>> I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME
EVERYBODY AND BEFORE WE START
TODAY'S SESSION I JUST NEED TO
REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THE
OPENING SESSION WHICH IS THE
DIRECTOR'S PRESENTATION FROM
DR. RATHMELL IS VIDEO CAST LIVE
TO THE PUBLIC SO MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC WHO MAY WISH TO EXPRESS
VIEWS REGARDING ANY ITEMS
DISCUSSED DURING THIS MEETING
MAY DO SO DID I WRITING THE
EXECUTIVE SECRETARY WITHIN TEN
DAYS OF THE MEETING. ANY
WRITTEN STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC WILL RECEIVE CAREFUL
CONSIDERATION. NOW I WOULD LIKE
TO INVITE DR. RATHMELL TO GIVE
HER PRESENTATION.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, IT'S
GOOD TO SEE EVERYBODY AND
WELCOME BACK FROM A HOLIDAY
WEEK. SO WE CAN GO ON, ONTO THE
NEXT SLIDE. OKAY, ACTUALLY, CAN
I ASK A TECHNICAL QUESTION
FIRST? WHAT I SEE IS THE SLIDE
IS REALLY SMALL, IS THAT -- HOW
IT LOOKS -- THAT'S MUCH BETTER
BECAUSE EVEN I COULDN'T SEE IT.
OKAY, SO I HAVE BEEN IN THE ROLE
ABOUT SIX MONTHS, I'VE BEEN
LISTENING AND LEARNING, I'VE HAD
A REALLY GOOD TIME LEARNING
SOMETHING NEW EVERYDAY. ABOUT
EVERY HOUR. FEELING REALLY
READY TO MOVE THE NEEDLE IN OUR
WORK AND REALLY EXCITED ABOUT
THE PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING. IT
HAS BEEN ALSO A CHALLENGING SIX
MONTHS PERIOD AS YOU ARE ALL
VERY WELL AWARE. THE BUDGET IN
PARTICULAR, WE'VE PUT THAT ON
THE AGENDA AS ITEM NUMBER TWO IS
LIKELY TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR THE
FORESEEABLE YEAR AS WELL. BUT I
WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE ARE
NOT SLOWING DOWN. WE, WHAT OUR
BUDGET MEANS IS WE HAVE TO BE
MORE CREATIVE IN HOW WE MOVE
FORWARD. SO THIS GROUP IN
PARTICULAR IS OUR PEER REVIEW OF
OUR INTRAMURAL PROGRAM SO YOUR
THOUGHTS ARE VERY, VERY VALUABLE
TO US AND WE'LL HELP US GET
THROUGH THIS PERIOD AND LEARN
HOW WE DO THIS BEST. THIS IS AN
EXCEPTIONAL PROGRAM. OUR GOAL
IS TO CONTINUE TO BE EXCEPTIONAL
AND TO CONTINUE TO REALLY PUSH
THE NEEDLE AND SO THANK YOU FOR
ALL OF YOUR WORK. TODAY'S
TOPICS WE'LL TALK ABOUT RECENT
NEWS AND UPDATES, DIVE INTO THE
BUDGET ISSUES AND TALK ABOUT
MORE RESEARCH AND PROGRAM
HIGHLIGHTS ALTHOUGH YOU'LL HEAR
A LOT MORE FROM THE LEADERS OF
DCG AND CCR AND THEN HOPEFULLY
WE HAVE SOME TIME FOR QUESTIONS.
SO, NEXT SLIDE. SO, FIRST, I
HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE HAVE
LARGE GROUP THAT ARE MOVING ON.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
THANK YOU. WE ARE ONE OF THE
CO-CHAIRS PAT, CHRIS AIKEN,
ROBERT, CHRISTOPHER LIMA, I WANT
TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR
SERVICE. I HOPE WE CAN ALL CLAP
FOR EVERYBODY'S EFFORTS AND TIME
SPENT. REALLY VALUABLE. YOU'LL
SEE A FEW ASTERISKS ON THERE.
THOSE ARE PEOPLE WE ASKED TO
STAY ON AND CONTINUE FOR APPEAR
EXTRA YEAR. SO THANK YOU TO
EVERYBODY. NEXT SLIDE. OKAY,
NEWS AND UPDATES. YOU CAN GO TO
THE NEXT SLIDE. SO FIRST ON THE
TOPIC OF PERSONNEL ON OUR
BOARDS, AS YOU KNOW WE HAVE SIX
BOARDS AND THEY PROVIDE
DIFFERENT SERVICES TO ADVISE FOR
DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE
INSTITUTION BUT ONE THING THAT
I'VE WANTED TO DO IS TO DO A
LITTLE BIT MORE OF A DEEP DIVE
ONBOARDING AS NEW BOARD MEMBERS
COME ON SO I WANTED TO LET YOU
KNOW THAT AS WE REPLACE BOARD
MEMBERS AND FOR THE NEW CHAIR
WE'LL BRING TOGETHER EVERYONE
FROM ALL OF THE NEW BOARDS TO DO
AN ORIENTATION TO GET AGAIN, A
DEEP DIVE INTO WHAT THE WORK IS
OF THE NCI. I THINK THAT WILL
HELP TO HARMONIZE SOME OF THE
BOARDS AS WELL AS LET NEW BOARD
MEMBERS REALLY HIT THE GROUND
RUNNING. BEYOND THE SPECIFIC
ORIENTATION THAT THEY GET FOR
THEIR BOARD. A FEW MORE DETAILS
TO COME BUT YOU MAY HEAR ABOUT
THIS AND I JUST WANTED TO LET
YOU KNOW WHAT THAT WOULD BE.
NEXT SLIDE. OKAY. WE HAVE SO
MANY IMPRESSIVE THINGS TO BRAG
ABOUT. I HAVE TO FOR SURE GIVE
A SHOUT-OUT TO OUR NEW NATIONAL
ACADEMY OF SCIENCE ELECTED
MEMBERS, GEORGE AND SANDRA, WE
CAN LOOK AT OTHER NATIONAL
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND AWARDS THAT
ARE RECEIVED THE ACI HAS TWO NEW
MEMBERS. JUNG-MIN LEE.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THEM, JUST
REPRESENTING SOME OF THE
INCREDIBLE WORK OUR PEOPLE DO
AND HOW HIGHLY IT'S RESPECTED
OUTSIDE THE WALLS OF THE NCI.
NEXT SLIDE. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF
THAT IS THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE
PARTICIPATE IN WITH THE AACR AND
ASCO. IT'S REALLY INSPIRATIONAL
AS A NEW DIRECTOR TO GO TO THESE
MEETINGS AND SEE HOW MUCH OF A
FOOTPRINT THAT WE HAVE. ONE
PICTURE OF NOT EVERYONE THAT WAS
PRESENT THAT GROUP PHOTO WAS THE
NCI PEOPLE THAT HAPPENED TO BE
NEAR THE BOOTH AT THE TIME WE
TOOK THE PHOTO BUT WE HAVE A LOT
OF ENERGY, A LOT OF PASSION THAT
GETS SHOWN THERE. YOU KNOW,
EVERYTHING FROM TRAINEES TO
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCED
IN THESE MEETINGS FOR A LONG
TIME. I THINK IT'S ALSO NOTABLE
THE AWARDS THAT ARE INTRAMURAL
PROGRAM PERSONNEL RECEIVED.
STEVE ROSENBURG THIS YEAR
RECEIVING A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
AWARD FOR CANCER RESEARCH AND IS
A TEESH RECEIVING THE
HUMANITARIAN AWARD. MY MESSAGES
AT THESE TWO MEETINGS. I SPOKE
ABOUT ERAS. A DIFFERENT WAY OF
DOING RESEARCH THESE DAYS.
TOPDOWN RESEARCH. A MORE MODERN
PERIOD OF RESEARCH TO A PERIOD
OF TIME THAT WE CALLED 360 IN A
TALK. DEFINING COLLABORATION
BETWEEN SILOS OF DIFFERENT TYPES
OF RESEARCH AND DIFFERENT TYPES
OF INPUTS. INCLUDING PATIENTS
AND ADVOCATES, INCLUDING
COMMUNITIES AND SOME OF OUR
SHARED DECISION-MAKING. AND IT
WAS A TOPIC THAT WAS VERY WELL
RECEIVED AND I THINK TIMELY AND
REALLY PUT SOME OF THOSE WHAT I
CALLED IN THE SPACES IDEAS.
MUCH MORE FRONT AND CENTER AND,
AGAIN, WAS WELL-RECEIVED AND
ASCO I FOCUSED MORE ON
TRANSFORMING CLINICAL RESEARCH
ABOUT BEING PROACTIVE AND TRYING
TO CHANGE THE MODELS OF CLINICAL
RESEARCH TO GET RESEARCH DONE
FASTER, TO MOVE FORWARD AT A
PACE THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE EXPECT
TODAY GIVEN THE INCREDIBLE TOOLS
THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE. ABOUT
BEING IMPATIENT FOR THAT KIND OF
CHANGE AND BRINGING CLINICAL
TRIALS TO COMMUNITIES. MUCH
MORE BROADLY. AND ADDRESSING
OTHER BOUTS IN THE PIPELINE FROM
BASIC DISCOVERY TO CLINICAL
RESEARCH. ALSO VERY
WELL-RECEIVED AND HAS GENERATED
SEVERAL REALLY INTERESTING
FOLLOW UPS THAT I THINK WILL BE
TRANSFORMATIVE TO BE HONEST.
NEXT SLIDE. I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT YOU WILL SEE WHEN
YOU HEAR THE REPORTS FROM
DIRECTORS TODAY, THAT WE HAVE
HAD SOME TRANSITION IN CCR,
THOMAS STEPPED DOWN TO FOCUS ON
RESEARCH AFTER HAVING AN
EFFECTIVE EIGHT YEARS OF
LEADERSHIP OF THE CCR. WE'VE
HAD SOME COACTING DIRECTORSHIP.
WE'RE GOING WITH THE COMODEL
BECAUSE CCR IS VERY LARGE. SO
JAMES GULLY HAS BEEN ACT AING AS
THE CO-CHAIR. AND GLENN HER LEE
KNOW HAS STEPPED UP TO BE ON THE
BASIC SIDE UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT
LAST WEEK AND THAT BATON HAS
BEEN PASSED ONTO CAROL. THERE
IS AN ACTIVE SEARCH THAT WILL BE
LAUNCHED IMMINENTLY AND I WILL
STAY HERE AS LONG AS WE NEED TO
BUT WE APPEAR TO BE HAVING A
FIRE DRILL AND WE'RE NOT SLOWING
DOWN IN THIS TRANSITION BUT IT'S
A GOOD OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE'RE
LOOKING AT LOTS OF THE THINGS
THAT WE'RE DOING. NEXT SLIDE.
OTHER LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS
THAT ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE
FICTION OF THE PROGRAM. WEDOIN
LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS THAT ARE
IMPORTANT FOR THE FICTION OF THE
PROGRAM. WE ADDED A DEPUTY AND
AND WAR REN KAY WHO HAS A LONG
HISTORY WITH THE NCI AND WAS
ADDED AT THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR
DATA SCIENCE AND STRATEGY SO HE
WILL BE BRINGING INITIATIVES
AROUND AI, DATA HARMONIZATION,
COMMON DATA ELEMENTS, CODING
ALGORITHMS. AND IT IS REALLY
ONGOING AND IS EFFECTIVELY
COORDINATED. (INAUDIBLE). JUST
TO GIVE YOU SOME HIGHLIGHTS. SO
WHY DO WE NEED A DEPUTY DIRECTOR
FOR DATA SCIENCE IS BECAUSE WE
HAVE MANY DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES
THAT REALLY NEED COORDINATION
ACROSS THESE SPACES BUT THERE'S,
OH, NOT A REAL FIRE, JUST A
TEST, GOOD. UM, I'VE NEVER HAD
A FIRE ALARM IN THE MIDDLE OF
GIVING A TALK BEFORE, SORRY. I
JUST WANT TO SHOUT-OUT TO SOME
REALLY EXCITING WORK THAT'S COME
OUT OF THE INTRAMURAL PROGRAM
AND MANY OF YOU PROBABLY SAW
THIS BECAUSE THIS WAS
HIGHLIGHTED IN ARTICLES OF
NATURE CANCER WITH PRECISION
MATCHING TOOLS THAT ARE AI
ALGORITHMS FOR CANCER DRUGS THAT
CAME FROM WORK IN OUR PROGRAMS
AND OTHER MACHINE LEARNING
MODELS TO LOOK AT THE SPATIAL
ORIENTATION OF TUMORS AS WELL.
SO THIS IS WORK AS YOU ALL KNOW
THAT IS INFILTRATING EVERY PART
OF WHAT WE DO AND BEING AT THE
LEADING EDGE IS VERY FOR FOR
US -- IMPORTANT FOR US AT THE
NCI.
WE ALSO BROUGHT ON AN ADDITIONAL
SENIOR ADVISOR FOR CLINICAL
RESEARCH DR. SHAUN WHO WILL HELP
US WITH THIS CLINICAL RESEARCH
TRANSFORMATION. WE WILL BE
LEADING PART OF THIS MOVING
THINGS FASTER, MOVING THINGS
INTO THE HANDS OF PATIENTS MORE
RAPIDLY BY ROLE MODELING HERE IN
OUR CLINICAL CENTER AS WELL AS
THE COLLABORATIONS THAT WE'RE
ABLE TO DO OUTSIDE. HE'S
WORKING ON LEADING MANY OF THOSE
EFFORTS. NEXT SLIDE. WE DON'T
HAVE TO DO BACK. ON THAT SLIDE
I -- THANK YOU, WHICH OUTLINES A
LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE'RE
THINKING. BUT I PUT THAT IN
THERE MOSTLY TO MAKE A PLUG FOR
THE CANCER CURRENTS. IT'S A
REALLY USEFUL TOOL TO SEE WHAT'S
GOING ON AT THE NCI AND WE TRY
TO KEEP IT VERY UPDATED, VERY
FRESH WITH SOME OF THE LATEST
THOUGHTS COMING FROM INTRAMURAL
AND EXTRAMURAL PROGRAMS. IF YOU
DON'T SUBSCRIBE TO THE CANCER
CURRENTS BLOG, I WOULD
ABSOLUTELY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO
THAT. NEXT SLIDE. AND THEN,
ALSO BUILDING LEADERSHIP IS
BUILDING SOME OF THE
INFRASTRUCTURE AND TEAMS AND OUR
CENTER FOR CANCER HEALTH EQUITY
HAS BEEN WORKING ON TRYING TO
BUILD MORE DEPTH AND CAPACITY
AND PART OF THAT HAS BEEN THE
ANNOUNCEMENT OF A GROUP CALLED
THE CANCER EQUITY GROUP LEADERS.
YOU CAN SEE THE INDIVIDUALS IN
THIS GROUP, MANY ON VARIOUS
BOARDS OF THE NCI. BUT ARE
LEADERS WHO HAVE BEEN VERY
PROACTIVE IN DIVERSITY AND
INCLUSION EFFORTS ACROSS OUR
NATION. AND WE'RE LEAPI II IIN
LEANING ON THEM TO HELP GUIDE
OUR DECISION-MAKING AROUND THE
WORKFORCE AND HOW WE ENGAGE OUR
PUBLIC MUCH MORE EFFECTIVELY,
PART OF THAT WORK HAS BEEN
PUTTING TOGETHER THE FIRST EVER
BLACK AND CANCER CONFERENCE HELD
JUST A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. WAS
PHENOMENALLY WELL-ATTENDED WITH
GREAT DISCUSSIONS TO REALLY TALK
ABOUT HOW WE HAVE A WORKFORCE OF
THE FUTURE THAT REPRESENTS ALL
OF THE PATIENTS THAT WE'RE
SERVING. NEXT SLIDE. AND I
ALREADY KIND OF GAVE IT AWAY. A
LOT OF THIS EFFORT IS LEAD BY
WHAT WE HAVE CALLED OUR CENTER
REDUCED -- TO REDUCE CANCER
HEALTH DISPARITY, CRCHD LED BY
SONYA SPRINGFIELD AND HER GROUP
RECOGNIZED THAT WE NEED A
DIFFERENT NAME. WE'RE REALLY
FOCUSING NOT ON JUST REDUCING
HEALTH DISPARITIES BUT IMPR
INIMPROVING HEALTH UP EQUITY FOR
EVERYONE.
AND THIS WILL WORK WITH THE
CANCER HEALTH INEQUITY. THAT
WAS OUR NEWS AND WE'LL MOVE ONTO
BUDGET. THIS IS OUR BUDGET
SITUATION. THIS IS THE TABLE
THAT WE USED TO SHOW WHERE WE
PUT OUR PROFESSIONAL BUDGET
PROPOSAL. SO WE HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SAY WHAT WE THINK
IT WOULD COST TO DO THE WORK
THAT WE WANT TO DO IN 2023.
THAT PROFESSIONAL BUDGET WAS 7.7
BILLION DOLLARS. OUR ACTUAL
BUDGET INCLUDING THAT LAST YEAR
OF FUNDING FOR THE MOON SHOT WAS
7.3. SO IN FY24, WE EXPECTED
THAT THINGS WOULD GET MORE
EXPENSIVE. WE EXPECTED THAT
COSTS WOULD RISE AND WE EXPECTED
THAT THERE WAS WORK THAT WE
WOULD WANT TO DO IN CLINICAL
TRIALS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WOULD
NOT BE COVERED UNDER OUR CURRENT
BUDGET WE ESTIMATED A BUDGET OF
9.9 BILLION DOLLARS AS YOU KNOW,
THE CURIOUS ACT FUNDING EXPIRED,
WE DID RECEIVE AN INCREASE IN
OUR BASE OF 120 MILLION DOLLARS
BUT THERE'S A NET DELTA OF 96
MILLION DOLLARS. SO WE ARE
FUNCTIONALLY OPERATING WITH LESS
MONEY. THAN WE DID BEFORE EVEN
THOUGH OUR BASE WENT UP. SO
THIS HAS BEEN A HARD YEAR. SOME
HAVE CALLED IT ONE OF THE
HARDEST YEARS IN MORE THAN A
DECADE. AND SO WE ARE DOING THE
BEST THAT WE CAN. WE DID
PRODUCE A PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT
BUDGET FOR FY 25 ESTIMATING 11
BILLION DOLLARS. AND THE
PRESIDENT KNOWS THAT AND HAS PUT
TOGETHER THE PROPOSAL OF 9.2.
WE WILL SEE WHERE THE BUDGET
COMES OUT WITH THE DEBT CEILING
DEAL, THE OVERALL BUDGET CAN'T
INCREASE. THIS IS OVERALL,
OVERALL AND IT IS UP LIKELY THAT
WE WILL GET A LARGE INCREASE.
BUT WE ARE TRYING TO BE VERY
PROACTIVE IN TALKING TO MEMBERS
OF CONGRESS, TALKING TO PEOPLE
WHO WILL INVOLVED IN
APPROPRIATIONS TO UNDERSTAND
WHERE THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT
COMES FROM, INVESTING IN CANCER
RESEARCH. WHY WHAT WE DO IS SO
IMPORTANT AND WHAT THE POTENTIAL
IS. SO... NEXT SLIDE. WITH THE
BUDGET THAT WE RECEIVED, SO
SINCE I SAW YOU LAST WE DID GET
OUR BUDGET AND WE ARE ABLE TO
SET OUR FUNDING POLICY, WE HAD
WORKED WITH AN INTERIM PAY LINE,
THIS IS WHAT WE DO EVERY YEAR.
WE START WITH AN INTERIM PAY
LINE TRYING TO BE SOMEWHAT
CONSERVATIVE ABOUT WHERE WE'RE
PUTTING OUR -- HOW WE'RE FUNDING
BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH
MONEY WE'LL GET. WE DIDN'T GET
OUR BUDGET UNTIL APRIL THIS
YEAR. OUR INTERIM PAY LINE WAS
SET AT NINE AND WE WERE ABLE TO
MOVE THE FINAL PAY LINE TO 10%.
OUR INTERIM PAY LINE FOR EARLY
STAGE INVESTIGATORS WAS SET AT
14%. WE HAVE OVER SEVERAL YEARS
DONE A 5% HANDICAPPED FOR EARLY
STAGE INVESTIGATORS: WE DECIDED
INSTEAD TO KEEP IT AT 17%.
I HAVE A SLIDE TO SHOW THAT TO
SHOW THAT REAL INTENT. IN
BRINGING MORE EARLY STAGE
INVESTIGATORS UNTIL THE FOLD.
THERE'S A LOT MORE ON THIS IN
THE BOTTOM LINE BLOG WHICH I
ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT
EVERY YEAR. NEXT SLIDE. SO
THIS IS WHAT I WAS REFERRING TO
SHOWING OUR TRENDS IN TERMS OF
PAY LINE. REMEMBER FUNDING RATE
IS HIGHER BECAUSE THEY ARE A
PHASE AND THERE ARE GRANTS THAT
ARE PULLED UP. BUT, THE --
WITHOUT QUESTION, PEOPLE ARE
FUNDED AT THE PAY LINE. AND THE
PAY LINE FOR ESTABLISHED
INVESTIGATORS HAS BEEN ROUGHLY
10% OR AS YOU CAN SEE THE LAST
TEN YEAR AVERAGE WE HAD GOTTEN
UP TO 12 LAST YEAR BUT BRINGING
IT BACK TO 10 WE'RE HOLDING
PRETTY STEADY AT AN AVERAGE BUT
EARLY STAGE INVESTIGATORS ARE
DIFFERENT. THIS IS A TIME WHERE
WE CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE A
GENERATION OF INVESTIGATORS. WE
KNOW THEIR IDEAS ARE FRESH, WE
KNOW THEY BRING ANY ENTHUSIASM
AND ENERGY INTO FIELDS AND THAT
THAT FIRST GRANT IS HARDER TO
GET. SO FEEL THAT IT'S
APPROPRIATE TO HAVE A HANDICAP
OF SEVEN POINTS FOR THOSE EARLY
STAGE INVESTIGATORS. WE ARE
MAINTAINING THAT AS A MAIN
PRIORITY. I DON'T HAVE THE
SLIDE IN HERE BUT THIS ALSO HAS
PROVEN TO BE AN IMPORTANT WAY
THAT WE ADDRESS THE DIVERSITY
ISSUES THAT WE HAVE AMONG OUR
SCIENTIFIC WORKFORCE. WE KNOW
THAT THE APPLICATIONS OF
ESTABLISHED INVESTIGATORS ARE
ABOUT 6% FROM UNDERREPRESENTED
MINORITIES AND FUNDED AT ABOUT
6% AS WELL BUT IT'S ABOUT DOUBLE
THAT. WHEN WE LOOK AT THE EARLY
STAGE INVESTIGATORS. AND SO THE
POOL OF PEOPLE IS DIFFERENT IN
THE EARLY STAGE VERSUS THE
ESTABLISHED INVESTIGATOR GROUP.
ALL RIGHT. NEXT SLIDE. JUST TO
PUT IN PERSPECTIVE, FUNDING THAT
WE PUT TO THE INTRAMURAL PROGRAM
SO IN THE ORANGE THERE IS
INTRAMURAL RESEARCH ABOUT 18% OF
OUR OVERALL BUDGET GOES TO
INTRAMURAL RESEARCH. TO PUT
THAT IN SOME PERSPECTIVE ABOUT
44% GOES TO THE RPG POOL BUT YOU
CAN SEE 9% GOES TO AREA CENTERS.
THAT'S CANCER CENTERS BUT OTHERS
AS WELL. 8% GOES TO OTHER
RESEARCH AND SO WE FUND THE VAST
MAJORITY OF ALL OF OUR
ALLOCATIONS GO TO RESEARCH AND
TODAY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE
INTRAMURAL PROGRAM SO IF YOU CAN
CLICK FORWARD. SO WE'RE JUST
GOING TO FOCUS ON THE INTRAMURAL
PROGRAM FOR JUST A MINUTE. IT'S
BEEN PRETTY STEADY AT ABOUT 18%.
HAS CREPT UP OVER THE LAST
SEVERAL YEARS. NOT
SURPRISINGLY. THIS, WITH ALL
THE INSTITUTIONS THAT YOU'RE AT
I THINK WILL NOT BE UNHEARD OF
TO ANYONE. THINGS HAVE GOTTEN
MORE EXPENSIVE TO DO. RESEARCH
COSTS MORE MONEY WE HAVE TO PAY
COST OF LIVING INCREASES WHICH
WE MADE SOME PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL
IMPROVEMENTS THAT WERE VERY
NECESSARY FOR FUNDING POSTDOCS
AS WELL AS OTHER INVES T GUATY
INVESTIGATORS AND THE NET EFFECT
IS THAT COST MORE.
I WILL LET YOU CLICK TO THE NEXT
SLIDE.
OR THE NEXT SLIDE, YEAH.
IS JUST HOW THIS ALL BREAKS
DOWN.
SOME OF THE BIGGEST INCREASE HAS
BEEN IN THE CLINICAL CENTER.
THE CLINICAL CENTER HAS NOT BEEN
IMMUNE TO THE INCREASED COST OF
DELIVERING HEALTH CARE. THAT
WE'RE SEEING ACROSS THE BOARD.
AND SO THIS IS WHERE WE'RE
REALLY NEEDING SOME OF YOUR
HELP. WHEN OUR OVERALL BUDGET
GOES DOWN, AS IT DID THIS YEAR,
BUT OUR COSTS GO UP, WE ARE
REALLY FORCED TO MAKE SOME
PRETTY CHALLENGING DECISIONS.
IT'S BEEN AN INTERESTING TO BE
IN A POSITION LIKE THIS WHERE WE
DON'T HAVE OTHER LEVERS. WE
HAVE NO OTHER READY FUNDING
STREAMS THAT WE CAN BRING IN TO
OFFSET ONE FUNDING STREAM THAT
GOES DOWN. SO OUR ABILITY HAS
TO BE ABLE TO FLEX, TO
ACCOMMODATE TO THE BUDGET THAT
WE HAVE. IN AN ERA, WHERE WE
ALSO NEED TO BE PAYING PEOPLE
FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO AND
COMPENSATING THEM WELL AND DOING
THE HIGHEST END RESEARCH THAT IS
NECESSARY TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER
THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'RE DOING.
SO I DON'T THINK I HAVE TO TELL
YOU MORE. I THINK YOU
UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE THAT WE'RE
ALL FACING. NEXT SLIDE. SO HOW
ARE WE FACING THIS. I HAVE TWO
SLIDES THAT KIND OF GIVE YOU A
WHERE DO I GO TO WHEN I'M
THINKING ABOUT THE CHALLENGES IN
THE BUDGET. ONE IS THE NATIONAL
CANCER PLAN. I TALKED A BIT
ABOUT THIS IN OUR LAST MEETING.
IT'S NOW JUST OVER A YEAR OLD
AND WE CELEBRATED THAT
ANNIVERSARY IN PART BY LOOKING
HARD AT HOW THAT PLAN FITS
TOGETHER. AND I AM FOUNDED TO
BE THINKING ABOUT THE EIGHT
GOALS IN TWO BUCKETS. THE
HEALTH CENTRIC GOALS THAT
ENCOMPASS THE ARC OF THE PATIENT
EXPERIENCE. DETECTING THE
CANCER EARLY, DEVELOPING
EFFECTIVE THERAPEUTICS AND
DELIVERING OPTIMAL CARE BUT
HAVING ALL OF THOSE WHICH ARE
REAL OUTPUTS AND WHERE WE CHANGE
MORTALITY FOR CANCER FOR
AMERICANS TO ELEVATE THAT WITH
EMPOWERING GOALS THAT MAXIMIZE
DATA UTILITY. LEAN IN ON AI.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE WARREN HERE
IN HIS NEW ROLE. AND WE KNOW
THAT WE CAN DO MORE WITH DATA,
AND WORKING IN THAT SPACE.
ELIMINATING INEQUITIES. THIS IS
WHERE WE HAVE ROOM TO GROW.
THIS IS WHERE WE REACH OTHER
COMMUNITIES. OPTIMIZING THE
WORKFORCE. WE KNOW THAT WE NEED
A WELL-TRAINED AND EXCITED AND
ENTHUSIASTIC WORKFORCE AND THAT
THIS IS REALLY FUNDAMENTALLY AT
OUR CORE. AND THEN FINALLY
ENGAGING EVERY PERSON THAT THIS
IS REALLY ENGAGING LITERALLY
EVERY PERSON, EVERY PERSON HAS
RISK FOR CANCER, EVERY PERSON
NEEDS TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF
CANCER AND THE WORK THAT WE'RE
DOING. AND ENGAGING JUST VERY
BROADLY ALL OF THIS IS IN A
LANDSCAPE OF DISCOVERY SCIENCE.
IT FITS INTO ALL THE GOALS. TO
REDUCE CANCER MORTALITY. NEXT
SLIDE. I ALSO LEAN INTO SOME
VALUE STATEMENTS THAT FOR ME I
FIND TO BE HELPFUL. TALENT
DEVELOPMENT RIGHT THERE AT THE
TOP. NOT SURPRISING BUT ALSO
CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION.
THAT'S WHAT BROUGHT US HERE AS
SCIENTISTS, THAT'S WHERE WE CAN
MAKE SOME OF OUR, YOU KNOW, SORT
OF BIGGEST WINS, EMPOWERMENT,
AND REALLY HELPING PEOPLE FEEL
ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS. AND
THEN I HAD TO PUT A VALUE OF
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY GIVEN THE
CLIMATE THAT WE'RE IN, THIS HAS
TO BE A PART OF WHAT WE THINK
ABOUT WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HOW WE
DO THIS BUSINESS. NEXT SLIDE.
ALL RIGHT, NOW MORE FUN STUFF.
TALKING ABOUT SOME RESEARCH AND
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS. SO YOU'LL
HEAR AGAIN I THINK SOME MORE
ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT LATER
BUT SOME REALLY EXCITING THINGS
ABOUT GENETIC VARIANCE OF THE
CHROMOSOME ACTIVATION. I'M A
KIDNEY CANCER RESEARCHER. I WAS
EXCITED TO SEE THE ANY REGIONS
ASSOCIATED WITH CANCER RISK ALSO
THE DCEG INITIATIVES. WE HAVE A
NEW SARCOMA LINE DATABASE LED BY
CCR AND ANY BIOMATERIALS
ENHANCING CANCER VACCINE EFFORT.
AND MANY, MANY OTHER DISCOVERIES
AND ADVANCES ARE COMING OUT OF
ALL OF O OUR LABS. NEXT SLIDE.
IN TERMS OF WHAT DOES IT MEAN
WHEN I SAID I WANT TO TRANSFORM
CLINICAL RESEARCH IN THIS NEW
ERA. IT'S REALLY THINKING ABOUT
THINGS LIKE DECENTRALIZED
CLINICAL TRIAL DESIGNS. YOU
KNOW, MANAGING PATIENTS AT A
DISTANCE, THINGS THAT WE LEARNED
TO DO IN THE PANDEMIC, THE
VIRTUAL CLINICAL OFFICES IN
PILOT PHASE BUT HAS BEEN VERY
SUCCESSFUL. MANY GOOD LESSONS
LEARNED BUT HOW WE CAN USE
VIRTUAL INTERACTIONS TO STAFF
THE CLINICAL RESEARCH WORK THAT
WE DO. THE CLINICAL TRIALS
INNOVATION UNIT IS REALLY
FOCUSING ON THOSE TRIALS TO
ADDRESS A SPECIFIC QUESTION.
THE MATCH WAS A LANDMARK TRIAL
TO SHOW HOW WE COULD MATCH
PATIENTS ACROSS VERY DIFFERENT
KINDS OF SPACES TO AVAILABLE
DRUGS OF THE DAY. NOW THE
AVAILABLE DRUGS ARE MUCH MORE
SOPHISTICATED AND THINGS LIKE
MILO MATCH WHICH IS NOW OPEN
ALLOW A MORE CONTINUUM APPROACH
TO HOW WE IDENTIFY THE RIGHT
DRUG FOR THE RIGHT PATIENT
IMMUNO MATCH, ALL ON THE
HORIZON. ALSO WORKING MORE
ACROSS THE CLINICAL RESEARCH
SPACE AND I'LL JUST GIVE A PLUG
TO AN AD HOC WORKING GROUP THAT
WE'VE CHARGED. THAT WE WILL
REPORT BACK TO THE BSA TO
ENHANCE COMMUNITY RESEARCH AND
QUALITY CARE. REALLY LOOKING AT
WHERE WE CAN DO CAPACITY
BUILDING IN COMMUNITIES SO THAT
CLINICAL RESEARCH BECOMES NOT
THE THING THAT YOU DO WHEN
YOU'VE RUN OUT OF OPTIONS BUT
CLINICAL RESEARCH IS PART OF
YOUR CARE. AND IS PART OF THE
BEST CARE THAT YOU RECEIVE WHEN
YOU'RE UNDERGOING CARE FOR
CANCER. NEXT SLIDE. I ALSO
WANT TO POINT OUT THE CANCER
CABINET SO THIS IS THE WHITE
HOUSE INITIATIVE OF THE
PRESIDENT'S CANCER PANEL. WE
ARE IN THE WEEK OR I GUESS IT'S
A TWO WEEK PERIOD OF OPENING THE
CABINET UP TO COMMUNITY
CONVERSATIONS. WE HAVE A
CONVERSATION GOING ON ON
WEDNESDAY BUT IS AN OPPORTUNITY
TO RECEIVE INPUT ON WHAT'S
NEEDED TO DELIVER ON THOSE MOON
SHOT GOALS, REDUCING MORTALITY
BY 50% BY 2047 AND IMPROVING THE
EXPERIENCE OF PATIENTS AND THEIR
FAMILIES WITH CANCER. SO LOOK
OUT FOR MORE AND IF YOU WANT
ANYMORE INFORMATION ON THAT JUST
LET US KNOW. NEXT SLIDE. SO,
THIS IS MY NEXT SLIDE, MY LAST
SLIDE WHICH IS JUST WHAT DO I
NEED FROM YOU? WE TALKED ABOUT
THIS A LITTLE BIT LAST TIME BUT
JUST TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL AS OUR
PEER REVIEWERS OF, I'M LOOK FOR
THE EXPECTATION IN INTRAMURAL
RESEARCH TO BE AS I SAID AT THE
BEGINNING, AT THE LEVEL OF
EXCEPTIONAL. I TRIED TO THINK
OF, YOU KNOW, SORT OF THE
ANALOGY OF WHAT A LABORATORY OR
A RESEARCH PROGRAM IS WHEN IT'S
IN THE INTRAMURAL PROGRAM AND
IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE, I
USUALLY USE BASKETBALL ANALOGIES
BUT I LIKE THE PREMIER LEAGUE
SORT OF CONCEPT. THIS IS A
PRIVILEGE TO BE ABLE TO BE IN A
SPACE LIKE THIS, TO BE ABLE TO
MOVE THE KINDS OF QUESTIONS THAT
CAN REALLY HELP US MOVE THE
NEEDLE ON CANCER SO THE
EVALUATION CRITERIA ARE, YOU
KNOW, EXCEPTIONALISM, I WANT YOU
TO BE THINKING ABOUT HOW THE
LABORATORY'S ORGANIZED. HOW IT
FITS IN THE SCOMBRAFRMG HOW IT'S
RELEVANT IN MODERN CANCER
INVESTIGATION.
EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE
PROGRAM HAS TO BE UNIQUE
RESEARCH THAT SERVES THE NEEDS
IN THE EFFORT AGAINST CANCER AND
IS BEST DONE AT THE NCI OR
THROUGH GOVERNMENT RESOURCES.
THIS IS DIFFERENT FOR DIFFERENT
PROGRAMS AND SO THERE'S NOT ONE
COOKIE CUTTER BUT THIS IS THE
KIND OF BAR THAT I'M LOOKING FOR
YOU TO HELP SET. THE WORK HERE
HAS TO BE ESSENTIAL TO THE
MISSION OF THE NCI AND BY THAT
NCI I MEAN THE NCI THAT IS
AMERICAN CANCER RESEARCH IT HAS
TO BE, YOU KNOW, ESSENTIAL WORK
THAT WE NEED PEOPLE TO BE DOING
HERE. I THINK WE NEED TO ASK
OURSELVES, ARE WE DOING THE BEST
OF THE BEST RESEARCH? WE'RE
INVESTING, ALL THE MONEY THAT WE
INVEST IN THE INTRAMURAL PROGRAM
IS MONEY WELL SPENT BUT ARE WE
SPENDING IT IN THE WAYS THAT WE
NEED TO? AND DO WE NEED TO, YOU
KNOW, THINK ABOUT WHAT THIS
AMAZING RESOURCE IS TO THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC? AND ARE WE
ADVANCING KNOWLEDGE FOR CANCER
AND USING IT TO REDUCE THE
BURDEN OF CANCER? SO, I'M A
BASIC SCIENTIST, I'M NOT SAYING
THAT I DON'T VALUE TRULY BASIC
WORK. I ABSOLUTELY DO. BUT IT
ALL NEEDS TO FIT AND IT ALL
NEEDS TO BE OF A CALIBER THAT WE
SAY WITH PRIDE IS NCI RESEARCH.
I COULDN'T BE PRIDER OF --
PROUDER OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE DO
HAVE HERE I JUST WANT YOU TO
THINK ABOUT THAT AS YOU HAVE
YOUR DISCUSSIONS.
AND THINK ABOUT THE CREATIVITY,
THE RIGOR, THE INNOVATION, WHERE
WE ARE, THE ADVICE THAT YOU
PROVIDE IS INCREDIBLY VALUABLE
TO OUR INVESTIGATORS AND TO OUR
BRANCH CHIEFS. AND THEN THE
FINAL IS THAT THIS IS PART OF A
DIFFERENT PROCESS AS WELL WHICH
IS HOW WE BUILD TRUST WITH THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC. AND ADVANCE
THE EXCITING DISCOVERIES IN THE
REALM OF CANCER. SO WITH THAT,
I WILL STOP AND TAKE ANY
QUESTIONS. I'LL BE ABLE TO STAY
ABOUT 11:30 AND I WILL BE BACK
AGAIN TOMORROW AFTERNOON.
>> ANY QUESTIONS FOR
DR. RATHMELL? I CAN ONLY SEE A
FEW SCREENS ON MINE -- SO I
DON'T KNOW IF SOMEONE HAS RAISED
THEIR HAND? OR MIGHT NEED HELP?
YOU CAN PUT A QUESTION IN THE
CHAT.
>> I CAN ADDRESS THE GATES
FOUNDATION FUNDING STREAMS.
THAT IS AN ISSUE FOR US THAT OUR
INVESTIGATORS THEY CAN APPLY FOR
SOME OUTSIDE FUNDING. GATES IS
ONE. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE IS
ANOTHER. FOUNDATIONS THAT
HAVE -- SOME FOUNDATIONS BUT NOT
OTHERS BUT MOST FOUNDATIONS THAT
ARE DISEASE FOCUSED SPECIFIC ARE
OPPORTUNITIES. BUT THAT'S
LIMITED THAT IS NOT -- DOESN'T
COME CLOSE TO THE, YOU KNOW,
WHAT WE SUPPORT IN THE
EXTRAMURAL COMMUNITY. SO IT'S A
REAL CHALLENGE IT'S AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME PEOPLE BUT
NOT FOR THE MAJORITY
>> OKAY, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR
DR. RATHMELL BEFORE WE MOVE ON?
>> I GUESS I HAVE A BRIEF
QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S
THE POLICY OF THE NCI WHEN IT
COMES TO INDUSTRY COLLABORATIONS
BUT THAT'S OFTEN A WAY BY WHICH
YOU CAN BRING REVENUE INTO THE
SYSTEM THAT IS ACADEMIA IT'S
USED MORE AND MORE TO INCREASE
USE. IN A WORLD SENSE THERE'S
ALSO INDUSTRY COLLABORATIONS
THAT YOU ARE EXPLORING WITHIN
THE INTRAMURAL PROGRAM.
>> I WILL SPEAK TO THAT AND IF
ANYBODY ELSE, STEVEN, JAMES,
OTHERS WANT TO COMMENT. SO WE
DO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH
INDUSTRY, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT
PROVIDE DRUGS OFTEN FOR OUR
CLINICAL TRIALS. AND CAN
PROVIDE OTHER SOURCES OF SUPPORT
BUT THERE ARE SOME BOUNDARIES
THAT AS A GOVERNMENT AGENCY WE
HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF. WE --
INTRAMURAL INVESTIGATORS ARE
ENCOURAGED TO FILE INTEL LEK
CHILD -- INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
AND THE HPV VACCINE IS AN
EXAMPLE WE CAN SEE THIS FROM
INVESTIGATORS.
>> THIS IS STEVEN, WE DO HAVE
MECHANISM WITH WHAT WE CALL
FORMAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN
INTRAMURAL INVESTIGATORS IN
INDUSTRY THAT I SEE BEV SMILING.
IT HAS UPS AND DOWNS, SOMETIMES
THEY'RE EASY. SOMETIMES THEY'RE
NOT. BUT IT TAKES MONTHS TO
CREATE THOSE, SO YOU HAVE TO BE
THINKING OF LONG-TERM PROJECTS.
YOU DON'T ESTABLISH IT IN SIX
WEEKS BUT IN SIX MONTHS BUT
THERE THERE ARE SHARED
OPPORTUNITIES AND REVENUES AND
CERTAINLY THERE ARE GRANTS AND
THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT
COMPANIES WITH COME TO THE
FOUNDATION FOR NIH AND GIVE
MONEY AS WELL AS WHEN DCG, I
WILL TALK BRIEFLY, WE HAVE OUR
BIG HPV VACCINE STUDIES AND CR
UK GIVES MONEY TO US AS WELL AS
THE GATES AND THESE COME IN AS
LARGE JOINTLY FUNDED ACTIVITIES
WHERE WE'RE REALLY RUNNING IT
BUT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE
INTERNATIONALLY INVOLVED IN
THESE STUDIES IN COSTA RICA, FOR
INSTANCE.
>> AS A BRIEF DISCUSSION POINT,
HAVING BEEN IN THE BSC FOR NOW
MAYBE A COUPLE YEARS I'M NOT
SURE THAT WE COULD ALLOW
EMPHASIS ON IP AND LICENSE IING
INVEST INVESTING IN INDUSTRIES.
>> ALTHOUGH I PISH BACK A LITTLE
BIT. I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND.
>> OF COURSE.
>> WE WANT TO DO THE SCIENCE AND
IF WE THINK OF THE IP IN FRONT
OF THE SCIENCE THAT RETARDS THE
SCIENCE. IT'S A TRADE-OFF AND
IT'S MORE COMPLICATED WITH US
WITH CRADAS IN THE LIKE TO SET
THOSE IN PLACE. WHERE WE CAN
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT WE WILL BUT
IT'S, I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY
IT'S NOT ALWAYS OUR FIRST
THOUGHT OUT OF THE BOX, OKAY?
>> I GUESS, I WOULD SAY THAT
MY -- I AGREE WITH STEVEN THAT I
DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO GET TOO FAR
OUT BUT IT CAN BE SOMETHING
THAT'S FORGOTTEN AND OVERLOOKED
WHEN IT CAN BE REALLY VALUABLE
FOR ALL THE PARTS OF THE
MISSION. AND MAKE SURE THAT
PEOPLE KNOW HOW AND WHEN AND --
WHEN IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO BE
THINKING ABOUT THAT IS VERY
VALUABLE.
>> I THINK THE OTHER THING I
WOULD ADD IS, YOU KNOW, WE
OFTENTIMES ON THESE MEETINGS
DON'T HAVE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY
TO DISCUSS SORT OF BIGGER
PICTURE. WE TALK ABOUT EACH
INDIVIDUAL LAB ONE BY ONE AND
THE WORK THAT'S DONE THERE AND
THE OVERSIGHT AND SO ON AND SO
FORTH BUT WHETHER EACH PIECE OF
THE PIE FITS IN IN A WAY THAT
IS, YOU KNOW, NECESSARY AND
CAN'T BE DONE ANYWHERE ELSE AND
IS WHERE NCI IS THE RIGHT PLACE
FOR THAT WORK TO BE DONE IS
SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T OFTEN
HAVE A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT
AND I'M NOT SURE HOW WE, YOU
KNOW, GIVEN THE AGENDAS MAYBE WE
JUST NEED THE BSE TO HAVE ONCE A
YEAR EXTRA HOUR OR SOMETHING PUT
IN THE SCHEDULE TO REALLY TALK
ABOUT SOME OF THE BIGGER PICTURE
THINGS. THAT'S WHAT I NOTICED
IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE
IMPROVED.
>> THAT'S REALLY GOOD FEEDBACK.
>> ISN'T THAT BE PART OF THE
REVIEW PROCESS IN EACH OF THE
LABS AS WELL WHEN IT'S FRESH IN
OUR MINDS AND YOU HAVE THE
EXPERTS REVIEWING THOSE SPECIFIC
LABS? CAN'T IT BE ONE OF THE
REVIEW CRITERIA?
>> NO, I THINK IT IS. WE OFTEN
DO DISCUSS -- WE ABSOLUTELY
DISCUSS --
>> I KNOW WE DO FOR THE
CLINICAL.
>> I THINK WHAT I'M THINKING
MORE IS, AS A WHOLE IS -- ARE
ALL THE LABS THAT WE SEE, LET'S
SAY, IN HERE COVERING THE
IMPORTANT OR -- SEVERAL YEARS,
HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES TO GET
THROUGH, ARE THEY COVERING ALL
THAT SHOULD BE PRESENT AND IS
ANYTHING MISSING THAT NEEDS TO
BE DONE OR IS THERE REDUNDANCY?
IS THERE -- YOU KNOW, SOMETHING
THAT YOU CAN ONLY SEE WHEN YOU
SEE THE WHOLE PICTURE. NOT THAT
EACH INDIVIDUAL LAB DOESN'T GET
EVALUATED THAT WAY, PAT, I AGREE
WITH YOU.
>> YEAH, I WOULD THINK THAT
THAT'S IN SCOPE. ALTHOUGH I --
IT IS HARDER TO FIGURE OUT HOW
TO BE CLEAR ON THAT. SO THAT'S
SOMETHING WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT
IF THERE'S A DIFFERENT TIME TO
SET ASIDE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT THAT, ABOUT STRUCTURES.
COOL. I THOUGHT I SAW A HAND GO
UP ON THE --
>> I JUST WANTED TO PICK UP ON A
POINT THAT LESLIE WAS ALSO
SAYING AND I'VE BEEN ON THE BSE
FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND THERE'S
THIS NOTION THAT WE EVALUATE
WHETHER THE RESEARCH CAN BE DONE
OUTSIDE OF THE INTRAMIEURAL
PROGRAM AND I ALWAYS HAD A
DIFFICULT TIME WITH THIS
CRITERIA. I'M NOT SURE WHAT
THAT MEANS. I CAN THINK OF
THINGS WHERE THERE'S UNIQUE
DATASETS WITHIN THE PROGRAM OR
UNIQUE CLINICAL COHORTS OR
UNIQUE COLLABORATIONS. BUT I
THINK SOME OF THE STUDIES YOU
DECIDED WHICH ARE AMAZING
SCIENCE ONE COULD ARGUE COULD BE
DONE OUTSIDE THE PROGRAM I
WONDER IF YOU HAD THOUGHTS ABOUT
THIS, ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, AS
THE BUDGET GETS TIGHTER.
>> IT'S HARD. I WILL
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS REALLY
HARD. SOME THINGS HAVE EVOLVED
AND REALLY COULD ONLY BE DONE
HERE FOR SOME TIME BUT NOW SOME
OTHER INSTITUTES HAVE GROWN
CAPACITIES. AND, HOW WE FLEX
WITH THAT IS WE'RE THE
GOVERNMENT, SO FLEXING IS NOT
ALWAYS OUR STRONGEST POINT. BUT
I THINK WE HAVE TO BE HONEST
ABOUT THAT AND TO THINK ABOUT
IT. I HAVE HESITATED SAYING, TO
THINK ABOUT IT LIKE THE HH
PRESSUHMI.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE THAT.
DOES THIS MEET THE INVESTIGATORS
COME ON AND COME OFF ACCORDING
TO THE NEED. I WOULD SAY THIS
IS VERY DIFFERENT BUT THE TYPE
OF, SORT OF THINKING PROCESS
AROUND IT. I WOULD SAY IS
SIMILAR.
>> GREAT. THAT'S HELPFUL.
>> WE HAVE RESEARCH THAT WE KNOW
IS NOT GOING TO MATERIALIZE FOR
10-15 YEARS AND THAT'S GREAT AND
SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW AND NEED
AND WANT. IT'S NOT ALWAYS LIKE
WHAT DID YOU DO YESTERDAY? BUT
THE -- IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A
FINE WINE.
>> YEAH. EXACTLY. I THINK THE
TIME IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT
ONE COULD MAKE AN ARGUMENT IS
HARD TO DO.
>> CAN I SAY SOMETHING HERE? I
THINK WE THINK OF IT AS HIGH
RISK HIGH REWARD AND I THINK
THAT IT'S MOSTLY THE MOST
IMPORTANT PART OF THAT IS THE
INCEPTION OF THE IDEA. YOU
KNOW, SO, YOU CAN HAVE AN IDEA
AND JUST HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET PERMISSION
TO DO IT. YOU CAN HAVE SOME
IDEAS THAT AREN'T VERY GRANT
FUNDABLE BUT THEY COULD BE VERY
GOOD IDEAS PARTICULARLY IF THEY
TAKE A LONG TIME OR IF YOU DON'T
HAVE PRELIMINARY DATA TO BACK UP
YOUR IDEA. THESE ARE NOT ALL
GOING TO BE HITS. YOU'RE NOT
GOING TO GET HOME RUNS TEN
TIMES. IF YOU HIT TWO HOME RUNS
AND YOU CAN HIT THE GROUND
RUNNING AND EVEN IF IT TAKES TEN
OR TEN YEARS OR MORE THESE ARE
VERY VALUABLE AND THAT'S HOW WE
SORT OF LOOK AT IT.
>> ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR
DR. RATHMELL?
>> SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THREE
YEARS THERE'S BEEN AUGUST T --
EIGHT ANY ACRONYMS OF
RESTRUCTURING GOING ON AND I
FEEL THAT WE, HERE IS OUR NEW
STRUCTURE, WE MOVE THIS PERSON
OVER HERE, WE PUT THE AI AND BIO
STATISTICS TOGETHER AND IT'S SO
UNCLEAR, BUILDING ON WHAT LESLIE
HAS SAID HOW MANY PEOPLE UTILIZE
THIS AND SO I THINK SOMETIMES I
ALSO -- THERE'S ALWAYS A LITTLE
BIT OF AN INTRODUCTION OF THIS
NEW RESTRUCTURE AND THIS NEW AC
ROW ACRONYM I HAVE TO LEARN.
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO BENCHMARK
FOR THIS NEW RESTRUCTURE AT THE
END OF TWO YEARS OR THREE YEARS.
SO TRYING TO GET THAT BIG
PICTURE THAT, YOU KNOW, LESLIE
WAS REALLY COMMENTING ON.
THAT'S THE PART I FEEL LIKE I
DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND FOR THE
BENCHMARKS FOR THESE NEW
RESTRUCTURED GROUPS.
>> OKAY. THAT'S GREAT. I WOULD
ENCOURAGE YOU TO ASK WHAT
METRICS ARE GOING TO SHOW THAT
THIS IS WORKING. SO, GREAT
>> OKAY. IT'S PROBABLY TIME TO
MOVE ON. SO I JUST WANT TO
REMIND THE AUDIENCE THAT WE'RE
NOW GOING INTO A CLOSED SESSION
SO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SHOULD
SIGN OFF. AND THEN WE'LL WAIT
FOR THE AV PEOPLE TO TELL US WE
ARE SAFE TO PROCEED.
>> TAKE ABOUT A FIVE MINUTE
BREAK, LESLIE? NO?