>> GOOD AFTERNOON WELCOME TO THE
28th OF THE BRAIN WORKING
COUNCIL GROUP I'M MICHELLE WEISS
AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON
DRUG ABUSE AND HERE AS THE
DESIGNATED FEDERAL OFFICIAL FOR
THE BRAIN WORKING GROUP.
I THINK YOU ALL KNOW IT'S NOT A
FORMAL ADVISORY GROUP BUT A
FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT
INSTEAD IT'S ADVISORY TO THE 10
COUNCILS PARTICIPATING.
ESTABLISHED BECAUSE OF THE
RECOGNIZED NEED FOR DIVERSE
EXPERTISE TO ASSESS AND OVERSEE
THE RESEARCH BEING SUPPORTED
THROUGH BRAIN.
SOME MEMBERS ARE FROM THE
ADVISORY COUNCIL WITH ADDITIONAL
AT-LARGE MEMBERS POINTED AND WE
HAVE SEVERAL EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS
WHO ARE OUR PARTNERS INVOLVED IN
THE BRAIN INITIATIVE.
WE DEPEND UPON THE MULTI-COUNCIL
WORKING GROUP FOR ONGOING
OVERSIGHT OF THE SCIENTIFIC
VISION AND PROGRESS OF THE BRAIN
INITIATIVE, FOR FEEDBACK ON
CONCEPT CLEARANCES ONE OF WHICH
YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT TODAY AND FOR
FUNDING PLANS DURING THE CLOSED
SESSION.
THE OPEN SESSION IS BEING
VIDEOCAST AND POSTED ON THE
BRAIN WEBSITE.
TODAY WE'LL BEGIN WITH AN UPDATE
FROM OUR DIRECTOR, JOHN NGAI AND
THEN NATALIE TRZCINSKI WILL
PROVIDE FEEDBACK AND WE ASKED
TWO MEMBERS TO LEAD DISCUSSION,
DOCTORS, DZIRASA AND MAUNSELL.
THIS IS THE LAST MEETING FOR
SOME AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS
DURING THEIR TENURE ON THE
WORKING GROUP HAVE BEEN GREATLY
APPRECIATED AND JOHN WILL
FORMALLY ACKNOWLEDGE HIM DURING
HIS PRESENTATION.
FOLLOWING THE OPEN SESSION WE'LL
HAVE A 30-MINUTE BREAK AND GO
AFTER PROCEDURES AND EXPECT TO
START THE CLOSED SESSION AROUND
2:30 P.M. AND THERE'S A
DIFFERENT ZOOM LINK FOR THE ZOOM
SESSION FOR THE WORKING GROUP
AND GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES ONLY.
WE ASK DURING THE SLIDE
PRESENTATIONS YOU MUTE YOUR
LINE.
DURING DISCUSSION, WE'D LIKE YOU
TO TURN YOUR VIDEO ON AND USE
THE RAISE HAND OPTION IF YOU
HAVE QUESTIONS AND WE'LL CALL ON
YOU TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
BECAUSE THIS IS AN OPEN SESSION
AND BEING VIDEOCAST, WE PREFER
YOU NOT USE CHAT FUNCTION FOR
DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE IT'S NOT
VISIBLE THROUGH THE VIDEOCAST.
FINALLY, I WANT TO THANK THE
OUTSTANDING TEAM WHOSE HARD WORK
WENT INTO PREPARING THE MEETING.
THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
WORK THAT GOES ON BEHIND THE
SCENES IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS
HAPPEN AND OUR TEAM IS
INCREDIBLY EFFICIENT AND
EFFECTIVE AND A PLEASURE TO WORK
WITH INCLUDING DR. KRISTIN
DUPREE AND MICHELLE PEARSON.
IF ANYONE IS HAVING TECHNICAL
PROBLEMS E-MAIL MICHELLE DUPREE.
NOW JOHN.
>> WE'RE DELIGHTED TO HAVE YOU
HERE AND THE MEDICAL EXAMINER TO
THE AMAZING STAFF WHO PUT THIS
TOGETHER.
KRISTIN, DEB AND MICHELLE AND
OTHERS AND THANKS AGAIN SUSAN
FOR ALL YOU DO.
I'M GOING TO DIVE INTO JUST A
BRIEF PRESENTATION UPDATE ON
WHAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON SINCE
WE LAST MET AND EMBEDDED IN THE
PRESENTATION WE'LL HEAR ABOUT
THE PROJECT ONGOING AND JUST
LAUNCHED A LOT OF EXCITING STUFF
THERE SO WE THOUGHT YOU'D LIKE
TO HEAR ABOUT THAT.
OKAY.
LET'S SEE IF I CAN STILL DO
THIS.
ARE YOU ALL SEEING WHAT LOOKS TO
BE THE PROPER SCREEN HERE?
>> YES.
>> DELIGHTED TO BE HERE AND GIVE
YOU AN UPDATE.
THE WORK I'LL SHOW YOU TODAY
REFLECTS THE WORK OF OVER 100
FOLKS PUTTING THEIR HEARTS AND
SOUL INTO WHAT WE CALL THE NIH
BRIAN INITIATIVE.
FIRST, AS WE HAVE THREE MEMBERS
LEAVING MCWG.
WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR KARL
DEISSEROTH FROM THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE.
HE HAS BEEN HERE FROM THE
BEGINNING.
HE FINALLY GETS HIS GET OUT OF
MCWG PASS OVER 10 YEARS AND TODD
BRAVER AND SAMEER SHETH WE
APPRECIATED ALL YOU'VE DONE AND
I APPRECIATED HAVING THE
OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU
FOLKS OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF
YEARS.
BITTER SWEET NEWS, DR. JOSH
GORDON FROM THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH IS
GOING TO THE NEXT STORY OF HIS
CAREER.
HE JOINED NIMH AND MADE
CONTRIBUTIONS ACROSS THE BOARD
AND HAS BEEN A HUGE CHAMPION OF
THE BRAIN INITIATIVE AND MADE
GREAT CONTRIBUTIONS HERE BOTH
THE INITIATIVE AS WELL AS TO ME
PERSONALLY HAS BEEN A GREAT
SOURCE OF WISDOM AND COUNSEL AND
GOOD CHEER IN THE PAST COUPLE
YEARS.
HE'LL BEING RETURNING TO
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY TO BE THE
CHAIR OF PSYCHIATRY AND CHIEF
PSYCHIATRIST FOR THE STATE OF
NEW YORK SO WE HAVE ALL
BENEFITTED FROM HIS
PARTICIPATION AND ALL HE'S DONE
AT NIH.
WE WISH YOU THE BEST OF LOOK AND
LOOKING FORWARD TO INTERACTING
WITH YOU IN YOUR NEW CIVILIAN
LIFE.
THIS IS THE CORE GROUP THAT
WORKS WITH ME IN THE OFFICE OF
THE BRAIN DIRECTOR.
GREAT GROUP OF FOLKS.
SOME HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
WORK WITH THEM AND HOPE YOU GET
TO WORK WITH THEM FOR MANY NOR
YEARS TO COME.
AS I THINK MANY MAY KNOW, THE
BRAIN INITIATIVES PROGRAM IS
ORGANIZED AROUND NINE SCIENTIFIC
TEAMS AND HAVE A ROTATION SYSTEM
SET UP TO GET FRESH BLOOD IN TO
CONTINUE MEETING THE TEAMS.
I'M PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE DOCTORS
YVONNE BENNET AND FRANKOWSKI AND
ASHLEY HAVEN'T VANT-VEER WILL BE
TAKING OVER AND THEY'LL TAKE
OVER FOR WHOSE SERVICE HAS BEEN
REPLACING AND WE'LL WELCOME AND
IT'S ALREADY BEEN A GREAT
PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU.
THESE ARE THE NINE TEAMS
INDICATED CO-LEADS AND YOU CAN
SEE YVONNE AND OTHERS ARE THE
NEW TEAM LEADS THERE.
OF COURSE, NONE OF THIS WOULDN'T
BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE AMAZING
EFFORTS OF WELL OVER 100 FOLKS
ACROSS THE 10 I.C.s AND BEYOND
MAKING THE BRAIN THE INCREDIBLE
ENTPRICE IT'S BEEN AND THANK YOU
FOR YOUR AMAZING WORK.
EVERY SLIDE IS THE RESULT OF THE
GREAT WORK DONE BY THESE FOLKS.
SO AS I THINK MANY MAY HAVE
HEARD BY NEW, BRAIN SUSTAINED A
BIT OF A SETBACK IN TERMS OF
BUDGET WHERE THIS YEAR'S BUDGET
IS LESS THAN THE FY23 BUDGET.
WE WENT FROM $680 MILLION LAST
FISCAL YEAR TO $282 MILLION.
WHILE IT'S A SETBACK WE'LL
CONTINUE TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF
THE MONEY THAT CONGRESS HAS
ENTRUSTED US WITH TO FUND THE
BEST AND MOST EXCITING SCIENCE
AND WE'RE LOOKING AHEAD TO
SUNNIER PASTURES IN THE FUTURE
IN THE MEANTIME WE HAVE TO DO
WHAT WE CAN TO STAY THE COURSE
AND KEEP THIS AMAZING INITIATIVE
GOING TO CONTINUE TO DELIVER ON
THE PROMISES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE
FOR THE BRAIN INITIATIVE.
SO LET ME JUST GIVE YOU A BRIEF
OVERVIEW FOR HOW WE GOT HERE
BECAUSE FRANKLY IN GOING THROUGH
WHAT HAPPENED KIND OF
EXPLANATIONS ARE KIND OF HELPFUL
TO WALK THROUGH WHERE WE GET
FUNDING TO ALL PERHAPS BETTER
UNDERSTAND HOW WE GOT TO THIS
POINT.
SO THE BRAIN INITIATIVE IS
INVOLVES 10 OF THE 27 NIH
INSTITUTES OR CENTERS OR THE 10
BRAIN I.C.s.
THIS COMES IN THE FORM OF
ALLOCATIONS TO THEIR BUDGETS.
THERE'S A LINE ITEM IN EACH OF
THE 10 BUDGETS THAT CONTRIBUTES
TO THE BRAIN INITIATIVE AND YOU
CAN SEE THE BASE STARTED OUT AT
A FAIRLY MODEST $41 MILLION IN
FY14 AND HAS GROWN TO $468
MILLION FY22.
THESE ARE ALL FUNDS PUT IN THE
BASE BUDGETS OF THIS THE 10
I.C.s.
CONGRESS PASSED THE 21st
CENTURIES CURES ACT TO GIVE MORE
ACROSS NIH STARTING IN 2017 AND
THE CURES ACT RUNS THROUGH FY26.
SO THE ONLY THING THAT FORMALLY
ENDS HERE IS NOT BRAIN PER SE
BUT THE CURES ACT FUNDS WHICH
END IN '26.
YOU CAN SEE OVER TIME AN
INCREASING AMOUNT OF MONEY HAS
COME INTO THE BRAIN INITIATIVE.
IT'S GONE UP AND DOWN A LITTLE
BIT OVER TIME AND YOU CAN SEE
THIS BIG BALLOON IN FY23 AND
THIS IS WHAT EXPLAINS WHAT
HAPPENED.
SO JUST IN GRAPHICAL FORM THIS
IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AS THE
MONIES ADD UP OVER TIME AND IN
FY22 WE HAVE QUITE A ROBUST
BUDGET OF $620 MILLION AND THEN
IN FY23 WE GOT AN OVER ALL OF
$60 MILLION BUT AT THE EXPENSE
OF THE BASE BUDGET.
SO WHAT HAPPENS WAS THE BASE
BUDGET WAS TRIMMED BY $238 AND
BECAUSE OF THE BIG INCREASE OF
THE CURES FUND WE GOT AN
INCREASE.
WHAT HAPPENED IN FY24 IS THE
BASE WAS MAINTAINED BUT CURES
ACT FUNDS WERE THE AUTHORIZED
FUNDS WERE DIRECTED TO DECREASE
BY $278 MILLION TO $172 MILLION.
THIS IS HOW WE ARRIVED AT THIS
$402 MILLION NUMBER.
RIGHT NOW CONGRESS IS WORKING ON
THE BUDGET FOR FY25.
I CAN'T REALLY COMMENT ON THAT
PROCESS BUT WE'RE HOPEFUL WITHIN
THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO WE CAN GET
SOME RESTORATION OF FUNDS THAT
ALLOW US TO GET BACK ON TRACK.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THIS HAS
MEANT WE HAVE TO DO SIGNIFICANT
BELT TIGHTENING.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THE WAY WE'VE
MANAGED OUR FUNDS, WE'RE ABLE TO
COVER ALL OF OUR OUT YEAR
COMMITMENTS WITH A SLIGHT
ADJUSTMENT.
THAT'S DEPENDING ON PERSPECTIVE
THE 10% DECREASE TO THE OUT YEAR
COST FOR MOST BUT NOT ALL
GRANTS.
YOU CAN GET MORE INFORMATION ON
WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE BUDGET
HERE.
THIS IS A DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE I
PUT OUT ON APRIL 12 EXPLAINING
WHAT'S GOING ON TO THE BEST OF
OUR ABILITY.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO COVER OUT YEAR
COMMITMENTS.
THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS.
IT'S 90% GOOD NEWS OVER ALL BUT
THE NOT SO GOOD NEWS IS WE HAVE
TO SEVERELY CUT BACK ON THE
NUMBER OF AWARDS WE CAN MAKE
THIS YEAR AS WELL AS PROBABLY
NEXT YEAR AND WE HAVE -- WE'RE
MANAGING THIS AS BEST WE CAN.
WE UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT OF
PAIN GOING AROUND AND WE'VE
UNFORTUNATELY HAVE HAD TO START
CANCELLING RECEIPT DATES FOR
CERTAIN FUNDING OPPORTUNITY
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
GET THE MOST UP-TO-DATE
INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE ON
THE RIGHT.
WE PUT UP A WEB PAGE TO GIVE
PEOPLE INFORMATION ON THAT THERE
AND THERE'S A BUNCH OF
COLLAPSABLE FAQs AT THE BOTTOM
WE DO LIST ANY OF THE NOTICE OF
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE
BEEN CANCELLED FOR NOW AND
HOPING WE CAN GET THINGS
RESTORED ONCE FUNDING, IF AND
WHEN FUNDING COMES BACK.
SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS AT THE
END OF THE PRESENTATION.
THIS IS THE BEST WE CAN DO.
WE'RE DOING OUR LEVEL BEST TO
GET THIS BACK ON TRACK BUT RIGHT
NOW WE HAVE TO BE THINKING ABOUT
CONTINUING BEING RESPONSIBLE
STEWARDS OF ACTUALLY A PRETTY
BIG INVESTMENT OF BRAIN
INITIATIVE.
CONGRESS HAS STILL GIVEN US $402
MILLION.
THAT'S NOT A SMALL AMOUNT OF
FUNDS AND WE'RE TAKING THAT
RESPONSIBILITY VERY SERIOUSLY TO
MAKE SURE WE CAN KEEP THE
PROJECTS THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT
FOR BRAIN PROGRAMS ON TRACK.
SO A COUPLE UPDATES FROM THE
COMMUNITY AND THIS IS A BIT MORE
UP TO DATE.
WE'RE DELIGHTED TO SHARE THE
NEWS THESE YEAR'S BRAIN PRIZE
WINNERS.
THEY HAVE ALL RECEIVED BRAIN
FUNDING AT SOME TIME AND LARRY
ABBOTT HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL
SOURCE OF COUNSEL TO ME AND HEIM
SOMPOLINSKY AND THERE'S
ELECTIONS TO PRESTIGIOUS
SCIENTIFIC AND SCHOLARLY
ORGANIZATIONS THIS PAST YEAR AS
WELL.
SOME NEWLY ELECTED TO THE
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND
SCIENCES RECOGNIZING THEM FOR
THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND
CURIOSITY AND COURAGE THE
INDIVIDUALS LISTED HERE.
ALSO NEWLY ELECTED MEMBERS FOR
THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND
APPLICATION TO SOCIETY.
[LISTED]
I WANT TO POINT OUT WITH A NOT
SMALL AMOUNT OF PRIDE ALLISON
BARTH WAS MY UNDERGRADUATE AND
FINALLY THREE ELECTED TO THE
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.
[LISTING]
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THESE
TERRIFIC SCIENTISTS.
WE'RE DELIGHTED FOR THE
RECOGNITION AND AMAZING SCIENCE
THAT THEY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO
THE NEUROSCIENCE ENTERPRISE.
OKAY.
I WANT TO FILL YOU IN ON
UPCOMING EVENTS PAST AND
UPCOMING EVENTS.
THIS IS BRAIN'S 10th YEAR OF
EXISTENCE.
WE'RE CALLING THIS BRAIN@10.
TO CELEBRATE THE AMAZING
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THE IMPACT
ON NEUROSCIENCE WE HAVE ASKED
EACH OF THE DIRECTORS FROM THE
10 BRAIN INSTITUTES TO SHARE
WITH US THEIR VIEWS ON HOW BRAIN
HAS IMPACTED THEIR I.C.s
MISSION.
SO KICKING OFF WITH DR. WALTER
KOROSHETZ, DIRECTOR OF NINDS
WROTE A LOVELY PIECE ON WHAT
IT'S DONE FOR CREATING A SPACE
TO RESEARCH TO COLLABORATE TO
REACH NEW HEIGHTS AND THE SECOND
PIECE WAS JUST PUBLISHED FROM
DR. KOOB HOW THE BRAIN INITIATE
HAS ENABLED MULTI-MODAL RESEARCH
THAT'S HELPED HIS INSTITUTE'S
MISSION AND UNDERSTANDING NEURAL
CIRCUITS AND THERE'LL BE EIGHT
MORE TO COME BETWEEN NOW AND
JUNE SO STAY TUNED.
IT'S GOING TO BE POSTED ON THE
I.C. WEBSITES AS WELL AS OUR
WEBSITE.
AND OF COURSE THE FUN THING
COMING UP IN JUNE IS THE 10th
ANNUAL BRAIN INITIATIVE
CONFERENCE CELEBRATING A DECADE
OF INNOVATION.
JOIN US.
IT WILL BE A HYBRID EVENT A
CAREER HAVEN'T SUNDAY JUNE 16.
APOLOGIES TO YOU GUYS OUT THERE
THAT FALLS ON FATHER'S DAY AND
THE MAIN CONFERENCE WILL TAKE
PLACE JUNE 17 THROUGH JUNE 18.
IT'S HYBRID BUT WE WELCOME YOU
ALL AND IF YOU CAN ATTEND IN
PERSON IT WILL BE HELD IN
BETHESDA AT THE MARRIOT THERE.
THE MEETING WILL OPEN WITH A
PLENARY LECTURE FROM LIQUN LU O
ON THE MOUSE BRAIN AND WE'LL
HAVE A NICE PANEL DISCUSSION
MONDAY AFTERNOON ON LOOKING BACK
BUT ALSO LOOKING FORWARD ON THE
BRAIN INITIATIVE AND THAT PANEL
WILL INCLUDE CORI BARGMANN AND
EDWARD CHANG AND FRANCIS COLLINS
AND THEN TALK ABOUT THE BROOD
BRAIN BARRIERS AND WHETHER IT'S
FRIEND OR FOE.
JOIN US.
THE QR CODE IS THERE AND
REGISTRATION IS STILL OPEN AND
THIS IS OPEN TO ANYONE IN THE
PUBLIC.
WE HAVE A WORKSHOP COMING UP
NEXT WEEK ON ADVANCING HUMAN
NEUROSCIENCE THROUGH NEURAL
STIMULATION AND LOOKING AT THE
OPPORTUNITIES BRAIN BEEN FUNDING
IN UNDERSTANDING THE
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BRAIN
FUNCTION AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR
THROUGH THE VARIOUS TOOLS AND
APPROACH WE HAVE HELPED DEVELOP.
WE HAVE A WONDERFUL EXTERNAL
COMMITTEE ADVISING STAFF.
YOU CAN REGISTER FOR THE
WORKSHOP IT WILL BE VIRTUAL
USING THE WEBSITE OR QR CODE AND
THERE'LL BE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PROVIDE INFORMATION THROUGH THIS
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION.
AGAIN, YOU CAN LOOK IT UP WITH
THE NUMBER OR SCAN THE QR CODE.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS AND THE
STAFF HAVE PUT TOGETHER AN
EXCITING PROGRAM ON THE TIMELY
TOPIC.
I WANT TO BRING UP A FEW PROGRAM
UPDATES.
THIS IS JUST SHOWING WHAT BRAIN
HAS ACCOMPLISHED IN TERMS OF
NUMBERS SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN
2014.
THESE DATA GO THROUGH LAST
FISCAL YEAR 2023.
BY NOW WE FUNDED OVER 1600
AWARDS OVER 1700 P.I.s ACROSS
265 INSTITUTIONS.
THIS IS THE BOTTOM LEFT MAP
SHOWS WHERE THESE AWARDS HAVE
BEEN CLUSTERED AGAIN, HEAVILY
BIASSED TO THE COAST BUT THANKS
IN PART NOT SOLELY BUT DUE TOTE
DIASPORA FROM OUR AWARDEES.
IT'S A GREAT THING TO SEE AND SO
MUCH TALENT GOING ON ACROSS THE
COUNTRY AND GLAD TO SEE WE'RE
LEVERAGING THAT AND THE
PUBLICATIONS CONTINUES ON THE
TREND AND SLIGHT DIP IN 2022 BUT
WE'RE BACK TO VERY STRONG ROBUST
NUMBERS IN 2023.
I THINK WITH EXCITING
PUBLICATION.
EVERY TIME I TAKE OUT A JOURNAL
AMAZED AT WHAT'S BEING DONE AND
MUCH IS BEING DONE THROUGH BRAIN
INITIATIVE FUNDED PROJECTS.
OKAY.
I JUST WANT TO TALK BRIEFLY ON
OUR DEMOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS FY23.
WE'LL BE POSTING A MORE COMPLETE
ANALYSIS WITH ALL THE DATA THAT
YOU MAY OR MAY NOT WANT TO SEE
FROM THE WEBSITE SHORTLY GOING
UP.
LET ME GIVE A VERY BRIEF
OVERVIEW.
THE BOTTOM UP FRONT IS THE
NUMBERS ARE PRETTY MUCH HOLDING
STEADY FROM 2022 IN TERM OF
FUNDING FOR MEN AND WOMEN AND
APPLICATION RATES, ETCETERA.
A LITTLE BIT LOWER APPLICATION
RATES FOR WOMEN.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE GOOD NEWS
AND BAD NEWS.
IT'S ACTUALLY NOT GREAT NEWS.
WE'RE NOT MOVING THE NEEDLE
ENTIRELY IN TERMS OF
DIVERSIFICATION OF OUR P.I.
POOL.
BUT THERE'S SOME SIGNS OF HOPE
PASSING FROM DIVERSE PERSPE
PERSPECTIVES AND WE'RE HOPEFUL
WE CAN START GETTING MORE
TRACTION.
WE'RE SEEING MORE WOMEN P.I.s
BEING FUNDED IN FUNDING
MECHANISMS AND PDP AND MORE
DIVERSE TEAMS.
NOT SHOWING THIS HERE IT WILL BE
ON THE WEBSITE.
WE'RE MAKING STRIDES BUT IT'S
REALLY NOT YET HAD A VISIBLE
IMPACT IF YOU LOOK AT THE OVER
ALL PORTFOLIO.
WE'RE STILL ROLLING THAT OUT.
BRAIN HAS FUNDED IN 36 OF 50
STATES IN ADDITION TO THE
DISTRICT AND PUERTO RICO AND THE
DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE PARTICIPANTS
IN OUR BRAIN-FUNDED HUMAN
PROJECTS IS COMPARABLE TO WHAT
WE SEE ACROSS NIH.
THESE ARE JUST SOME NUMBERS
HERE.
I WANT TO FLAG THIS BIG OBVIOUS
DOWNWARD RED ARROW.
THAT JUST MEANS WE SAW A SLIGHT
DECREASE IN THE PERCENTAGE OF
WOMEN SCHOLARS OR TRAINEES WE
FUNDED.
IN 2022 THERE WAS A BIG BUMP UP
BUT THE NUMBER'S AT 54% WHICH I
STILL THINK IS VERY GOOD.
THERE'S A SLIGHT DECREASE
REFLECTS WHEN WE STARTED
PARTICIPATING IN THE BLUEPRINT
PROGRAM WHICH BROUGHT IN OTHER
UNDER REPRESENTED GROUPS WITH
MEN AND WOMEN APPLICANTS WHERE
PREVIOUSLY WE HAD A HIGHER RATE
OF WOMEN FUNDED TRAINEES.
HERE'S WHERE WE ARE.
AGAIN, IT'S TRENDING UPWARDS BUT
THE NEEDLE HAS NOT MOVED
APPRECIATIVELY.
AND TRYING TO DIVERSIFY OUR
RESEARCH POOL IN THE INTEREST OF
DIVERSIFYING SCIENCE AND IT
SUMMARIZES ACTIONABLE STRATEGIES
TO ADVANCE THE TECHNICAL MERIT
THROUGH ENHANCED INCLUSIVITY.
DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES CAN BE
INTERPRETED WIDELY.
IT HAS TO DO WITH THE PEOPLE
DOING THE RESEARCH AND
PARTICIPATING IN THE RESEARCH AS
PART OF THE STUDY POPULATION AND
PLACES WHERE RESEARCH HAS GONE.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF WAYS TO
ACCOMPLISH THIS THROUGH PERSONAL
RECRUIT MANY, MENTORING AND
TRAINING, RESEARCH PARTICIPANT
RECRUITMENT, ADVISORY BOARDS AND
OUTREACH PARTNERSHIP,
DISSEMINATION AND SO FORTH.
AND PEDP HAS BEEN ADOPTED WIDELY
ACROSS NIH.
THERE'S 270 NOTICES THAT
INCORPORATE THE PEDP.
NIDA SURPASSED BRAIN AND YOU'LL
BE SEEING MORE TO COME ACROSS
NIH AS TIME GOES ON.
STAY TUNED.
IT'S STILL A BIT OF A WORK IN
PROGRESS AND EXPERIMENT BUT FROM
THE EARLY DATA WE'RE SEEING IN
BRAIN IF IT IS HAVING AN IMPACT
IN TERMS OF THE DIVERSIFICATION
OF OUR P.I. POOL AND I BELIEVE
IT'S LEADING TO MORE INTERESTING
SCIENCE IN THE LONG RUN.
OKAY.
SO I'M GOING TO TURN THE
PRESENTATION OVER TO MY
COLLEAGUE, DR. HOLLY TO TELL YOU
ABOUT THE INTERESTING PROGRAM
SHE AND OTHER COLLEAGUES HAVE
INITIATED AND THIS IS WHAT I
CALL OUR FOURTH BIG PROJECT THAT
IS GOING TO CARRY BRAIN FORWARD
IN THE FUTURE AND HOLLY, I'LL
LET YOU TAKE IT AWAY.
>> THANK YOU, JOHN.
IT'S MY PLEASURE TO PRESENT ON
WE HALF OF THE BBQS TEAM I HAVE
THE PRIVILEGE OF CO-LEADING
ALONG WITH DANA.
I'LL GO BACK AND TRY TO SHOW YOU
THE TEAM MEMBERS BECAUSE IT'S
IMPORTANT TO DEMONSTRATE OUR
TEAM HAS PRECIPITATION FROM
ACROSS THE TEAMS REFLECT THE
CROSS-CUTTING NATURE OF THE
PROGRAM.
I PREVIOUSLY PRESENTED THE
CONCEPT AT A PRIOR MCWG AND
HAPPY TO REPORT WE NOW LAUNCHED
THE PROGRAM AND STARTED ISSUING
AWARDS.
BBQS ADDRESSES GANS -- GAPS IN
KNOWLEDGE AND TOOLS TO QUANTIFY
BRAIN ACTIVITY BUT BEHAVIOR IS
TYPICALLY MEASURED AT LOWER
RESOLUTION MAKING ESTABLISHING
CAUSALITY CHALLENGE.
THE GOALS OF BBQS ARE TO DEVELOP
HIGH RESOLUTION TOOLS TO
QUANTIFY BEHAVIORS AND
SYNCHRONIZE THESE WITH
SIMULTANEOUSLY REPORTED BRAIN
ACTIVITY ACROSS SPECIES AND
ENVIRONMENTS INCLUDING
NATURALISTIC ENVIRONMENTS AND
NEW TECHNOLOGIES TO TRANSFORM
UNDERSTANDING HOW BRAIN
GENERATES BEHAVIOR, NEW
PARADIGMS FOR CAUSAL BRAIN
BEHAVIOR RESEARCH, NEW THERAPY
AND INTERVENTIONS AND ETHICAL
FRAMEWORKS TO ADDRESS THE
IMPLICATIONS OF RECORDING AND
VISUAL EXPERIENCE.
INTERNAL STATES ELICIT A BROAD
RANGE OF BEHAVIORS WITH
DIFFERENT SENSORS.
AS THESE ARISE IN THE CONTEXT OF
COMPLEX AND DYNAMICALLY CHANGING
ENVIRONMENTS.
THERE'S FOUR AREAS TO SUPPORT
TRANS DISCIPLINARY WORK ACROSS
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS FROM
NEURAL AND COGNITIVE NEURAL
SCIENCE AND DEVELOP NEW MODELS
OF FUNCTION AND DYNAMIC AND
ECOLOGICALLY RELEVANT
ENVIRONMENTS.
THE EMPHASIS AREA SUPPORTS
PHASED AWARDS FOR NOVEL TOOL
DEVELOPMENT IN THE R61 PHASE
FOLLOWED BY INTEGRATION AND
SYNCHRONIZATION WITH ESTABLISHED
METHODS FOR RECORDING HUMAN
NEURAL ACTIVITY IN THE R33
PHASE.
LED BY DR. BENNET IT SEEKS TO
DEVELOP NEXT GENERATION SENSORS
TO CAPTURE THE COMPLEXITY OF
BEHAVIOR ACROSS ENVIRONMENTS.
AND FINALLY LED BY DR. MING ZENG
THE DATA AND ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE AREA SUPPORTS DATA
ARCHIVES AND DATA COORDINATION
AND A.I. CENTER TO SUPPORT BBQS
PROJECTS.
PROJECT SUPPORTED BY PLANNING
GRANTS IN THE BEHAVIOR EMPHASIS
AREA INTERROGATE HIGHLY
CONSERVED BEHAVIORS.
USING A DIVERSIVE ARRAY OF
SPECIES AND FISH AND I'M TRYING
TO BACK UP THE SLIDES -- I DON'T
KNOW IF THEY'RE ADVANCING
AUTOMATICALLY.
INCLUDING FISH, CRUSTACE OF AND
OTHERS IN SETTING.
HERE WORK ON THE NEURAL
MECHANISMS OF GERBILS.
THEY HAVE VOCALIZATIONS.
THIS STUDIES VOCAL AND NON-VOCAL
COMMUNICATION IN BURROWS AND
ABOVE GROUND FORAGING WITH
SOCIAL CONTEXT AND ALONE.
AND NEURAL RECORDING IN AUDITORY
CORTEX ARE RECORDED UP TO
SEVERAL MONTHS.
THIS GRAPH SHOWS THAT NEURAL
RESPONSES TO THE VOCALIZATION OF
OTHER GERBILS IS DIFFERENT
WHETHER THE RECEIVING GERBIL IS
WITH OTHERS IN GREEN OR ALONE IN
THE PINK.
SUCH WORK MAY INCREASE OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPACT OF
THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT ON NEURAL
PROCESSING AND BEHAVIORAL
OUTPUT.
PROJECTS IN THE HUMAN CLINICAL
NEURAL SCIENCE MOVES AREA SPAN
TECHNOLOGIES INCLUDING
NON-INVASIVE AND IMPLANTED AND
SENSORS TO CAPTURE DIFFERENT
ASPECTS OF BEHAVIOR AND NOVEL
TOOLS AND METHODS DEVELOPMENT.
TOGETHER, THESE TECHNOLOGIES
GENERATE DATA STREAMS
SYNCHRONIZED.
THE PROJECTS COVER A BROAD RANGE
OF BEHAVIORAL MEASURES OR
CONSTRUCTS AND A RANGE OF
CLINICAL POPULATIONS ARE
REPRESENTED.
THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO CAPTURE
THE NEURAL MECHANISMS UNDERLYING
THE FORMATION OF AUTO BIO
GRAPHICAL MEMORIES AS THE PERSON
WALKS THROUGH REAL WORLD SPACES.
THE CAPTURE SYSTEM COMBINES
WEARINGABLE DEVICES WITH
CONTINUOUS AUDIO VISUAL ACC
ACCELERATING METERS AND
INTRACRANIAL RECORDINGS WHILE
THE PERSON WALKS OUT OF THE LAB
AND NAVIGATES THE NEW WORLD
LAYING DOWN NEW EPISODIC
MEMORIES.
HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF A POWER
SPECTO GRAM OF TEMPORAL ACTIVITY
DURING REAL WORLD ACTIVITY AND
THE MAP OF THE ROUP THE PERSON
WAS WALKING.
THE GRAY BARS INDICATE WHEN THE
PERSON WAS INDOORS AND BRAIN
BARS OUTDOORS AND THE VERTICAL
LINES ARE TRANSITION POINTS.
THIS PROJECT INCLUDES EPIC
SUBJECTIVES INCLUDING STUDIES OF
THE SENSE OF SELF AND
SELF-AGENCY AND INCORPORATES
NEUROEMPHASIS ON THE TEAM.
THE EMPHASIS ON DATA SEEKS TO
CREATE A DATA ECO SYSTEM
TAILORED TO THE UNIQUE TYPES OF
DATA FROM BBQS PROJECTS.
INCLUDING A DATA CORPS WITH
ARCHIVING AND PROCESSING AND
DISSEMINATION AND TRAINING AND
SUPPORTS RESEARCH WHO WANT TO
USE THE DATA TO ADVANCE
DISCOVERY.
THE BBQS COORDINATION CENTER HAS
CORPS TO SUPPORT NOVEL SENSORS
AND MULTI-MODAL INTEGRATION AND
A.I. RESOURCES AND CLOUD-BASED
ECO SYSTEM AND COMPUTATIONAL
PLATFORM AND DISSEMINATION
TRAINING IN COORDINATION FOR THE
BBQS CONSORTIUM.
THE BBQS DATA ARCHIVE STANDS FOR
ECO SYSTEM FOR MULTI-MODAL BRAIN
BEHAVIOR EXPERIMENTATION AND
RESEARCH.
IT'S A DATA ARCHIVE WITH A
SCALABLE PORTAL FOR MULTI-MODAL
DATA MANAGEMENT.
IT WILL ENABLE A.I. DRIVEN
ANALYSIS AND TOOL DEVELOPMENT
FOR MULTI-MODAL BRAIN
EXPERIMENTS.
THIS DIAGRAM SHOWS THE VARIOUS
COMPONENTS OF THAT ECO SYSTEM TO
SUPPORT BBQS PROJECTS AND MAKE
TO THE DATA AVAILABLE TO THE
PUBLIC.
THE SENSOR TECHNOLOGY AREA WAS
FORMED BY A REQUEST FOR
INFORMATION REGARDING SENSOR
TECHNOLOGY HUBS.
INPUT FROM THE FIELD HELPED
DEFINE THE MODALITIES AVAILABLE
AND DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS.
SENSOR TESTING HUBS PRESENT
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
SUCH AS LINKING SENSOR
DEVELOPERS WITH USERS AND CREATE
BEING METRICS AND THE IMPORTANCE
OF VALIDATION TO SUPPORT THE
LONG-TERM AVAILABILITY OF
QUALITY SENSORS THAT ARE RUGGED
TO SHIFTS IN INDUSTRY.
A KEY ASPECT OF BBQS IS THE
CREATION OF A TRANS-DISCIPLINARY
CONSORTIUM INCLUDING BEHAVIORAL
SCIENTISTS, CLINICIANS, ADVOCACY
GROUPS AND DATA SCIENTISTS AND
A.I. AND TECHNOLOGY PARTNERS AND
SENSOR DEVELOPERS.
THE CONSORTIUM WILL SUPPORT
DISSEMINATION AND OUTREACH AND
ADDRESS ETHICAL ISSUES.
THE KICKOFF IS JUNE 18th AT THE
10th ANNUAL BRAIN INITIATIVE
CONFERENCE.
WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE.
ON BEHALF OF THE BBQS TEAM I'D
LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO UPDATE YOU ON
THIS EXCITING PROGRAM.
BACK TO YOU, JOHN.
>> THANKS, SO MUCH HOLLY AND THE
RANDOM ADVANCE OF SLIDES IS ME.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.
TERRIFIC.
AGAIN, A VERY EXCITING PROGRAM.
THANKS TO HOLLY, DANA AND THE
TEEM FOR PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
IT REALLY HAS BEEN EXCITING TO
SEE THIS PROGRAM EVOLVE OVER
TIME.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE
FIRST PROJECTS MORE AND LOOKING
FORWARD TO GREAT PROGRESS IN THE
FUTURE.
I JUST WANT TO FINISH UP WITH A
FEW HIGHLIGHTED FOR SCIENCE
FUNDED BY THE BRAIN INITIATIVE
SINCE WE LAST MET.
THERE'S A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF
GOING OUT AND I WANT TO SELECT A
COUPLE STORIES HERE.
OKAY.
SO FIRST A PAPER I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT IS ONE FROM A LAB AT
U.C. IRVINE IN DEVELOPING NEW
RABIES VIRAL RESOURCES FOR
MULTI-SCALE CIRCUIT MAPPING.
AS MANY KNOW RABIES VIRUS HAS
BEEN USED FOR RETRO GRADE OF
CONNECTION AND ALLOWING US TO
STUDY NOT JUST THE PHYSICAL
CONNECTIVITY BUT THE FUNCTIONAL
CONSEQUENCES OF CONNECTIVITY IN
VARIOUS MODEL SYSTEMS IN THE
MOUSE.
I -- A GREAT TRICK WAS INVOLVED
THROUGH ONE SYNAPTIC TRANSFER.
THIS IS SOMETHING HIS LAB HAS
MASTERED IN DEVELOPING A NEW
TOOL KIT FOR THE RABIES VIRUSES
THAT EXPANDS THEIR APPLICATION
FOR NEURAL SECTOR MAPPING
ARRANGING FROM MESO SCALE TO EF
SCALE CIRCUIT MAPPING.
SO THEY DEVELOPED A STAGGERING
20 NEW RABIES VIRUS VARIANTS AND
VARIOUS RECORDERS OF PAYLOADS
AND SUPPORTERS AND LUMINESCENCE
REPORTERS WHICH ARE COOL,
ACTIVITY REPORTERS AS WELL AS
FOR ELECTROMICROSCOPY.
AND LOCALIZED TO DIFFERENT
COMPARTMENTS.
AND DOING CIRCUIT MAPPING AND
INTERROGATION AND STRUCTURE
CHANGING IN A VARIETY OF MODELS.
ONE IN PARTICULAR IS AN AGING
AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE IN MOUSE
MODELS.
YOU'RE SEEING WHAT THEY DID IN
THE FAMOUS I THINK THE 5XFAD
MODEL SHOWING CLEAR DEFICITS
OVER TIME AS THE DISEASE
PROGRESSES IN THE MODEL SYSTEM.
THEY CAN USE THIS IN DIFFERENT
LEVELS OF DIFFERENT SCALES OF
ANALYSIS ALL THE WAY DOWN TO EM.
HERE YOU CAN SEE IT GOES FROM
MICROSCOPY TO EM.
POWERFUL TOOLS AND THE LAB HAS
BEEN GREAT GETTING THE TOOLS OUT
THERE AND LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
ADOPTION MORE WIDELY.
THAT'S FROM THE CHU LAB IN
IRVINE AND AN EXCITING PAPER
PUBLISHED THIS LAST WEEK FROM
THE LIPTON LAB IN COLLABORATION
WITH A GROUP AT GOOGLE RESEARCH
AND THIS IS A CUBIC MILLIMETER
OF HUMAN CORTICAL BRAIN TISSUE.
THIS IS FROM A PIECE OF TISSUE
REMOVED FROM A PATIENT
UNDERGOING SURGERY FOR EPILEPSY.
WE CAN NEVER TELL IF IT WAS
TRULY EFFECT WILL BUT IT SEEMS
TO BE FAIRLY NORMAL AND THIS
TISSUE WAS IN THE RESEARCH AND
NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE
EPILEPTIC FOCUS AND THERE WERE
VARIOUS DEPTH TO GIVE RISE TO A
THE TOTAL VOLUME AND THE
RECONSTRUCTION THE LAB DID WAS
500,000 SOMETIMES SMALLER THAN
THIS CUBIC MILLIMETER AND WE'VE
COME A LONG WAY IN BEING ABLE TO
ANALYZE THIS PIECE OF TISSUE.
OVER ALL THE COMPLETE MAPPING OF
CELLS AND ALL THE CONNECTIONS IN
THIS ONE MILLIMETER CORTEX
OCCUPIED 1.4 PETABAYTES OF DATA
AND WERE ABLE TO LOOK AT THIS
CHUNK OF CORTICAL TISSUE AND GOT
THROUGH ALL SIX LAYERS AND
CHARACTERIZED 170 SYNAPSES.
THEY MADE EVERYTHING PUBLIC AND
ESTABLISHED VARIOUS BROWSERS AND
A GLANCER THAT ALLOWS FOLKS TO
COME ONLINE AND HELP WITH THE
PROOF READING AS THEY'RE
INTERESTED IN DOING SO.
SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT THE
BEAUTIFULLY ARRAYED SIX LAYERS
OF THE CORTEX AND THEY'VE
IDENTIFIED THAT JUST BASED ON
THE SHAPE MORPHOLOGY AND ANATOMY
OF THE CELLS AND YOU CAN SEE THE
SYNAPSE IS BEING MADE AND THE
PICTURES ON THE RIGHT.
ALL THE IMAGES, RECONSTRUCTIONS
AND ANALYSIS AND TOOLS ARE
AVAILABLE ONLINE THROUGH A
VARIETY AND THIS ALLOWS FOLKS
NOT ONLY TO ACCESS THE DATA AND
CONTRIBUTE IN THE FINAL PROOF
READING ANALYSIS.
THIS IS A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT
AND ONE OF THE PILLARS OF
FOUNDATION FOR STEPPING UP THE
WHOLE BRAIN MICROCONNECTIVITY
PROJECT KNOWN AS THE BRAIN
CONECTS PROJECT WHERE THEY'RE
INVOLVED WITH OTHER PEOPLE.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO
EXPANDING ON THIS.
THEY'VE LEARNED SOME COOL
LESSONS ALONG THE WAY IN TERMS
OF THE MORPHOLOGY OF THE CELLS
AND ORIENTATION OF THEIR MAJOR
DENDRITIC BRANCHES AS WELL AS
SYNAPSES LAID BETWEEN CELLS IN
THESE MODELS.
OKAY.
SO I'LL WRAP UP HERE AND WE'LL
HAVE TIME FOR SOME QUESTIONS.
YOU CAN GET INFORMATION ABOUT
BRAIN INITIATIVE AT THE USUAL
PLACES THE BRAIN BLOG IF YOU
DON'T MIND A FEW E-MAILS COMING
AT YOU.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THOSE
INTERESTED IN BRAIN FUNDING,
WE'LL BE RELEASING UPDATES ABOUT
THE FUNDING SITUATION AND
CURRENTLY ACTIVE FUNDING
OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS AS
WELL AS UNFORTUNATELY ONCE WE'LL
HAVE PUT ON PAUSE WHAT I HOPE IS
A TEMPORARY BUDGET SQUEEZE.
WITH THAT I WILL STOP SHARING.
SUSAN, DO WE HAVE TIME FOR
QUESTIONS?
>> YES.
WE DO.
TO THE CONCEPT PRESENTATIONS
START IN ABOUT 20 MINUTES.
>> I SEE JOHN EBERWINE.
>> I HAD A QUESTION FOR HOLLY
WITH RESPECT TO THE BBQS PROJECT
WHICH I LOVE.
I LOVE THE FACT THAT BRAIN
INITIATIVE IS MOVING MORE AND
MORE IN THE BEHAVIORAL REALM.
I WANTED TO ASK ABOUT THE FOUR
EMPHASIS AREAS AND PARTICULARLY
ORGANISM BEHAVIOR AND THE USE OF
EVOLUTIONARY MODELS TO DRIVE THE
DISCOVERY OF MECHANISMS OF
BEHAVIOR AND THE RICH HISTORY OF
THAT FROM ERIC'S WORK TO WORK IN
THE CRAB AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.
I'M WONDERING ABOUT COORDINATION
OF THAT EFFORT.
YOU TALKED ABOUT THE CONSORTIA
BUT HOW DO YOU BRING THAT WORK
THAT'S BEING DONE IN THE
CRUSTACEAN YOU MENTIONED IN THE
FISH INTO THE HUMAN REALM?
HOW DO YOU ENVISION THE
DISCUSSION MOVING FORWARD AND
HOW DO YOU MAKE PROGRESS IN
TERMS OF GETTING PEOPLE TO THINK
ALONG THE SAME LINES OF USING
THE BIO SENSORS AND THE DATA.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHT ON THIS?
>> THANK YOU FOR RAISING THIS.
WE ALSO HAVE OTHER MEMBERS OF
THE TEAM I SEE AS WELL.
AND TO ANSWER THE QUESTION
BRIEFLY AND HAND IT OFF TO THEM,
YOUR QUESTION IS PRECISELY THE
POINT.
WE WANT TO BE EXPLICITLY TRANS
DISCIPLINARY.
WE THAT WE DON'T JUST MEAN
BRINGING PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT
DISCIPLINES BUT HAVING THEM WORK
TOGETHER IN NEW WAYS.
SO THAT'S WHERE THE SYNERGY
COMES AND WHERE WE THINK THE
CONSORTIUM IS GOING TO BE SO
IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE DO WANT THE
RESEARCHERS IN THE AREA TO BE
INTERACTING WITH RESEARCHERS IN
THE CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE.
THAT'S WHERE THE CROSS-TALK IS
GOING TO COME AND IT IS A NEW
WAY OF THINKING.
WE HAVE NOT JUST TOOLS THAT CAN
CROSS POLINATE BUT THEORIES AND
MODELS FOR HOW BEHAVIOR ARISES
AND LET ME INVITE DR. HOLLY
MOORE THE LEAD ON THAT TO
COMMENT.
>> THANK YOU.
IT'S THE QUESTION AND WE
UNDERSTAND IT'S A BIG CHALLENGE.
SO I THINK WE PLAN TO DO THIS IN
STAGES TO THE FIRST STAGE WOULD
BE LOOK AT THE REALM AND
ENCOURAGE APPLICANTS TO THINK OF
THINGS AS HUMANS AS ONE OF THE
SPECIES OF MANY WE'RE INTERESTED
IN AND THINK MORE OF BEHAVIORAL
PROCESSES, THE EXTENT TO WHICH
THEY MAY BE CONSERVED ACROSS
EVOLUTION OR WHETHER CONVERGENT
EVOLUTION IS GOING ON AND
EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY.
NOT TO SPECIFY A PREFERENCE FOR
A PARTICULAR KIND OF
CONSERVATION, FOR EXAMPLE, BUT
TO TALK TO EACH OTHER ABOUT WHAT
WE CAN LEARN FROM A PARTICULAR
SPECIES, WHAT WE CAN LEARN ABOUT
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO
SPECIES WHETHER THEY'RE TWO
PRIMATE SPECIES OR ACROSS BIGGER
SPACES IN EVOLUTION THAN THAT.
SO IT REALLY IS ABOUT HAVING
THESE PEOPLE GET INTO MEANINGFUL
CONVERSATIONS WITH EACH OTHER
WHICH EACH SPECIES CAN TEACH US
ABOUT WHAT BEHAVIORAL PROCESSES
ARE CONSERVED AND HAVING THE
CONVERSATION IS THE STARTING
POINT.
FROM THERE WE CAN ACTUALLY
BASICALLY START TO TIE THINGS
TOGETHER SUCH AS APPLICATIONS
THAT ARE AIMING AT HUMANS VERSUS
APPLICATIONS MORE IN THE REALM
OF BASIC SCIENCE AND ANIMALS.
SO THAT'S THE VERY GENERAL
STARTING POINT.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE OR ANSWER
YOUR QUESTION?
>> ARE THERE EFFORTS TO
COORDINATE AND MELD PEOPLE
TOGETHER FOR THE SCIENTIFIC
EFFORTS OF THEIR INITIALLY
INVESTIGATING OR LOTS OF PEOPLE
ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT
LOCOMOTOR BEHAVIOR IN DIFFERENT
SPECIES AND THAT WOULD BE ONE
WAY OF POTENTIALLY ORGANIZING
AND TO LOOK AT PARTICULARLY
BEHAVIORS ACROSS SPECIES AS
OPPOSED TO MULTIPLE DIFFERENT
BEHAVIORS ACROSS SPECIES.
>> SO YES, THOUGH WE'LL GET
EVERYBODY TOGETHER I THINK THERE
WILL BE NATURAL AFFINITY GROUPS
FOR THINGS LIKE AMBULATION AND
FEEDING AND BASICALLY PURSUIT OF
FOOD REPETITIVE AND CONSERVATORY
BEHAVIORS.
I THINK WE'LL FIND THE AFFINITY
GROUPS COMING TOGETHER AND WE'LL
FACILITATE THAT, YES.
>> WE KNOW THIS IS NOT TRIVIAL
AND THE BBQS WORKING GROUP WILL
ALSO BE VERY INVOLVED AND
CONSORTIA TO HELP GUIDE ALONG.
>> IT'S A GREAT POINT, JIM.
THE TEAM IS WORKING HARD TO MAKE
SURE PEOPLE ARE WORKING
TOGETHER.
THERE'S A HUGE OPPORTUNITY IN
ADVANCING THE SCIENCE IN A
CONSORTIA ENVIRONMENT AND PEOPLE
WILL COME IN SPEAKING DIFFERENT
LANGUAGES AND START SPEAKING
SOMEWHAT RECOGNIZABLE AND OTHER
DIALECTS AND EVENTUALLY THE SAME
LANGUAGE TO HELP PROPEL EACH
OTHER'S RESEARCH FORWARD AND SAW
THIS TO A LARGE DEGREE IN THE
CELL CENSUS PROJECT.
GRANTED, WE WERE LOOKING AT THE
SAME DIRECT BUT WE HAD PEOPLE
FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND WE'RE
DOING THAT AS WELL IN THE OTHER
TWO LARGE PROJECTS THE CONNECTS
PROJECT AND THE ARMAMENTARRIAN
AND STAY TUNED WE WANT TO PUSH
ON THREES.
>> SAMEER.
>> THANKS.
JOHN, I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS
AND I GUESS THIS IS DIRECTED TO
YOU.
IT'S A BUDGET QUESTION, SORRY.
I WANT TO FOCUS IT ON EARLY
STAGE INVESTIGATORS AND THE
IMPACT ON THEM AND I GUESS
WHETHER THERE'S CONSIDERATION
FOR SOMEHOW WE'RE TRYING TO
PROTECT THAT VULNERABILITY.
ON ONE HAND AS YOU SAY, THE
AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR THIS FISCAL
YEAR FOR BRAIN IS GREAT BY
MEASUREMENT AND ON THE OTHER
HAND PEOPLE HAVE BEEN USED TO A
CERTAIN PACE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK CAN BE DONE TO
PROTECT THE FEELING THE RUG IS
BEING PULLED OUT FROM UNDER THEM
WITH A VULNERABLE TIME IN THE
FIRST COUPLE YEARS OF THEIR TIME
AS FACULTY, FOR EXAMPLE.
>> GREAT POINT, SAMEER.
SO WHEN WE WERE UNDER A
CONTINUED RESOLUTION THERE WAS A
POSSIBILITY UNDER THE CONTINUING
RESOLUTION WHAT THAT MEANT WAS
THAT WE WERE RECEIVING ON A
TEMPORARY BASIS THE SAME FUNDING
BASED ON THE PREVIOUS WHICH IS
$230 MILLION.
AND THEN THE ASSUMPTION IS THE
THE FUNDS AUTHORIZED FOR THE
CURES ACT WOULD BE APPROPRIATED.
THAT'S HOW WE GOT TO THE NUMBER.
AND WE ALWAYS HAD IN THE BACK OF
OUR MINDS THE C.R. NUMBER COULD
WIND UP BEING THE PERMANENT
NUMBER FOR THE YEAR WHICH AS IT
TURNED OUT WAS THE CASE.
EARLY ON WE MADE THE CONSCIOUS
DECISION TO EMPHASIS THE
TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECTS, BBQS
AND TRAINING.
AS YOU SAY, WE REALLY TAKE TO
HEART THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING
SURE THERE ARE GOING TO BE FOLKS
TO TAKE ON THE CHALLENGE AS EYE
RIDE OFF IN THE SUNSET AND HAVE
TO HAVE FOLKS TO CARRY ON THE
SCIENCE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
ALSO IN THE SO-CALLED PROTECTED
CATEGORY ARE THE AWARDS AS WELL
AS OTHER TRAINING MECHANISMS.
WE HAVEN'T UNFORTUNATELY AND
IT'S DIFFICULT WE DECIDED TO PUT
ON PAUSE THE F32s.
AGAIN, I THINK THEY'VE BEEN A
GREAT WAY TO GET FOLKS INTO THE
BRAIN SPACE BUT WE HAVE TO LOOK
AT WHAT'S TRULY UNIQUELY BRAIN
AND WHAT WE CAN CONTRIBUTE THE
I.C.s AREN'T.
BECAUSE WE HAD TO START LOOKING
FOR PLACES TO PRESERVE WHAT'S AT
THE CORE OF BRAIN, THIS IS THE
ONE TRAINING PROGRAM WE HAD TO
PUT ON PAUSE FOR NOW.
OTHERWISE IN TERMS OF THE
TRAINING PROGRAMS WE'RE DOING
PRETTY MUCH WHAT WE CAN DO AND I
THINK IT'S QUITE A LOT TO MAKE
SURE WE CONTINUE TO SEED THE
GROUND WITH GREAT YOUNG TALENT
AND CULTIVATE THEM.
IN DECIDING WHICH GRANTS WE'D
PAY OUT THIS YEAR AND GET INTO
THIS IN NOT TOO MUCH DETAIL, THE
REALITY IS THE 40% CUT IN THE
BUDGET BECAUSE WE HAVE THE
OUT-YEAR COSTS WE HAVE TO PAY,
THIS TO ME IS AN OBLIGATION AND
THE OUTOFF YEAR COST COMPRISE OF
MOSTLY TWO-THIRDS OR MORE OF OUR
ENTIRE BUDGET.
IF YOU LOOK AT A $400 MILLION
IT'S ROUGHLY $300 MILLION TO PAY
THE GRANTS WE'VE ALREADY AGREED
TO FUND PENDING AVAILABILITY OF
FUNDS.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS THE DOLLAR
AMOUNT WE HAVE TO INVEST IN NEW
PROJECTS IS DOWN BY ABOUT
HALF-ISH, PLUS OR MINUS.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SOME TOUGH
DECISIONS.
YOU GUYS HAVE HELPED US DECIDE
WHICH GRANTS ARE GOOD TO FUND
AND WE'RE NEVER ABLE TO FUND
EVERYTHING BUT WE DO OUR BEST TO
FUND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
THIS YEAR THAT AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE IS GOING TO BE
DRASTICALLY REDUCED.
ONE SOME OF THE CONSIDERATIONS
WE'RE USING TO DECIDE WHAT TO
FUND, AGAIN, THE INDIVIDUAL
TRAINING AWARDS AND DIVERSITY
SUPPLEMENT AWARDS AND BBQS IS A
PRIORITY AMONG OTHERS AND BEYOND
THOSE SPECIFIC PROJECTS WE'RE
LOOKING AT WHAT PROJECTS ARE
UNIQUELY BRAIN.
IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT CAN WE DO
THAT WOULDN'T BE DONE ANYWHERE
ELSE ACROSS NIH.
THAT'S ONE WAY TO LOOK AT AND
THE OTHER IS OVER ALL PORTFOLIO
BALANCE, VULNERABILITY IN TERMS
OF IF THIS PROJECT ISN'T FUNDED,
WHAT WILL THE FIELD LOSE AND THE
INVESTIGATOR AT RISK AND FINALLY
AND NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH
WHETHER THE P.I. TEAM INCLUDES
EARLY STAGE INVESTIGATORS
BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO BE
CUTTING THESE FOLKS OFF JUST
WHEN THEY'RE GETTING STARTED.
WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THESE
FACTORS.
WHAT WE ASKED YOU FOLKS TO DO IN
CLOSED SESSION WE'LL GET TO IS
TO LOOK AT THE OVER ALL QUESTION
OF SHOULD THESE GRANTS BE FUNDED
OR NOT AND WE MAKE A FINAL
DECISION WHAT AMONG THOSE WE CAN
FUND.
WHATEVER WE DON'T FUND THIS
YEAR, WE CAN HOLD FOR A YEAR
PAST WHEN THEY CAME TO COUNCIL
AND FINGERS AND TOES CROSSED IF
WE CAN GET OUT OF THIS SITUATION
AND GET OUT OF RESTORATION
FUNDING WE'LL PICK UP WHATEVER
WE CAN AND WHATEVER DOESN'T GET
FUNDED THIS YEAR ISN'T PITCHED
OVER BOARD BUT HELD OVER TO
SMOOTHER WATERS.
I APPRECIATE THE COMMENT.
WE'RE FOCUSSED ON OUR EARLY
STAGE INVESTIGATORS ESPECIALLY
TRAINEES AND THE FOLKS JUST
STARTING THEIR CAREERS AND DOING
THE BEST WE CAN TO TAKE THEM
INTO ACCOUNT AS WE LOOK AT OUR
OVER ALL FUNDING.
>> THANKS.
>> TED.
>> THANKS, SUSAN.
THANKS, JOHN AND HOLLY FOR A
TERRIFIC PRESENTATION.
I HAD AN INITIAL COMMENT AND
THEN A QUESTION ABOUT THE BBQS
PROJECT MAYBE ALSO A COMMENT
ABOUT THAT.
MY FIRST COMMENT IS ABOUT
THANKING THE BRAIN INITIATIVE
FOR THE PLAN TO ENHANCE DIVERSE
PERSPECTIVES.
THE IMPACT OF THAT HAS BEEN
TREMENDOUS.
AND IT IS SO GRATE TO SEE THOSE
SLIDES SHOWING HOW IT HAS BEEN
REALLY INCORPORATED INTO MANY
RFAs AND ACROSS NIH SO THANKS
VERY MUCH.
IT'S ONE THING THAT SHOWS THE
CREATIVITY OF YOUR ORGANIZATION,
THE BRAIN INITIATIVE AND YOUR
ABILITY TO DO THINGS THAT ARE
NOT LIMITED BECAUSE OF YOU'RE AN
INSTITUTE.
THANK YOU ALL FOR DOING THAT.
I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AN EDITORIAL
A COUPLE WEEKS AGO IN THE END OF
APRIL IN SCIENCE ENTITLED
SCIENCE NEEDS NEURODIVERSITY AND
HOLDEN TALKED ABOUT HIS
EXPERIENCE AS AN ADULT DIAGNOSED
WITH AUTISM.
IT'S A STRIKING EDITORIAL AND
OPINION PIECE AND COMMENTARY AND
I WOULD RECOMMEND ITS READING TO
EVERYBODY AND I WOULD ALSO UNDER
SCORE THE IMPORTANCE OF
NEURODIVERSITY IN THE CONTEXT OF
DIVERSITY.
WE DON'T HAVE AS MANY
DEFINITIONS AND WAYS TO THINK
ABOUT IT BUT IT'S AN INTERESTING
PARTICLE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF
NEURODIVERSITY IN SCIENCE.
MY FIRST COMMENT IS TO HIGHLIGHT
THAT TO FOLKS.
MY SECOND IN A QUESTION IN THE
SESSION TO HOLLY AND IS HOW
THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT GOING
ACROSS DIFFERENT SPECIES IN
EVOLUTION IT'S REALLY THE
EVO-EVO FIELD THAT HELPED US
UNDERSTAND THE DEVELOPMENT OF
BEHAVIOR WHERE I THINK WE KNOW
LESS ABOUT AND WHERE WE'RE GOING
TO SEE THE ORIGINS OF
PSYCHIATRIC AND NEUROLOGICAL
DISEASE.
SO THAT WAS MY QUESTION.
ARE WE THINKING ABOUT THE
DEVELOPMENTAL SIDE OF BEHAVIOR
WHICH IN A SENSE MAKES IT MORE
CHALLENGING BUT I WANTED TO ASK
ABOUT THAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT
COMMENT, TED.
ABSOLUTELY THAT IS PART OF BBQS
AND UNDERSTANDING NOT JUST
LOOKING CROSS-SECTIONALLY AT
DIFFERENT STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
AND PERIODS BUT ALSO THE
DEVELOPMENT AS A PROCESS THAT
EVOLVES OVER TIME AND ONE OF THE
KEY ASPECTS OF BBQS IS
UNDERSTANDING THE INTERPLAY
BETWEEN THE ORGANISM AND
ENVIRONMENT BECAUSE WE
UNDERSTAND THOSE ENVIRONMENTAL
EXPOSURES TO BE CRITICAL TO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE CIRCUITS
GIVING RISE TO PE AND IT'S A
DYNAMICALLY CHANGING PROCESS.
I WENT OVER IT QUICKLY BUT WE
HAVE SLIDES ACROSS DIFFERENT AGE
RANGES IN THE CLINICAL HUMAN
NEUROSCIENCE AND ALSO LIKELY IN
THE ORGANISMAL PROGRAM WELL BUT
WONDER IF HOLLY OR DANA WOULD
LIKE TO RESPOND TO THE QUESTION
SPECIFICALLY ON DEVELOPMENT.
>> I KNOW YOU HAVE AN RANGE IN
YOURS AS WELL.
>> THE IN ORGANISMAL BEHAVIOR
NOFOs TO DATE IS IN THE NOFO AS
A POINT OF EMPHASIS FOR THE
REASON TED YOU ARE MENTIONING
YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND
EVOLUTIONARY PROCESSES WITHOUT
ACTUALLY LOOKING AT DEVELOPMENT
SO WE DO ENCOURAGE APPLICATIONS
THAT BRING THAT AND WE DO HAVE A
FEW IN THERE INCLUDING NOT JUST
INDIVIDUAL BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AS
IT RELATES TO BEHAVIORAL
DEVELOPMENT BUT DIATIC
DEVELOPMENT IN TERMS OF
OFFSPRING INTERACTIONS AND HOW
THEY'RE SOMETIMES CONSERVED.
I'LL HAND IT OFF TO LIZZY WITH
REGARD TO THE HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE
EMPHASIS AREA.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THE FOCUS ON THE HUMAN SIDE
WE WELCOME A RANGE OF PATIENT
POPULATIONS ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN
AND WE ARE SEEKING TO BALANCE A
PERFECTLY WITH APPLICATIONS THAT
ARE RELATED TO PEDIATRIC
POPULATIONS TO HELP US
UNDERSTAND HOW WE CAN BETTER
UNDERSTAND DEVELOPMENTALLY
RELEVANT QUESTIONS AND MORE
NATURALISTIC SETTINGS IN A RANGE
OF PATIENT POPULATIONS.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE
HOPING TO SEE MORE OF IN THE
FUTURE AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S
REALLY EXCITING ASPECT OF THE
PROGRAM.
>> THANKS, EVERYBODY.
THANKS A LOT.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THE
PRESENTATION.
JOHN, I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU
ABOUT A QUESTION ABOUT THE
BUDGET AND THEN MAYBE A PLUG FOR
SOME OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE BEEN
FUNDING THAT MAY HAVE BEEN LEFT
ON THE CUTTING ROOM FLOOR THIS
YEAR.
SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING BECAUSE
OF THE CONTINUING RESOLUTION THE
BASE BUDGET WASN'T INCREASED FOR
THIS FISCAL YEAR.
IF THERE'S AN INCREASE IN THE
BASE BUDGET WE MAY BE ABLE TO
GET THAT ON TRACK.
AND A LITTLE PLUG FOR YOUR TEAM
APPROACHES.
AND THE BASIC SCIENCE PART OF
BRAIN IS TAKING AND WHEN I LOOK
AT THE SCIENCE IT'S OFTEN COMING
FROM THE INTEGRATED APPROACHES
PROJECTS NOT ONLY SORT OF
DRIVING THE SCIENCE FORWARD AND
THE TEAM SCIENCE.
PUT TOGETHER THE A MMAZING
COLLABORATIONS.
I THINK IT'S UNIQUELY BRAIN.
I DON'T THINK THERE'LL BE OTHER
INSTITUTES AND CENTERS THAT CAN
PICK UP THOSE AWARDS IN THE SAME
WAY BECAUSE THEY'RE VERY BASIC
SCIENCE FOCUSSED AND VERY TEAM
SCIENCE FOCUSSED AND USING THESE
TOOLS TO PUSH THE FIELD FORWARD.
THAT WAS MY COMMENT AND THEN THE
QUESTION IS ABOUT WHAT CAN WE DO
AS A COMMUNITY TO INCREASE THE
BUDGET.
>> A SLIGHT CLARIFICATION.
THE CONTINUING RESOLUTION GAVE
US THE ALERT WE COULD BE LOOKING
AT A VERY AUSTERE YEAR THIS
YEAR.
AND THE BUDGET THAT WAS PASSED
WAS DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR IDENTICAL
TO THE C.R. AND THAT WAS WHAT
THE HOUSE WAS PROPOSING AND THE
SENATE BUDGET ACTUALLY HAD US
MADE WHOLE SO THIS HAPPENED
BECAUSE THE BASE WAS REDUCED IN
2023 AND IT JUST NEVER HASN'T
YET COME BACK TO US.
THE BUDGET IS WHAT IT IS AND
WHAT WE GOT.
I AND ALL THE STAFF AT NIH AS
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES WEREN'T
ALLOWED TO LOBBY CONGRESS AND
IT'S YOU'RE RIGHT TO MAKE YOUR
VOICE HEARD FOR ANYBODY YOU WISH
TO.
THERE'S RESOURCES SO ANYBODY AS
A MEMBER OF SOCIETY FOR
NEUROSCIENCE HAS RECEIVED
INFORMATION AND YOU CAN WRITE TO
US AND ASK FOR INFORMATION WHERE
WE STAND ON THE BUDGET AND WE'RE
TRYING TO GIVE EVERYBODY AS MUCH
AS INFORMATION AS WE CAN BUT
CANNOT BE OUT THERE ADVOCATING
AND THIS IS UP TO YOU ALL FOR
THOSE WHO ARE AMERICAN CITIZENS
IT'S UP TO YOU ALL TO ADVOCATE
ON YOUR OWN BEHALF AND PEOPLE
HAVE EXPRESSED GREAT CONCERN AND
BRAIN IS UNIQUE.
WE'RE NOT JUST ON AN UPWARD
TRAJECTORY BUT INFLECTION POINT
NOT JUST IN THE ATLASING
PROGRAMS OR TOOL DEVELOPMENT OR
NEW PROGRAMS BUT IN THE
INCREDIBLE PART OF THE
PORTFOLIO.
THE PORTFOLIO IS HARDLY THE
NEGLECTED CHILD.
AND IT'S THE LARGEST PART OF THE
PORTFOLIO BY A WIDE MARGIN.
A THIRD OF THE BRAIN DOLLARS
GOES AND ECLIPSES THE BICAN
PROJECT AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT
THE ENTIRE PORTFOLIO BALANCE.
I CAN ASSURE YOU WE LOVE ALL OF
OUR BRAIN CHILDREN AND THEY'RE
ALL APPRECIATION TO US BUT THE
REALITY IS THERE'S FEWER DOLLARS
TO GO AROUND AND WE HAVE TO LOOK
AT MAKING SURE WE KEEP THE
ENTIRE OPERATION RUNNING SO
FINGERS CROSSED IF WE DO SEE
SUNNIER PASTURES AHEAD WE CAN
GET THINGS BACK ON TRACK WITHOUT
LOSING TOO MUCH MOMENTUM.
WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THE
FACTORS.
WHETHER IT'S IN TOOL DEVELOPMENT
OR SO-CALLED FUNDAMENTAL
RESEARCH IN CIRCUITS, AT SOME
POINT THEY HAVE TO GET
TRANSITIONED TO THE RCs.
IF NOT BRAIN CANNOT TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF NEW BREAKTHROUGHS
FOR THE NEXT SET OF
OPPORTUNITIES IN RESEARCH.
SO IT'S KIND OF A VERY DELICATE
BALANCING ACT AS YOU LOOK AT THE
BRAIN PORTFOLIO ALL THESE AREAS
HAVE BEEN WELL SUPPORTED AND IN
PARTICULAR THE PORTFOLIO DOING
SOME THINGS DIFFERENT AND TEAM
SCIENCE IS AN APPROACH WE'VE
BEEN APPLYING TO THE ANALYSIS
CIRCUITS WHICH IS UNIQUELY BRAIN
AND WE'RE DOING INTERNAL
ANALYSIS TO SEE WHAT'S BEEN THE
IMPACT MUCH THE DIFFERENT
GRANTING MECHANISMS AND PARTS OF
THE PORTFOLIO TO IN A
DATA-DRIVEN WAY CONVINCE
YOURSELVES IS THIS THE WAY TO
CONTINUE GOING OR SHOULD WE
TWEAK THIS A BIT AND ARE THE
MECHANISMS GIVING US WHAT WE
WANT.
WE'RE HOLOOKING AT THE BEST
SCIENCE AND THE CIRCUIT
PORTFOLIO IS UP THERE.
I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN
THAT AND IN THE MAPPING DOMAIN.
YOU CAN SEE HOW THE PROJECTS ARE
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO THE
FIELD IN GENERAL.
OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE WE CAN
KEEP AS MUCH AS THAT MOMENTUM
GOING.
>> IS THERE MORE IN RESPECT TO
THIS ISSUE OTHERWISE I'LL GO
INTO BRAIN.
WALTER YOU'RE ON MUTE.
>> AND I AGREE WITH YOU THE TEAM
SCIENCE PROJECT HAVE BEEN
TOTALLY AMAZING AND SO WE
ACTUALLY STARTED A NEW MECHANISM
FOR TEAM SCIENCE PROJECTS AT
NINDS.
WE'RE HOPING WE WOULDN'T DO
BRAIN INITIATIVE TEAM SCIENCE
PROJECTS BUT DEPENDING ON HOW
THINGS GO WE MIGHT HAVE TO DO
THAT THERE'S A LOT OF IN THIS
INITIATIVE AND THE OTHER THING
TO MENTION IS EVERYTHING JOHN
SAID WAS TRUE AND WHAT HE MAYBE
DIDN'T SAY IS DISCUSSIONS YOU'VE
HAD WITH THE INFLUENCES ON
CAPITOL HILL AND THE BUDGET DEAL
THEY DID WAS THAT THE BUDGET IN
'25 WOULD NOT BE A PERCENT
HIGHER THAN ANY IN '24 AND WITH
THE ELECTION THE EXPECTATION IS
2025 IS UNLIKELY TO SEE RELIEF.
>> WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN TO
KEEP THINGS AFLOAT THROUGH 2026.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO
HAPPEN.
FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN
VERY VOCAL.
I THINK THOSE VOICES ARE BEING
HEARD THIS UPCOMING YEAR 2025
SAY THE CAVALRY MAY NOT ARRIVE
UNTIL 2026.
WE'RE GOING OUR BEST TO MAKE
SURE TO MANAGE THROUGH THIS.
I HAVE AN AMAZING PROGRAM AND
BUDGET TEAM.
WE FORECASTED -- I CAN'T TELL
YOU IN THE LAST MONTH AND A HALF
HOW MANY MODELS WE'VE GONE
THROUGH AND WHAT COMPLICATES
THIS IS IF WE SAY WE'RE GOING TO
FUND A GRANT TODAY FOR THREE OR
FIVE YEARS I NEED TO MAKE SURE
WE HAVE FUNDS THAT THOSE
PROJECTS CAN COME TO COMPLETION
OVER THOSE THREE TO FIVE YEARS
AND WON'T HAVE TO RESCIND THEM.
TECHNICALLY WE CAN BUT THAT'S
THE LAST PLACE I WANT TO GO AND
THAT MAKES THE PROCESS
CHALLENGING.
WITH THE CURES ACT ARE SO-CALLED
NO-YEAR MONEY FUNDS AND CAN USE
THAT TO SMOOTH OUT AND CARRY
FORWARD WHICH IS WHAT'S SAVING
US.
AS BAD AS THIS HIT SEEMS THE WAY
WE MANAGED THE MONEY BY CARRYING
FORWARD THOSE FUNDS FROM
PREVIOUS YEARS WE WERE ABLE TO
SMOOTH IT OUT.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE.
THE ONLY GOOD DEAL'S A DONE
DEAL.
WE DON'T KNOW WE'RE IN BETTER
SHAPE UNTIL WE'RE IN BETTER
SHAPE AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE
PREPARING FOR THE WORSE.
THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO IS WE'LL
GET THROUGH IN A COUPLE YEARS TO
FUND THESE AMAZING PROJECTS
WITHIN A COUPLE YEARS BUT TIME
WILL TELL AND WE'RE DOING
EVERYTHING WE CAN ON OUR END AND
OUR HANDS ARE TIED IN TERMS OF
ADVOCATING FOR OURSELVES.
FRANK, GO AHEAD.
>> I HAVE A BRIEF QUESTION.
THANK YOU, HOLLY AND JOHN FOR
DESCRIBING THE TECHNOLOGIES AND
THE PAPERS ARE SPECTACULAR.
MY QUESTION IS DO WE HAVE
SOMEWHAT STRUCTURED WAYS OF
HIGHLY EXPERT-DISEASE BASED
GROUPS WHO WOULDN'T NORMALLY BE
ABLE TO EXECUTE ON THE
TECHNOLOGIES AND LEVERAGING
THESE TECHNOLOGIES AND I'M
RECOGNIZING THE GROUPS THAT
DEVELOP THESE AMAZING
TECHNOLOGIES PROBABLY HAVE THEIR
NEXT STEPS IN DEVELOPING TO GO.
ARE THERE STRUCTURED FUNDING
WAYS OR OPTIONS THOSE
DISEASE-BASED GROUPS CAN
LEVERAGE THESE AND IS THERE A
WAY TO TRACK THAT AND KNOWING
WHAT HAPPENS?
>> RIGHT.
IT'S MAYBE NOT AS STRUCTURED AS
IT COULD BE BUT IT'S GETTING
THERE.
IT'S HAPPENING ON A -- IS THERE
A THING AS SEMI ORGANIC WAY.
ACROSS THE I.C.s THERE'S BIG
PROJECTS BEING LAUNCHED TAKING
ADVANTAGE OF THE ADVANCES AND
TOOLS BEING PROVIDED BY THE
BRAIN INITIATIVE.
SO JUST ONE EXAMPLE IS WHAT'S
COMING OUT INTO THE I.C.s BASED
ON WHAT I'LL BE MODEST WILD
SUCCESS OF THE CELLS PROJECT AND
A PROJECT FROM NIDA LOOKING AT
THE CELLULAR CHANGES THAT HAPPEN
IN MODELS OF ADDICTION.
WE HAVE THE VERY LARGE PROJECT
IN ADRD LOOKING AT BRAIN
MAPPING.
SO AMAZING PROJECTS THERE USING
THE TOOLS DEVELOPED BY THESE CC
AND ONE OF THE BIG PROJECTS IS
THE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE PROJECT
LED BY A P.I. LEADS AS WELL AS
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON WHERE
THEY'RE LOOKING AT A LARGE
COHORT OF A.D. PATIENTS AT
DIFFERENT STAGES OF THE DISEASE
TO LOOK AT THE SILO OF CHANGES
DURING A.D. PROGRESSION.
NIDA JUST LAUNCHED THE NEXUS
PROGRAM TO LEVERAGE THE
RESOURCES AND TOOLS DEVELOPED BY
THE BICCN AND IN FACT SOME OF
THE DATA ARCHIVES ARE DIRECT
COLLABORATIONS.
IT'S HAPPENING ORGANICALLY.
THERE'S OTHER PROGRAMS AT NIMHD
AND THOSE LEVERAGING
TECHNOLOGIES HERE.
ALSO, IT ISN'T JUST ABOUT
PUSHING THIS AREA OUT AND THAT
AREA OUT INTO THE I.C.s.
IT'S ABOUT BRAIN PROVIDING THE
TOOLS FOR THE DISEASE OF
PROJECTS TO ADVANCE THE MISSION
FOR ALL THE I.C.s.
AND THEN I DON'T KNOW IF I
MENTIONED THIS IN THE LAST
MEETING BUT THERE'S A REALLY
COOL PROJECT FROM EDDIE CHANG'S
LAB CO-FUNDED BY BRAIN AND THE
HEAL INITIATIVE TO TREAT CHRONIC
PAIN AND USING INSTRUMENTAL
REPORT TO IDENTIFY BIOMARKERS
FOR THOSE STATES AND NOW THAT'S
BEEN A GAME CHANGER BECAUSE AS
MANY CAN APPRECIATE ONE OF THE
KEYS TO FINDING WAYS TO TREAT
CONDITIONS IS TO GET A GOOD
BIOMARKER AND THAT'S BEEN LOOK
AT NEURAL, MENTAL AND ADDICTIVE
DISORDERS.
IN EARLY STAGES OF THE DISEASES
WE'RE ABLE TO STIMULATE THOSE
INTO LESS PAIN.
THERE'S A LOT OF INTERACTIONS
GOING ON BETWEEN BRAIN AND THE
MORE DISEASE-FOCUSSED AREAS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE TRYING
TO MESSAGE OUT EFFECTIVELY AND
GETTING GOING ON THIS IS TO SHOW
NOT JUST OURSELVES BUT TO
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND
CONGRESS THAT WHILE BRAIN
DOESN'T DISEASE FOCUSSED PER SE
AND TOOLS AND RESOURCES WE'RE
DEVELOPING ARE ENABLING THESE
MORE DISEASE FOCUSSED PROJECTS
IN A FUNDAMENTAL WAY AND OUR
GOAL IS TO ACCELERATE THE
DISCOVERIES INTO NEW CURES AND
THIS IS I THINK A MESSAGE THAT
IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO GET
OUT TO FULLY APPRECIATE THE
VALUE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OKAY.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON.
RICHARD, I SEE YOU CAME ON
CAMERA.
DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT YOU
WANTED TO MAKE BEFORE WE ME OF
ON?
>> NOPE, JUST HAPPY TO BE ABLE
TO JOIN.
>> GLAD TO HAVE YOU.
>> I THINK WE'RE READY TO GO TO
THE NEXT PRESENTATION WHICH IS A
CONCEPT THAT'S GOING TO BE
PRESENTED BY NATALIE TRZCINSKI
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A DISCUSSION
ABOUT THAT THAT WILL BE LED BY
TWO OF OUR MEMBERS OF THE
MULTI-COUNCIL WORKING GROUP.
>> THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR
YOUR TIME TODAY.
I'M GOING TO BE DISCUSSING A NEW
CONCEPT THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED
BY THE BRAIN TEAM DISSEMINATION
ONE OF THE NINE TEAMS WITHIN
BRAIN.
SO FIRST I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR
TEAM DISSEMINATION SUB GROUP
MEMBERS WHO HELPED DEVELOP THIS.
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS
OVER SEVERAL YEARS NOW.
AND WE'VE INFUSED FEEDBACK FROM
THE BLUEPRINT AND BRAIN
INSTITUTE DIRECTORS, THE BRAIN
COORDINATING TEAM AS WELL AS THE
NINDS DIVERSITY WORKING GROUP
AND PROGRAM DIRECTORS FROM THE
NIGMS DIVISION OF CAPACITY
BUILDING.
I WANT TO THANK ALL THOSE
PARTIES SO MUCH FOR THEIR
FEEDBACK IN DEVELOPING THIS.
SO I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THIS
CONCEPT BY FIRST HIGHLIGHTING
THE IMPORTANCE OF DISSEMINATION
VIA COLLABORATION THAT WAS NOTED
IN THE BRAIN 2.0 REPORT.
THE AUTHORS ACKNOWLEDGED HOW THE
CLIMATE OF TECHNOLOGIES WOULD
ENSURE IMPACT OF CUTTING EDGE
NEUROSCIENCE TOOLS AND ENABLE
COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN INNOV
INNOVATORS AND END-USER LA
LABORATORIES AND THERE WERE
RESOURCE TO GET THE TOOLS TO THE
BROADER NEUROSCIENCE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS DONE VIA A VARIETY OF
WAYS INCLUDING TARGETED FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES IN ADDITION TO
TRAINING, EDUCATIONAL AND
COMMERCIALIZATION RESOURCES.
AMONG THE TEAM DISSEMINATION
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THERE IS
THE RESOURCE GRANTS FOR
TECHNOLOGY AND INTEGRATION
DISSEMINATION U-24.
THIS U-24 PROGRAM CURRENTLY
SUPPORTS 27 PROJECTS SPANNING
DIVERSE TECHNOLOGY SPACES.
IT PROVIDES FIVE YEARS OF
FUNDING FOR ACTIVITIES SUCH AS
DISTRIBUTION, CUSTOMER SERVICE
TRAINING AND ACCESS TO
FACILITIES AND FOLLOW-UP ON
FRANK'S QUESTION, I DO WANT TO
NOTE END USERS CAN INCLUDE THOSE
STUDYING DISEASE-RELEVANT
MECHANISMS FOR THIS PROGRAM.
ALL PROJECTS ARE HELD TO YEARLY
QUANTITATIVE MILESTONES WITH
OVERSIGHT BY EXTERNAL SCIENTIFIC
STEERING COMMITTEES WHOSE
MEMBERSHIP IS AGREED UPON IN
CONSULTATION WITH PROGRAM.
THIS BROADER PROGRAM FIT IN WELL
WITH THE MORE FOCUSSED ONE I'LL
PRESENT IN MORE DETAIL.
AS MENTIONED TEAM
DISSEMINATION'S MISSION IS ABOUT
DEMOCRATIZATION OF CONSULTING
-- CUTTING EDGE TOOLS TO AND
COMPLEX SCIENCE PROBLEMS ARE
BEST SOLVED BY UTILIZING A
COMMUNITY WITH DIVERSE
BACKGROUNDS AND LIFE
EXPERIENCES.
THERE'S A MYRIAD OF UNEXPLORED
SCIENTIFIC PROBLEMS THAT COULD
BE SOLVED BY BRAIN TECHNOLOGIES
AND IT TAKES DIVERSE THINKING TO
THIS POTENTIAL.
AND TIED INTO THIS FACT IS THE
RECOGNITION OF THE UNIQUE ROLE
THAT CERTAIN TYPES OF
INSTITUTIONS PLAY IN
DIVERSIFYING THE SCIENTIFIC
WORKFORCE.
THIS HAVE HISTORICALLY EXCLUDED
MORE OFTEN FROM GROUPS UNDER
REPRESENTED IN SCIENCE.
THESE INSTITUTIONS HOLD AN
UNTAPPED POTENTIAL FOR THE
INTEGRATION OF BRAIN TOOLS INTO
RESEARCH PRACTICE.
BUT THEY NEED STRONG CONNECTIONS
TO THESE TOOLS AND THESE TOOL
MAKERS WHO ARE MORE OFTEN THAN
NOT BASED ON COASTAL RESOURCE
RICH INSTITUTIONS.
INDEED, IN JANUARY 2021, MCWG
STRESSED SUPPORTING
RELATIONSHIPS WITH UNDER
RESOURCED AND RESOURCE-RICH
INSTITUTIONS AN CALLED OUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF BOTH TYPE OF
INSTITUTIONS BENEFIT FROM SUCH
PROGRAMS AND THIS GUIDANCE HAS
PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN DEVELOPING
THE SCOPE OF THE INITIATIVE.
SO DATA ALSO DROVE THE
DEVELOP
DEVELOPMENT FOR THIS.
THE U24 MENTIONED THE DIVERSITY
OF DISSEMINATION OF BRAIN
RELEVANT TOOLS.
THESE ARE MILESTONE DRIVEN
AWARDS WITH THE REQUIREMENT THE
P.I.s PROVIDE RELEVANT METRICS
OF CONSENSUS AND DATA.
THE TEAM DISSEMINATION HEALTH
PROGRAM SPECIALIST EXAMINED
OUTCOME METRICS ASSOCIATED WITH
THE U24 PORTFOLIO.
SHE FOUND THERE WAS GREATER
INSTITUTIONAL DIVERSITY AMONG
OUTREACH AND THOSE RECORDED AS
ATTENDING TRAININGS, WORKSHOPS,
OFFICE HOURS, WEBINARS VERSUS
THOSE IDENTIFIED AS USERS OF THE
TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATING AN END
TO THEIR DAILY RESEARCH WORK
FLOW AND LOWER PERCENTAGE OF
USERS FROM RESOURCE LIMITED
INSTITUTION OR RLIs VERSUS
OUTREACH ATTENDEES.
WE FELT THIS DATA INDICATED
THERE IS INTEREST AMONG THE RLI
COMMUNITY BUT NOT 100%
TRANSLATING INTO ADOPTION OF
THESE BRAIN TOOLS.
I DO WANT TO NOTE IN MY
EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH THESE
TOOL MAKERS AND DISSEMINATORS
THEY'RE OFTEN COMMITTED TO A
BROADER USER GROUP BUT ALSO
DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW
AND USED TO WORKING WITH A
FAIRLY HOMOGENOUS RESEARCH
COMMUNITY IN MOST CASES.
FOR EXAMPLE, THEY MAY NOT
REALIZE THAT THE REQUIREMENT FOR
SOMEONE TO PUT IN A COUPLE LINES
OF CODE OR KNOW A CERTAIN
LANGUAGE TO GET A TOOL UP AND
RUNNING COULD COMPLETELY TURN
AWAY A WHOLE SWATH OF RELEVANT
USERS.
I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
LIMITATIONS OF THE ANALYSIS
RELYING ON VOLUNTARY DISCLOSURE
OF INFORMATION FROM CERTAIN
PARTICIPANTS AND SOFTWARE TOOLS
LIKE GITHUB MAY NOT BE ABLE TO
TRACK USERSHIP AS EASILY AS
OTHERS AS REQUIRING THINGS LIKE
USER INFORMATION CAN TURN MANY
USERS AWAY FROM THE RESOURCES.
I ALSO WANT TO NOTE METRICS OF
DISSEMINATION CAN VARY FROM
RESOURCE TO RESOURCE AND NOT
INCLUDE CITATIONS, CONFERENCE
ABSTRACTS OR GRANT PROPOSALS
THAT LOOK AT SCIENTIFIC
INTEGRATION.
SO THIS BRINGS ME TO THE GOALS
OF THIS CONCEPT.
WE AIM WITH THIS TO INCREASE THE
IMPACT OF BRAIN BY DISSEMINATION
AND INTEGRATION OF BRAIN
RELEVANT TOOLS AT INSTITUTIONS
THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY RECEIVED
LITTLE NIH SUPPORT.
IN THE SHORT-TERM WE AIM TO
SUPPORT COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN
P.I.s AND ROIs AND BRAIN
TECHNOLOGISTS AND THE GOAL IS A
TRANSFER OF BOTH PARTIES
BENEFITING.
THE P.I. OF THE RLI LEARNS ABOUT
THE , INCORPORATES IT INTO THE
RESEARCH PROJECT AND THE
TECHNOLOGISTS LEARNS TO SUPPORT
DISSEMINATION TO A BROADER GROUP
OF USERS.
THIS COULD LEAD TO THE P.I. AND
RLI RECEIVING MORE SUPPORT FOR
THE USE OF THE BRAIN TECHNOLOGY
AND ALSO EXPOSE MORE DIVERSITY
TRAINEES TO BRAIN INITIATIVE
TECHNOLOGIES VIA THE UNTAPPED
RESOURCE OF P.I.s AND RLIs.
ONE P.I. AND RLI IS LIKELY
WORKING WITH MORE DIVERSE
TRAINEES THAN A P.I. AT AN RO1
AND THESE P.I. AND RLIs OFTEN
HAVE EXPERTISE IN MENTORING
TRAINEES WITH MINORITIZED
IDENTITIES.
THE IMPACT DIVERSITY OF BRAIN
USERS COULD BE LARGE EVEN WITH
ONE OR SEVERAL AWARDS.
IN TERMS OF THE SCOPE OF THE
INITIATIVE, WE SEE THE AWARDS
BEING MADE TO THE P.I. AT THE
ROI.
THIS WAS KEY FEEDBACK FROM
SEVERAL STAKEHOLDERS WHO NOTED
ITS IMPORTANT GIVEN THE POWER
BALANCE BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES.
WE FEEL THIS IS A KEY FEATURE OF
THE INITIATIVE THAT WE HOPE
INCREASES TRUST FROM THE RLI
COMMUNITY.
IN ADDITION, WE AIM WITH THIS
PROGRAM TO CAPITALIZE ON
STRENGTHS OF THE P.I. OF THE RLI
OPPOSED TO EMPHASIZING
WEAKNESSES WHICH IS A TYPICAL
MODEL AND MENTORING AND
COMMUNITY ENGAGED RESEARCH AND
PARTNERING WITH THE LOCAL
ECONOMY.
OUR INITIAL PHASE OF THE CONCEPT
WOULD FOCUS ON SUPPORTING
COLLABORATIONS AND KNOWLEDGE
TRANSFER OPPOSED TO LARGE
CAPACITY BUILDING EFFORTS.
WE FEEL THE OTHER PROGRAMS FILL
THE NEED AT THE TIME.
DEPENDING ON THE NEED AND FROM
FROM THE COMMUNITY, THE CONCEPT
COULD BE SCALED UP TO SUPPORT
LARGER CAPACITY BUILDING FOR OUR
EQUIPMENT PURCHASES.
THE PILOT PHASE COULD SUPPORT
INVESTIGATOR INITIATED EXPLORERY
EFFORTS UTILIZING
BRAIN-RELEVANT.
SUCH STUDIES COULD LANE THE
GROUND WORK AND SCALE LARGER
PROJECTS AND INTERESTED IN
SUPPORTING PROJECTS WHICH
INVOLVES STUDENT PARTICIPATION
IN THE EXECUTION ANALYSIS AND
THE REPORTING OF THIS RESEARCH
37
SO FINALLY IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE
THE IDEA MORE CONCRETE TO
CONCLUDE MY PRESENTATION, I'D
LIKE TO GIVE SOME EXAMPLES OF
BRAIN RELEVANT TOOLS THAT WE
THINK COULD WORK WELL WITH
RESEARCH EFFORTS AND RLIs.
THESE COULD INCLUDE SOFTWARE
TOOLS AND SUCH AS MOSE Q USED TO
PARS BEHAVIOR INTO REUSABLE
MOTIFS AND PIPELINES FOR COMPLEX
ANALYSIS TECHNIQUE LIKE THIS
COULD BE USEFUL FOR MANY
RESEARCHERS.
WE ALSO HAVE EXAMPLES OF
RESOURCES SUPPORTING THE
INTERACTION ANALYSIS AND/OR
VISUALIZATION OF EXTREMELY LARGE
AND COMPLEX DATA SETS PRODUCED
BY THE BRAIN INITIATIVE.
FOR EXAMPLE, FLY WIRE PROVIDES
CENTRALIZED CROWD-SOURCED PROOF
READING AND INCLUDES TOOLS FOR
VISUALIZATION, ANALYSIS OF THE
ANNOTATED CONNECTOME AND THE
COMPARISON WITH OTHER FLIGHT
TOOLS.
THIS CAPITALIZED ON THE CITIZEN
SCIENTIST AND FLIES ARE AN
ACCESSIBLE MODEL ORGANISM TO
WORK WELL WITH MANY TYPES OF
INSTITUTIONS.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS THE VAST
AMOUNT OF DATA COMING FROM THE
CELL CENSUS TRANSFORMATIVE
PROJECT.
THE ALEN INSTITUTE HAS PLATFORMS
FOR ENHANCING ACCESSIBILITY OF
THE DATA AND HAVE TEACHING
RESOURCES WHICH COULD WORK FOR A
WIDE RANGE OF INSTITUTIONS.
FINALLY ACTIVITY INTERFACING
WITH NEURAL PHYSIOLOGY EQUIPMENT
WITH TRAINING ON THE PROBES THEY
COULD BE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO MORE
RESEARCHERS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE INVESTIGATORS
AT EMORY CENTER FOR ADVANCED
MOTOR BIO ENGINEERING HAVE
DEVELOPED MICROSCALE ELECTRODES
FOR RECORDING MUSCLE ACTIVITY.
THESE INTERFACE WITH A VARIETY
OF STANDARD ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY
RECORDING HARDWARE MOST LABS
HAVE AND CAN BE USED FOR
EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH
PURPOSES.
THESE ARE JUST A HANDFUL OF
EXAMPLES BY NO MEANS EXHAUSTIVE
BUT I HOPE IT GIVES A SENSE THAT
ONE, THERE ARE BRAIN RELEVANT
RESOURCES OUT THERE READY FOR
DISSEMINATION AND REQUIRING
LITTLE STATE OF THE ART
EQUIPMENT.
TWO, THERE'S INTEREST IN THE
TOOLS FROM THE RLI COMMUNITY AND
THREES AN UNMET NEED IN PROVIDE
FUNDING FOR THE RLIs TO
INTEGRATE THESE TECHNOLOGIES.
WE THINK THIS WILL FURTHER
DEMOCRATIZE THE IMPACT THEIR
BRAIN INITIATIVE AND WITH THAT
I'D LIKE IT THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TIME AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ENE
QUEST
-- ANY QUESTIONS.
>> WE ASKED KAF AND JIM TO LEAD
THE QUESTIONS.
KAF, WOULD YOU LIKE TO START.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
PRESENTATION.
HIGHLY SUPPORT OF THIS WORK.
IT'S IMPORTANT WE DEVELOP TOOLS
AND TECHNOLOGIES AND MAKE SURE
BROADER ZR DISTRIBUTION HAS ACCS
AND THE TYPES OF THINGS WE CAN
DO TO BETTER ADVOCATE FOR THE
BRAIN INITIATIVE AND WE'LL BE
MORE SUCCESSFUL IN EDUCATING AND
ADVOCATING FOR CONGRESS TO VIEW
THIS INITIATIVE AND THIS WORK
WITH HIGHER PRIORITY IF WE HAVE
SUPPORT AND FOLKS FROM ALL PARTS
OF THE COUNTRY AND REACHING
LIMITED INSTITUTIONS AND
ADVANCING THE BRAIN INITIATIVE
IS AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION.
IN TERMS OF THIS INITIATIVE, I
THINK AGAIN IT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT, CRITICAL, CENTRAL
WORK AND WONDER IF THERE'S A WAY
TO THINK OF THE DIVERSE
PERSPECTIVES WITHIN THE BRAIN
INITIATIVE.
THE FRAMING AS IT'S ARTICULATED
HERE IS TAKING THESE AND MAKING
SURE MORE INDIVIDUALS IN THESE
RESEARCH LIMITED INSTITUTIONS
CAN ACCESS THEM BUT I THINK
THERE'S ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO
SAY WHAT IF SOMEONE REALIZES
THERE'S A BETTER SOLUTION?
NOT ONLY SAYING SO WE IN OUR
RESEARCH INTENSIVE AND RESEARCH
INVESTED INSTITUTIONS THINK OUR
GENERALIZED TO THE POPULATION
AND THAT TENDS NOT TO BE THE
CASE.
SO I THINK THERE'S MANY
SITUATIONS TO ANTICIPATE A TOOL
AND THERE'S A BETTER WAY TO DO
THE TOOL.
NOT ONLY JUST COMMUNICATING THAT
BACK TO THE P.I. BUT IS THERE A
WAY TO BRING THE INDIVIDUALS AND
RESEARCH LIMITED INSTITUTION WHO
MAY SEE A BETTER SOLUTION INTO
THE BROADER ECO SYSTEM, SUPPORT
THEM AND DEVELOPING EXTENDED
TOOLS ON THEIR OWN AND SAY
THERE'S A BETTER METHOD OR
UPGRADE 2.0 TO THE METHOD AND
NOT ONLY PASSING THAT KNOWLEDGE
ON BUT A WAY TO DELIVER THE
CREDITED RESOURCES TO THE
INSTITUTION.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE THOUGHT OF AN
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPLEMENT THAT
CAN BE DELIVERED ON TOP OF THE
RESEARCH GRANTS TO FURTHER
EXTEND THE WORK BEYOND THE
DISSEMINATION AND PUSHING THE
TECHNOLOGY FURTHER THAT GO
ALONG.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF
STRUCTURE OR SYSTEM IS IN PLACE
BUT THINK WE SHOULD BE THINKING
ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT UP
FRONT.
>> I LOVE THAT IDEA AND AGAIN I
THINK IT'S KIND OF THE
UNDERLYING IDEA OF EACH PARTY
LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER.
HADN'T THOUGHT SO MUCH ABOUT THE
USER BECOMING THE TOOL MAKER PER
SE BUT I REALLY DO LIKE THAT
IDEA AS WELL.
AND AGAIN, I THINK THE OVER ALL
HOPE WITH THIS IS TO JUST OPEN
UP THE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE BRAIN
INITIATIVE AND THE KNOWLEDGE
ABOUT THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS
THAT WE HAVE AND THE DIFFERENT
TOOLS THAT WE HAVE TO A MUCH
LARGER BASE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF JOHN WANTS TO
ADD ANYTHING ELSE TO THAT IDEA.
>> THANKS, KAF FOR ELEVATING
THOSE ISSUES.
ABSOLUTELY.
LOOK, THERE'S GOOD IDEAS
EVERYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY AND
BROADER AND HAVE TO TAP INTO
THIS.
WE DON'T LOOK AT THIS AS WE'LL
GIVE YOU THESE THINGS TO USE BUT
AS WE EXPAND OUR USER BASE AND
GET INTO AND LET PEOPLE USE IT
IN DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS WITH
DIFFERENT RESOURCES IS WHERE THE
GOAL WILL BE TO ITERATE AND
IMPROVE WHERE THEY'RE BEING
USED.
IN TERMS OF SUPPLEMENTS, WE
ISSUE SUPPLEMENTS FREQUENTLY
MAYBE A LITTLE LESS FREQUENTLY
GOING FORWARD BUT TO TAKE OF
OPPORTUNITIES.
HEY, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON
THIS PROJECT AND WITHIN SCOPE
AND WE LIKE TO -- LOOK, I THINK
WHAT'S BEEN COOL ABOUT BRAIN IS
WE'RE DOING OUR BEST TO BE
STRATEGIC BUT NOT DISCOUNTING
THE OPPORTUNITY OF
OPPORTUNITIES.
THIS IS A GREAT POINT YOU MAKE,
FOR SURE.
>> AND TO REALLY MAKE SURE IT'S
CAPTURED, HISTORICALLY THERE'S
BEEN A CHALLENGE FROM GAPS IN
RECRUITING IDEAS FROM A CERTAIN
TYPE OF INSTITUTION OR CERTAIN
PART OF THE POPULATION AND THE
PROGRAM BEYOND DISSEMINATION
CREATES A NEW OPPORTUNITY TO
MINE IDEAS AND WE SHOULD THINK
OF THAT UP FRONT AND HOW TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THAT IN ADVANCING.
WE CALL IT DISSEMINATION BUT
THAT KIND OF IMPLIES A ONE WAY
TRANSFER OF AND ABSOLUTELY NOT.
SCIENCE DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY
AND WE'RE HOPING TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF NOT JUST
BI-DIRECTIONAL BUT COLLABORATIVE
NETWORKING.
THANK YOU, KAF.
>> THOSE ARE MY KEY POINTS.
>> JIM?
>> THANKS, NATALIE FOR THE
EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
IT SEEMS LIKE AN INTERESTING
INITIATIVE.
IN TIMES OF FISCAL CONSTRAINT
MING -- AMONG THOSE THAT GET
CUT ARE THESE AND I WANT TO
ENCOURAGE THIS ON THE HIGH ON
THE LIST OF PRIORITIES BECAUSE
IT'S ON THE BEND OF FUTURE OF
NEUROSCIENCE.
AMONG THE CONCERNS I MIGHT RAISE
NOT NECESSARILY CONCERNS BUT
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT AS THE
INITIATIVE IS DEVELOPED IS THE
TYPE OF GRANT.
YOU HAVE THE U24s ALREADY AND
THERE'S 27 OF THEM.
I'M NOT SURE HOW BIG OF A GRANT
AND THINKING ABOUT THE TIME
FRAME FOR THE GRANT.
THE U24s ARE ATTENDED TO BY THE
PROGRAM INTENTLY AND WITH YEARLY
REVIEWS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I THINK PAYING ATTENTION TO HOW
THAT IS DEVELOPED WILL BE
IMPORTANT AND IN PARTICULAR AND
IN PARTICULAR HOW THESE WILL BE
REVIEWED.
THE TYPE OF REVIEWS DONE BY
REVIEW STUDY SECTIONS EMPHASIZE
PRODUCTIVITY AND PAPERS AND
THINGS LIKE THAT AND I THINK
IT'S UNLIKELY THERE'LL BE A LOT
OF PAPERS FROM THE INITIATIVE TO
BEGIN WITH.
I THINK THINKING HOW THESE ARE
GOING TO BE REVIEWED AND
INFORMING THE STUDY SECTIONS
APPROPRIATELY HOPING THEY WILL
FOLLOW THE GUIDANCE WILL BE
IMPORTANT FOR THE SUCCESS OF
THIS ALONG THOSE LINES WHAT ARE
THE METHODS OF SUCCESS FOR THE
PROGRAM AND HOW WILL THEY THINK
ABOUT THAT IN REVIEWING THE
PROGRAM IN A FEW YEARS.
I THINK IT'S A UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITY WITH UNIQUE
ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
THE OTHER THING IS I THINK IN
FUNDING THE RESEARCH-LIMITED
INSTITUTIONS THROUGH THIS
MECHANISM ALMOST CERTAINLY
THERE'LL BE A STRONG
COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY.
WE WON'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE
TO DO THE TYPES OF THINGS A LOT
OF THINGS THE GRANT INITIATIVE
ARE DOING.
THERE'LL BE A BIAS ALONG THOSE
LINES.
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY BAD BUT TO
THE EXTENT THE RESEARCH EFFORTS
IN FUNDING CAN GO BEYOND THAT
WILL BE GOOD.
AGAIN, THERE HAS TO BE THAT
BIAS.
THESE RLIs HAVE THE ABILITY TO
DO COMPUTATIONAL WORK AND HAVE
COMPUTERS AND SERVERS AND ACCESS
TO THE CLOUD.
THEY MAY NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE
TYPES OF MICROSCOPES OR ACCESS
TO THE TYPES OF IMAGING SYSTEM
THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT NEED.
SO I THINK ATTENTION TO THAT
WILL BE IMPORTANT.
AND FINALLY, I THINK ONE OF THE
MOST CRITICAL COMPONENTS IN
DEVELOPING THE IDEA IS HOW TO
MARRY THE TECHNOLOGIST WITH THE
USER.
IT'S AN APPROPRIATE THE RLI IS
GETTING THE GRANT BUT WHAT ABOUT
THE TECHNOLOGISTS INVOLVED, HOW
WILL YOU ENCOURAGE THEM TO
PARTICIPATE IN THIS AND PUT THEM
TOGETHER WHETHER IT COMES FROM
CONNECTIONS MADE THERE AND THEN
COLLABORATION DEVELOPED FROM
THAT.
I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE
IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S ENTIRELY
POSSIBLE TO BE PART OF THIS AND
MANY OTHERS INCLUDED FROM THOSE
TO PARTICIPATE.
THE MARRYING OF THOSE TWO
DIFFERENT FACTIONS WILL BE
IMPORTANT AS YOU DEVELOP THE
INITIATIVE.
ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO INCREASE
THE DIVERSITY IN UNDER
REPRESENTED INVESTIGATORS IN THE
FIELD IS IMPORTANT.
I THINK THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF
GREAT TECHNOLOGIES IS SO VERY
IMPORTANT FOR ACTIVITY IN TERMS
OF NEW IDEAS AND SOLIDIFYING AND
ENHANCING OLDER IDEAS.
SO I THINK IT'S INTERESTING
INITIATIVE.
IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE
HOW WE DEVELOP IT AND CONCERNS
IN TERMS OF HOW WE DEVELOP THIS
AND ENSURING IT'S GOING TO BE
SUCCESSFUL IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU.
>> THIS IS ALL HELPFUL AND TO
GET TO YOUR FINAL POINT AND
QUESTION ABOUT PUTTING THESE
TOGETHER, YEAH, IT DOES SORT OF
HAVE TO BE A BIT OF AN ORGANIC
PROCESS.
WE CAN'T AS PROGRAM STAFF SAY
YOU WORK WITH THIS PERSON.
I THINK WE'VE ALREADY THOUGHT A
LOT ABOUT THE EXTENSIVE AND
TARGETED OUTREACH TO DO ALREADY
THINKING ABOUT UTILIZING
EXISTING PROGRAMS LIKE I
MENTIONED THE R16 PROGRAM
FOCUSSED TO SUPPORTING THESE
INSTITUTIONS AND THEY HAVE THEIR
OWN U24 FOR WORKING WITH THESE
INSTITUTIONS THAT WE HOPE HAPPEN
TO AND AGAIN I THINK ENCOURAGING
THE BRAIN TECHNOLOGISTS AS A WAY
TO GAIN TECHNOLOGY OUT THERE TO
MORE PEOPLE.
AND IN MY EXPERIENCE WORKING
WITH THESE TECHNOLOGISTS THAT'S
WHAT WAY WANT TO SEE HAPPEN AND
HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT.
BEING ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH
THEM AND GET YOU TO AN AND A
FEAT
FEATURE THESE COLLABORATIONS.
>> YOU CAN DISSEMINATE AND THE
IDEA OF DEMOCRATIZING SOMETHING
IS IMPORTANT TO PICK SOME SORT
OF CODE OR IT DOESN'T TAKE
PRODUCTS FORWARD AND GIVES
ACCESS TO FULL AND AS YOU THINK
ABOUT PRIORITIZING WHICH ONES TO
CHOOSE I WOULD PUT THAT HIGH ON
THE PRIORITY.
>> THANK YOU.
QUESTIONS?
THANK YOU, NATALIE.
WE'RE A LITTLE BIT OF AHEAD OF
TIME SO IF THERE ARE A FEW --
EIGHTH OTHER QUESTIONS -- A FEW
OTHER QUESTIONS ANYBODY WANTS TO
BRING UP.
WE HAVE TIME FOR SOME.
>> HAPPY TO TAKE ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE
ENTIRE GROUP.
AND I WANT TO THANK ESPECIALLY
THOSE WHO TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT
THIS AND THINGS YOU RAISED ARE
THINGS WE'VE THOUGHT ABOUT FOR
THE MOTIVATION FOR THE CONCEPT
AND SINCE WE'RE A BIT SMALLER
THAN THE JUGGERNAUT KNOWN AS THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
WE'RE ABLE TO BE A BIT MORE
NIMBLE AND IDENTIFY THE
OPPORTUNITIES AND TRY OUT
SOLUTIONS.
HOPEFULLY WE CAN HAVE THEM DO
THIS AND SEE HOW IT GOES.
IT'S AN EXPERIMENT BUT I THINK
THE PAST EXPERIMENTS HAVE WORKED
OUT WELL.
WE'RE HOPEFUL WE CAN START
MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
IT WON'T CHANGE THE WORLD
OVERNIGHT BUT AN IMPORTANT STEP.
APPRECIATE YOUR THOUGHTS AND
WELCOME COMMENTS FROM THE REST
OF THE GROUP.
>> FRANK.
>> THANKS, JOHN.
I WAS WONDER WHEN APPLICATIONS
COME IN ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES
AND APPLICANTS TO DESCRIBE HOW
WERE THAT TO BE FUNDED HOW IT
WOULD BE DISSEMINATED AND HOW
OTHER PEOPLE WOULD BE TRAINED
AND FEATURES MAKING IT
APPLICABLE RIGHT UP FRONT THAT'S
PART OF THE DISCUSSION AND AS I
WAS LISTENING TO NATALIE'S
PRESENTATION WHICH I REALLY
LIKE, I THINK ALL OF US COULD
THINK OF EXAMPLES WHERE SOME
CUTTING EDGE NEW TECHNOLOGY WAS
READ BY TRAINING OR OTHERS I WAS
THINKING OF OPTOGENETICS.
WHERE I REMEMBER KARL'S LAB
HOSTING TRAINING FOR PEOPLE ALL
OVER THE WORLD TO COME AND GET
TRAINED AND THEN YOU HAVE
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE USING IT.
IT'S DOABLE.
PART OF THE DISSEMINATION
EFFORTS WHICH WERE A MODEL WERE
SUPPORT OF BRAIN IF I'M NOT
MISTAKEN.
I DON'T WANT TO TAKE CREDIT
WHERE WE SHOULDN'T BE.
FOR SOME OF THE RESOURCE AND
TOOL DEVELOPMENTS IS SOMETHING
WE REQUIRED APPLICANTS TO
DESCRIBE NOT JUST WE'LL DEVELOP
THE TOOL AND KEEP IT TO
OURSELVES, IF SUCCESSFUL HOW
WILL THIS MEAN OF HOW WE'LL GET
IT OUT THERE.
MANY OF THE FUNDING MECHANISMS
WERE STAGED OUT.
WE HAVE THE TOOL OPTIMIZATION
RFAs OUT THERE AND IF SUCCESSFUL
IF IT'S SUCCESSFUL WE'D LIKE TO
SEE IT MOVED AND IT'S AT ALL
LEVELS.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
GETTING -- DEVELOPING THINGS
OTHER THINGS TO FIND USEFUL
OUTSIDE THE LITTLE DOMAIN BEING
DEVELOPED.
ARE THERE OTHER QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS?
WE'RE DOING WELL ON TIME.
BRUCE, YOU'RE STILL HERE.
>> AGAIN, I THINK IT'S A
FABULOUS INITIATIVE.
IT MAKES SENSE AS YOU DESCRIBED
IT TO FOCUS ON THOSE
TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE KIND OF
READILY DISSEMINATABLE.
I THINK TO SOME OF THE THINGS WE
AND OTHER GROUPS ARE DEVELOPED
WHERE IT'S HARDER TO DELIVER THE
TECHNOLOGY REMOTELY AND I'M
TRYING TO THINK OF OPPORTUNITIES
WE CAN TRY TO ENHANCE PEOPLE
ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE,
TRAINEES WITHIN DIFFERENT
COMMUNITIES TO COME AND UTILIZE
THIS AND BOTH EXPOSE THEM TO THE
TECHNOLOGY AND TO EXPOSE THEM TO
THE BROADER ECO SYSTEM OF
SCIENCE IN THESE DOMAINS THEY
MAY NOT OTHERWISE.
IT MAY PUSH TOWARDS MORE
CREATIVE WAYS TO THINK OF TRAVEL
BUDGETS OR SUPPORT FOR STAYS FOR
INVESTIGATORS.
I KNOW WE WOULD BE EXTREMELY
KEEN TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES THAT
WOULD ALLOW US TO BRING
ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE IN TO
LEARN ABOUT OUR TOOLS AND LEARN
ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENT MORE
BROADLY.
IS THERE ANY THOUGHT TO WHETHER
THESE IDEAS YOU HAVE BEEN LAYING
OUT CAN BE EXTENDED IN THAT
DIRECTION TO HELP FACILITATE
EXPOSURE AND TRAINING TO PEOPLE
THAT MAY NEED TO TRAVEL BUT OF
COURSE ALSO HAS ADVANTAGES TO IT
IN THE LONG RUN.
>> IN TERMS OF THE EXISTING U24
PROGRAM, U24 NOFO, WE ALLOW A
LOT OF FLEXIBILITY IN TERMS OF
BUDGETING IN TERMS OF PROPOSING
FOR SAY A LOT OF TRAVEL FOR
USERS TO COME AND VISIT AND
LEARN ABOUT THE RESOURCE.
IT HAS THAT FLEXIBILITY IN THAT
PROGRAM ALREADY SO WE DEFINITELY
CAN ALLOW THAT, ENCOURAGE THAT
AND WE SAID LIKE I SAID,
QUANTITATIVE MILESTONES AT THE
BEGINNING OF EACH OF THESE
AWARDS IF THEY'RE LOOKING AT
DOING OUTREACH OR LOOKING AT
BRINGING IN USERS WE ASK THEM TO
THINK ABOUT AND SET MILESTONES
IN TERMS OF WHAT THE
INSTITUTIONAL DIVERSITY IS GOING
TO LOOK LIKE FOR THOSE
ACTIVITIES.
SO WE ARE KIND OF ALREADY
LOOKING AT THAT IN THE EXISTING
U24 PROGRAM.
>> THEN OUR BREAK GOES TO 2:30
WHEN THE CLOSED SESSION STARTS
AND PLEASE USE THE OTHER ZOOM
LINK AND I LOOK FORWARD TO
SEEING YOU SOON. 2588 01:42:55,936 THANK YOU.