WELCOME TO NIGMS'S ADVISORY
COUNCIL FOR FEBRUARY.
I'M JON LORSCH, DIRECTOR OF
NIGMS AND I'M PLEASED TO HAVE
YOU ALL HERE, ALBEIT VIRTUALLY.
WE ARE GOING TO START BY DOING
INTRODUCTIONS AND WE WILL GO
ACCORDING TO THE ROSTER LIST.
BUT FIRST LET ME ASK DORIT TO
INTRODUCE HERSELF.
>> DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF NIGMS.
>> I'M ERICA BROWN, DIRECTOR OF
THE DIVISION OF EXTRAMURAL
ACTIVITIES AT N IGMS AND THE
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY OF COUNCIL.
>> AND DARREN.
>> I'M THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF
THE DIVISION OF EXTRAMURAL
ACTIVITIES.
>> GREAT.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY TROUBLES
DURING THE MEETING, PLEASE SEND
A CHAT TO EITHER ERICA OR DARREN
AND THEY CAN HELP YOU WITH
WHATEVER THIS ISSUE YOU IS.
SO NOW WE'LL GO TO THE
COUNCILMEMBERS AND AD HOC
PARTICIPANTS WHO ARE HERE TODAY.
STARTING WITH NATALIE AN.
ARE YOU HERE?
>> SHE'S HERE.
ARE YOU MUTED, NATALIE?
>> WE CAN COME BACK TO NATALIE
IN A MINUTE.
DARRIN AKIN, ARE YOU THERE?
>> I'M HERE.
GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.
MY NAME IS DARRIN AKINS.
UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA SCIENCE
CENTER HERE IN OKLAHOMA CITY.
ACADEMICALLY, I'M A PROFESSOR OF
MICROBIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY.
ADMINISTRATIVELY I'M THE
ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR
HEALTH SCIENCE RESEARCH AND MY
LAB IS FOCUSED ON UNDERSTANDING
THE MECHANISMS AND TRANSPORT
SYSTEMS AND ACTUALLY TRAFFIC
MEMBRANE PROTEINS INTO THEIR
FINAL LIPID ENVIRONMENTS.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU.
SQUIRE.
>> HI, GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
SQUIRE BOOKER FROM PENN STATE
UNIVERSITY, DEPARTMENT OF
CHEMISTRY.
AND DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY
AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY.
I'M ALSO INVESTIGATOR WITH THE
HOWARD HUGHES MEDICAL INSTITUTE.
MY LABORATORY IS INTERESTED IN
UNDERSTANDING HOW ENZYMES
FUNCTION WITH THE PARTICULAR
INTEREST IN NATURAL PRODUCT,
BIOSYNTHESIS, AND METABOLISM
ENZYMOLOGY.
>> GREAT.
ANGELA BYERS WINSTON.
>> GOOD MORNING, GLAD TO BE
INSIDE AND GLAD TO BE ONLINE
WITH YOU ALL.
I'M A PROFESSOR OF MEDICINE AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF
WISCONSIN-MADISON.
AND MY RESEARCH FOCUSES ON THE
SCIENCE OF EFFECTIVE MENTORSHIP,
AND I LEAD A CULTURALLY AWARE
MENTORING INITIATIVE THROUGH
NIGMS NATURAL RESEARCH MENTORING
NETWORK.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
AND THE SECOND ANGELA, ANGELA
DEPACE.
>> HARD VARD MEDICAL SCHOOL,
MECHANISM AND EVOLUTION OF GENE
REGULATION IN FLY, WHICH YOU CAN
ACTUALLY SEE THE EMBRYOS BEHIND
ME WHICH I JUST REALIZED.
I THINK THAT WILL DO.
>> THANKS, ANGELA.
PETER ESPENSHADE.
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
I'M PETER ESPENSHADE, PROFESSOR
OF CELL BIOLOGY AT JOHNS HOPKINS
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.
ALSO THE ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR THE
GRADUATE STUDENTS AT THE DEAN OF
MEDICINE.
MY LABORATORY IS INTERESTED IN
MECHANISMS OF NUTRIENT SENSING
WITH A PARTICULAR INTEREST IN
CHOLESTEROL AND OXYGEN IN THE
CONTEXT OF PANCREAS CANCER.
>> THANKS, PETER.
LAURA GIBSON.
>>
>> GOOD MORNING.
LAURA GIBSON FROM WEST VIRGINIA
UNIVERSITY.
I'M THE SENIOR ASSOCIATE VP FOR
RESEARCH AND GRADUATE EDUCATION
AT OUR HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER.
AND OUR LAB IS FOCUSED ON TUMOR
MICROENVIRONMENT AND
SPECIFICALLY HOW IT MOD LATES
THERAPEUTIC RESPONSE TO TUMORS
IN THE BONE MARROW.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY.
>> THANKS, LAURA.
OSWALDO.
>> HI.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT TEXAS A &
M UNIVERSITY.
MY LAB FOCUSES ON USING
COMPUTATIONAL AND EXPERIMENTAL
TOOLS TO DEVELOP NEW ORGANIC
TRANSFORMATIONS.
YEAH.
THANK YOU.
>> THANKS.
RON KING.
>> HELLO, EVERYBODY.
I'M HERE WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOOL OF
MEDICINE, TRANSLATIONAL GENOMICS
DEPARTMENT.
FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON THE
COMMERCIALIZATION ACTUALLY, SO
IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT,
COMMERCIALIZATION OF RESEARCH
TRANSLATIONAL TYPE OF A FOCUS.
ALSO FULL DISCLOSURE, I'M A
FORMER NIHER AS WELL, SO I WAS
WITH HUMAN GENOME, WAS DEPUTY
SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR OVER THERE
WHEN DR. COLLINS WAS DIRECTOR.
AND ALSO I'M WORKING WITH
SEVERAL NON-PROFITS FOCUSED ON
INCREASING THE NUMBER OF WOMEN
AND MINORITIES, INCREASING
DIVERSITY IN THE AREA OF
TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION.
SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO
TODAY'S TOPICS.
HAPPY TO BE WITH ALL OF YOU.
EXPWR
>> RON, GREAT TO HAVE YOU, IT'S
GOING TO BE GREAT TO HAVE YOUR
EXPERTISE. THANK YOU FOR
COMING.
>>
COMING.
TERRY.
>> GOOD MORNING FROM SNOWY
NORMAL, ILLINOIS, PRESIDENT OF
ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY.
MY RESEARCH HAS FOCUSED ON
TRANSLATION ELONGATION, ITS
REGULATION AND ITS IMPACT ON
INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND DEVELOP
OF ANTIFUNGAL DRUGS.
>> WELCOME, TERRY.
DANIELLE.
>> HI, EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS DANIELLE LI,
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT THE MIT
SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT AND I STUDY
THE ECONOMICS OF SCIENCE AND
INNOVATION.
>> GREAT TO HAVE YOU, DANIELLE.
DAVID MATHEWS.
>> DAVID MATHEWS FROM THE
UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER.
PROFESSOR OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND
BIOPHYSICS AND CENTER FOR RNA
BIOLOGY.
MY GROUP DEVELOPS AND USES
COMPUTATIONAL METHODS TO
UNDERSTAND RNA STRUCTURE AND
FUNCTION.
>> I'M IMPRESSED BY HOW CLEAN
EVERYONE'S OFFICES ARE.
MY OFFICE DEFINITELY DOES NOT
LOOK AS CLEAN AS YOURS.
SONIA NEAL.
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE.
SO I AM FROM UNIVERSITY OF
CALIFORNIA, DIVISION OF
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE AND ASSISTANT
PROFESSOR HERE, AND MY RESEARCH
FOCUSES ON PROTEIN QUALITY
CONTROL USING STRUCTURAL AND
COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
APPROACHES.
>> WELCOME, SONIA.
SAMITA PATEL.
>> HI, EVERYONE.
I'M A PROFESSOR IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY AND
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AT THE RUTGERS
UNIVERSITY IN NEW JERSEY.
AND MY LAB STUDIES THE
MECHANISMS OF ENZYMES THAT ARE
INVOLVED IN MITOCHONDRIAL DNA
REPLICATION, TRANSCRIPTION, AND
ALSO WE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN
UNDERSTANDING THE MECHANISM
OF -- RECEPTORS TO RECOGNIZE ALL
THE VITAL RNAs THAT WE ARE
INFECTING US RIGHT NOW.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU.
LESLIE ROSE.
>> HELLO.
I'M LESLIE ROSE, PROFESSOR OF
MOLECULAR AND CELL BIOLOGY AT
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS.
MY LAB STUDIES CELL POLARITY AND
SPINDLE POSITIONING USING C.
ELEGANS AS A MODEL SYSTEM, AND
TO MAKE JON FEEL BETTER, I'LL
JUST MENTION THAT IF YOU TILT
YOUR SCREEN, YOU DON'T SEE HOW
DIRTY MY OFFICE ACTUALLY IS.
>> THAT'S A GOOD TIP.
I'M GOING TO USE THAT IN THE
FUTURE.
AMY ROSENZWEIG.
>> PROFESSOR OF MOLECULAR
BIOSCIENCES AND CHEMISTRY AT
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY.
I'M A BIOAND ORGANIC CHEMIST AND
STRUCTURAL BIOLOGIST, AND WE'RE
INTERESTED IN METAL HOMEOSTASIS
AND METALLO ENZYMES,
PARTICULARLY THOSE INVOLVED IN
BIOLOGICAL METHANE OXIDATION.
>> GREAT.
MELANIE SANFORD.
>> HI, I'M AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
MICHIGAN, SO JOINING THE SNOWY
CONTINGENT FROM THE MIDWEST, YOU
CAN SEE IN MY BACKGROUND.
I'M IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
CHEMISTRY HERE, WHERE I STUDY
ORGANIC SYNTHESIS AND KA CATALYSIS.
>> WELCOME, MELANIE.
PAM STACKS.
>> GOOD MORNING.
PAM STACKS FROM CALIFORNIA.
SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY,
PROFESSOR EE EMERITA OF
BIOCHEMISTRY.
GREAT TO BE HERE THIS MORNING.
>> WELCOME, PAM.
JEFF SUN.
>> UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, I
AM SORT OF THE OUTLIER HERE, I
STUDY ACTUALLY CIVIL RIGHTS AND
CIVIL LIBERTIES, SO I THIJ I'M
THE LAWYER THINK IENL
THE LAWYER FOR THIS TEAM, KIND
OF LIKE THE MASCOT FOR YOUR
TEAM.
>> NOT THE MASCOT.
YOU BRING IMPORTANT WISDOM TO
US.
LETA WINFIELD.
>> I'M PROFESSOR OF ORGANIC
CHEMISTRY AND ALSO DIVISION
CHAIR FOR THE NATURAL SCIENCES
AND MATHEMATICS.
MY FORMER RESEARCH WAS IN DRUG
DESIGN FOR PROSTATE AND BREAST
CANCERS, AND NOW I'M FOCUSING
ON -- PARTICIPATION AND STUDYING
AGENCY AMONG STEM LEARNERS.
>> THANK YOU.
AND THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
WENDY YOUNG.
>> HI, EVERYONE.
I'M WENDY YOUNG, EXECUTIVE
PARTNER AT MPM CAPITAL IN
BRISBANE, CALIFORNIA.
PRIOR I WAS IN BIOPHARMA FOR 25
YEARS, MOST REASONLY GENENTECH
AS SVP OF SMALL MOLECULE DRUG
DISCOVERY, WORKING TO LAUNCH NEW
MEDICINES IN ONCOLOGY,
IMMUNOLOGY AND OTHER
INDICATIONS.
>> WELCOME, WENDY.
GREAT TO HAVE YOU.
RON PRZYGODZKI.
>> DIRECTOR OF GENOMIC MEDICINE
IN THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS.
BY TRADE, I'M A PATHOLOGIST.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON.
>> GOOD TO HAVE YOU AS ALWAYS,
RON.
WE WOULDN'T HAVE IT ANY OTHER
WAY.
I THINK I SAW NATALIE HAD TURNED
HER CAMERA ON.
NATALIE, ARE YOU HERE?
>> YEAH, I'M NATALIE JAHN,
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO BOULDER
AND MY RESEARCH AREA IS IN
SIGNALING PATHWAYS, PRIMARILY
KINASE PATHWAYS WITH AN EMPHASIS
ON APPLICATIONS OF PROTEOMICS
AND MASS SPECTROMETRY TO
PROBLEMS IN SIGNALING.
>> TERRIFIC.
DID I MISS ANYBODY?
I THINK I GOT EVERYBODY.
GREAT.
AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING
HERE.
THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK
ON BEHALF OF THE INSTITUTE AND
THE NIH AND BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
IN GENERAL.
THE NEXT THING WE HAVE TO DO IS
JUST ONE HOUSEKEEPING ITEM.
WE NEED TO CONSIDER AND APPROVE
THE MINUTES FROM THE LAST
MEETING.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY AMENDMENTS
OR MODIFICATIONS TO THE PREVIOUS
MINUTES?
HEARING NONE, I GUESS I WILL
CALL FOR A VOTE.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE?
>> MOTION.
>> THANK YOU.
SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU.
ANY OPPOSED?
HEARING NO OPPOSITION, WE WILL
CONSIDER THE MINUTES FROM THE
PREVIOUS MEETING APPROVED.
NOW WE'RE GOING TO TURN TO MY
REPORT, MY DIRECTOR'S REPORT ON
ACTIVITIES THAT WE HAVE BEEN
UNDERTAKING OVER THE PAST FOUR
MONTHS OR SO.
SO IF I COULD HAVE THE SLIDES,
PLEASE, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
THERE WE ARE.
SO AGAIN WELCOME AND THANK YOU
FOR COMING.
AS WE JUST HEARD, THERE ARE A
NUMBER OF NEW MEMBERS ON OUR
COUNCIL AND YOU HAVE BEEN
INTRODUCED TO THEM BUT LET ME GO
THROUGH WHO IS NEW JOINING THE
COUNCIL AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
AD HOCS, SOME OF WHOM ARE IN THE
PROCESS OF JOINING THE COUNCIL
AS REGULAR MEMBERS.
ANGELA BYARS-WINSTON AND TERRI
GOSS KINZY, SERVING REGULAR
TERMS.
WE ALSO HAVE RON KING, DAVID
MATHEWS AND WENDY YOUNG, ALSO
COMING ON AS REGULAR COUNCIL
MEMBERS FOR FULL TERMS.
THEN SOME AD HOC PARTICIPANTS.
SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ARE IN THE
PROCESS OF JOINING COUNCIL AND
BEING ONBOARDED.
NATALIE AHN, ANGELA DEPACE WHO
YOU WERE JUST INTRODUCED TO.
LESLIE ROSE ALSO WILL BE JOINING
COUNCIL SHORTLY, SMITA PATEL.
JEFF SUN, LEYTE WINFIELD, TO
HEAR HER EXPERTISE AND
EXPERIENCE.
OUR EARLY CAREER INVESTIGATOR AD
HOC PARTICIPANTS THIS COUNCIL
ROUND, OSVALDO GUTIERREZ AND
SONYANEAL.
WE HAVE FOUND THIS EXTREMELY
USEFUL TO GET THE PERSPECTIVE OF
EARLY CAREER INVESTIGATORS AND
ALSO GETTING THEIR HELP IN
DEMYSTIFYING WHAT TAKES PLACE ON
COUNCIL.
MANY PEOPLE KNOW WHAT GOES ON AT
STUDY SECTIONS THE FIRST PART OF
THE PEER REVIEW PROCESS, BUT
WHAT HAPPENS ON THE ADVISORY
COUNCIL IS NOT AS CLEAR TO
PEOPLE, SO WE LIKE TO GET THE
HELP OF BOTH REGULAR AND AD HOC
COUNCILMEMBERS IN TERMS OF
DISSEMINATING WHAT TAKES PLACE
AND WE THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT
TO HAVE EARLY CAREER
INVESTIGATORS PARTICIPATE IN
THAT AS WELL.
SO WELCOME TO THEM AND STRONGLY
ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE ACTIVE
PARTICIPANTS BOTH DURING THE
OPEN SESSION NOW AND LATER IN
THE CLOSED SESSION.
ONE VERY SAD THING I HAVE TO
ANNOUNCE IS THAT A MEMBER OF
COUNCIL WHO WAS ABOUT TO JOIN,
HECTOR WONG, FROM THE CINCINNATI
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AND THE
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI COLLEGE
OF MEDICINE VERY SADLY AND VERY
SUDDENLY PASSED AWAY RECENTLY,
AND WE WERE ALL GREATLY SHOCKED AND
SADDENED TO HEAR THIS AND WANT
TO SEND OUR CONDOLENCES TO HIS
FAMILY AND COLLEAGUES.
HE WAS DEVOTING TO UNDERSTANDING
THE COMPLEXITY OF SEPSIS WITH A
FOCUS ON CRITICALLY ILL CHILDREN
AND MADE MANY IMPORTANT
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THAT FIELD.
HE ALSO MADE IMPORTANT
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NIH, BOTH
AS A STUDY SECTION REVIEWER AND,
AS I SAID, AS A DESIGNATED
APPOINTEE TO THIS COUNCIL.
SO IT LEAVES A HOLE, AGAIN, OUR
CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY AND TO
HIS COLLEAGUES.
WE'RE VERY SADDENED BY THIS
LOSS.
WE'VE ALSO HAD A CHANGE OF GUARD
AT THE TOP OF NIH.
I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL AWARE OF
THIS, THAT FRANCIS COLLINS
STEPPED DOWN AS THE NIH DIRECTOR
IN DECEMBER.
HE WAS THE LONGEST-SERVING
PRESIDENTIALLY APPOINTED NIH
DIRECTOR.
HE SERVED THREE U.S. PRESIDENTS,
WHICH IS REALLY UNPRECEDENTED,
AND WAS HERE FOR MORE THAN 12
YEARS.
SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A BIG
CHANGE FOR ALL OF US.
I'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST NINE
YEARS, AND HE'S BEEN THE
DIRECTOR THE ENTIRE TIME.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, FRANCIS WAS
VERY BOLD IN BOTH HIS LEADERSHIP
AND HIS SCIENTIFIC THINKING.
HIS INITIATIVES INCLUDED MANY
IMPORTANT THINGS FACING AMERICAN
HEALTH AND WORLD HEALTH,
INCLUDING A FOCUS ON ALZHEIMER'S
DISEASE, CANCER, OPIOID USE
DISORDERS, RARE DISEASES, AND OF
COURSE MORE LATELY, THE COVID-19
PANDEMIC, WHERE HE WAS A REAL
TREMENDOUS NATIONAL LEADER.
HE IS GOING BACK TO HIS
LABORATORY AT THE NATIONAL HUMAN
GENOME RESEARCH INSTITUTE, AND
RON, AS HE TOLD YOU, USED TO
WORK THERE WITH FRANCIS, SO
KNOWS HIM WELL.
AND WE'LL SEE -- I KIND OF DOUBT
FRANCIS IS GOING TO BE KEPT JUST
TO HIS LAB.
I THINK WE'LL PROBABLY HEAR MORE
FROM HIM ON A NATIONAL AND
INTERNATIONAL STAGE, BUT WE'LL
HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT HE
DECIDES TO DO FOR HIS NEXT ACT.
STEPPING AT LEAST TEMPORARILY
INTO HIS SHOES IS LARRY TABAK,
THE GREAT PRINCIPAL DEPUTY
DIRECTOR OF NIH UNDER FRANCIS,
NOW THE ACTING DIRECTOR
EFFECTIVE IN DECEMBER.
HE PREVIOUS TO THAT WAS THE
DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF DENTAL AND
CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH FOR 10
YEARS, AND HE'S ONE OF US.
HE IS A BIOCHEMIST WHO FOCUSES
ON STRUCTURE BIOSYNTHESIS AND
FUNCTION OF GLYCOPROTEINS AND HE
STILL HAS AN ACTIVE LABORATORY
AT NIH AS WELL.
SO IT'S GOOD TO HAVE ANOTHER
BASIC SCIENTIST AT THE HELM OF
NIH, AT LEAST FOR A PERIOD OF
TIME.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AT NIGMS, WE HAVE SOME IMPORTANT
NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN TERMS OF OUR
PERSONNEL TO TELL YOU ABOUT.
WE ALREADY INTRODUCED DORIT, BUT
THE NEW DEPUTY DIRECTOR
REPLACING JUDITH GREENBERG IS
DORIT.
SHE BECAME DEPUTY DIRECTOR IN
OCTOBER.
PREVIOUS TO THAT, SHE WAS THE
ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR WHEN
JUDITH RETIRED, AND THE DIRECTOR
OF OUR DIVISION OF GENETICS AND
MOLECULAR CELLULAR AND
DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY.
SHE'S MADE MANY VALUABLE
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NIH AS A
WHOLE, AND ALSO TO NIGMS,
INCLUDING HELPING TO LEAD THE
DEVELOPMENT OF OUR NEW STRATEGIC
PLAN, AND PRIOR TO THAT THE
REORGANIZATION OF OUR DIVISIONS
IN 2018, AND SHE'S BEEN A GREAT
CHAMPION FOR BUILDING STRONGER,
MORE COLLABORATIVE AND MORE
DIVERSE WORKFORCE WITHIN NIGMS
AND BEYOND THE WALLS OF NIH.
SO WE'RE EXTREMELY PLEASED TO
HAVE DORIT IN THIS NEW POSITION.
THAT, OF COURSE, OPENS UP A
POSITION, AND WE HAVE RECENTLY
ANNOUNCED THE VACANCY FOR HER
PREVIOUS POSITION AS DIRECTOR OF
THE DIVISION OF GENETICS AND
MOLECULAR, CELLULAR AND
DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY.
IT WAS POSTED FEBRUARY 1ST.
IT WILL BE OPEN THROUGH
MARCH 18TH.
YOU CAN GO TO THIS WEBSITE TO
READ ABOUT THE POSITION, AND WE
REALLY HOPE TO GET YOUR HELP IN
MAKING GREAT CANDIDATES FOR THIS
POSITION AWARE OF IT.
IT IS A GREAT JOB, DORIT CAN
TELL YOU.
ONE CAN HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT
OF POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AND VERY
IMPORTANT BASIC SI ENS AREAS AND
WE HOPE TO GET SOME REALLY
EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATES TO APPLY
FOR THIS POSITION.
MORE NEW PEOPLE.
A NEW PEOPLE IN A NEW POSITION
IS DELLA WHITE, THE FIRST, THE
INAUGURAL NIGMS CLINICAL
RESEARCH STRATEGY COORDINATOR.
WE FELT THE NEED, GIVEN THAT
NIGMS DOES NOT HAVE A HUGE
FOOTPRINT IN CLINICAL RESEARCH
BUT HAS SOME VERY IMPORTANT
CLINICAL RESEARCH AREAS BOTH IN
THE CAPACITY BUILDING REALM AND
ALSO IN OUR SPECIFIC CLINICAL
AREAS SUCH AS SEPSIS, TRAUMA,
BURN, WOUND HEALING, AND
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, THAT WE
REALLY NEEDED SOMEONE WITH
EXPERTISE WHO COULD COORDINATE
ACROSS THE INSTITUTE AND HELP US
APPROACH THESE KINDS OF PROBLEMS
AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH IN THESE
AREAS IN A MORE STRATEGIC WAY.
SO SHE WILL WORK WITH STAFF
ACROSS THE INSTITUTE ON
INITIATIVES RELATED TO CLINICAL
RESEARCH.
PRIOR TO THIS, SHE WAS AT THE
NATIONAL CENTER FOR
COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE
HEALTH, WHERE SHE MANAGED A
DIVERSE CLINICAL RESEARCH
PORTFOLIO THAT WAS FOCUSED ON
HEALTH PROMOTION AND RESTORATION
RESILIENCE, SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT
AND DISEASE PREVENTION.
SO SHE BRINGS A LOT OF EXPERTISE
ALREADY TO US.
PRIOR TO THAT, SHE WAS ACTUALLY
AT THE EUNICE KENNEDY SHRIVER
INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AS A PROGRAM
OFFICER.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO RECRUIT DELLA HERE,
AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE
GREAT THINGS SHE'S GOING TO
ACCOMPLISH AS PART OF THE NIGMS
TEAM.
SOME MORE GREAT NEW HIRES I'M
PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE.
WE HAVE ACTUALLY TWO NEW BRANCH
CHIEF POSITIONS WITHIN THE
OFFICE OF SCIENTIFIC REVEUL OR
THE SCIENTIFIC REVIEW BRANCH AS
IT'S NOW CALLED.
WE ANNOUNCED PREVIOUSLY THAT
LISA DUNBAR WAS IN ONE OF THOSE
POSITIONS.
AND NOW THE SECOND POSITION, I'M
PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE IS LATARSHA
CARITHERS, CHIEF OF THE
TRAINING, MENTORED RESEARCH AND
DIVERSITY SECTION WITHIN THE
SCIENTIFIC REVIEW BRANCH.
NEW PROGRAM DIRECTOR IN OUR
BIOPHYSICS BRANCH IS ANNE
GERSHENSON, WHO JUST STARTED
RECENTLY, PLEASED TO HAVE HER
EXPERTISE IN BIOPHYSICS AS WELL.
BARINAADAA KARA HAS JOINED THE
GRANTS MANAGEMENT TEAM AS A
GRANTS MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST,
ESSENTIAL TO THE OPERATION OF
THE INSTITUTE, MAKING SURE
PEOPLE RECEIVE THEIR FUNDING,
THEIR GRANTS IN A TIMELY FASHION
SO THEY'RE ESSENTIAL TO THE
COMMUNITY AS WELL.
SO WELCOME TO HIM AS WELL.
BRITTANY MERTH HAS JOINED AS A
NEW PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST.
SHE ACTUALLY HELPED ME MAKE
THESE SLIDES SO I WANT TO
PARTICULARLY THANK HER FOR ALL
OF OUR HELP IN OUR OFFICE OF
COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC
LIAISON.
HAN NGUYEN HAS JOINED US.
PARVATHY PANAKAL, GRANTS
MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST IN OUR
GRANTS ADMINISTRATION BRANCH.
MARC R IGA S JOINED A FEW DAYS
AGO.
MILJAN SIMONOVIC IS A NEW
PROGRAM DIRECTOR IN BIOCHEMISTRY
AND BIORELATED CHEMISTRY BRANCH
IN OUR PSM PBC DIVISION.
-- OUR PPBC DIVISION, HE
COMES FROM SNOWY ILLINOIS AND
BRINGS EXPERTISE IN THESE
IMPORTANT AREAS TO NIGMS.
SO WELCOME, MILJAN.
NEW MANAGEMENT AN ALIST AYANNA
VEST, YOU MAY HAVE MET HER IN
HER PREVIOUS ROLE IN THE OFFICE
OF HUMAN RESOURCES, AND WE WERE
INCREDIBLY LUCKY TO RECRUIT HER
HERE TO WORK ON OUR HUMAN
RESOURCE RECRUITING AND OTHER
PERSONNEL AND RELATED MANAGEMENT
ISSUES.
SO AYANNA, WELCOME.
IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU AS PART
OF NIGMS NOW.
FINALLY, ALVIN NEH HAS JOINED US
AS A PROGRAM DIRECTOR IN
BIOMEDICAL TECHNOLOGY BRANCH,
AND HE BRINGS A GREAT DEAL OF
EXPERTISE IN TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT TO THE INSTITUTE,
WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT AND
GROWING AREA.
SO WELCOME, AL LVIN.
A COUPLE OF PROMOTIONS AND
RE-ASSIGNMENTS WITHIN THE
INSTITUTE.
ALYSSA LE VIE HAS BEEN PROMOTED
FROM A TRAINEE TO A BUDGET
ANALYST.
SO IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM FOR
UNDERGRADUATES AND OTHERS TO GET
IN TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND
START CAREERS THERE.
SO GREAT TO HAVE HER HERE AND
GREAT TO SEE HER MOVING UP THE
RANKS IN THAT WAY.
AND THEN PAULA FLICKER, WHO MANY
OF YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN AT THE
INSTITUTE FOR A WHILE AND IS AN
EXTREMELY VALUABLE PROGRAM
OFFICER, WAS PREVIOUSLY SPLIT
BETWEEN CELL BIOLOGY AND
BIOPHYSICS AND HAS NOW MOVED
OVER FULLY INTO BIOPHYSICS,
WHICH MEANS WE ARE RECRUITING IN
HER PREVIOUS POSITION ON THE
OTHER SIDE.
SO GREAT TO HAVE PAULA
DEDICATING HER FULL EFFORT TO
BIOPHYSICS AND OTHER RELATED
ACTIVITIES.
OF COURSE WITH ALL THESE
COMINGS, THERE ARE DEPARTURES,
AND WE DO HAVE SOME TO ANNOUNCE.
PAUL BRAZHNIK HAS RETIRED
RECENTLY, AND WE ARE RECRUITING
FOR A NEW BRANCH CHIEF IN THAT
POSITION, SO IF YOU KNOW PEOPLE
WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN THAT,
PLEASE LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THAT
ROLE AND THAT OPPORTUNITY.
DAN JANES, WHO WAS A PROGRAM
OFFICER IN GENETICS MECHANISMS
BRANCH MOVED WITH A PROMOTION TO
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL
HEALTH AND IS GOING TO BE
WORKING ON OPEN SCIENCE
ACTIVITIES THERE.
EMERALD NGUYEN, WHO WAS IN OUR
DATA MODELING ANALYTICS BRANCH
IN OUR DIMA DIVISION HAS MOVED
TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON
AGING, WHICH IS ACTUALLY WHERE
WE GOT HER FROM IN THE FIRST
PLACE, AND THEN JANICE STEELE,
WHO WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY
ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR IN
THE SCIENTIFIC REVIEW BRANCH HAS
RECEIVED A PROMOTION AND MOVED
TO THE DIVISION OF EXTRAMURAL
ACTIVITIES IN NIDDK, WHERE
SHE'LL BE WORKING ON ACTUALLY
COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT.
SO ISSUED RELATED TO SETTING UP
COMMITTEES SUCH AS THESE.
SO CONGRATULATIONS TO JANICE FOR
THAT PROMOTION.
DESIREE SALAZAR IN THE EARLY
CAREER WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
BRANCH RECEIVED A PROMOTION AND
MOVED TO NATIONAL HEART, LUNG
AND BLOOD INSTITUTE WHERE SHE IS
THEIR TRAINING DIRECTOR, AND THE
GREAT SHIVA SINGH WHO HAS BEEN
AT NIGMS FOR MANY YEARS AND
CONTRIBUTED JUST IN NUMEROUS,
INUMER.
A BLE WAYS IN TO SUPPORTING OUR
TRAINING WORKFORCE AND DIVERSITY
PROGRAMS, HAS RETIRED JUST
RECENTLY.
WE TREMENDOUSLY THANK HIM FOR
EVERYTHING HE DID FOR THE
INSTITUTE AND WISH HIM THE BEST
ON THE NEXT PHASE OF HIS CAREER.
ANOTHER VERY SAD THING I HAVE TO
ANNOUNCE IS THAT ONE OF OUR
COLLEAGUES, GREATLY LOVED
COLLEAGUES, BRIAN PIKE, WHO WAS
A LONG SERVING SRO IN THE
SCIENTIFIC REVIEW BRANCH, JOINED
NIGMS IN 2002, WAS REALLY A ROCK
OF OUR REVIEW PROGRAMS, THE
PERSON PEOPLE WENT TO FOR
ADVICE, TO HELP SOLVE PROBLEMS,
SADLY PASSED AWAY THIS YEAR, AND
HE WILL BE DEEPLY MISSED GIVEN
HIS EXPERTISE, HIS WISDOM AND
HIS CALM AND PARTICULARLY HIS
SENSE OF HUMOR.
SO AGAIN, WE REALLY SEND OUR
CONDOLENCES TO HIS FAMILY, TO
HIS COLLEAGUES HERE AT THE
INSTITUTE AND ELSEWHERE, AND
WE'LL MISS HIM DEEPLY.
SOME HAPPIER NEWS IS THAT TWO
CURRENT AND FORMER NIGMS
GRANTEES RECEIVED NOBEL PRIZES
THIS YEAR.
SO CURRENT GRANTEE RECEIVED THE
NOBEL PRIZE WAS DAVID MACMILLAN
FROM PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, NOBEL
PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY JOINTLY WITH
BENJAMIN LIST FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF ASYMMETRIC
ORGANOCATALYSIS, TO DEVELOP
BETTER AND MORE EFFICIENT WAYS
TO PRODUCE DRUGS.
NIGMS HAS FUNDED MACMILLAN'S
WORK SINCE EARLY IN HIS CAREER
AND CONTINUES TO FUND IT THROUGH
AMER.
A AND WE'RE VERY PLEASED AND
PROUD THAT HE WAS GIVEN THIS
HONOR.
DAVID JULIUS, WHO WAS A FORMER
NIGMS GRANTEE, ALSO RECEIVED THE
NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSIOLOGY OR
MEDICINE, JOINTLY WITH ARDEM
PATAPOUTIAN FOR DISCOVERIES OF
RECEPTORS FOR TEMPERATURE AND
TOUCH.
WHEN HE WAS FUNDED BY NIGMS WAS
WHEN HE WAS DOING THE WORK
ACTUALLY THAT LED TO DISCOVERY
OF THE HEAT SENSING RECEPTOR,
NOCICEPTION, THAT IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE BODY'S ABILITY TO
PERCEIVE PAINFUL TEMPERATURES.
AND SO WE'RE PLEASED TO HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO FUND HIS WORK AT
THAT TIME.
IT THEN MOVED IN MORE
NEUROSCIENCE DIRECTIONS AND
OTHER INSTITUTES BEGAN FUNDING
HIM SUCH AS NINDS.
AND SOME OTHER GREAT NEWS, ONE
OF OUR OWN, KENNY GIBBS,
RECEIVED SOME REALLY NICE
RECOGNITION AN WAS MADE A AAAS
FELLOW.
KENNY WAS A AAAS FELLOW FORMERLY
IN THE PAST BUT NOW HE'S BEEN
HONORED AS WITH THIS CAREER
AWARD, AND HE WAS SELECTED FOR
DISTINGUISHED CONTRIBUTIONS TO
SCIENCE, POLICY AND RESEARCH,
DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
IN THE SCIENTIFIC WORKFORCE.
RICHLY DESERVED HONOR FOR KENNY.
WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE HIM
HERE WORKING AT THE INSTITUTE
AND YOU'LL HEAR MANY OF THE
THINGS THAT HE HAS BEEN WORKING
ON AND IS GOING TO BE WORKING ON
IN THE FUTURE DURING THE COURSE
OF THIS SESSION.
A COUPLE OF LECTURES I TOLD YOU
WERE GOING TO HAPPEN LAST TIME
AND NOW HAVE HAPPENED, BUT YOU
CAN STILL WATCH THEM ON DEMAND
IF YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO SEE THEM.
WE HAD THE INAUGURAL JUDITH H.
GREENBERG EARLY CAREER
INVESTIGATOR LECTURE, WHICH WE
JUST RENAMED FROM JUST THE NIGMS
EARLY CAREER INVESTIGATOR
LECTURE IN HONOR OF JUDITH.
AND THAT WAS GIVEN BY ELIZABETH
JOHNSON FROM CORNELL UNIVERSITY,
WHO TALKED ABOUT HER REALLY
FANTASTIC WORK, STUDYING THE
INTERPLAY BETWEEN LIPIDS WITHIN
THE HOST-MICROBIOME INTERACTION.
REALLY INSIGHTFUL, GREAT TALK.
WE HAD ALMOST 460 PEOPLE
WATCHING IT LIVE.
MANY MORE HAVE WATCHED IT SINCE
THEN ON DEMAND AND IF YOU DIDN'T
GET A CHANCE TO SEE IT, YOU CAN
DO THAT TOO BY GOING TO THE NIH
VIDEOCAST WEBSITE SHOWN THERE.
THE DEWITT STETTEN LECTURE WAS
GIVEN BY TREVOR BEDFORD FROM THE
HUTCH CANCER RESEARCH CENTER IN
SEATTLE, AND HE TALKED QUITE
TIMELY ABOUT THE EVOLUTIONARY
DYNAMICS OF SARS COV-2.
IF YOU HAVE INTEREST IN NOW THE
HIGH VUS IS
VIRUS IS EVOLVING AND WILL
CONTINUE TO EVOLVE IN THE
FUTURE, I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO
WATCH THAT TALK.
WE HAD ALMOST 600 VIEWS LIFE,
MEN VIEWS LIVE,
MANY MORE SINCE THEN.
I WANT TO REMIND YOU ABOUT A
VERY IMPORTANT PROGRAM THE
INSTITUTE STARTED AND THAT KENNY
GIBBS IS ACTUALLY THE DIRECTOR
OF WHICH IS THE MOSAIC SCHOLARS
PROGRAM, THE MAX MAXIMIZING
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SCIENTIFIC AND
ACADEMICS INDEPENDENT CAREERS.
IT TARGETS THE TRANSITION FROM
POSTDOC TO EARLY CAREER
INVESTIGATOR, BOTH WITH A K99
R00 PROGRAM AND WITH CENTERS
THAT ARE OPERATED BY
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES,
SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES THAT
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL MENTOR,
SKILLS BUILDING, NETWORKING AND
OTHER ACTIVITIES.
AT THIS POINT, ALL BUT TWO NIH
INSTITUTES AND CENTERS HAVE
SIGNED ON TO THE MOSAIC PROGRAM
AND ARE GIVING K99 R00 AWARDS,
AND WE ACTUALLY HAD THE
INAUGURAL MEETING OF THE MOSAIC
SCHOLARS THE FIRST 32 SCHOLARS
FROM 2021, IN OCTOBER, AND EACH
OF THEM GAVE A SHORT
PRESENTATION.
THEY WERE FANTASTIC UNIFORMLY,
REALLY TREMENDOUS, AND I URGE
YOU, IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN
SEEING WHAT THE SCHOLARS ARE
DOING, WHAT THEY'RE LIKE,
HEARING ABOUT THEIR RESEARCH,
YOU CAN GO WATCH IT.
IT WAS VIDEOCAST.
IF YOU'RE SOMEONE WHO IS
INVOLVED IN HIRING AT ACADEMICS
INSTITUTIONS, I WOULD URGE YOU
TO PAY ATTENTION, WATCH THESE
PRESENTATIONS AND KEEP AN EYE ON
CURRENT AND FUTURE SCHOLARS
BECAUSE THIS IS A TREMENDOUS
SOURCE OF REALLY TALENTED
INDIVIDUALS TO TRY TO RECUTE RECRUIT TO
YOUR INSTITUTIONS AS FACULTY.
THE NEXT DEADLINES, THEY'RE
THREE TIMES A YEAR, SO FEBRUARY,
JUNE AND OCTOBER WILL BE THE
COMING K99 DEADLINES.
PLEASE ENCOURAGE ANYONE YOU
THINK WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE
DIVERSITY OF THE BIOMEDICAL
RESEARCH ENTERPRISE TO APPLY TO
THE PROGRAM.
A COUPLE OF -- OR A FEW
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPLEMENT
OPPORTUNITIES OR SUPPLEMENT
OPPORTUNITIES IN GENERAL, BOTH
ADMINISTRATIVE AND COMPETITIVE I
WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF THAT
NIGMS IS SUPPORTING AGAIN.
THE FIRST IS, WE HAVE RE-ISSUED
THE URGENT COMPETITIVE REVISIONS
SUPPLEMENT TO IDEA AND NAR CH
PROGRAMS TO DO RESEARCH ON SARS
COV-2, CHANGE IN THE GENOME AND
SPREAD OF THE VARIANTS.
THIS WILL BE THE SECOND COHORT.
WE HEARD A PRESENTATION FROM THE
FIRST COHORT, THE FIRST SERIES
OF FUNDED PROJECTS SEVERAL
MONTHS AGO, AND THEY REALLY ARE
OFF TO A TREMENDOUS START,
ALREADY MADE GREAT STRIDES IN
MONITORING THE SPREAD OF
VARIANTS AND THE EVOLUTION OF
VARIANTS IN REGIONS THAT
PREVIOUSLY WERE NOT COVERED I VERY
WELL BY SEQUENCING STUDIES.
CRINA IS THE CONTACT ON THIS,
THE DUE DATE IS MARCH SO THERE'S
STILL TIME TO CONTACT HER IF YOU
HAVE INTEREST.
WE ALSO HAVE TWO ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPLEMENT NOTICES OUT.
ONE FOR NIGMS FUNDED AWARDS FOR
BUILDING CLOUD-BASED LEARNING
MODULES.
THIS IS PART OF OUR EFFORTS TO
EXPERIMENT WITH HOW WE CAN
PROMOTE THE USE OF CLOUD
COMPUTING ACROSS THE ECOSYSTEM
THAT WE SUPPORT, WITH A
PARTICULAR INTEREST IN LESSER
RESOURCE INSTITUTIONS.
WE THINK THERE'S A LOT OF
OPPORTUNITY TO GROW DATA
SCIENCE, BOTH IN THE EDUCATIONAL
REALM AND IN THE RESEARCH REALM
AT LEAST INSTITUTIONS BY THESE INSTITUTIO NS BY
USING THE CLOUD BECAUSE IT
BASICALLY MAKES CLOUD COMPUTING
AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GOES
WITH IT ACCESSIBLE WITHOUT
HAVING TO PURCHASE, MAINTAIN AND
UPGRADE CONTINUALLY YOUR OWN
HIGH PERFORMANCE COMPUTER.
WE ALSO HAVE AGAIN REISSUED THE
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPLEMENTS TO
INBRE AWARDS TO FUND RESEARCH
COLLABORATIONS, TO SUPPORT INBRE
AWARDS -- IF YOU'RE INTERESTED
IN THAT, YANG IS THE CONTACT AND
I SHOULD MENTION LAKSHMI IS THE
CONTACT FOR THE CLOUD-BASED
LEARNING MODULES.
WE'VE ALSO REISSUED A NUMBER OF
OTHER NIGMS-WIDE SUPPLEMENT
OPPORTUNITIES, THE EQUIPMENT
SUPPLEMENTS ARE AGAIN BEING
ANNOUNCED AND SO IF THE LAB
NEEDS TO REPLACE OR UPGRADE
EQUIPMENT, THEY CAN APPLY FOR
FUNDS TO DO THAT THROUGH THIS
PROGRAM.
THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
SUPPLEMENTS FOR OUR TRAINING
PROGRAMS AND OUR DIVERSITY
PROGRAMS ARE ALSO OUT AGAIN, SO
WE HAVE THEM IN LABORATORY
SAFETY, SAFE AND INCLUSIVE
TRAINING ENVIRONMENTS,
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH TRAINING,
PROGRAM EVALUATION, MENTORING,
AND IN WELLNESS AND RESILIENCE.
SO IF YOUR TRAINING PROGRAM IS
FUNDED BY NIGMS, HAS AN INTEREST
IN DEVELOPING NEW CURRICULAR
MODULES OR ACTIVITIES IN ONE OF
THOSE AREAS OR ONE OR MORE OF
THOSE AREAS, PLEASE THINK ABOUT
APPLYING FOR THAT.
AND WE ALSO HAVE REISSUED THE
UNDERGRADUATE SUMMER RESEARCH
SUPPORT SUPPLEMENT, SO IF THERE
ARE UNDERGRADS WHO WOULD LIKE TO
WORK IN YOUR LAB OR YOUR
COLLEAGUES' LABS AND YOU'RE
FUNDED BY NIGMS, THIS IS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO GET THEM SUPPORT
FOR THE SUMMER.
MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE
ABOUT ALL OF THESE ON OUR
FEEDBACK LOOP BLOG.
I WANTED TO ALSO REMIND EVERYONE
AND ASK FOR YOUR HELP IN GETTING
THE WORD OUT ABOUT OUR NATIONAL
AND REGIONAL RESOURCES PROGRAM.
SO WHETHER YOU THINK SOMEONE
SHOULD APPLY FOR FUNDING TO
SUPPORT A NATIONAL AND REGIONAL
RESOURCE OR YOU WANT TO HELP GET
THE WORD OUT IN TERMS OF WHAT'S
AVAILABLE TO USE, WE NOW
SUPPORT, I THINK, 12 DIFFERENT
RESOURCES AND THAT WILL BE
GROWING, OF COURSE RVETION AS
THE PROGRAM OF COURSE, AS THE
PROGRAM CONTINUES, OPERATING AT
A NATIONAL SCALE, IN A FEW CASES
AT A REGIONAL SCALE, MULTI-STATE
SCALE, AND THEY'RE IN A WIDE
VARIETY OF DIFFERENT AREAS TO
SUPPORT THE ACCESS OF
RESEARCHERS TO DIFFERENT
TECHNOLOGIES, FOR INSTANCE, IN
PROTEOMICS, IN DIFFERENT
ORGANISM RESOURCES TO SUPPLY
MORE STRAINS AND OTHER
INFORMATION AND REAGENTS RELATED
TO THOSE ORGANISMS.
A NUMBER RELATED TO STRUCTURAL
BIOLOGY, NMR, CRYSTALLIZATION
CENTERS, AND VARIOUS SOFTWARE
TOOLS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE.
THESE ARE JUST EXAMPLES.
YOU CAN SEE THE FULL LIST AT
THIS WEBSITE HERE.
THESE PROVIDE LOW COST ACCESS
GENERALLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO
RESEARCHERS AT ANY KIND OF
INSTITUTION, AND WE REALLY HOPE
THAT THEY WILL BE USED BY
RESEARCHERS WHETHER YOU'RE AT A
RESEARCH-INTENSIVE INSTITUTION
OR AN UNDERGRADUATE INSTITUTION
OR ANY OTHER KIND OF
INSTITUTION.
SO PLEASE HELP US GET THE WORD
OUT.
I JUST WANT TO END BY SHOWING
YOU SOME DATA WE HAVE BEEN
WORKING ON FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.
THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT
WE'VE OFFERED RENEWALS FOR THE
MIRA PROGRAM, THE MAXIMIZING
INVESTIGATORS RESEARCH AWARD
PROGRAM.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INTEREST
IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW THOSE
RENEWALS HAVE GONE, HOW THE
PROCESS HAS GONE, WHETHER IT'S
GONE ACCORDING TO THE PLAN WE
HOPED, AND SO I'M SHOWING YOU
SOME DATA THAT WAS REALLY
LARGELY AND R LY ANALYZED AND ATTAINED BY
JAKE BASSON WITH SOME HELP FROM
TRAVIS DORSEY AND ANDREW MIKLOS.
JUST TODAY WE PUT A FEEDBACK
LOOP UP THAT GIVES MORE DETAILS
AND MORE INFORMATION SO I'D
ENCOURAGE YOU ALSO TO LOOK AT
THAT AND SEND THAT AROUND TO
YOUR COLLEAGUES.
TODAY WHAT I'M GOING TO ADDRESS
IS A FEW QUESTIONS.
FIRST OF ALL, HOW DO THE AWARD
RATES COMPARE FOR MIRA AND
R01 RENEWALS, AS WELL AS
CONVERSIONINGS OF R01s TO
MIRAs.
SO PEOPLE CAN CONVERT IF THIS
HAVE A SINGLE, THEY CAN CONVERT
THAT TO A MIRA, AN EQUIVALENT OF
TRYING TO RENEW THEIR R01, IT'S
JUST AN ONGOING PROJECT JUST IN
A MIR.
A FORM INSTEAD OF AN R01 FORM.
WE ALSO WANT TO KNOW HOW DO
RENEWAL AND CONVERSION AWARD
RATES FOR EX--ESIs COMPARE TO
THOSE FOR ESTABLISHED
INVESTIGATORS, COMPARED TO THOSE
FOR ESTABLISHED INVESTIGATORS,
PEOPLE WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY
RENEWED THEIR FIRST MAJOR --
THEIR MAJOR GRANT.
AND HOW DID GRANT BUDGET CHANGES
UPON MIR.
A AND R01 RENEWALS, HOW DID THE
BUDGET CHANGE WHEN THE RENEWALS
TOOK PLACE, AS WELL AS HOW DID
THE BUDGETS CHANGE WHEN R01s
WERE CONVERTED TO MIRAs.
SO THOSE ARE THE THREE QUESTIONS
WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS, BUT
THERE IS MORE INFORMATION, AS I
SAID, IN THIS FEEDBACK LOOP
POST.
SO HERE IS A TABLE WITH LOTS OF
NUMBERS, WHICH BREAKS LOTS OF
RULES OF GOOD PRESENTATION
PRACTICE, BUT IT WAS SORT OF THE
MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO GET THE
INFORMATION OUT, SO LET ME STEP
THROUGH THIS AND DRAW YOUR
ATTENTION TO THE APPROPRIATE
COMPARISON.
WE'RE COMPARING RENEWALS OF R
R01s VERSES -- SO LET'S JUST
COMPARE THE OVERALL RENEWAL
AWARD RATE.
SO THIS IS THE FRACTION OF
AWARDS MADE DIVIDED BY THE
NUMBER OF APPLICATION FOR ALL
R01s AT NIGMS AND ALL MIRAs
AT NIGMS.
SO THAT'S SHOWN ON THE RIGHT
THERE.
THE COMPARISON WITH THE ARROWS
AND THE COLOR CHANGE IN RED.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT MIRA AWARD
RATES ARE ESSENTIALLY TWICE AS
HIGH FOR RENEWALS AS RENEWAL
AWARD RATES FOR R01s IN FISCAL
YEAR '21.
SO THAT'S BASICALLY A TAKE-HOME
MESSAGE FOR RENEWAL RATES.
MIRAs HAVE ESSENTIALLY
GENERALLY TWICE AS HIGH AWARD
RATES AS DO R01s.
IF WE COMPARE ESTABLISHED
INVESTIGATORS RENEWING THEIR
R01s TO ESTABLISHED
INVESTIGATORS RENEWING THEIR
MIRAs, THAT TWOFOLD TREND
CONTINUES, ALTHOUGH THE AWARD
RATES ARE SLIGHTLY HIGHER IN
BOTH CASES.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT
THE CADRE OF INVESTIGATORS THAT
WE'RE RENEWING THIS YEAR CAME
INTO MIRA UNDER SPECIAL CRITERIA
FOR WHO WAS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY.
SO TO BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY IN
THE FIRST TWO ROUNDS OF MIRA,
YOU HAD TO EITHER HAVE TWO OR
MORE NIGMS R01s OR ONE R01 FOR
AT LEAST $400,000 OR MORE.
SO THESE WERE PEOPLE WHO WERE
VERY SUCCESSFUL AT GETTING AND
MAINTAINING FUNDING, AND SO IT'S
PERHAPS NOT SURPRISING THAT THEY
CONTINUE TO MAN TAIN A HIGH
SUCCESS RATE.
BUT AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE TWICE AS
HIGH A SUCCESS RATE, A REALLY
ASTONISHING NEARLY 94% RENEWAL
RATE FOR ESTABLISHED
INVESTIGATORS MIRAs VERSUS 48%
FOR ESTABLISHED INVESTIGATOR
R01s.
SO IF WE COMPARE EX--ESIs
RENEWING THEIR R01s, THESE ARE
PEOPLE WHO GOT THEIR R01 AZ AN
EARLY STAGE INVESTIGATOR AND NOW
ARE RENEWING IT FOR THE FIRST
TIME VERSUS EX-ESIs RENEWING
THEIR MIRAS FOR THE FIRST TIME,
IT'S ACTUALLY A BIGGER EFFECT
THAN TWOFOLD, SO 33% FOR THE
R01s FOR THE AWARD RATE AND
ALMOST 72% FOR THE MIRA
RENEWALS.
SO AGAIN, REALLY QUITE, I THINK,
IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS IN TERMS OF
THE RENEWAL AWARD RATES FOR
MIRAs.
INTO AND THEN IF WE JUST COMPARE
PEOPLE WHO ARE CONVERTING THEIR
R01s TO MIRAS, THERE'S
DIFFERENT CATEGORIES.
THERE'S EVERYBODY, THERE'S THE
ESTABLISHED INVESTIGATORS AND
THERE'S JUST THE EX-ESIs
CONVERTING, YOU CAN SEE THAT
ALTHOUGH THE EFFECT IS NOT AS
BIG, IN EVERY CASE, THE AWARD
RATE IS HIGHER FOR CONVERTING AN
R01 TO A MIRA THAN FOR -- YOU'RE
BETTER OFF TRYING TO CONVERT TO
A MIRA FROM YOUR R01 THAN YOU
ARE TRYING TO RENEW YOUR R01.
SO HERE'S ANOTHER TABLE OF LOTS
OF DATA.
THIS IS NOW TALKING ABOUT
FUNDING CHANGES AFTER RENEWALS.
SO AGAIN, COMPARING R01s TO
MIRAs UPON RENEWAL.
SO IF WE JUST COMPARE
COHORT-WIDE, THE NUMBER SHOWN
HERE IS THE MEDIAN WITH A
PERCENT CHANGE IN FUNDING
RELATIVE TO WHAT IT WAS IN THE
PREVIOUS PERIOD.
SO THIS IS THE PERCENT BUDGET
CHANGE UPON RENEWAL.
THE MEAN IS IN PARENTHESES.
SO WHAT YOU CAN SEE IS THAT IN
THE LEFT-HAND COLUMN, BOTH
R01 RENEWALS AND R35 MIRA
RENEWALS, ON AVERAGE, GOT A 3%
INCREASE IN THEIR BUDGET.
SO COHORT-WIDE, REGARDLESS OF
DIFFERENT SUBGROUPS WITHIN THOSE
POPULATIONS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, THOUGH,
THAT ON AVERAGE, MIRAs ARE
BIGGER THAN R01s SO THAT 3% IS
A LARGER DOLLAR AMOUNT, BY QUITE
A BIT ACTUALLY, THAN R OH
R01 RENEWALS WE'LL GETTING.
SO THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS EVEN
BIGGER FOR THE MIRA RENEWALS.
IF WE LOOK AT THE CONVERSIONS,
WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT GROUPS
HERE FOR REASONS I WILL TELL YOU
IN A SECOND.
THESE ARE PEOPLE AGAIN
CONVERTING OR APPLYING TO
CONVERT R01s WHO HAVE
SUCCESSFULLY CONVERTED R01s TO
MIRAS.
THE FIRST GROUP IS ALL OF THEM,
THE SECOND GROUP, WE'VE LEFT OUT
ANYONE WHO HAD A MULTI-P.I.
GRANT AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE
MULTI-P.I. GRANTS CAUSE A LOT OF
COMPLICATIONS IN THE BUDGET, AND
I'LL SHOW YOU THE REASON WE DID
THAT IN JUST A SECOND, BUT IN
BOTH CASES, THEY GOT EVEN BIGGER
PERCENTAGE INCREASES OF ABOUT
14%.
THAT'S BECAUSE WE USE IN GENERAL
$250,000 IN DIRECT COSTS PER
YEAR AS THE FLOOR FOR WHAT A
MIRA WILL BE.
THERE ARE A FEW EXCEPTIONS FOR
SPECIAL CASE, BUT IN GENERAL,
$250,000 DIRECT COST PER YEAR IS
THE FLOOR, AND WE'RE TRYING TO
GET EVERYONE FROM THE R01 POOL
WHO I A PLIES UP APPLIES UP TO AT LEAST T HAT
LEVEL.
AS YOU'LL SEE IN A SECOND FROM
THE R01 POOL, THEY ACTUALLY ARE
AT A LOWER LEVEL IN GENERAL THAN
$250,000.
IF WE LOOK AT CAREER PAGE AND
CAREER THE EX-ESIs TO
ESTABLISHED CAREER
INVESTIGATORS, YOU CAN SEE THE
EX-ESIs GOT A BIGGER
PERCENTAGE INCREASE, WHETHER
THEY'RE RENEWING THEIR MIRAs,
AN R01, OR CONVERTING FROM R01
TO MIRAS, BUT IN ALL THOSE
CASES, THE PERCENTAGE INCREASE
IS ACTUALLY GREATER FOR THE
MIRAs, THE EX-ESIs RENEWING
THEIR MIRAs OR CONVERTING
THEIR RO #s 01s TO MIRAS.
SO I HOPE THIS DISPELS A MYTH
THAT IS OUT THERE IN THE
COMMUNITY, WHICH IS THAT SOMEONE
WHO GETS AN ESI MIRA IS,
QUOTE-UNQUOTE, LOCKED IN AT
$250,000 A YEAR.
THAT IS FALSE.
THIS SHOWS THAT FALSE AND, IN
FACT, ON AVERAGE, EX-ESIs,
WHEN THEY WERE RENEWING THEIR
MIRAs, GOT AN OVER 8% INCREASE
IN THEIR BUDGETS FROM THEIR
BASELINE BUDGET AND ALMOST ALL
OF THEM HAVE GOTTEN $250,000 A
YEAR AS THEIR BASELINE BUDGET,
WHICH AS I SAID MORE THAN THEY
WOULD HAVE GOTTEN FROM AN R01 ON
AVERAGE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
AND THIS JUST SHOWS THAT THE
CHANGE IN BUDGET WAS HIGHLY
CORRELATED WITH THE PRIOR
FUNDING, SO THE BIGGEST
INCREASES WERE THE ONES WITH THE
LOWEST BUDGET, LESS THAN
$200,000.
AGAIN, WE'RE TRYING TO GET
EVERYONE UP TO THAT $250,000
FLOOR IN MIRA.
PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE RANGE STILL
GOT INCREASES, THEY WEREN'T, ON
AVERAGE, LOCKED IN AT THE AMOUNT
THEY'D HAD PREVIOUSLY, BUT THEY
WERE NOT QUITE AS BIG AS THE
INCREASES THAT PEOPLE GOT IF
THEY WERE AT LOWER FUNDING
AMOUNTS PREVIOUSLY.
AND WHEN YOU GET UP TO THE
BIGGER BUDGETS GREATER THAN OR
EQUAL TO $400,000 A YEAR, YOU
CAN SEE THAT'S WHERE SOME PEOPLE
STARTED TO RECEIVE CUTS,
INCLUDING IN THE R01 POOL, WHERE
WE DO CUT BUMGHTS THAT CUT BUDGETS THAT A RE THAT
BIG.
ON POOL IN AVERAGE IN THE MIRAS,
THEY GOT A 3% INCREASE.
THAT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER
THAT THOSE PEOPLE, AS I'LL SHOW
YOU IN A SECOND, ON AVERAGE GOT
A CUT WHEN THEY CAME IN TO THE
MIRA POOL FROM THE R01 POOL.
PEOPLE HAD VERY HIGH BUDGETS.
AND THIS SHOULD I HOPE DISPEL A
SECOND MYTH, WHICH IS THAT IF
YOU COME INTO MIRA, YOU WILL
JUST KEEP GETTING CUT EVERY TIME
YOU GET A RENEWAL.
WE CUT THESE PEOPLE ONCE, USE
THEIR MONEY TO SUPPORT OTHER
RESEARCHERS, BUT WE HAVE NOT, ON
AVERAGE, CUT THEM AGAIN.
IN FACT, WE'VE GIVEN THEM A
SMALL INCREASE IN THEIR BUDGET.
THE PEOPLE WHO DO GET CUT, AND
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE I THINK
PRETTY OPEN AND TRANSPARENT
ABOUT AS ONE OF THE TRADEOFFS IN
THE PROGRAM, IF YOU COME INTO
THE PROGRAM WITH A LARGE BUDGET,
YOU GET ALL THE BENEFITS, YOU
GET AN EXTRA YEAR, YOU GET THE
FLEXIBILITY, YOU GET THE RENEWAL
RATES THAT I JUST SHOWED YOU,
AND THESE FUNDING CHANGES DOWN
THE LINE POTENTIALLY, BUT YOU DO
GET CUT OFF THE BAT ON AVERAGE
IF YOU HAVE OVER $400,000 IN
DIRECT COSTS, AND THAT CUT IS
ABOUT 12%.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TARGETING.
ACTUALLY IF YOU LEAVE OUT THE
MPIs, WHICH IS WHY WE DID
THIS, IT DOES COME OUT TO
EXACTLY 12% SO WE DID HIT THAT
MARK.
SO THIS SHOWS JUST IF YOU'RE A
VISUAL THINKER LIKE I AM, I'LL
HAVE TO SHOW YOU A FEW BOX PLOTS
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO LIKE TO SEE
THE NUMBERS THAT WAY, WHAT WE'VE
DONE HERE IS SHOWN THE
PERCENTAGE CHANGE IN THE BUDGET
UPON R01 RENEWALS AS A FUNCTION
OF THE DECILE BINS FOR PRIOR R01 AWARD FUN DING.
AGAIN, THE TREND HERE IS THAT ON
THE LEFT, THESE ARE THE GRANTS
THAT HAD SMALLER PRIOR AWARD
FUNDINGS.
JUST TO PEG IT, 35 PERCENTILE IS
ABOUT $200,000.
79TH PERCENTILE IS WHERE
$250,000 IS IN THE R01 TOOL.
YOU'LL SEE IN A MINUTE, THAT'S
VERY DIFFERENT THAN THE MIRA
POOL, SO YOU HAVE TO GO ALL THE
WAY OUT TO NEARLY 80TH
PERCENTILE BEFORE YOU GET TO
$250,000 IN THE R01 POOL.
BUT THE SMALLER BUDGET ONES WERE
THE ONES THAT GOT THE BIGGEST
INCREASES, AND THE SMALLER
INCREASES CAME AS THE BUDGETS
GOT BIGGER, AND DIDN'T START TO
ON AVERAGE SEE CUTS IN THE
R01 POOL UNTIL YOU GOT TO THE
HIGHER BUDGET AMOUNTS, AS YOU'D
EXPECT.
THIS SHOWS NOW THE SAME THING
FOR MIRA RENEWALS, SO THIS IS
THE PERCENT CHANGE IN THE MIRA
RENEWAL BUDGET AS A FUNCTION OF
THE PRIOR MIRA FUNDING DECILE.
NOW YOU CAN SEE THAT $200,000
INSTEAD OF BEING 30, 30TH SOME
PERCENTILE, IS NOW THE SECOND
PERCENTILE.
SO THAT JUST SHOWS HOW SHIFTED
TO THE RIGHT THE MIRA POOL IS IN
TERMS OF THE BUDGETS WE'RE
TRYING TO GIVE PEOPLE, AND THE
$250,000 MARK, INSTEAD OF BEING
AT ABOUT 80TH PERCENTILE, IS NOW
AT 33RD PERCENTILE.
SO AGAIN, BUDGETS ARE BIGGER ON
AVERAGE IN THE MIRA POOL.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE SAME EFFECT
THAT THE BIGGEST INCREASES CAME
FROM THE PEOPLE WHO HAD THE
LEAST MONEY AND BECAME LESS, BUT
YOU SEE THAT ON AVERAGE, THERE
WERE NOT CUTS EVEN OUT TO THE
HIGHER AMOUNTS AND PEOPLE DID
GET SMALL INCREASES EVEN AT THE
HIGHER AMOUNTS, WITH A COUPLE
EXCEPTIONS.
YOU'LL SEE THOSE OUTLIERS, AND
THOSE IN GENERAL ARE PEOPLE WHO
WE HAVE A CHOICE BETWEEN EITHER
NOT FUNDING OR GIVING FUNDING AT
A LOWER AMOUNT, SO WE DID THE
LATTER IN THESE PARTICULAR
CASES.
AND THIS JUST SHOWS THE
CONVERSIONS, THE R01 TO R35
CONVERSIONS, THE SAME THING.
AND THE SAME TREND IS WHAT YOU
SEE, THAT THE BIGGEST INCREASES
WERE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAD THE
LEAST MONEY GOING IN, AND THE
PEOPLE AT THE VERY HIGH END,
OVER $400,000, WERE CUT AND AS I
SAID, THAT'S WHAT WE TELL THEM,
THEY WERE CUT ON AVERAGE 12%.
SO JUST TO SUMMARIZE THAT, WHAT
ARE THE TAKEAWAYS YOU CAN TELL
PEOPLE?
ESTABLISHED INVESTIGATOR AND
EX-EARLY STAGE INVESTIGATOR ON
MIRA RENEWALS AND CONVERSIONS
HAVE HIGHER AWARD RATES, TWOFOLD
OR MORE HIGHER IN GENERAL, THAN
R01 RENEWALS.
AT LEAST FOR THE RENEWALS.
THE CONVERSIONS WEREN'T QUITE
TWOFOLD BUT THEY WERE STILL
HIGHER.
BOTH R01 AND MIRA RENEWALS
RECEIVED BUDGET INCREASES, SO I
HOPE THAT DISPELS SOME OF THE
MYTHS OUT THERE IN THE
COMMUNITY.
EX-EARLY STAGE INVESTIGATORS AND
LOWER BUDGET MIRA RENEWALS ARE
THE ONES THAT GOT THE BIGGEST
INCREASES, WHICH HOPEFULLY MAKES
SENSE TO YOU.
R01 TO MIRA CONVERSIONS OVERALL
RECEIVED SIGNIFICANT BUDGET
INCREASES.
PIs WITH R01s THAT HAD LESS
THAN $250,000 IN DIRECT COSTS,
WE'VE BROUGHT THEM UP TO 250K,
AT LEAST, WHEN WE CONVERTED THEM
TO MIRAS.
BUT IF YOU HAD A LARGE BUDGET,
OVER $400,000, GENERALLY YOU GOT
CUT BY ABOUT 12%.
WHICH ISN'T HUGE, GIVEN YOU'RE
GETTING AN EXTRA YEAR AND ALL
THE BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM.
SO WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE
QUESTIONS AND I URGE YOU TO,
AGAIN, GO TO THE FEEDBACK LOOP.
THIS POST SHOULD BE OUT.
AND HELP US GET THE WORD OUT
ABOUT EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING.
HAPPY TO TAKE SOME QUESTIONS.
I THINK WE HAVE A FEW MINUTES,
RIGHT, DARREN?
YES, WE HAVE A FEW MINUTES.
SO DANIELLE AND LESLIE.
>> HI.
I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.
I GUESS VERY BROADLY, I THINK
ABOUT THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF
RESEARCH RESOURCES GOING TO
SOMEONE AS A COMBINATION OF
STUFF COMING FROM THE UNIVERSITY
AND STUFF COMING FROM THE NIH.
SO WHAT I'M SORT OF SEEING HERE
IS THAT MOVING TO MIRA, THERE'S
SORT OF AN INCREASED PROBABILITY
OF RENEWAL, THE BUDGETS ARE
INCREASING FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.
IS THERE A SENSE OF WHETHER
THAT'S RESULTING IN AN INCREASE
IN THE TOTAL RESEARCH PIE, OR AN
INCREASE IN THE SHARE THAT THE
NIH IS PAYING AND A DECREASE IN
THE SHARE UNIVERSITIES ARE
PAYING?
SO IS THERE DATA THAT'S THEN
TRACKING SORT OF WHAT'S
HAPPENING WITH OVERHEAD OR
WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH SALARY
SUPPORT?
>> THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION,
DANIELLE, AND IT'S REALLY HARD
TO GET THAT INFORMATION, BUT I
THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE A GOOD
THING FOR YOU TO LOOK AT.
TO BE HONEST.
NIH IS NOW ASKING FOR MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT INSTITUTIONAL
SUPPORT, BUT IT'S HART TO GED
THAT STRUCTURE THAT'S JUST BEEN
KIND OF CODIFIED ON WHAT PEOPLE
ARE SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE IN TERMS
OF THEIR INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT.
I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TO TRY
TO DELVE INTO ISSUES RELATED TO
SALARY SUPPORT, AND THAT'S
PRETTY HARD TO GET HARD DATA ON
AS WELL.
IT'S SOMETHING I'D LIKE TO SEE
MORE STUDIES OF, AND MORE
STUDIES OF THE EFFECT IT HAS ON
PRODUCTIVITY AND BANG FOR THE
BUCK, IF YOU WILL, OF RESEARCH
INVESTMENTS.
>> I GUESS MAYBE THIS IS A
SOMEWHAT IGNORANT QUESTION, BUT
A LOT OF FEDERAL MONEY COMES
WITH STRINGS.
WHY CAN'T THIS BE A STRING
THAT'S ATTACHED TO IT, LIKE JUST
REPORTING?
>> WELL, REPORTING IS NOT
REQUIRED ON THE ISSUES YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT, BUT IT'S RECENT
THAT IT'S BEEN CODIFIED QUITE
CLEARLY THAT INSTITUTIONAL
SUPPORT ALSO NEEDS TO BE
REPORTED.
SO --
>> I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT
BECAUSE HISTORICALLY OVER TIME,
THIS SORT OF --
>> CORRECT.
>> YEAH, YOU'RE AWARE OF THIS.
>> CORRECT.
AND WE CAN, WITH SOME EFFORT,
FIGURE OUT WHAT SOMEONE'S SALARY
THEY'RE TAKING OFF A GRANT IS,
BUT IT'S NOT TRIVIAL TO GET IN A
CODIFIED WAY.
>> OKAY.
I'D BE HAPPY TO LOOK AT IF YOU
WANT TO TALK OFFLINE ABOUT THAT.
>> I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT
TOPIC FOR SOME RESEARCH, TO
FIGURE OUT THE EFFECTS OF THAT
AND WHAT THAT ACTUALLY LOOKS
LIKE SYSTEM-WIDE.
LESLIE.
>> I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF YOU
COULD EXPAND ON WHY THE RATES OF
AWARD ARE HIGHER.
>> FOR MIRA?
>> YEAH.
>> SO THAT WAS BY DESIGN.
IT WAS PART OF THE DESIGN OF THE
PROGRAM, WAS THAT WE WERE TRYING
TO BUILD STABILITY INTO THIS
FUNDING MECHANISM, SO THERE WERE
SOME TRADEOFFS WITH IT, LIKE YOU
CAN'T APLAY FOR ANOTHER NIGMS
RESEARCH GRANT, AND IF YOU WERE
AT THE VERY HIGH END OF FUNDING,
WE DID TAKE SOME OF YOUR MONEY
SO WE COULD FUND OTHER PEOPLE.
BUT ONE OF THE BENEFITS WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE MORE STABILITY,
AND I THINK SO FAR GIVEN THE
RENEWAL RATES THAT I JUST SHOWED
YOU, THAT HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL.
AMY?
>> I'M A GREAT FAN OF THE MIRA
PROGRAM, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE
NUMBERS, 400K IS ABOUT THE SAME
AS TWO R01s WE'RE PAYING 15 TO
20 YEARS AGO, AND I KNOW A LOT
OF PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT THIS
CONSTANTLY, SO I AM JUST
WONDERING WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS
ARE, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY
EVERYTHING ELSE HAS BECOME MUCH
MORE EXPENSIVE IN THE PAST 15 TO
20 YEARS.
>> I THINK ONE SORT OF
MISDIRECTION THAT HAPPENS IN THE
COMMUNITY A LOT IS THIS NOTION
THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE TWO
R01s.
IT'S A SMALL MINORITY EVEN NOW.
SO MOST PEOPLE ARE FUNCTIONING
WITH ONE NIGMS R01 THAT, AS YOU
SAY, IN THE PAST WAS LESS THAN
$200,000.
THE SORT OF MEDIAN AMOUNT.
SO WE HAVE BEEN INCREASING THE
AMOUNTS OF R01s, SO IT'S ALSO
NOT TRUE THAT THEY HAVEN'T
INCREASED AT ALL, BECAUSE THEY
HAVE INCREASED.
BUT I THINK IF YOU GO FROM, SAY,
$190,000 AS AN R01 TO $250,000
AS A MIRA, THAT'S A PRETTY
SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE.
IN A PERFECT WORLD, I WOULD LIKE
TO SEE THAT NUMBER, 250,000, BE
SOMEWHAT LARGER AT THIS POINT.
BUT WE'RE NOT IN A PERFECT WORLD
YET.
IF YOU COULD GET IT UP TO 300,
SAY, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A
PRETTY NICE AMOUNT FOR THE
MEDIAN.
BUT I THINK WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO
BE CAREFUL OF IS THINKING THAT
MOST PEOPLE HAVE MULTIPLE R01s
AND THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE.
A SMALL MINORITY OF PEOPLE HAVE
MULTIPLE R01s.
LAURA.
>> LIKE AMY, I'M A FAN OF THE
MIRA PROGRAM.
YOU MAY HAVE SAID THIS AND I
MISSED IT.
DO WE HAVE A SENSE OF HOW MANY
OF THOSE PIs LIVE IN
INSTITUTIONS IN IDEA STATES
VERSUS NON-IDEA STATES?
>> YES.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE TRACK PRETTY
CLOSELY, AND THERE ARE MIRAs
FOR SURE BE BEING AWARDED TO
IDEA STATES.
YOU COULD DEFINITELY HELP US
WITH THAT, LAURA.
>> I'LL WORK ON IT.
>> BUT THAT IS SOMETHING WE
TRACK CLOSELY.
THE AWARD RATE FOR AN
APPLICATION FOR AN IDEA STATE IS
TRENDING SOMEWHAT LOWER THAN IN
GENERAL, SO THAT'S SOMETHING
WE'RE KEEPING OUR EYES ON, WHY
IS THAT THE CASE, AND WE WOULD
LIKE TO SEE THAT TREND REVERSED.
BUT DEFINITELY AN AREA WE'D LIKE
TO SEE GROWTH IN.
>> THANK YOU.
>> PETER.
>> THANKS.
AND REALLY, THANKS TO YOUR TEAM
FOR THIS WONDERFUL ANALYSIS.
I THINK IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT TO
BE HAVING DISCUSSIONS GROUNDED
IN DATA.
SO THANKS FOR THAT, AND
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE PROGRESS
THAT YOU HAVE OOO MADE.
I KNOW A MAJOR GOAL OF NIGMS IS
TO FUND THE BEST SCIENCE AND
PARTICULARLY THE BEST YOUNG
SCIENTISTS.
SO ANOTHER ASPECT THAT I JUST
WANTED TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS ON
ABOUT THE MIRA IS THE 51%
COMMITMENT OF RESEARCH TIME.
AND I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT
THIS A LOT BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING
A JOB SEARCH, RECRUITING THE
BEST CELL BIOLOGISTS IN THE
COUNTRY, AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT
MIRA, YOU SORT OF ARE LOCKING
YOURSELF IN SAY AROUND $250,000
AT 51% OF YOUR EFFORT.
SO BY DEFINITION, AT LEAST THE
WAY PEOPLE PERCEIVE IT, THEY
CAN'T HAVE A RESEARCH PROGRAM
THAT'S REALLY MUCH BIGGER THAN
SAY $500,000 IN DIRECT COST.
THAT MAY BE PLENTY BIG, BUT
THAT'S SORT OF A CON STRAIPT
I'VE WONDERING YOU'VE THOUGHT
ABOUT ADVISING AT ANY POINT OR
ELIMINATING.
>> THERE'S A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD
ASPECT OF IT, RIGHT, THAT I
THINK IF YOU MAKE THE
REQUIREMENT FOR PERCENT EFFORT
TOO SMALL, THEN PEOPLE CAN START
TO AGGREGATE LARGE SUMS OF
MONEY, WITH I TO THEM WHICH TO THEM
INDIVIDUALLY SEEMS LIKE A GREAT
THING BUT SYSTEM-WIDE IS
SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN
PUSHING BACK ON AND CONCERNED
ABOUT, WHICH IS PART OF THE
REASON FOR THE MIRA PROGRAM.
SO I THINK WE DO NEED TO
MAINTAIN A HIGH COMMITMENT TO
THE PROGRAM, GIVEN -- RESEARCH
COMMITMENT EFFORT TO THE PROGRAM
GIVEN WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
I DO WANT TO CORRECT SOMETHING,
AGAIN, WHICH IS WE'RE GIVING
MOST ESIs $250,000, WHICH IS
THE MAXIMUM THEY CAN GET IN THE
FOA.
BUT I WANT TO GET AWAY FROM
THIS -- YOU'RE LOCKED IN.
I'VE JUST SHOWED WHEN YOU COME
IN FOR RENEWALS, WE'RE GIVING
THEM FAIRLY SUBSTANTIAL
INCREASES ON AVERAGE SO YOU'RE
NOT LOCKED IN FOR THE REST OF
YOUR CAREER, JUST LOCKED IN FOR
FIVE YEARS, THE FIRST FIVE YEARS
OF YOUR TIME AT 250.
WHICH AS I SAID IS MORE THAN WE
WOULD HAVE GIVEN YOU FOR AN
R01 BY QUITE A BIT.
SO I THINK IT IS A GREAT DEAL
FOR ESIs, AND I WOULD LIKE THE
HELP OF MORE SENIOR
INVESTIGATORS TO KIND OF BRING
THINGS TO REALITY.
THE CHANCE OF AN ESI GETTING A
SECOND R01 WAS ALWAYS VERY
SMALL.
SO MOST OF THEM WERE FUNCTIONING
ON ONE R01 FOR THEIR FIRST FIVE
YEARS.
IT WAS USUALLY LIKE AROUND
$200,000, HISTORICALLY LESS.
WE'RE GIVING YOU CONSIDERABLY
MORE THAN THAT.
YOU DON'T -- YOU'RE NOT TIED TO
SPECIFIC AIMS SO YOU CAN FOLLOW
THE DIRECTIONS THAT YOU THINK AT
THE TIME ARE MOST EXCITING.
SO THE BENEFITS OUTWEIGH THE
CONSTRAINTS.
BUT NOT HAVING ANY CONSTRAINTS,
I THINK LEADS TO THE SYSTEM NOT
FUNCTIONING WELL.
>> THANKS FOR THAT.
THEN MAYBE I'D RECOMMEND A
FEEDBACK LOOP ON THIS TOPIC TOO.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE MINORITY
OF OUR CANDIDATES MENTION GM,
AND I THINK FOR SOME OF THIS
REASON.
WHEN ASKED ABOUT FUNDING THEIR
PROGRAM, IT'S NOT THE GO-TOO
MECHANISM.
>> THAT GOES BACK PERHAPS TO
WHAT DANIELLE WAS SAYING AS WELL
ABOUT DIFFERENCES IN SALARIES
SUPPORT EXPECTATIONS.
IF YOU HAVE TO TAKE 70% OF YOUR
SALARY OUT OF A GRANT VERSUS 30%
IS A BIG DIFFERENCE.
SQUIRE.
>> HI, JON.
HAS THERE BEEN AN ANALYSIS OF
THE IMPACT OF THE MIRA PROGRAM
ON THE FUNDING OF
UNDERREPRESENTED SCIENTISTS,
SPECIFICALLY AFRICAN AMERICANS
WHO HAVE BEEN SHOWN FOR RESEARCH
STUDIES TO RECEIVE LESS FUNDING
FROM NIH?
>> YES, SQUIRE, THAT'S A GREAT
POINT.
IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE TRACKING
CLOSELY AS WELL.
WE PUT A FEEDBACK LOOP OUT A
COUPLE YEARS AGO WHERE WE HAD A
LOT OF DATA ON THE SUBJECT.
THE NUMBERS ARE STILL SMALL, BUT
WE DID NOT SEE A DIFFERENCE.
WHICH IS GOOD, YOU DON'T WANT TO
SEE A DIRVES DIFFERENCE IN SUCCESS OR
AWARD RATE BETWEEN
UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS AND WELL
REPRESENTED GROUPS.
I ARE WILL CAUTION, THOUGH, THAT THE
NUMBERS ARE STILL RELATIVELY
SMALL.
SO IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE
MONITORING VERY CLOSELY AND
TRYING TO ENSURE THAT WE DO
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PREVENT
THERE BEING ANY DISPARITIES THE
WAY WE DO SEE DISPARITIES IN THE
R01 POOL.
>> SURE.
>> I SHOULD AMEND, WHERE WE
DON'T SEE ANY DIFFERENCES IN THE
EARLY INVESTIGATOR POOL, THE
ESTABLISHED INVESTIGATOR POOL,
AGAIN, NUMBERS ARE SMALL, BUT
THERE IS A DIFFERENCE THERE
SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU SEE IN THE
R01 POOL.
SO THE GOOD NEWS IS, THINGS ARE
TRENDING BETTER IN THE ESI POOL.
WE STILL -- BECAUSE THE PEOPLE
WHO CAME IN AND THE SYSTEM OF
THE ESTABLISHED INVESTIGATOR
POOL IS ALREADY SET, I THINK
IT'S HARDER TO BREAK SOME OF THE
WE HAVE UNFORTUNATE DISPARITIES,
BUT WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON HOW TO
DO THAT BETTER.
>> OKAY.
AWESOME.
THANK YOU.
>> IT'S AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
POINT THAT WE'RE VERY CLOSELY
WORKING ON AND MONITORING IT.
DARRIN.
>> THANKS, JON.
SO I LOVE THE MIRA PROGRAM.
I HAVE PUSHED IT INCREDIBLY HARD
TO OUR NEW INVESTIGATORS AT OUR
INSTITUTION.
BUT THERE'S BEEN A DISPARITY OF
SOME SORT IN THAT WHEN SOME OF
THE NEW INVESTIGATORS DECIDE
THEY CALL THE PROGRAM OFFICER
AND FIND OUT IF THEY'RE
THEORETICAL PROJECT WOULD FALL
UNDER NIGMS CONTEXT PORTFOLIO,
THEY'RE BASICALLY TOLD NO ONE
SOME OF THESE NEW INVESTIGATORS
DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW TO
DISCUSS THIS ISSUE AND HOW TO
LET THEM KNOW HOW FUNDAMENTAL
THE RESEARCH IS AND HOW
FUNCTIONAL.
AND WE'VE GOT A FEW MIRAS, AND
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING
RESEARCH THAT IS NO DIFFERENT
THAN PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN TOLD
NO, YOU SHOULDN'T EVEN APPLY,
AND THEY'VE BEEN FUNDED.
SO THERE SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE
BIT OF A DISCONNECT, I THINK,
MAYBE IN THE WAY A PROGRAM IS
TELLING PEOPLE IF THEY ARE
ALLOWED OR NOT ALLOWED.
>> THAT HAS BEEN A PERENNIAL
PROBLEM FOR US, DARRIN, THAT WE
CAN ONLY TAKE WHAT'S IN THE
NIGMS MISSION AND WE'RE THE ONLY
INSTITUTE THAT GIVES MIRAs.
SO IF SOMEONE COMES IN WITH A
CANCER APPLICATION, WE CAN'T
TAKE IT, IT'S NOT IN OUR
MISSION.
SO EVERY ROUND FOR THE EARLY
STAGE INVESTIGATORS, ALMOST
EXACTLY 10% OF THE APPLICATIONS
HAVE BEEN RETURNED.
NOT ENTIRELY BUT MOSTLY FOR THAT
REASON.
SOME ARE INELIGIBLE FOR VARIOUS
OTHER REASONS.
AND THAT HASN'T REALLY CHANGED
OVER TIME.
THE GOOD NEWS IS 90% ARE FINE.
SO I THINK THE ADVICE I WOULD
GIVE IS WHAT YOU SAID, CONTACT A
PROGRAM OFFICER BEFORE YOU WRITE
AN APPLICATION, BUT IT WOULD BE
USEFUL FOR YOU TO WRITE THE
ABSTRACT OF THE APPLICATION SO
THEY CAN SEE IT AND THEY CAN
GIVE YOU ADVICE.
IS THIS COMPLETELY OUTSIDE OF
NIGMS'S MISSION, IS THERE PART
OF THIS THAT SOUNDS LIKE NIGMS'S
MISSION BUT PART NOT?
I THINK A MISTAKE PEOPLE MAKE IS
BECAUSE THEY'RE SENDING AN
APPLICATION TO NIH, THEY SHOULD
TALK A LOT ABOUT THE POTENTIAL
HEALTH RELEVANCE, AND THAT'S NOT
TRUE FOR NIGMS.
WE HAVE IN GENERAL THE BASIC
SCIENCE INSTITUTE.
SO IF YOU TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT
ALL THE HEALTH -- POTENTIAL
HEALTH RELEVANCE, IT'S PROBABLY
GOING TO BE FOR A DIFFERENT
INSTITUTE AND NOT FOR US.
>> RIGHT, AND THAT'S WHAT I'M
SAYING IS, MAYBE WE, AT MY
LEVEL, NEED TO BETTER EDUCATION
OUR JUNIOR FACULTY BEFORE THEY
CONTACT THE PROGRAM.
>> IT NEEDS A LOT OF DISCUSSION,
YOU'RE RIGHT, DARRIN.
I THINK WE NEED HELP WITH PEOPLE
LIKE YOU, WE ARE NEED A LOT OF
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE
PROGRAM STAFF AND PEOPLE BEFORE
THEY EVEN START REALLY WRITING
THEIR APPLICATIONS.
BECAUSE THE LAST THING WE WANT
IS FOR SOMEONE TO SPEND A LOT OF
TIME ON AN APPLICATION, SEND IT
IN, AND THEN FIND OUT THEY'RE
WORKING ON SOMETHING IN THE
MISSION OF ANOTHER I.C. AND NOT
US.
GREAT DISCUSSION.
GO AHEAD.
>> I'LL JUST ADD A LITTLE BIT OF
ADVICE TO THAT BECAUSE I THINK
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT
PEOPLE GET ADVICE FROM PEOPLE
WHO HAVE BEEN FUNDED BY NIGMS,
THEIR PEERS, AS WELL AS THE --
AND THEN GO TO THE PROGRAM
OFFICER WITH SOMETHING THAT'S A
LITTLE MORE POLISHED.
BUT ALWAYS GO TO THE PROGRAM
OFFICER, BECAUSE --
>> I THINK THE TWO PEOPLE THAT
WERE TOLD NO, IT WILL NEVER FLY,
I THINK IT RELATES BACK TO WHAT
JON SAID.
THEY THINK, IT'S NIH, I'VE GOT
TO TELL THEM HOW IN THE END IT'S
GOING TO CURE A DISEASE, YOU
KNOW, AND IT JUST -- YOU KNOW,
INSTEAD OF THE FUNDAMENTAL
BIOLOGY OF IF WE UNDERSTAND
THIS, WE'LL UNDERSTAND HOW
PROTEINS ARE TRAFFICKED BETTER,
HOW THINGS INSERT INTO
MEMBRANES, THAT TYPE OF --
>> RIGHT.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE HAS
BEEN A STRONG EMPHASIS OVER THE
YEARS ON TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
AND MAYBE THAT LAS MADE PEOPLE
THINK THAT BASIC RESEARCH IS NOT
WHAT YOU SHOULD TALK ABOUT, BUT
WE DEFINITELY WANT PEOPLE TO
TALK ABOUT BASIC RESEARCH.
THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT
FEEDBACK, THE GREAT DISCUSSION.
WE ARE A LITTLE BEHIND TIME SO I
THINK WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON.
THE NEXT PRESENTATION, SHAWN
GAILLARD WILL LEAD IT, SHE IS
GOING TO TALK ABOUT AN INTERNAL
COMMITTEE THAT SHE AND SOME OF
HER COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN
SHARING.
ARE YOU THERE, SHAWN?
>> YES, I AM.
>> BEFORE YOU START, SHAWN, THIS
DARRIN, CAN WE HAVE EVERYBODY
ELSE TURN OFF THEIR VIDEO WHILE
SHAWN IS TALKING BECAUSE IT
SHOWS UP BETTER ON THE VIDEOCAST
WHEN IT'S JUST THE SPEAKER'S
VIDEO ON.
THANK YOU.
>> GREAT.
SO WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT A
STRIDE COMMITTEE, WHICH IS
REALLY WORK WE'RE DOING IN THE
DIVERSITY SPACE THAT MATCHES
BROADER NIH WIDE EFFORTS.
YOU HEARD ABOUT THE UNITE
INITIATIVE LAST MAY AT COUNCIL
FOR THE TWD DIRECTOR, DR. ALISON
GAMMIE.
SO TODAY WE'RE GOING TO TALK
ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AT THE
INSTITUTE INTERNALLY, SO GOOD
MORNING, I'M SHAWN GAILLARD.
I'M ONE OF THE THREE CO-CHAIRS
OF THE STRIDE COMMITTEE.
THE OTHER CO-CHAIRS ARE MIKE
SESMA AND DARLENE LEE.
SO I'M GOING TO WALK US THROUGH
THIS PRESENTATION AND THEN
TOWARD THE END, DARLENE AND MIKE
AND I CAN -- THEY'LL REJOIN ME
AND WE CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
SO BEFORE WE KIND OF TAKE OFF TO
GET DETAILS ABOUT STRIDE, I WANT
TO JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF
BACK GROWN OF HOW WE DEVELOPED
THIS PARTICULAR COMMITTEE.
AS YOU ALL KNOW, NIGMS HAS A
VERY LONG-STANDING HISTORY IN
THE DIVERSITY SPACE.
PRIMARILY WE DO THAT THROUGH THE
TWD, THE TRAINING WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT AND DIVERSITY
DIVISION, AND RCB, THE RESEARCH
CAPACITY BUILDING DIVISION,
EXTERNALLY.
SO TO GRANT PROGRAMS.
INTERNALLY, WE DO DIVERSITY
IFORTS THROUGH THE DIVISION OF
MANAGEMENT.
WITH THE MAY 2020 TETHER OF
GEORGE FLOYD BY MINNEAPOLIS
POLICE, AND THE SUBSEQUENT
PROTEST AND CRIES FOR RACIAL
JUSTICE THAT ENSUED, NIGMS
LEADERSHIP THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY
IMPORTANT FOR US TO DISCUSS RACE
AT THE INSTITUTE.
HOW DOES THE OVERT RACISM WE SEE
GOING ON IN OUR NATION REALLY
IMPACT US AT WORK.
SO THE NEXT MONTH WE HELD AN
NIH-WIDE MEETING WHERE WE TALKED
ABOUT RACE, REALLY THE FIRST OF
ITS KIND FOR OUR INSTITUTE.
RACE, AFTER ALL, IS A DISCUSSION
WE WERE ALL TOLD NEVER TO TALK
ABOUT AT WORK, BUT THE TIME WAS
RIGHT, THE CONVERSATION IS
IMPORTANT.
SO OUT OF THAT MEETING, ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT WAS RECOMMENDED
AT THAT MEETING WAS TO FORM A
NEW COMMITTEE THAT WOULD REALLY
LOOK AT RACIAL DEIA EFFORTS FOR
THE NIGMS WORKFORCE.
SO INTERNALLY.
STO STRIDE COMMITTEE WAS FORMED
AN THE COMMITTEE STANDS FOR
STRIVING TOWARDS RACIAL
INCLUSION, DIVERSITY AND EQUITY.
THE COMMITTEE REALLY FOCUSES ON
RACIAL AND ETHNIC DEIA ISSUES,
RECOGNIZING THAT ALL TYPES OF
DIVERSITY ELEMENTS ARE CRITICAL,
SUCH AS ACCESSIBILITY, GENDER
EQUALITY, ET CETERA.
WE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE RACE SPACE
WILL IMPACT OTHER DIVERSITY
AREAS.
SO STRIDE IS A ROTATIONAL
COMMITTEE, AND IT'S COMPRISED OF
STAFF FROM ALL ACROSS THE
INSTITUTE.
SO OUR CHARGE IS TO PROPOSE
IDEAS, MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO
THE LEADERSHIP TO REALLY
IMPLEMENT ACROSS THIS INSTITUTE
TO HELP FOSTER OPTIMAL RACIAL,
ETHNIC, INCLUSION, DIVERSITY,
EQUITY AND ACCESSIBILITY
EFFORTS, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE
NIGMS WORKFORCE.
SO WHAT'S OUR WORKFORCE?
ANYONE IN ANY CAPACITY WORKING
AT NIGMS.
SO AN FTE, A FED, A CONTRACTOR,
A VOLUNTEER.
SO OUR GOAL IS TO REALLY CREATE
A MORE INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE
ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL NIGMS STAFF,
NIGMS WORKFORCE, AND TO REALLY
HELP BREAK DOWN ANY SILOS AND TO
CHANGE TO IMPROVE THE GM
CULTURE.
SO I WANT TO JUST SHOW TWO QUICK
QUOTES FROM TWO STAFF MEMBERS
WHO PARTICIPATE ON STRIDE, WHY
THEY WANTED TO PARTICIPATE ON
STRIDE.
SO ONE SAID, I KNEW THAT I
NEEDED TO DO BETTER, ESPECIALLY
COMING FROM A PLACE OF
PRIVILEGE.
I REMEMBER GROWING UP OUTSIDE OF
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, AND WHENEVER
MY FAMILY DROVE DOWN MONUMENT
AVENUE, THESE HUGE CONFEDERATE
STATUES LOOMED OVER ME IN THE
CAR.
NOW, I KNOW THAT THOSE MONUMENTS
WERE PURPOSELY BUILT AND
ESTABLISHED TO BE OPPRESSIVE TO
PEOPLE OF COLOR AND TO REINFORCE
WHITE SUPREMACY.
I JUST KNEW THAT I NEEDED TO
HELP IN ANY WAY THAT I COULD.
ANOTHER PERSON SAID, QUOTE, I
JOINED BECAUSE I SAW IT AS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE AND TO TRY
TO BRING ABOUT CHANGE.
FOR ME, IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW
THAT NO MATTER HOW BIG OR SMALL
OUR DIFFERENCES MAY BE, WE CAN
ALL COME TOGETHER AND LEARN FROM
EACH OTHER.
EVERYONE'S VOICE IS IMPORTANT TO
THE CONVERSATION, AND ALL VOICES
SHOULD BE HEARD, BECAUSE THAT
WILL HELP LEAD US TO A MORE
INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE
WORKFORCE.
END QUOTE.
SO WHAT DOES THE WORKFORCE LOOK
LIKE?
SO HERE, THIS IS A PICTURE OF
THE NIH WORKFORCE LANDSCAPE.
IT ACTUALLY KIND OF HIGHLIGHTS
THE RACIAL IN' INEQUALITIES THAT WE
SEE ACROSS THE NIH.
AND THE NIGMS TRENDS FOLLOW
SIMILAR SUIT.
SO THIS INFORMATION IS PUBLICLY
AVAILABLE.
AND BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE SEEING
AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THIS
PARTICULAR SCALE, YOU'LL SEE
THAT THE GS WORKFORCE IS FOR
SALARY -- WHAT YOU MIGHT
CONSIDER BLUE COLLAR EMPLOYEES,
AND AS AT THE TOP YOU'LL SEE
GS15 AND THEN GR AND GP, WHICH
ARE PHYSICIANS AND DENTISTS.
AND WHAT YOU SEE EMERGING IS THE
GREEN BAR ARE WHITE STAFF
EMPLOYEES AT NIH.
AS YOU GET ABOVE A GS10, IN
PARTICULAR, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT'S
BETTER REPRESENTED ACROSS THE
WORKFORCE.
AND THE GS SCALE I FORGOT TO
MENTION ACTUALLY STANDS FOR THE
GENERAL SCHEDULE.
IT'S THE PAY SCALE THAT THE
GOVERNMENT USES.
SO THE ORANGE BAR ARE BLACK OR
AFRICAN AMERICAN, AND THAT
ACTUALLY HAS A PERIOD
MID-LIKE -- IT'S THE OPPOSITE AS
YOU GET UP THE GS SCALE, THE
NUMBERS GET LESS.
YOU'LL SEE OSCILLATING PATTERNS
FOR THE OTHER RACIAL GROUPS.
I WILL NOTE THAT THE HISPANIC OR
LATINO TO BE EMPLOYEES IN ANY OF
THE FIVE RACIAL CATEGORIES.
SO WITH THAT, YOU KNOW THAT
STRIDE, WE HAVE SOME WORK TO DO,
AND WE HAVE HAD, SINCE THAT
FIRST MEETING WHICH ACTUALLY
BIRTHED THE COMMITTEE ITSELF,
WE'VE HAD TWO MEETINGS.
SO THESE WERE GMS-WIDE MEETINGS
WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT RACE.
SEVERAL TOPICS ARE JUST
HIGHLIGHTED HERE, WE TALKED
ABOUT IMPLICIT BIAS, MICRO
AGGRESSION, REPRESENTATION, THE
SOUTHERN BORDER CROSSINGS INTO
THE U.S., ANTI-ASIAN HATE AND
BIAS.
AT THE 2021 MEETING, WE ALSO
TALKED ABOUT -- WE MENTIONED
THAT THE INSTITUTE HAS HIRED A
FIRM TO DO A CLIMATE ASSESSMENT,
REALLY TRYING TO LOOK AT DOING
CONFIDENTIAL SURVEYS,
INTERVIEWING OF STAFF OURSELVES
TO SEE HOW WE'RE DOING.
SO TAKEN TOGETHER, THIS REALLY
PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK TO FURTHER
EDUCATION AND MAKE STAFF AWARE
OF THESE PARTICULAR ISSUES.
SO WANT TO CONTINUE WITH SOME
MORE OF STRIDE'S EFFORTS.
SO IN ADDITION TO HAVING KIND OF
LIKE INSTITUTE-WIDE
CONVERSATIONS, WE ALSO MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS, AND ONE WAS
RECENTLY APPROVED FROM THE
LEADERSHIP.
I REALLY LIKE HOW THIS PICTURE
KIND OF DENOTES EXACTLY WHAT
WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
WE WANT TO GET RID OF AN
IMBALANCED SYSTEM.
WHAT'S THE CULTURE.
WE DON'T WANT SOME EMPLOYEES
FEELING DISGRUNTLED AND OTHERS
GOING, I'M JUST FINE.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID WAS
WE REALLY TOOK A LOOK AT
OURSELVES.
AND SOMETHING THAT WE SIMPLY DO
IS HOW DO WE ADDRESS ONE
ANOTHER, SO AT OUR INSTITUTE,
IT'S BEEN LONG HELD THAT IF YOU
HELD A PH.D., YOU WERE CALLED BY
YOUR PROFESSIONAL DIE TELL, IE,
DR. SMITH.
BUT IF YOU DID NOT HOLD A PH.D.,
THEN YOU WERE CALLED BY YOUR
FIRST NAME, AND NOT BY YOUR
PROFESSIONAL TITLE, MR. SMITH OR
MISS SMITH.
SO NOW AS AN INSTITUTE, WE ARE
ON A FIRST-NAME BASIS
INTERNALLY, SO IF WE EVER GET
BACK TO THE OFFICE AND WE WALK
UP AND DOWN THE HALLS, WE CAN
ADDRESS ONE ANOTHER JUST BY OUR
FIRST NAMES.
ANOTHER THING WE DID, WE USED TO
CALL CERTAIN STAFF WERE KIND OF
CATEGORIZED PROFESSIONAL STAFF,
WHICH BASICALLY MEANT THE PH.D.
LEVEL STAFF AND THEN OTHER STAFF
WERE CALLED SUPPORT STAFF.
BUT THAT'S REALLY INAPPROPRIATE,
QUITE FRANKLY, BECAUSE ALL STAFF
ARE PROFESSIONALS, AND IN SOME
CAPACITY, ALL STAFF OFFER
SUPPORT.
SO WE'VE DONE AWAY WITH THIS
LEXICON, WE DON'T GO AROUND
HAVING TWO SEPARATE CATEGORIES
OF STAFF.
WE'RE NOW JUST NIGMS STAFF.
SO ANOTHER ONE OF STRIDE'S
EFFORTS, IT ACTUALLY WAS BIRTHED
OUT OF THAT FIRST 2020 MEETING,
THE CONCEPT WAS WHY DON'T WE
HAVE A PLACE WHERE NIGMS STAFF
CAN GO TO AND IT WOULD BE REALLY
A REPOSITORY OF DIFFERENT
ARTICLES AND BOOKS AND
GLOSSARIES OF TERMS, MOVIE
IDEAS, ALL AROUND DIVERSITY.
AND SO STRIDE HAS AN INTERNAL
WEBPAGE AND WE DO JUST THAT.
WE EVEN INCLUDE UPCOMING EVENTS
ACROSS NIH.
SO IF STAFF WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S
GOING ON, HOW DO I LEARN ABOUT
THESE DIVERSITY EFFORTS, THEY
CAN GO JUST INTERNALLY TO OUR
WEBPAGE.
SO ONE OF THE FINAL EFFORTS I'LL
SHARE TODAY WHAT THE STRIDE
COMMITTEE IS DOING IS, WE HAVE
STARTED TO HAVE SMALL GROUP
DISCUSSIONS.
ON THE ONE HAND, IT'S WONDERFUL
TO GET 180-SOME PEOPLE TOGETHER
AND TALK ABOUT DIVERSITY.
BUT IT'S A DIFFERENT THING WHEN
YOU GET TOGETHER IN A SMALL
GROUP, LET'S SAY FOUR TO 10
PEOPLE, SO STAFF CAN REALLY BE
MORE ENGAGED AND HAVE A
CONVERSATION ABOUT A PARTICULAR
DIVERSITY TOPIC.
SO WE'VE HAD ABOUT SIX OF THESE
SESSIONS ALREADY.
THIS IS ACTUALLY INFORMATION
THAT WHAT WILL HAPPEN, THE NIH
SCIENTIFIC WORKFORCE DIVERSITY
SEMINAR HAS A SEMINAR SERIES,
AND SO THE TOPICS, FOR EXAMPLE,
IS IMPLICIT BIAS TRAINING
EFFECTIVE, SO STAFF WILL WATCH
THAT PARTICULAR SEMINAR SERIES,
THAT LECTURE, AND THEN GET
TOGETHER AND HAVE A FACILITATED
DISCUSSION, ONE OF THE STRIDE
MEMBERS WILL ACTUALLY FACILITATE
OR LEAD THE DISCUSSION.
SO THESE PARTICULAR -- THIS
SEMINAR SERIES IS ACTUALLY MADE
PUBLIC, SO YOU CAN WATCH THEM
YOURSELVES AS WELL.
SO I WANTED TO SHARE HERE THE
STRIDE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
THEMSELVES.
REALLY, THEY DO A LOT OF WORK TO
HELP MEET THE COMMITTEE'S
CHARGE.
OUR OVERALL TOPIC IS ABOUT
DIVERSITY, SO IT WAS REALLY
IMPORTANT AT THE ONSET THAT THIS
COMMITTEE WOULD REPRESENT
DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES, SO WE ARE
VERY DIVERSE.
PEOPLE ARE IN DIFFERENT TYPES OF
POSITIONS, DIFFERENT -- THE
SCALE AND DIFFERENT POSITIONS
THROUGHOUT THE NIH INSTITUTE.
WITH THAT, I'LL INVITE BOTH
DARLENE LEE AND MIKE SESMA TO
JOIN ME, YOU CAN TURN ON YOUR
CAMERAS, I GUESS, AND WE'LL
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU
ALL MAY HAVE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, SHAWN, FOR
THAT GREAT PRESENTATION.
WE HAVE TIME FOR A FEW
QUESTIONS.
SONYA.
>> THAT'S ACTUALLY A VERY
FANTASTIC INITIATIVE, AND WE'RE
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT SOME WAY WE
CAN DO THIS ON OUR INSTITUTIONAL
LEVEL AS WELL.
SO MY MAIN ISSUE IS, IT'S REALLY
DIFFICULT TO MEASURE WHAT TRUE
INCLUSION LOOKS LIKE, AND I KNOW
YOU GUYS DID HAVE SOME CLIMATE
SURVEYS ON THERE, AND I WAS
WONDERING FROM THOSE SURVEYS, DO
YOU SEE ANYTHING THAT'S
ACTUALLY -- LIKE ANY IMPACT IN
SEEING THAT THE STRIDE
INITIATIVE DID, IN FACT, WORK OR
IS ACTUALLY WORKING CURRENTLY?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I WILL HAVE TO TURN THAT OVER.
THE STRIET COMID EE IS NOT
LEADING THAT PARTICULAR EFFORT
WITH THOSE ASSESSMENTS --
>> I CAN ANSWER THAT, SHAWN.
SO WE'VE JUST DONE THE CLIMATE
SURVEY AND THE RESULTS HAVE JUST
COME BACK.
THIS WILL SERVE AS A BASELINE
FOR ANSWERING THE QUESTION
YOU'RE ASKING, SONIA.
YOU NEED THE BASELINE AND THEN
YOU CAN DO A SURVEY, GET A
MONITOR FOR CHANGE, BUT I THINK
YOU'RE ASKING EXACTLY THE RIGHT
QUESTION.
OF COURSE THE QUALITY OF THE
SURVEY IS VERY IMPORTANT AS
WELL, SO WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME
MAKING SURE WE HAD THE RIGHT
GROUP TO DO THE SURVEY FOR US.
I THINK WE ACHIEVED THAT.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF DATA AND
YOU HAVE TO DIG INTO IT IN A LOT
OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
TERRI.
>> HI.
IT'S NOT LETTING ME START MY
VIDEO, BUT ONE POINT IS WE'RE
ALL VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE
IMPACT OF COVID, PARTICULARLY ON
UNDERREPRESENTED POPULATIONS AND
THE WORKFORCE, SO I'D ENCOURAGE
YOU AS WE ALL ARE TO REALLY
THINK ABOUT WHERE WE MAY SEE
SOME SOCIALLY INDUCED REDUCTIONS
IN OUR DIVERSITY BECAUSE OF THE
SPECIFIC CHALLENGES, AND WE'RE
ALL TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT IN
OUR OWN WAYS.
SECONDLY, I'LL GO BACK TO WHAT
JON SAID ABOUT HOW HE'LL HELP US
TO RECRUIT THE VERY BEST AND
BRIGHTEST TO NIGMS.
SO AS WAYS AS COUNCIL WE CAN
HELP YOU RECRUIT AT ALL LEVELS
IN YOUR ORGANIZATION AND HOW WE
COULD SHARE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES
AS WELL.
>> THAT'S GREAT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> JEFF.
>> IT WON'T LET ME START MY
VIDEO EITHER.
IN ANY CASE, GREAT JOB, SHAWN.
THANK YOU.
I JUST HAD A FEW QUESTIONS.
ONE OF THEM WAS, IS THE GOAL
EVENTUALLY TO HAVE SOME KIND OF
LEVELS OF CULTURAL COMPETENCE
THAT NIH MAY BE LOOKING AT EVEN
FOR PURPOSES OF HIRING?
>> JON, ACTUALLY I'LL LET YOU
TAKE THAT ONE AS WELL.
>> SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE
COMMITTEE, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU
SOME CONCEPT CLEARANCE, SO
THEY'RE COMING OUT OF A
COMMITTEE THAT I'M CO-LEADING AS
PART OF THE UNITE INITIATIVE,
WHICH IS A GREATER NIH
INITIATIVE WORK ON THESE SAME
ISSUES OF STRUCTURAL RACISM.
THAT EXACT THING IS ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT WE ARE PROPOSING, IS
TO HAVE INCREASED TRAINING FOR
STAFF, BOTH WHEN THEY FIRST GET
HERE, PERIODIC TRAINING AFTER
THAT, AND THEN A WAY TO ASSESS,
AS SONIA IS TALKING ABOUT, THE
EFFICACY OF THAT TRAINING AND
GIVE FEEDBACK BASED ON THAT I A
SESMENT.
SO I
ASSESSMENT.
SO THAT'S ONGOING.
>> I'M GRAD GLAD YOU SAID THAT, JON.
I FORGET WHICH PROGRAM IT WAS
THAT'S GOING TO REQUIRE LEVELS
OF CLIMATE CHECKS.
SO I JUST -- I WAS THINKING
ABOUT MAYBE WAYS OF ALIGNING THE
CLIMATE CHECKS THAT ARE INPLACE
FOR THOSE PROGRAMS AS WELL AS
WHAT'S LAPPING AT NIH.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'LL
HEAR WHEN I GIVE A PRESENTATION
IS THE NEED FOR WELL VETTED
INSTRUMENTS TO DO THOSE THINGS
SO THAT PEOPLE AREN'T JUST
MAKING IT UP AND PEOPLE USING
SIMILAR THINGS.
>> THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS,
THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS OUT THERE
WHO MAY HAVE QUESTIONS OR WANT
TO LEARN MORE, EVERYBODY IS AT
DIFFERENT PLACES IN
UNDERSTANDING NOTIONS OF DEIA.
SO WHAT ARE SOME WAYS, I KNOW
THERE'S THAT LIBRARY SOURCE.
WHAT ARE OTHER WAYS THEY COULD
HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH SOMEONE
TO EXPLORE AND LEARN?
>> I THINK THE NIH DIVERSITY
OFFICE THAT'S JOINED THE SEMINAR
SERIES IS A GREAT PLACE BECAUSE
IT'S PUBLICLY AVAILABLE.
SO IT'S BEYOND JUST NIH STAFF.
AND IT REALLY IS JUST STARTING
TO TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS
AND START TO HAVE THE
CONVERSATIONS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE SAID IS WE
ARE NOT EXPERTS.
WE DON'T HAVE -- THIS IS NOT OUR
EXPERTISE BUT HOW CAN WE TAP
INTO PEOPLE THAT ARE EXPERTS AND
JUST HAVE A DEEPER CONVERSATION,
HAVE A DISCUSSION AROUND THESE
ISSUES, AND THEN BEGIN TO KIND
OF BREAK DOWN SOME OF THE SILOS
TO TAKE THAT LOOK AT OURSELVES
AND SAY, OH, GEE, WHAT ARE WE
MISSING THE MARK ON?
HOW DO WE MAKE SOME PEOPLE KIND
OF FEEL LESS THAN, NEEDLESSLY?
>> GREAT.
OKAY, THANK YOU.
>> GO AHEAD, MIKE.
>> I WAS GOING TO SAY, I THINK
ONE OF THE THINGS THE STRIDE
COMMITTEE IS TRYING TO DO IN
CREATING THE RECEIPT SOURCE THAT
WAS DESCRIBED WAS JUST MAKE ALL
OF OUR STAFF MUCH MORE AWARE AND
SENSITIVE TO THESE ISSUES.
IN THAT WAY, I THINK THEY CAN
ALL PLAY A ROLE IN EDUCATING THE
PUBLIC, NOT ONLY OUR COLLEAGUES,
BUT ALSO THE PUBLIC WHETHER IT'S
THE LAY PUBLIC OR THE SCIENTIFIC
PUBLIC, ABOUT WHERE INFORMATION
ABOUT ISSUES THAT WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT, VERY SENSITIVE ISSUES FOR
A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS, HOW THEY
CAN DISCUSS AND BECOME MORE
AWARE.
JUST SOMETHING LIKE MICRO AGREGS
AND IMPLICIT BIAS, HAVING A
BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THAT
MIGHT ACTUALLY HELP YOU OPERATE
DIFFERENTLY IN YOUR DAILY LIFE.
>> GREAT.
SO QUICKLY, WE'VE GOT LAURA,
ANGELA, THENG THEN PAM.
WE'RE BEHIND SCHEDULE, SO IF WE
CAN KEEP IT FAST, THAT WOULD BE
GREAT.
LAURA?
>> SO QUICKLY, FIRST THANK YOU,
AND YOU HIT ON SOMETHING THAT AT
A GLANCE SEEMS STRAIGHTFORWARD
THIS FIRST NAME BASIS INSTITUTE.
BUT I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY
POWERFUL AND NOT SIMPLE BECAUSE
THERE IS NOT A CONVERSATION THAT
I HAVE EVERY DAY THAT I DON'T
SAY PLEASE CALL ME LAURA, AND
THE RESPONSE IS, NO, I WANT TO
BE RESPECTFUL AND I SAY, NO, I
WANT TO BE MUTUALLY RESPECTFUL,
SO PLEASE CALL ME LAURA, I THINK
IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING AND
POWERFUL INITIATIVE THAT I WOULD
EVEN BE TEMPTED TO TAKE HSC-WIDE
HERE OR TO A HIGHER LEVEL, SO I
JUST WANTED TO THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING THAT TO US AND HELPING
ME THINK MORE ABOUT IT.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THANK YOU.
>> ANGELA BYARS-WINSTON.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT TO
MAKE NIGMS BE ITS BEST VERSION
OF ITSELF.
MY QUESTION IS REALLY HOW WE'RE
CONSIDERING -- THIS IS WRIT
LARGE, INCENTIVIZING THESE
BEHAVIORAL CHANGES.
WE KNOW PEOPLE HAVE DIVERSITY
FATIGUE OVER TIME AND WAITING
FOR MORAL INTRINSIC MOTIVATION
TO CHANGE BEHAVIOR AND PRACTICES
IS NOT A LONG-STANDING
INTERVENTION, IT DOESN'T HAVE
LONG TERM UPTAKE FROM
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE THEORY.
SO I JUST WANT TO PUT IT OUT
THERE THAT WE START CONSIDERING
WHAT ARE THE WAYS WE INCENTIVIZE
PEOPLE'S BEHAVIOR CHANGE
CONNECTED TO ACTUAL REWARDS,
CONNECTED TO THEIR JOB
PERFORMANCE AND ANNUAL REVIEWS.
THANK YOU.
>> MAYBE I CAN JUST TAKE THAT
ONE THAT, AGAIN, AS PART OF THE
UNITE INITIATIVE, NIH IS NOW
INCORPORATED INTO THE
PERFORMANCE EVALUATION STARTING
WITH LEADERSHIP, SO AT THE I.C.
DIRECTOR LEVEL, AND CASCADING
ALL THE WAY DOWN TO EVERY LEVEL
OF THE ORGANIZATION, ELEMENTS
RELATED TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND
INCLUSION AND ACCESSIBILITY.
SO THAT'S ONE WAY, BUT YOU'RE
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, YOU NEED
REWARDS AND YOU NEEDY VALUATION.
SO THE REWARDS PIECE IS
SOMETHING ELSE BEING WORKED ON.
PAM.
>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS.
ONE OF THE THINGS I WONDERED
ABOUT IS IN ADDITION TO THE
GREAT CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE
GOING ON, DO YOU FOLKS HAVE
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN GM THAT SAY
LEADERSHIP ACADEMIES AND GOING
THROUGH SORT OF A STRIATION OF
THE GS SO THAT SOME OF THESE
SHARED TRAITS COULD BE
UNDERSTOOD?
>> I WILL SAY, AND I DIDN'T
MENTION THIS BEFORE, BUT THE
STRIDE AS A COMMITTEE IS WORKING
ON OTHER PROPOSALS TO PRESENT TO
LEADERSHIP, SO I'VE WRITTEN DOWN
YOUR LEADERSHIP -- IDEA.
THEN WE HAVE OF COURSE THE
DIVISION OF MANAGEMENT.
DARLENE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO SAY
SOMETHING BUT A LOT OF THIS
COMES THROUGH THAT PARTICULAR
DIVISION.
>> YES, WE DEFINITELY HAVE A LOT
OF TRAINING AND WE PROVIDE A LOT
THROUGH OUR DIVISION OF
MANAGEMENT UNDER EXECUTIVE
OFFICER SALLY LEE, SO WE MAKE
SURE THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF
DIFFERENT MEETINGS WITH OUR
STAFF, WITH DOUGH A DO A LOT OF
TRAINING, INTERACTION WITH THE
STAFF SO THIS HAS BEEN VERY
HELPFUL ACROSS THE BOARD.
>> AND FINALLY, ANGELA DEPACE.
>> HI THERE.
SO FIRST I WANT TO JUST GIVE
SOME PLUS ONES TO SOME REALLY
THOUGHTFUL COMMENTS THAT I HEARD
AND I CAN'T ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF
THEM BUT THE ONES THAT I CAUGHT
THAT I REALLY WANTED TO LIST OUT
WERE TERRI'S COMMENT ABOUT
ASSESSING COVID IMPACTS.
I THINK THAT THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT'S VERY HARD TO MEASURE, BUT
YOU CAN ALREADY -- IT COULD HAVE
VERY LONG TERM CONSEQUENCES AND
I HOPE THAT WE ALL HAVE EYES ON
IT, PARTICULARLY FOR SCIENTISTS
AND STAFF FROM UNDERREPRESENTED
GROUPS JUST ACROSS THE BOARD.
THE SECOND WAS ANGELA
BYARS-WINSTON'S COMMENT ABOUT
INCENTIVES.
I LEARNED ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN BEING A BELIEVER AND
BEING A BUILDER.
THERE'S FIRST -- WE HAVE TO KNOW
THE CONCEPTS AND UNDERSTAND THEM
AND BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO EACH
OTHER ABOUT THEM.
BUT THEN THERE'S ENORMOUS
AMOUNTS OF WORK IN BUILDING
CULTURES THAT CAN SUPPORT THOSE
CONCEPTS, SO I WANTED TO REALLY
CALL THAT OUT AS WELL.
MY POINT WAS THAT I WANTED TO
SAY THAT I THINK THIS IS SUCH AN
EXCITING LONG TERM OPPORTUNITY
TO START THINKING ABOUT THE
COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS AND
DISPOSITIONS THAT REALLY SHOULD
BE REQUIRED ALL THE WAY THROUGH
THE SCIENTIFIC ECOSYSTEM OF WHAT
NIGMS IS SUCH A CENTRAL PART.
SO AS AN EDUCATOR, I ALSO RUN AS
PART OF MY WORK HERE AN
EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVE WHICH IS
FOCUSED ON SOME SKILLS FOR
PUBLIC WORK.
WE THINK A LOT ABOUT WHAT ARE
THE SKILLS, COMPETENCIES AND
DISPOSITIONS WE SHOULD SORT OF
ALL HOLD.
SO I SEE THESE CONVERSATIONS AS
REALLY BEING THE BEGINNING OF
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT OUR
EDUCATIONAL PIPELINE, NOT ONLY
DO WE KNOW STATISTICS, BUT DO WE
ALSO SORT OF BRING THE SOCIAL
COMPETENCIES THAT WE NEED IN OUR
PROFESSIONAL LIVES AS WELL.
SO I KNOW THAT'S A LONG-TERM
PROJECT AND I JUST HOPE THAT
THERE'S A CONVERSATION WHERE
THESE REALLY MAGNIFICENT
EFFORTS, AND I CONGRATULATE YOU
ON THEM, ARE FEEDING INTO THAT
LONGER LONG TERM CONVERSATION.
I FIND THAT VERY EXCITING AND
HOPEFUL.
SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> I THINK, ANGELA, YOU'LL HEAR
SOME OF THAT IN THE NEXT
SESSION, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SOME
OF THE UNITE INITIATIVES.
SHAWN, MIKE, DARLENE, FANTASTIC
WORK.
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE
DOING.
THANKS FOR GIVING THE
PRESENTATION.
SO NOW WE ARE GOING TO MOVE TO
THE CONCEPT CLEARANCES PART OF
THE OPEN SESSION, SO THIS IS
WHERE WE PRESENT TO YOU EITHER
INITIATIVES WE ARE RENEWING OR
NEW INITIATIVES FOR YOUR
APPROVAL.
I'M GOING TO START WITH
REISSUANCES OF ECK EXISTING NIGMS
PROGRAMS ALL OF BEING REISSUED
WITH EITHER NO CHANGES OR
MINIMAL CHANGES.
SO WE EXPECT TO GO FAIRLY
QUICKLY THROUGH THESE, BUT WE'LL
PAUSE AFTER EACH ONE IN CASE
ANYONE HAS ANY COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS AND THEN A VOTE FOR
EACH ONE.
SO THE FIRST ONE IS THE
REISSUANCE OF THE IDEA CENTERS
OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
EXCELLENCE OR THE COBREs,
PHASE 1.
THERE ARE THREE SEQUENTIAL
FIVE-YEAR FACES FOR COBREs.
THE FIRST IS TO ESTABLISH,
SECOND TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE
RESEARCH CENTERS IN
IDEA-ELIGIBLE STATES AND IN THE
THIRD PHASE, TO TRANSITION THEM
TO SELF-SUSTAINING RESCH
PROGRAMS.
SO THEY'RE TO BUILD CAPACITY AT
INSTITUTIONS AND SPECIFIC BROAD
RESEARCH AREAS.
PHASE ONE'S PURPOSE IS TO
ESTABLISH A CENTER IN A THEMATIC
SCIENTIFIC AREA TO GALVANIZE
RESEARCH AND DEVELOP A CRITICAL
MASS OF INVESTIGATORS FOCUSING
ON EARLY CAREER INVESTIGATORS
WHO CAN THEN COMPETE
SUCCESSFULLY FOR EXTERNAL
RESEARCH FUNDING.
THERE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ANY
SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES FROM THE
PREVIOUS FOA, BUT WE'RE GOING TO
EMPHASIZE A FEW THINGS THAT WE
THINK HAVE BEEN INADEQUATELY
EMPHASIZED PREVIOUSLY, FIRST THE
COBRE RESEARCH THEMES SHOULD BE
APPROPRIATELY BROAD TO ALLOW
EFFECTIVE CAPACITY BUILDING BY
INSTITUTIONS IN GIVEN SCIENTIFIC
FIELDS.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT A
CADRE OF INVESTIGATORS TO BUILD
THEIR CAPACITY IF THE RESEARCH
AREA IS VERY NARROWLY FOCUSED.
SO WE'D LIKE TO SEE BROADER
COBRES IN SCIENTIFIC SCOPE.
RESEARCH THEMES SHOULD BE
ALIGNED WITH THE INSTITUTE'S
SUPPORT AND OVERSIGHT.
THAT GOES WITH THE FIRST ONE AS
WELL.
THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR
PIs AND RESEARCH PROJECT
LEADER IS GOING TO BE PRIMARILY
BASED ON NIH FUNDING AND TERMS.
AND FINALLY, A COBRE, IN A
SCIENTIFIC FIELD OR HIGHLY
SIMILAR FIELDS, CAN'T ALREADY
EXIST AT THAT IPS TEUTION.
SO INSTITUTION, SO WE
DON'T WANT DUPLICATION, THERE
WOULD BE NO REAL POINT IN DOING
THAT.
THIS IS IN THE DIVISION OF
RESEARCH CAPACITY BUILDING AND
THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR IS MICHELE
MCGUIRL.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON
THIS?
I DON'T SEE ANY.
ERICA, DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THE
VOTE?
>> SO JUST A QUICK NOTE ABOUT
THE VOTING PROCEDURES. TO KEEP
THIS AS STREAMLINED AS POSSIBLE
IN THIS VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT, I'M
GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL FOR
THE MOTION AND THEN ASK FOR ANY
OPPOSITION TO THE MOTION.
YOU CAN USE THE FEATURE IN ZOOM
TO RAISE YOUR HAND SO WE CAN SEE
IF YOU OPPOSE THE MOTION AND
WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THAT EASILY
IN ZOOM.
SO FOR THIS FIRST ONE, I'M GOING
TO MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THIS
CONCEPT FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT
AS AN FOA.
ARE ANY OPPOSED?
AGAIN, JUST RAISE YOUR HAND IN
ZOOM.
OKAY, THE MOTION IS A I PROVED.
THANK APPROVE THE.
THANK ED.
>> THE SECOND IS ALSO AN IDEA
PROGRAM, THE INBRAYs.
TO AUGMENT AND STRENGTHEN THE
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CAPACITY OF
IDEA STATES BY SUPPORTING
RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE AND
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY 24 AWARDS
WHICH AMOUNTS FOR ONE TO IDEA
STATE AND PUERTO RICO.
EACH IS A NETWORK WITHIN THE
STATE WITH MULTIPLE INSTITUTIONS
THAT INCLUDES RESEARCH INTENSIVE
INSTITUTION AND THAT NETWORKS
OUT TO PRIMARILY UNDERGRADUATE
INSTITUTIONS INCLUDING COMMUNITY
COLLEGES AND TRIBALLY CONTROLLED
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AS
WELL AS HBCUs IN THE STATE.
THERE ARE NO SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES
THAT WE PROPOSE IN THE PREVIOUS
FOA.
THIS ALSO IS IN THE DIVISION OF
RESEARCH CAPACITY BUILDING AND
KRISHAN ARORA IS THE PROGRAM
DIRECTOR.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON
THAT?
DON'T SEE ANY.
ERICA, GO AHEAD.
>> I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE
CONCEPT.
ARE ANY OPPOSED?
OKAY, IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE
APPROVED.
>> THANK YOU.
THEN WE HAVE THE
POST-BACCALAUREATE RESEARCH
EDUCATION PROGRAM, THE PREP
PROGRAM.
THE PURPOSE IS TO DEVELOP A
DIVERSE POOL OF WELL TRAINED
POSTBAC LORE YATS WHO WILL
TRANSITION INTO AND COMPLETE
RIGOROUS BIOMEDICAL,
RESEARCH-FOCUSED DOCTORAL DEGREE
PROGRAMS, SUCH AS PH.D.s OR MD
PH.D.s IN BIOMEDICAL FIELDS
RELEVANT TO THE NIGMS MISSION.
THERE ARE NO SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES
FROM THE PREVIOUS FO.
A, JUST
MINOR THINGS, CLARIFY THE
EXPECTATIONS OF ESTABLISHED
INVESTIGATOR ROLE ON THE
LEADERSHIP TEAM, WE WANT TO
ENHANCE LANGUAGE AROUND
PROVIDING A SAFE AND INCLUSIVE
RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT AND
TRAINING ENVIRONMENT THAT
ACTUALLY MAKES A PARALLEL TO ALL
OF OUR OTHER TRAINING PROGRAM
FOAs ALREADY.
THIS IS IN THE TRAINING
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND
DIVERSITY DIVISION, AND ANISSA
BROWN AND LAURIE STEPANEK ARE
THE PROGRAM DIRECTORS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT
PREP?
LESLIE.
LESILEE.
>> I'M CURIOUS IF THERE'S ANY
DATA ON THERE OF WHETHER
TWO-YEAR PROGRAMS HAVE A BETTER
OR LOWER SUCCESS RATE THAN
ONE-YEAR PROGRAMS OF THIS TYPE.
AND SO OBVIOUSLY IT WOULDN'T
AFFECT THIS VOTE, BUT FOR THE
FUTURE, BECAUSE JUST FROM MY
VIEW OF THINGS, I FEEL LIKE THE
ONE-YEAR PREP PROGRAM THAT WE
HAVE IS JUST TOO FAST.
IT PUTS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE
STUDENTS AND I WOULD JUST THINK
A TWO-YEAR PROGRAM WOULD BE MUCH
BETTER BUT YES, IT WOULD COST
YOU A LOT OF MONEY.
BUT IS THERE ANY DATA?
BECAUSE, OF COURSE, THIS IS
ANECDOTAL.
>> I AM NOT AWARE OF IN YOU DATA
BUT THAT IS A PERENNIAL TOPIC OF
CONSIDERATION AND THERE IS BOTH
SIDES OF THE ARGUMENT.
IF YOU CAN ET GO THEM TO
GRADUATE SCHOOL IN A YEAR
SUCCESSFULLY, THAT'S BETTER, BUT
I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY DATA BUT I
WILL CONSULT WITH STAFF AS TO
WHETHER WE KNOW, BUT WE WILL
ALSO TAKE YOUR COMMENT UNDER
CONSIDERATION IN TERMS OF MAKING
THINKING ABOUT WHETHER MORE
FLEXIBILITY CAN BE GIVEN IN
TERMS OF EXPANDING THE TIMELINE.
>> AND I ALSO THINK FROM JUST
HAVING BEEN A MENTOR IN IT,
BECAUSE YOU'RE WRITING A
RECOMMENDATION LETTER FOR A
STUDENT, THAT YOU'VE REALLY JUST
MET OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME,
AND I FEEL LIKE I WOULD HAVE HAD
A MUCH BETTER BASIS AND BEEN
ABLE TO HELP THE STUDENT
POTENTIALLY GET INTO A PROGRAM
THAT BETTER MATCHED THEM IF
THEY'D BEEN IN MY LAB LONGER.
BUT AGAIN, ANECDOTAL.
>> THANK YOU.
PAM.
>> THANK YOU.
THIS IS HUGE, AND ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN
CONFUSING FOR US IS THE NOTION
OF THOSE STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY
FROM UNDERREPRESENTED
COMMUNITIES, THAT ARE FOCUSED ON
AN M.D. DEGREE, AND HOW TO HAVE
THAT AS AN ACCEPTABLE END POINT
WITH RESEARCH BUILT INTO IT.
THAT MAY BE HANDLED BY OTHER
INSTITUTES, BUT CERTAINLY IT'S
SOMETHING THAT MAKES STUDENTS
SOMETIMES BE IN REAL CONFLICT IN
TERMS OF WHAT TYPES OF PATHS
THEY TAKE.
>> THAT'S ANOTHER EXCELLENT
POINT.
IT'S A PERENNIAL ONE OF
DISCUSSION.
I THINK OUR THINKING HAS EVOLVED
SOMEWHAT ON THAT.
IT USED TO BE -- WHEN ALISON AND
I WERE FIRST HERE, IT WAS A
PRETTY HARD LINE THAT AN
M.D.-ONLY DEGREE WAS NOT WHAT WE
WERE LOOKING FOR.
I THINK WE'VE TAKEN A SOMEWHAT
BROADER VIEW THAT SOMEONE WHO
GETS AN M.D. AND CONTRIBUTES TO
THE DIVERSITY OF THAT POOL IS A
POSITIVE THING.
ESPECIALLY IF MAYBE THEY
CONTRIBUTE TO RESEARCH, EITHER
DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.
NOARND, I THINK YOU'D AGREE IF
THE PROGRAM BECAME BURELY A
PRE-MED GETTING INTO MEDICAL
SCHOOL PROGRAM, THAT'S ALSO NOT
CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE WANT TO
DO OR WHAT THE NRSA ACT AS
EITHER.
SO I THINK IT'S A BALANCING ACT.
I THINK SOME OF IT IS OKAY, TOO
MUCH OF IT IS PROBABLY NOT THE
RIGHT DIRECTION.
BUT WE'LL ALSO TAKE THAT INTO
CONSIDERATION.
ERICA, I THINK WE SHOULD MOVE
ON.
>> I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THIS
CONCEPT FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT
AS A FO.
A.
OA, ANY OPPOSED?
THE MOTION IS APPROVED.
>> WE'LL TAKE LESILEE AND PAM'S
EXCELLENT COMMENTS INTO
CONSIDERATION AS WE DEVELOP THIS
REVISED FOA.
SO THAT'S THE ONES THAT HAD NO
MAJOR CHANGES.
NOW I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT TWO
CONCEPT CLEARANCES THAT WE'RE
DOING FOR NEW PROGRAMS, AND
THESE ARE ACTUALLY NOT
NIGMS-SPECIFIC PROGRAMS.
THESE ARE PROGRAMS THAT, AS I
ALLUDED TO BEFORE, ARE COMING
FROM THE UNITE INITIATIVE,
SPECIFICALLY FROM THE E
COMMITTEE, WITH I IS FOCUSED ON
THE EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH
ECOSYSTEM, WHICH I CO-CHAIR WITH
ERICA BOONE AND ANA, WE HAVE A
NUMBER OF EXCELLENT PEOPLE ON
THE COMMITTEE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING FOR OVER A
YEAR TO DEVELOP A WHOLE SUITE OF
PROPOSAL, AND THIS IS THE FIRST
SET OF CONCEPT CLEARANCES OF
WHAT WILL BE A NUMBER MORE
COMING IN THE COMING MONTHS, AN
THEY HAPPEN TO BE COMING TO
NIGMS COUNCIL.
OTHERS WILL BE GOING TO OTHER
IC'S COUNCILS.
SO THE EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH
ECOSYSTEM GROUP DIVIDED ITSELF
INTO FOUR DIFFERENT SUBGROUPS.
OUR OVERALL CHARGE WAS TO LOOK
AT CHANGING NIH POLICIES,
CULTURE AND STRUCTURE TO PROMOTE
EXTRAMURAL WORKFORCE DIVERSITY
AND INCLUSION.
THE FOUR GROUPS WE BROKE
OURSELVES INTO, THE FIRST
FOCUSED ON CAREER PATHWAYS FOR
MEMBERS OF UNDERREPRESENTED
GROUPS.
THE SECOND FOCUSED ON INEQUITIES
AT EXTRAMURAL INS INSTITUTIONS IN
TERMS OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT AND
CULTURE, AND AT SOME LEVEL, THE
CONCEPT CLEARANCES I'M TALKING
ABOUT ARE COMING OUT OF THAT
SUBGROUP.
THERE WAS ALSO A SUBSCREUP
THAT'S FOCUSED ON INEQUITIES AT
NIH IN TERMS OF OUR INTERNAL
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND HOW
THOSE AFFECT THE EXTRAMURAL
ECOSYSTEM, AND FINALLY THERE WAS
A GROUP WORKING ON RESEARCH
RESOURCES AND CAPACITY AT
MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTIONS.
I JUST DO WANT TO MENTION THAT
FROM THE CAREER PATHWAYS GROUP,
ONE THING THAT'S HAPPENING VERY
SOON IS THAT OTHER ICs ARE
BEING ENABLED TO SIGN ON TO THE
SCIENCE EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP
AWARD PROGRAM IN ORDER TO
SUPPORT CAPACITY-BUILDING AT THE
K-12 LEVEL, THE PRE-K-12 LEVEL
WITH A GOAL OF BUILDING
DIVERSITY OF THE SCIENTIFIC
ENTERPRISE.
SO THAT WILL ALLOW US TO EXPAND
THE NUMBER OF AWARDS THAT ARE
GIVEN, WHICH I THINK WILL BE A
REALLY POWERFUL THING AND BRING
IN THE KINDS OF HEALTH-RELATED
AREAS THAT ARE COVERED.
SO I MENTIONED THAT THESE TWO
PROPOSED PROGRAMS ARE COMING OUT
OF THE INSTITUTIONAL CULTURE
SUBGROUP, WHICH ACTUALLY I
HELPED LEAD.
WHY IS INSTITUTIONAL CULTURE
IMPORTANT?
THE WAY WE'VE BEEN THINKING
ABOUT IT IS SORT OF SIMILAR TO
THE SOIL, THAT YOU CAN TAKE
PLANTS OR SEEDS, AND THOSE COULD
BE FACULTY MEMBERS, THEY COULD
BE TRAINEE, THEY COULD BE STAFF
AND PUT THEM IN SOIL THAT IS NOT
CONDUCIVE TO GROWTH AND
THRIVING, AND YOU WILL NOT HAVE
A HEALTHY ECOSYSTEM AND A
HEALTHY INSTITUTION.
YOU NEED THAT CULTURE WHICH IS
THE SOIL IN WHICH PEOPLE LIVE
AND THRIVE, TO BE HEALTHY, IN
ORDER TO SUSTAIN A HEALTHY AND
INCLUSIVE DIVERSE WORKFORCE AT
YOUR INSTITUTION.
SO THAT'S HOW WE'RE LOOKING AT
INSTITUTIONAL CULTURE.
NOW THE FIRST PROPOSAL RELATES
TO CLIMATE ASSESSMENTS AND SELF
STUDIES.
WE DID A VERY DEEP DIVE INTO THE
LITERATURE OF WHAT'S KNOWN ABOUT
INSTITUTIONAL CULTURE, HOW TO
ASSESS IT, HOW TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT IS POSITIVE AND WHAT IS
NEGATIVE ABOUT IT AND HOW TO
CHANGE IT IN A POSITIVE WAY.
ONE THING THAT CAME UP OVER AND
OVER AGAIN WAS THE REALLY
REQUIREMENT TO CONDUCT, AS WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT WITH JEFF, CLIMATE
ASSESSMENTS USING VALIDATED
INSTRUMENTS AS A STARTING POINT.
AND THEN BUILDING OFF THOSE
CLIMATE ASSESSMENTS DOING
SELF-STUDIES, VERY CRITICAL AND
OBJECTIVE SELF STUDIES, AND
BUILDING OFF ALL THAT
INFORMATION TO DEVELOP AN ACTION
PLAN FOR IMPROVING THE CULTURE.
THESE ARE JUST SOME PAPERS AND
DIFFERENT PUBLICATIONS THAT MAKE
THIS GENERAL POINT.
YOU PROBABLY RECOGNIZE SOME OF
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE AUTHORS ON
THESE PAPERS.
BUT FROM THIS PAPER.
THEY SAID CAMPUSES THAT STRIVE
TO BECOME FUNCTIONAL
MULTICULTURAL LEARNING
ENVIRONMENTS CAN NOW RELY ON A
BODY OF EMPIRICAL INFORMATION TO
GUIDE PRACTICE AND CRITICAL
SELF-ASSESSMENT TO DEEPEN THEIR
COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY.
SO THAT IS THE FUNDAMENTAL
MESSAGE THAT WE GOT FROM THE
LITERATURE.
NOW, ONE IMMEDIATE AREA THAT WE
RECOGNIZE BUILT OFF OF THIS
PREMISE THAT AN INSTITUTION
NEEDED TO DO CRITICAL CLIMATE
ASSESSMENTS AND OBJECTIVE SELF
STUDIES BASED ON THE RESULTS IS
AAAS'S SEA CHANGE PROGRAM.
THIS IS A PROGRAM TO SUPPORT
CULTURAL CHANGE IN POSITIVE WAYS
AT INSTITUTIONS AND SUPPORT
DIVERSIFICATION AND AN INCLUSIVE
ENVIRONMENT IN THOSE
INSTITUTIONS.
IF YOU GO TO THEIR WEBSITE, THEY
SAY THEY START WITH A PREMISE
THAT THE INSTITUTION IS GOING TO
DO A SELF-ASSESSMENT, IT LOOKS
AT ALL THESE VARIOUS ASPECTS.
FROM THERE, THEY'RE GOING TO
BUILD AN ACTION PLAN.
AND SO OUR IDEA IS WE NEED TO
HELP INSTITUTIONS IN THE EARLIER
PHASE, WHERE THEY'RE DOING THE
CLIMATE SURVEY USING WELL
CONSTRUCTED RIGOROUS INSTRUMENTS
AND THEN USING THAT INFORMATION
TO DO A SELF ASSESSMENT SO THEY
CAN THEN FEED INTO THIS ACTION
PLAN, THAT AAAS IS ALSO HELPING
THEM IMPLEMENT.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO WORK A LITTLE
BIT UPSTREAM OF WHAT AAAS' SEA
CHANGE IS DOING.
SO THAT'S THE FIRST NEW PROPOSED
PROGRAM.
TENTATIVELY WE'RE CALLING IT THE
INSTITUTIONAL CLIMATE ASSESSMENT
AND DEI ACTION PLAN DEVELOPMENT
GRANTS.
THESE WOULD BE GRANTS TO
INSTITUTIONS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT
FOR CONDUCTED CLIMATE
ASSESSMENTS, AGAIN USING
VALIDATED INSTRUMENTS, AND THERE
ARE VALIDATED INSTRUMENTS
ALREADY OUT THERE.
PERFORMING CRITICAL SELF STUDIES
OF CULTURE CHANGE NEEDS BASED ON
THE CLIMATE SURVEY INFORMATION.
AND THEN FROM ALL OF THAT
DEVELOPING ACTION PLANS FOR
CULTURE CHANGE, WHICH WOULD
INCLUDE METRICS AND METHODS FOR
ASSESSING PROGRESS, AS SONYA WAS
ASKING ABOUT, DISSEMINATING
RESULTS AND SUSTAINING EFFORTS.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS
THAT WE NEED TO WORK THROUGH
HERE.
AS THIS IS BEING DEVELOPED.
ONE IS WE WOULD WANT TO TAKE
INTO ACCOUNT INSTITUTIONAL NEEDS
AND THE VALUABLE RESOURCES THEY
ALREADY HAVE WHEN FIGURING OUT
HOW THESE AWARDS, THESE GRANTS
WOULD BE MADE.
INSTITUTIONS THAT ALREADY HAVE A
LOT OF RESOURCES, MAYBE THEY
WOULD GET SMALLER GRANTS JUST TO
CATALYZE THE ACTIVITY, WHEREAS
INSTITUTIONS THAT MIGHT HAVE
LESS RESOURCES MIGHT GET MORE
SUBSTANTIAL GRANTS TO REALLY
ALLOW THEM TO DO THE ACTIVITIES
WHICH THEY DON'T HAVE FUNDS
OTHERWISE TO CONDUCT.
THE IDEA THIS WILL BE OPEN FOR
INSTITUTES AND CENTERS AT NIH TO
SIGN ON TO AND FUND AND MANAGE
THOSE AWARDS THEY FUND AND PICK
UP, AND THERE WILL BE OVERALL
COORDINATION FOR A FOR BY A LEAD
INSTITUTE OR CENTER THAT'S STILL
TO BE DETERMINED.
SO THAT'S ONE PROGRAM.
I GUESS I WILL PAUSE THERE AND
ASK FOR -- WELL, LET ME GO
THROUGH BOTH AND THEN WE'LL TAKE
SEPARATE VOTES AND HAVE A
DISCUSSION.
IT'S PROBABLY EASIER TO GO
THROUGH BOTH.
THE SECOND PROGRAM IS ADDRESSING
A SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT ISSUE,
WHICH IS OFTEN CALLED THE
MINORITY TAX OR THE DIVERSITY
TAX.
THIS IS THE OBSERVATION THAT
PEOPLE FROM UNDERREPRESENTED
GROUPS WHO ARE IN THE SCIENCES
ALREADY SAY AT THE FACULTY LEVEL
OR EVEN THE TRAINEE LEVEL, ARE
CALLED ON MUCH MORE FREQUENTLY
TO PLAY A ROLE IN EFFORTS TO
BUILD DIVERSITY, EQUITY,
INCLUSION AND ACCESSIBILITY THAN
ARE MEMBERS OF WELL REPRESENTED
GROUPS.
AND THIS MAKES SENSE BECAUSE
THEY ARE GOOD ROLE MODELS FOR
PEOPLE FROM UNDERREPRESENTED
BACKGROUNDS, THEY HAVE THE LIVED
EXPERIENCE, ET CETERA, AND IN
GENERAL, THEY WANT TO CONTRIBUTE
TO THEIR COMMUNITIES AND TO
BUILDING DIVERSITY.
BUT THIS ALSO CREATES THE TAX.
IT'S AN UNFAIR SITUATION BECAUSE
THEY ARE BEING ASKED TO DO MORE
WITH THE SAME RESOURCES, AND
THAT, THEN, CAN CUT INTO THEIR
ABILITY TO CONDUCT THEIR
RESEARCH, DO THEIR TEACHING, OR
WHATEVER ELSE THEY DO IN THEIR
PROFESSIONAL LIVES.
SO THAT'S WHERE THIS CONCEPT OF
A TAX COMES FROM, THAT IT IS A
TAX ESSENTIALLY ON BEING AN
UNDERREPRESENTED INDIVIDUAL, AND
THAT GIVES YOU AN ADDITIONAL
DISADVANTAGE IN THE SYSTEM
RELATIVE TO THOSE WHO ARE NOT
UNDERREPRESENTED.
NOW WHEN LOOKING AT A MODEL TO
ADDRESS THIS, ONE THING THAT WE
KNEW ABOUT AND THOUGHT ABOUT WAS
HHMI'S PROFESSORS AWARDS.
SO WHAT THE PROFESSORS AWARDS
ARE IS REALLY, I THINK, AN
EXEMPLAR PROGRAM THAT RECOGNIZES
BOTH THE SYNERGY AND THE TENSION
BETWEEN TEACHING EXCELLENCE IN
THIS
THEIR CASE AND RESEARCH
ACHIEVEMENTS.
SO PEOPLE WHO PUT A LOT OF
EFFORT INTO TEACHING, INNOVATIVE
TEACHING AND DOING AN EXCELLENT
JOB IN TEACHING HAVE A SIMILAR
PROBLEM IN THE WAY THAT TAKES
AWAY TIME FROM THEIR RESEARCH
EFFORTS.
SO HHMI RECOGNIZED THIS AND
DECIDED TO AWARD PEOPLE, THESE
PROFESSORS AWARDS, THAT PROVIDE
SUPPORT NOT JUST FOR THEIR
EDUCATIONAL INNOVATION
ACTIVITIES, BUT ALSO FOR THEIR
RESEARCH TO TRY TO BREAK THAT
TENSION A LITTLE BIT.
SO WE THOUGHT A SIMILAR MODEL
MIGHT BE EFFECTIVE IN TERMS OF
THE DIVERSITY TAX.
SO THIS IS A SECOND NEW PROPOSED
PROGRAM.
TENTATIVELY WE'RE CALLING IT THE
EXCELLENCE IN DIVERSITY, EQUITY,
INCLUSION AND ACCESSIBILITY
INVESTIGATORS GRANTS.
THESE WOULD BE GRANTS, REAL
RESEARCH PROJECT-TYPE GRANTS
FOR, SAY, FIVE YEARS AND THEY
WOULD COMBINE SUPPORT FOR THE
RESEARCH OF THE INVESTIGATOR AND
THEIR MENTORING AND DEIA
ACTIVITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE
REALLY DEMONSTRATE EXCELLENCE IN
PROMOTING EQUITY, DIVERSITY,
INCLUSION AND ACCESSIBILITY IN
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH.
SO THEY WOULD PROVIDE SUPPORT
FOR THE RESEARCH PROGRAM AND
ALSO CONTINUING DEIA ACTIVITIES.
SO SUPPORT FOR BOTH THOSE THINGS
AS HELPING TO PAY BACK, GIVE A
REBATE, IF YOU WILL, ON THE
DIVERSITY TAX AND ALSO ENABLE
FUTURE ACTIVITIES.
AGAIN, THE NOTION IS THAT ICs
WILL SIGN ON TO THIS FO.
A AND FUND THE AND MANAGE GRANTS IN
THEIR MISSION AREAS AND NIGMS
WILL TAKE OVERALL COORDINATION
OF THE PROGRAM AND MAKE SURE
THAT EVERYTHING IS COORDINATED
AS IT SHOULD BE.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL OPEN THE
FLOOR TO QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
ON EITHER INITIATIVE, AND THEN
WE WILL TAKE A VOTE ON EACH ONE
SEPARATELY.
ANGELA.
THERE YOU ARE.
>> THERE I AM.
EXCELLENT.
WONDERFUL.
SO THIS IS SO EXCITING TO SEE
THESE KINDS OF PROGRAMS
DEVELOPING.
SO I FIRST WANT TO THANK ALL OF
THE HARD WORK THAT I KNOW MUST
HAVE GONE INTO CONCEPTUALIZING
BOTH OF THEM.
SO FOR THE FIRST PROJECT AROUND
SORT OF INTERNAL INSTITUTIONAL
ASSESSMENT, I HAD A NUMBER OF
IDEAS I WANTED TO OFFER AS YOU
SHAPE THE FOA.
THE FIRST IS THAT WHETHER OR NOT
ENTIRE INSTITUTIONS ARE THE ONLY
SIZE THAT COULD BE AWARDED FOR
THIS KIND OF MECHANISM, BECAUSE
BEING PART OF A VERY LARGE
RESEARCH INSTITUTION MYSELF, I
WONDER IF THERE MIGHT BE SOME
REAL VALUE IN SMALLER SCALE
AWARDS, EITHER TO DEPARTMENTS,
GRADUATE PROGRAMS, SORT OF
CONSORTIA OF DEPARTMENTS, SCHOOL
WITHIN AN INSTITUTION, THINGS
LIKE THIS.
SO IT'S A SORT OF GENERAL
QUESTION ABOUT THE RIGHT-SIZING
OF THE GROUP.
THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS
ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THERE COULD
BE AN ADDITIONAL ROLE FOR
INSTITUTIONS WHO ARE HIGHLY
RESOURCED BUT MIGHT BENEFIT
ENORMOUSLY BY PARTICIPATING.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, EVEN IF THEY
WEREN'T GIVEN A MONETARY AWARD
TO PARTICIPATE, THEY COULD HAVE
A DIFFERENT KIND OF AWARD, WHICH
WOULD BE PARTICIPATING IN
GAINING ACCESS TO THE RESOURCES
AND TRAINING THE GRANT IS
OFFERING.
I THINK THIS COULD HAVE HUGE
VALUE IN TERMS OF IF THERE'S A
COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE THAT'S
EVOLVING AROUND THESE KINDS OF
EFFORTS, HAVING THE INTERPLAY
BETWEEN HIGHLY RESOURCED AND
LESS RESOURCED INSTITUTIONS IN
THE SAME DISCUSSION, AND ALSO
PART OF THE VALUE OF GETTING A
GRANT IS OUTSIDE OF THE FINANCES
OF IT, IT'S THE OFFICIAL
CERTIFICATION AND RECOGNITION
THAT IT PROVIDES OF LEADERSHIP
IN THAT AREA.
SO IT MAY BE THAT THERE'S -- BY
PUTTING TOGETHER THIS PROGRAM,
YOU COULD -- I BET THERE WOULD
BE PEOPLE WHO WOULD BE VERY
EXCITED TO PARTICIPATE EVEN
WITHOUT THE FINANCIAL INCENTIVE
BASED ON BOTH THE COMMUNITY, THE
RESOURCES AND THE RECOGNITION
THAT IT COULD PROVIDE.
SO MAYBE THERE'S SOME SORT OF
CERTIFICATION THAT COULD ALSO GO
ALONG WITH THAT.
>> I THINK THOSE ARE BOTH
EXCELLENT POINTS, ANGELA, AND
BOTH UNDER ACTUALLY ACTIVE
DISCUSSION BY THE GROUP THAT'S
TRYING TO WORK ON THIS.
I SHOULD SAY THERE IS ANOTHER
GROUP THAT IS WORKING ON A PRIZE
FOR INSTITUTIONS THAT HAVE DONE
EXCEPTIONAL THINGS IN DEIA,
WHICH GETS TO YOUR SECOND POINT
TO SOME DEGREE AS WELL.
BUT I THINK WE DON'T WANT TO
EXCLUDE INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE
ALREADY WELL RESOURCED FROM
THIS, BUT IT'S A MATTER OF HOW
DO WE USE THE AWARD, THE GRANT
TO CATALYZE THEM DOING THINGS
WITHOUT GIVING THEM MONEY THAT
THEY COULD BE DIRECTING FROM
THEIR OWN WELL RESOURCED
COFFERS, IF YOU WILL.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THAIS WHY I THINK MAYBE A
CATEGORY THAT HAS TO DO WITH
PARTICIPATION WITH STRUCTURING
THAT ROLE AND THE EXPECTATIONS
OF WHAT PARTICIPATION WOULD BE,
MY GUESS IS THAT THAT WOULD BE
ENOUGH FOR MANY.
>> THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
ABSOLUTELY.
AND TO YOUR FIRST POINT ABOUT
THE SCALE, I THINK WE'VE
DISCUSSED THAT AS WELL.
THE GROUP IS WORKING ON THAT.
AND I THINK IT'S A INTERESTING
THINGS.
THE DEPARTMENT IS AFFECTED BY
EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT DO WE WANT
TO BE AFFECTING -- DO WE WANT TO
BE PAYING FOR SOMETHING THAT'S
GOING TO AFFECT THE ENGLISH
DEPARTMENT AS WELL, AND HOW DO
YOU DISENTANGLE THE FACT THIS IS
ALL A SYSTEM.
SO IT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.
I THINK THEY'RE STILL THINKING
IT THROUGH.
WE'VE GOT SQUIRE AND OSVALDO AND
THEN MELANIE.
>> HI, JON.
I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER TO
THIS QUESTION BUT AIM GOING TO
ASK IT ANYWAY.
SO FOR THE EXCELLENCE IN DEI DND
GRANTS, ARE THOSE OFF LIMITS TO
PEOPLE WHO HAVE MIRAs?
>> YES, THEY WOULD BE FNLT AND
THE IDEA AGAIN IS, I THINK WE
REALLY HOPE THROUGH THESE, THAT
THEY WOULD BE BRINGING PEOPLE
INTO FUNDING WHO ARE NOT
CURRENTLY FUNDED BY AND LARGE.
>> OH, THAT'S THE POINT.
I SEE.
>> WELL, THAT'S A PART OF THE
POINT FOR SURE.
I'M NOT SURE THAT IT WOULD BE
EXCLUSIVE BECAUSE THERE ARE
PEOPLE WHO ARE MODESTLY FUNDED
AND ARE SUFFERING FROM THIS TAX
AND I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT
WHETHER THEY WOULD BE SUPPORTED,
BUT SOMEONE WHO IS ALREADY WELL
SUPPORTED, I THINK IS NOT THE
PRIMARY TARGET AUDIENCE OF THIS.
>> I GOTCHA.
THANKS.
>> OSVALDO.
>> I HAVE A SIMILAR QUESTION.
I GUESS -- WHAT WOULD BE THE
EMPHASIS, NEW INVESTIGATORS OR
MORE ESTABLISHED INVESTIGATORS?
OR THERE'S NO PREFERENCE FOR
THIS DEI INVESTIGATORS AWARD?
>> AGAIN THIS IS THE EARLY DAYS,
WE'RE JUST KIND OF VETTING THE
CONCEPT WITH YOU, SO IT WOULD BE
INTERESTING TO HEAR YOUR OPINION
BUT I THINK OUR THINKING WAS, IT
WOULD BE BROAD AND OPEN AND
COULD TARGET ANY CAREER STAGE.
AGAIN, THE HOPE WOULD BE THERE
WOULD NOT BE AN EXPECTATION THAT
SOMEONE WHO GOT THIS ALREADY HAD
NIH FUNDING.
THIS COULD BE SOMEONE WHO WAS
NOT FUNDED BY NIH AT ANY CAREER
STAGE.
>> OKAY.
>> MELANIE.
>> THE SAME TOPIC.
I THINK THIS IS A RILEY A REALLY
INTERESTING IDEA.
HAVING BEEN ON STUDY SECTION FOR
A LONG TIME AND REVIEWED A LOT
OF R15s, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF
THE BIGGEST FIGURING OUT THE
REVIEW CRITERIA FOR THIS IS
GOING TO BE ONE OF THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGES BECAUSE WHEN YOU
INCLUDE RESEARCH AND SOMETHING
ELSE, THEN YOU END UP WITH A LOT
OF PEOPLE ON STUDY SECTION WHO
FOCUS ON ONLY ONE, AND SO -- AND
I THINK THAT IT BECOMES VERY
CHALLENGING SO THAT WAS, I
GUESS, A FIRST THING.
RELATED TO THAT, I'M TRYING TO
THINK ABOUT THE BEST WAY TO PUT
THIS, BUT OFTEN THE PEOPLE THAT
ARE MOST VOCAL ABOUT THEIR
EFFORTS IN DEIA ARE THE ONES
THAT ARE ACTUALLY DOING THE
LEAST AND/OR PAYING THE LEAST
TAX.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO
THINK ABOUT.
I HAVE LOTS OF COLLEAGUES WHO
TALK A LOT ABOUT WHAT THEY DO
AND AREN'T DOING VERY MUCH AND I
HAVE COLLEAGUES THAT ARE DOING A
TON AND NOT --
>> BOTH GREAT POINTS, AND I
THINK THE LOCUS OF REVIEW IN
TERMS OF IN ADDITION TO WORKING
THE REVIEW CRITERIA VERY
CAREFULLY, WHICH YOU'RE
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT ABOUT, NOT
MIXES THEM UP WITH, SAY, R01s
WOULD BE I THINK A CHALLENGE FOR
R15s IS THEY'RE REVIEWED IN
THE R01 STUDY SECTIONS.
VERY HARD FOR PEOPLE TO SHIFT
THEIR MIND SETS.
>> IT'S TERRIBLE.
>> I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY
RIGHT ABOUT BOTH OF THOSE
THINGS.
>> YOU CAN'T GET IF YOU'RE
ALREADY WELL FUNDED, SO I WAS
WONDERING, THERE'S A LOT OF
PEOPLE THAT ARE WELL FUNDED BUT
HAVE THE MINORITY TAX THAT'S
ASSOCIATED WITH THAT, AND I WAS
WONDERING IF THERE CAN BE SOME
KIND OF ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPLEMENT TO THESE GRANTS THAT
CAN AWARD FOLKS THAT DO DEI
STUFF.
>> THERE IS A SEPARATE EFFORT
THINKING ABOUT THAT SPACE AS
WELL, AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPLEMENT FOR PEOPLE THAT
ALREADY HAVE GRANTS.
I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO
NEED MULTIPLE INSTRUMENTS TO
DO -- BECAUSE AS WERE YOU
POINTING OUT, THERE ARE PEOPLE
IN ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT
SITUATIONS AND DIFFERENT LEVELS
WHO ARE CONTRIBUTING IN VERY
IMPORTANT WAYS AND ARE PAYING
THE TAX, AND I DON'T THINK ONE
PROGRAM IS GOING TO SOLVE ALL
THINGS SO WE'RE GOING TO NEED
MULTIPLE DIFFERENT WAYS OF DOING
THAT.
YOU MAKE AN EXCELLENT POINT.
LEHTA.
>> HI.
I LIKE ANGELA'S IDEA ABOUT THE
RECOGNITION.
I SEE THAT THAT MIGHT ALSO BE
NEEDED FOR SMALLER INSTITUTIONS
WHO HAVE PRIMARY TEACHING
MISSIONS, SO THEY MAY GET
EXCITED THAT THIS DIVERSITY TAX
THING IS BEING ADDRESSED AND A
LOT OF THEIR SCHOLARLY FOCUS IS
IN THAT AREA RIGHT NOW SO THE
LAB MAY NOT BE REALLY
FUNCTIONAL.
SO MAYBE IF THERE COULD BE A
CLASS OF SOME SORT WHERE YOU
BRING THESE TWO GROUPS TOGETHER,
SOME TYPE OF COLLECTIVE WHERE
THEY HAVE JUST A TIME TO COME
TOGETHER AND MEET AND THEN THEY
CAN BE KNOWN AS THIS CLASS OF
DEI, YOU KNOW, CONTRIBUTORS OF
SOME SORT, I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT
WOULD MEAN, BUT PERHAPS THEY'RE
NOT LOOKING FOR A FUNDING
OPPORTUNITY, BUT THEY ARE
LOOKING FOR THAT ASSOCIATION AND
TRYING TO BE CONNECTED TO
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE --
>> IT'S A GREAT IDEA.
IN FACT, THERE'S AN
INSTITUTIONAL PRIZE FOR
INSTITUTIONS THAT HAVE DONE A
LOT FOR GENDER EQUITY THAT THE
OFFICE OF RESEARCH ON WOMEN'S
HEALTH GIVES NOW AND WILL
PROBABLY BE ONE OF THE MODELS
FOR THE PRIZE FOR DEIA.
THEY HAD A BIG SYMPOSIUM FOR THE
WINNERS.
THAT COULD BE EXPANDED ALONG THE
LINES OF WHAT YOU'RE SAYING ONCE
A YEAR TO HAVE THE WINNERS OF
THE PRIZE AND MAYBE THE PEOPLE
WHO GET THESE GRANTS AND MAYBE
OTHERS COME TOGETHER AND HAVE
THESE DISCUSSION.
IS.
WE'RE NOT TOO BAD.
WE HAVE OSVALDO AND LAURA AND
THEN MAYBE WE'LL GO FOR A VOTE.
>> I GUESS GOING BACK TO THIS
ONE HERE, ANOTHER PART OF THE --
BASICALLY OF FUNDING, IS THERE
GOING TO BE AN EMPHASIS ON
INSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENT?
I COULD ALSO SEE THIS GRANT
ACTUALLY BEING BASICALLY A
DOUBLE EDGED SWORD WHERE THE
P.I., IF THEY DO GET THIS GRANT,
THEN THEY'RE GOING TO BE ALMOST
IN A WAY INTERNALLY THINKING NOW
I HAVE TO DO EXCELLENCE IN
RESEARCH AND EXCELLENCE IN
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN
ADDITION TO TEACHING, SO I'M
WONDERING IF THAT'S GOING TO BE
A MAJOR FACTOR IN DETERMINING
WHETHER SOMEBODY GETS A GRANT TO
ACTUALLY HAVE INSTITUTIONAL
COMMITMENT THEY'RE GOING TO BE
RELIEVED OF SOME TEACHING DUTIES
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IF NOT, I WOULD FEEL THAT IF I
GET THIS GRANT, THAT I HAVE TO
DO NOW EXCELLENCE IN BOTH AND
THE TEACHING, WHICH IS -- THAT
MIGHT BE A CONCERN, I GUESS.
>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT.
I GUESS ONE THING I MIGHT SAY IS
THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE
TARGET AUDIENCE OF THESE GRANTS
ARE DOING THOSE THINGS NOW, AND
THIS WOULD JUST BE SUPPORTING
THEM TO DO IT.
BUT I THINK HAVING AN
INSTITUTIONAL LETTER OF HOW THE
INSTITUTION WOULD SUPPORT THE
PEOPLE MIGHT NOT BE A BAD IDEA
AT ALL, WE DO THAT FOR A LOT OF
OTHER THINGS.
TALKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE
PROMOTION, TENURE, HOW DO
THERAPY DEI ACTIVITIES GET
REWARDED.
>> SO THIS GRANT IS NOT ABOUT
PROPOSING NEW THINGS TO DO
BEYOND THOSE THAT ARE ALREADY --
THOSE PIs ARE DOING, BUT
RATHER CONTINUING THOSE EFFORTS
AND KIND OF BEING RECOGNIZED,
BUT THE CRITERIA IS GOING TO BE
NOT TO EMPHASIZE, CONTINUE
ADDING MORE, BECAUSE I CAN SEE
THAT BEING -- I COULD GET
CARRIED AWAY WITH THESE
ACTIVITIES AND I THINK THAT
WOULD BE TOO MUCH IN THE END, I
GUESS.
>> IT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT.
IT'S NOT FOR SOMEONE TO SAY I'D
LIKE TO GET INTO DEI SO CAN I
GET THIS GRANT, IT'S FOR PEOPLE
THAT HAVE BEEN PAYING THE TAX.
TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE WHAT
THEY'RE DOING, MAYBE INEYE VAIT
IN IT, DO SOME NEW THINGS, BUT I
THINK YOU MAKE A GREAT POINT,
IT'S NOT TO INCREASE IT EVEN
FURTHER SO YOU'RE PAYING EVEN
MORE OF THE TAX NECESSARILY.
BUT THESE ARE ALL REALLY GOOD
THINGS FOR US TO THINK ABOUT.
I THINK YOU RAISE GOOD POINTS.
LAURA, WE'LL LET YOU HAVE THE
LAST WORD AND THEN I THINK WE'LL
MOVE ON TO SOME VOTES.
>> THE CLIMATE ASSESSMENT IDEAS
ARE SO EXCITING, I THINK, AND
CRITICAL.
I WONDERED, AND THIS IS POORLY
THOUGHT OUT, OF COURSE, BUT
WOULD THERE BE AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR A CONSORTIUM POTENTIALLY IF
A GROUP OF INSTITUTIONS AGREED
TO SHARING ONE OF THE VALIDATED
TOOLS THAT'S OUT THERE, KNOWING
THAT EVERYONE IS VERY UNIQUE BUT
WE COULD THEN LOOK AT TRENDS AND
IT MIGHT NATURALLY CREATE A
BRAINSTORMING GROUP AROUND
SOLUTIONS AND BRING SOME SIN SIN
RG TO GEE
TO SOME VERY COMPLEX PROBLEMS.
>> I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING
LIKE THAT.
WE HAVEN'T FULLY SCOPED IT OUT
YET, BUT YOU MIGHT TALK TO
DANIELLE AND ANGELA
BYARS-WINSTON OF HOW SOMETHING
LIKE THAT CAN BE CONSTRUED.
>> THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE OFF
THE TOP OF MY HEAD BUT I'D LOVE
TO THINK OF SOME MORE.
>> I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER --
THIS IS A REALLY RICH
DISCUSSION.
WE'LL TAKE ALL THIS BACK.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT BACK OVER
TO ERICA TO TAKE A COUPLE VOTES
ON THESE.
>> WE'LL START WITH THE CONCEPT
FOR THE INSTITUTIONAL CLIMATE
ASSESSMENT GRANTS.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THE
CONCEPT.
IS ANYONE OPPOSED?
THE MOTION APPROVED.
AND NOW THE CONCEPT FOR
EXCELLENCE IN DEI PROFESSORS
AWARDS.
I MOVE THAT WE ALSO APPROVE THIS
CONCEPT.
IS ANYONE OPPOSED?
THE MOTION IS APPROVED.
THANK YOU.
>> NAN TAS TICK.
THANK YOU FOR THAT RICH
DISCUSSION.
I THINK THIS WILL RESONATE
THROUGHOUT NIH AND AGAIN, THIS
IS THE FIRST CONCEPT CLEARED AND
NIGMS COUNCIL GOT TO DO IT.
SO I'M VERY EXCITED THAT WE WERE
ABLE TO PERFORM THAT SERVICE ON
BEHALF OF NIH AND I THANK YOU
ALL.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A 10-MINUTE
BREAK NOW.
WE'RE JUST SLIGHTLY BEHIND
SCHEDULE BUT I THINK WE'RE FINE,
SO WHY DON'T WE TAKE A 10-MINUTE
BREAK, COME BACK AT 11:50, OR A
12-MINUTE BREAK, AND THEN WE
WILL RESUME.
OKAY?
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVEN'T
SEEN IT REPRESENTED QUITE THIS
WAY, THIS SHOWS THE SEVERE
UNDERREPRESENTATION WE HAVE OF
CERTAIN RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS
IN THE BIOMEDICAL FIELDS.
SO WOMEN ARE REPRESENTED WITH
ORANGE BARS WITH
UNDERREPRESENTED WOMEN WITH
LIGHTER ORANGE BARS.
MEN ARE REPRESENTED WITH GREEN
BARS WITH UNDERREPRESENTED MEN
WITH LIGHTER GREEN BARS.
YOU CAN SEE AT THE EARLY STAGES
OF THE ACADEMICS PATHWAY, THERE
IS SIGNIFICANT REPRESENTATION OF
WOMEN AND INDIVIDUALS FROM
UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS, WITH BUT
THEN IF YOU TAKE A SNAPSHOT OF
THE PROFESSOR LEVEL PARTICULARLY
ASSOCIATED AND FULL PROFESSOR
LEVEL, WE SEE SIGNIFICANT
UNDERREPRESENTATION OF THESE
RACIAL ETHNIC GROUPS.
SO THIS IS SORT OF SETTING THE
STAGE FOR THE CONTINUED NEED OF
PROGRAMS IN A VARIETY OF AREAS
TO TRY TO ADDRESS SEVERE
UNDERREPRESENTATION.
SO THE FIRST CONCEPT I'M GOING
TO BRING BEFORE YOU IS A
DIVERSITY ENHANCING MEDICAL
SCIENTIST TRAINING PROGRAM.
MANY OF YOU MAY KNOW THIS IS A
DUAL DEGREE PROGRAM THAT IS ON
ONE PART A CLINICAL DEGREE AND
ANOTHER PART ON A
RESEARCH DEGREE OR A PH.D., SO
THIS TYPICALLY, A THE LEAST ONE
EXAMPLE IS AN MD PH.D.
NIGMS IS A LONG-STANDING FUNDER
OF THE MEDICAL SCIENTIST
TRAINING PROGRAMS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
SO JUST TO LOOK AT DATA
SPECIFICALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE
MEDICAL SCIENTIST TRAINING
PROGRAM, KNOWN AS MSTP, OVER
TIME, WE'RE SHOWING YOU
DEMOGRAPHICS STARTING OUT ON
THIS GRAPH WITH WOMEN.
SO YOU CAN SEE FROM THE EARLY
2000s, THERE WAS
UNDERREPRESENTATION OF WOMEN
THAT HAS BEEN BETTER OF LATE,
NOT QUITE REACHING THE LEVEL
THAT WE SEE WITH THE COMPARATOR
POPULATION.
SO FOR THIS SLIDE AND THE NEXT
SLIDE, I'LL HAVE COMPARATORS ON
THE FAR RIGHT.
THE MOST FAR RIGHT BAR IS THE
COLLEGE AGE POPULATION FROM THE
CENSUS DATA AND AS YOU WOULD
HAVE IMAGINED, IT'S AROUND 50%.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE DATA FROM THE
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION ON
THOSE EARNING BACHELOR'S DEGREES
IN BIOMEDICAL FIELDS.
YOU CAN SEE WOMEN ARE STRONGLY
REPRESENTED AND THERE IS A
DISPARITY BETWEEN THAT AND THE
REPRESENTATION IN THE MEDICAL
SCIENTIST TRAINING PROGRAM.
I SHOULD ALSO POINT OUT THAT
ANOTHER WELL-FUNDED PROGRAM AT
NIGMS IS THE BASIC BIOMEDICAL
T32 PROGRAMS, AND WOMEN REACHED
50% AND ARE NOW WELL OVER 50%
FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS NOW.
IS SET THIS SHOWS -- WE HAVE THE SAME
COMPARATORS ON THE RIGHT.
I'D LIKE TO DIRECT YOUR
ATTENTION TO THE BARS AT THE
BOTTOM OF THE GRAPH.
THOSE ARE INDIVIDUALS FROM
UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS, AND IN
PARTICULAR, IF YOU FOCUS ON
BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICAN SHOWN
IN THE DARK PURPLE, YOU SEE THAT
THERE REALLY HAS NOT BEEN A
SIGNIFICANT CHANGE OVER TIME IN
REPRESENTATION, AND AS YOU WOULD
IMAGINE, THIS REPRESENTATION IS
LESS THAN WE SEE IN THE
COLLEGE-AGED POPULATION THROUGH
ZONES AND AND ALSO
THOSE EARNING
BACHELOR'S DEGREES.
WE HAVE DATA SHOWING OVER HALF
OF THE FUNDED NIH MSTP PROGRAMS
HAVE LESS THAN 5% BLACK/AFRICAN
AMERICAN TRAINEES.
THE DARKEST BARS BEING THE MOST
RECENT DATA, AND THEN THEY ARE
BINNED ACCORDING TO THE
PERCENTAGE OF REPRESENTATION OF
BLACK OR AFRICAN AMERICANS IN
THE PROGRAMS.
SO THE FAR LEFT BARS REPRESENT
ZERO TO 5%, THE NEXT, OVER 5 TO
10% AND SO ON.
SO WHAT YOU CAN SEE, THAT EVEN
IN PRESENT TIMES, WELL OVER HALF
HAVE LESS THAN 5%, FROM ZERO TO
A% REPRESENTATION
5% OF BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN
TRAINEES.
ALSO ANOTHER AREA OF CONCERN IS
THE INSTITUTIONAL DIVERSITY OF
THE MEDICAL SCIENTIST TRAINING
PROGRAM.
6% ARE CURRENTLY IN IDEA STATES.
I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE QUITE
FAMILIAR WITH IDEA STATES.
I'M JUST SHOWING YOU THE GRAPH
HERE OF THE DIFFERENT STATES.
THESE ARE STATES THAT TYPICALLY
HAVE LOWER LEVELS OF NIH
FUNDING, AND WE SEE THAT ONLY 6%
OF OUR MEDICAL SCIENTIST
TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE WITHIN
THESE STATE.
LIKEWISE, ONLY 8% ARE AT
MINORITY-SIFER -SERVING INSTITUTIONS
AND CURRENTLY WE DO NOT HAVE ANY
MEDICAL SCIENCE TRAINING
PROGRAMS AT HISTORICALLY BLACK
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WITH A
DUAL DEGREE PROGRAM.
WE HAVE FURTHER DATA THAT HAS
BEEN -- IS COMING FROM THE
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF MEDICAL
COLLEGES, AND THIS IS SHOWING
YOU MEDICAL SCHOOLS THAT HAVE
INDIVIDUALS EARNING
MEDICAL DEGREES IN TERMS OF
REPRESENTATION ACROSS CERTAIN
RACIAL AND ETHNIC GROUPS THAT
ARE UNDERREPRESENT IN THE
BIOMEDICAL FIELDS.
SO YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT,
BLACK AFRICAN AMERICAN, IN THE
MIDDLE, HISPANIC, LATINA,
LATINO, AND ON THE RIGHT,
AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA
NATIVE.
SO THESE ARE THE RANKINGS IN
THOSE DIFFERENT GROUPS OF
INDIVIDUALS EARNING
MEDICAL DEGREES, AND WE HAVE
FURTHER CODED THIS ACCORDING TO
INSTITUTIONS THAT HAVE A
HISTORIC MISSION OF SERVING
STUDENTS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED
GROUPS, AND THOSE ARE SHOWN WITH
BLUE STARS.
THOSE IN IDEA STATES ARE SHOWN
WITH A DART, WITHIN A BLUE
SQUARE, REPRESENTING IDEA
STATES.
AND THEN THE CHECKMARKS SHOW THE
INSTITUTIONS WHERE WE COULD
CURRENTLY HAVE A MEDICAL SCIENCE
TRAINING PROGRAM, AND YOU CAN
JUST SEE AT A GLANCE THAT WE
REALLY COULD BE AT MORE
INSTITUTIONS WHERE THE STUDENT
POPULATION, WHERE THEY'RE
EARNING A DUAL DEGREE COULD
REALLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE
DIVERSITY OF THE CLINICIAN
SCIENTIST WORKFORCE.
AS WE DO WITH ALL THINGS, WE TRY
OUR BEST TO GET INPUT FROM THE
BROADER TRAINING COMMUNITY, ANY
TIME WE LAUNCH MAJOR
INITIATIVES.
VERY RECENTLY, WE'VE DONE A
LARGE CALL FOR A REQUEST FOR
INFORMATION ON THE MEDICAL
SCIENTIST TRAINING PROGRAM.
WE HAD A ROBUST RESPONSE FROM
THIS.
MANY OF THE ENTRIES WERE
CONCERNED AROUND ISSUES OF
DIVERSITY IN PARTICULAR WELL
OVER 175 SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED
THE ISSUES OF DIVERSITY OF THE
TRAINEES.
ALSO ADDRESSED WITHIN THESE
COMMENTS, WE HAVE SOME QUOTES
HERE THAT REPRESENT THE ISSUE OF
INSTITUTIONAL DIVERSITY ACROSS
THE COUNTRY, AND I'LL JUST READ
YOU A FEW OF THESE QUOTES.
"MANY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS
WANT TO BE CLOSER TO HOME.
THERE ARE FEW OPTIONS IN MANY OF
PARTS OF THE COUNTRY."
ANOTHER QUOTE SAYS "PEOPLE HAVE
GEOGRAPHIC CONSTRAINTS ON THEIR
LIFESTYLE, AND IF MSTP IS
AVAILABLE FOR ALL OF THE BEST
AND THE BRIGHTEST, IF IT IS TO
BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL THE BEST
AND THE BRIGHTEST, THEN IT
SHOULD ACCOMMODATE THAT
GEOGRAPHICAL COULD CONSTRAINT.
" AND FINALLY, "NOT ALL GREAT
CANDIDATES CAN MOVE ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, THERE SHOULD BE MSTP
PROGRAMS IN ALL REGIONS.
FINALLY, I WANT TO SHARE SOME
LANGUAGE WITH YOU FROM A RECENT
SENATE REPORT ON MINORITY
SERVING INSTITUTIONS IN
PARTICULAR, AND IT SAYS CONGRESS
RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF
HIGHLY TRAINED PHYSICIAN
SCIENTISTS TO SERVE DIVERSE
COMMUNITIES, DECREASE HEALTH
DISPARITIES, AND ENHANCE THE
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH WORKFORCE.
THE COMMITTEE URGES NIGMS TO
SUPPORT MEDICAL SCIENTIST
TRAINING AT MINORITY SERVING
INSTITUTIONS AS DEFINED IN LAW
UNDER TITLE III OF THE HIGHER
EDUCATION ACT.
SUCH EFFORTS SHOULD SUPPORT
DUAL DEGREE PROGRAMS THAT TRAIN
STUDENTS IN MEDICINE AND
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH.
SO TAKEN TOGETHER, WE'RE
BRINGING TO YOU A CONCEPT FOR A
DIVERSITY ENHANCING MEDICAL
SCIENTIST TRAINING PROGRAM.
THE GOAL IS TO DEVELOP A DIE
VEERS POOL OF HIGHLY TRAINED
CLINICIAN SCIENTIST LEADERS
AVAILABLE TO MEET THE NATION'S
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH NEEDS.
WE'LL MODEL THE PROGRAM ON OUR
DIVERSITY ENHANCING PROGRAMS
WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE UNIQUE
FEATURES OF RESEARCH TRAINING
FOR CLINICIAN SCIENTISTS.
THE FOCUS WILL BE ON
INSTITUTIONS IN IDEA STATE, AND
SCHOOLS THAT HAVE A HISTORIC
MISSION OF SERVING INDIVIDUALS
FROM UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS.
SO I WILL STOP SHARING FOR A
MINUTE, AND WELCOME ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS AND THEN
WE'LL BRING IT FORWARD FOR A
VOTE.
SQUIRE.
>> HI, ALISON.
YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS ENJOY HEARING
YOUR PRESENTATIONS.
I HAVE -- I GUESS THE FIRST
QUESTION IS, SO WHAT ARE THE
REASONS WHY THERE ARE NO MST
PROGRAMS AT HISTORICALLY BLACK
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES THAT
HAVE MEDICAL SCHOOLS?
ARE THEY NAT WRITING THE GRANTS,
ARE THEY NOT GETTING FUNDED?
CAN YOU SHED A LITTLE BIT OF
LIGHT ON THAT?
>> I THINK ONE OF THOSE -- THE
ISSUES IS THAT SOMETIMES
INSTITUTIONS TRY INITIALLY, THEY
COME THROUGH THE APPLICATION
PROCESS AND THEY TRY, BUT
THERE'S A CERTAIN POINT WHERE
THERE'S FATIGUE IF THEY'RE NOT
BREAKING THROUGH THE SYSTEM.
SO WE'VE CERTAINLY SEEN THIS
ALSO WITH IDEA STATE FOR A
VARIETY OF PROGRAMS THAT WE
HAVE, AND SO PART OF HAVING A
DISTINCT FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT, I
THINK IT IN SOME WAYS ENERGIZES
INSTITUTIONS TO M KOL BACK IN
WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT
THERE ARE NEW REVIEW CRITERIA
THAT IT WILL BE IN A SEPARATE --
WILL BE REVIEWED SEPARATELY.
THAT'S JUST A LOT WE'RE
SIGNALING TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT
THE VALUE OF HAVING PROGRAMS AT
THESE INSTITUTIONS THAT WILL
COME THROUGH A SEPARATE FUNDING
ANNOUNCEMENT.
>> AND DO YOU KNOW IF THERE ARE
PARTICULAR PARTS OF THE
APPLICATIONS THAT THEY SUBMIT
THAT TEND TO NOT BE ACCEPTABLE?
I MEAN, IS THERE ANYTHING IN
PARTICULAR THAT IS KEEPING THEM
FROM WINNING THESE TYPES OF
GRANTS?
AND THEN THE SECOND PART IS, ARE
THERE RESOURCES TO HELP THEM,
YOU KNOW, WRITE A SUCCESSFUL
PROPOSAL FOR AN MSTP PROGRAM?
>> RIGHT.
SO I'M NOT SURE THAT I CAN
ANSWER THE FIRST QUESTION, JUST
BECAUSE OF SORT OF SMALL NUMBERS
AND A LACK OF DATA.
SO I THINK THAT -- I MEAN, IT'S
A GREAT QUESTION.
I THINK WE'LL HAVE TO THINK HARD
ABOUT IT, BUT IN TERMS OF
SUPPORT AND OUTREACH, SO I THINK
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ALWAYS
GOES ALONG WITH THE NEW
INITIATIVE AND CERTAINLY IS A
PART OF ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS IN
TWDs IS OUTREACH AND WEBINARS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE
JUST WANT TO WORK HARD ON TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE ALWAYS GO
THROUGH AND POST ONLINE OUR
WEBINARS ON HOW TO APPLY, BUT I
THINK YOUR POINT IS WELL TAKEN,
AS WHETHER WE WOULD NEED TO DO
MORE THAN THAT TO HAVE FURTHER
WORKSHOPS AND OTHER -- BUT WE
ALWAYS WELCOME CLOSE ENGAGEMENT
WITH THE PROGRAM OFFICERS AND
THE BRANCH CHIEFS TO TRY TO
DEVELOP COMPETITIVE
APPLICATIONS.
>> ONE LAST VERY QUICK COMMENT.
I WAS SURPRISED TO SEE THAT
THERE WAS ALMOST VERY LITTLE
REPRESENTATION FROM CALIFORNIA
AMONG SCHOOLS THAT PRODUCED
M.D.s FROM HISPANIC
POPULATIONS.
I MEAN, THERE ARE A NUMBER FROM
TEXAS AND THAT SORT OF MAKES
SENSE, BUT I THINK THERE WAS
ONLY UCSF AT THE BOTTOM OF THE
LIST.
IS THERE ANY REASON WHY
CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS AREN'T DOING
BETTER THAN THAT?
>> NE, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW THAT
I HAVE A GOOD ANSWER FOR YOU,
BUT IT IS AB INTERESTING
OBSERVATION.
IT DEFINITELY WORTH THINKING
ABOUT.
AND YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT NOT TO JUST MAKE
ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT INSTITUTIONS
AND THEIR REPRESENTATION, EVEN
WHERE THEY MAY BE
GEOGRAPHICALLY.
DOESN'T NECESSARILY REPRESENT
THE POPULATION WITHIN WHERE
THEY'RE RESIDING.
IT'S A GREAT POINT.
TERRI.
>> SO I'M GOING TO SPEAK AS A
FORMER MD PH.D. WHO WROAS AN
UNSUCCESSFUL MSTP PROGRAM AND
STATE THAT THIS IS A PLACE WHERE
LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT WITH MIRA,
WHERE THERE IS THIS PERCEPTION
THAT THE ONLY WAY THAT WE GET A
NEW MSTP IS BY KNOCKING SOMEONE
ELSE OUT.
IT IS A VERY SPECIFIC COMMUNITY
OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE THEM, AND --
BUT I WILL SAY IT WAS A GREAT
RECRUITING TOOL.
PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE A LOT OF
THE PROGRAMS THAT DO GREAT DO
NOT HAVE THE FUNDING TO FUND AT
THE LEVEL THAT AN MSTP CAN.
IT DOESN'T FUND EVERYTHING,
THESE PROGRAMS ARE LARGER, SO
YOU WILL DEAL WITH A PERCEPTION
ISSUE ON THIS WHICH IS A PART OF
THE REASON WHY PEOPLE -- HAVING
SERVED WITH THAT GROUP, IT'S
IMPORTANT.
BUT I WILL ALSO SAY THAT THE MD
PH.D. PROGRAM DIRECTORS HAVE
TYPICALLY BEEN A VERY STRONG
GROUP OF PEOPLE AND VERY ENGAGED
WITH THE AAMC WHERE THERE IS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO TRY AND DO THIS.
BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE AS WE OFTEN
KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT REVIEW THE
GRANTS HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT
HOW IT TURNS OUT AND CERTAIN
PERCEPTIONS, SO WE AS THE
LEADERS OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS
CAN DO THAT.
SECONDLY, I'M JUST CURIOUS, AND
I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO HAVE AN
ANSWER, BUT DO WE SEE A BETTER
IMPACT OF DIVERSITY IN THE
INDIVIDUAL MD PSM HD STUDENT
FELLOWSHIPS THAT
FELLOWSHIPS THAT -- IS THAT A
PLACE WHERE WE'VE HAD MORE
SUCCESS AND IS THERE ANYTHING WE
CAN LEARN FROM THAT?
>> YES, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS AND I THINK THAT WE
REALLY DO WANT TO ADDRESS THE
SENSE THAT IT'S A CLOSED SYSTEM
AND THERE'S NO WAY FOR NEW
INSTITUTIONS TO BREAK IN.
THAT'S JUST WITH OUR CURRENT
FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE
MSTP.
WE WANT TO DO THAT.
BUT THIS WILL NOW BE A DISTINCT
FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT FOR CERTAIN
INSTITUTIONS.
BUT I THINK THAT YOUR POINT IS A
REALLY GOOD ONE ON THAT.
AND THEN --
>> THE F30 WAS HER QUESTION.
>> THE F30.
I'M SO SORRY.
BUT AT LEAST THE PRELIMINARY
DATA SUGGESTS THAT WITH MANY OF
THE INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIPS
ACROSS NIH, THEY TEND TO GO TO
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN WELL
FUNDED OR WELL RECOGNIZED LABS,
AND SO THAT DOES NOT
NECESSARILY -- THAT'S NOT
NECESSARILY A PLACE WHERE WE SEE
ENHANCED DIVERSITY.
BUT AS YOU KNOW, NIGMS
SPECIFICALLY WILL ONLY FUND
FELLOWSHIPS AT NON-MSTP
INSTITUTION, BUT EVEN STILL, WE
DO HAVE ISSUES AND THAT'S A
BROADER DISCUSSION FOR ANOTHER
TIME ABOUT HOW TO MAYBE BREAK
THROUGH THAT.
BUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENT.
DARRIN.
>> THANKS.
THAT'S WONDERFUL.
SO CAN YOU JUST REITERATE, SO
THIS WILL ONLY BE SPECIFICALLY
FOR CERTAIN GEOGRAPHIC OR
UNDERREPRESENTED INSTITUTIONS
THAT TRAIN UNDERREPRESENTED HIGH
PROPORTIONS?
>> SO THERE ARE CERTAIN
INSTITUTIONS THAT WE CAN TARGET.
ONE SET OF INSTITUTIONS, AS
YOU'RE WELL AWARE, ARE THOSE IN
IDEA STATES.
>> I'M JUST WONDERING, I DON'T
THINK THE NARCH FOA, I THINK
WHILE IT BEING ALSO, I THINK,
PUT THROUGH, IS THERE ANY WAY,
WHEN I LOOK AT OKLAHOMA, NORTH
DAKOTA, NEW MEXICO, THAT THERE
COULD BE, LIKE, A SUBPROJECT
THAT IS AN M.D. PH.D. MSTP
PROGRAM THEY APPLY FOR, OR COULD
AN IMBRE HAVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPLEMENT THAT COULD ENHANCE
THIS TYPE OF THING?
>> THIS WOULD BE A SEPARATE
FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT FOR
INSTITUTIONS IN IDEA STATES AND
WITH HISTORIC MISSIONS.
SO IT WOULD BE SEPARATE FROM THE
INBREs AND THE COBREs,
NARCH, ET CETERA.
>> SO IT WILL BE A SEPARATE FOA
FOR IDEA STATES, FOR MSTPs?
>> AND INSTITUTIONS WITH A
HISTORIC MISSION AS WELL.
>> OKAY.
OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>> THANKS.
ANGELA.
>> I WAS REALLY STRUCK BY THE
LANGUAGE OF SCIENTIFIC LEADERS,
TRAINING SCIENTIFIC LEADERS
COMING OUT OF THIS PROGRAM IN
PARTICULAR.
AND I WAS REMINDED OF THE SORT
OF ADDITIONAL ASPECTS OF
TRAINING PROGRAMS THAT HAS BEEN
INCORPORATED INTO THINGS LIKE
THE GILLIAM FELLOWS PROGRAM
WHICH ANGELA CAN SPEAK TO MUCH
MORE DEEPLY THAN I CAN, BUT IT
SEEMS LIKE BECAUSE THIS IS A
TRAINING PROGRAM TARGETED AT
INSTITUTIONS WHO ARE SERVING
SORT OF FUTURE SCIENTIFIC
LEADERS FROM UNDERREPRESENTED
GROUPS, IT MAY BE INCREDIBLY
BENEFICIAL FOR ALL OF US TO
SPECIFY AND PROVIDE ANOTHER SET
OF SKILLS ON TOP OF WHAT WE MAY
NORMALLY THINK OF AS
CONSTITUTING AN MSTP TRAINING
PROGRAM.
AND SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE
YOU TO MAYBE LOOK AT THAT ASPECT
OF IT.
>> GREAT.
>> TO GO THROUGH SORT OF THEIR
FUTURE WORK.
>> RIGHT, THANK YOU.
THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE
SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
THANK YOU.
PETER.
>> HI.
HOW ARE YOU?
SO JUST WANTED TO BUILD OFF OF
THE POINT THAT TERRI MENTIONED,
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING FOR MOST
OF THE CURRENTLY FUNDED
PROGRAMS, THE CURRENT DOES NO
COVER ALL THE SLOTS IN THE
PROGRAM.
YOU'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF INPUT,
YOU'LL CONTINUE TO GET INPUT.
I JUST WONDER WHETHER IT'S A
FINANCIAL ISSUE.
THE SCHOOLS HAVE MASS
CAPACITIES -- THE BUILDING IS
NOT BIG ENOUGH, THERE ARE ONLY A
CERTAIN NUMBER OF FACULTY.
NOW IN DOING THIS, YOU'RE ASKING
THEM TO SET ASIDE FIVE SLOTS OR
SIX TUITIONS.
YOU'RE COVERING TWO OF THEM.
SO THAT MIGHT JUST BE SOMETHING
TO SEE WHETHER THIS WILL
ACTUALLY INCENTIVIZE THEM ENOUGH
AS CONSTRUCTED.
>> SO THAT'S A GREAT POINT AND I
THINK ONE OF THE REASONS WHY
IT'S REALLY NICE TO HAVE A
SEPARATE FOA, IT'S SIMILAR TO
OUR -- FOR EXAMPLE, OUR G-RISE
IN IMSD PROGRAM WHERE THEY'RE
BOTH ABOUT DID YOU SORTING
DIVERSITY AT THE PREDOCTORAL
LEVEL, AND BECAUSE THE FUNDING
ANNOUNCEMENTS ARE SEPARATE, WE
CAN PROVIDE MORE
TRAINING-RELATED EXPENSES AND
RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN
CHALLENGES AT THOSE
INSTITUTIONS.
BUT THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY GREAT
ABOUT HAVING THIS BE SEPARATE,
IS THAT WE CAN HAVE DIFFERENT
EXPECTATIONS ABOUT INSTITUTIONAL
SUPPORT AND OTHER SUCH THINGS.
SO I THINK YOU RAISE A REALLY
GREAT POINT AND UNDERSCORE THE
VALUE OF IT BEING A SEPARATE
PROGRAM.
IT SPEAKS TO SQUIRE'S COMMENTS
AS WELL.
>> LET'S END WITH DANIELLE AND
THEN WE'LL TAKE A VOTE.
>> OKAY.
THANKS, JOHN.
>> I'M NOT ABLE TO START THE
VIDEO BUT THAT'S FINE.
I WAS THINKING ABOUT SQUIRE'S
POINT ABOUT TRYING TO UNDERSTAND
THAT WHEN ORGANIZATIONS THAT
SERVE SOME OF THESE
UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS APPLY,
AND IF THEY APPLY AND THEY DON'T
DO WELL, GETTING BETTER DATA ON
WHY THAT'S THE CASE.
BECAUSE THE BROADER POINT I
GUESS I'M THINKING ABOUT IS THAT
THE ZERO TO 5% REPRESENTATION IS
NOT GREAT.
AND SO HAVING THIS KIND OF
PROGRAM WHERE WE TARGET THOSE
GROUPS IN PARTICULAR CAN HELP
THE NIH KIND OF REACT QUICKLY.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, HAVING A
SYSTEM IN WHICH WE HAVE THE
MINORITY VERSION AND THE
NON-MINORITY VERSION, AND THE
ONLY WAY TO SORT OF GET MORE
MINORITY REPRESENTATION IS TO
SORT OF SEPARATE THE PROGRAMS,
IT MAKES ME WONDER IF THE
CRITERION BEING USED FOR THE
MAIN PROGRAM IS SORT OF KREK, IF
IT'S THE CASE THAT WE'RE PUTTING
WEIGHT AFTER YOU GET YOUR P HSM
D THAT IT EXCLUDES SO MANY
ORGANIZATIONS THAT CAN'T WIN
THESE GRANTS ON THOSE
DIMENSIONS, DOES IT MEAN THAT
MAYBE WE SHOULD BE PUTTING -- WE
SHOULD BE PLACING MORE VALUE ON
SOME OF THESE OTHER THINGS SO
THAT IN THE MAIN PROGRAM, THERE
SHOULD BE MORE WEIGHT PLACED ON
TRAINING MEDICAL SCIENTISTS WHO
SERVE UNDERREPRESENT COMMUNITIES
AS A GENERAL CRITERION AS
OPPOSED TO SORT OF HAVING THE
SORT OF TO CUT OUT THINGS SO WE
CAN MAINTAIN THE SAME CRITERIA
IN THE MAIN PROGRAM WHICH MAR
EYE NOT BE RIGHT SET OF VALUES.
>> YOU RAISE AN EXCELLENT POINT
AND I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE SAID
THAT.
THIS IN NO WAY SORT OF -- I
DON'T WANT TO SAY -- DOES NOT
RELIEVE THE PRESSURE FROM THE
OTHER INSTITUTIONS TO ENHANCE
DIVERSITY IN THEIR PROGRAMS.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE WRITTEN A NEW
MEDICAL SCIENCE TRAINING
PROGRAM, THE SORT OF STANDALONE
MSTP THAT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY
DIVERSITY-ENHANCING.
IT'S THREADED THROUGHOUT THE
ENTIRE TRAINING PLAN AND IT PART
OF THE SCORED REVIEW CRITERIA AT
EVERY LEVEL, AND WE CONTINUE TO
MAINTAIN YOU CAN'T HAVE
EXCELLENCE IN TRAINING WITHOUT
DIVERSITY.
SO THAT PRESSURE IS STILL ON
THOSE OTHER INSTITUTIONS AS
WELL, AND THAT WILL REMAIN
THERE.
THIS IS JUST RECOGNIZING THAT
STUDENTS ARE ELSEWHERE, AND WE
SHOULD SUPPORT THOSE PROGRAMS
WHERE THEY ARE AS WELL.
BUT TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS NOT --
WE CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT IT'S
IMPORTANT FOR THE PREVIOUSLY
FUNDED MEDICAL SCIENCE TRAINING
PROGRAMS TO CONTINUE TO TRY TO
ADVANCE DIVERSITY.
>> ONE CONCRETE THING ONE COULD
DO POTENTIALLY, YOU HAVE ALL THE
PAST APPLICATIONS, INCLUDING THE
REJECTED AND ADMITTED ONES.
STUFF ABOUT RESEARCH IMPACTS,
CLINICAL IMPACTS, SO ON, SO
FORTH, AND THINK ABOUT, IF I
WERE TO HAVE A SCORING CRITERIA
BASICALLY THAT PUTS X% OF WEIGHT
ON ONE DIMENSION VERSUS ANOTHER
DIMENSION, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE
WHO WOULD HAVE GOTTEN ACCEPTED
AND THESE WOULD HAVE GOTTEN
REJECTED.
IF WE THEN CHANGE THE WEIGHTS
AND RE-EMPHASIZE A DIFFERENT
COMPONENT, HOW WOULD THAT CHANGE
THE COMPOSITION, AND THAT WAY
WITHOUT HAVING TO GET NEW DATA
OR WAIT FOR MORE TIME TO PASS,
YOU CAN KIND OF EXPLORE IT A
LITTLE BIT TO HAVE A SENSE OF
WHAT WOULD BE THE -- ARE THERE
WAYS BY SORT OF CONSIDERING
DIFFERENT WEIGHTS OF CRITERIA
THAT WE COULD GET MORE
REPRESENTATION BASED ON WHAT WE
HAVE ALREADY AND THEN LOOK AT
THOSE WEIGHTS AND SEE IF THOSE
WEIGHTS ARE SORT OF SENSIBLE.
>> DEFINITELY.
THAT'S AN INTERESTING WAY TO DO
A RETROSPECTIVE.
THANK YOU.
>> WE SHOULD LOOK AT SOME OF
THOSE ANALYSES.
ONE THING I'LL INTERJECT INTO
THIS DISCUSSION THAT HASN'T
REALLY COME UP YET IS JUST THE
MATTHEW EFFECT.
I THINK ONCE AN INSTITUTION OR
AN INDIVIDUAL HAS A LOT OF
FUNDING, IT BECOMES MUCH EASIER
TO GET FUNDING IN THE FUTURE.
AN INSTITUTION THAT'S HAD A LOT
OF MST FUNDING FOR FOUR YEARS,
MUCH MORE COMPETITIVE THAN AN
INSTITUTION THAT HASN'T TO GET
AN MSTP GRANT.
SO THAT'S PART OF THE RATIONALE
HERE, TO LET NEW INSTITUTIONS
BREAK IN, IN ADDITION TO THE
THINGS THAT DANIELLE IS TALKING
ABOUT, ABOUT EMPHASIZING
ADDITIONAL OR DIFFERENT VALUES
AND METRICS IN THE CURRENT FOA,
I THINK WE NEED TO CREATE A
SPACE THAT ALLOWS OTHERS TO
BREAK IN AGAINST THE MATTHEW
EFFECT.
SO WITH THAT, ERICA, WE'LL TURN
IT OVER TO YOU.
>> YES, SIR.
I'M GOING TO MOVE THAT WE
APPROVE THIS CONCEPT FOR FURTHER
DEVELOPMENT AS A FOA.
ARE ANY OPPOSED?
OKAY.
WE ARE APPROVED.
THANK YOU.
>> I SUGGEST FOR THE NEXT TWO,
YOU DO THEM TOGETHER AND THEN WE
CAN TAKE SEPARATE VOTES ON THEM.
>> OKAY.
THANKS, JON.
ALL RIGHT.
SO NEXT, WE'RE MOVING ON TO A
PREDOCTORAL TO POSTDOCTORAL
DIVERSITY ENHANCING COHORT
PROGRAM.
SO AGAIN I'LL START WITH A
LITTLE BIT OF DATA.
AND MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN THIS
BEFORE, BUT IT'S BEEN RECENTLY
UPDATED BY OUR DIVISION OF DATA
INTEGRATION MODELING AND
ANALYTICS.
SO WHAT YOU CAN SEE IS FROM THE
1980s TO THE PRESENT TIME,
THERE HAS BEEN A SIGNIFICANT
INCREASE IN INDIVIDUALS FROM
UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS EARNING
PH.D.s.
THIS REPRESENTS A 12 FOLD
INCREASE OVER THE 1980s, BUT
WE WERE NOT SEEING A SIMILAR
CHANGE WHEN IT COMES TO
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR.
SO WHILE THERE HAS BEEN AN
INCREASE, IT'S ONLY BEEN FOUR
FOLD.
SO WE'RE LOSING A GREAT DEAL OF
INDIVIDUALS FROM THE ACADEMICS
PATHWAY.
IF YOU LOOK AT FURTHER DATA THAT
HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED BY
OUR COLLEAGUE KENNY GIBBS AND
HIS COLLEAGUES, YOU CAN SEE THAT
THERE IS, IN FACT, A LOSS OF
INTEREST OVER TIME FROM
INDIVIDUALS, FROM
UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS AND WELL
REPRESENTED WOMEN.
SO THIS CHART SHOWS IT'S
STATISTICALLY A SIGNIFICANT
DIFFERENCE OF LOSS OF INTEREST
IN GOING FOR A
RESEARCH-INTENSIVE FACULTY
POSITION WHEN COMPARED TO
WELL-REPRESENTED MEN.
AND THERE ARE LOTS OF REASONS
FOR THESE POTENTIAL LOSS OF
INTEREST, BUT ONE THING THAT WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE IS THAT WE
HAVE PROGRAMS IN PLACE TO ENSURE
THAT PEOPLE ARE LEAVING, IF
THEY'RE LEAVING FOR THE RIGHT
REASONS AND NOT BECAUSE THE
SYSTEM IS CAUSING THEM TO LOSE
INTEREST.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS
VERY CLEAR IS THAT AS
INDIVIDUALS ARE TRANSITIONING
THROUGH THE CAREER PATHWAY,
THERE ARE SOME RATHER
SIGNIFICANT TRANSITIONS THEY
HAVE TO MAKE BEFORE BECOMING,
FOR EXAMPLE, AN ASSISTANT
PROFESSOR, SO A GRADUATE STUDENT
HAS TO MAKE THE TRANSITION TO A
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW AND A
POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW THEN TO
DECIDE TO GO ON TO BECOME AN
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR.
JON HAS DONE A REALLY GREAT JOB
OF INTRODUCING THE MOSAIC
PROGRAM SO I WON'T DISCUSS IT
TOO MUCH BUT AS YOU KNOW, IT WAS
PUT IN PLACE TO REALLY HELP
STABILIZE THAT TRANSITION FROM
THE POSTDOC TO THE ASSISTANT
PROFESSOR WITH ADDITIONAL
MENTORING NETWORKING COHORT
BUILDING ACTIVITIES AS PART OF
THE PROGRAM, ALONG WITH
FINANCIAL STABILITY ON BOTH
SIDES OF THE TRANSITION.
SO THIS CONCEPT WE'RE BRINGING
TO YOU TODAY IS TO BRIDGE THE
GRADUATE TO POSTDOCTORAL PHASE
IN A SIMILAR WAY TO THE MOSAIC
PROGRAM.
WE CURRENTLY -- THE NIGMS
SUPPORTS INDIVIDUALS THROUGH
INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP AWAR,
THESE ARE DIVERSITY ENHANS ENHANCING
AWARDS, BUT THEIR TRAINING
EXPERIENCE IS KIND OF DEPENDENT
ON THE LAB THEY'RE IN, IT'S NOT
PART OF A LARGE HE COHORT LARGER COHORT PR OGRAM
AND THERE'S NOT ANYTHING THIS
PLACE TO STABILIZE THAT
TRANSITION FROM GRADUATE STUDENT
TO POSTDOC.
SO WHAT WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD
TO YOU TODAY ARE TWO CONCEPT,
AND I'LL DISCUSS THEM TOGETHER.
THE INDIVIDUAL TRAINEES WILL
COME IN AND COMPETE FOR AWARDS
THAT WILL BE AWARDS THAT PROVIDE
ASSISTANCE ACROSS BOTH SIDES OF
THE BRIDGE.
SO THEY'LL COMPETE THROUGH THE
NIH SYSTEM AS AN INDIVIDUAL
FELLOWSHIP AWARD WOULD.
IT WILL GO THROUGH THE NIH
REVIEW PROCESS.
AND THEN NIGMS WILL TAKE THE
MERITORIOUS AWARDEES AND GROUP
THEM ACCORDING TO SCIENTIFIC
AREAS, AND THEN THEY WILL FORM
PART OF A COHORT THAT IS LED BY
A RESEARCH EDUCATION HUB.
SO THAT'S THE SECOND CONCEPT,
AND THAT'S INSTITUTIONS OR
ENTITIES COMING IN TO PROVIDE
ENHANCING ACTIVITY FOR THE
TRAINEES WITHIN THESE SCIENTIFIC
HUBS.
SO FOR THE RESEARCH EDUCATION
COMPONENT, THE HOPE IS THAT
THESE HUBS WILL PROVIDE COHORT
BUILDING ACTIVITIES, THEY HAVE
ADDITIONAL OVERSIGHT TO THE
PROGRESS OF THE INDIVIDUAL.
THERE'S OVERSIGHT OF THE
TRANSITION FROM THE PREDOCK TO PREDOC TO
THE POSTDOC STAGE, THEY'LL
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SKILLS
DEVELOPMENT, ADDITIONAL
NETWORKING AND MENTORING
POSSIBILITIES.
THEY WILL ALLOW THEM TO BECOME
AWARE OF AND PREPARED FOR A
RANGE OF CAREERS IN THE
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH WORKFORCE,
AND ALSO THERE'S HOPE THERE WILL
BE INSTITUTIONAL ENGAGEMENT SO
WE CAN HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE
INSTITUTIONS THEMSELVES TO TRY
TO BUILD MORE INCLUSIVE
ENVIRONMENTS FOR THE TRAINEES.
SO I WILL STOP SHARING AT THAT
POINT, AND AGAIN WELCOME ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BEFORE WE
COME FOR A VOTE.
>> QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM
THE GROUP?
ESSENTIALLY THIS IS ANALOGOUS TO
MOSAIC BUT FOR GRADUATE STUDENT
TO POSTDOC TRANSITION.
PAM.
>> THIS IS VERY EXCITING.
THINK THE NOTION OF THE HUBS AND
IN PARTICULAR THE SCIENCE
EDUCATION COMPONENT IN
ASSOCIATION WITH THAT IS VERY
STRIKING.
THIS IS AFTER HAVING LOOKED
THROUGH SOME OF THE CEPA REVIEWS
AND SEEING SORT OF THE EXPERTISE
THAT SCIENTISTS CAN BRING, AND
THEN TO HAVE ACTUALLY COLLEAGUES
THAT ARE BRINGING IN SORT OF THE
LITERATURE BACKGROUND AND ALL OF
THAT TO PROVIDE THOSE HUBS TO
CREATE CRITICAL MASSES FOR THE
STUDENTS, I THINK IS REALLY AN
EXCITING CONCEPT.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU.
NATALIE.
>> JU JUST TO CLARIFY YOUR COMMENT
ABOUT REPLACING THE
F31 DIVERSITY PROGRAM.
IS THERE A COMPONENT ON THIS
THAT REQUIRES THE TRAINEE TO GO
TO A POSTDOCTORAL TRAINING
POSITION AFTERWARDS?
AND SO IT MIGHT LIMIT THE
STUDENTS WHO WANT TO TRAIN AND
GO TO INDUSTRY?
>> THERE'S NOT A RESTRICTION OF
GOING TO INDUSTRY, FOR EXAMPLE.
I GUESS THAT POTENTIALLY IT
WOULD -- YOU WOULD THEN NOT HAVE
THE AWARD ON THE SECOND SIDE OF
THE -- THE BRIDGE WOULD NOT BE
AWARDED.
IF THEY 50 IMMEDIATELY FROM GO IMMEDIATEL Y FROM THE
PH.D. RIGHT INTO INDUSTRY.
BUT THE IDEA HERE IS REALLY FOR
THOSE WHO WOULD NEED ADDITIONAL
TRAINING, FOR EXAMPLE, IN SOME
ASPECTS OF INDUSTRY, IT SEEMS AS
THOUGH THEY ENCOURAGE SOME
POSTDOCTORAL TRAINING.
BUT THERE'S NOTHING -- WE ARE
TRYING TO BE A LITTLE MORE
FLEXIBLE WITH THIS ONE IN THE
SENSE THAT THERE ARE A RANGE OF
CAREERS AND CERTAINLY INDUSTRY
IS A CAREER THAT IS WITHIN THE
NIH MISSION IN TERMS OF THE
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH WORKFORCE.
SO THERE'S NOTHING THAT PREVENT
IT FROM HAPPENING.
>> OKAY.
THAT WAS MY QUESTION, WHETHER IT
EXCLUDES CERTAIN TRAINEES WHO
HAVE DIFFERENT INTENTIONS, WHEN
THEY APPLY AND AT THE SAME TIME
REMOVES THE F31 DIVERSITY
CATEGORY, SO IF A TRAINEE
APPLIES FOR THIS, DO THEY HAVE
TO HAVE ANY SORT OF SPECIFIC
STATED INTENTION OF WHAT THEY'RE
GOING TO DO AFTER THEIR PH.D.?
>> IT SHOULD NOT EXCLUDE ANYBODY
THAT WAS ELIGIBLE FOR THE
F31 DIVERSITY, AND I THINK YOU
RAISE AN ABSOLUTELY EXCELLENT
POINT, WHICH IS THAT CURRENTLY
WHEN FELLOWSHIP APPLICATIONS ARE
REVIEWED, THERE TENDS TO BE A
BIAS TOWARDS THOSE THAT HAVE A
STATED PURPOSE TOWARDS ACADEMICS
RESEARCH, AND IT'S SOMETHING WE
NEED TO WORK HARD TO ORIENT
REVIEWERS AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT
PART OF THE SCORED REVIEW
CRITERIA.
SO I THINK YOU RAISE AN
EXCELLENT POINT, SOMETHING WE
HAVE TO BE VIGILANT ABOUT IN
TERMS OF REVIEW CRITERIA AND
REVIEWER ORIENTATION TO MAKE
SURE THAT STUDENTS AREN'T
DISADVANTAGED BECAUSE THEY HAVE
A BROAD RANGE OF CAREER
ASPIRATIONS.
>> AND JUST ONE MORE QUESTION.
BECAUSE IT SEEMS THAT THE METRIC
FOR DETERMINING WHETHER THIS IS
SUCCESSFUL IS WHETHER IT MOVES
THE NEEDLE ON ASSISTANT
PROFESSORS OR ACADEMICS
INVESTIGATORS.
SO IN A WAY, THE ASSESSMENT
BUILDS IN AN EXPECTATION A
POST-DOCTORAL IN ACADEMICS AND
SO ON DURING THAT TRACK IS THE
GOAL, IS THAT RIGHT?
>> THAT'S THE DATA THAT WE
PRESENTED, BUT I THINK THAT YOU
HAVE UNDERREPRESENTATION IN ALL
ASPECTS OF THE CAREERS IN THE
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CAREER
WORKFORCE.
CERTAINLY WE WORKED HARD AT
NIGMS AND NIH IN GENERAL TO TRY
TO CHANGE THE CONVERSATION TO
EMBRACE THE BREADTH OF CAREERS
IN THE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
WORKFORCE.
AND THEY'RE ALL NOBLE AND
IMPORTANT PROFESSIONS AND THEY
ALL CONTRIBUTE TO THE
ENTERPRISE.
SO WE'VE WORKED HARD WITH OUR
REVIEWERS TO ORIENT THEM TO THE
BREADTH OF CAREERS, AND IT WOULD
BE THE GOAL OF THIS PROGRAM IN
PARTICULAR.
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE PAINS TO
MAKE SURE THE WORD "ACADEMICS"
IS NOT IN THE ACRONYM AND THAT
WE EMBRACE THE BREADTH OF
CAREERS.
>> GREAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> ANGELA.
>> SO THIS IS SUCH AN EXCITING
MODEL TO THINK ABOUT, I HOPE YOU
CAN FORGIVE ME FOR HAVING A SORT
OF -- THE BEGINNING OF A
THOUGHT, WHICH JUST MIGHT BE --
I OFFER IT UP, YOU CAN SEE
WHETHER IT USEFUL OR NOT.
BUT I'M IMAGINING THE EXPERIENCE
FROM A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE WHO
HAS ONE OF THESE IF HE HOPE
SHIPS, AND THEY'VE GOT FELLOWSHIPS,
AND THEY HAVE MULTIPLE LAYERS OF
IDENTITY AS THEY'RE GOING
THROUGH, BOTH THE GRADUATE
PROGRAM INITIALLY, BUT THEN THAT
IDENTITY TENDS TO FADE A LITTLE
BIT OVER TIME WHERE THEY BECOME
MORE OF A LAB IDENTITY AND ALSO
THIS ADDITIONAL COHORT, AND I'M
JUST WONDERING ABOUT THE SORT OF
SENSE OF FEEDBACK AND COHERENCE
BETWEEN THOSE THINGS AND HOW TO
NOT CREATE A SEPARATE SET OF
EXPERIENCES THAT LEAD TO ANY
FEELING OF DISCONNECTION FROM
WHERE THEY MIGHT BE DAY TO DAY DAY
IN THE SENSE THAT BRINGING NEW
SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES BACK TO
YOUR SORT OF HOME INSTITUTION IS
A CHALLENGE IN AND OF ITSELF.
SO I JUST WONDER HOW TO SUPPORT
SORT OF INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS AS
THEY NAVIGATE SO MANY SPACES IN
A SCIENTIFIC CULTURE THAT REALLY
HAS A STRONG -- WHERE YOU LAND
IN ONE PLACE AND SORT OF FULLY
IMMERSE YOURSELF IN IT.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWER
TO THAT IS, BUT I JUST AM
IMAGINING THESE STUDENTS REALLY
TRAVERSING A LOT MORELAND MORE LANDSCAPES
THAN STUDENTS HAVE BEFORE.
>> I THINK ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK
AT IT IS THAT THERE ARE MORE
SAFE SPACES FOR THEM AS WELL.
SO I THINK THE THING WE'RE
CONCERNED ABOUT ARE THE
INDIVIDUALS THAT FIND THEMSELVES
IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS NOT
FEELING INCLUSIVE TO THEM AND IT
REALLY -- THEIR SCIENCE IDENTITY
IS TAKING A HIT, THEIR SENSE OF
BELONGING, SENSE OF COMMUNITY IS
REALLY TAKING A HIT, AND IF THEY
CAN FIND A SAFE SPACE, IF
THERE'S A COHORT OF PEOPLE WHO
HAVE SHARED VALUES AND VISION
AND GOALS, AND THEN THERE'S A
GROUP OF A SUPPORT STRUCTURE
THERE THAT'S ELSEWHERE, THIS IS
JUST BUILDING IN A SAFETY NET
THAT WE KNOW IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT.
IF YOU'RE THAT INDIVIDUAL
FINDING YOURSELF IN THAT
SITUATION, IT CAN IMPACT CAREER
DECISIONS AND OTHER SUCH THINGS
WHERE IF THAT PERSON HAD A
SUPPORT STRUCTURE, THEY MAY
PERSEVERE THROUGH THIS
PARTICULAR SITUATION AND FIND
THEMSELF INTO A MORE INCLUSIVE
AND HOSPITABLE ENVIRONMENT.
SO THAT'S THE IDEA BEHIND IT.
THE COHORTS KNOW -- WE KNOW
WORK, HAVING ADDITIONAL
MENTORING, HAVING ADDITIONAL
SUPPORT SYSTEMS.
AND YES, IT IS ANOTHER ENTITY
THAT THEY HAVE TO ENGAGE WITH,
BUT THE HOPE IS IT WILL BE A
POSITIVE ONE AND SUPPORTIVE.
>> MY CONCERN WAS MORE ABOUT THE
GOING HOME PART.
THAT COMMUNITY MAY BE REALLY
INTENTIONAL AND WONDERFUL, BUT
IT'S ALMOST LIKE STUDENTS WHO GO
ON YEARS ABROAD, THEN TALK ABOUT
THE SORT OF COMING BACK AND
HAVING THAT BE REALLY DIFFERENT
TOO.
SO I GUESS MY POINT IS THAT IT
IS AN OBVIOUS PLUS TO PROVIDE
THAT SORT OF ADDITIONAL
COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT, BUT THAT
MAY ALSO LEAD TO NEW KINDS OF
THINGS TO LOOK AT WHEN PEOPLE
ARE NAVIGATING THOSE ADDITIONAL
SPACES WITH SORT OF NEW
KNOWLEDGE.
IT MIGHTING AN INTERESTING MIGHT BE AN IN TERESTING PLACE
TO EVALUATE IN A REALLY GRANULAR
WAY WHAT THE STUDENTS'
EXPERIENCES ARE, HAVING LEARNED
SOMETHING NEW AND COMING BACK TO
ANOTHER INSTITUTION.
>> THANK YOU.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR THAT.
IT LOOKS LIKE I DON'T SEE ANY
MORE HANDS UP, SO WE CAN --
>> I'LL TURN IT OVER TO ERICA
THEN.
>> WE'LL START WITH THE
PREDOCTORAL CAREER TRANSITION
AWARD.
I MOVE THAT WE APPROVE THIS
CONCEPT FOR FURTHER FUNDING
DEVELOPMENT.
ARE ANY OPPOSED?
THE MOTION IS A I PROVED AND NOW APPROVED .
NOW THE INSTITUTIONALLY FOCUSED
CAREER EDUCATION AWARD.
I MOVE WE APPROVE THIS CONCEPT
AS WELL.
ARE ANY OPPOSED?
THIS IS APPROVED AS WELL.
THANK YOU.
>> TERRIFIC.
WELL, THAT'S REALLY EXCITING.
I THINK WE HAVE SOME EXCITING
AND HOPEFULLY VERY IMPACTFUL NEW
INITIATIVES THAT WE WILL BE
GETTING UNDERWAY IN THE COMING
MONTHS.
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ITEMS THEY
WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP FOR
EITHER CONSIDERATION NOW OR AT
PFAU TOUR MEETINGS?
WENDY, YOU TURNED
>> I HAVE A TOPIC IF WE HAVE A
MOMENT.
>> SURE, GO AHEAD.
>> I ALMOST HESITATE TO BRING
THIS UP.
WE'VE COVERED SO MANY WONDERFUL
TOPICS THIS MORNING.
BUT ONE THING THAT'S BEEN ON MY
MIND FOR A WHILE IS SHALL IT -
WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT IT, IS
ABOUT RIGOR AND RESPONSIBILITY
AND RESEARCH.
IN PARTICULAR, AROUND
REPRODUCIBILITY OF PUBLISHED
RESULTS.
THE NIH HAS DONE A LOT IN THIS
AREA TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY,
TRAIN INVESTIGATORS.
>> I WASN'T SURE IF WE'VE HAD A
DISCUSSION OF HOW ALL OF THOSE
INITIATIVES HAVE HAD A
BENEFICIAL IMPACT.
IF THERE WAS A TIME TO REFRESH.
FOR CONTEXT, THE REASON I BRING
THIS UP, A SENIOR LEADER IN DRUG
DISCOVERY COMING FROM PHARMA, WE
SPEND A LOT OF TIME TRYING TO
REPRODUCE PUBLICATIONS, IT TAKES
TIME AND CAN BE COSTLY.
SOME DOES NOT REPRODUCE FOR A
VARIETY OF REASONS.
IT COSTS US ALL WHEN THIS
HAPPENS.
>> THAT WOULD BE A GREAT
DISCUSSION.
I THINK YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT,
SINCE THE KNISH DIFFERS --
INITIATIVES HAVE BEEN GOING ON
IT WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO LOOK
AT IMPACT THEY HAVE HAD.
AT SOME LEVEL IMPACTS WILL BE
ALSO LONGER TERM, RIGHT?
WHEN THINGS GET TO THE POINT OF
WANTING TO GO INTO INDUSTRY OR
CLINICAL TRIALS, BUT I THINK
THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US
TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE
INITIATIVES AND SEE HOW THEY
HAVE BEEN DOING.
I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE THAT AS A
CHALLENGE AND A CHARGE.
INTERNALLY AT NIGMS WE'LL PUT
THAT ON THE AGENERAL DO FOR
US -- AGENDA TO COME BACK TO
HOPEFULLY IN A FEW ROUNDS AND
MAYBE GIVE YOU AN UPDATE.
WITH THAT MAKE SENSE?
>> SOUNDS TERRIFIC.
>> THANKS FOR BRINGING IT UP.
AS YOU SAID, IT WAS THE TOPIC OF
MANY COUNCIL MEETINGS A FEW
YEARS AGO, SEVERAL YEARS, BUT
ONCE THINGS GOT IN PLACE NOW
THEY ARE IN MOTION BUT I THINK
YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S TIME TO LOOK
AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
>> GREAT, THANKS.
>> PETER?
>> THANKS.
WE HEARD ABOUT AND APPROVED A
LOT OF AMAZING PROGRAMS TODAY,
EACH WILL HAVE A COST TO THEM
ULTIMATELY.
YOU RYE MIND US EACH MEETING
THERE'S ZERO SUM GAIN EVEN
THOUGH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND
CONGRESS HAVE BEEN GENEROUS TO
NIH.
THERE'S ALWAYS TREAD MILLING BUT
WHEN YOU HAVE LARGE NEW
INITIATIVES, HOW DO YOU CONSIDER
THAT IN YOUR PLANNING?
>> YOU LAID IT OUT QUITE WELL.
WE THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD WE DO
WITH THIS PROGRAM, WERE WE TO
GET INCREASED APPROPRIATIONS IN
THE FUTURE, FACTOR THAT IN, IF
THERE WERE TO BE LOWER INCREASES
OR NO INCREASES IN
APPROPRIATION, WE ALSO THINK
ABOUT TREADMILLING AS YOU SAY,
REPURPOSING OF FUNDS.
AS AN EXAMPLE, WITH THE PROGRAM
THAT ALLISON TALKED ABOUT AT THE
END THERE, AS SHE SAID, THE F31
DIVERSITY PROGRAM WILL BE PHASED
OUT AND THOSE FUNDS WILL BECOME
PART OF THE FUNDS FOR THAT
PROGRAM.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU DO THESE
THINGS IN YOUR JOB TOO.
YOU THINK ABOUT WHERE IS THE
OUTFLOW, WHAT ARE THE INPUTS.
BUT WE'RE CONSTANTLY DOING THAT
KIND OF MODELING AND BOTH OUR
BUDGET OFFICE AND OUR DEMA ARE
USEFUL IN THAT REGARD.
>> THANKS.
IT'S HELPFUL.
JUST BECAUSE WE NEVER CONSIDERED
THE TRADEOFFS OURSELVES IN
EVALUATING THESE.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU.
>> ALL RIGHT.
WELL, WE'RE ONLY FIVE MINUTES
OVER TIME, WHICH IS REALLY
WONDERFUL GIVEN THE AMOUNT WE
COVERED AND THE RICHNESS OF THIS
DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD.
SO I THANK EVERYONE FOR TUNING
IN TO THE OPEN SESSION.