESENTER IS I SHOULD BE CALLING
ON BUT I ASSUME THEY KNOW SO
WHOEVER YOU ARE COME FORTH AND
TAKE THE FLOOR.
>> THANK YOU, FRANCIS.
I'M MARIE BERNARD.
I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF
CO-LEADING THE OVERALL UNITE
INITIATIVE WITH LARRY TABAK AND
ALFRED.
IF NOT FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND
GUIDANCE BRINGING US TOGETHER IN
THE SUMMER OF 2020 THIS WOULD
HAVE NEVER HAPPENED.
THIS IS DRIVEN BY EVENTS OF 2020
AND UNVEILED THROUGH AN ADVISORY
COMMITTEE TO THE DIRECTOR AND
THE FOLLOWING MONTH THERE WERE
KILLING OF SIX ASIAN WOMEN THAT
PUT A PUNCTUATION POINT FOR US
TO LOOK AT RACIAL INJUSTICE IN
THE COUNTRY.
WE HAD MEETINGS OVER THE
MULTIPLE INPUTS AND IT LED TO A
COMMITMENT WE MUST NOT BE SILENT
AND THERE'S A REAL MOMENT UP.
-- MOMENTUM.
WE FEEL WE MUST ADDRESS THIS.
I WILL NOTE IT'S OVERALL EQUITY
AND INCLUSION AND ACCESSIBILITY
APPROACH AND THERE'LL BE A
COMPONENT OF THAT BUT AN INTENSE
COMPONENT.
WE HAVE FIVE INTERACTING WORK
STREAMS.
AND THE ROLE AND HOLDING
OURSELVES TO BE TRANSPARENT AND
BE ACCOUNTABLE AND FOCUSSING ON
THE EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH AND WA
STRUCTURE IS NECESSARY.
NOW TO THE CO-LEADS OF THE U
COMMITTEE.
>> I WANT TO SPEND TIME GIVING
YOU AN UPDATE WHERE WE ARE ON
THE U COMMITTEE.
WE LOOK TO LISTEN AND LEARN AND
AS A GREATER EXTERNAL SCIENTIFIC
COMMUNITY.
IN TERMS OF OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
TO DATE WE'LL FOLK ON OUR RFI.
WE'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
HEAR FROM EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL
COMMUNITY WITH OVER 1100
RESPONSES TO REQUESTS FOR
INFORMATION.
THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST ROBUST
RESPONSES TO AN RFI SO EXCITED
TO SHARE HIGH-LEVEL RESPONSES TO
THAT.
WE HAVE COMPLETED 32 LISTENING
SESSION AND WHAT IT SAYS ON THE
SLIDE IS ONE SESSION BUT WE
COMPLETED SIX SO IT GOES TO TELL
YOU HOW QUICKLY WE MOVE AND ARE
LISTENING TO STAKEHOLDERS.
WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO AN
ANALYSIS OF THE EFFORTS TAKING
PLACE ACROSS THE INSTITUTES AND
CENTERS AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO
PROVIDE A REPORT TO YOU ON THIS
IN THE NEXT COMING MONTHS.
OUR GOAL IS TO COMPLETE ALL OF
OUR LISTENING SESSIONS AND
CONTINUE TO HEAR FROM A WIDE
RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS NOT THOSE
WE TYPICALLY LISTEN TO IN OUR
BRANCH COMMUNITY.
IN TERMS OF ADDITIONAL PROGRESS
TO DR. MARIE'S POINT AND
SPEAKING TO THE COMPLETION AND
COMMITMENT OF OUR NIH
INDIVIDUALS.
IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS, ONE OF
THE THINGS WE'LL FOCUS IN ON IS
MAKING SURE WE HAVE A
COLLABORATIVE EFFORT ACROSS NIH
NOT JUST LESSONS LEARNED BUT
BEST PRACTICES AND NEXT STEPS
FOR DEIA ACTIVITIES.
WE'VE COMPLETED THE PRELIMINARY
ANALYSIS OF OUR RFI AND I'M
GOING TO TALK TO THAT IN A
MINUTE.
WITH THE GOAL OF REPORTING BACK
OUT TO ALL OF YOU IN 2022.
I'M GOING TO GET IN THE DETAILS
OF THE RFI AND DO AN OVERVIEW TO
GET AN IDEA HOW WE PRESENTED THE
RFI AND WHERE WE WERE HOPING TO
FIND INFORMATION AND THEN GIVE
THE CROSS-CUTTING FINDINGS AND
GIVE PROVIDED NEXT STEPS WE'D
LIKE TO TAKE.
IN TERMS OF THE OVERVIEW WE PUT
OUT THE REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
FROM MARCH 1 TO APRIL 23 OF 2021
LOOKING TO EXAMINE FOUR
CATEGORIES.
ONE ALL ASPECTS OF THE
BIOMEDICAL WORKFORCE, POLICIES
AND PARTNERSHIPS AND RESEARCH
PARTNERSHIPS AND FURTHER IDEAS.
ACROSS THOSE WERE NINE
QUESTIONS.
THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PROVIDE RESPONSES IN TWO PLACE.
ONE ON THE ONLINE PORTAL AND
ANOTHER VIA E-MAIL.
ONE THING TO HIGHLIGHT IS TO
THINK ABOUT WE DID REQUEST FOR
ORGANIZATIONAL REQUESTS TO THE
RFI BUT THERE WERE MANY
INDIVIDUALS WHO SUBMITTED
RESPONSES FROM ORGANIZATIONS BUT
NOT NECESSARILY RESPECTIVE OF
ORGANIZATIONS.
SO KEEP THAT UP MIND.
-- IN MIND.
WE TOOK A THREE-PHASED APPROACH
WITH 1100 ITEMS WE WERE BEING
ATTENTIVE TO DETAIL AND
DETERMINED WHERE IT WAS WE
NEEDED TO FOCUS.
WE LOOKED INDIVIDUAL AND
INTERPERSONAL TO PUBLIC POLICY.
OUR INITIAL ANALYSIS TOOK THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BRING ALL 1100
ITEMS TOGETHER AND HAVE CODERS
TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT THEY WERE
READING AND NOTICING.
THE SECOND PHASE WAS TO TAKE ALL
THAT INFORMATION THAT WE
UTILIZED TO BUILD A CODING BOOK
AND INTO AN RFA TOOL.
IT'S BEEN DEVELOPED WITHIN THE
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR AND
OFFICE OF PORTFOLIO ANALYSIS AND
GIVES THE ABILITY TO LIFT
INFORMATION IN A WAY OTHER THAN
DOING SPREAD SHEETS GIVING AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BE CREATIVE AND
GIVE US FULL DETAILS WHERE WE
MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PICK
THEM UP USING AN EXCEL SPREAD
SHEET.
THE THIRD PHASE TAKES THE
INFORMATION FROM THE DOCUMENT WE
INITIALLY HAD AND INFORMATION
FROM WHERE WE'VE LOOKED AT CODES
AND THEMES TO GIVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT OUR
CROSS-CUTTING TOPICS WE'VE BEEN
ABLE TO OBSERVE.
THE FINAL ANALYSIS WILL BE
COMING TO YOU EN EARLY 2022.
I'D BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SHOW
THE INDIVIDUALS COMMITTED TO
THIS OPPORTUNITY.
YOU'LL SEE ALL VOLUNTEERS.
I WANT TO UNDER SCORE THE
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN
INVOLVED IN MAKING SURE THEY'RE
DIGGING IN THE DATA AND LIFTING
UP TECHNOLOGY AND TALKING ABOUT
THE OPPORTUNITIES TOOK THIS TIME
TO DO THIS ABOVE AND BEYOND THE
REGULAR DRAW.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I'M
HIGHLIGHTING THE INDIVIDUALS WHO
HELPED US TO GET TO WHAT YOU'RE
ABOUT TO SEE.
I ALSO WANT TO TIKE A MENTION OF
THE U COMMITTEE DESIGNED TO
LISTEN AND LEARN TO OUR
COMMUNITY INVOLVES KEY
STAKEHOLDERS FROM ACROSS THE
HIP.
WE HAVE A GAMUT OF INDIVIDUALS
WHO HAVE TAKEN TIME TO MAKE SURE
WE'RE SETTING THE RIGHT
FRAMEWORK AS WE DIG INTO THE
RFI.
S LET'S TALK ABOUT WHO RESPONDED
TO THE RFI.
WE HAD 1100 RESPONSES ACROSS
MANY ORGANIZATIONS AND YOU'LL
SEE THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR
RESPONSES CAME FROM ACADEMIC
INSTITUTIONS WHICH SHOULD NOT BE
A SURPRISE TO ANYONE.
2% OF THOSE WERE HBCUs,
HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES.
WE HAD STAFF THAT RESPONDED TO
THE RFI, YOU CAN SEE HERE.
FOLLOWED BY HEALTH PROFESSIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS, NONPROFITS,
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND I'LL
HIGHLIGHT STUDENT AND POST-DOC
RESEARCHER INTEREST.
THIS IS A MIXTURE OF INDIVIDUALS
TRAINEES WITHIN THE NIH ALSO
OUTSIDE THE EXTRAMURAL
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY.
LASTLY 16% INCORPORATED AS
OTHER.
WE WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE THIS
INCLUDED COMMUNITY PARTNERS,
INDUSTRY AND MEMBERS OF PUBLIC.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PRELIMINARY
CROSS-CUTTING FINDINGS WE WERE
ABLE IT DISTILL.
FIRST, WE FOUND THREE MAJOR
TOPICS WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THE
DATA.
FIRST IS ACTIONS BEYOND WORDS.
THE ABILITY TO ENHANCE PROGRAMS
WE CURRENTLY AND THE PROGRAMS IN
PLACE AND A RECOGNITION THERE'S
NO EASY BUTTON TO FIX THE ISSUES
WE WANT TO ADDRESS.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT IS NOT
NECESSARILY A TOPIC BECAUSE OF
THE FACT IT WAS LISTED.
WE HAD A SMALL NUMBER OF
RESPONDENTS BUT LARGE ENOUGH
BECAUSE IT CROSSED ALL NINE OF
OUR QUESTIONS WHERE THERE WERE
INDIVIDUALS WHO PERCEIVED THERE
WERE NO ISSUES WITH RACISM AND
DIDN'T NEED TO ADDRESS
STRUCTURAL RACISM AT NIH.
PERHAPS THIS WASN'T THE PLACE OR
SHOULD BE LOOKING MORE AT MERIT
BASED AND NOT FOCUSSED ON
EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.
AND IDEALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT IS NIH ACKNOWLEDGED WE
HAVE STRUCTURAL RACISM.
THERE'S AN AGREEMENT WE HAVE A
LACK OF DIVERSITY IN LOOKING AT
THE WORKFORCE AND NOT JUST NIH
BUT EXTERNAL INCLUDING ALL
ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS.
THERE CONTINUES TO BE A FUNDING
DISCREPANCY AMONG THE NIH
GRANTEES.
THE ISSUE BROUGHT OUT AND
HIGHLIGHTED IS NOTHING HAS
CHANGED, UNFORTUNATELY.
THOUGH WE HAVE DATA TO SUPPORT
THESE NOTIONS, WHAT WE'RE ASKING
FOR AND WHAT THE PUBLIC IS
ASKING FOR IS ACTION.
THEY'RE SEEING A LACK OF
TANGIBLE ACTIONS NOTING THE
BARRIERS.
HOW DO WE DO THIS?
THERE'S BEEN SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
COMING OFF THE RFI IN TERMS OF
INCREASING FUNDING AND SUPPORT
AND SOME LIKE RADX.
THERE'S BEEN A HIGHLIGHT TO
IMPROVE THE MONITORING AND
PROGRAM INITIATIVES IN PLACE.
THEN THERE'S A CALL FOR
COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION
IN RELATION TO ALL THINGS EDI
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE
OVERALL PLAN FOR EQUITY,
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION.
THERE'S ALSO A CALL TO EXPAND
UNITE TO INCLUDE OTHER UNDER
REPRESENTED GROUPS.
THESE GROUPS GO AS FAR AS
DISABILITY, GENDER, DIFFERENT
RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS, SOCIO
ECONOMIC STATUS.
THE THIRD IS THE AGREEMENT AND
RECOGNITION WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO
DO IS THERE'S NO EASY FIX TO
WHAT WE'RE FOCUSSING ON.
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING
AT AN INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL IS AN
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURAL SHIFT.
IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM AN
INDIVIDUAL LEVEL WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT BEHAVIOR CHANGE AND FOR
ANYONE WHO'S EVER TRIED TO
CHANGE SOMETHING WILL RECOGNIZE
THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND ENERGY
AND EFFORT IT WILL TAKE TO BE
ABLE TO DO SO.
ONE OF THE QUESTIONS WE ASKED
WHEN WE WENT ON THE RFI IS
PROPOSED SOLUTIONS AND WHAT CAN
WE DO TO HELP ADDRESS THIS.
AND WHEN WE COME OUT WITH A
FINAL REPORT WE'LL HAVE MORE
DETAIL BUT I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT
AREAS WHERE THE RESPONSES ARE.
ONE, LOOK AT THE GRANT MAKING
AND RESEARCH PRIORITIES AND TO
MAKE SPACE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE
ADDRESSING DIVERSITY WITHIN WE
DO PUT OUT INITIATIVES.
LOOKING AT HOW WE RECRUIT AND
HIRE STAFF.
TAKING TIME FOR MENTORSHIP AND
SPONSORSHIP.
THESE ARE CONVERSATIONS WE
STARTED HAVING EVEN YESTERDAY
DURING THE ACD AND TALKED ABOUT
AIM AHEAD, FOR EXAMPLE.
YOU'LL SEE SOME THINGS THAT WILL
CONTINUE TO BE THEMES WHICH SAYS
TO ME WE'RE TRENDING IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION.
LASTLY IS ABOUT COMMUNICATION.
MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE IN
PLACE THE ACCURATE PARTNERSHIPS
WITH THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE
UNDER REPRESENTED TO MAKE SURE
WE CAN AFFECT CHANGE.
LASTLY, NEXT STEPS.
THESE ARE OPPORTUNITIES OF
THINGS WE HAVE BEGUN TO DISCUSS
BUT ALSO TO SHOW YOU WHERE WE'RE
HEADED IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
AGAIN, BRINGING YOU BACK TO THE
FACT THAT WE'RE IN A
THREE-PHASED MODEL.
WE COMPLETED THE INITIAL
ANALYSIS AND READ THROUGH EACH
ENTRY AND DETERMINED WHAT MADE
SENSE.
PHASE 2 HAS NOW COME TO A
COMPLETION AND WE'RE TRYING TO
DETERMINE THOSE HIGH-LEVEL
THEMES I OUTLINED AND TO MAKE
SURE THEY ARE NOW MATCHED UP
WITH WHAT WE'RE HEARING IN OUR
LISTENING SESSIONS AND SEEING
FROM SOME OF THE SURVEY
INFORMATION WE'LL BE DOING FOR
OUR INTERNAL STAFF.
I BELIEVE THAT BRINGS US TO THE
END OF MY CONVERSATION AND BACK
TO YOU, FRANCIS IF THERE'S TIME
FOR QUESTIONS.
>> CHOICE C, ME.
WE'RE GOING TO DO QUESTIONS IN
BETWEEN EACH OF THE
PRESENTATIONS.
THERE'S ENOUGH CONTENT IN
EVERYTHING THAT IT WILL MAKE IT
EASIER.
WE HAVE ABOUT FIVE MINUTES FOR
QUESTIONS WE'LL DEVOTE AFTER
EACH TALK.
IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO POSE A
QUESTION OR HAVE A COMMENT,
PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHO THAT IS.
YES, DINA.
>> SO, THE THING THAT COURTNEY
SAID SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WAS
NOTHING HAS CHANGED.
I'M WONDERING WHY YOU HAVE AN
UNDERSTANDING?
THAT'S THE MOST WORRISOME.
THERE'S SO MANY STAFF THAT HAVE
BEEN AN ATTEMPT TO TAKE THEM AND
A WONDER IF YOU HAVE AN
UNDERSTANDING WHY SOME OF THE
MEASURES -- THE MEASURE WAS NOT
APPLIED YET AND THIS IS WHY
NOTHING HAS CHANGED OR SOMETIMES
THE MEASURE MAY NOT BE AS
EFFECTIVE AS WE THOUGHT AT THE
BEGINNING AS THE COMMUNITY OR
PEOPLE WORKING.
>> THAT'S AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
WA I'LL SAY TO THAT IS ONE OF
THE LIMITATIONS OF AN RFI IS
IT'S A ONE-TIME QUESTION.
IT DOESN'T GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO DO FOLLOW-UP.
WHAT I CAN INDICATE IS BECAUSE
WE HAVE BEEN LISTENING IN OTHER
WAYS IN TERMS OF THE LISTENING
SESSION THE CONVERSATION IS
THOUGH WE'RE ENTERING IN THE
CONVERSATION NOW AND STARTED
BACK IN 2020 AND HAD INDICATIONS
OF RACISM ALONG THE WAY, YOU'RE
HEARING SOME LEVEL OF SKEPTICISM
THAT COMES WITH THE FACT THAT AS
WE'RE LISTENING, THERE'S A
REQUEST TO MOVE FASTER BUT WHEN
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A SITUATION
SPECIFIC TO STRUCTURAL RACISM,
MOVING FASTER WITHOUT TAKING THE
TIME TO PULL IN THE DATA AND ASK
THE APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS AND
SET THE STAGE WOULD BE
MISALIGNED.
FOR US THAT'S WHAT WE CONTINUED
TO HEAR AS WE LISTEN TO THE
EXTERNAL COMMUNITY.
THERE'S THE UNDERSTANDING AND I
BELIEVE I MENTIONED THAT AS PART
OF THE PRESENTATION, YES, WE
HAVE ISSUES AND WE HAVE DATA BUT
NEED TO TAKE THE TIME TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS TO MAKE
THE ACTION PLANS TO MOVE FORWARD
WHICH ARE THE NEXT STEPS FOR THE
ENTIRE UNITE TO MOVE TO
IMPLEMENT AND ACTION.
>> MARIE, DID YOU WANT TO ADD
SOMETHING AND THEN SHELLEY AND
JUDITH.
>> SOMETIMES WHAT I HEAR IS
ADDRESSING THE ISSUE THAT WAS
HIGHLIGHTED IN THE DONNA GINTER
SCIENCE ARTICLE IN 2011 WHERE
THERE WAS A DISADVANTAGE OF
BLACK AND AFRICAN AMERICAN
SCIENCE TESTS REGARDLESS OF HOW
YOU CONTROLLED FOR OTHER
FACTORS.
THERE'S BEEN SOME PROGRESS.
NOT AS MUCH AS THERE SHOULD BE
AND PROGRAMS IN PLACE TO ADDRESS
TA AND WE NEED TO DO -- THAT AND
WE NEED TO ACCELERATE THE PACE
OF WORK WITH THE UNITE
INITIATIVE.
>> AND OBVIOUSLY THIS REPORT
TODAY FROM ALL THE COMMITTEE
GROUPS WILL HELP WITH THAT.
SHELLEY.
FOLLOWING UP ON DINA'S QUESTION,
1100, I KNOW IT'S GREAT RELATIVE
TO THE NUMBER YOU MAY GET FOR
COMMENT AND INFORMATION BUT IT
SEEMS SMALL TO ME.
I'M WONDERING IF THAT MIGHT BE
PART OF THE ISSUE OF GETTING
THIS PERCEPTION OF LACK OF
PROGRESS AND WHETHER THERE MIGHT
BE SOME WAYS TO INCREASE THE
FEEDBACK.
DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT
THAT?
DO YOU THINK THAT MIGHT BE
PLAYING IN?
>> I THINK WE GOT MORE UNUSUAL
SUSPECTS RESPONDING.
TYPICALLY WE SEE ACADEMIC
PARTNERS RESPONDING AND WE GOT
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND
SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES AND WE'VE
HAD THE OPPORTUNITY WHICH IS WHY
THE FINAL REPORT WILL BE
IMPORTANT TO DO THESE LISTENING
SESSIONS AND THROUGH THE
LISTENING SESSIONS WE'VE HAD
OVER 1,000 PEOPLE WHO HAVE
RESPONDED AS WELL AND WE'RE
SEEING CONSISTENT THEMES AND
INCLUDING UNFORTUNATELY THE ONE
THAT SAYS WE HAVEN'T DONE ENOUGH
YET.
PART GETS TO THE POINT THIS IS A
LARGE STRUCTURAL INSTITUTIONAL
SITUATION THAT'S GOING TO TAKE
TIME TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE
MOVEMENT.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU.
>> WE'RE BOUNCING UP AGAINST THE
TIME CLOCK HERE.
JUDITH IS WAVING ME OFF.
BARBARA.
>> I CAN REDUCE IT TO SOMETHING
QUICK.
FOR THE NEXT PHASE WHERE THERE
ARE ACTION ITEMS AS THEY BEGIN
TO EMERGE, ONE OF THE THINGS I
TAKE AWAY FROM THE
UNDERSTANDABLE IMPATIENCE IS
BEING VISIBLE ABOUT SETTING
EXPECTATIONS FOR THE TIME COURSE
OF RESULTS OF THOSE ACTIONS.
AND REALLY EMPHASIZING THAT WE
PUT IT OUT.
>> NEXT IS THE "N" COMMITTEE.
>> IT WILL BE ME ROB RIVERS
PRESENTING ON BEHALF OF MY
CO-CHAIRS.
THE HEART OF OUR COMMISSION IS
TO ADDRESS ISSUES TO MINORITY
HEALTH WITH ADVANCING HEALTH
EQUITY ACROSS THE U.S.
TO ENSURING NIH WIDE
TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND
SUSTAINABILITY IN MARSHALLING
RESOURCES FOR HEALTH DISPARITIES
AND MINORITY AND HEALTH EQUITY
RESEARCH.
COVID IS CONTINUING TO EXPOSE
THIS AN FIRST IT WAS THE LATINOS
AND COVID IS BRINGING THAT DOWN
AND IF WE LOOK AT THE LIFE
EXPECTANCY FOR ALL PEOPLE IT'S
GOING DOWN AS A RESULT OF COVID.
IN THIS SITUATION OF NOT ONLY
RACIAL RECKONING BUT A GLOBAL
PANDEMIC, HOW ARE WE BEST
MARSHALLING RESOURCES TO ADDRESS
HEALTH DISPARITIES IN OUR
RESEARCH.
THAT'S THE GOAL OF THE "N"
COMMITTEE.
THE NIH HAS WORKED THROUGH THE
TRANSFORMATIVE RESEARCH.
THERE'S GOOD NEWS IT ACTIVATED
COMMUNITY OVER 174 APPLICATIONS
IN SHORT ORDER.
THERE'S CONCERN THERE'S A LOW
FUNDING RATE.
TO ACHIEVE EQUITABLE SUPPORT FOR
MINORITY HEALTH AND HEALTH
EQUITY RESEARCH, ONE OF THE
THINGS WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS FOR
THE FUTURE COMMON FUND
INITIATIVE THERE'S FUNDS AND
TIME FOR INDIVIDUALS AND
INSTITUTIONS TO SUBMIT THEIR
APPLICATIONS AND HOPEFULLY A
HIGHER FUNDING PERCENTAGE RATE?
AND ABOUT IDENTIFYING STRATEGIES
FOR FOAs THAT FOCUS ON DISEASE
AND TOPICS AND INCREASE
COMMUNITY BASED PARTICIPATORY
RESEARCH AND OUR METRICS OF
SUCCESS ARE ON THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND DEVELOPMENT IN DEVELOPMENT
OF ANALYTIC DATA DASHBOARD TO
TRACK INVESTMENTS AND KEEP
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS AND WE
CAN MONITOR WHEN IT COMES TO
FUNDING AND SUPPORTING HEALTH
EQUITY AND MINORITY HEALTH
RESEARCH AND DERIVE REAL TIME
INFORMATION FROM THE POs AND
DECISION MAKERS TO HOW BEST WE
CAN INVEST IN HEALTH DISPARITIES
RESEARCH.
AND WHAT ASK SUCCESS LOOK LIKE?
WE DON'T KNOW UNLESS WE HAVE THE
BEST POTENTIAL BASELINE AND
THAT'S WHAT THE DATA DASHBOARD
WILL GIVE US.
AND TERMS AND CONCEPTS AND TRACK
FUNDED GRANTS.
BY TRACKING THIS IN REAL TIME
WE'LL HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF
WHERE WE ARE AND WHERE WE SHOULD
BE MOVING IN THE FUTURE.
THIS LAST PRIORITY IS TO ANALYZE
AND COORDINATE BUSINESS
PROCESSES ESSENTIALLY FROM
IDEATION TO FUNDING TO ACHIEVE
EQUITY.
WE'VE IDENTIFIED RESOURCES
REQUIRED AND DEVELOPING THE
DASHBOARD SO THE INFORMATION
WILL BE AT PEOPLE'S FINGERTIPS.
AND THE COORDINATING WORK GROUP
WITH THE IDEA EVERY INSTITUTE
AND CENTER THAT'S FOCUSSED IN
THE SCIENCE ARE AT THE TABLE AS
WE DISCUSS WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THIS IS ALSO THINKING HOW TO
ENSURE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE
UNITE N GROUP IS THROUGH THE DNA
OF NIH WE ENSURING THE
INDIVIDUALS THAT DO THIS DAILY
ARE AT THE TABLE WITH THEIR
VOICES HEARD.
AS A METRIC FOR SUCCESS THERE'S
I.C. SPECIFIC PLANS TO INCREASE
EQUITY WHEN THE LOOKS AT HEALTH
DISPARITY AND MINORITY HEALTH
AND HEALTH EQUITY AND INCREASES
WITH SUPPORT BASED IN THE DETE
WHERE WE ARE CURRENTLY.
LASTLY, THIS WORK CAN'T BE DONE
WITHOUT AN AMAZING GROUP OF
INDIVIDUALS ON OUR TEAM.
A MAJOR THANKS TO EVERYONE HERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT WE'RE
NOT READY TO SHARE UNTIL THE
DASHBOARD'S READY FOR PRIME TIME
BUT OUR GOAL IS PROVIDING THE
SCIENTIFIC SOUND DATA TO PROVIDE
REASONABLE RECOMMENDATIONS TO
INCREASE FUNDING SO ENSURES HIP
CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD WE'RE
ADDRESSING HEALTH DISPARITIES.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU.
WE'LL OPEN IT UP FOR COMMENTS
AND QUESTIONS FOR DR. RIVERS AND
OTHERS ON THE COMMITTEE.
QUESTIONS PLEASE?
JUDITH, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS
FROM THE LAST SESSION OR YOU
HAVE A QUESTION HERE.
>> I HAVE A QUESTION FOR BOTH OF
THEM.
THE QUESTION FOR THIS ONE WHICH
IS I THINK IT'S SAD YOU GOT SO
MANY MERITORIOUS PROPOSALS AND
THEY COULDN'T BE FUNDED.
I'M WONDERING WHAT THE PLAN IS
GOING FORWARD TO CHANGE THAT
LANDSCAPE.
I THINK YOU TOUCHED ON IT BUT
WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IT IN MORE
GRAPHIC TERMS SOMEHOW.
>> MAYBE, IF I CAN, THE
COMMITTEE HAS POINTED THIS OUT
TO US AND ADVOCATED FOR
INCREASED FUNDING IN THIS
INSTANCE FROM THE COMMON FUND.
YOU MAY KNOW IN THE PRESIDENT'S
BUDGET THERE'S A RATHER DRAMATIC
PROPOSAL TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR
HEALTH DISPARITY RESEARCH IN
GENERAL AT NIH AND TAKEN
CONSIDERATION OF FUNDING FOR THE
COMMON FUND INITIATIVE AND WHAT
WE HOPE WILL BE A DRAMATIC BOOST
WELL OVER $300 MILLION RIGHT,
FRANCIS?
>> I THINK $300 MILLION.
>> WE HOPE THOSE THINGS TAKEN
TOGETHER WILL GO A LONG WAY IN
ADDRESSING A CONCERNING ISSUE.
>> $300 MILLION PER YEAR?
>> YEAH.
>> SINCE WE DON'T YET HAVE OUR
BUDGET WE WON'T GET IT BEFORE
FEBRUARY.
SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO SPEND THE
MONEY WISELY BUT IN THIS CASE
WHERE WE ALREADY HAVE THE
APPLICATIONS WE'D LIKE TO BE
ABLE TO FUND, IT WILL BE A
PERFECT SNAP YOUR FINGERS AND
SUNDAY THE -- SEND OUT THE
AWARDS SO FINGERS CROSSED THEY
DON'T WAIT PAST FEBRUARY 18.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
>> I DON'T SEE OTHERS, MARIE
POINTS OUT IN HER BRIEF
PRESENTATION ABOUT PROGRESS
WE'RE MAKING IN TERMS OF SUCCESS
RATES FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN
APPLICANTS WE CLOSED THAT GAP
FOR K AWARDS WHICH IS QUITE
REASSURING NOT YESTERDAY FOR
RO1s AND WE DON'T HAVE THE DATA
YET FOR THE MOST RECENT YEAR.
I REMAIN HOPEFUL WE'LL SEE A LOT
OF ATTENTION WE MAY SEE WE'RE
GETTING CLOSE BUT DON'T KNOW
YET.
LAST OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS
SESSION?
OKAY.
THANK YOU.
LET'S MOVE ON THEN.
NEXT THE "I" COMMITTEE.
>> THANK YOU, DR. TABAK.
ON BEHALF OF MARIE BERNARD AND
ALFRED JOHNSON IT'S MY PLEASURE
TO PRESENT THE WORK WE'VE WITHIN
DOING OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS.
THE "I" COMMITTEE IS PROMOTING
EQUITY AND INCLUSION THROUGHOUT
THE WORKFORCE AND CHANGE THE
CULTURE.
IT'S A CHARGE WHICH WE ARE ALL
IN AGREEMENT AND CAN SEE THE IT
REAL VALUE ADD IT WILL BRING TO
US.
A VERY IMPORTANT ONE IS THE
VISION OF CHAPTER 1311
PREVENTING HARASSMENT AND
INAPPROPRIATE CONDUCT.
THE REASON WHY IT'S ONE OF OUR
FIRST PRIORITIES IT HAS THE
ABILITY TO IMPACT THE ENTIRE NIH
WORKFORCE FROM TOES WHO PRACTICE
SCIENCE ON THE DAILY BASIS TO
THOSE WHO SUPPORT THE SCIENCE
THROUGH ADMINISTRATIVE AND
SUPPORT WORK AND THOSE WHO KEEP
THE LIGHTS ON AND MAKE
EVERYTHING WORK AND THE STEPS IN
PRODUCING THE CHAPTER IS TO MAKE
MORE APPARENT THE FISH USE THAT
FALL UNDER THE SCOPE AND THE
WAYS TO REPORT AND ADDRESS THE
ISSUES.
AS A MEASURE OF SUCCESS WE'RE
EXPECTING THE TYPE AND QUALITY
OF ISSUES THAT COME FORWARD AND
THE INFORMATION THAT IT BRINGS
TO ALL OF US IN TERMS OF HOW CAN
CONDUCT AN APPROPRIATE WORKFORCE
ENVIRONMENT.
ONE THING YOU OFTEN HERE ABOUT
NIH IS WE'RE A DATA DRIVEN
ORGANIZATION AND YOU'LL SEE IT
FURTHER IN THE FOLLOWING QUEUE.
ONE ISSUE THE "I" COMMITTEE HAS
FOCUSSED ON FROM THE BEBEGINNIGINNING
IS UNDERSTANDING THE WORKFORCE
BY SEX, RACE, ETHNICITY AND JOB.
WE THINK WE'VE HAD SUCCESS IN
PUBLISHING UP TO DATE DATA WITH
RESPECT TO THE NIH WORKFORCE ON
THE NIH WEBSITES AND YOU'LL HEAR
MORE IN THE NEXT PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE ALLOWED QUERIES BY
INDIVIDUALS TO HAVE A DEEP
UNDERSTANDING OF OUR WORKFORCE
AND UTILIZE THE DATA TO PINPOINT
AREAS OF SPECIFIC CONCERN AND
UNDERSTAND WAYS TO ADDRESS IT
AND AS A WAY TO DEMONSTRATE THE
PROGRESS WE'VE MADE IN MAKING
THIS THIS A DEIA WORKFORCE AND
HOPE TO EXPECT THIS IN TERMS OF
HIRING AND PROGRAMS.
AND THIS HAS BEEN LED BY THE "I"
COMMITTEE IN MAKING SURE THE
DATA IS AVAILABLE TO ALL OF US.
THIS SAY BUSY PRIORITY.
ONE OF THE AIMS WAS A PRODUCTION
OR IS ASSEMBLING OF AN
ANTI-RACISM STEERING COMMITTEE
DEALING WITH SEXUAL ISSUES AND
HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN PRIOR
YEARS AT NIH AND DEVELOPED
RACIAL AND ETHNIC EQUITY PLANS
AND FINALLY THERE WILL BE WITHIN
THE P MAP PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
AND ELEMENTS OF THE COMMITMENT
WE ALL HAVE.
SO ONE OF THE IT BIG
ACCOMPLISHMENTS WAS THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE R SC THIS
SAY GROUP OF MORE THAN 500 NIH
EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE COME TOGETHER
TO ADDRESS ISSUES WITH RESPECT
TO RACISM AND ETHNIC ISSUES THAT
MAY BE ON THE NIH INTERNAL
WORKFORCE.
AND BRINGING TOGETHER A GROUP OF
INDIVIDUALS TO ADDRESS THESE
ISSUES.
AS PART OF THE PROCESS, WE'LL BE
ESTABLISHED PMAC ELEMENTS
THROUGH HHS AND NIH IN THE
PERFORMANCE PLAN FOR SENIOR
LEADERSHIP AND I.C. DIRECTORS.
THIS SAY BREAK DOWN OF THE
STEERING COMMITTEE.
BECAUSE THERE'S MORE THAN 500
INDIVIDUALS VOLUNTEERING THEIR
TIME IN THE PROCESS WE ORGANIZED
THIS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF
DOCTORS TABAK AND JOHNSON AND
BERNARD INTO 11 SUBCOMMITTEES
FOCUSSING ON SPECIFIC AREAS AND
WE THINK THIS WILL ALLOW US TO
HAVE A CREATIVE APPROACH TO THE
ISSUES THAT ARISE AND ALLOWING
BROAD REPRESENTATION ACROSS THE
WHOLE NIH FAMILY.
AND WE HAVE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
THE PROCESS AND THERE'S NO MORE
ACCOUNTABLE FEATURE THAN
BRINGING IN THIS TO THE
LEADERSHIP AND COLLEAGUES.
THERE'LL BE LANGUAGE IN THE FY22
PERFORMANCE PLANS FOR ALL SENIOR
LEADERS DEMONSTRATING THEIR
ETHICS AND COMMITMENTS TO THE
NIH WORKFORCE.
THIS TALKS ABOUT THE RACIAL
ETHNIC PLAN PROCESS ENGAGING IN
THE NIH.
THERE'S THREE ELEMENTS INCLUDING
ESTABLISHMENT, PREPARATION AND
MANAGEMENT ONGOING.
THERE'LL BE AT THE BOTTOM IN
BLUE A TIME LINE WHICH IS
AGGRESSIVE IN TELLS OF GETTING
THE PROCESS COMBOR TO WARD.
THE EXPECTATION IS THIS WILL
ABUT FOR BROAD PARTICIPATION
WITHIN THE I.C.s AND ACROSS THE
WHOLE NIH FAMILY TO DEVELOP A
SET OF PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE
SHARED AND PROVIDING
TRANSPARENCY IN THE PROCESS.
WITH THAT I'LL TURN IT TO THE
NEXT PRESENTATION.
>> LET'S TAKE QUESTIONS BEFORE
WE GO TO THE NEXT COMMITTEE
REPORT.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FOLKS
MAY HAVE?
WHILE SOME OF THIS MAY SEEM
BUREAUCRATIC, ADMINISTRATIVE,
CHANGING THE MANUAL CHAPTER MADE
A PROFOUND DIFFERENCE IN OUR
ABILITY TO CONFRONT HASHGSMENT
OF -- HARASSMENT OF ALL TYPES
AND ENABLED AND EMPOWERED PEOPLE
TO FEEL MORE FREE TO SPEAK OUT
AND TO REPORT EVENTS AND
ACTIVITIES AND WE'RE VERY
HOPEFUL THE SAME THING WILL AT
LIES HERE.
I APPLAUD THE GROUP AND HOW
RAPIDLY THIS ALL HAPPENED.
IT WAS RECORD SPEED.
>> INDEED.
LET ME ADD ONE OTHER THING TO
THAT.
IT MAY NOT SEEM TO PEOPLE
OUTSIDE THE GOVERNMENT THAT
CHANGING THE PMAP IS A BIG DEAL.
IT'S A HUGE DEAL.
THIS IS BASICALLY HOW SENIOR
LEADERS ARE EVALUATED IN TERMS
OF PERFORMANCE AND THAT
TRANSLATES INTO A LOT OF
CONSEQUENCES AND TO HAVE THIS
NOW BE AN ELEMENT IN THE
PERFORMANCE WHERE YOU ARE
EXPECTED TO HAVE TAKEN ACTIONS
TO BEING IN LINE WITH THE BOLD
NEW PROPOSALS, I WILL SAY, THERE
WAS COMPLETE UNANIMOUS GOME
ACROSS ALL THE INSTITUTES AND
CENTERS TO DO THIS BUT IT'S A
BIG STEP I DON'T THINK A LOT OF
INSTITUTIONS HAVE BEEN WILLING
TO TAKE BUT IF YOU'RE NOT
SERIOUS ABOUT THIS HOW CAN YOU
NOT BE WILLING TO DO THAT.
>> SHELLEY.
>> TREVOR, GREAT TO SEE YOU.
NICE PRESENTATION.
I WAS CURIOUS TO FOLLOW UP ON
THAT POINT AND I THINK THIS IS
IMPORTANT TOO.
IS IT INTERNAL DIRECTORS OR ALSO
THE EXPECTATION OF THE INSTITUTE
DIRECTORS?
THE EX TERM AND IF SO, HOW WILL
THAT BE ASSESSED?
>> EVALUATION COMES THROUGH OUR
DEIA OFFICES AND AT THE NIH.
THE IDEA IS IT WILL BE A
REVIEWED, SCORED AND FEEDBACK
GIVEN TO UNDERSTAND THE PROGRESS
OR LACK OF PROGRESS THE VARIOUS
I.C.'S ARE MAKING.
>> YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
INSTITUTIONS AND I WISH WE HAD
THE ABILITY.
>> WHAT I MEANT WAS FOR EXAMPLE
I KNOW NIA VERY WELL BECAUSE
I'VE BEEN ON THEIR BSC, RICHARD
HODES WILL HAVE TO REPORT AND
THEN ANOTHER WILL REPORT.
>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
>> THE EXTRAMURAL LEADERSHIP
PLAYS INTO THIS AS WELL.
THIS CASCADES TO THEM.
IT'S NOT JUST WHAT WE'RE DOING
INTERNALLY BUT WHAT THE I.C.s
ARE ALSO DOING EXTERNALLY THAT
GETS EVALUATED AS WELL.
>> SO THIS TIES IN THE RACIAL
AND ETHNIC PLANS AND ALL THIS IS
LINKED TOGETHER.
THEY'LL FIND OUT WHAT AREAS TO
IMPROVE UPON AND SHOW THE
IMPROVEMENT WITH THE PROGRAMS
THEY'RE DOING THAT ARE LOOKING
AT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION
AND ACCESSIBILITY.
ALL THAT CAN GET LOOKED AT.
JOHN LORSCH WAS ADAMANT THAT
NEEDED TO BE INCLUDED.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I THINK WE SHOULD MOVE THEN
TO THE NEXT PRESENTATION.
NEXT IS THE TEA "T" COMMITTEE.
>> THANK YOU.
I'M PRESENTED ON BEHALF OF MY
CO-CHAIRS.
FANTASTIC MEMBERS OF THE "T"
COMMITTEE AND OUR GOAL IS TO
ENSURE TRANSPARENCY,
ACCOUNTABILITY AND
SUSTAINABILITY OF THE WORK OF
ALL THE COMMITTEES WE HEARD
ABOUT TODAY.
WE SHARE INFORMATION INTERNALLY
WITHIN NIH AND FACILITATE
OUTREACH TO EXTERNAL
STAKEHOLDERS.
SO OUR FIRST PRIORITY FORCUSES ON
YOU ARE EFFORTS AND WE LAUNCHED
A WEBSITE IN MARCH HIGHLIGHTING
THE EFFORTS TO END STRUCTURAL
RACISM AND WE JUST LAUNCHED A
DATA DASHBOARD TO THE WEBSITE.
IT HAS AN OVERVIEW OF THE DATA
RELATED TO UNITE ACTIVITIES
INCLUDING DEMOGRAPHICS OF OUR
STAFF, HEALTH DISPARITY,
RESEARCH INVESTMENT AND MORE.
IT WILL DIRECT TO CONTENT ON
OTHER NIH WEB PAGES IN THE HOPES
WE'RE MAKING IT EASIER FOR
INTERESTED USERS TO FIND THE
DATA.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE CRITICAL
EFFORTS OF A DEDICATED TEAM AND
WE ALSO APPRECIATE THE
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STEWARDS OF
THE DATA ELEMENTS AND LOOK
FORWARD TO WORKING TO PROVIDE
REGULAR UPDATES ON THE
DASHBOARD.
WE PLAN TO MANY ARE PULLING
TOGETHER DATA SETS TO DRIVE THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR
RECOMMENDATIONS AND HOPE TO BE
ABLE TO LINK TO THESE DATA SETS
THROUGH THE DASHBOARD WHEN THEY
ARE COMPLETE.
AS WE IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL DATA
WE'LL BUILD THIS IN THE RESOURCE
AND THE WHOLE POINT IS TO SEE
THE DATA CHANGE OVER TIME.
WE ASK THAT EVERYBODY CHECK BACK
OFTEN.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING TO FIND WAYS
TO ENHANCE THE USER EXPERIENCE
AND HARMONIZING THE DATA WITH
THE HOPE OF TRANSITIONING TO
STA
STATIC TO DYNAMIC DASHBOARD.
IN TERM OF METRICS OF SUCCESS WE
LOOK FORWARD TO ENHANCING THE
DATA IN REASON TO USER FEEDBACK
AND WE WILL BE TRACKING THE
TRAFFIC ON THE DATA WEB PAGES.
THIS FOCUSES ON EFFORTS TO
COMMUNICATE INTERNALLY.
THIS IS LED BY THOSE DEVELOPED
AN INTERNALLY FACE INTRANET PAGE
TO ALLOW DISSEMINATION ABOUT
ACTIVITIES TO ALL INTERNAL NIH
STAFF.
TO HELP THAT EFFORT, WE HAVE
DEVELOPED A TOOL KIT OF
RESOURCES TO HELP THE INSTITUTES
AND CENTERS TO TALK ABOUT UNITE
WITH INSTITUTES AND EXTERNAL
STAKEHOLDERS AND IT INCLUDES
SLIDES, TALKING POINTS AND
GRAPHICS AND OTHER RESOURCES
SUCH AS BIBLIOGRAPHIES
REFLECTING LITERATURE REVIEW IN
THE TOPIC AREAS WITHIN UNITE.
WE'LL BE UPDATING THIS TOOL KIT
AND OTHER RESOURCES OVER TIME TO
INCLUDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
FOR EXAMPLE ABOUT THE DIFFERENT
INITIATIVES THAT ARE UNDER
DEVELOPMENT BY THE UNITE
COMMITTEES.
WE ALSO WILL BE SHARING BEST
PRACTICES AND SUCCESSFUL
PROGRAMS ACROSS THE INSTITUTES
AND CENTERS TO LEARN FROM EACH
OTHER MORE EFFECTIVELY.
FINALLY, WE'LL SHARE OTHER
IMPORTANT CONTENT WITHIN NIH AND
ENGAGE EFFORTS WITH STAFF.
WE WORK WITH THE OFFICE OF
COMMUNICATION AND KEY STAFF AS
PART OF OUR COMMITMENT TO HOLD
REGULAR IN TERM NIH TOWN HALLS
AND FOLLOWED UP WITH A TOWN HALL
IN THE SPRING WHICH FEATURED A
DEEPER DIVE INTO UNDERSTANDING
HOW IT SAPZ -- SHAPES THE
EXPERIENCE AND WE'LL HAVE TOPICS
FOR FUTURE TOWN HALLS.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO REFINE THE
INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN THE
TOOL KIT AND SURVEY STAFF TO
DETERMINE HOW TO BE MOST HELPFUL
IN SHARING INFORMATION ACROSS
NIH.
AGAIN, WE CAN TRACK VISITORS TO
THE SITE TO MAKE SURE THE
RESOURCE IS BEING LEVERAGED.
FINALLY, I WANT TO TURN THE
VIRTUAL MICROPHONE TO MY
COLLEAGUE WHO IS CELEBRATING AN
IMPORTANT BIRTHDAY TODAY AND
ALSO WE'LL HAVE THE FUN OF
TELLING YOU ABOUT THE EXCITING
PROJECT THAT SHE HAS BEEN
LEADING EXCEPTIONALLY WELL TO
ENSURE WHAT IS PRESENTED TO THE
WORLD REFLECT THE IDENTITY AND
CAREER PATH AT NIH AND AT
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH IN GENERAL.
DR. JACKSON.
>> THANK YOU.
I HAVE THE FLASH TO SPEAK WITH
YOU ALL ON MY 40th BIRTHDAY AND
I'LL BE SPEAKING ABOUT THE POWER
OF AN INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE
RECOGNITION PROJECT I HAD THE
PLEASURE OF LEADING.
IT CENTERED ON BROADENING THE
WORK IN NIH IN THE PHYSICAL AND
GLOBAL DIGITAL SPACES.
HELPING TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND
APPRECIATE THE DIVERSITY OF OUR
NIH WORKFORCE AND ENTERPRISE AND
TO PROMOTE INCLUSIVITY AND
BELONG I
BELONGING.
THERE AND THERE'S LOTS OF THING
THAT HAVE GONE TODAY LIVE TODAY
ON MY 40th BIRTHDAY AND IT HELPS
WE'RE AT THE ACD MEETING AND
TALKING ABOUT ALL THE PROGRESS
AROUND RACIAL EQUITY AND YOU CAN
VISIBLY SEE THAT.
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS
YOU CAN VISIBLY SEE EFFORTS AND
INCLUSION AND BELONGING GOING
INTO OUR EFFORTS.
SO PROGRESS TO DATE IS THAT WE
HAVE ROLLED OUT A LIVE NOT SO
MUCH INTERACTIVE BUT A LIVE
WEBSITE TO REALLY TALK ABOUT THE
PHYSICAL AND ELECTRONIC CAMPAIGN
AROUND THIS RECOGNITION PROJECT.
WE HAVE INSTALLED ARTWORK IN
THREE OF THE BUILDINGS, ACTUALLY
BUILDING 10, BUILDING 31 AND
BUILDING 1 NEXT WEEK SO 12, 13
THROUGH THE 15th THERE'LL BE
ADDITIONAL ARTWORK INSTALLED.
SO THE NEXT STEPS ARE TO
CONTINUE TO PUBLICLY ROLL OUT
THIS GREAT ARTWORK I'LL SHOWCASE
IN THE NEXT SLIDES SO THERE'LL
BE MINIMUM READING IT WILL JUST
BE PICTURES AND COLORS AND
PATTERNS FOR YOU TO OBSERVE.
AND OUR METRICS OF SUCCESS SOME
IS TANGIBLE AND SOME NOT
TANGIBLE AND THE STAFF AND
PEOPLE WE FUND AND OUR NIH
COMMUNITY ARE STARTING TO FEEL A
SENSE OF BELONGING AND INCLUSION
FROM THESE PICTURE FROM THIS
ARTWORK FROM JUST WALKING
THROUGH THESE HALLWAYS.
AND TO HAVE THIS DIGITAL ONLINE
WEBSITE TO INCLUDE THE FEELING
OF INCLUSION AND REPRESENTATION
OF ALL WHO WORK AT NIH IS SO
IMPORTANT AND THAT METRIC OF
SUCCESS WILL COME FROM CONTINUED
ENGAGEMENT AND CONTINUED PEOPLE
BEING JUST POURING INTO THIS
PROJECT SPECIFICALLY.
SO IN DETAIL, I CAN TALK TO YOU
ABOUT WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE BEFORE
AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE CURRENTLY
AND THIS IS SPECIFICALLY IN
BUILDING 1.
THESE ARE FORMER NIH DIRECTORS
THAT RIGHTLY ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN
BUILDING 1.
THIS IS OUR MAIN NIH FIRST
BUILDING ON OUR CAMPUS.
SO IF YOU WALK INTO THE LOBBY,
THESE ARE THE PREDOMINANTLY
WHITE OLDER MALES THAT ARE
HIGHLIGHTED ON THE WALLS IN
BUILDING 1.
THERE'S ONLY ONE FEMALE AND
THAT'S DR. HEALY.
THIS PROJECT DOESN'T JUST START
OUT OF BUILDING 1 BUT THOUGHT IT
WAS IMPORTANT TO ENHANCE THE
ARTWORK IN 1 AND BUILDING
>> THESE ARE THE 3 MAIN BUILDING
THAT VISITORS AND STAFF WORK IN
AND VISIT AND LIKE TO SEE
THEMSELVES REFLECTED IN BUT
SADLY AT THIS POINT ARE NOT ABLE
TO SEE THAT.
SO I WANTED TO SHOW A KIND OF
BEFORE AND THEN AFTER AND THEN
TALK TO YOU ABOUT PROPOSED
CHANGES.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THE POWER OF AN INCLUSIVE
WORKPLACE RECOGNITION PROJECT,
THIS IS BUILDING 10, THESE ARE 4
EXAMPLES OF EXHIBITS AND ART
WORK THAT ARE PORTRAITS THAT ARE
CURRENTLY IN PLACE, SO THE UPPER
LEFT HAND CORNER IS AN EXHIBIT
ON SCIENTIFIC EVOLUTION AND
INVENTIONS WITHIN BUILDING 10.
TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER ARE THE
LASKER AWARDEES, VERY PREOF
THEIGOUS AWARD, AGAIN,
PREDOMINANTLY OLDER WHITE MALES
SHOWCASED ON THE HALL THAT IS A
HALLWAY THAT MANY OF STAFF HAVE
TO PASS THROUGH TO GET TO THE
CAFETERIA TO GET TO THE MAIN
LOBBY.
THE BOTTOM LEFT HAND CORNER IS
THE EBOLA EXHIBIT THAT NIH
PLAYED GREAT LEADERSHIP AND
TREATMENT, CLINICAL CARE
RESEARCH ROLE AND THEN THE LAST
TO THE RIGHT IS 1 OF THE FEW
DIVERSE EXHIBITS WE HAVE IN
BUILDING 10 AND ACTUALLY
DR. LAUGH LYNN OUT OF NIDDK AND
INTRAMURAL PROGRAM DIRECTOR WAS
INSPIRED BY ALL THESE DIFFERENT
MASKS, CLOTH MASKS THAT PEOPLE
HAD TO WEAR DURING COVID AND SO
SHE, WITH HER GREAT ARTISTIC
SKILL, CREATED THESE SMALLER
PORTRAITS OF VARIOUS PEOPLE IN
THE COMMUNITY AND NIH STAFF AND
NIH WAS ABLE TO SHOWCASE THAT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO SHOW THAT
THERE IS SOME LEVEL OF DIVERSE
EXHIBITS ANDART WORK WITHIN THE
NIH BUT PREDOMINANTLY, WE DON'T
HAVE THAT DIVERSITY SO YOU CAN
IMAGINE HOW THAT MAKES STAFF NOT
JUST STAFF OF COLOR BUT ALL
STAFF FEEL IN TERMS OF WANTING
TO BE CONTRIBUTING TO THE
MISSION OF NIH WHICH IS A GREAT
MISSION.
NEXT SLIDE.
SO THIS CAME ABOUT WITH AN
INTEREST TO INCREASE AND ENHANCE
INCLUSION AND FEELING OF
BELONGING.
SO IN REACHING OUT TO THE
MEDICAL ARTS DEPARTMENT, THE
THOUGHT WOULD BE THAT WE CAN
ENHANCE THE ART ON THESE WALLS
AND HALLWAYS BY FIRST HAVING TO
INCLUDE NIH COLORS ISSUES THE
BLUES, THE ORANGES, THE REDS AND
THEN TO BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE
VARIOUS ETHNICITIES, CULTURES TO
THEN UTILIZE--PEDIATRIC
NEUROONCOLOGIST, I'M NOT AN
ARTIST BUT IN THIS HALL AS I'VE
BEEN LEADING THIS PROJECT, I
HAVE COME MORE INTO THE ARTS AND
I'VE REALLY ENJOYED LEARNING THE
KIND OF BEFORE, AFTER AND THE
WHOLE SCALE OF WHAT IT TAKES TO
ROLL OUT AN EXHIBIT IN THE ART
SPACE.
SO I LOVE THE FACT THAT THESE
MEDICAL ARTISTS AND SPECIFICALLY
JEFFREY EVERETT WHO WAS THE LEAD
MEDICAL ARTIST ON THIS PROJECT,
HE WANTED TO EXPANDOT NIH COLOR
PALLETS THAT WERE EXPRESSIVE,
INCLUSIVE AND NONETHNIC
SPECIFIC, HE USED CONTEMPORARY
DIVERSE PORTRAIT ILLUSTRATIONS
AND THESE ARE JUST EXAMPLES,
THESE AREN'T CURRENT NIH STAFF
BUT A MOCK-UP OF WHAT HE HAD
PROPOSED AND HE SAID, ANY STAFF
MEMBER WOULD BE ABLE TO PRESENT
A SELFIE OR A HIGH RESOLUTION
PICTURE AND THEN HE COULD GO
THROUGH AND DRAW THE IMAGE OF
THE PICTURE THEY SUBMITTED TO
THEM AND THEN WE ALSO WERE GOING
TO INTERSPERSE INSPIRATIONAL
QUOTES FROM NIH STAFF MEMBERS,
FROM CELEBRITIES, FROM
NONCELEBRITIES, ANYBODY AND SO
BY A SUBCOMMITTEE WITHIN OUR
TEAM COMMITTEE, WE WERE ABLE TO
COME UP WITH STAFF PICTURES AND
WE WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH
QUOTES THAT WERE NOTABLE AND IF
YOU GO ON OUR WEBSITE NOW,
HOPEFULLY WE CAN PROVIDE YOU
WITH THE SPECIFIC LINK MAYBE IN
THE CHAT OR SUCH AND IT ACTUALLY
IS A 3 MINUTE AND 52-SECOND
VIDEO OF US WALKING THROUGH SOME
OF THIS ART WORK, THIS GREAT ART
WORK THAT THE MEDICAL ARTIST
COMPOSED FOR THIS PROJECT.
NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS THE SPECIFIC FILMING OF
WHEN JEFFREY AND I, SO THIS IS
JEFFREY AND I IN THE MIDDLE
PICTURE WHEN WE SHOWED THE NIH
LEADERSHIP STAFF, DR. COLLINS,
DR. TAKEN--THEY BACK,
DR. JOHNSON AND DR. BERNARD ALL
THIS GREAT ART WORK WHERE WE
HIGHLIGHTED NOT JUST SCIENTISTS,
NOT JUST PHYSICIANS, ALL STAFF,
OF VARIOUS CREEDS, OF VARIOUS
COLOR, OF VARIOUS ETHNICITIES,
OF VARIOUS GENDERS, SEXUAL
ORIENTATIONS, REALLY SHOWCASING,
HIGHLIGHTING, THIS IS JUST IN 1
BUILDING, BUILDING 10, SOUTH
ENTRANCE LOBBY AND WE REALLY
JUST ENJOYED EXPLAINING THE ART
WORK, EXPLAINING WHY THIS WAS
NECESSARY.
SO WE GO A LITTLE BIT INTO
DETAIL ABOUT THAT IN THIS 3
MINUTE AND 52-SECOND VIDEO YOU
CAN FIND ON THE UNITE WEBSITE SO
I REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO ALL
HEAD THERE AND REALLY JUST GET A
SENSE OF THE WARMTH THAT WAS
SPREAD THAT DAY, AMONGST NIH
LEADERSHIP AND YOU CAN SEE JUST
SOME OF THE COZYING UP OF NIH
STAFF LOOKING AT SOME OF THE ART
WORK AND JUST GETTING JOY FROM
IT.
NEXT SLIDE.
AND SO WE HAVE PLANS, SO THAT
WAS JUST 1 SPACE WITHIN BUILDING
10, VERY HEAVILY POPULATED
BUILDING WHERE WE CONDUCT
LABORATORY RESEARCH, CLINICAL
RESEARCH, SEE PATIENTS AND
REALLY DO A LOT OF THINGS IN
BUILDING 10. THIS IS 1 OF OUR
MAIN AREAS OF WHERE WE EAT, IT'S
OUR LARGER CAFETERIA, 1 OF OUR
LARGER CAFETERIAS ON B-1, AND SO
AT THE TOP, CAN YOU SEE A BANNER
OF VARIOUS NIH STAFF MEMBERS WHO
WILL BE SHOWCASED IN B1
CAFETERIA.
SO THIS IS WHERE EVERYONE COMES
TO CONGREGATE.
SO IT WILL BE AWESOME WHEN
EVERYBODY COMES BACK TO WORK
PENDING WHEN OMICRON GOES AWAY
AND HOPEFULLY SOMETHING ELSE
DOESN'T POP UP, LAMDA, NU, AND
COME BACK AND SO TELL BE AWESOME
FOR EVERYONE TO SIT DOWN AND EAT
THEIR FOOD AND THEN LOOK UP AND
FEEL INCLUDED AMONGST WHAT'S
THERE ON THE WALLS AND FEEL LIKE
THEY SHOULD BE THERE.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT WEEK
WHEN THIS WILL BE INSTALLED IN
THE B1 CAFETERIA AND NEXT SLIDE,
AND NEXT WEEK, WE ALREADY HAVE
BUILDING 31 INSTALLATION, YOU
CAN SEE A BEFORE, AFTER AND SOME
OF THE PRODUCERS FOR THE VIDEO
AS WELL AS INSTALLATION, HELP TO
INSTALL SOME OF THE ART WORK IN
BUILDING 31.
NEXT WEEKEND, BUILDING 1, NOT
NECESSARILYOT FLOOR WHERE I
SHOWED YOU IT WAS PREDOMINANCE
OF THE NIH LEADERSHIP PAST BUT
ON THE THIRD FLOOR OF BUILDING 1
WHERE WE WILL HIGHLIGHT ALL THE
INSTITUTE DIRECTORS WITH A VERY
COLORFUL BACKGROUND DECAL OF THE
PATTERN THAT THE MEDICAL ARTISTS
CAME UP WITH THAT, IT WILL
REALLY HELP TO POP THE COLOR OF
OUR VARIOUS INSTITUTE DIRECTORS
AND WITH TIME, WE WOULD HOPE
AND--THAT WITH CONTINUED CARE,
CONCERN, AND REALLY PASSION OF
UNITE AND EDI AND THE SCIENTIFIC
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND ALL
THESE OTHER OFFICES REALLY
WORKING ON RACIAL EQUITY, IT
WON'T JUST BE PHYSICAL AND
GLOBAL, DIGITAL CAMPAIGNS AROUND
RACIAL EQUITY BUT ALSO INCLUSION
IN THE OUTDOOR SPACES.
SO THESE ARE JUST PLANNED
LOCATIONS WHERE NOT EVERYBODY
COMES INSIDE TO BUILDING.
SOMETIMES WE HAVE THAT DELIVERY
OR CONTRACTORS ARE JUST DEALING
WITH OUTSIDE SPACES, SO WE HAVE
PLANS TO PLACE MURALS ON OUTSIDE
LOADING DOCK AREAS, ON BANNERS
ACROSS THE NIH, THERE'S PLENTY
OF BLANK WALLS INSIDE AND
OUTSIDE OF THE NIH AND EVEN WITH
DISPLAYS SO THE MEDICAL ARTS
TEAM HAS GREAT PLANS FOR HOW WE
CAN REALLY HELP TO HAVE EVERYONE
FEEL INCLUDED EVEN IF THEY'RE
NOT COMING INTO THE PHYSICAL
WORK SPACES AND MAYBE THEY'RE
NOT VISITING ONLINE WEB SPACES.
NEXT SLIDE.
SO WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT?
SO THE VERY FIRST PICTURE I HAVE
IS ON THE DAY WE WERE DOING THE
INSTALLATION IN BUILDING 10, MY
TRAINEE, THAT WORKED IN MY LAB
MELIA, SHE IS A POST
BACCALAUREATE FELLOW SHE
GRADUATED FROM DARTMOUTH 8
MONTHS AGO AND WORKING IN MY
LAB, VERY MOTIVATED, VERY
ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT SCIENCE AND
SHE REMINDS ME OF MYSELF AND SHE
WANTS TO BE A NEUROSURGEON AND
SHE HAPPENED TO BE THE WALKING
BY THE DAY WE WERE DOING THE
INSTALLATION AND SHE SAID
DR. JACKSON IS THAT YOU?
AND I SAID YES, AND SHE TOLD ME
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS,
SPECIFICALLY ON THIS DATE THAT
SHE WAS SO INSPIRED TO SEE
SOMEBODY WHO LOOKS LIKE HER, BUT
SOMEBODY WHO LOOKS LIKE HER ON
THESE WALLS BECAUSE 1 DAY SHE
MAY COME BACK AND WORK AT THE
NIH AND IF SHE'S FEELING THAT
SENSE OF INCLUSION OR BELONGING
RIGHT NOW AS JUST A TRAINEE,
THAT SPEAKS SO LOUD OF A VOLUME
FOR HER TO COME BACK TO
CONTRIBUTE, TO RECRUIT MORE, TO
RETAIN OTHER PEOPLE WHO LOOK
LIKE HER AND OTHERS.
SO I DO THIS, NOT FOR ME, BUT
FOR THE WORLD, FOR THE NIH,
BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT, BECAUSE
IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD, BECAUSE
IT MAKES OTHERS FEEL GOOD AND IT
EVEN MAKES DR. COLLINS FEEL GOOD
SO MUCH THAT HE WAS TAKING A
PICTURE OF HIS DEAR FRIEND JANE
GOODALL'S QUOTE ON THE WALL SO
HE COULD SEND TO HER.
[LAUGHTER]
SO IT'S JUST SO MUCH BIGGER THAN
ALL OF US AND I THINK IT'S SO
IMPORTANT THAT THIS IS JUST THE
BEGINNING OF SO MUCH MORE FOR US
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE
INCLUSION, THE BELONGING, THE
NEED TO HAVE EVERYBODY IN THE
FIELD, TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE
BEING RECOGNIZED, THROUGH THIS
RECOGNITION PROJECT HERE AT THE
NIH AND NOT THE BIOMEDICAL WORK
AND NOT JUST THE SCIENTISTS AND
NOT JUST THE PHYSICIANS BUT
EVERYONE.
SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
, NEXT SLIDE.
AND ANY QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU DR. JACKSON, I SO I
THINK YOU WILL ALL APPRECIATE
WHY FRANCIS AND I WILL FEEL THAT
NIH WILL BE IN VERY GOOD HANDS
GOING FORWARD.
BUT THANK YOU AMY, THANK YOU
DR. JACKSON.
I THINK THIS IS GREAT.
SO, COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS AND
?
>> ANN YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP.
>> I DO, THANK YOU FOR THE
INTERESTING PRESENTATION,
COMPELLING ART WORK, I LIKE WHAT
YOU'RE DOING A LOT SO THANK YOU
VERY MUCH.
I WAS WONDERING IF SOME OF THE
NEWER ART WORK WON'T FOCUS ON
INDIVIDUALS BUT INSTEAD
HIGHLIGHT THEIR SPECIFIC
DISCOVERIES AND I DON'T SAY THIS
TO DOWN PLAY THE IMPORTANCE OF
RECOGNIZING INDIVIDUALS BUT TO
ASK WHETHER WE MIGHT RECOGNIZE
THEM NOT ONLY BY PORTRAITS OF
THEIR FACES BUT MAYBE IMAGES
THAT DEPICT IN A AN INFORMATIVE
WAY OR THE SCIENCE THEY
DISCOVERED OR NURTURES AND I WAS
WONDERING IF THAT IS SOMETHING
TO BE CONSIDERED FOR ART WORK IN
THE FUTURE?
>> SO IT IS, THANK YOU GREAT
QUESTION AND WE'RE WORKING WITH
THE NIH HISTORY OFFICE WHO WILL
ALSO HAVE EXHIBITS ACROSS NIH
THAT WILL HIGHLIGHT
CONTRIBUTIONS OF NIH STAFF OF
COLOR AND NOT OF COLOR THAT HAVE
CONTRIBUTED SCIENCE AND MEDICAL
DISCOVERIES AND SCIENTIFIC
DISCOVERIES TO DATE.
CURRENT ART WORK AND
HIGHLIGHTING CURRENT NIH STAFF
BUT IN THE FUTURE WE WILL
HIGHLIGHT PAST NIH STAFF AND
PEOPLE THAT WE POURED MONEY WE
POURED INTO PEOPLE AND THEIR
CONTRIBUTIONS AS WELL FUNDED NIH
SCIENTISTS.
SO, THANK YOU.
>> THANKS.
>> THANK YOU.
OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS,
PLEASE?
WE WANT YOU TO VISIT THIS
EXHIBIT AND BY THAT TIME THERE
WILL BE AT LEAST 2 UP, RIGHT?
IF NOT MORE.
AND SO, WE WILL BE SURE TO POINT
OUT TO YOU HOW TO FIND THESE
PLACES.
BUILDING 10 IS A BIT OF A
LABYRINTH BUT WE WILL POINT OUT
HOW TO FIND THESE PLACES,
BECAUSE IT'S WELL WORTH THE
VISIT.
IT REALLY IS.
OKAY.
>> NEXT TIME, DR. --NEXT TIME
JOE BIDEN COMES WE HAVE TO GET
HIM TO WALK DOWN THAT CORRIDOR.
>> [LAUGHTER]
>> YES THAT'S TRUE BUT HIS LAST
VISIT OF COURSE BECAUSE OF
LOGISTICS WE HAD A LIMITED TO 1
PLACE BUT YES, YOU'RE QUITE
RIGHT.
YOU'RE QUITE RIGHT.
>> MAYBE PORTRAITS IN NACHER ON
TO BE ON YOUR LIST BECAUSE
THAT'S GENERALLY WHERE THE
VIPs WANT TO COME.
>> TRUE AS WELL, ANYTHING ELSE
FOR EITHER DR. ADAMS OR
DR. JACKSON?
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
WE HAVE 1 FINAL COMMITTEE REPORT
THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH
YOU AND THAT IS DR. ANNA ODONIEZ
WHO WILL PRESENTING ON BEHALF OF
E-COMMITTEE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON I'M ANNA,
ORDONEZ, AND I WILL PRESENTING
ON BEHALF OF MY TEAM, ERICA AND
JOHN LORSCHAND MY FANTASTIC
COLLEAGUES IN COMMITTEE E.
SO NEXT SLIDE, AS A BRIEF
REMINDER THE CHARGE OF OUR
COMMITTEE IS TO IDENTIFY
POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT
CONTRIBUTE TO A PERSISTENT LACK
OF INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY
WITHIN THE EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH
ECOSYSTEM AND TO DEVELOP
STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS THESE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO SINCE OUR LAST MEETING WE
DEVELOPED A SET OF
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEW
INITIATIVES, PROGRAM EXPANSIONS
AND POLICY CHANGES.
AND THESE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED
WITH THE UNITE COMMITTEE, WITH
NIH LEADERSHIP, THE EXTRAMURAL
ACTIVITIES WORKING GROUP, AND
THE EXTRAMURAL PROGRAM
MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MOST
RECENTLY.
WE'RE NOW IMPLEMENTING THE
PROPOSAL OF THESE AND DOING SO
THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION GROUPS OF
INDIVIDUALS WITH THE REQUIRED
EXPERTISE THAT ARE NEEDED FOR
EACH 1.
SO AS YOU MAY REMEMBER FROM OUR
PRIOR PRESENTATIONS, WORK OF ART
COMMITTEE IS GUIDED BY A
FRAMEWORK THAT USES 4
CORNERSTONES, ENHANCING CAREER
PATHWAYS FOR UNDERREPRESENTED
GROUPS IN SCIENCE, ENVIRONMENT
AND CULTURE AT THE EXTRAMURAL
INSTITUTIONS, INIQUITIES IN NIH
PROCESSES AND POLICIES THAT CAN
CONTRIBUTE TO FUNDING INIQUITIES
AND LIMITED RESOURCES AND
CAPACITY BUILDING AT
HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES, TRIBAL COLLEGES
AND UNIVERSITIES AND OTHER
MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTIONS.
SO OVER THE NEXT FEW SLIDES, I
WILL BRIEFLY OUTLINE SOME OF THE
IMPLEMENTATION PRIORITIES OF THE
PROPOSALS WE HAVE ALREADY PUT
FORWARD WITH THOSE 4
CORNERSTONES IN MIND.
SO NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO AS FAR AS INCREASING CAREER
OPPORTUNITIES FOR
UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS, WE'VE
WORKED ACROSS INNSITUTES AND
CENTERS TO GARNER SUPPORT FOR
THE EXPANSION OF THE SCIENCE
EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS OR SEPA,
FOR AND WE EXPECT INSTITUTES AND
CENTERS WILL BE ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE IF THIS WITHIN THE
NEXT FUNDING CYCLE AND AS A
REMIND THERAPY AND IS A TOPIC
THAT HAS COME UP BEFORE IN THE
ACD AND OTHER VENUES, THIS
PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY HELPS TO
FUND PREKINDERGARTEN THROUGH
12th GRADE CAREER FOCUS
DIVERSITY ENHANCEMENT GRANTS.
WE ALSO ESTABLISHED AN
IMPLEMENTATION GROUPS TO
STRENGTHEN DIVERSITY AND
MENTORING LANGUAGE IN PARENT
TRAINING GRANTS AND FELLOWSHIP
FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENTS.
WE'RE WORKING TO INCREASE THE
USE OF DIVERSITY SUPPLEMENTS FOR
SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION
RESEARCH AND SMALL BUSINESS
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AWARDS, WITH
THE PLAN REALLY TO ENHANCE
OUTREACH AND WORKING TO HELP
INTERESTED TRAINEES FIND
INTERESTED BUSINESSES AND REALLY
HAVE THEM FIND EACH OTHER AND BE
ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER.
LASTLY WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS
INCORPORATING THE BRAIN
INITIATIVE PLAN TO ENHANCE
DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES OR PEDP
INTO NIH RESEARCH FUNDING
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE EMPLOY SO
WITH REGARD TO PROMOTING
EXTRAMURAL CULTURAL CHANGE IN
SUPPORT OF INCLUSIVITY AND
EQUITY, IMPLEMENTATION GROUPS
HAVE BEEN FORMED TO HELP US
LAUNCH A PROGRAM TO FUND
EXCELLENCE IN DIVERSITY EQUITY
AND INCLUSION FOR INVESTIGATORS
GRANTS.
AND AGAIN, THIS WILL HELP OFFSET
OR THE IDEA OF THESE TYPES OF
GRANTS IS TO HELP OFFSET THE
DIVERSITY TAX AND TO FUND BOTH
THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO CONTINUE
DIVERSITY AND EQUITY AS WELL AS
THEIR OWN--SELF-STUDIES AND THEN
BE ABLE TO DEVELOP ACTION PLANS
BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THESE
AND LASTLY WE'RE LAWRCHING A
PRIZE FOR INSTITUTIONAL
INNOVATION AND ADVANCEMENT IN
DIVERSITY AND EQUITY AND
INCLUSION WHICH IS MODELED ON
THE OFFICE OF RESEARCH ON
WOMEN'S HEALTH AND ENHANCING
FACULTY DIVERSITY GENDER PRIZE.
NEXT SLIDE.
WITH REGARD TO PRIDING AND
RECOMMENDATIONS TO NIH POLICIES
AND POLICIES THAT ARE
CONTRIBUTING TO EXTRAMURAL
FUNDING THE GROUP IS FOCUSED ON
3 SPECIFIC AREAS, WHICH ARE
INIQUITIES IN PEER REVIEW,
INIQUITIES IN FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES AND THEN STAFF
INTERACTIONS WITH INVESTIGATORS
FROM LESSER RESOURCED
INSTITUTIONS AS WELL AS
UNDERREPRESENTED BACKGROUNDS IN
BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE.
SO AS YOU ARE AWARE AND WE'VE
SPOKEN ABOUT BEFORE, TO IDENTIFY
AND ADDRESS THESE FOCAL AREAS,
THIS WORK GROUP HAS MET WITH
SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS ACROSS
THE NIH IN AREAS OF PEER REVIEW,
EXTRAMURAL PROGRAM AND STAFF
TRAINING AND ALSO ATTENDED SOME
OF THE LISTENING SESSIONS FOR
PROGRAM OFFICIALS AND SCIENTIFIC
REVIEW OFFICERS AND AS YOU HEARD
EARLIER TODAY, TO FURTHER INFORM
THIS EFFORT, UNITE COMMITTEE U
HAS BEGUN HOSTING LISTENING
SESSIONS FOR INVESTIGATORS FROM
HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSITIES, MEMBERS OF TRAVEL
COMMUNITIES AND MORE ARE BEING
PLANNED.
SO BASED ON THOSE ACTIVITIES,
THE GROUP HAS BEGUN TO DEVELOP
SEVERAL PROPOSALS ARE IF
INCLUDING REGULAR AND REQUIRED
TRAINING MODULES AND SESSIONS TO
REDUCE IMPLICIT BIAS BUT ALSO
PROMOTE MORE EQUITABLE
INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PROGRAM
OFFICIALS AND SCIENTIFIC REVIEW
OFFICERS AND RESEARCHERS WITHIN
THE EXTRAMURAL COMMUNITY.
ADDITIONAL IMPLEMENTATION
PRIORITIES INCLUDE THE
DEVELOPMENT OF GUIDANCE THAT CAN
BE USED BY INSTITUTES AND
CENTERS TO HELP THEM ENHANCE THE
DIVERSITY OF PRINCIPLE
INVESTIGATORS FUNDED WITHIN
THEIR RESEARCH PORTFOLIOS.
AND LASTLY, THE SYSTEMATIC
ADVANTAGES OF REPUTATION,
NETWORK AND PEDIGREE ARE DEEPLY
ENTRENCHED IN THE CULTURE OF THE
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH ENTERPRISE
AND RARELY BENEFIT UNDER
REPRESENTED GROUPS.
SO MEMBERS OF THIS COMMITTEE ARE
ENGAGING WITH THE NIH CENTER FOR
SCIENTIFIC REVIEW TO SUPPORT AN
EFFORT TO SIMPLIFY PEER REVIEW
CRITERIA, RECOMMENDING A
DECOUPLING OF THE SCIENCE FROM
THE INVESTIGATOR ENVIRONMENT
CRITERIA AND REALLY OPENING THE
DOOR FOR FIRST STAGE REVIEW
WITHOUT INVESTIGATOR OR
INSTITUTION.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
NOW REGUARDING BUILDING AND
SUSTAINS RESEARCHA KASP A RITY
AND ENHANCING RESOURCES AT
HBCUs, TCUs AND OTHER
MINORITY SERVING INNS TUITIONS.
AGAIN WE HAVE BEEN WORKING HARD
TO ENGAGE SUBJECT MEARPT EXPERTS
AND MEMBERS OF THE EXTRAMURAL
COMMITTEE TO DEVELOP A INITIAL
SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND
IMPLEMENTATION WORKING GROUPS
FOR THESE.
SO SOME OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS
INCLUDE EXPANDING THE NIH
INNSITUTE AND CENTER
PARTICIPATION IN THE S10
INSTRUMENTATION AWARD PROGRAM,
TO INCREASE AVAILABLE FUND FOR
EXAMPLE THE PROGRAM AND TO
ENABLE PROGRAMS SPECIFICALLY
TARGETING MINORITY SERVING INNS
TUITIONS WE'RE ALSO FUNDING
INSTITUTIONAL TRAINING GRANTS
THAT WOULD BETTER SUPPORT THE
NEED AND PRIORITIES FOR HBCUs,
TCUs AND MSIs.
PROVIDING FUNDING FOR MSIs TO
CONDUCT STRUCTURED INSTIEWSAL
ASSESSMENTS TO ENABLED BETMENT
OF SHORT AND LONG-TERM ACTION
PLANS AND BENCHMARKS THAT
ACCURATELY REFLECT THE
PRIORITIES OF THE INSTITUTION.
THE EXPANSION OF THE SPONSORS
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION
DEVELOPMENT OR SAD PROGRAM TO
ENABLE INSTITUTIONS TO BUILD OR
ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY OF THEIR
OFFICES OF SPONSORED PROGRAMS.
AND LASTLY TO ESTABLISH AN NIH
OFFICE OF MINORITY SERVING
INSTITUTIONS TO ASSIST NIH IN
ACCORD NATION AND EFFORTS
TARGETING MINORITY SERVING
INSTITUTIONS.
AND WITH THAT I THINK WE WILL
OPEN TO QUESTIONS.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH AND SO, THIS
IS OPEN FOR QUESTIONS OR
DISCUSSION POINTS.
I DID WANT TO MENTION THAT PART
OF THE TRACTION FOR THE EFFORT
TO SIMPLIFY PEER REVIEW IN A WAY
THAT REDUCES RELIANCE ON "THE
ENVIRONMENT" CAME AS A RESULT OF
CONVERSATIONS I HAD WITH
DR. HILGRETH, A WHILE AGO.
SO JAMES WE DID LISTEN TO THE
POINTS THAT YOU MADE AND WHEN WE
HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK INTO
IT, REALIZED THAT THERE IS
SOMETHING THERE THAT NEEDED TO
BE CONSIDERED AND ADDRESSED SO
THANK YOU FOR RAISING THAT ISSUE
INITIALLY.
SO APPRECIATE IT.
COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS OF
DR. ORDONEZ OR ANYONE ELSE AT
THIS POINT.
>> ROY, YOUR AUDIO IS COMING
OVER A LITTLE GASHLEED I'M
AFRAID.
>> SORRY ABOUT THAT.
>> WELL, MAYBE--
>> MAYBE ASK THE QUESTION IN THE
CHAT AND 1 OF US COULD READ IT
FOR YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
THERE YOU GO.
THAT WAS THE SOLUTION.
OKAY.
AND WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR ROY
TO PUT HIS QUESTION IF THERE.
>> [UNINTELLIGIBLE AUDIO ]
>> IT IS GARBLED.
>> TRY PUTTING IT IN THE CHAT OR
E-MAIL IT TO ME.
LET'S BEGIN WITH DR. HILDRE,
JAMES, PLEASE?
>> THANK YOU, LARRY.
I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO US
AND MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE
ENVIRONMENT.
MANY OF US AT SMALLER
INSTITUTIONS HAVE FELT FOR A
LONG TIME THAT THERE'S AN
INSTITUTIONAL BIAS WHEN THE
GRANTS ARE SUBMITTED TOW THANK
YOU VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING TO
THAT.
I JUST WANT TO OFFER SOME
CAUTION IN TERMS OF SETTING UP A
TOTALLY SEPARATE INSTITUTIONAL
STRUCTURE TO DEAL WITH MINOR
INSTITUTIONS, THAT WILL BE MET
WITH A GREAT DEAL OF SUSPICION.
I THINK THE FOCUS NEEDS TO BE TO
GET THE EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE
YOU HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF
INTERACTING WITH AND MEETING THE
NEEDS OF MINORITY INSTITUTIONS,
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY, I'M HAPPY
TO HEAR YOU'RE DOING IT BUT I
JUST ADD A LITTLE CAUTION THERE
TO NOT LET THAT BE THE--SO
THAT'S ALL I WANT TO SAY,
THANKS, LARRY.
>> THANK YOU.
APPRECIATE THAT PERSPECTIVE.
>> ROY, YOU WANT TO GIVE IT
ANOTHER SHOT?
>> IS IT WORKING NOW?
>> I'M AFRAID IT'S NOT.
MAYBE IF YOU SIGN IN AND COME
BACK IN AGAIN?
SORRY.
I HOPE WE DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOU
COMPLETELY BUT MAYBE IF YOU GO
IN AND OUT?
>> SO ROY CAN I MAKE A
SUGGESTION AND CHECK WHERE YOUR
CELL PHONE IS.
SOMETIMES THE CELL PHONE--
>> TOO CLOSE?
OKAY.
>> ROY IS NOW ON HIS CELL PHONE
HUNT.
>> WELL AS LONG AS IT'S--
>> WHAT ABOUT NOW?
>> PERFECT!
>> OH GREAT!
GREAT!
GREAT.
>> GREATNESS!
>> ALL RIGHT, BRAVO!
>> PLEASE GO AHEAD ROY.
>> LISTEN, AS I'VE HAD THE
PRIVILEGE IN CO CHAIR OR THE
WORKING GROUP ON DIVERSITY NOW
FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND WE HAD A
PRESENTATION BY THE UNITE GROUP
A WEEK OR SO AGO, HAD A VERY
ROBUST DISCUSSION, BOTH WITH THE
GROUP AND WITH THE MEMBERS OF
THE STASK FORCE JUST AMONGST
OURSELVES AND I JUST THOUGHT I
WOULD TAKE A MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT
SOME OF THE MEMBERS SENTIMENTS.
YOU KNOW FIRST OF ALL, THE
MEMBERS REALLY WANTS TO STRONGLY
COMMEND THE UNITE COMMITTEE AND
ITS MEMBERS FOR ALL OF THE
TREMENDOUS WORK THAT ITS DONE.
IT REALLY IS IMPRESSIVE BUT IT'S
NOT LOST ON US THAT THESE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS WERE MADE
POSSIBLE BY TIME SPENT OUTSIDE
OF THEIR NORMAL WORK
RESPONSIBILITIES AND THAT WAS
HIGHLIGHTED EARLIER BY SEVERAL
SPEAKERS AND IN THAT VAIN IN
MEMBERS WANTED TO ENCOURAGE NIH
TO FIND A WAY TO RECOGNIZE THE
CONTRIBUTIONS THOOF THESE
INDIVIDUALS AND WHILE I
RECOGNIZE THAT MANY EMPLOYEES AT
NIH DO THINGS OUTSIDE OF THEIR
NORMAL WORK RESPONSIBILITIES,
THE AMOUNT OF WORK AND THE DEPTH
OF THE WORK SEEM LIKE IT'S A
REALLY HEAVY LIFT AND THAT
SOMEHOW A MORE FORMAL
RECOGNITION OF THEIR EFFORTS WAS
TOTALLY APPROPRIATE.
AND THEN FINALLY, LARRY, I WOULD
BE REMISED IF I DIDN'T MENTION
THAT THE ENTIRE MEMBERS OF THE
TASK FORCE WERE UNANIMOUS IN
PRAISING THE LEADERSHIP OF THE
NIH FOR THIS EFFORT AND WHILE I
RECOGNIZE THAT IT REALLY
REQUIRES THE SUPPORT OF THE
LEADERS AT THE TOP FOR PROGRESS
LIKE THIS TO BE MADE, IT'S MORE
THAN THAT.
IT'S ACTIVE CHAMPIONS AND I
THINK THAT AND WE THINK THAT
BOTH FRANCIS AND YOU HAVE BEEN
REAL CHAMPIONS AND THAT WE JUST
BELIEVE THAT THIS IS THE TYPE OF
THING THAT COULD BE A LEGACY FOR
FRANCIS AMONG THE MANY LEGACIES
THAT HE WILL LEAVE WHEN HE
LEAVES.
THIS IS CAUSING A CULTURAL
CHANGE--THE MEMBERS JUST WANT TO
THANK BOTH OF YOU AS THE 2
CHAMPIONS OF THIS EFFORT.
WE'RE VERY, VERY IMPRESSED BY
THE EFFORTS OF THE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS AND REALLY WANT TO THANK
THEM ALSO.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ROY.
>> ULARLY WOULD IT BE
APPROPRIATE, I KNOW 1 OF THE
THINGS THAT HAS EMERGED IN THE
COURSE OF THE LAST FEW MONTHS IS
THE UNITE COMMITTEES ARE FULL OF
THESE REALLY INSPIRED IDEAS BUT
GETTING THEM IMPLEMENTED IS NOT
NECESSARILY SOMETHING THAT MANY
OF THEM ARE IN THE APPROPRIATE
CHAIN OF COMMAND TO BE ABLE TO
JUST SAY, OKAY, NOW HEAR THIS.
SO YOU HAVE PULLED TOGETHER A
GROUP OF INSTITUTE DIRECTORS TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T LOSE
THAT IMPLEMENTATION COMPONENT.
DO YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING
ABOUT THAT?
>> WELL, MAYBE TARA, MAYBE YOU
SHOULD PICK THE BALL UP HERE
BECAUSE YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO
BE LEADING THIS.
>> SURE.
HI, EVERYONE.
SO WE RECENTLY FORMED A GROUP OF
INSTITUTE AND CENTER DIRECTORS,
THAT REALLY THINK THROUGH THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF MANY OF THE
ACTIVITIES COMING OUT OF UNITE
AS FRANCIS JUST SAID.
WE ARE STILL VERY EARLY DAYS,
WE'VE HAD 1 MEETING AND WE'RE
WORKING RIGHT NOW TO REFINE OUR
CHARTER AND DETERMINE THE SCOPE
OF WHAT WE'RE PLANNING TO DO.
BUT IT IS BEING SET UP AS PART
OF THE NIH GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE,
SO TELL BE EMBEDDED INTO WHAT
WE'RE ARE DOING OVERALL IN THE
ORGANIZATION AND AT THE AGENCY.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF AFRED OR
MARIE WOULD LIKE TO ADD ANYTHING
BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ARE ALSO
MEMBERS OF THAT COMMITTEE?
>> I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ADD THAT
IT'S A VERY WELCOME ADIRGZ TO
UNITE.
WE HAD THIS--ADDITION TO UNITE.
WE HAD TO DISCUSSION THAT UNITE
HAS BEEN IN A GUESTATIONAL
PERIOD SINCE INTERNAL LAUNCH IN
2020 AND THEN THE EXTERNAL
LAUNCH FEBRUARY 26 OF 21.
YOU CAN SEE THERE'S QUITE A BIT
OF PRODUCTIVITY AT THE RAPID
RATE AT WHICH THINGS ARE NOW
DEVELOPING AND THE FACT THAT
SOMETIMES IT'S NOT PERSPECTLY
CLEAR WHO THE STAKE--PERFECTLY
CLEAR WHO THE STAKEHOLDER IS,
IT'S NECESSARY TO MAKE THINGS
HAPPEN, THIS IMPLEMENTATION
GROUP WILL BE REALLY HELPFUL IN
CONTINUING THE PACE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ALFRED ANYTHING TO ADD?
>> NO, I DEIA,
TH
WHAT IS BEING DEVELOPED FOR THE
NIH CAN BE A FRAMEWORK AND I
BELIEVE THERE ARE STRATEGIES IN
PLACE FOR SELF ASSESSMENT.
WHAT IS WORKING IN THE UNITE
STRATEGY AND WHAT HASN'T.
AN ITERATIVE PROCESS OF
ADDRESSING WHAT WORKS AND WHAT
DOESN'T.
>> WHOEVER WANTS TO HANDLE THAT
ONE.
MARIE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE
THAT?
>> I WOULD CERTAINLY SAY IT'S A
THINK TANK.
LOTS OF IDEAS AND LOTS OF THINGS
JUST GOTTEN IMPLEMENTED BUT
EVERYTHING IS PUTTING IT FORWARD
HAS ITS METRICS, GOALS, TIME
LINE AND METRICS.
WE HAVE OUR "T" COMMITTEE WITH
THE JOB OF HOLDING US
ACCOUNTABLE AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE
TO DO THAT MEASUREMENT.
AS WE PROMISED WE'D LAUNCH THIS
IN FEBRUARY, EACH SIX MONTHS
WHEN WE COME BACK TO THE ACD
WE'LL HAVE THINGS WE'RE
ENVISIONING FOR THE NEXT SIX
MONTHS OR SO AND WILL HAVE
THINGS WE WILL HAVE HAD A CHANCE
TO MEASURE BECAUSE IT'S A MORE
MATURE ACTIVITY.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE
APPRECIATED ABOUT THE ENTIRE
ENDEAVORS WE HAVE BEEN LISTENING
TO IS THIS ASSESSMENT OF WHAT
WORKS AND DOESN'T WORK AND
KNOWING WHAT DOESN'T IS OFTEN AS
IMPORTANT AS WHAT DOES WORK SO
THANK YOU, MARIE.
>> GREAT.
THANKS.
REBECCA, YOU'RE UP NEXT, PLEASE.
>> HAVE OTHER AGENCIES AS IF NSF
EVALUATE DIVERSITY DIFFERENTLY
AS PART OF THEIR GRANTS
EVALUATION PROCESS, FOR
INSTANCE, THE BROADER IMPACT
CRITERIA THAT GOES WITH NSF.
I WAS WONDERING IF BEYOND
CHANGING HOW ENVIRONMENT AND
INVESTIGATOR DEFINED OR NOT USED
NOW THERE'S BEEN ANY SORT OF
BROAD CONSIDERATION OF THAT KIND
OF APPROACH WHERE THAT'S GOING
TO BE A CONSIDERATION CRITERIA
BEYOND TRAINING GRANTS AND THE
MECHANISMS IMPLEMENTED IN THE
FALL.
>> RIGHT.
>> I CAN ANSWER THAT, LARRY.
>> GO AHEAD, JOHN.
THANK YOU.
>> IT WAS MENTIONED IN THE
PRESENTATION THAT WE ARE
PILOTING THE BRAIN INITIATIVES
PLAN TO ENHANCE DIVERSE
PERSPECTIVES, THE PEDP IN A
VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FOAs.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
THE ADDITIONAL COMPONENT OF THE
APPLICATION RELATED TO ENHANCING
DIVERSITY IN A VARIETY OF WAYS
AND IT'S GOING TO BE PART OF THE
REVIEW AND THE SCORE.
WE'RE PILOTING IT AT AGMS AS
WE'RE PILOTING THE FOAs AND
OTHERS ARE I.C.s AND IF IT WORKS
IT WILL BE PUT IN THE PARENT
FOAs AS WELL.
>> THANKS.
>> WENDY.
>> I LOVE THE BOLDNESS AND IT
WASN'T VERY LONG AGO THE VOICES
THAT CALLED OUT STRUCTURAL
RACISMS AND BASED ON THE
EXTENSIVE LISTENING TOUR THE
MINORITY VOICES NOW ARE THE ONES
THAT SAY THERE'S NO STRUCTURAL
RACISM IN THE NIH AND IF WE WERE
WRITING A SCIENTIFIC PAPER ABOUT
THIS WE'D OFFER SEVERAL
INTERPRETATIONS OF THESE
FINDINGS.
I WONDER IF YOU'D SEE ADVANTAGE
TO NOT LABEL THE MINORITY
RESPONSES AS UNDERSTANDING
REALITY BUT I THINK YOU MAY FIND
NEW SOLUTIONS YOU MAY NOT HAVE
CONSIDERED TO THE ADD TO THE
MULTI PRONGED RESPONSES NEEDED
FOR THIS PROBLEM.
>> IN FACT WE HAVE APPROACHED
THIS IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.
MARIE'S OFFICE SPONSORED A
SEMINAR OR I GUESS A PANEL
DISCUSSION ABOUT THE VALUE OF
UNCONSCIOUS BIAS TRAINING.
WE RECEIVED A THOUGHTFUL MESSAGE
FROM AN NIH STAFF MEMBER WHO
POSITED IN FACT THIS TYPE OF
TRAINING WAS OF LIMITED OR NO
VALUE.
MARIE, DO YOU WANT TO TAKE IT
FROM THERE AS TO THE APPROACH
YOU USED BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT
WAS THOUGHTFUL.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE HAD A SEMINAR IN SEPTEMBER TO
JUST PUT IS OUT THERE IS
IMPLICIT BIAS TRAINING EFFECTIVE
AND HAD NI HERS TO RESPOND AND
LOOKED AT IT FROM MULTIPLE VIEW
POINTS, WHERE IS THE SCIENCE AND
WHERE IS IT USEFUL AND NOT
USEFUL AND YES, WE'RE TRYING TO
IN A SYSTEMATIC FASHION BRING
PEOPLE TO THE TABLE TO HAVE
THESE DISCUSSIONS ON THAT AND
OTHER TOPICS.
FOR INSTANCE, IN MAY WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE A SEMINAR ON THE VALUE
OF DIVERSITY IN SCIENCE,
QUESTION PARK -- MARK AND
QUESTION MARK BECAUSE THERE'S
WAYS OF LOOKING AT INTERPRETING
THE DATA AND WE NEED ALL THE
PERSPECTIVES.
THEY'RE ALL VALUABLE.
>> I LOVE THE SPECIFIC APPROACH.
>> IN DEED.
OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS
PEOPLE HAVE?
ALL RIGHT.
WE'RE REMARKABLY RUNNING AHEAD
OF SCHEDULE, WHAT I'M WONDERING
FRANCIS AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE
SHOULD TAKE THIS TO IT A VOICE
VOTE --
>> THIS IS ALFRED.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> IF WE CAN GET THE SLIDE BACK
UP WITH ALL THE UNITE MEMBERS ON
IT BECAUSE ONE THING WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE WE DO IS TO RECOGNIZE
ALL THE INDIVIDUALS WHO
VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME AND
EFFORT AND BECAUSE OF THEIR LOVE
NOR AGENCY AND FOR THIS CAUSE WE
ALL HAVE A STAKE IN THIS AND
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE DEDICATED TO
THIS.
THIS IS A LISTING OF ALL THE
INDIVIDUALS ON THE COMMITTEES.
THERE'S OTHER SUBCOMMITTEES THAT
WORK WITH DIFFERENT COMMITTEES
SO IT'S A VERY LARGE UNDERTAKING
BUT THESE INDIVIDUALS WE
CERTAINLY WANT TO HAVE THEIR
NAMED RECOGNIZED HERE BEFORE THE
ACD FOR ALL THE WORK THEY'RE
DOING AND WE HEAR DIFFERENT
THINGS THAT THERE'S VERY LITTLE
PROGRESS AND GREAT PROGRESS BUT
THE ONE THING WE KNOW IS WE'RE
MAKING PROGRESS AND WE ARE NOT
MAKING ANY EXCUSES.
WE KNOW IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO
DO BRINGING THE WHOLE ENTERPRISE
TOGETHER AND THE UNIT EFFORT IS
DOING THAT INTERNALLY AND
EXTERNALLY SO THE BIOMEDICAL
ENTERPRISE IS WHAT THE NATION
CAN LOOK AT AND SEE IT'S THE
RIGHT THING TO DO AND BECAUSE OF
IT WE WILL ALL BE BETTER.
WE WANT TO THANK THE ACD AND
WE'LL CONTINUE TO UPDATE YOU AS
WE MOVE FORWARD AND HOPEFULLY
SHOW YOU MAJOR PROGRESS MADE AS
WE GET MORE MATURE IN THIS
EFFORT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU FOR WRAPPING THE
SEGMENT UP BEAUTIFULLY.
FRANCIS, MULTIPLE CHOICE, DO YOU
WANT TO KEEP GOING FORWARD, DO
YOU WANT TO TAKE A BREAK SO WE
KEEP TO THE TIME IN THE AGENDA.
WHAT IS YOUR PREFERENCE, PLEASE?
>> I'M TOTALLY NEUTRAL ON THIS
AND I KNOW IT IS FRIDAY AND
THERE'S PROBABLY PEOPLE WHO
WOULDN'T BE UPSET IF WE FINISHED
A LITTLE EARLY SO THERE MIGHT BE
A MOTIVATION TO JUST TO KEEP
GOING.
MAYBE WE CAN ASK FOR A SHOW OF
HANDS, HOW MANY ACD MEMBERS SAY
KEEP GOING, RAISE YOUR HAND SO I
CAN SEE YOU.
>> THAT WAS ANTICIPATED.
ALREADY.
>> VERY GOOD.
IN THAT CASE THEN LET'S TURN TO
MARIE TO SPEAK TO A RELATED BUT
DISTINCT TOPIC.
PLEASE.
>> SO AS I MENTIONED WE AS WERE
LAUNCHING THE DISCUSSION OF
UNITE IT'S A COMPONENT OF THE
OVERALL NIH DIVERSITY AND
ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION
ACTIVITIES.
I'LL UPDATE YOU ON PRIMARY
AREAS.
THE NIH WIDE DIVERSITY AND
EQUITY AND INCLUSION AND DEIA
STRATEGIC PLAN AND FEED BACKFROM
THE WORKING GROUP AND DIVERSITY
AND THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE HAD LANGUAGE IN THE BUDGET
BILL PASSED THAT CALLED FOR US
TO DEVELOP A NIH WIDE EQUITY AND
INCLUSION PLAN TO SPECIFY LONG
AND SHORT TERM GOALS AND
IDENTIFY BARRIERS AND ACCESS TO
NIH FUNDING BY INVESTIGATIVE
RESEARCH HEALTH DISPARITIES TO
SUPPORT PLAN DEVELOPMENT AND
IMPLEMENTATION AND 180 DAYS FROM
THAT LEGISLATION THEY EXPECTED A
PLAN TO BE IN PLACE.
WE'RE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE WITH
THEM THAT WAS NOT A SUFFICIENT
AMOUNT OF TIME AND UPDATING
CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP ON OUR
PROGRESS IN DIRECTION WITH THE
IDEA THE PLAN WILL BE DELIVERED
IN 2022.
IN JULY WE HAD AN EXECUTIVE
ORDER ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY,
DIVERSITY IN THE WORKFORCE THAT
ESTABLISHED REQUIREMENTS FOR
EACH AGENCY TO DEVELOP A
STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO THOSE THINGS IS BEEN
COMBINED.
WE'RE WORKING ON ARTICULATING
THE VISION FOR STRENGTHENING
DEIA ACROSS NIH LOOKING NOT ONLY
INTERNALLY BUT EXTERNALLY.
HARMONIZING IT WITH THE
STRATEGIC PLAN FRAMEWORK THAT
LOOKS AT RESEARCH AREAS AND
RESEARCH CAPACITY AND CONDUCTING
RESEARCH.
WE'RE DOING THIS AS A
COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
MY OFFICE IS ONE OF THE
CO-CHAIRS OF THE OFFICE OF
EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
LED BY DR. LITTLE AT THIS TIME
AND WE CO-OWNED THIS EFFORT.
THE REAL ENGINE BEHIND IT IS THE
DIVISION OF PROGRAM
COORDINATION, PLAN AND STRATEGIC
INITIATIVES LED BY DOCTORS JIM
ANDERSON AND DR. VOLKOV AND THE
OFFICES AND MULTIPLE O.D.
OFFICES AS WELL.
WE GOT STARTED THIS SUMMER.
OUR GOAL IS TO GET THIS
COMPLETED.
WHAT WE THOUGHT WE HAD
NEGOTIATED WAS SPRING OR SUMMER
FOR THIS LEGISLATIVE MANDATE.
THE HHS MANDATE IS A LITTLE BIT
EARLIER.
WE'LL VERY TO SEE WHAT WILL
HAPPEN AND WE DEVELOPED A
PROCESS AND ALIGNED IT WITH THE
NIH WIDE STRATEGIC PLAN.
THE NEXT PHASE IS TO GET INPUT
FROM NIH AND THE PUBLIC AND
YOU'LL ANTICIPATE AN RFI FOR
THIS.
I'LL FOR WARN YOU IN MY HAT,
WE'RE ALSO DOING A STRATEGIC
PLAN AND OUR RFI WILL COME OUT A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS BUT THIS
IS A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE
SCIENTIFIC WORKFORCE.
WE'LL THEN DEVELOP FULL CONTENT
AND DO THE REVIEW AND APPROVAL
PROCESS AND ANTICIPATE A RELESS
DATE MARCH OR LATER.
SOME OFFICE LEADING ON THIS AND
WE DEVELOPED PROGRAMS INFORMED
BY WORK THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN
DONE BY UNITE AND BEEN MEETING
REGULARLY IN THE GROUPS SINCE
OCTOBER.
WE HAVE WORKED HARD ON LATE ON
RELATED CONCEPTS BECAUSE IT'S
INTERESTING YOU HAVE DEFINITIONS
IN EXECUTIVE ORDER AND IN THE
LITERATURE.
YOU HAVE DEFINITIONS ON THE
VARIOUS WEBSITES AT NIH.
WE'RE LOOKING AT TRYING TO GET
THAT ALL ALIGN.
YOU HAVE DEFINITIONS IN UNITE.
WE'RE DEVELOPING OBJECTIVES
ALIGNED WITH THE NIH WIDE
STRATEGIC PLAN OBJECTIVES AND
IDENTIFYING TOPICS AND UPDATING
AND REVIEWING OUR INVENTORY
WE'LL GET LEADERSHIP APPROVAL OF
THE FRAMEWORK IN EARLY 2022 AND
THERE'LL BE AN RFI.
WE APPRECIATE YOU KEEPING YOUR
EYE OUT FOR IT AND RESPONDING TO
IT.
THAT'S THE DEIA UMBRELLA
ACTIVITIES I WANTED TO TALK
ABOUT AND AN UPDATE WE
ESTABLISHED A SUBGROUP ON
INDIVIDUALS WITH THE
DISABILITIES AND THEY REPORT TO
THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE
DIRECTOR AND LED TO GOOD
RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE WORKING
GROUP HAD IN PLACE ALREADY A
DIVERSITY PROGRAM PROVIDED BY
THE DIVERSITY PROGRAM CONSORTIUM
TO BUILD INITIATIVE AND THE NEW
SUBGROUP ON INDIVIDUALS WAS
LAUNCHED IN AUGUST TO HELP US TO
COME UP WITH SUGGESTIONS ON HOW
TO BEST SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS WHO
ARE DIFFERENTLY ABLED IN THE
SCIENTIFIC WORKFORCE.
AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE
ABOUT THE GROUP GO TO THIS URL.
THESE ARE THE MANY CONTRIBUTING
TO THE SUBGROUP AND WE'RE
ANTICIPATING A SET OF
SUGGESTIONS FOR US BY AUGUST OR
SEPTEMBER OF 2022.
YOU CAN ANTICIPATE AT THE ACD
MEETING A YEAR FROM NOW, THOSE
SUGGESTIONS WILL BE COMING
FORWARD FOR POTENTIAL
CONSIDERATION AND ACTION BY THE
ACD.
THE GROUP WILL FOCUS ON
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DIFFERENTLY
ABLED.
CURRENT DATA AND TRENDS ON THE
PROBLEMS OF INDIVIDUALS
DIFFERENTLY ABLED AND
EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES FOR
SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
DIFFERENTLY ABLED BASED UPON
THEIR ABILITIES.
PROGRAMS THAT DEMONSTRATE
SUCCESS IN SUPPORTING
DIFFERENTLY ABLED INDIVIDUALS
AND PERSPECTIVES OF THOSE
INDIVIDUALS.
IT SHOULD BE A RICH REPORT AND
WE'RE GRATEFUL TO ALL THE
INDIVIDUALS WHO COMMITTED TO
PARTICIPATING IN THIS.
FINALLY I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT
MEMBERSHIP CHANGES FOR THE
WORKING GRUP ON DIVERSITY.
WE'VE HAD AN ACTIVE ROBUST GROUP
OF INDIVIDUALS GIVING US
FEEDBACK, INPUT AND WE ARE
GRATEFUL TO THE SERVICE OF
DR. STANLEY ANDRES AND
DR. RODRIGUEZ AND DR. BLACK AND
OTHERS WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU
ROY WILSON FOR THE LONGEST
SERVING WORKING GROUP WHO HAD
HIS TERM EXTENDED TWICE AND IT'S
BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU
AS CO-CHAIR OF THE GROUP.
I REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE HERE AT
NIH YOU WERE ALWAYS QUITE THE
COLLEAGUE AND CONTINUE TO BE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
AND THANK YOU, DR. DIAZ-BRITTON.
SHE'LL ASSUME HER TERM IN
JANUARY.
I'LL CLOSE WITH THE ADAGE THAT
GREAT MINDS THINK IT DIFFERENTLY
AND I'LL WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS
YOU MIGHT HAVE.
>> I APPRECIATE YOUR LEADERSHIP
AND INSIGHT ALONG THE WAY
>> YOU'VE BEEN FAITHFUL IN YOUR
DETERMINATION MONTH AFTER MONTH,
YEAR AFTER YEAR.
I'VE OUTLASTED THE USUAL SELF
LIFE FOR AN NIH DIRECTOR.
YOU DID IT BRILLIANTLY AND WE'LL
MISS YOU WOULD WE EXTEND IT ONE
MORE TIME.
>> DON'T SAY THAT BECAUSE
ROBERTA'S GETTING NERVOUS.
>> IT'S BEEN MY PRIVILEGE AND
THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTION OR
COMMENTS.
I WE'RE IN THE HOME STRETCH BUT
IF THERE'S ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D
WANT TO RAISE, PLEASE DO SO.
I THINK WE'RE GETTING TO THE
POINT OF WEARING OUT THE TEAM.
OKAY.
IN THAT CASE, THEN, ELISEO, I
KNOW YOU ARE ON THE CALL BUT I
DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE
CONNECTION AND CAN PRESENT OR IF
YOU PREFER SOMEONE PRESENT ON
YOUR BEHALF.
>> I'M IN A NEW PLACE WITH A
MORE STABLE INTERNET THANKS TO
MOTHER-IN-LAW.
>>
>> I WON THE LOTTERY FOR THE
LAST PRESENTATION OF THE TWO-DAY
MEETING.
IT'S TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE AND
THE RECRUITMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE
TRANSFORMATION PROGRAM.
THIS HAS BEEN A LONG TIME COMING
AND WE'VE MADE OUR INITIAL SET
OF AWARDS AND THE NEW RFA IS
PUBLISHED.
I'M ONE OF CO-CHAIRS WORKING
WITH AN ACTIVE GROUP OF ACTORS
INVOLVED.
THE PURPOSE WAS TO TRANSFORM THE
CULTURE AT THE EXTRAMURAL
INSTITUTIONS AND APPLIED THE
IDEA OF THE COHORT HIRE TO THE
COMMON FUND TO SUSTAIN A CULTURE
OF INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE FOR
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH TO AWARDEE
INSTITUTIONS WOULD BE EXPECTED
TO BRING ON FACULTY RECRUITS AT
THE ASSISTANT PROFESSOR LEVEL
AND WE DID CREATE MORE PATHS FOR
THE MORE RESOURCED INSTITUTIONS
AND LOWER RESOURCED
INSTITUTIONS.
AND CLUSTERS OF NO LESS THAN
THREE WHO COULD BE COMPETITIVE.
THE CHALLENGE OF TRANSFORMING
THE INSTITUTIONAL CLIMATE WHICH
IS NO EASY TASK.
THIS IS PART OF THE COMMITMENT
OF GETTING THIS GRANT.
THIS OBJECTIVES WILL NEED TO BE
IMPLEMENTED AND MONITORED OVER
THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS 10 YEARS.
THE COHORT MODEL AND SUSTAINING
CULTURE CHANGE AND FUNDING THE
EVALUATION CENTER FOR
COORDINATING AND FACILITATING
DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGIES.
THE CEC WILL BE MANAGE D BY THE
AWARDEE SOMETHINGS THROUGH THE
NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE.
THE PLAN IS TO HAVE A TOTAL OF
12 STAGGERED AWARDS.
WE'RE ON TRACK TO INCREASE THAT.
FOUR AWARDS EACH FOR THREE
YEARS.
THE RFA WOULD BE PUBLISHED EACH
YEAR FOR THREE YEARS AND
CONTINGENT ON THE AVAILABILITY
OF FUNDS AS ALWAYS AND THE
LENGTH OF EACH AWARD IS FIVE
YEARS WITH THE EXPECTATION OF
THE RENEWAL IN THE TYPICAL
COMMON FUND PLAN.
THE YEAR ONE IS A PLANNING YEAR.
WE ARE VERY MUCH IN THAT PHASE
NOW.
WE EXPECT PROGRESS AND REGULAR
FOLLOW-UP TO BEGIN COORDINATED
PRIMARILY THROUGH IN OUR CASE
THE COORDINATION EVALUATION
CENTER.
AS WE LUNGE INTO YEAR TWO AND
HAVE MORE AWARDEES AND THE
FACULTY HIRES BEGIN FOR THE
FIRST COHORT OF INSTITUTIONS NOW
WE'LL SEE MORE ACTIVITY AND THIS
YEAR FIVE WOULD BE FOR
ADMINISTRATIVE AND FACULTY
DEVELOPMENT EVALUATION.
JUST TO DEFINE I THINK THE NEXT
SLIDE HAS MORE DETAIL WE HAD TWO
SPRAS PATHS FOR APPLICATION AND
RENEW AND THE APPLIED THE
CRITERIAS LESS THAN $50 MILLION
IN TOTAL NIH FUNDING OVER THE
PRIOR THREE YEARS WHICH IS NOT A
SUPER LOW BAR AND IN OTHER WORDS
MANY INSTITUTIONS QUALIFY.
AND THEN THE HIRE RESOURCE
INSTITUTIONS.
AND ENCOURAGE INSTITUTIONS TO
CONSIDER PARTNERSHIPS.
YOU'LL SEE WE HAD ONE SUCCESSFUL
APPLICATION IN THIS CATEGORY.
I THINK THAT WAS IMPORTANT IN
MAKING THAT DECISION ABOUT
FUNDING.
THIS IT HAS THE DETAIL OF THE
LIMITED RESERVE INSTITUTION AND
PARTNERSHIPS AND THERE'S A LINK
ABOUT THE FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS THAT WAS PREPARED BY
STAFF FOR HELPING ANSWER
QUESTIONS BEFORE THE
APPLICATIONS WERE DUE.
OVERALL GOALS AND MEASURABLE
OBJECTIVES FOR INCLUSIVE CHANGE
ARE CHANGE ARE LISTED IN THIS
SLIDE.
INSTITUTIONS ARE EXPECTED TO
DEVELOP A STRATEGIC PLAN.
THERE HAS TO BE THEY HAVE TO
DEMONSTRATE INSTITUTION SUPPORT.
IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE THE
DIFFERENT SCALES BASED ON THE
RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THE
DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS.
WE DID WEIGH THOSE OPTIONS IN
MAKING FUNDING DECISIONS AND TE
GOAL IS NOT JUST TO BRING IN NEW
FACULTY COMMITTED TO INCLUSIVE
EXCELLENCE BUT TO ACHIEVE A
SUSTAINABLE CULTURE CHANGE OVER
BASELINE.
ALL THE EVENTS OF 2020 LED THE
FIELD TO BE MORE PREPARED TO
COMMIT TO THIS.
I THINK THAT WAS FORTUNATE FOR
THE SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM OVER
TIME.
THE CHALLENGE IS SUSTAINABILITY
AS WE ALL KNOW, BEING IN THIS
HIGHLY INTENSIVE WORK STATUS NOW
THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND
SUSTAINING IT OVER TIME IS NOT
SIMPLE.
WE HOPE THIS WILL HELP MAKE THIS
LAUNCH SUCCESSFUL.
IF ALL THE INSTITUTIONS ARE
COMPETING FOR THE EXACT SAME
NUMBER OF PEOPLE THERE MAY BE
CHALLENGES BUT WE EXPECT GIVEN
THE DATA AVAILABLE ABOUT
S.T.E.M. GRADUATES AND MEDICAL
STUDENTS AND FELLOWS FINISHING
THEIR TRAINING AND THE PIPELINE
IS NOT EMPTY FOR INDIVIDUALS
COMMITTED TO THIS, BUT FALLS OFF
IN GETTING FACULTY RECRUITMENT,
WE EXPECT THIS TO BE A
SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM.
AND THERE HAS TO BE ALSO SUPPORT
FOR MENTORING FOR INDIVIDUAL
RESEARCH CAREER PLANNING AND
DESCRIBE HOW THE PROGRAM WILL
HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT HAVE COME UP IN THE
LITERATURE AROUND THE ISOLATION,
THE MINORITY TAX ISSUE I THINK
WAS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED IN THE
UNITE PRESENTATION AND HOW YOU
CAN BUILD COMMUNITY AND FOSTER
CAREER DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAD A ROBUST RESPONSE AND
THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
INTEREST AND WE HOPE THAT ROUNDS
2 AND 3 WILL CONTINUE TO SEE
OUTSTANDING APPLICATIONS AND
INSTITUTIONS COME IN.
THESE ARE NOT LISTED IN ANY
PARTICULAR ORDER I THINK OTHER
THAN MAYBE ALPHABETICAL OR MAYBE
NOT THAT.
CORNELL UNIVERSITY DR. AVERY
AUGUST IS THE CONTACT P.I.
THESE A RENOWNED BASIC
SCIENTIST.
I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET HIM
IN THE PAST YEAR.
I THINK THIS IS IN ITHACA IN THE
MAIN CAMPUS BUT HAS A STRONG
CONNECT TO THE CAMPUS IN NEW
YORK AND LOOKS AT INFECTION
BIOLOGY AND HEALTH EQUITY.
THE MOUNT SINAI SCHOOL OF
MEDICINE CAME IN WITH A
SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION DR. TARA
BEND AND EVERYONE IS INTERESTED
IN HEALTH EQUITY NOW AND THAT'S
GOOD.
WE'RE DELIGHTED TO OPEN THE
DOOR.
DREXEL IS BARELY IN THE HIGH
RESOURCE GROUP AND DR. DIEZ-ROUX
LOOKING AT SOCIAL DETERMINATES
AND SELWWN VICKERS CAME IN WITH
A PARTNERSHIP ON TUSKEGEE AND
CANCER AND OBESITY AND DIABETES
AND METABOLIC DISORDER.
THE TWO LESS RESOURCED
INSTITUTIONS WERE FLORIDA STATE
UNIVERSITY WITH DR. FRANK WONG
WHOM I DON'T KNOW WITH A FOCUS
ON CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION
AND MANAGEMENT AND MENTAL HEALTH
AND SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY
WITH DR. MARIA ZUNIGA DE NUNCIO
AND HAVE UNDER REPRESENTED
GROUPS WITH THE TOPIC OF CANCER,
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH, OBESITY
AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND THE
WHOLE CONGLOMERATE OF
ACTIVITIES.
THIS IS THE BUDGET OF THE FIRST
COHORT.
YOU SAID FOUR PER YEAR, HOW DID
YOU GET SIX?
THERE WERE SO MANY GOOD
APPLICATIONS.
DR. BERNARD WAS GOOD AT
MOBILIZING SUPPORT GIVEN THE
INTEREST IN THE COMMUNITY AS
WELL AS NIH THEY WERE ABLE TO
SUCCESSFULLY PERSUADE
DR. COLLINS AND DR. TABAK TO
CONTINUE SUPPORT THROUGH THE
COMMON FUND.
I'M PLEASED THAT'S THE CASE
WE'RE TARGETING FOR THE SECOND
AND THIRD COHORTS.
WE'LL SEE HOW THAT DEVELOPS.
NEXT SLIDE.
THEN FINALLY THE COORDINATION
AND EVALUATION CENTER WHICH HAS
A PIVOTAL ROLE AND WE WILL BE
WORKING WITH THEM CLOSELY ON
DEVELOPING THE TOOLS BASED ON
WHAT WE KNOW FROM THE
LITERATURE, BASED ON WHAT EACH
OF THE SITES WILL WORK ON TO
COORDINATE AND FACILITATE
DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGIES.
THIS WENT TO MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF
MEDICINE.
WE'RE HAPPY WITH THAT SUCCESS.
IT'S NOT INTENDED THE CEC WILL
RUN THEIR OWN BUT THE DATA WILL
BE COLLECTED TO THE CEC TO MAKE
SURE WE'VE HARMONIZED THE
MEASURES AND DO
CROSS-INSTITUTIONAL ANALYSIS.
THE AWARD IS FUNDED AT $840,000
IN THE FIRST YEAR AND $1.5
MILLION FOR YEARS TWO THROUGH
FIVE.
THIS IS DATA COMMUNICATION AND
DISSEMINATION.
A LOT OF COORDINATION AMONGST
THE GROUPS AND AWARDEE
INSTITUTIONS AND THE GLOBAL
EVALUATION AND DATA COORDINATION
ROLE NOT THE ACTUAL DOING THE
EVALUATION.
AND WE HAVE CENTERS THAT PROMOTE
DIVERSE EXCELLENCE.
AND AS THE SAYING GOES, IT TAKES
A VILLAGE ON THE CO-CHAIR'S LIST
YOU SEE DR. GIBBONS AND
DR. KOROSHETZ AND NED SHARPLESS
ENGAGED FROM THE BEGINNING OF
THE PROCESS.
THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR AT NIMHD AND
MARIE BERNARD TOOK OVER FOR THE
COSWOOD OFFICE AND HAS BEEN A
PART OF HERDING THESE CATS.
SONYA SPRINGFIELD I'LL CALL OUT
AS THE LEAD FOR THE NCI WORK
GROUP THAT WORKED ON THE FIRST
INSTITUTIONAL RFAs AND PROCESS
AND THE OTHERS HAVE BEEN
DEDICATED TO WORKING ON THIS AS
WELL AND THANK YOU.
>> COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS.
THE FACT THERE WERE SO MANY
STRONG APPLICATIONS WAS
HIGHLIGHTED EARLIER DURING THE
PRESENTATIONS.
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, PLEASE?
>> ROBERTA.
>> THANK YOU.
DID YOU SEE THEMES EMERGING
ACROSS THESE DIFFERENT PROPOSALS
OR ARE THEY VERY INSTITUTIONAL,
COMMUNITY SPECIFIC OR ARE THERE
STRATEGIES MORE GENERALIZED AND
THEN BEING ABLE TO BE TESTED IN
MANHATTAN AND IN BIRMINGHAM?
I GUESS I'M LOOKING FOR ARE
THERE THEMES OR IS EVERY
ENVIRONMENT EVERY INSTITUTION
UNIQUE?
>> THINK EVERY ENVIRONMENT AND
U
IS UNIQUE AND THEY DON'T REQUIRE
ONE PARTICULAR VISIONARY LEADER
OR PROGRAM.
ONE INSTITUTION WOULD FIND
RESOURCES VERSUS ANOTHER WITH
MORE MODEST RESOURCES.
I THINK EVERY INSTITUTION WILL
HAVE THEIR OWN STRATEGIES IN HOW
TO RECRUIT BECAUSE IT'S NO EASY
TASK.
IT HELPED THEY DEFINE AREAS OF
SCIENCE THEY WANTED TO
CONCENTRATE BECAUSE I THINK IT
HELPS CREATE LINKAGE TO THE
I.C.s AT THE TABLE OR NOT.
THE CO-CHAIRS WERE VERY
INVOLVED.
THEY COULD HAVE LOTS OF
NEUROSCIENCE INTEREST.
THERE'S THREE OR FOUR INSTITUTES
WILL PERK UP AND SAY THAT'S A
GOOD STRATEGY IN OUR CASE.
WHERE I WANT TO HAVE NIMHD STAFF
AND THE CDC GROUP CONCENTRATE ON
IS WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF
CREATING A BETTER INCLUSIVE
ENVIRONMENT?
THIS IS NOT A VACANT LOT.
THERE ARE LOTS OF SIGNS IN THE
LITERATURE.
LOTS OF WORK HAS BEEN DONE ON
THIS.
IT'S THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING
THAT TOGETHER, HAVE THE COMMON
DATA ELEMENTS THE COMMON
MEASURES I SHOULD SAY THAT CAN
BE USED AND LESS THAT CAN BE
GENERALIZED TO ALL THE NIH
FUNDED INSTITUTIONS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT'S THE BEST I CAN DO WITH
THAT QUESTION WHICH IS A GOOD
ONE.
>> KRISTINA.
>> THIS IS A FABULOUS PROGRAM.
I WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO
SEASON I WORKED WITH AT THE
STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK,
DR. TERRY MILLER.
SHE RECENTLY PASSED AWAY FROM
CANCER A COUPLE MONTHS AGO BUT
WITH HER HELP WE LAUNCHED
PRODIGY AND YOU CAN GO TO THE
WEBSITE AND SHE ADDRESSED THE
GOAL WAS TO HIRE 1,000 UNDER
REPRESENTED MINORITIES AND WOMEN
IN S.T.E.M. OVER A DECADE.
IT WAS IN YEAR TWO.
SHE JUST PASSED AWAY IN YEAR TWO
BUT A LOT OF THE THINGS SHE
CREATED AND HER INSIGHTS IS WHAT
MADE PRODIGY DIFFERENT AND GOT
AROUND CULTURE AND MENTORING AND
SUCCESS.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK
OUT THE WEBSITE.
IF I CAN FIND THE DIRECT LINK
I'LL FORWARD IT ON AND SHE WAS A
REAL PIONEER AND WE LOST A GREAT
ONE.
I WANT TO MAKE ANYBODY LISTENING
OR HERE LOOKING AT THE SECOND OR
THIRD COHORT I THINK TO BE
INFORMED BY HER WORK.
THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD SAY
IS IT'S SO HEARTBREAKING TO ONLY
BE ABLE TO FUND SIX.
I HOPE WE'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE
TO GROW THAT SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
WE'LL FOLLOW-UP ON TERRY
MILLER'S PRIOR WORK.
WHEN I CAME TO NIH SIX YEARS
AGO, WE HAD A SUCCESSFUL GROUP
AND WERE ABLE TO RECRUIT
DIFFERENT FACULTY IN DIFFERENT
AREAS IN THE KIND OF SCIENCE I
DO AND CLINICAL POPULATION OR
SOCIAL BEHAVIORAL AND THERE'S
SOME OF YOU ON THIS CALL WOULD
HAVE DID -- DONE THE SAME THING
SUCCESSFULLY IN CLUSTERS.
I DON'T THINK WE EVER TRIED
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT HAVE
DONE ACROSS THE BOARD AND THE
TIMING IS BETTER THAN 10 YEARS
AGO I DON'T THINK THERE WAS THE
WILL, IF YOU WISH, AMONG
INSTITUTIONS TO MAKE THE EFFORT
AND INVESTMENT TO MAKE THIS
SUCCESSFUL.
THAT'S MY OPINION ON TA.
-- ON THAT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SHELLEY.
>> A QUICK COMMENT ON THE SMALL
NUMBER OF AWARDS MADE.
PENN PUT ONE OUT AND I THOUGHT
IT WAS TERRIFIC.
WHAT I WILL SAY IS IT'S HAD A
BIG IMPACT ON OUR RECRUITMENT
PLANS AND IT'S GOING FORWARD ALL
OVER THE UNIVERSITY.
THOUGH SADLY NOT AS MANY WERE
AWARDED AS I THINK EVERYBODY HAD
HOPED.
IT HAS HAD AN IMPACT
NONETHELESS.
>> THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE HOPED
MIGHT HAPPEN WITH THIS BEING PUT
OUT THERE AS AN IDEA THAT PEOPLE
GOT RALLIED AROUND TO PUT
TOGETHER AN APPLICATION THAT
THEY WOULD GET SUFFICIENTLY
INSPIRED AND IT WOULDN'T JUST
FADE AWAY IF THE APPLICATION
WOULDN'T GET FUNDED AND THERE'LL
BE ANOTHER CYCLE.
I HOPE THAT'S HAPPENED IN A LOT
OF PLACES.
>> I HOPE SO.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
THAT'S GREAT.
>> OTHER COMMENTS, PLEASE.
MARIE.
>> THIS IS BASED ON THE
LITERATURE DEMONSTRATED THAT
COHORT RECRUITMENT CAN BE
EFFECTIVE WHEN YOUR PAYING TO
BRINGING IN THE COHORTS AND
TENDING TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
THE DISTINGUISHED SCHOLARS
PROGRAM WITHIN NIH THAT HAS BEEN
ASSOCIATED WITH A SIGNIFICANT
INCREASE IN THE DIVERSITY OF THE
CONTINUE YOU'RE TRACK SCIENTISTS
HAS BEEN A COHORT RECRUITMENT
APPROACH AND YES, I'VE ALSO
HEARD THERE'S INSTITUTIONS THAT
APPLY FIRST AND WERE NOT
SUCCESSFUL AND YET GOING FORWARD
AND I THINK THAT'S WONDERFUL.
AGAIN, SELF-PROPOET --
SELF-PROMOTING THERE'LL BE A
SEMINAR FEBRUARY 24 AND 25.
SO PLEASE DO KEEP AN EYE OUT.
WE'RE INTERESTED IN BRINGING
TOGETHER ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE
THIS WHETHER FUNDED BY NIH OR
NOT TO TALK ABOUT THE
IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE BEHIND
IT.
WE JUST HAD A SHORTER ONE ON WDZ
TO TALK ABOUT THIS FOR AN HOUR
THAT WILL BE ON THE
DIVERSITY.NIH.gov WEBSITE AND WE
LOOK AT WAYS BY AMPLIFYING IT AS
MUCH AS WE CAN.
>> SPERO.
>> ONE VISUAL PICTURE I FOUND IN
SPEAKING TO LEADERSHIP IN
COLORADO LOOKING AT THE
INSTITUTIONAL PIECE OF THIS AND
SOMETHING THAT IS CRITICAL TO
THE SUCCESS OF THE INITIATIVE.
A SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGIST JOHN
GIBSON WROTE ABOUT THE INFANT
LEARNING TO CALL AND ONE CAN
EQUATE THE INFANT WITH THE
SKILLS HE OR SHE MAY NEED TO BE
ABLE TO CRAWL BUT WHEN FACED
WITH STEPS AND GOING ANOTHER
STORY IN A HOUSE THREE TO FOUR
FEET HIGH, THE LIKELIHOOD OF
THAT INFANT NAVIGATING THOSE
STAIRS IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY AND
THE HEIGHT OF THE STEPS
REPRESENT THE BARRIERS MANY OF
OUR INSTITUTIONS PLACE BEFORE
OUR YOUNG INVESTIGATORS.
I FIND THAT VERY POWERFUL NOTION
TO REMIND US WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
THE TRANSFORMATION OF THESE
INSTITUTIONS TO ENABLE OUR
YOUNGER COLLEAGUES TO SUCCESS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT,
SPERO.
WELL SPOKEN.
IT MAKES IT UNIQUE AND
TRANSFORMABLE.
>> ANY FINAL COMMENTS BY ANYBODY
BEFORE WE TURN IT BACK TO
FRANCIS?
OKAY, FRANCIS WE ARE UNDER TIME
AND PRESUMABLY ON BUDGET.
>> THIS MEANS YOU HAVE 45
MINUTES?
>> YOU HAVE AS MUCH TIME AS YOU
WANT.
>> JUST KIDDING.
IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY AND LONG
COUPLE OF DAYS BUT THE RICHNESS
OF THE CONFERENCE S --
CONFERENCE TODAY AND YESTERDAY
ARE INSPIRING AND THANK YOU FOR
INTERESTING RESPONSES, IDEAS,
REACTIONS.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHY THE ACD HAS
BEEN CRITICAL DURING MY 12 YEARS
THE WAY WE'RE ABLE TO TAP INTO
YOUR WISDOM INTO COMPLICATED
ISSUES AND WE ARE DETERMINED TO
DO THE RIGHT THING BUT WE NEED
HELP IDENTIFYING WHAT THAT IS.
IF YOU'LL FORGIVE ME, I DO WANT
TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A
FAREWELL TO THE TROOPS.
IT'S NOT THAT I'M LEAVING TODAY.
I'VE NOT NINE MORE DAYS BEING
NIH DIRECTOR SO WATCH OUT.
I CAN STILL DO A LOT OF TROUBLE
HERE BUT I DID WANT TO BECAUSE
IT'S MY LAST CHANCE TO TALK TO
ALL OF YOU ACD MEMBERS AND
THERE'S PROBABLY OTHER PEOPLE
MAYBE STILL LISTENING AS WELL A
PART OF THIS AMAZING INSTITUTION
CALLED THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES
OF HEALTH AND MAYBE SPEAKING A
BIT TO YOU AND TO THEM.
LOOKING BACK ON WHAT'S NOT BEEN
A NON LINEAR BUT INTERESTING
LIFE TRAJECTORY, I HAVE TO
REMEMBER MY FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH
NIH.
YOU MIGHT WONDER WHEN THAT WAS.
IT WAS 1972.
I WAS THEN A GRADUATE STUDENT IN
QUANTUM MECHANICS, PHYSICAL
CHEMISTRY AT YALE AND HAD THIS
EPIPHANY WHAT I WANTED TO DO WAS
CHANGE DIRECTIONS TO LIFE
SCIENCES AND PROBABLY GO TO
MEDICAL SCHOOL.
I HAD DONE A BIT OF A PROGRAM OF
PROGRAM AS PART OF MY GRADUATE
TRAINING IN YALE IN SOMETHING
YOU CALL MOLECULAR BIOLOGY.
A PERSON WHOSE WORK I GOT
INTERESTED IN ANDING.
-- IN AND IMAGINED I COULD DO
SOMETHING LIKE WAS IRA PASSTON
AND HE'S STILL DOING AMAZING
SCIENCE AND I WROTE TO HIM HERE
THIS GRADUATE STUDENT RATHER
NAIVE ABOUT BIOLOGY SUGGESTING
SOME EXPERIMENTS HE MAY WANT TO
THINK ABOUT DOING AND INDICATING
I WAS GOING TO BE IN THE D.C.
AREA AND WAS APPLYING TO MEDICAL
SCHOOL AT HOPKINS AND MUST BE
CLOSE TO D.C., RIGHT?
TO MY AMAZEMENT HE WROTE BACK
AND NOT JUST SAID, I'D LIKE TO
TALK TO YOU SAID COME AND I'LL
HAVE YOU MEET WITH MY LAB GROUP
AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT YOUR
IDEAS.
WHAT A PLACE.
WHAT A PERSON.
SO I DID.
WE HAD THIS WONDERFUL HOUR ABOUT
MY IDEAS THAT WERE LACKING AND
HE WAS SO GRACIOUS HE LEFT A
MEMORY ON ME AND I LEFT HIS LAB
AND STARTED WALKING ACROSS MY
CAMPUS AND SAW THE LARGEST BRICK
BUILDING IF THE WORLD, BUILDING
10 OFF TO THE LEFT.
I WAS STUNNED AND THOUGHT WHAT
IS THIS PLACE?
WHAT GOES ON HERE?
THIS MUST BE A PLACE WHERE THE
MAGIC HAPPENS ALL THE TIME,
1972.
NOT QUITE 50 YEARS AGO BUT
CLOSE.
I WOULD NEVER HAVINE IMAGINED AT
THAT POINT I WOULD BE STEPPING
DOWN AS DIRECTOR OF THIS AMAZING
PLACE WHERE THE MAGIC DOES
HAPPEN AND I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T
HAVE IMAGINED I'D HAVE THAT JOB
TWICE AS LONG AS ANY PREDECESSOR
APPOINTED BY A PRESIDENT.
THEN I THINK BACK TO WHEN I WAS
SWORN IN BY KATHLEEN SEBILIUS IN
2009 AND WHAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO
DO I HAD RUN THE GENOME
INSTITUTE AND KNEW HOW THAT
WORKED BUT TO HAVE TO OVERSEE
THE ENTIRE ENTERPRISE, I HAVE TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT TO FOCUS ON AND
WROTE A LITTLE PAPER IN SCIENCE
WITH FIVE THEMES.
THEY WERE NOT PARTICULARLY ING
EXCEPT ONE, BASIC SCIENCE,
TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE, YES, DATA
TO ENHANCE HEALTH CARE,
WORKFORCE THAT NEEDED
INSPIRATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT
AND THE GLOBAL HEALTH WHICH HAS
BEEN A PERSONAL PASSION ALL
ALONG.
THE ONE NOBODY EXPECTED.
YESTERDAY I WALKED YOU THROUGH
IN MY DIRECTOR'S REPORT, 12
YEARS OF ACD CONTRIBUTIONS AND
IT WAS FUN TO DO THAT AND CLEAR,
I HOPE YOU SAW, AN AWFUL LOT OF
MY PRIORITIES WERE THE ONES THE
ACD GOT ENGAGED IN AND TOOK FROM
BEING SOME IDEAS TO SOMETHING
THAT COULD REALLY HAPPEN.
SO YOU WERE MY WISEST ALLIES.
YOU WERE NOT PUSHOVERS EITHER.
YOU TOLD ME WHEN I WAS OFF BASE.
REMEMBER THAT DISCUSSION ABOUT
WHETHER IT WOULD BE PROMOTE FOR
US TO RECEIVE FUNDING FROM
COMPANIES THAT SOLD OPIOIDS TO
SUPPORT OUR OPIOID RESEARCH AND
I WAS LIKE, WELL, IT'S MONEY AND
WE CAN USE IT AND WHY NOT USE IT
FOR GOOD PURPOSE.
IMAGINE WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED
IF WE DECIDED TO TAKE FUNDS FROM
PERDUE RIGHT NOW?
HOW WOULD THAT FEEL.
ACD WAS SMART ABOUT THAT AND YOU
ALSO TOLD ME SOMETIMES IF I
WASN'T BEING BOLD ENOUGH THINGS
ABOUT THE WORKFORCE, FOR
INSTANCE.
SO THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT I COULD
SAY ABOUT THE LAST 12 YEARS BUT
IT IS GETTING LATE ON A FRIDAY.
DO LET ME SUGGEST THAT YOU MIGHT
THINK ABOUT, IF YOU HAVE TIME,
TUNING IN NEXT THURSDAY,
DECEMBER 16 AT 10:30 AND WE'LL
SEND A LINK ABOUT THIS.
JOHN BURKLOW PREVIOUSLY HEAD OF
COMMUNICATIONS IS NOW MY ACTING
CHIEF OF STAFF PUT TOGETHER A
BURJ -- BUNCH OF VIDEOS FROM
INTERESTING PEOPLE SCIENTISTS
AND NON-SCIENTISTS AND
INTERSPERSED WITH A VED YO --
VIDEO TOGETHER A COUPLE DAYS AGO
AND WILL GET MATCHED TOGETHER SO
IT FLOWS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
REFLECT ON WHAT'S HAPPENED IN
THE PAST 10 TO 12 YEARS AND SOME
VIDEOS ARE AMAZING.
WE'LL SEND A LINK.
IF YOU DON'T MIND, LET ME SHARE
A FEW LESSONS I'VE LEARNED AND
THIS COULD BE FRAMED AS AADVICE
TO THE NEW DIRECTOR.
ONE LESSON I LEARNED EARLY ON
AND PICKED THIS UP IN MY
EXPERIENCE WITH THE GENOME
PROJECT, THE BEST THING YOU CAN
DO IS SURROUND YOURSELF WITH
BRILLIANT PEOPLE.
ACD IS A GOOD EXAMPLE AND GIVE
THEM PERMISSION TO TELL YOU WHEN
YOU'RE FULL OF IT AND AROUND ME
AND MY SENIOR STAFF HAVE THAT
PERMISSION AND REGULARLY USE IT
AND IT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.
AS NIH DIRECTOR I ALSO FOUND MY
JOB COULD BE BEST ACCOMPLISHED
IF I JUST BROADEN THE HORIZONS
WAY BEYOND WHAT I THOUGHT I
MIGHT BE ABLE TO LEARN ABOUT.
SURVEY THE WHOLE LANDSCAPE OF
BIOME MESMES MESMESS --
BIOMEDICINE AND LOOK FOR
EMERGING AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY.
TO DO SO, USE YOUR CONVENING
POWER.
IT'S UNMATCHED.
IF IT LOOKS LIKE THERE PAY BE
SOMETHING GOING IN NEUROSCIENCE
THAT WOULD BE AN EXCITING
OPPORTUNITY, ASK THE BEST NEURO
SCIENTIST TO TELL YOU WHAT THEY
THINK AND THEN YOU CAN
INCORPORATE THEIR IT IDEAS AND
YOU APPEAR TO BE BRILLIANT BUT
YOU'RE BORROWING THE BRAINS OF
OTHER BRIGHT PEOPLE.
THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO
DO IN THIS JOB.
IT ALSO MEANS RELATIONSHIPS ARE
CRITICAL IN THIS JOB AND
PROBABLY ALL JOBS BUT MAYBE
PARTICULARLY WHEN HAVE YOU THIS
CIRCUMSTANCES.
MANY PEOPLE THINK THE NIH
DIRECTOR CONTROLS THE ENTIRE
BUDGET AND THE BUDGET IS
ASSIGNED BY THE CONGRESS TO THE
INDIVIDUAL INSTITUTES.
THEY'RE THE ONES WHO HAVE MORE
FLEXIBILITY THAN AS THE DIRECTOR
I HAVE HAD BUT IF WE BUILD GOOD
RELATIONSHIPS WE CAN DO THINGS
TOGETHER THAT ARE SO MUCH MORE
POWERFUL THAN ANY OF US COULD DO
APART.
SO RELATIONSHIPS WITH SCIENTIFIC
COLLEAGUES AND NOT JUST INSIDE
NIH AND OUT OF ACADEMIA AND THE
PRIVATE SECTOR AND GLOBALLY.
RELATIONSHIPS WITH CONGRESS BOTH
PARTIES, BOTH HOUSES, NEVER
TURNING DOWN AN INVITATION TO
MAKE THE CASE WHY BIOMEDICAL
RESEARCH IS ONE OF THE BEST
INVESTMENTS THE GOVERNMENT MAKES
AND THOSE ARE TURNED OUT TO BE
STRONGLY VALUABLE AND YOU'VE
SEEN OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST
FEW YEARS HOW THAT'S PLAYED OUT
IN TERMS IT OF CONGRESSIONAL
SUPPORT AND INSPIRE NEW IDEAS
ABOUT EARLY STAGE INVESTIGATORS
HELPS WHEN YOU HAVE A BUDGET
TRAJECTORY GOING UP AND REFLECTS
CONGRESSIONAL ENTHUSIASM AND
RELATIONSHIP WITH PUBLIC
ADVOCATES TO KEEP YOU ANCHORED
TO REMIND YOU HAVEN'T BEEN THAT
GREAT IN SOLVING THEIR PROBLEMS
YET AND HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE FOR
PUSHING THAT FURTHER.
YOU HAVE TO LOOK FOR NOVEL
PARTNERSHIP TO GET THINGS DONE
THAT OTHERWISE WOULDN'T HAPPEN.
WE TALKED ABOUT THINGS LIKE AMP.
I HAVE A FAVORITE ONE RIGHT NOW
A PARTNERSHIP IN A SMALL SCALE
WITH THE KENNEDY CENTER AND
NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS
AND RENE FLEMING FOUNDATION
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO
BRING TOGETHER RESEARCH AND
NEUROSCIENCE WITH HOW MUSIC
INTERSECTS WITH THE BRAIN AND
IT'S BEEN GREAT FUN.
THE SORT OF THING THAT WOULDN'T
HAPPEN WITHOUT THOSE KINDS OF
INPUT AND RESULT IN MUSIC
THERAPY INTO A NEW SPACE.
I HAVE LEARNED NIH HAS A LOT OF
RESOURCES BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT
RESOURCE IS THE PEOPLE.
THAT MUST NEVER BE FORGOTTEN AND
THAT INCLUDES THE EARLY STAGE
INVESTIGATORS OUR MOST IMPORTANT
RESOURCE FOR THE FUTURE AND THE
DIVERSITY OF PEOPLE AS WE'VE
TALKED ABOUT THIS AFTERNOON IS
THE BEST WAY TO ENHANCE
PRODUCTIVITY AND ENERGY AN BRING
NEW IDEAS AND NEW S TOGETHER SO
UNITE HAS A GREAT MANIFESTATION
OF THAT THAT'S ABOUT THE PEOPLE
WE WANT TO WELCOME TO OUR
WORKFORCE AND INSPIRE THEM SO
THEY NOT ONLY GET RECRUITED,
THEY GET RETRAINED AND DO THEIR
BEST WORK IN THE BIOMEDICAL
RESEARCH WE KNOW THAT CAN DO AND
BE SURE WE ARE TREATING WOMEN IN
OUR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
WORKFORCE IN A WAY THAT
RECOGNIZES THEY'RE TALENT AND
CAPABILITIES AND THEY HAVE NOT
ALL BEEN WELL TREATED IN OUR
WORKFORCE.
WE DID A LOT ABOUT SEXUAL
HARASSMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT
DOES NOT WORK HERE AND WE MADE
PROGRESS BUT NEED TO STAY ON
THAT.
ONE THING I CAN DO AS NIH
DIRECTOR BESIDES NOT SERVING ON
MANTLES IS RECRUITING.
I HAD THE CHANCE OVER THESE 12
YEARS TO HIRE A LOT OF INSTITUTE
DIRECTORS AND WE NOW HAVE 11
WOMEN WHO ARE INSTITUTE
DIRECTORS AND I HIRED 10 OF
THEM.
THEY'RE AMAZING LEADERS.
IT'S CHANGE THE DYNAMIC AROUND
OUR THURSDAY MORNING TABLE WHEN
WE HAVE INSTITUTE DIRECTOR
MEETINGS.
YOU CAN SENSE A MORE
COLLABORATIVE SPIRIT EMERGING AS
A RESULT OF HAVING THIS KIND OF
DIVERSITY.
WHEN I SAY THE MOST RESOURCE IS
THE PEOPLE, THAT HAS TO MEAN
IT'S NOT JUST THE INSTITUTE
DIRECTOR IT BUT THE WHOLE
WORKFORCE.
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH IS NOT JUST
AN INSTITUTION, IT'S A FAMILY
AND NEEDS TO RECOGNIZE THAT.
THE OTHER THING I LEARNED EARLY
ON WAS THAT COMMUNICATION WAS
IMPORTANT AND THAT AS SCIENTIFIC
LEADERS WE NEED TO BE READY TO
DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO
COMMUNICATE THE EXCITEMENT OF
WHAT WE ARE DOING AND THE LIVE
SAVING ANSWERS AND I SPENT TIME
WRITING BLOGS YOU MIGHT SEE ON
TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS.
I THINK IT'S BEEN WORTHWHILE AND
ALSO A GOOD WAY TO EXPAND YOUR
OWN HORIZONS BECAUSE YOU TRY TO
WRITE ABOUT SOMETHING YOU DON'T
KNOW MUCH ABOUT AND THEN SOON
YOU GET AN IDEA.
MAB THERE'S OTHER -- MAYBE
THERE'S OTHER SCIENTIFIC
PROJECTS TO THINK ABOUT AND THE
COMMUNICATION AND TO ANYBODY
WHO'S A SCIENTIST, WE NEED THAT
MORE THAN EVER.
WHEN THEREFORE SO MANY VOICES OF
INFORMATION AND DISINFORMATION
AROUND US IN AN UNPRECEDENTED
WAY AND IF WE'RE NOT OUT THERE
SHARING WHAT WE KNOW, THE VOICES
BASED ON CONSPIRACIES AND
MISINFORMATION ARE GOING TO HAVE
AN EASIER TIME.
IT'S BEEN A TOUGH TIME TWO
EXHAUSTING YEARS FOR ALL OF US
WITH COVID BUT SCIENCE HAS
ACCOMPLISHED AMAZING THINGS THAT
HISTORY WILL RECORD AS A BRIGHT
SHINING LIGHT OF HUMAN
ACHIEVEMENT IN THE MIDST OF A
DARK TIME.
YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THOSE FOR THE
LAST TWO DAYS THE VACCINES, THE
THERAPEUTICS, THE DIAGNOSTICS.
AND WE'RE NOT DONE YET.
I HAD HOPED BY NOW WITH THE
TOOLS WE WERE ABLE TO DEVELOP
WE'D START TO SEE COVID-19
REARVIEW MIRROR AND OBVIOUSLY
WE'RE NOT THERE.
IF ANYTHING WE'RE SEEING ANOTHER
SURGE BY DELTA AND NOW OMNICRON
WITH ALL OF ITS UNCERTAINTIES
LOOMING.
ON TOP OF THAT WE'RE FACED WITH
THE FACT WE HAVE TWO EPIDEMICS
AT WORK AFFECTING THIS EPIDEMIC.
ONE IS THE CORONAVIRUS ITSELF
AND THE LATEST TRICK BEING
OMNICRON, PROBABLY WON'T BE THE
IT LAST TRICK THE VIRUS THROWS
AT US AND THE OTHER EPIDEMIC IS
THE WIDESPREAD DISSEMINATION OF
FALSE INFORMATION.
HERE IS A PLACE WHERE I DO FIND
MYSELF FEELING FRUSTRATED AND
EVEN ANGRY ABOUT HOW THIS COULD
HAVE HAPPENED.
FALSE INFORMATION FURTHER AIDED
AND ABETTED BY A PERVASIVE AND
DESTRUCTIVE TRIBALISM INFLAME
THE GRIEVANCE AND FEAR AND
ATTACKS ON SCIENTISTS AND
SEEMING TO THREATEN THE ESSENCE
OF TRUTH.
THIS RUINOUS MIX OF POLITICS AND
HEALTH OF FEAR AND
MISUNDERSTANDING HAS BEEN
DISASTROUS.
THIS VIRUS FOUND AN ALLY IN OUR
PUBLIC DISCOURSE ESPECIALLY IN
SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE CULTURE
WARS THAT WERE ALREADY THERE GOT
TO THE POINT WHERE THEY ARE
LITERALLY KILLING PEOPLE.
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS SO
HARD TO LOOK AT AND OF COURSE WE
ALL WONDER HOW DO WE GET PASSED
THIS AND I DON'T HAVE EASY
ANSWERS TO THAT BUT HOW CAN WE
GO FORWARD?
WE'RE NOT ALONE HERE BUT WE HAVE
IN THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY
OPPORTUNITIES TO BE PART OF A
NATIONAL HEALING SORELY NEEDED.
SO WE HAVE TO PERSEVERE WITH A
REFUSAL TO ENGAGE IN DIVISIVE
ACTION AND LOVE FOR NEIGHBORS
AND SCIENCE AS A MEANS TO FIND
TRUTH YOU CAN RELY ON.
HISTORY IS ON THE SIDE OF TRUTH
EVENTUALLY.
THE NEXT GENERATION KNOWS THAT
BETTER MAYBE THAN THE CURRENT
ONE.
THEY BE OUR BEST ALLIES.
SO YES, I GUESS I'VE EXPRESSED
SOME OF MY EXCITEMENT AND SOME
OF MY FRUSTRATION AND WHEN I'M
HAVING A BAD DAY I HAVE A WALL
OF MOTIVATING AND ENCOURAGING
QUOTES AND VERSES.
IT'S RIGHT HERE BESIDE ME AND IT
ROTATES A BIT DEPENDING ON THE
MOST RECENT ENCOURAGEMENT I'VE
RUN INTO.
ON MY WALL RIGHT NOW ONE OF THE
ONES YOU SAW IN THAT WONDERFUL
TOUR THROUGH OUR NEW ARTWORK
ING DIVERSITY AND JAMES BALDWIN,
NOT EVERYTHING FACED CAN BEING
CHANGED BUT NOTHING CAN BE
CHANGED UNTIL IT'S FACED.
OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO DO SOME
FACING THEN.
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. IS ALSO
ON MY WALL, THE ULTIMATE MEASURE
OF A MAN IS NOT WHERE HE STANDS
IN MOMENTS OF COMFORT AND
CONVENIENCE BUT WHERE WE STANDS
IN TIMES OF CHALLENGE AND
CONTROVERSY.
OKAY.
BEEN DOING A LOT OF ULTIMATE
MEASURING GIVING THE CHALLENGES
AND THE CONTROVERSY.
THE POET WENDELL BARRY, ONE OF
MY FAVORITE POETS IS GOOD AT
IRONY, BE JOYFUL THOUGH YOU HAVE
CONSIDERED ALL THE FACTS.
OKAY.
WE HAVE CONSIDERED BEING JOYFUL
AS A COMMAND YOU HAVE TO DECIDE
TO ACCEPT.
AND OF COURSE I HAVE TO GO TO
THE BIBLE, JOSHUA 1:9, HAVE I
NOT COMMANDED YOU, BE STRONG AND
COURAGEOUS.
DO NOT BE AFRAID.
DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED.
THAT WASN'T DOESN'T ROTATE.
IT STAYS HERE ALL THE TIME.
SO I'M NOT DISCOURAGED AND
WENDELL, I DO SEEK TO BE JOYFUL
AND THERE IS MUCH TO SUPPORT
THAT.
SO IF I SOUNDED GLOOMY FOR A
MOMENT LET ME STEP AWAY FROM
THAT IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
SCIENCE IS AT AN AMAZING
JUNCTURE AND YOU KNOW THAT
ESPECIALLY IN LIFE SCIENCE.
MORE LIFE BREAKING DISCOVERIES
ARE IMMINENT AND THINK BACK TO 1
YEARS AGO ALL THE THINGS I HAD
NO IDEA WOULD HAPPEN IN THIS
PERIOD.
REALLY, CRISPR OR SINGLE CELL
BIOLOGY AND FIGURING OUT HOW THE
BRAIN WORKS.
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO GET YOUR HEAD
AROUND THAT SO LOOKING BACK AND
LOOKING FORWARD WILL BE MORE
DIZZYING.
THIS IS GOING TO BE AN
ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR TIME.
TECHNOLOGIES ARE GOING TO BE
INVENTED TO OPEN NEW FIELD OF
WORK AND ANSWER TO PROFOUND
BIOLOGICAL HISTORIES UNCOVERED
AND SUFFERING EASED AND WE'LL
LEARN HOW LIVES ARE GOING TO BE
SAVED.
TO BE A SCIENTIST IN THIS
CENTURY IS A GIFT.
AN ABSOLUTE GIFT.
WE NEED TO SHARE THAT WITH
PEOPLE CONTEMPLATING WHETHER
THEY WANT TO COME JOIN US.
COME ON, THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME
TO BE A LIFE SCIENTIST.
SO NOW WHAT FOR ME?
I'M GOING BACK TO THE LAB.
2022 FOR ME IS GOING TO BE LIKE
THE SABBATICAL I NEVER HAD.
THE LAB WORKING ON DIABETES AND
PROGERIA RESEARCH WILL BE A
PLACE TO HANG OUT WITH BRIGHT,
CAPABLE, FEARLESS TRAINEES AND
SCIENTISTS AND I DON'T KNOW
WHERE IT WILL LEAD BUT IT'S NICE
AND IT'S OKAY.
IT WAS HARD TO MAKE THIS
DECISION TO STEP DOWN.
I WENT ON LONG RETREAT BY MYSELF
TO MAKE THAT NEXT CONCLUSION AND
THE NEXT LEADER NEEDS TO BE
RELATIVELY EARLY IN THE TERM.
I WILL ADMIT TO MOMENTS OF .
POIGNANCY.
I LOVE THIS JOB.
IT'S BEEN EXHAUSTING AT TIMES
AND I LOVE THE NIH AND ALWAYS
WILL.
I HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE TO THINK.
LARRY ESPECIALLY.
HE'S BEEN MY RIGHT ARM FOR
ALMOST THE WHOLE 12 YEARS AND
REMARKABLY CAPABLE, WISE,
DEPENDABLE, DEDICATE AND HARD
WORKING AND CARRIE SCHWETZ TO
PLAY THE ROLE OF THE DEPUTY AND
KEEP LARRY FROM DROWNING IN ALL
THE THINGS COMING DOWN THE ROAD.
ALL THE INSTITUTE DIRECTORS.
THE 27 AMAZING SEEN TESTS WHO
HAVE REALLY -- SCIENTISTS WHO
HAVE WORKED HARD WHO FIGURED OUT
WAYS TO DO THINGS CREATIVELY.
THANK YOU TO YOU, THE ACD.
YOU'RE MY WISE ALLIES AND THE
DEDICATED HEROES, SUNG AND
UNSUNG THAT MADE THE 12 YEARS
INTO SOMETHING MAGICAL AND SOME
MAY BE LISTENING AND MY GREATEST
GOOD FORTUNE IS TO HAVE HAD DIAN
AS MY PARTNER AND SOUL MATE IN
EVERYTHING AND HAS BEEN BESIDE
ME IN EVERY WAY THROUGH THIS
JOURNEY.
I'VE GONE ON LONGER THAN WOULD
HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE IF WE HADN'T
ENDED THE SCHEDULE EARLY BUT
IT'S TIME TO WIND THIS UP.
AND I'VE DECIDED THE BEST WAY TO
DO THAT IS WITH A SONG.
MY GUITAR, ROSELYN NAMED FOR
ROSELYN FRANKLIN THOUGHT SHE
MIGHT BE CALLED INTO ACTION WITH
HER DOUBLE HELIX ON THE FRET
BOARD AND HAD HELP WITH LYRICS
SUGGESTED BY MY FORMER CHIEF OF
STAFF, CARRIE WOLINETZ BUT I'VE
TINKERED WITH THEM.
I WON'T DO IT LIVE BECAUSE ZOOM
BUTCHERS THEM WHEN YOU TRY IN
REAL TIME AND I ADMIT I HAD TO
DO IT A COUPLE TIMES FROM
CHOKING UP SO YOU'LL BE SPARED
AND I GOT THROUGH IT THE THIRD
TIME AND IT'S A STRONG FOR YOU
NIH AND ACD AND EVERYONE I'VE
HAD THE PLEASURE AND PRIVILEGE
TO WORK WITH AND LEARN FROM OVER
THESE MEMORABLE 12 YEARS.
YOU MAY RECOGNIZE THE TUNE BUT
I'M NOT LEAVING ON A JET PLANE,
I'M JUST LEAVING FOR THE LAB.
SO LET'S SEE HOW THIS GOES.
[*]
>> BRAVO.
[APPLAUSE]
>> WELL, DEAR FRIENDS.
THANK YOU.
WE'VE NOW COME TO THE END OF TWO
VERY FULL DAYS.
ONLY REMAINS FOR ME ONE MORE
TIME TO THANK DIANE WHO HAS
APPEARED WITH ME WHO HAS
WONDERFUL GOOD TIMING AND THANK
ALL THOSE LISTENING FOR THE
WISDOM, THE VISION, THE
DEDICATION YOU HAVE CONTRIBUTED
TO THE NOBLE MISSION OF NIH.
OVER MANY DECADES, GENERATIONS
OF VISIONARY SCIENTISTS HAVE
MADE THIS STORIED INSTITUTION
INTO A CITY ON A HILL.
ONE TRUE TO COMMITMENT TO
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BRINGS
LIGHT AND HOPE TO A HURTING
WORLD.
SO FAREWELL AND GOD BLESS YOU
ALL.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, FRANCIS.
AND DIANE.
>> THANK YOU ALL.
>> BYE NOW.
>> ADIEU.
>> BYE, THANK YOU.