>> ALL RIGHT, GOOD DAY,
EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE
NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL ON
AGING. MY NAME IS KEN SAN TORAH
I'M THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY FOR
NACA I WANT TO THANK AND WELCOME
EVERYONE FOR JOINING US TODAY.
BEFORE WE GET STARTED AND I TURN
IT OVER TO OUR DIRECTOR
DR. RICHARD HOE DUHS I WOULD
LIKE TO TAKE A QUICK ROLL CALL
FOR OUR COUNCILMEMBERS WHO ARE
HERE TODAY IF YOU, WHEN I CALL
YOUR NAME, IF YOU COULD GIVE
YOUR NAME AND YOUR INSTITUTION.
SO WE'LL START OFF WITH SANJAY
>> SANJAY: YES, UNIVERSITY OF
WISCONSIN, MADISON, SCHOOL OF
MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
>> THANK YOU, DR. BAKER.
>> DR. BAKER, MAYO CLINIC.
>> HI, I AM A FAMILY
REPRESENTATIVE AND ADVOCATE FOR
RESEARCH AND CAREGIVERS OF
FAMILIES WITH ALZHEIMER'S
DISEASE.
>> THANK YOU. DR. KRIMS. OKAY,
DR. GREENSPAN
>> HI, SUSAN GREEN SPAN,
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH.
>> DR. HUANG? ARE YOU ON?
OKAY. REVEREND DR. H.H.
>> HELLO, THIS IS DR. SYLVIA,
I'VE BEEN IN THE STUDY SINCE
2010 BOTH MY MOTHER AND HER
BROTHER DIED WITH ALZHEIMER'S.
I REPRESENT THOSE LIVING WITH
ALZHEIMER'S AND OTHER RELATED
DEMENTIAS.
>> THANK YOU. DR. A.
>> HELLO, I'M SHARON, AT HARVARD
MEDICAL SCHOOL IN HEBREW SENIOR
LIFE
>> AND DR. KHAN? OKAY, I'LL
MOVE ON, DR. LONGO.
>> I'M FRANK LONGO, STANFORD
UNIVERSITY, DRPT OF NEUROLOGY.
>> AND NANCY LUN DEN BERG
>> HELLO, I'M NANCY FROM THE
AMERICAN GERIATRIC TRICK SOCIETY
>> AND DR. RUE WIN?
>> HI DAVID RUBEN, DAVID GEFFEN
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT UCLA.
>> AND DR. SCHNEIDER? OKAY AND
DR. VAN E. OKAY.
LIND
LINDA?
>> LINDA: HI, I'M LINDA, I'M
FROM THE CENTER OF THE AGING AND
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE CENTER AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY.
>> VERY GOOD. THANK YOU VERY
MUCH AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING
AND NOW I WILL TURN IT OVER TO
OUR DIRECTOR, DR. RICHARD HOE US
THE. RICHARD?
>> RICHARD: WELCOME TO THE
154TH, WE'RE VIRTUAL SO NO ONE
HAS THE PLEASURE OF SLAMMING THE
GAVEL AND I WOULD LIKE TO UPDATE
YOU ON THE EVENTS SINCE LAST WE
MET AND REMIND YOU THIS IS THE
OPENING SESSION OF OUR CASTLE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. FIRST,
COMMEMORATING A COUPLE OF
LOSSES. VICTOR MOLL LYNN
FAMILIAR REE WAS A DIRECTOR OF
THE COUNCIL FROM 2009-12. HIS
PREVIOUS ROLES WERE WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY AND
VETERANS. CONTRIBUTED
SUBSTANTIALLY TO OUR COUNCIL
DURING HIS YEARS. WE WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND THAT LOSS
AND THE NEXT SLIDE. GEORGE
MARTIN NOT A MEMBER OF COUNCIL
BUT THE SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR OF
NIA FROM 1989-1994. A WAS A LAB
CHIEF AND SCIENTIST EMERITUS IN
NICDR, THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE,
AND IMPORTANT LEADER OF OUR
INTRAMURAL PROGRAM IN ITS
RELATIVELY EARLY DAYS. NEXT,
PLEASE. IN TERMS OF LEGISLATIVE
UPDATES I THINK ALL OF YOU KNOW
WE ARE UNDER A FULL YEAR OF
CONTINUING RESOLUTION. ABOUT
HALFWAY THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR.
OTHER LEGISLATIVE EVENTS IN
OCTOBER THE NAPA REAUTHORIZATION
ACT OCCURRED AND THE ALTZ ALZ
ACCOUNTABILITY AND INVESTMENT
ACT AND THE PROJECT ACT THROUGH
2035. MADE ADDITIONAL CHANGES
TO THE NAPA LEGISLATION
AFFECTING THE SIZE OF THE
ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND EXTENDED
THE REQUIREMENT FOR NIH ON
BEHALF OF THE NIH DIRECTOR TO
SUBMIT A PROFESSIONAL BUDGET
EACH YEAR AGAIN THROUGH 2035.
NEXT, PLEASE. SO SOME NEW
LEADERSHIP AT NIH AND HHS.
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. WAS
CONFIRMED AS THE SECRETARY OF
THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH IN
FEBRUARY. AND LATER IN THE
MONTH DR. JAY JOINED US. HE'S A
TRAINED PHYSICIAN, RESEARCHER,
HEALTH ECONOMIST WHO JOINS US
FROM THE MEDICAL SCHOOL OF
STANFORD AND HIS RESEARCH
FOCUSED ON CHRONIC DISEASE WAS
AN NIH LONG-TERM GRANTEE MOST
SPECIFICALLY BY NIA FOR SOME 20
YEARS OR SO AND SO FAMILIAR WITH
THE INSTITUTE AND WE WITH HIM
AND SOME OF HIS WORK. AND LOOK
FORWARD NOW TO LOOKING TO PURSUE
NIA PRIORITIES AS A PART OF THE
DIRECTION OF NIH UNDER HIS
LEADERSHIP. NEXT, PLEASE. AT
NIA WE'RE DELIGHTED TO WELCOME
THE NEW DIRECTOR OF AGING
BIOLOGY. VIVIANA PEREZ. SHE
WAS REJOINING US AFTER SPENDING
TIME IN THE DIVISION OF AGING
BIOLOGY IN THE CELL BIOLOGY
BRANCH AND PLAYED AN
INSTRUMENTAL PART IN A NUMBER OF
ACTIVITIES INCLUDING THE
FOUNDING AND FUNDING OF THE
NETWORK. SHE SPENT TIME AS ONE
OF THE FOUNDING LEADERSHIP AT
EVOLUTION WHERE SHE WAS THE VICE
PRESIDENT OF JER ROW SCIENCE.
GAINING THAT PERSPECTIVE AS WELL
AS A BRANCH CHIEF AT NIA WE WERE
FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO ENTICE HER
TO COME BACK AS A VISION
DIRECTOR. WELCOME, AND NEXT,
PLEASE. SOME OTHER CHANGES IN
LEADERSHIP. THE NIA ACTING
DEPUTY DIRECTOR, KEN SAN TORAH
AFTER AMY KELLEY'S DEPARTURE.
ACTING EXECUTIVE OFFICER, MISS
LISA PORT NOW, I MAY HAVE HER
TURN ON HER CAMERA AND AT LEAST
SAY HELLO.
SHE'S REPLACING PATRICK WHO
RETIRED EARLIER THIS MONTH. IF
LISA'S ABLE TO JOIN US. ACTING
DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION OF
NEUROSCIENCE, THAT WAS A
POSITION HELD BY AMY UNTIL HER
DEPARTURE AND NOW HAPPY TO SAY
JENNY LARKIN WHO HAS BEEN DEPUTY
DIRECTOR OF THAT DIVISION IS NOW
THE ACTING DIRECTOR.
IN THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE
OFFICER ROLE FOR THE INTRAMURAL
PROGRAM, MIKE O'DONNELL, LONG
TIME IN THAT ROLE HAS RETIRED IN
A WISH TO PLAY MORE GOLF AND MS.
TARYN MAYBE HAS BEEN AN
IMPORTANT PART TO WORK IN THE
WHOLE OF N IA WORKING
COLLABORATIVELY.
ACTING CENTER DIRECTOR FOR
ALZHEIMER'S AND RELATED
DEMENTIAS IS MARK COOK SON WHO
REPLACED ANDY SINGLETON WHO
RETIRED LAST MONTH.
AND THE ACTING OFFICE OF
PLANNING, ANALYSIS AND
EVALUATION, OPAE IS KATE NAY GUY
IS THE ACTING DIRECTOR THERE.
SO SOME NEW FACES, MOSTLY FACES
WELL-KNOWN TO US AND ROLES TO
WHICH THEY HAVE NOW GRADUATED
AND PART OF THE STRONG
INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE INSTITUTE.
NEXT, PLEASE. I THANK YOU WITH
THAT BRIEF SUMMARY OF SOME OF
THE MAJOR CHANGES THAT HAVE
OCCURRED AND NOW OPEN THIS OPEN
SESSION TO ENGAGE YOU IN ANY
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT LIKE TO
DISCUSS.
>> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU,
DR. HODES, I THINK YOU CAN TAKE
THE SLIDE DOWN AT THIS POINT AND
I WILL OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS
FOR DR. HODES. FRANK. SNANG
YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT REVIEW.
IN TERMS OF THE STUDY SECTION
MOVING OTHER AND OUT OF THE
INSTITUTES. I'M JUST THINKING
IT'LL BE IMPORTANT FOR THE
COUNCILS TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT
THE QUALITY OF REVIEW YOU KNOW
IS THERE POTENTIALLY LESS
FOCUSED EXPERTISE WITH THIS
CHANGE? I'M SURE THAT'S BEEN
DISCUSSED AND THOUGHT ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, THE ABILITY TO FOCUS
EXPERTISE AND MATCH EXPERTISE
WITH APPLICATIONS. AND, YOU
KNOW, THE QUALITY OF THE
REVIEWS, THE OUTCOMES OF THAT
AND WHAT FINALLY GET TO THE
COUNCIL THAT WE SEE? OPTIMALLY
IT'D BE NICE TO HAVE SOME SENSE
OF MONITORING THE QUALITY WITH
THAT CHANGE. DO YOU HAVE ANY
FURTHER THOUGHT ON THAT?
>> FIRST OF ALL IT'S AN
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT QUESTION.
THE PROCESS WAS PART OF A
REORGANIZATION CONSOLIDATION IN
THE INTEREST OF ECONOMY AND
EFFICIENCY AS YOU HEARD IN THE
LAST SESSION, IT INVOLVES THE
MOVE OF ALL SCIENTIFIC REVIEW
INTO CSR. CSR HAS -- IN THE
MIDST OF A CALCULATION OF A
NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL REVIEW
OFFICERS IT WILL NEED ABOVE AND
BEYOND THOSE CURRENTLY AT CSR
WHICH WILL COME FROM THE
INSTITUTES AND CENTERS IN ORDER
TO ALLOW THEM TO MEET THE NEEDS
FOR REVIEW INCLUDING THE REVIEWS
THAT HAD BEEN CARRIED OUT IN ALL
THE INSTITUTES. SO WE'RE AT THE
STAGE IN THE PROCESS IN WHICH
THOSE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS WERE
WITH THE INSTITUTES AND WANT TO
APPLY NOW FOR TRANSFER TO CSR
HAVE DONE SO. THEY, WE
ANTICIPATE THAT A SUBSTANTIAL
NUMBER OF PROGRAM OFFICERS FROM
NIA WILL END UP IN CSR THOUGH WE
DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFICS. WE
MAY KNOW THAT IN THE NEXT MONTH
OR SO BUT IMPORTANTLY IT MEANS
THAT TALENTS AND THE SPECIAL
EXPERTISE OF FOLKS AT NIA REVIEW
IN PARTICULAR WILL IN LARGE
NUMBERS BECOME A PART OF CSR.
CSR IS ALSO COMMITTED TO
CARRYING OUT SECTS OR SPECIAL
EMPHASIS PANELS. THEY HAVE
EXPERIENCE WITH MECHANISMS
INCLUDING SENDERS AND I'VE DONE
THIS IN THE PAST BUT WE DO
ANTICIPATE AS YOU ELUDED TO TO
WORK CLOSELY WITH THEM TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE ARE VIEWS AND
OTHER QUALITY WITH REVIEW GROUPS
THAT MATCH THE SUBJECT CONTENT
OF APPLICATIONS. SO WE'LL ALL
BE PAYING A CLOSE ATTENTION TO
THAT. AND I THINK THERE'S EVERY
GOODWILL AND EVERY COMMITMENT TO
DO THIS AND IF WE HAVE MANY OF
THE SAME PEOPLE WITH THE SAME
TALENT, NOW ORGANIZE A DIFFERENT
STRUCTURE WE'RE HOPEFUL WE CAN
MAINTAIN THOSE STANDARDS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> KEN: MAYBE I CAN ADD A FEW
MORE POINTS TOO, AGAIN, SEPTS
WILL CONTINUE AND AT LEAST
THROUGH THE SUMMER. THE ONES
THAT ARE GOING TO BE SCHEDULED
WILL BE CONTINUALLY RUN BY OUR
REVIEW SROS AND THEN AFTER THAT,
FOR OCTOBER COUNCIL, WE WILL BE,
AGAIN, PAYING VERY CLOSE
ATTENTION TO ALL THE DIFFERENT
REVIEWS THAT ARE HAPPENING. ONE
OF THE POINTS RICHARD ALSO
MENTIONED WAS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE
GOING TO ABSORB MANY OF OUR SROS
INTO CSR AND THAT'S THE CRITICAL
POINT THING THAT THEY'RE LOOKING
AT IS THE MECHANISMS IN WHICH
THEY HAVE DONE, HEY, HAVE
EXPERIENCE AND THE SCIENCE. SO
THOSE ARE THE TWO THINGS TOO.
SO THINGS THAT CSR MAY NOT BE AS
FAMILIAR WITH, THEY ARE, THEY
HAVE DONE CENTERS GRANTS, OTHER
TYPES OF GRANTS TOO BUT NOW WE
HAVE THOSE FROM ALL OF THE
INSTITUTES COMING N. VERY
DIFFERENT TYPES OF MECHANISMS
THAT MAY NOT BE AS NORMAL AS
WHAT THEY'VE USED TO HAVE BEEN
SEEING AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE
REALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO NOW
ALSO TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE
COVERAGE AND EXPERIENCE IN ALL
MECHANISMS FOR HERE AT, THAT YOU
CAN APPLY TO AND HERE AT THE
NIH.
>> FRANK: I HAD A BRIEF FOLLOW
UP QUESTION, THANK YOU FOR THAT,
KEN. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
LATEST SCIENCE IS ON ASSESSING
QUALITY OF REVIEWS, YOU KNOW,
ONE CAN IMAGINE MANY LAYERS OF
THAT. ALIGNMENTS OF EXPERTISE,
DYNAMICS OF GIVEN STUDY
SECTIONS, HOW THEY'RE RUN BY THE
CHAIR AND THE PROGRAM PERSON.
AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, YOU CAN
IMAGINE MANY VARIABLES AND HOW
THE QUALITY IS DEFINED. BUT HOW
IS IT, I MEAN, HOW DO WE GET
SOME SENSE OF THE QUALITY. ARE
THERE ANY MEASURES OR DATA? HOW
CAN YOU DEAL WITH THAT? SNICH
KEN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ALL
OF US AT NIA AND OTHER
INSTITUTES AND MAYBE MOST
SPECIFICALLY AT CSR HAVE PAID A
LOT OF ATTENTION TO AND THERE'S
BEEN MANY ASSESSMENTS DONE. WE
MAY PROVIDE A SPEAKER SOMEONE
WHO HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN
EVALUATION OF THOSE QUESTIONS
YOU ASKED, PARAMETERS OF THE
QUALITY OF REVIEW.
>> FRANK: THAT WOULD BE GREAT,
RICHARD, I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE
OTHER MEMBERS, I WOULD ENJOY AN
UPDATE BECAUSE OCCASIONALLY WHAT
COMES UP TO US AS A COUNCIL IS A
PI IS CONCERNED ABOUT HOW IT WAS
REVIEWED, ET CETERA, SO IT MIGHT
BE HELPFUL TO GET AN UPDATE ON
THAT.
>> RENU: ABSOLUTELY AND WE'LL
ALSO PURSUE WITH NCR AND MEETING
WITH THEM AS OFTEN AS WE CAN.
SO THEY HAVE A SET EVALUATION
PROCESS WHERE THEY TAKE A
USUALLY RELATED SET OF STUDY
SECTIONS AND THEY HAVE AN
OUTSIDE COMMITTEE COME IN AND
THEY EVALUATE THEM. AND THEY
MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO CHANGES,
ET CETERA, AND, YOU KNOW, AND
THAT GOES ON TOO. HOWEVER, WITH
THIS IS CHANGING EVERYTHING
OBVIOUSLY. TOO. AND THEY WILL
LIKELY NEED A NEW PROCESS THERE
TOO. TO UNDERSTAND YOU KNOW, IS
THIS EFFECTIVE THE WAY THEORY
DOING, YOU KNOW, POTENTIAL STUDY
SECTIONS, CREATING NEW STUDY
SECTIONS, CREATING NEW STANDING
SEPTS AND ALL THE DIFFERENT
TYPES OF PROCESSES THEY DO AND
THE QUALITY OF COURSE TOO. I
THINK THAT CAN BE MEASURED OVER
TIME AND WILL NEED TO BE. SO, I
THINK, INVITING SENIOR MEMBER OF
CSR TO OUR COUNCIL IS A GREAT
IDEA BUT I WOULD SAY WE SHOULD
PROBABLY WAIT AT LEAST UNTIL
JANUARY, MAYBE EVEN MAY COUNCIL
TO GET THAT BECAUSE WHAT GIVES
THEM SOME TIME TO ACTUALLY
UNDERSTAND AND HAVE A FEW ROUNDS
UNDER THEIR BELT, YOU KNOW WHAT
I MEAN? AFTER THIS WHOLE
TRANSITION HAS OCCURRED TOO.
>> FRANK: RIGHT, SURE, THANK
YOU.
>> KENNETH: OTHER QUESTIONS?
SNUB YES. WE HAVE HAD A NUMBER
OF MEETINGS LOCALLY ABOUT THE
NIH IN GENERAL. AND THE
RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT. IT'S
RELATIVELY SAFE TO SAY THE
PREDOMINANT SENTIMENT IS FEAR
AMONG THE RESEARCHERS. THEY ARE
CONCERNED BECAUSE EITHER THEY OR
THEIR COLLEAGUES HAVE RECEIVED
TERMINATION NOTICES. FOR THEIR
STUDIES. INCLUDING TRIALS THAT
HAVE SUBCONTRACTS, ET CETERA.
THEY ARE CONCERNED THAT PEOPLE
THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH
AT FEDERAL AGENCIES IN THE NIH
ARE SUDDENLY GONE AND THE THIRD
IS THAT THERE'S FEAR THAT THE
TYPE OF RESEARCH THEY ARE
CONDUCTING ARE NOT CONSISTENT
WITH PRIORITIES OF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT AT THIS POINT. THAT
TERM CONSISTENT WITH PRIORITIES
KEEPS COMING UP. AND JUST, YOU
KNOW, A QUESTION, I DON'T KNOW,
I KNOW YOU CAN SAY ONLY SO MUCH
BUT IN FACT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS
THE MESSAGE THAT NIA WOULD LIKE
TO ASCEND TO PARTICULARLY TO
EARLY STAGE INVESTIGATORS WHO
ARE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR CAREERS
BUT ALSO SENIOR INVESTIGATORS.
>> RICHARD: THANKS FOR THE
QUESTION AND THE SENSITIVITY.
UNDERSTAND IN THESE TIMES OF
CHANGE THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERNS
AND ANXIETIES. WHEN I CAN SAY
IS WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MOST
GENERALLY EXPRESSED PRIORITIES
OF THIS ADMINISTRATION, THIS NEW
NIH DIRECTOR AND SECRETARY FOR
THAT MATTER, THAT OVERALL,
POPULATION HEALTH, THE
APPRECIATION OF THE IMPORTANCE
OF PREVENTION, PREVENTING
CHRONIC DISEASE, EXTENSION OF
LIFE AND QUALITY OF LIFE ARE
AREAS AND THEMES OF RESEARCH
THAT RESONATE VERY WELL
ESSENTIALLY WITH NIA AS WELL AS
ACROSS THE REST OF NIH. I
MENTION THE FACT THAT OUR NEW
NIH DIRECTOR HAS LONG SUPPORT IN
HIS CAREER BY NIA AND HEALTH
ECONOMICS IN AREAS THAT INCLUDE
POPULATION DIVERSITY AND
HETEROGENEITY IN IMPORTANT AREAS
LIKE INTEGRITY AND
REPRODUCIBILITY OF SCIENCE. I
THINK THESE ARE VALUES AS WE'RE
HEARING THEM THAT WE CAN
EMBRACE. I THINK MOST OF WHAT
WE HEARD FROM THE FIRST COUPLE
OF WEEKS FROM OUR NEW NIH
DIRECTOR HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY
REASSURING NOW WE WILL WAIT AND
DO OUR BEST TO IMPLEMENT IN A
WAY THAT PRESERVES THE ABILITY
OF SCIENTISTS TO CARRY OUT THE
VERY BEST SCIENCE THAT'S
NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH THE
GOALS OF NIA AND NIH. I DON'T
WANT TO DOWN PLAY, UNDERSTAND
THE ISSUES, I WOULD SAY THAT JAY
4I78S REFLECTS VERY WELL THE
IMPORTANCE OF TRYING TO ADDRESS
THE ANXIETIES AND CONCERNS OF
THE POPULATION.
HE'S AWARE OF THEM AND THERE'LL
BE ACTIONS IN ADDITION TO HIS
APPROPRIATE WORDS SO FAR THAT
ARE GOING TO BE IMPORTANT IN THE
RESEARCH COMMUNITY AND THE
GENERAL PUBLIC.
>> I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR
UNDERSTANDING THE SENSITIVITY OF
THESE TIMES. I WANT TO SAY ALSO
FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF
PARTICIPANTS OF RESEARCH, I'VE
BEEN ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN
SEVERAL MEETINGS AND I ALSO CAN
SHARE WITH YOU THAT THERE'S A
LOT OF FEAR AS WELL. I MEAN,
PEOPLE WHO HAVE INVESTED SO MUCH
OF THEIR LIVES INTO
PARTICIPATING IN SUCH CRITICAL
RESEARCH AND PEOPLE WHO ARE
TRUSTING AND HOPING FOR THE BEST
OF OUTCOMES FOR NOT JUST
THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES
BUT REALLY FOR HUMANITY, FOR
EVERYONE. AND ALL I CAN SAY IS
I JUST SHARE WITH THEM SOME OF
THE CONCERNS BUT I ALSO TELL
THEM, YOU KNOW, BE MOVED BY FEAR
IS NEVER A GOOD THING NO MATTER
WHAT'S HAPPENING AROUND US. I
MEAN, MANY OF US, I AM A
RESEARCH PARTICIPANT AS WELL.
MANY OF US HAVE SEEN SO MUCH AND
WE'VE HAD TO, YOU KNOW, BE
STRONG AND COURAGEOUS SO I SAY,
JUST DON'T BE MOVED BY FEAR.
AND LET'S JUST WORK TOGETHER
HERE AND SEE HOW WE CAN CONTINUE
MOVING THINGS FORWARD SO I JUST
WANT TO THANK EVERYONE BECAUSE
EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE SAYING
HERE IS ACTUALLY A GREAT
ANTIDOTE TO FEAR AND I
APPRECIATE YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT.
THANK YOU AND ALL THE WORK THAT
EVERYONE IS PUTTING INTO THIS.
SO THANK YOU. AND NOT JUST FOR
ME AND MY FAMILY BUT FROM THOSE
WHO ARE IN THE SAME BOAT AS
MYSELF AND MY FAMILY.
>> KENNETH: THANK YOU MARIE TA,
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORDS AND
YOUR SUPPORT HERE FOR HERE AT
NIH AND NIA ESPECIALLY. AND WE
UNDERSTAND THIS AND APPRECIATE
AGAIN ALL YOUR HELP.
>> I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A
COMMENT. THE WAY THE LEADERSHIP
AT NIA HAVE NAVIGATED THROUGH
THESE DIFFICULT TIMES WE TRULY
APPRECIATE. AT LEAST I DO. I
AM ALSO A HOPEFUL PERSON AND I
THINK WE WILL EVENTUALLY DO THE
RIGHT THING AFTER WE TRIED
EVERYTHING ELSE. IT'S A DIRECT
QUOTE. NOT, I DIDN'T MAKE IT
BUT THAT'S WHAT I, THAT'S HOW I
FEEL THESE DAYS.
>> KENNETH: YES, OF COURSE,
THANK YOU.
>> RICHARD: WE'LL TAKE THAT AS A
POSITIVE PERSPECTIVE.
>> KENNETH: EXACTLY. AND JUST
TO ASSURE EVERYONE WE, EXACTLY
RIGHT. WE ARE NAVIGATING ALL
THE CHANGES THAT HAVE HAPPENED.
AND WE ARE AGAIN, CONTINUING TO
ENSURE THAT THE MISSION OF THE
INSTITUTE OF AGING IS
ACCOMPLISHED BY THE SCIENCE AND
BY MAKING AWARDS. I CAN ENSURE
OUR GRANTS MANAGEMENT STAFF IS
DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO GET
THOSE AWARDS OUT, NAVIGATING NEW
APPROVAL PROCESSES, ET CETERA BY
WE ARE MAKING AWARDS AND WE ARE
CONTINUALLY MAKING AWARDS. WE
HAVE A BUDGET FINALLY THIS JUST
RECENTLY TOO. SO WE WILL BE
MOVING FORWARD WITH, AGAIN,
AWARDS. AND THE THING I WANT TO
APPRECIATE AND THANK EVERYONE IS
FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND FOR ALL
THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO GET PUT
IN BY YOUR INSTITUTIONS, ET
CETERA, TO ALSO NAVIGATE THIS
TOO BECAUSE IT IS VERY COMPLEX
ON OUR SIDE BUT I IMAGINE IT IS
EVEN MORE COMPLEX ON YOUR SIDE
TOO. AS THE AWARDEES AND THE
INSTITUTIONS AND WHAT THEY HAVE
TO NAVIGATE TOO AND WE DO
UNDERSTAND THAT TOO AND REALLY
APPRECIATE ALL THE PATIENCE THAT
YOU'VE EXERTED ON... FOR US
ESPECIALLY TOO. BECAUSE WE'RE
BOTH IN THE SAME TRANSITION
TIME. AND WE HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND, WE HAVE TO GET CLEAR
INFORMATION AND WE HAVE TO
PROVIDE THAT TO YOU TOO AND WE
DEFINITELY RECOGNIZE THAT.
SANJAY.
>> ANDREW: YEAH, THANK YOU,
AGAIN, IF I FEEL FIRST OF ALL I
WANT TO ECHO WHAT KAHN SAID. IT
IS SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO KEEP
ON GOING IN THESE TOUGH TIMES.
WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT THE FNA
COSTS AND THAT IS AN AREA WHICH
IS UNCLEAR AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE
COSTS PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE FOR
INSTITUTIONS TO SUPPORT
RESEARCHERS AND RELATED
PROGRAMS. I WONDER, IF THERE'S
ANYTHING YOU COULD TELL US, THE
LATEST IN THAT AREA IN TERMS OF
NEGOTIATIONS, AND WHERE IT IS
MOVING.
>> RICHARD: SANJAY, OF COURSE I
UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE. I
THINK THE STRONG STATEMENT I CAN
MAKE IS THAT WE AT NIH HAVE
PLAYED AND PLAY NO ROLE IN
DETERMINATION OF THOSE LEVELS.
WE CERTAINLY HAVE HEARD FROM THE
COMMUNITY APPROPRIATELY. PUBLIC
AND THE CONCERNS EXPRESSED BY
FOR THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT
THESE INDIRECT COSTS HAVE BEEN
IN PLACE, THEY'VE BY INTENTION
BEEN BEYOND THE CONTROL OF NIH
SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE AREAS
WHERE WE CAN AND WILL ACT TO
OPTIMIZE THE RESEARCH THAT WE
SUPPORT, GIVEN THE DECISIONS
THAT ARE MADE ABOUT INDIRECT
COSTS BUT WILL HAVE NO DIRECT
INPUT INTO THE DETERMINATION.
>> SANJAY: YEAH, THANK YOU.
>> KENNETH: NANCY. SNANS THERE
IS JUST IF PEOPLE AREN'T AWARE,
AAC AND OTHER GRIPES HAVE COME
TOGETHER AS A GROUP TO TALK
ABOUT INDIRECT COSTS FROM THE
PERSPECTIVE OF GRANTEES. HOW
THEY COULD BE SIMPLIFIED AND
TIERED TO WHAT IS SUPPORTED AND
NEEDED. SO IF SOMEONE'S DOING A
GRANT WHERE THEY NEED A LIBRARY
AND A COMPUTER THEY'RE NOT
PUTTING IN DIRECT COST RATE ON
IT THAT SUGGESTS THAT THEY HAVE
A LAB AND ANIMALS. I, NIA HAS
BEEN PARTICULARLY CAREFUL IN
THAT IN THE INDIRECT COSTS
ASSIGNED TO ITS PROPOSALS. I AM
CURIOUS AND I KNOW IT'S A LEAKED
OMB BUDGET AT THIS POINT IN
TIME. THERE WAS BURIED
SOMEWHERE DEEP WITHIN THAT 64
PAGE DOCUMENT CODIFICATION OF
THE 15% INDIRECT COST. AND I AM
HOPEFUL THAT HHS IN ITS RESPONSE
TO THAT I THINK IT'S A PASS FAST
BUDGET WOULD AT THIS POINT IN
TIME HAVE A COMMENT ABOUT THE
NEED FOR THERE TO BE A MORE
THOUGHTFUL APPROACH IN CHANGING
HOW MORE INDIRECT COSTS ARE
FIGURED OUT. WE IN PRIOR
COMMENTS TO, AS AGS TO ENERGY
AND COMMERCE HAS COMMENTED THAT
THIS STRUCK US AS SOMETHING THAT
WOULD BE SUITABLE FOR AN NASM SO
IS NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF
SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND
MEDICINE SORT OF A GOOD STRONG
EXTERNAL BODY WITH INPUT BOTH
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND FROM
EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS.
WOULD BE A GOOD WAY TO MOVE
FORWARD, AGAIN, RECOGNIZING THIS
IS BEYOND NIA WHERE NIA OR NIH
IS COMMENTING BUT I THINK HHS IS
LOOKING AT THE OMB BUDGET FOR
HHS. WHATEVER THAT TURNS OUT TO
BE. IT IS SOMETHING THAT MAYBE
IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF AS, IF
EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS SAW THAT
SORT OF, VERY CAREFUL, WE'RE
GOING TO PAY, WE'RE GOING TO
TAKE A VERY CAREFUL APPROACH TO
CHANGING IC RATES.
>> KENNETH: THANK YOU FOR BEING
A PART OF THAT IMPORTANT EFFORT.
>> NANCY: WE TRY.
>> FOR THE LAST TWENTY YEARS WE
HAVE APPLIED FOR LARGE GRANT
WHICH IS IS A NATIVE CENTER FOR
HEALTH RESEARCH AND WE'RE PRETTY
SUCCESSFUL AT IT SO OUR IDC IS
GENERALLY VERY LOW.
IT'S, ALASKA NATIVES HAVE A VERY
HIGH IDC RATE BUT OURS
FLUCTUATINGS BETWEEN 11-14%.
IT'S 14.7 RIGHT NOW.
AND WHEN WE, WE ALMOST ALWAYS
WORK WITH RESEARCH INTENSIVE
PARTNERS WHICH IS UNIVERSITIES.
YOU KNOW, EMERY, THEIR DIRECT
BECOMES PART OF THEIR
SUBCONTRACT. THAT HAS NEVER
BEEN QUESTIONED. SO NIH
CONSIDERED, SO, FOR EXAMPLE,
IT'S 100,000 DOLLAR GRANT
THEY'LL GIVE US 14,000 DOLLARS
AS INDIRECT. AND 50% OF THAT
LET'S SUPPOSE IS A SUBCONTRACT
WITH UHC. WHATEVER THEIR
INDIRECT IS, BECOMES A PART OF A
SUBCONTRACT TO US SO IT DOESN'T
AFFECT THEIR IDC RATE AT ALL AND
I WAS JUST WONDERING, I MEAN
THAT COULD BE A LITTLE TRICK.
I'M JUST THINKING ALOUD HERE.
THAT WORKING WITH THE NONPROFITS
AND TRAVEL ASSOCIATIONS AND SO
ON AND SO FORTH MAYBE, JUST
MAYBE UNIVERSITIES CAN GET
AROUND THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF
THAT, I WAS JUST WONDERING YOUR
THOUGHTS.
>> KENNETH: WELL, I WOULD JUST
SAY, IF I CAN START US OFF ON
THAT ONE IS, THERE'S SPECIFIC,
BASICALLY ALMOST ACCOUNTING
REGULATIONS FOR THE, WHAT'S PART
OF THE GPS WHICH IS THE GRANTS
POLICY STATEMENT, FOR HOW
INDIRECT COSTS AND SUBAWARDS OR
SUBCONTRACTS OR CONSORTIUM COSTS
ARE ALL CALCULATED AND WHAT, HOW
THAT IS THEN CALCULATED IN THE
TOTAL BUDGET. SO THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT, AGAIN, IS WITHIN
POLICY, YOU KNOW. AND IS VERY
HIGHLY REGULATED. AND NOT
SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN
DISCUSSED IS ALL I CAN SAY AT
THIS POINT REGARDING CHANGES IN
THAT TOO. BESIDES THE OVERALL
PROPOSAL OF PUTTING A 15% ACROSS
THE BOARD INDIRECT COSTS FOR
EVERYONE TOO. WHICH IS, AGAIN,
AS RICHARD SAID IS OUT OF OUR
CONTROL BECAUSE THAT WAS
NEGOTIATED BY A DIFFERENT
FEDERAL AGENCY. COMPLETELY
OUTSIDE OF THE NIH'S PURVIEW.
ALL RIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?
VERY GOOD. THANK YOU FOR THAT
DISCUSSION. THANK YOU DR. HODES
FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND YOUR
REPORT. TO FINISH OFF THIS
SESSION, OUR OPEN SESSION TOO, I
JUST WANTED TO FIRST, I NEED A
CONCURRENCE OF WITHIN THE
ELECTRONIC COUNCIL BOOK YOU WILL
SEE THE DIRECTOR STATUS REPORT
FROM LAST, OUR LAST MEETING.
THOSE MEETING MINUTES ARE IN
THERE AND I JUST NEED A
CONCURRENCE FROM COUNCILMEMBERS
TO APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES.
COULD I HAVE A MOTION TO
APPROVE?
>> SO MOVED.
>> SECOND.
>> I SECOND THE MOTION.
>> SECOND.
>> ALL APPROVE?
>> YES.
>> AYE.
>> ANY OPPOSED?
>> AYE.
>> ALL RIGHT. NOT HEARING ANY
OPPOSED WE HAVE A MOTION TO
APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE
LAST MEETING. REGARDING OUR
FUTURE MEETINGS, JUST TO LET
EVERYONE KNOW, OUR NEXT MEETING
IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. SO
STAY TUNED FOR YOUR NEXT
ASSIGNMENTS. BUT TUESDAY AND
WEDNESDAY MAY 13TH AND 14TH IS
OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING, OUR
REGULARLY SCHEDULED COUNCIL
MEETING. THIS WILL BE VIRTUAL
THIS TIME. THE REASON FOR
HAVING IT VIRTUAL IS BECAUSE OF
THE CHANGES IN THE TRAVEL
POLICIES THAT HAVE OCCURRED NOW
OVER TIME TOO AND WE DIDN'T HAVE
ENOUGH TIME THEN TO BOOK
EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE TO
ENSURE THAT WE WERE ABIDING BY
ALL CURRENT REGULATIONS SO WE'RE
GOING TO HAVE THIS ONE VIRTUAL
BUT OUR INTENT FOR OUR SEPTEMBER
COUNCIL WHICH IS SEPTEMBER 17TH
AND 18TH, WILL BE IN-PERSON AS
NORMAL ON BUILDING 45 IN NATCHER
IN 2026 WE HAVE OUR REGULAR
SCHEDULED MEETINGS. JANUARY
MEETING, JANUARY 27TH AND 28TH
WHICH WILL BE NORMALLY SCHEDULED
AS VIRTUAL FOR OUR WINTER
SESSION. THEN A TUESDAY MAY
12TH AND MAY 13TH WE'LL, IS OUR
MAY COUNCIL IN-PERSON AND
SEPTEMBER 15TH AND SEPTEMBER
16TH ALSO ON CAMPUS HERE,
IN-PERSON AND THOSE WILL BE THE
DATES FOR 2026. SO, PLEASE MARK
YOUR CALENDARS. AND WE WILL SEE
YOU THEN. ALL RIGHT. AND I
THINK THAT, OH, OKAY, SO THE
LAST THING IS REGARDING OUR
WORKING GROUP ON PROGRAM. WE
DID DISCUSS A FEW TOPICS WITHIN
THAT WORKING GROUP. AND IN THIS
CASE, WE DID DISCUSS THE NIA'S
TRIANNUAL CLINICAL RESEARCH
REPORT AND THIS IS ONCE AGAIN, A
REPORT THAT PROVIDES DATA AND
FINDINGS FROM NIA'S INTRAMURAL
AND EXTRAMURAL CLINICAL STUDIES
CONDUCTED FROM FISCAL YEARS
2022-2024. SO THREE YEARS
REPORT. THIS REPORT WILL BE
MADE AVAILABLE FOR ALL OF NIH ON
THE NIH'S WEBSITES ONCE REPORTS
HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO THEIR
COUNCILS. THE MAIN HIGHLIGHTS
OF THIS REPORT WERE THAT NIA'S
CLINICAL STUDIES INCLUDE PHASE
THREE CLINICAL TRIALS. THESE
HAVE HAD SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN
FEMALE POPULATIONS IN FY 2024.
COMPARED TO FISCAL YEARS 2022
AND 2023. THE ENROLLMENT BY
RACE HAS HAD A SIGNIFICANT
INCREASE IN ASIAN AND AFRICAN
AMERICAN POPULATIONS. IN PHASE
THREE CLINICAL TRIALS IN FY 23
AND 24 COMPARED TO FISCAL YEAR
22. AND FINALLY THE ENROLLMENT
BY ETHNICITY HAS BEEN DECREASING
TREND IN HISPANIC POPULATIONS IN
NIH'S CLINICAL STUDIES INCLUDING
PHASE THREE CLINICAL TRIALS FROM
FISCAL YEAR 22 TO 24. THIS
REPORT WAS PROTECTED TO THIS
COUNCIL. TO COMPLY WITH
CONGRESSIONAL MANDATE ON THE ACT
OF 1993 AND OCCURRED BY NIA'S
NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL ON
AGING MEMBERS DID CONCUR WITH
THIS REPORT AND THAT IS OUR
REPORT ON THE TRIANNUAL
INCLUSIONS REPORT. SO WITH
THAT, I THINK AT THIS POINT, WE
ARE GOING TO CONCLUDE OUR OPEN
SESSIONS UNLESS THERE'S ANY
FINAL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
OKAY. IF NOT, WE WILL CONCLUDE
OUR OPEN SESSION.
COUNCILMEMBERS, WE WILL
RECONVENE IN TEN MINUTES AT 2:52
P.M. SO PLEASE LOG ONTO THE,
YOUR NEW TEAMS INVITE FOR THE
CLOSED SESSION OF COUNCIL. SO
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYONE.
RICHARD, YOUR FINAL WORDS.
>> RICHARD: THANK YOU FOR A
PRODUCTIVE IN ABBREVIATED
SESSION AND LOOK FORWARD TO MORE
CONVERSATION IN THE CLOSED
SESSION TO FOLLOW.
>> KENNETH: THANKS, EVERYONE,
HAVE A GREAT REST OF THE DAY.