>>WELCOME EVERYONE
TO THE 58TH MEETING OF THE
NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR
BIOMEDAL IMAGING AND
BIOENGINEERING.
I'M DAVID GEORGE NIBIB ASSOCIATE
DIRECTOR AND EXECUTIVE SECRETARY
OF THIS COMMITTEE.
THIS COUNCIL MEETING IS OPEN TO
THE PUBLIC.
EXCEPT FOR THE REVIEW PENDING
GRANT APPLICATIONS WHICH WILL
TAKE PLACE LATER THIS AFTERNOON.
THE OPEN SESSION OF THIS COUNCIL
MEETING IS BEING LIVE BROADCAST
ON THE NIH VIDEOCAST NETWORK AND
RECORDED FOR NIH ARCHIVE.
THE COMMITTEE AND PRESENTERS ARE
PARTICIPATING VIA VIDEO
CONFERENCE.
WE WELCOME THE COUNCIL MEMBERS
EXOFFICIOS AND SPECIAL GUESTS AN
LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE WHO IS
WATCHING ON THE VIDEOCAST TODAY.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH
TO EXPRESS VIEWS -- EXPRESS --
WISH TO EXPRESS VIEWS REGARDING
ANY ITEMS DISCUSSED DURING THIS
MEETING MAY DO SO IN WRITING
WITHIN THE NEXT TEN DAYS BY
EMAILING ME AT INFO@NIBIB.GOV.
INFO@NIBIB.GOV.
INFO@NIBIB.NIH.GOV AND PUT THAT
IN THE EMAIL.
IN TERMS OF BEST PRACTICES FOR
VIDEO CONFERENCING, PLEASE MUTE
YOURSELF WHEN YOU ARE NOT
SPEAKING.
AND THEN PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME
FOR -- BEFORE MAKING COMMENTS
DIRECTING QUESTIONS, COMMENTS
MAY GO TO HOLLYWOOD SQUARES OR
WATCHING REMOTELY IT'S HARD TO
TELL WHO SPEAKING AND I WILL
HELP BRUCE AND OTHER PRESENTERS
OF COURSE IDENTIFY PEOPLE.
AND THEN FOR COLLEAGUES AND
GUESTS WHO ARE PRESENTING TO
PLEASE REMEMBER TO LOG OFF OF
VPN AND PRESENT FROM A FILE
LOCATED ON YOUR COMPUTER HARD
DRIVE RATHER THAN THROUGH
NETWORK DRIVE AND SHUT OFF ALL
UNNEEDED SOFTWARE FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION.
SO YOU ARE MINIMIZING THE NEED
FOR RESOURCES.
THE CHAT BOX IN ZOOM IS ENABLED
TO CHAT WITH OUR HOST, MR. RYAN
DAVIS OUR IT COLLEAGUE MANAGING
THE VIDEO CONFERENCE TODAY.
AND AS WELL IF YOU WILL NOTICE
YOU WANT TO TURN ON THE CHAT IN
ZOOM RYAN'S EMAIL ADDRESS IS
THERE.
YOU MAY ALSO CONTACT HIM BY
EMAIL IF YOU HAVE TECHNICAL
ISSUES DURING THE MEETING.
IT'S RYAN.DOM@NIH.GOV.
RYAN.DAVA@NIH.GOV.
THANK YOU, RYAN.
BEFORE WE MOVE ON, ANYONE HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS?
OKAY.
I'LL NOTE FOR THE RECORD WE HAVE
A QUORUM FOR TODAY'S MEETING.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF COUNCIL
MEMBERS WHO ARE ANTICIPATING
STILL TO ARRIVE AND WE LOOK
FORWARD TO THEIR ARRIVAL.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK NIBIB
COMMITTEE MANAGEMENT OFFICER MS.
PAM GLIKMAN AND COMMUNITY
MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST ALICIA
HOPKINS FOR THEIR EXPERT HELP IN
ORGANIZING THIS MEETING.
THERE'S A TON OF EFFORT BEHIND
THE SCENES AND THEY ARE
SUPREMELY ORGANIZED AND DO A
WONDERFUL JOB MOVING FORWARD.
ALSO LIKE TO THANK ALL THE
ONGOING SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS OR
IT COLLEAGUES AND VIDEO -- NIH
VIDEOCAST COLLEAGUES AS WE
CONTINUE TO RUN THE COUNCIL
MEETINGS BY VIDEO CONFERENCE.
I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THESE
PROCEEDINGS ARE GOVERNED BY THE
FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT
FACA AND GOVERNMENT SUN SHINE
ACT AND THIS MEETING IS
ANNOUNCED TO THE PUBLIC AND
FEDERAL REGISTER AND WE HAVE A
PORTION THAT'S OPEN TO THE
PUBLIC THAT WE ARE IN NOW AND
THEN A PORTION THAT WILL BE
CLOSED FOR DISCUSSION OF
INDIVIDUAL APPLICATION AND WE
ANTICIPATE ADJOURNING THE OPEN
SESSION AT APPROXIMATELY 3:15
P.M. IN TERMS OF FUTURE COUNCIL
MEETING DATES THEY ARE LISTED AT
BOTTOM OF THE AGENDA AND COUNCIL
MEMBERS WAS IN THE ELECTRONIC
COUNCIL BOOK THAT WAS MATERIALS
ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU IN
ADVANCE OF THE MEETING.
WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE PLEASE
LOOK AT THE DATE AND MAKE SURE
WE DIDN'T ACCIDENTLY SCHEDULE A
CONFERENCE ON TOP OF COUNCIL
THAT MAY TAKE AWAY A NUMBER OF
COUNCIL MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE.
THE NEXT MEETING WE HAVE
CURRENTLY SCHEDULED IS FOR MAY
17TH.
IN 2022.
AND NIH HAS NOT MADE A DECISION
YET AS TO WHETHER THIS WILL BE
AND IN PERSON MEETING OR A VIDEO
CONFERENCE MEETING.
OBVIOUSLY WE WILL LET YOU KNOW
AS SOON AS WE HEAR.
NOW I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE TO
ACCORDANCE OF THE MINUTE AND
COUNCIL OPERATING PROCEDURES.
SO IN PREPARATION FOR VOTING
COUNCIL MEMBERS IF YOU WOULD BE
SO KIND AS TO UNMUTE YOURSELVES
IN PREPARATION TO CAST THE
VOICE, WE'LL START WITH MINUTES.
THESE ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO IN THE
ELECTRONIC COUNCIL BOOK AGAIN.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR
MODIFICATIONS YOU WOULD LIKE TO
MAKE TO THE MINUTES?
OKAY, HEARING NONE I WOULD LIKE
TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE
THE MINUTES.
-- I'M SORRY, YEAH I WOULD LIKE
TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE
THE MINUTES.
>> MOTION TO APPROVE.
>> AND A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> ALL THOSE IN AGREEMENT PLEASE
SAY AYE.
>> AYE.
>> THOSE OPPOSED NAY.
OKAY.
THANK YOU.
THEN MOVING TO THE COUNCIL
OPERATING PROCEDURES, OUR
PROCESS IS THAT EVERY JANUARY WE
REAFFIRM OPERATING PROCEDURES
AND DRAFT OPERATING PROCEDURES
ARE MADE AVAILABLE TWO WEEKS AGO
IN ECB.
AT THIS TIME WE PROPOSE NO
CHANGES TO THE OPERATING
PROCEDURES SINCE THE LAST TIME
THEY WERE APPROVED.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR
MODIFICATIONS THAT YOU MIGHT
LIKE TO MAKE TO THE OPERATING
PROCEDURES?
HEARING NONE I WILL ENTERTAIN A
MOTION TO APPROVE.
>> APPROVE.
>> MOTION -- IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> ALL THOSE IN AGREEMENT PLEASE
SAY AYE.
>> AYE.
>> ALL OPPOSED NAY.
OKAY.
THANK YOU.
SO THAT ENDS THE ADMINISTRATIVE
OPENING.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
AT THIS TIME WE'LL CONTINUE WITH
THE REPORT FROM NIBIB DIRECTOR
DR. BRUCE TROMBERG.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DAVID.
AS YOU TAKE YOUR SLIDE DOWN I
CAN VIOLATE YOUR RECOMMENDED
INITIAL PROTOCOL, I SEE EVERYONE
IS TURNING THEIR VIDEO OFF,
MAYBE I CAN ASK EVERYONE I SEE
ABOUT 30 PARTICIPANTS IN THE
ROOM.
JUST TO GIVE US A SEMBLANCE OF
WE ARE IN THE ROOM IF EVERYBODY
MIGHT TURN THEIR VIDEOS ON IF
THAT IS OKAY AND SAY HI.
AND PRETEND THAT WE ARE -- WE
JUST CAME BACK FROM COFFEE.
N'TOR AND ARE FULL OF DONUTS AND
EVERYTHING TO FUEL THE
ENGINEERING COMMUNITY.
VERY GOOD TO SEE EVERYONE
GATHERED HERE.
WE ARE SO APPRECIATIVE OF YOUR
CONTRIBUTIONS AND YOUR HELP,
IT'S DIFFICULT TIME WITH MANY
DECISIONS FOR US.
I THINK EVERYONE IS TRACKING ALL
OF NUMBERS, THE VERY FRIGHTENING
NUMBERS WE HAVE SEEN YESTERDAY
CASES WENT OVER A MILLION CASES
IN THE DAY.
AND WE HAVE BEEN WITH MODELS
ESSENTIALLY PROJECTING THAT TO
GO AS HIGH AS ROUGHLY 2 MILLION
CASES PER DAY.
SO WE WILL SEE HOW THAT GOES.
HOPEFULLY WE WON'T HIT THOSE
VERY HIGH NUMBERS BUT TESTING
AND WE AS AN INSTITUTE AND AS A
COMMUNITY ARE BOTH -- WE ARE
LUCKY IN A SENSE TO BE HAVING AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE RESPONSE AND DO WHAT WE
CAN BRINGING OUR COMMUNITY
TOGETHER.
WE SEE THE STATISTICS OF ON THE
ORDER OF TWO 1/2 MILLION TESTS
PER DAY IN LABORATORIES AND WHAT
WE WILL COME OUT IN MY TALK IS
THAT THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF TESTS
BEING DONE IN THE COUNTRY ARE
MORE LIKE 400 MILLION IN A
MONTH.
SO SO HIGHER THAN THE 60 OR 70
MILLION DECEMBERS IN
LABORATORIES EVERY MONTH.
THAT IS A DIRECT REFLECTION OF
THE EFFORTS OF OUR ENGINEERING
TECHNOLOGY COMMUNITY.
UNFORTUNATELY THOUGH WE SEE
MILDING CASES WE SEE
HOSPITALIZATIONS INCREASING AND
HITTING $100,000 YESTERDAY.
THIS IS DIFFICULT TIME AND I
DON'T THINK WE PREDICTED
CERTAINLY IF WE LOOK AT OUR LAST
COUNCIL MEETING I ?
I THERE WAS A LOT OF OPTIMISM
-- I THINK THERE WAS OPTIMISM
THAT WE HAD SOME THINGS UNDER
CONTROL.
AND WE WOULDN'T BE IN THIS
SITUATION IN JANUARY BUT IF WE
REFLECT BACK TO JANUARY A YEAR
AGO WE WERE HAVING A SIMILAR
CRISIS WITH AN EXPANSION OF
NUMBER OF CASES AND ABOUT TO BE
CONTENDING WITH THE DELTA
VARIANT.
HERE WE ARE WITH OMICRON AND ALL
TOGETHER DIFFERENT VARIANT.
THAT IS MY SOBERING WELCOME TO
THE ROOM.
WE -- DAVID I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT
OF TIME FOR DISCUSSION
THROUGHOUT THE DAY BUT IF
ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO NOW THAT I
HAVE PROBABLY KILLED ALL
CONVERSATION WITH THAT, IF
ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT
BEFORE WE GET STARTED.
I GUESS THAT IS MY QUEUE TO
FIGURE OUT HOW TO SHARE MY
SCREEN.
AND I WANT TO BE SURE I HAVE A
VIDEO CLIP ON OPTIMIZING FOR
THAT.
HOW DOES THAT LOOK?
ARE YOU TRACKING ME, DAVID?
>> LOOKS GOOD.
THANK YOU, BRUCE.
>> THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
FOR BEING HERE AS I SAID, IT IS
A CHALLENGING TIME AND WE AS A
VERY SMALL INSTITUTE AND
RELATIVELY SMALL COMMUNITY ARE
PLAYING A CRITICAL ROLE IN THIS
TIME.
I WOULD LIKE TO START OUT
CHALLENGING TIME IMPACTS ALL OF
US IN SO MANY WAYS AND WE HAVE A
SPECTACULAR ORGANIZATION.
I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THERE
ARE MANY DIFFERENT SECTORS AND
DIVISIONS AS DAVID MENTIONED
THANKS SO MUCH TO OUR ORGANIZERS
OF COUNCIL MEETING, PAM AND
ALICIA.
THE HELP THAT I HAVE WITH
COUNCIL SLIDES FROM ASHA AND
KHALIL.
THIS IS KHALIL'S FIRST COUNCIL
SLIDE EXPERIENCE.
HOPEFULLY WE DON'T FRIGHTEN HIM
AWAY, WE CAN KEEP HIM GOING WITH
THIS.
THANKS TO SENIOR LEADERSHIP AT
THIS TIME, IT IS VERY
CHALLENGING, YOU CERTAINLY I'M
SURE YOU GET THE SENSE THAT WITH
ALL OF THE DEMANDS OF OUR COVID
RESPONSE AND THE INCREASE BUDGET
WE HAVE BROUGHT MORE PEOPLE IN,
WE NEED MORE PEOPLE, WE ARE KIND
OF RUNNING IN MANY WAYS
ESPECIALLY THE COVID RESPONSE AS
A LEAN START UP AND WE RELY
HEAVILY ON EVERYONE THROUGHOUT
THE INSTITUTE TO BE ABLE TO
CONTRIBUTE IN EVERY POSSIBLE WAY
THEY CAN AND WE ARE VERY
GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
AS I MENTIONED WITH THESE NEW E
DEMANDS WE HAVE NEW STAFF AND WE
ARE HIRING AS FAST AS WE CAN IN
ALL DIFFERENT SECTORS,
ADMINISTRATIVE FOLKS, PROGRAM
ANALYSTS, GRANTS MANAGEMENT, AND
OF COURSE IN THE INTRAMURAL
RESEARCH PROGRAM SO THESE THANK
YOU FOR YOUR PHOTOS, THANK YOU
FOR SENDING THEM IN.
IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOUNG FACES
COMING INTO THE INSTITUTE WITH
LOTS OF ENTHUSIASM.
MORE NIBIB STAFF COMING INs
SPECIAL PLI IN THE IT AREA AND
-- ESPECIALLY IN THE IT AREA.
A SHOUT OUT TO TO ANTHONY
DORIAN.
SOMEHOW ANTHONY, I DROPPED YOUR
NAME FROM THERE BUT IN
REARRANGING ALL THE PICTURES BUT
HE IS ON THE FAR RIGHT, HE HAS
BEEN CONVERTED TO A GOVERNMENT
POSITION.
SO LIKE ME YOU ARE A GOVERNMENT
OFFICIAL NOW.
CONGRATULATIONS WE ARE PROUD OF
YOU FOR DOING THAT.
ETHAT.SO I WOULD LIKE THE GIVE FEW
MORE CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR
COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THEIR
ACHIEVEMENTS AND NEW DIRECTIONS
THEY ARE MOVING IN.
SO FIRST TO RANU WHO IS FOUNDING
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR INSTITUTE
FOR INTEGRATIVE AND INNOVATIVE
RESEARCH.
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
AND I LOVE -- WE PULLED THIS
QUOTE FROM YOU FROM YOU WHICH IS
INSPIRATIONAL, SOME POINT IT IS
BETTER FOR YOU TO SAY IT THAN ME
BUT PEOPLE CAN LOOK AND SEE THE
INSPIRATIONAL ASPECT OF THIS
QUOTE AND LOOK AT THE UNIVERSITY
OF ARKANSAS NEWS WHERE WE ARE
EXCITED FOR THIS LEADERSHIP
POSITION YOU ARE TAKING ON AND
KNOW YOU WILL BE EXTRAORDINARILY
SUCCESSFUL IN IT.
THANK YOU RANU.
MORE CONGRATULATIONS WITH MORE
TRANSITIONS THAT ARE OCCURRING.
SO ACHILEFU, THE INAUGURAL CHAIR
STARTING LIKE RANU, SOMETHING
NEW.
THE INAUGURAL CHAIR OF UT SOUTH
WESTERN'S NEW DEPARTMENT OF
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING.
AND INTERESTINGLY AND NOT
SURPRISINGLY, THIS DEPARTMENT IS
IN THE MEDICAL CENTER.
SO SAM ALSO HAS A TERRIFIC QUOTE
ABOUT HIS EXCITEMENT AND
ENTHUSIASM FOR COMING TO UT
SOUTH WESTERN BUILDING THIS
DEPARTMENT, AND IN GIVING
ATTRIBUTION TO NEIGHBORING
ENGINEERING SCHOOLS IN NORTH
TEXAS YOU WILL WORK CLOSELY
WITH.
SO REFLECTING A DEEP
UNDERSTANDING OF THE POWER OF
BRINGING TOGETHER MEDICINE AND
ENGINEERING AND SAM MAYBE WE
WILL SEE EVEN MORE ACCELERATED
ACADEMIC ADVANCEMENTS IN THAT
AREA IN THE MEDICAL SCHOOL,
EXCITED AND CONGRATULATIONS
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT
HAPPENS THERE.
OUR THIRD COUNCIL MEMBER WHO IS
ALSO MOVING TO A NEW POSITION.
AND FROM A GEOGRAPHY POINT OF
VIEW, I CAN RELATE TO THIS ONE,
TEJAL, WELCOME BACK TO THE EAST
COAST.
TEJAL IS NEW DEAN OF THE BROWN
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ALSO A
VERY INSPIRING QUOTE HERE ABOUT
ENGINEERS AND POWERFUL IMPACT
THEY CAN HAVE ON SOCIETY.
THAT'S BEEN HOW TEJAL'S CAREER
HAS BEEN DEFINED.
WHAT SHE'S DONE, IN TERMS OF
INSPIRING OTHERS AND WE WILL
TRANSMIT THAT EFFECTIVELY TO
BROWN.
WE ARE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU BACK
HERE ON THE EAST COAST.
AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THIS
WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL ACHIEVE
ACHIEVEMENT.
MORE CONGRATULATIONS IN ORDER.
EVERYONE REMEMBER IT IS LAST
COUNCIL MEETING FROM DR. CHOYA
WHO PRESENTED AN UPDATE ON THE
DSI AFRICA PROGRAM.
JUDY IS A FOGARTY AND NIBIB DATA
SCHOLAR AND ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
RADIOLOGY AT EMORY.
AND JUDY HAS BEEN NAMED THE MOST
INFLUENTIAL RADIOLOGY RESEARCHER
OF 2021 BY -- SO CONGRATULATIONS
JUDY, WELL DESERVED RECOGNITION
FOR YOUR WORK AND WE ARE VERY
FORTUNATE TO HAVE YOU AT NIH AND
TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET
YOU THE GIVE A TALK IN THE LAST
COUNCIL MEETING. THERE'S OOH
SIX COLLEAGUES FROM THE
BIOENGINEERING COMMUNITY AND
NIBIB FUNDED INVESTIGATORS WHO
HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO THE
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF MEDICINE IN
2021.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU,
GILDA, LINDA, CARLA, LISA
ANDREAS AND SAM.
IT IS EXCITING TO SEE YOU ENTER
THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF MEDICINE
AND BRING IN THE ENGINEERING
FOCUS, THE BIOENGINEERING FOCUS
WHICH INCREASINGLY IS BEING
RECOGNIZED WITHIN MEDICINE AS
NOT JUST IMPORTANT BUT AN
ESSENTIAL CONTRIBUTION TO MOVING
MEDICINE FORWARD.
FROM A BUDGET UPDATE POINT OF
VIEW WE ARE STILL OPERATING
UNDER A CONTINUING RESOLUTION AT
THE FY 21 APPROPRIATION LEVEL.
OUR INTERIM PAY LINE THEREFORE
FOR RO1s IS 10%, 15% FOR NEW
INVESTIGATORS.
HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE ABLE TO
CHANGE THAT AS BUDGET IS FINALLY
ULTIMATELY SETTLED ON.
THE PROPOSED NIBIB FUNDING IN
THE SENATE BILL IS AROUND 422
MILLION, IN THE HOUSE BILL, 431
MILLION.
THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET IS MORE
LIKE THE SENATE BILL.
WE WILL HAVE TO SEE HOW THIS
WORKS OUT.
OF COURSE WE ARE JUST A SMALL
PIECE IN THE OVERALL BUDGET
BATTLES AND THE EFFORT TO
ACTUALLY ULTIMATELY PASS A
BUDGET.
OUR COVID FUNDING IS AN
INTERESTING COLLECTION OF A
VARIETY OF DIFFERENT SOURCES AND
WE WANTED TO SUMMARIZE ALL OF
THESE DIFFERENT SOURCES FOR YOU.
WE HAVE NOW RECEIVED
SPECIFICALLY FOR COVID-19
PRIMARILY FOR ORADX EFFORTS
$1.4647 BILLION, ABOUT A
SIGNIFICANT -- CLEARLY A VERY
SIGNIFICANT ADDITION TO OUR
REGULAR ONGOING EFFORTS AND THE
WAY THIS IS BEEN DISTRIBUTED THE
PAST SEVERAL YEARS YOU CAN SEE
THE MAJOR TOTAL EXPENDITURE BUMP
THAT OCCURRED IN F Y 20 OVER $1
BILLION EXTENDED THAT YEAR.
IN 21 WE HAVE ROUGHLY AT 900
MILLION, NOW THE FINAL DOLLARS
ARE COUNTED AND WE ARE
PROJECTING IN FY 22 TO BE JUST
OVER A BILLION DOLLARS IN TOTAL
EXPENDITURES FOR THE ENTIRE
INSTITUTE.
WE ARE KIND OF WHAT IS
INTERESTING ON A YEAR-TO-YEAR
BASIS, THE ORIGINAL SUPPLEMENTS
BY CONGRESS IN THE FOURTH
CONGRESSIONAL APPROPRIATION AND
THE ARP FUNDS HAVE BEEN FUELING
THIS NOT JUST FOR US BUT ALL
EMERGENCY PANDEMIC RESPONSE.
THERE MAYBE OTHER SUPPLEMENTS
COMING FORWARD IN THE FUTURE BUT
IT IS AN INTERESTING CHALLENGE
FOR US TO THINK OF HOW WILL WE
CONTEND WITH THE ENDURING
CHALLENGES OF THE PANDEMIC.
WE MANY PEOPLE OF COURSE HAVE
PROJECTED AND WE PROBABLY WERE
IN THAT GROUP THAT WE WOULD BE
DONE AFTER A YEAR BUT THAT
DIDN'T HAPPEN.
THE SECOND YEAR IT DIDN'T
HAPPEN.
SO HERE WE ARE.
I THINK THE ENTIRE, ALL THE
AGENCIES ARE FACING THIS
QUESTION OF HOW DO WE SHIFT IN
TO A PROCESSES BOTH BUDGETARY
AND OPERATIONAL THAT WILL ALLOW
US TO TAKE ON LONGER TERM
CHALLENGES AND TO BE BETTER
PREPARED FOR PANDEMICS IN THE
FUTURE.
SO SWITCHING OVER TO SOME OF OUR
PROGRAMS NOW.
YOU HEARD FROM JUDY AT LAST
COUNCIL MEETING ON THE DSI
AFRICA PROGRAM.
AT THE END OF OCTOBER YOU
PROBABLY OR MAYBE YOU SAW THAT
WE AWARDED $75 MILLION FOR THIS
PROGRAM.
AND ALL OF THE SPECIFIC AWARDS
HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED, SEVEN
RESEARCH HUBS, SEVEN RESEARCH
TRAINING PROGRAMS, FOUR SITES
FOR LC RESEARCH, ETHICAL LEGAL
AND SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS.
AND ONE OPEN DATA SCIENCE
PLATFORM AND COORDINATING
CENTER.
TIFFANI LASH IS OUR PROGRAM
DIRECTOR THAT MANAGES ALL OF
THIS.
AND JUST TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF
THESE AWARDS THAT NIBIB HAS A
SEWAGE STAKE IN, WE ARE THE ONES
FUNDING ONE OF THE RESEARCH HUBS
ON MULTI-MORBIDITY IN AFRICA
COMMUNITY IMPORTANT
MULTI-MORBIDITY OF VARIOUS
DISEASES THAT USE DIGITIZATION
VISUALIZATION, USED IN SOUTH
AFRICA, KENYA WITH PARTNERS AT
VANDERBILT AND IBM AFRICA.
WE ARE ALSO FUNDING THE MAJOR
OPEN DATA SCIENCE PLATFORM AND
COORDINATING CENTER AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN WITH TWO
LEADING EXPERTS IN DATA SCIENCE
AND COMPUTATION.
THAT'S THE OPEN DATA SCIENCE
PLATFORM COORDINATING CENTER SO
WE ARE REALLY PROUD OF THESE AND
DON'T HESITATE TO CONTACT
TIFFANI FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION ON THESE PROGRAMS.
MANY OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY BEEN
TRACKING THE SPARK PROGRAM.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF NEW
INITIATIVES THAT I WANTED TO
POINT OUT.
FIRST IS SPARK V, THE VAGUS
NERVE MAPPING AND PHYSIOLOGY
PROGRAM.
A SOLICITATION IS ABOUT TO BE
PUBLISHED AROUND THE END OF THE
MONTH SO KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN FOR
THAT.
THAT IS RECONSTRUCTING VAGAL
ANATOMY.
THEN THERE'S THE VAGUS NERVE
STIMULATION END POINTS WHICH IS
CALLED VESPA.
THIS IS A U 54 CENTER, SO THAT
WILL IMPLEMENT A LARGE
MULTI-SITE CLINICAL STUDY.
AND THIS RFA HAS BEEN ISSUED,
THEIR INFORMATIONAL WEBINARS IN
JANUARY AND FEBRUARY
APPLICATIONS ARE DUE APRIL 1ST.
THE SECOND MAJOR EXCITING EVENT
THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY WITH THE
ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE SPARK X
PRIZE COMPETITION, I THINK WE
HAVE ALL COME TO THE CONCLUSION
THAT WITH AN X ON IT, IT IS
BETTER.
IT IS ALWAYS BETTER.
SO THIS IS NEARLY $10 MILLION IN
PRIZES IN THREE PHASES, A
NEUROMODULATION PRIZE.
WHERE NEUROMODULATION
TECHNOLOGIES WILL BE STIMULATED
TO INCENTIVIZE SELECTIVE
NEUROMODULATION WITH DIFFERENT
OUTCOMES AND HAVING NO OFF
TARGET EFFECTS.
SO AGAIN, SUBMISSIONS HERE ARE
THE END OF APRIL INFORMATIONAL
WEBINAR FEBRUARY 7.
PLEASE DO CONTACT ANDREW WHITE
AND MIKE WOLFSON WHO ARE PROGRAM
DIRECTORS LEADING THIS EFFORT.
WE HEARD US TALK ABOUT THIS NEW
INITIATIVE DEVELOPING
QUANTITATIVE IMAGING AND OTHER
RELEVANT BIOMARKERS OF MYOFACIAL
TISSUES OF CLINICAL PAIN
MANAGEMENTMENT.
THIS IS AN R 61 R 33 WITH
CLINICAL TRIAL.
THIS IS SIGNIFICANT IN THAT IT
IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH NCCIH, WHO
LEADS OUR SCIENTIFIC REVIEW
OFFICE, IS PICTURED HERE ALONG
WITH LU, PROGRAM DIRECTOR
BECAUSE WE HAVE SPECIAL REVIEW
AND EVALUATION OF THIS FROM THE
NIBIB PERSPECTIVE.
A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM OTHER
RFAs, I DID A VIDEO WITH THE
NCCIH DIRECTOR, AND I'M GOING TO
SHOW A LITTLE BIT OF IT AND IT
IS A DIFFERENT FLAVOR, A
DIFFERENT WAY, AND I THINK IT
HELPS PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THIS
INITIATIVE JUST A LITTLE BIT
BETTER.
HOPEFULLY THIS WILL START.
HERE WE GO.
>> HELLO.
I'M DR. -- DIRECTOR OF THE
NATIONAL CENTER OF COMPLIMENTARY
AND INTEGRATIVE HEALTH.
>> I'M DR. BRUCE TROMBERG,
DIRECTOR NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF
BIOMEDICAL IMAGING AN
ENGINEERING B AT THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTES OF HEALTH OR NIH.
>> WE ARE PLEASED TO SHARE WITH
YOU SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION
ABOUT AN EXCITING NEW FUNDING
OPPORTUNITY WITHIN THE NIH HEEL
INITIATIVE WHICH STANDS FOR
HELPING TO END ADDICTION LONG
TERM.
HEAL.
IT FOCUSES ON MYOFACIAL TISSUES
AND PAIN MANAGEMENT BUT FIRST
BRUCE CAN YOU TELL US WHAT THE
NIH HEAL INITIATIVE IS?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
THE NIH HEAL INITIATIVE IS A
LARGE ALL HANDS ON DECK NIH
RESEARCH EFFORT DESIGNED TO
SPEED THE DEVELOPMENT AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF SCIENTIFIC
SOLUTIONS TO THE NATIONAL OPIOID
PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS.
SO HOW DO YOU SEE RESEARCH ON
MYOFACIAL TISSUES AND PAIN
FITTING BROADER HEAL INITIATIVE?
>> HIS NEW PIECE OF HEAL EFFORT
IS CALLED DEVELOPING
QUANTITATIVE IMAGING AND OTHER
RELEVANT BIOMARKERS OF MYOFACIAL
TISSUES FOR CLINICAL PAIN
MANAGEMENT.
HIS NEW FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
SPECIFICALLY FOCUSES ON
MYOFACIAL PAIN.
PAIN THAT ORIGINATES FROM
MUSCLES, OR AND ASSOCIATED SOFT
TISSUE SUCH AS FASCIA.
MYOFACIAL PAIN IS LIKELY AN
IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF MANY
CONDITIONS INCLUDING CHRONIC
BACK PAIN, TEMPORAL MANDIBULAR
DISORDERS, CHRONIC NECK AND
SHOULDER PAIN AND HEADACHE.
MYOFACIAL PAIN SYNDROME IS BASED
ON HISTORY AND PHYSICAL
EXAMINATION.
THE TENDER INTERRELATEDDED KNOTS
MANY OF US FEEL CAN BE PALPATED
TELL US THERE'S TISSUE
ABNORMALITIES THAT IS RECOGNIZED
CLINICALLY BUT DON'T YET KNOW
HOW TO OBJECTIVELY MEASURE.
AND THE LACK OF BIOMARKERS HAS
GREATLY HAMPERED RESEARCH ON
MYOFACIAL PAIN.
>> YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK OUT
THE VIDEO.
FOR ME AND I THINK ALL OF US AT
THE NIH OR NIBIB, THIS HAS BEEN
A TERRIFIC OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO
DEVELOP A COLLABORATIVE
RELATIONSHIP WITHIN NCCIH.
ELAINE IS AN EXPERT IN THIS
AREA, WE HAVE ALL LEARNED FROM
HER WORK AND HER EXPERIENCES,
AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN RAISE THE
VISIBILITY OF THIS OPPORTUNITY
AND OF THIS PROBLEM TO OUR
COMMUNITY AND INSPIRE THE
BIOENGINEERING COMMUNITY TO WORK
ON MANY CHALLENGES THAT AFFECT
SO MANY PEOPLE.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT AND
YOU HAVE BEEN HEARING A LOT
ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE
OPPORTUNITIES IN THE DIVERSITY
EQUITY INCLUSION AND ACCESS
AREA.
AND THESE ARE NOW OFFICIALLY
ANNOUNCED ON THE STREET AND
OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE FOR
EVERYONE.
AND SO THE FIRST ONE IS AN RO1
THAT IS SUPPORTED BY NIBIB AND
NIMHD.
THIS IS VERY UNIQUE, IT IS AN
IDEA THAT WE INITIATED TOGETHER
WITH NIMHD AND WE ARE THE ONLY
TWO SUPPORTERS OF THIS, THIS IS
FOCUSED ON TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT TO REDUCE HEALTH
DISPARITIES AND IN OUR COMMUNITY
THIS IS SOMETHING PEOPLE THINK
ABOUT ALL THE TIME.
WHEN WE LOOK ACROSS THE NIH FEW
OPPORTUNITIES TO RECEIVE SUPPORT
FOR DIRECTED TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT WITH SPECIFIC
OUTCOMES.
THIS IS LIKE CONVENTIONAL
RO1s, THE APPLICANTS WITH
REQUEST UP TO $500,000 IN DIRECT
COSTS.
THIS REQUIRES COLLABORATION TO
BRING OUR ENGINEERING COMMUNITY
OUT OF OUR TECHNOLOGY FOCUS SO
THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER WITH
PUBLIC HEALTH, HEALTHCARE
ORGANIZATIONS OR COMMUNITY BASED
ORGANIZATIONS, THAT SERVE
POPULATIONS THAT EXPERIENCE
HEALTH DISPARITIES.
IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE REVIEW
CRITERIA, IT ADOPTS THE
ENHANCING DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES
PEDP PLAN DEVELOPED THROUGH THE
BRAIN INITIATIVE WITH SCORABLE
REVIEW CRITERION IN THIS AREA,
APPLICATIONS WILL BE REVIEWED
INTERNALLY.
I HAVE MONOMA HERE ON THE SLIDE
TO REINFORCE THAT POINT.
AND ZAINEP ERIM.
AND SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR
PROGRAM DIRECTOR WHO PLAYED A
CRITICAL ROLE IN WRITING THIS
RFA AND GETTING IT LAUNCHED.
THE APPLICATION DUE DATES ARE
FEBRUARY, JANUARY, IN 2023 AND
JANUARY 2024, THIS IS RO1 WITH
REGULAR DATES AND WE ARE HOPEFUL
THAT OUR COMMUNITY WILL RESPOND
STRONGLY TO THIS.
THE SECOND RO1 IS FOR NEW
INVESTIGATORS AND SIMILAR TO THE
THEME OF WHAT I HAVE BEEN
DESCRIBING, THIS IS ANOTHER
NIBIB PARTNERSHIP WITH ANOTHER
INSTITUTE AND NON-TRADITIONAL,
SO I TALK ABOUT NCCIH
PARTNERSHIP, NIMHD PARTNERSHIP,
THIS IS A STRONG PARTNERSHIP
WITH NHGRI THE NATIONAL HUMAN
GENOME RESEARCH INSTITUTE.
SO THIS IS TO PROMOTE WORK FORCE
DIVERSITY AND GENOMICS
BIOINFORMATICS AND
BIOENGINEERING AND BIOMEDICAL
IMAGING.
AGAIN WE ARE THE ONLY TWO
INSTITUTES THAT SIGNED ON TO
THAT.
THE TITLE ITSELF IS QUITE
NARROW.
IN SCOPE.
THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY TO
SUPPORT PARTICULAR TECHNOLOGY
ITSELF, IT IS TO SUPPORT NEW
INVESTIGATORS.
WHO HAVEN'T PREVIOUSLY COMPETED
SUCCESSFULLY, FOR UNDERSTOOD
PENDENT FUNDING FROM NIH WHO ARE
DIVERSE OR PROMOTING WORK FORCE
DIVERSITY.
THIS IS QUITE HISTORIC RO1 CALL.
THE APPLICATION DUE DATES ARE
FEBRUARY 2 22 IN 2022.
THEY WILL CONTINUE ON
THEREAFTER.
I THINK I DID MENTION THIS
APPLICATIONS WILL BE REVIEWED
INTERNALLY FOR THIS AS WELL.
FINAL WHETHER I, THE THIRD MAJOR
OPPORTUNITIES AS AN RO1 FOR NEW
-- SORRY AN R21 FOR NEW
INVESTIGATORS.
AND THIS IS THE PARENT LIKE RFA
SO NO RESTRICTIONS ON TOPIC BUT
THIS IS TO ENCOURAGE NEW
INVESTIGATORS TO PROMOTE
DIVERSITY AND HEALTH RELATED
RESEARCH.
SO SIMILAR TO THE RO1 IN TERMS
OF THE TYPES OF INVESTIGATORS
AND TOPICS THAT MAYBE PURSUE BUT
IT IS AN R21 LEVEL.
YESTERDAY WE HAD A VIRTUAL R
WORKSHOP FOR INTERNAL HEALTH.
IT WAS ABSOLUTELY ASOUNDED,
ALANA GOLDBURG ORGANIZED THIS,
THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR, THERE WERE
MORE THAN 300 PARTICIPANTS AT
START OF THE WORKSHOP.
SHE SAYS THERE WERE ABOUT 600
REGISTRANTS, NOT ONLY WAS I JUST
COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY BY THE
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE
WORKSHOP WHICH BY THE WAY IS
CO-SUPPORTED BY NICHD, AND THE
OFFICE OF RESEARCH ON WOMEN'S
HEALTH, I WAS ASTOUNDED TO SEE
THE STATISTICS PRESENT AND I
HAVE A COUPLE OF FIGURE DR.
JANINE CLAYTON, OFFICE OF
WOMEN'S RESEARCH WOMEN'S HEALTH.
U.S. MATERNAL MORTALITY RATES
HAVE BEEN RISING BUT PEER
NATIONS HAVE BEEN DECLINING AND
NOT ONLY HAVE THEY BEEN
DECLINING IF WE LOOK AT THE
ACTUAL RATES OF OUR PURE NATIONS
OF DEVELOP ODE PEER NATIONS OF
DEVELOPED COUNTRY THEY ARE LOW
IN COMPARISON TO THE U.S. AND SO
THIS IS 2015 DATA, SHE PROBABLY
HAS MORE RECENT DATA BUT GENERAL
TRENDS ARE STILL BEING HELD.
SO YOU CAN SEE WE ARE FACT TO
HAVE TWO, THREE, POSSIBLY FOUR
DEPENDING WHICH COUNTRY
COMPARATOR YOU ARE LOOK AT,
HIGHER IN TERMS OF MORTALITY.
RELATIVELY LOW RANKING FOR THE
UNITED STATES HERE.
WE ALSO SEE ENORMOUS DISPARITIES
SO LOOK AT THE PANEL RIGHT NEXT
TO THAT JUST TO THE RIGHT, YOU
CAN SEE THAT NON-HISPANIC BLACK
WOMEN ARE TWO TO THREE TIMES
MORE LIKELY TO DIE THAN
NON-HISPANIC WHITE WOMEN.
THIS IS A TERRIFYING STATISTIC,
IT IS I THINK ENERGIZED THE
COMMUNITY QUITE A LOT AND WE ARE
HOPEFUL, THERE WERE 13 NIH
INSTITUTE CENTERS AND OFFICES ON
THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE FOR
THIS MEETING IF YOU LOOK AT THE
VIRTUAL WORKSHOP URL YOU CAN GET
ALL THE VIDEO, NOT SURE WHEN
THAT WILL BE UP BUT ALANA CAN
KEEP COUNCIL MEMBERS POSTED ON
THIS.
THIS IS SPECIFICALLY LOOKING FOR
COMMERCIALIZATION OPPORTUNITIES
SBIR STTRs AND FOLLOW ON A
NOCI THAT HAS BEEN PUBLISHED.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER
OPPORTUNITY.
MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THIS,
OUR INTACT CHALLENGE, THE
NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY ACCELERATOR
CHALLENGE.
THIS CONCEPT PIONEERED BY
TIFFANI LASH AND TAYLOR JULIE
WHO LEADS OUR UNIQUE AND
NON-TRADITIONAL CHALLENGE
MECHANISMS.
THIS IS A PRIZE UP TO A MILLION
DOLLARS IN CASH PRIZES YOU MAY
RECALL THE PREVIOUS INTACT
ACCELERATOR CHALLENGE WAS FOR
WORK IN SICKLE CELL AND
DIAGNOSING HEMATOLOGIC DISEASE.
THIS IS A PARTNERSHIP LIKE THAT
ONE WITH THE GATES FOUNDATION
WITH FOLLOW ON SUPPORT.
WE ARE IN THIS PRIZE ALSO
PARTNERING WITH OFFICE OF
RESEARCH ON WOMEN'S HEALTH
NICHD.
THE CHALLENGE WAS LAUNCHED IN
EARLY DECEMBER, THE REGISTRATION
DEADLINE IS THE FIRST OF APRIL
THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS LATER
THAT MONTH AND PARTNERS WILL BE
ANNOUNCED IN THE SUMMER, BASED
ON THESE KINDS OF RESPONSES, WE
MAY BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO
EXPAND OUR EFFORT AND SUPPORT
FORT THE AREAS.
ON TOPIC OF L CHALLENGES AND
PRIDESES, THIS IS PROBABLY THE
MOST SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM IN THAT
AREA WE NOR MOUSE IMPACT AND WE
SEEM TO BE ABLE THROUGH DR.
ZAINEP ERIM'S INGENUITY EXPAND
IT AND DON' CONTINUE TO ADVANCE EVERY
YEAR.
WE HAVE A NEW PRIZE IN
REHABILITATIVE AND ASSISTIVE
TECHNOLOGIES, A $15,000 PRIZE,
WE ARE UP TO $130,000 IN PRIZES.
WE ALSO INTRODUCE AD NEW ELEMENT
OFFERING COMMERCIALIZATION
TRAINING TO THE WINNERS OF THE
NIH PRIZES.
AND I THINK YOU MAY RECALL WE
HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT
CATEGORIES OF PRIZES, THE TOP
ONE BEING THE CROSNIC PRIZE AND
THE HIV AIDS PRIDES,
TECHNOLOGIES FOR LOW RESOURCE
SETTINGS, TECHNOLOGIES FOR
CANCER, DEVELOPMENT FOR CANCER
PREVENTION DIAGNOSIS AND
TREATMENT.
SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF
WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES HERE,
VENTURE WELL OUR PARTNER IN THIS
HAS SPECIFIC PRIZES INCLUDING
DESIGN EXCELLENCE, AND WE ARE
HOPEFUL THAT YOU CAN PUBLICIZE
THIS ALL OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS
SUBMISSION DEADLINES ARE END OF
MAY AND WINNERS WILL BE
ANNOUNCED IN AUGUST.
AND THE AWARD CEREMONY AS
TRADITIONALLY DONE WILL BE AT
THE BMES MEETING THIS YEAR THIS
FALL WHICH IS IN SAN ANTONIO
TEXAS.
AGAIN, WE ARE VERY STRONGLY
ENCOURAGING EVERYONE TO HAVE
THEIR GROUPS, THEIR STUDENTS,
THEIR DESIGN TEAMS APPLY FOR
THESE PRIZES, THERE'S A LOT OF
ENERGY WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY
IN ALL THESE AREAS, THIS IS AN
IDEAL WAY TO CAPTURE THAT.
WE HAVE BEEN VERY ENGAGED IN
MANY, MANY DIFFERENT
TECHNOLOGIES THAT HAVE GONE FROM
EARLY STAGE NIBIB SUPPORT
THROUGH TO COMMERCIALIZATION AND
WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS ONE
PARTICULAR ACHIEVEMENT, AN SBIR
CLEARANCE THAT RECEIVED 5, 10-K
CLEARANCE THIS YEAR.
IT STARTED WITH THE PI, DANNY
WANG, WHO PARTICIPATED IN AN
ICORP PROGRAM, THAT LED TO STPR,
HIS PARTICIPATION IN OUR C 3I
PROGRAM, THE CONCEPT OF CLINIC
COMMERCIALIZATION.
AND OUR PROGRAM OFFICERS HAVE
BEEN DEEPLY INVOLVED IN WORKING
WITH THE PI ON THIS.
IT IS LED TO ANGEL INVESTMENT SO
THIS IS PROENIALLY A VERY, VERY
HIGH IMPACT PIECE OF SOFTWARE,
IT IMPROVES LOW DOSE CT IMAGE
CONTRAST BY SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT,
50 TO 75%.
WITHOUT COMPROMISING IMAGING
SPEED OR IMAGE QUALITY.
AND THIS IS AN EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT AREA, THAT OUR IMAGING
DIVISION THAT SUPPORTS IMAGING
TECHNOLOGIES HAS BEEN WORKING ON
WITH -- FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
SO THIS POTENTIALLY IS A VERY
HIGH IMPACT DEVELOPMENT AND WE
WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THIS PATH
TOWARDS COMMERCIALIZATION.
WE ALSO HAVE SOME -- COUPLE OF
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE INTRAMURAL
INVESTIGATORS SO COUPLE OF
EXCITING PUBLICATIONS IN CELL
AND NATURE.
IN CELL, ALEX RIVERA WAS
FEATURED IN CELL PRESS FOR HIS
WORK IN MECHANO BIOLOGY.
HE IS A SPECIALIST IN
QUANTITATIVELY MEASURING FORCES
IN BIOLOGIC SYSTEMS.
THIS PARTICULAR WORK LOOKED HOW
EPIMORPHIC -- CELL MATRIX
INTERACTIONS AND HE WAS ABLE TO
DO A BEAUTIFUL JOB QUANTIFYING
THOSE TYPES OF INTERACTIONS, AND
WAS FEATURED IN THE FACES OF
CELL WE ALSO HAVE AN EXCITING
FEATURE ON SUPER RESOLUTION
MICROSCOPY, THIS IS IN NATURE,
YOU CAN SEE THE IMAGES THE SUPER
RESOLUTION IMAGE SHOWN ON THE
RIGHT, THE RAW IMAGE SHOWN ON
THE LEFT.
THIS USES A MULTI-VIEW APPROACH
WITH STRUCTURED ELIMINATION TO
IMPROVE AXIAL AND LATERAL
RESOLUTION SOMEWHERE BETWEEN TWO
AND THREEFOLD, IT IS EASILY
IMPLEMENTED WITH LINE SCANNING
ILLUMINATORS AND INTEGRATED TO
EXISTING MICROSCOPES.
IT ALSO USES DEEP LEARNING TO
IMPROVE SPEED TO LOWER PHOTO
DAMAGE ENHANCE RESOLUTION.
SO IT IS COMPUTATIONAL AS WELL
AS HARDWARE ADVANCE.
EXCITING WORK FROM OUR
INTRAMURAL SIDE.
AND ON THE TOPIC OF INTRAMURAL,
WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING A NEW
BIOENGINEERING CENTER THE
BIOENGINEERING BIOMEDICAL
ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
ACCELERATION CENTER OR THE BETA
CENTER, SINCE THE LAST COUNCIL
MEETING THE POSITION HAS BEEN
ANNOUNCED.
THE APPLICATION DEADLINE HAS
BEEN PASSED.
WE DO HAVE WONDERFUL APPLICANTS,
THE MISSION HERE WHICH MANY
PEOPLE ALL ACROSS THE NIH ARE
VERY EXCITED ABOUT IS TO
ACCELERATE OUR TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN
RESEARCH TRAINING CLINICAL
TRANSLATION AND DISSEMINATION.
AND ATTRACT AND EXPAND DIVERSE
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING TALENT TO
THE NIH SO THIS IS A TRANS-NIH
CENTER AND HOPEFULLY BY THE TIME
WE HAVE OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING
WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANNOUNCE
FILLING THIS POSITION WHICH
WOULD BE A SENIOR LEADERSHIP
POSITION WITHIN NIBIB.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE A QUICK
UPDATE ON A FEW PROGRAMS THAT
ARE GOING ON IN RADX IN RESPONSE
TO THE PANDEMIC.
THIS IS I THINK THE OVERALL BIG
PICTURE OF RADX PROGRAM, BUILT
ON THE POINT OF CARE TECHNOLOGY
RESEARCH NETWORKS AS YOU KNOW,
AND HAS A NUMBER OF FUNCTIONAL
ELEMENTS WITHIN IT.
I WILL HIGHLIGHT A FEW OF THESE
AND RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF
THE INNOVATION FUNNEL THE SAY
YES COVID TEST PROGRAM, OUR
VARIANT TASK FORCE AND NEW ITAP
PROCESS WHICH IS AN ENTIRELY NEW
PROCESS THAT WAS LAUNCHED AFTER,
SO SINCE THE LAST COUNCIL
MEETING.
A LOT HAPPENS IN JUST A FEW
MONTHS.
SO HERE IS THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT
OF ALL TEST PRODUCTION FROM OUR
INNOVATION FUNNEL.
THIS IS INCREASED BY MORE THAN
FACTOR OF TWO SINCE LAST REPORT
TO COUNCIL.
CUMULATIVE CAPACITY THROUGH
DECEMBER IS ABOUT 1.5 BILLION
NEW TESTS AND TEST PRODUCTS.
THIS IS COVERING MULTIPLE
SETTINGS, LABORATORY POINT OF
CARE OVER THE COUNTER TESTS AND
TEST PRODUCTS.
WE ARE NOW ROUGHLY 190 MILLION
TESTS IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER,
A LITTLE OVER 6 MILLION TEST AND
TEST PRODUCTS PER DAY.
37 EMERGENCY USE
AUTHORIZATIONSES ARE ISSUED
INCLUDING SIX AT HOME TEST, FIVE
ARE ANTIGEN AND ONE IS AT HOME
RT LAMP TEST.
THAT IS NOT TOO FAR BEHIND IN
TERMS OF COST, IT IS REASONABLE
-- IT IS AT REASONABLE COST IF
YOU USE THAT TEST AT LOWER
FREQUENCY.
ANTIGEN TESTS REQUIRE MULTIPLE
TESTS IN ORDER TO HAVE BEST
PERFORMANCE.
SO OVER TIME THAT GAP WILL
CONTINUE TO CLOSE, THERE WILL BE
MORE HIGH PERFORMING PCR TESTS
THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE IN HOME
SETTINGS.
WHEN DATA TOTEST.ORG HAS TAKEN
OFF AND FROM SLIDES GUIDANCE NOT
JUST FOR ORGANIZATIONS BUT ALSO
INDIVIDUALS SO IT IS A DECISION
ASSIST DEVICE THAT CAN HELP TO
DETERMINE WHETHER THEY TEST OR
NOT.
THEY NEED TO TAKE A TEST BASE ON
WHERE THEY LIVE AND PRIOR
EXPOSURE AND WHAT ARE THE
LIKELIHOOD THEY MAY BE
TRANSMITTING VIRUS TO OTHERS,
BASED AGAIN ON THEIR BEHAVIORS.
IT INTEGRATES VACCINATION RATES,
RNOTS ARE MODIFIED FOR OMICRON
AS WELL AS PREVALENCE OF OMICRON
WHEREVER YOU LIVE.
IT OFFERS GUIDANCE ON PRACTICE
INCLUDING POOLING AND WHAT
SCHOOLS CAN DO.
ALSO FROM SLIDES A LINK TO
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PURCHASING
PROJECT N 95 I HAVE A SNAP SHOT
SHOWING THERE ARE WELL OVER
30,000 USERS ALL AROUND THE
WORLD AND ROUGHLY 3,000 A DAY.
THIS IS CONTINUING TO INCREASE
AND IMPACT.
THE SAY YES TEST PROGRAM IS
SUCCESSFUL, NOW DEPLOYED IN TEN
STATES, 84 COUNTIES, 770 CITIES,
975 DISTINCT SEPARATE ZIP CODES,
6.9 ALMOST 7 MILLION TESTS
PURCHASED LIEU THIS PROGRAM.
THIS IS A COLLABORATION WITHIN
THE NIH AND THE CDC RADX UP,
COORDINATING CENTER AT DUKE AND
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA LED
BY RACHEL FLORENCE, AND BILL
RILEY AND MIC LAUER HERE AT NIH
AND CLOSELY WORKING WITH ALL OF
OUR RADX TECH TEAM.
THE MAIN TESTS THAT HAVE BEEN
PROVIDED HERE ARE THE QUICK
TESTS AND THESE ARE FULFILLED
PRIMARILY BY A DIRECT TO
CONSUMER PATHWAY.
WHATEVER PROGRAM IS ROLLED OUT
IN WHATEVER COMMUNITY, GO
ONLINE, CLICK A BUTTON AND HAVE
THE TEST DELIVERED TO YOUR HOME.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AMAZON.
I KNOW THAT SOUNDS FAMILIAR,
THAT IS THE FOUNDATION.
IN A SENSE INSPIRATION FOR THE
GOVERNMENT WEBSITE NOW LAUNCHED.
DOING THIS AT A SCALE HARD TO
FATHOM, 500 MILLION TESTS WITH
ANOTHER SUBSEQUENT 500 MILLION
TESTS, NOT DONE THROUGH YES
COVID TESTS BUT THIS IS A
PLATFORM THAT SHOWS HOW
EFFICIENTLY THAT CAN BE
DELIVERED AND HOW RESEARCH CAN
BE LEVERAGED OFF THIS DELIVERY
TO DO NEW CLINICAL STUDIES AND
GAIN NEW INSIGHT AND GUIDANCE.
WHICH DIDN'T HAVE OMICRON IN OUR
LAST MEETING, WE HAD BEEN
DISCUSSING OUR NEW APPROACH FOR
HAVING A VARIANT TASK FORCE TO
ASSESS IMPACT OF VARIANTS ON
TEST PERFORMANCE.
THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT HAS BEEN
WHAT WE CALL PROJECT ROSA TO
DESIGN SNP CHIPS WITH MULTIPLE
MARKERS WITH BIOINFORMATICS
APPROACHES THAT RAPIDLY ASSESS
SAMPLE POSITIVITY LINEAGE, WHAT
IS THE TYPE OF VARIANT, AND LOOK
FOR SPECIFIC MUTATIONS OF
BIOLOGIC INTEREST OR
SIGNIFICANCE.
IN A TIME SINCE THE LAST COUNCIL
MEETING OMICRON APPEARED AND WE
USE THAT AS REALLY AN EXERCISE
TO DETERMINE IF IN TWO WEEKS WE
DESIGN AND DEPLOY NEW ASSAYS
USING A LIMITED NUMBER, MINIMAL
NUMBER OF MARKERS SO IN THIS
CASE FOUR MARKERS THAT COULD DO
GENOTYPING VALIDATION OF OMICRON
VERSUS DELTA.
NOT ONLY IS THAT ACCOMPLISHED IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH FISHER YOU CAN
SEE PARTNERS IN THE LOWER RIGHT
DEPLOYED IN LAPTORIES, HELIX,
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON AND IT
IS NOW A REAL TIME DATA TRACKER.
I PULLED THIS DOWN LAST NIGHT
SHOWING JUST FROM OUR
SURVEILLANCE, THIS WAS BUILT AND
LAUNCHED IN ROUGHLY TWO WEEK
PERIOD WITHIN RADX OUR
SURVEILLANCE IS SHOWING ABOUT 9%
DELTA OVER 89% OMICRON.
SOME SMALL FRACTION UNDETERMINED
BUT IT IS PERFORMING WITH
SENSITIVITY AND SPECIFICITY THAT
EXCEEDS 99% FOR THE EVALUATION
OF OMICRON ITSELF.
THIS IS POTENTIALLY CAN BE
DEPLOYED TO APPROXIMATELY 50%
LABS ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY.
IF YOU COMPARE THIS WITH NEXT
GEN SEQUENCING, THAT IS
TYPICALLY LOOKING AT A VERY,
VERY SMALL FRACTION OF TOTAL
LABORATORY TESTS THAT ARE DONE
ANYWHERE BETWEEN THREE AND FIVE
PERCENT.
IT CAN BE MODIFIED QUICKLY AS
NEW VARIANTS APPEAR SO WE HAVE
SHOWN THE TURN AROUND CAN BE
JUST IN COUPLE OF WEEKS.
AND THE COST FOR DOING THIS IS
EX-- RELATIVELY LOW, AS COMPARED
TO NEXT GEN SEQUENCING.
THE CAPITAL EQUIPMENT INVESTMENT
IS MADE IN THE PLATFORMS IN
LABORATORIES TO DO GENOTYPING
AND THE PLACE AND REAGENTS ARE
NOW A COMMERCIAL PRODUCT THAT
THERMA FISHER HAS AND CAN SELL
IN MODEST COST.
SO ALL OF THIS HAS IMPACTED
NATIONAL POLICY AND I THINK ALL
OF YOU ARE FOLLOWING THE WEBSITE
WHICH LAUNCHED YESTERDAY.
AND I HAVE IT AS OF THIS
MORNING.
42 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS SIGNED UP
YESTERDAY IN THE PRE-LAUNCH DAY.
SO THAT IS A PHENOMENAL RESPONSE
FOR TESTS PER HOUSEHOLD.
THAT IS QUITE A LOT OF TESTS AND
HOUSEHOLDS SIGNED UP BEFORE THE
OFFICIAL LAUNCH, 160 MILLION
TESTS.
SO THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH IS
APPARENTLY TODAY.
AND I GUESS THAT THERE WILL BE
ANOTHER 40 MILLION OR MORE
HOUSEHOLDS THAT DO SIGN UP.
PRESIDENT BIDEN ANNOUNCED A
SECOND 500 MILLION TESTS THAT
WOULD BE PURCHASED, AND SO THESE
ACTIVITIES DRAW HEAVILY ON OUR
ABILITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THEM,
BOTH THROUGH THE INNOVATION
FUNNEL THE PIONEERING WORK WITH
SAY YES COVID TEST, THE VARIANT
TASK FORCE WHICH ASSESSES
PERFORMANCE OF EVERY NEW ANTIGEN
TEST WITH RESPECT TO OMICRON AND
THE FDA PROCESS, COLLABORATION
WITH THE FDA CALLED INDEPENDENT
TEST ASSESSMENT.
SO TRYING TO CONDENSE THIS STUFF
INTO WHAT ARE ONGOING CHALLENGE,
BOTH WITH POLICY CHANGES AND
TECH NO LOGIC CAPABILITY AND THE
MANUFACTURING THAT WE HAVE
SUPPORTED.
THERE IS A PARADIGM SHIFT, IT IS
A CLEAR SHIFT.
IF YOU RECALL AT THE OUTSET,
THAT WAS OUR DECLARED INTENT.
IN APRIL OF 2020 THE COUNTRY WAS
DOING 5 MILLION TOTAL TESTS, AND
LABORATORY TESTS WERE THE ONLY
ONES THAT WERE REALLY AVAILABLE.
NOW IF YOU FAST FORWARD TO
DECEMBER OF 2021 THE COUNTRY DID
ROUGHLY 400 MILLION TESTS IN
TOTAL.
HALF ARE OVER THE COUNTER TESTS.
SO THAT'S AN ABSOLUTELY HISTORIC
NUMBER, NEVER BEFORE HAS THE
U.S. DONE ANYTHING AT THAT
SCALE, THOSE KINDS OF TESTS
BEING DEPLOYED AT THAT SCALE.
SO NOW WE SEE THIS SHIFT WHERE
POINT OF CARE AND OVER THE
COUNTER TESTS FAR EXCEED THOSE
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM LABORATORY
TESTS.
A CHALLENGE WITH THIS IS THAT
THERE IS VERY, VERY MINIMAL
POINT OF CARE AND NO VIRTUALLY
NO OVER THE COUNTER TEST
REPORTING.
THAT IS QUITE A LOT OF
POTENTIALLY REAL TIME
INFORMATION THAT WE ARE LEAVING
SO CALLED ON THE TABLE.
AND IT ALSO CREATES ANOTHER
CHALLENGE IN THAT IF YOU FOLLOW
SOCIAL MEDIA, OR ANY OF THE
MEDIA YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE
STORIES CAPTURED ON THE LEFT,
THAT DO FEATURE RADX AND A LOT
OF THEM ARE INTERVIEWS THAT I
HAVE GIVEN OVER THE PAST FEW
WEEKS, THE UNDERSTANDING OF
REALLY HOW TO DO TEST, WHEN IS
IT MOST APPROPRIATE TO USE THEM,
THE GUIDANCE ON THE TESTS IS
CHANGE -- APPEARS TO BE
UNCERTAIN AND POSSIBLY CHANGING
OVER TIME.
MUCH OF THAT INFORMATION IS
COMING FROM THESE MEDIA REPORTS.
WE SEE GUIDANCE COMING FROM
FEDERAL AGENCIES OCCASIONALLY,
THAT GENERATE EVEN MORE MEDIA
REPORTS.
AND WE ARE NOT CAPTURING ALL OF
THESE TESTS.
SO IT CREATED A LOT OF PEOPLE
USING THEM AND TALKING ABOUT
THEM AT UNPRECEDENTED SCALE BUT
IT IS ALSO CREATE AD LOT OF
ANXIETY AND UNCERTAINTY HOW TO
USE THEM PROPERLY AND HOW TO
INTERPRET RESULTS PROPERLY.
SO WE ARE ALSO IN THE SITUATION
BECAUSE EVERYONE WANTS AN
ANTIGEN TEST WHERE DEMAND FAR
EXCEEDS THE SUPPLY CURRENTLY.
IN THE END OF OCTOBER WE ARE
ABLE ESTABLISH A PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE FDA THAT WAS FUNDED
THROUGH THE HHS CALLED ITAP,
INDEPENDENT TEST ASSESSMENT
PROGRAM.
THIS HAS MULTIPLE PHASES AND
VERY CAREFULLY LAID OUT
MILESTONES THAT ARE TEAMS RADX
TEAMS INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS
ACADEMIC GROUPS CONSORTIUM POE
THE CUSSES ON.
WE WERE ABLE TO INVITE MANY
COMPANIES TO ENTER THIS.
WHEN GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THERE
WOULD BE A PURCHASE OF 500
MILLION TESTS THAT STIMULATED
QUITE A BIT OF INTEREST.
JUST LIKE WE DO WITH INNOVATION
FUNNEL, EVERYONE THAT COMES IN
TO IT IS ASSESS WITH THE DEEP
DIVE THAT LEADS TO CUSTOMIZED
ASSESSMENT AND WORK PLAN FOR
THAT COMPANY.
AND A RAPID DECISION TO APPROVE
OR REJECT FAST TRACK AND
APPROVAL THAN LAY OUT ALL STEPS
NECESSARY TO GET AUTHORIZATION.
IN LESS THAN TWO MONTHS, THE TWO
ENTRANTS WERE AUTHORIZED SEEMANS
AND ROCHE WHICH MANY OF YOU
HEARD ABOUT, THEYING TO HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO ADD ON THE ORDER OF
ABOUT 100 MILLION OVER THE
COUNTER TESTS, TO THE U.S.
MARKET AND THAT WILL CONTINUE TO
GROW.
WE ARE LOOKING AT ADDITIONAL
COMPANIES IN THIS FUNNEL AND
EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO DO A
SIMILAR THING.
IN TERMS OF ENHANCING CAPACITY
BY AROUND EARLY FEBRUARY.
THIS IS A VERY MUCH NEEDED
PROGRAM, VERY SUCCESSFUL, IT IS
PARTICULARLY TIMELY IN THIS
MOMENT WHERE DEMAND FAR EXCEEDS
THE SUPPLY.
SO I THINK I WILL STOP THERE.
AND THAT REALLY SUMMARIZES OUR
KEY CHALLENGES IN THE RADX
PROGRAM AND OPEN IT UP FOR
QUESTIONS THERE.
OR IN ANY OF THE OTHER AREAS
THAT WE PRESENTED.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, BRUCE.
ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS,
THOUGHTS FROM OUR COUNCIL
MEMBERS?
>> VERY IMPRESSIVE SUMMARY OF
WHAT SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME THERE
IS MORE AND MORE DONE IN A
SHORTER AND SHORTER PERIOD OF
TIME.
I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH THAT,
I THINK IT NEEDS TO GET MORE TO
THE PUBLIC.
THE MAN AND WOMAN ON THE STREET
IS NOT HEARING IT AND
UNFORTUNATELY PEOPLE ONLY HEAR
BAD NEWS, BAD NEWS GETS
REPORTED.
AND THAT IS WHY YOU HAVE BEEN SO
BUSY THESE PAST FEW WEEKS.
TALKING ABOUT THESE TESTS AND
WHY, MAYBE NOT DOING AS WELL BUT
PEOPLE FORGETTING TO HEAR ABOUT
HOW THEY ARE IMPROVING AND HOW
THEY ARE BECOMING FLEXIBLE WITH
DIFFERENT VARIANTS.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAN HELP YOU
WITH THAT.
DISSEMINATION THROUGH SCHOOLS
KNITTING GROUPS, WHATEVER, I
THINK WE NEED TO GET IT MORE OUT
THERE.
NOT ONLY FOR COVID BUT
APPRECIATION OF SCIENCE.
>> THANKS, MARY ELLEN.
THE LAST FEW WEEKS IN PARTICULAR
HAVE BEEN ENLIGHTENING.
YOU PROBABLY FOLLOWED THE FDA'S
GUIDANCE ISSUED ON THEIR WEBSITE
THAT -- WHERE THEY SAID THERE
MAYBE REDUCE SENSITIVITY TO ONLY
CON.
THAT WAS QUITE PRELIMINARY, IF
YOU LOOK AT HALF OF THE SENTENCE
IT SAYS -- THE TESTS DETECT
OMICRON AND THEN THEY SAY MAYBE
REDUCED SENSE I'VETY.
I CAN JUST SAY -- SENSITIVITY.
FROM THE SUBSEQUENT STUDIES
COMING OUT, THAT THAT WAS BASED
ON EARLY ANALYTICAL OR BENCH TOP
EVALUATION AND THE GOLD STANDARD
TO ASSESS SENSITIVITY IS IN
CLINICAL PERFORMANCE AND I
DIRECT EVERYONE TOWARDS A
PRE-PRINT THAT IS COME OUT FROM
A UCSF AND UC BERKELEY TEAM THEY
LOOK AT OVER 700 INDIVIDUALS
SHOWING EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE
OVER 90% SENSITIVITY WHEN CT
COUNTS ARE LESS THAN 30.
IF YOU OPEN IT UP TO CT COUNCIL
LESS THAN 35, THIS SENSITIVITY
DROPS A BIT TO -- IN THE '80s
BUT IT IS PRETTY MUCH AS SPECKED
IN THE AUTHORIZATIONS SO THE BIG
CHALLENGE HERE IS OMICRON IS
DIFFERENT FROM OTHER VARIANTS
AND THERE MAYBE -- IT'S SO
HIGHLY TRANSMISSIBLE SO IT IS
NOT NECESSARILY THE PERFORMANCE
OF THE TESTS THAT I'M WORRIED
ABOUT, IT IS THE EFFICIENCY OF
THE VIRUS ITSELF.
ANY RAPID ANTIGEN TEST IN A
SENSE THE BIG VARIABLE IS THE
INDIVIDUAL DOING THE TEST.
YOU CAN HAVE 60 TO 90%
SENSITIVITY FOR RAPID ANTIGEN
TEST DEPENDING SYMPTOMATIC OR
ASYMPTOMATIC OR IF YOU TEST ONE
TIME OR THREE TIMES IN A ROW.
OVER THE COURSE OF A WEEK.
SO IT IS CONFUSING.
IT TAKES ALL OF YOU TO
COMMUNICATE CONSISTENT MESSAGES
TO YOUR COMMUNITIES,
CONSTITUENCIES.
THAT IS WHY THERE'S SO MUCH
STUFF IN THE PRESS.
I'M PLEASED ALL THE ARTICLES I
CITED IN THE FACTCHECK.ORG THERE
WAS COOL GREAT THING THAT CAME
OUT IN MORNING EDITION NPR, IT
WALKS PEOPLE THROUGH HOW YOU DO
THIS AND WHY.
IT IS MEDIA HAS BEEN EARNEST IN
TRYING TO COMMUNICATE THE TRUTH
FOR THE MOST PART I HAVE SEEN
WEIRD STUFF TOO.
BUT IT IS AN INTERESTING
PHENOMENON TO SEE.
>> I WASN'T SO MUCH TALKING
ABOUT -- I WAS TALKING GETTING
INFORMATION ON THE VARIABILITY
OF THE VARIANTS BUT ALSO THE
EFFICIENT EFFECTIVE SCIENCE
NIBIB IS DOING THE ADDRESS
THOSE, THE POSITIVE ASPECTS OF
IT DON'T ALWAYS -- MAYBE WE CAN
WORK THROUGH STUDENT CHAPTERS,
VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE
INVOLVED WITH NIBIB TO HAVE A
ROUTE TO THE PUBLIC.
>> OUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES I KNOW
HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE AND
THOUGHTS ON THAT.
I SEE A LOT OF HANDS HOPEFULLY
REINFORCING THAT TOPIC.
>> RA THY, AND (INAUDIBLE) THANK
YOU.
>> THANK YOU, YES.
CATHY.
BRUCE, I WANTED TO REITERATE YOU
GUYS ARE DOING AMAZING JOB, VERY
IMPRESS WITH DIVERSITY OF
PROJECTS THAT YOU HAVE AND HOW
NIDA IS LEADING THE WAYLAYING
THE GROUND WORK FOR A LOT OF
PROGRAMS THAT PRESIDENT BIDEN IS
TAKING ON.
THE QUESTION THAT I HAD Z,
RELATING TO OVER THE COUNTER
TEST WAS THE LACK OF REPORTING.
THIS DOES SEEM TO BE A LARGE
PROBLEM.
I KNOW YOU IDENTIFY IT AS A
CHALLENGE BUT WONDERING IF YOU
CAN SPEAK FURTHER ABOUT
FINISHTIVES OR ANY IDEAS PEOPLE
HAVE FLOATED TO GARTH --
INITIATIVES TO GATHER.
>> KIND OF ON THE ONE HAND, I
HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT, IN
COUNCIL MEETINGS, YOU CAN LOOK
BACK AT PREVIOUS ONES, I DIDN'T
INCLUDE THE WONKY SLIDE THAT
SHOWS STRUCTURE THE HIGHWAYS
THAT WE HAVE BUILT.
SO (INDISCERNIBLE) NIBIB LED THE
DIGITAL HEALTH PLATFORM EFFORT.
IT IS AT THE CORE WHY SAY YES
COVID TEST WORKS.
IT IS BUILT AROUND AN APP MADE
BY CARRA EVOLUTION.
THEY WORKED WITH OFFICE OF
NATIONAL COORDINATOR W THE FDA,
WITH SOME PEOPLE IN CDC BECAUSE
CDC IS NOT A MONOLITHIC AGENCY.
AND SOME ARE MORE ENTHUSIASTIC
ABOUT THE IDEA OF REPORTING HOME
TESTS THAN OTHERS SO THE
ENTHUSIASTIC FOLKS.
AND WE NOW HAVE THE HIGHWAYS
BUILT.
WE WORKED WITH APHL, AMERICAN
PUBLIC HEALTH LABS, THEY ARE THE
ONES WHO REPORT ALL THE LAB
TESTS IN THE COUNTRY.
AND THEY -- SO WE HAVE COMMON
DATA ELEMENTS, STRUCTURED
LANGUAGE FOR CAPTURING THOSE, WE
ARE BEGINNING TO WORK WITH THE
MANUFACTURERS OF THE TESTS WHO
ALL HAVE APPS.
SO THAT WE CAN GET ALL THAT
STRUCTURED AND ALIGNED.
SO THERE IS ENORMOUS PROGRESS WE
LAID THE FOUNDATION, WE MADE A
BIG PUSH AND YES NOT GIVING UP
YET.
TO GET A BUTTON ON THE NATIONAL
WEBSITE THAT SAYS WOULD YOU LIKE
TO REPORT THE RESULTS OF YOUR
TEST HERE, CLICK HERE.
IT'S BEEN REDUCED, CRISHNA
MOCKED THAT UP, IT IS LIKE A
MINUTE OR LESS WHERE YOU CAN SAY
YES, YOU HAD A POSITIVE TEST,
WHAT IS YOUR ZIP CODE AND AGE
GROUP.
SO TOTALLY ANONYMIZED SO WE ARE
TRYING TO CREATE A VERY, VERY
EASY LOW BARRIER TO MAKING THAT
HAPPEN.
THE FLIP SIDE I WOULD SAY ARE
THERE TWO ISSUES WE CONTEND
WITH, AND THAT IS PUBLIC HEALTH
WHO IN PRINCIPLE ARE RESPONSIBLE
FOR ALL THIS DATA, ARE NOT
ENAMORED OF IT.
SO WITHOUT GETTING INTO TOO MANY
DETAILS THERE IS IN GENERAL LESS
ENTHUSIASM FROM THE PUBLIC
HEALTH SIDE, IT IS ALMOST
IMPOSSIBLE FOR US BIOENGINEERING
COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND WHY
PEOPLE WOULD NOT WANT TO HAVE
REAL TIME, TIME FREQUENCY, TIME
AND FREQUENCY DATA.
ON A LARGE SCALE SPACE TIME
FREQUENCY.
THAT IS OUR LIFE.
SO I HAVE A HARD TIME
UNDERSTANDING THE COUNTER
ARGUMENTS TO THAT BUT EVENTUALLY
IT WILL GET THERE.
MANY IN PUBLIC HEALTH ARE NOT AS
ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT DATA QUALITY,
GETTING REAL TIME DATA, I THINK
ULTIMATELY WHAT WILL NEED TO
HAPPEN IS AN ENTIRELY NEW
ENTITY, WE HAVE TO EMERGE FROM
OUR COMMUNITY THAT CARES ABOUT
SPACE TIME FREQUENCY.
AND ANALYSES THAT CAN TAKE PLACE
FROM THAT TO OWN DATA.
AND TO EXTRACT USEFUL
INFORMATION FROM IT.
SO THAT IS A BIG OPPORTUNITY FOR
OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU HAVE SEEN VERY INNOVATIVE
GROUPS POP UP WITH APPS AND
TOOLS FOR GETTING PEOPLE IN
DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES TO REPORT.
SO THAT IS A GRASSROOTS THING AS
WE HAVE FROM OUR BIOENGINEERING
COMMUNITY.
THAT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT IS A
POSSIBLE ANSWER.
SO NOT JUST THE GOVERNMENT
COLLECTING IT.
GREAT QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU.
THEN RANU.
>> BRUCE, THANK YOU FOR THIS
FANTASTIC SUMMARY AND I WANT TO
CONGRATULATE ALL THE NIBIB
PROGRAM MANAGERS WHO MANAGED TO
MAKE PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER
INSTITUTES TO ACTUALLY LAUNCH
SEVERAL PROGRAMS.
I'M REMINDED, FIRST STARTING THE
CHALLENGES HOW TO MULTIPLY THE
IMPACT OF NIBIB, THEY ARE DOING
IT FANTASTICICALLY WELL SO
CONGRATULATIONS.
ENTER IN THE PRESENTATION YOU
MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT
EFFECTIVELY AN ADAPTABLE
ADOPTIVE WAY OF SENSING A STRESS
-- SOMETHING ELSE SO BASIC
TECHNOLOGIES THAT WOULD ALLOW
YOU TO QUICKLY DIAL IN X Y OR Z
AND BE ABLE TO TEST FOR ANOTHER
VARIANT.
HOW MUCH OF THAT IS BROUGHT
ABOUT UNDER THE PROGRAMMATIC
SUPPORT OF PROCESS UNDER NIBIB,
THAT TO LAY THE GROUND WORK,
BECAUSE SEEMS TO ME LIKE
OMICRON, THERE WILL BE SOMETHING
ELSE.
COULD THIS PIPELINE INNOVATION
PANEL ALL THAT IT DID AS A
REACTION TRY NOW TO MAKE THIS
MORE ADAPTIVE FLEXIBLE
APPROACHES TO BE ABLE TO DO.
FLEXIBLE DESIGN.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
IF YOU SEE ALL THE INTERNATIONAL
COMMITTEES THAT LOOKED BACK IN
THE PANDEMIC AND SAY WHAT WE
NEED GOING FORWARD THEY ALL SAY
WE NEED IN TWO WEEKS TO HAVE NEW
ASSAYS FOR NEW PATHWAYS AN
VARIANTS.
OSTP HAS THEIR PREPAREDNESS PLAN
THAT HAS THAT.
WE WANTED TO TRY AND DO IT.
WE MISSED THE BOAT FOR FOR DELTA
BUT BASED ON OUR VARIANT TASK
FORCES OPERATIONS AND
CAPABILITY, WE WANTED TO DO IT
FOR OMICRON.
AT THE CORE IS THE ABILITY TO
FOLLOW AND SAY MORE LIKE ON THE
ODE OF 6 MILLION SEQUENCES
AVAILABLE AND THEN TO DO IN
SILICO DESIGN WITH MARKERS AND
THEN VALIDATE THAT IN SILICO SO
COMPUTATIONALLY SO THAT'S THE
FIRST STEP.
SECOND STEP IS TO GET
MANUFACTURING PARTNER IN THIS
CASE WAS A VERY WILLING
ENTHUSIASTIC PARTNER ENGAGED TO
SYNTHESIZE THE PRIMERS AND
MANUFACTURE THEM AND PLATE THEM
SO THEY CAN BE DISTRIBUTED TO
LABORATORIES WHICH ARE
LABORATORIES WE SUPPORT IN OUR
RADX NETWORK SO WE DON'T HAVE TO
RELY ON ANY OTHER -- WE DON'T
HAVE TO RELY ON CDC OR ANYBODY
ELSE, THIS IS SELF-CONTAINED
WITHIN THE RADX PROGRAM.
WE JUST DID IT.
I THINK AGAIN TRADITIONAL PUBLIC
HEALTH PERCEPTION IS THAT IT
DOESN'T REALLY MATTER TO TRACK
AN OVERWHELMING VARIANT REAL
TIME BECAUSE LIKE IN TWO MONTHS
EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE THIS
NEW VARIANT ANYWAY AND SO WHY
WOULD YOU WANT TO DO THAT.
SO THAT IS A PHILOSOPHICAL
DISCUSSION THAT NEEDS TO TAKE
PLACE, MAYBE NOT, MAYBE THAT IS
SOMETHING WE OUR COMMUNITY CAN
JUST OWN.
AND GOING FORWARD.
IT DOES GET BACK TO THIS ISSUE
OF SUSTAINABILITY.
WE HAVE CREATED ALL THESE
STRUCTURE, THE VARIANT TASK
FORCE, THE CAPACITY TO DO THIS,
TO BE ABLE TO TRANSFER TO
INDUSTRY AND DISSEMINATE WIDELY
TO LABORATORIES.
BUT OUR PROGRAM IS OFFICIALLY
TARGETED -- THE FUNDING WILL RUN
HALF AT END OF THE CALENDAR
YEAR.
THE FUNDING IS NOT JUST US BUT A
LOT OF OPERATIONS STOOD UP
QUICKLY ARE NOW CONTENDING WITH
THIS QUESTION KIND OF AN
EXISTENTIAL QUESTION, WHAT ARE
WE GOING TO DO WITH PANDEMIC
RESPONSE AND PREPAREDNESS AFTER
ALL OF THE INITIAL SUPPLEMENTAL
FUNDS HAVE RUN OUT SO WE HAVE
CREATED THESE TOOLS AND WE HOPE
TO BE ABLE TO POSITION THE
PROGRAM FOR SUSTAINABLE SUPPORT.
>> THANK YOU, TEJAL THEN AMY.
>> FIRST I'LL ECHO ALL
CONGRATULATIONS, IT IS TRULY
IMPRESSIVE.
AND ACTUALLY YOU HINTED AT THIS
JUST NOW, IN TERMS OF LOOKING
TOWARDS THE FUTURE.
YOU LAID DOWN HIGHWAYS MADE
THESE PARTNERSHIPS BUT I ALSO
WONDER WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS
AROUND HOPEFULLY LOOKING BEYOND
COVID AND PANDEMIC HEALTH TO
SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS WHERE WE
COULD REALLY ADAPT WHAT YOU
CREATE TO TRULY MAKE AN IMPACT.
HOW MIGHT WE THINK ABOUT THAT
NOW AS OPPOSED TO WHEN IN THE
MIDST OF THE NEXT CRISES WHETHER
THAT IS IN HEALTHCARE OR
SOMETHING ELSE.
THAT IS THE FIRST PART.
AND THEN ALSO AGAIN WANTED TO
ECHO -- I THINK WE NEED TO
REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW TO GET
THE MESSAGE THAT ENGINEERS ARE
REALLY PLAYING A ROLE IN
ADDRESSING THESE CHALLENGES.
>> THAT IS THE KEY, YOU JUST HIT
IT ON THE NAIL ON THE HEAD RIGHT
THERE.
WE HAVE BEEN CONSPICUOUSLY
ABSENT IN PUBLIC HEALTH.
THIS IS A MOMENT WHERE THE WORLD
NEEDS OUR SKILLS AND
CONTRIBUTIONS IN DIFFERENT WAYS
OF THINKING.
WE SEE THIS EVERY DAY IN OUR
MEETINGS.
WHERE TRADITIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH
SAYS WE DON'T -- I MEAN MAYBE TO
SORT OF SIMPLIFY THE METAPHOR,
WE DON'T NEED PARTIAL
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS WE ARE
OKAY WITH ADDITION.
AND THERE'S JUST SO MUCH MORE TO
DO.
SO WE NEED GREATER
REPRESENTATION, NOT ONLY IN THE
TECHNICAL AREAS BUT IN THE
LEADERSHIP AREAS BECAUSE IF YOU
DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW.
SO I THINK WE KIND OF CARRY THAT
INFINITE POSSIBILITY VISION FROM
OUR COMMUNITY.
NO PROBLEM IS TOO HARD, OKAY,
WE'LL ROUP UP OUR SLEEVES AND
FIGURE IT OUT FROM FIRST
PRINCIPLES BUT NOT ALL OF THE
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY OPERATES
LIKE THAT.
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS OUR PROGRAM
IS RECOGNIZED FOR BEING A
PRACTICAL PROBLEM SOLVING
GETTING IT DONE TYPE OF PROGRAM.
THE BAD NEWS IS, WE HAVE BEEN
IDENTIFIED AND WE ARE NOW CALLED
UPON TO DO MORE AND MORE AND
MORE.
BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN LEVERAGE
THAT SO FROM AN EDUCATIONAL
POINT OF VIEW, CREATING
OPPORTUNITIES WE ARE DESPERATE
FOR WORK FORCE AND HAVING WORK
FORCE THAT IS BOTH EXPERIENCING
THE TECHNOLOGY THE REGULATORY
ASPECT OF THINGS CAN DO THE
MATH.
THIS IS REALLY URGENTLY NEED AND
I THINK A GREAT GROWTH
OPPORTUNITY FOR ENGINEERING.
WITH UNIQUE PARTNERSHIPS IN
MEDICINE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM
THE PUBLIC HEALTH EPIDEMIOLOGY
VIEW WHO ARE MATHEMATICALLY
ORIENT AND QUANTITATIVE BUT THEY
TEND NOT TO BE IN THE LEADERSHIP
POSITIONS SO THIS SOMETHING I
HOPE OUR COUNCIL ALL OF YOU CAN
TAKE ON IN A SENSE PERSONALLY
AND ALL OF YOUR ASSOCIATIONS,
THINK IMAGINATIVELY OF NEW
ACADEMIC PROGRAMS, PARTNERSHIPS,
PEOPLE WITH OUR BACKGROUND AND
SKILL ARE DESPERATELY NEEDED ALL
ACROSS THESE AREAS.
>> THANK YOU.
I SEE AMY AND THEN SAM.
L
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I HAVE TO ALSO ECHO
CONGRATULATIONS FOR NIBIB AND
ALL THE TEAMS, THIS IS
BREATHTAKING ADVANCES, AS WE
MENTIONED TIME SCALE AND
QUALITY, THE IMPROVEMENT AND
DISSEMINATION IS MIND BLOWING.
FOR SURE.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU, BRUCE
FOR BEING AN EXCELLENT
SPOKESPERSON, I MOW THAT CAN BE
A DIFFICULT POSITION A WONDERFUL
POSITION BUT DIFFICULT AT TIMES
SO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING
YOURSELF OUT WILL TO REPRESENT
WHAT OUR COMMUNITY IS DOING.
I HAD TWO COMMENTS.
THE FIRST IS KIND OF BOUNCING
OFF OF WHAT QUALITATIVE
EXCELLENCE COMMENTS ABOUT THE
MATH HAS BEEN BLOWN AWAY, THE
INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S BEEN BUILT
AND THE SECOND IS MAYBE A
SUGGESTION FOR THE COUNCIL TO
CONSIDER.
FIRST HOW DO WE -- HOW DO YOU
PLAN TO BUILD OUT OF SOMEWHAT'S
BEEN CREATED IN THIS PERIOD, ONE
THING THAT STRUCK ME LAST TIME
WE MET, POTENTIALLY THE
POSSIBILITY OF USING A LOT OF
THE ENGINEERING AND A LOT OF THE
ADVANCES THAT CAME IN TO THE
RADX PIPELINE THAT DIDN'T MAKE
IT OUT UNDERSTAND AREAS WHERE
SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH IS NEEDED
TO PUSH US FORWARD.
SO I JUST WANTED TO GET YOUR
THOUGHTS ON THIS FIRST COMMENT,
REALLY THINKING ABOUT IS WILL A
WAY TO MINE THE INFORMATION FROM
YOUR DECISION -- THE PANELS THAT
WERE DECIDING GO, MANY GO ON THE
TECHNOLOGY, TO REALLY UNDERSTAND
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ACHILLES
HEEL OR WEAK LINKS OR WHY
TECHNOLOGIES FALL APART AND CAN
WE USE THOSE LEARNINGS TO REALLY
DIRECT WHERE MAYBE FUTURE WORK
COULD GO.
THAT IS ONE.
I ALSO THINK THERE MIGHT BE AN
OPPORTUNITY HERE AGAIN TO BOUNCE
OFF TEJAL AND OTHERS COMMENTS
BEFORE THE EXCELLENT
PRESENTATION WILL MAYBE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO WRITE THE BOOK IF
YOU WILL, AT THE INTERSECTION OF
ENGINEERING AND PUBLIC HEALTH
THINKING WHAT ARE THE CROSS
DISCIPLINARY AREAS.
I KNOW THERE IS A LOT OF GREAT
CONTENT OUT THERE.
MAKE SURE IT'S NOT ALREADY DONE
BUT DID AROSE FROM THE COMMENT,
THAT'S ONE COMMENT,
RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS, CAN WE
GAIN INFORMATION THAT POINTS TO
FUTURE THAT SOMEWHAT DIDN'T WORK
THIS TIME UNDER THIS CRUISABLE
CONDITION.
AND SECOND THING I WANT TO
MENTION IS JUST THE POSSIBILITY
THINKING ABOUT COMMUNICATING TO
BROADER NATION AND WORLD IN
TERMS IT WAS MENTIONED THE ROLE
NIH SCIENCE AND ENGINEERS PLAYED
IN THESE DETECTION TECHNOLOGIES,
DEVICES SO RELIANT UPON RIGHT
NOW BUT ALSO WE ARE LIVING HOW
SCIENCE WORKS TODAY.
THIS ITERATIVE LEARNING MAKING
MISTAKES, REFLECTING BEING
SKEPTICAL, COMING BACK AND IT
RATING ON THAT TO MOVE FORWARD.
THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SEEN NEW
INFORMATION ALL THE TIME IS
GOOD, THAT IS HOW SCIENCE WORKS.
I WONDER IF THERE'S OPPORTUNITY
TO PARTNER WITH THE NATIONAL
LIBRARY OF MEDICINE OR OTHER NIH
COMMUNICATIONS TO PUT TOGETHER A
CONCERTED SUSTAINED EFFORT TO
SHARE INFORMATION ON HOW YOU
CONDUCT YOUR OWN BACKGROUND
RESEARCH IN A WAY THAT CAN YOUR
UNDERSTANDING NOT RANDOM YOUTUBE
VIDEOS BUT WHAT THE CONSENSUS
REPORTS MEANS, HOW DO YOU ACCESS
THOSE, AS A TAXPAYER YOU AND I
PAID FOR THEM AND THEY ARE
AVAILABLE TO YOU.
IS THERE JUST KIND OF A PROTOCOL
FOR HOW PEOPLE ARE -- OUR FELLOW
CITIZENS MIGHT EDUCATE
THEMSELVES AS WELL, MAYBE IN ON
ED FROM BRUCE, YOUR AMAZING
COLLEAGUES TO COUNCIL, AND
AGAIN, I WANTED TO MAKE THAT
SPECIFIC COMMENT.
I WILL LEAVE IT THERE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANKS.
I THINK WHAT YOU DID WAS YOU
JUST GAVE A DESCRIPTION OF
PERHAPS A COUNCIL LED SYMPOSIUM,
WE COULD HAVE -- A REALLY
POTENTIALLY QUITE IMPACTFUL
SYMPOSIUM ON THESE TOPICS THAT
DRAW TOGETHER COMMUNITIES.
I DO FEEL WE ARE KIND OF A
SURPRISE DISCOVERY FOR MANY OF
THE PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY PEOPLE.
THEY DO ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS
AND MOST TIME DON'T GET ANSWERS.
YOU ARE ALL PROFESSORS SO YOU
HAVE AN ANSWER FOR EVERYTHING.
I AM A RETIRED PROFESSOR SO I DO
TOO.
THEY ARE PLEASED TO SEE THAT THE
PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH
THAT'S JUST BUILT IN AND WE
TRAIN WITH.
SO BRINGING THOSE COMMUNITIES
TOGETHER I THINK WOULD BE A
MAGICAL AND POTENTIALLY HIGHLY
IMPACTFUL MOMENT.
IF I DRILL BACK -- IF I GO BACK
TO THE EARLY PART OF YOUR
QUESTION, ON WHAT COULD WE --
WHAT DO WE REALLY NEED BASED ON
PROCESSES IN TERMS OF
TECHNOLOGIES.
WE NEED PERFECT TEST, IT IS NOT
INACHIEVABLE.
I SAY PERFECT BUT I MEAN A TEST
THAT IS NOT GOT SUCH HALEY
VARIABLE PERFORMANCE DEPENDING
UPON THE INDIVIDUAL.
SO ANTIGEN TESTS REALLY
ACCESSIBLE, FANTASTIC, BUT THE
BIGGEST VARIABLE IN AN ANTIGEN
TEST IS NOT WHAT IS ON THE
LATERAL FLOW STRIP OR THE
ANTIBODIES OR ITERATION, IT IS
THE PERSON TAKING THE TEST IF
THEY ARE ASYMPTOMATIC
PRE-SYMPTOMATIC FULLY
SYMPTOMATIC IF THEIR PRE-TEST IN
THEIR REGION IS REALLY LOW
VERSUS HIGH PREVALENCE AREAS,
THIS WILL REALLY IMPACT
SENSITIVITY, NOT SO MUCH
SPECIFICITY BUT SENSITIVITY,
DEFINITELY THE SPECIFICITY IN
I'M SORRY THE OF FALSE POSITIVES
BUT NOBODY IS WORRIED ABOUT THAT
NOW BECAUSE OF THE HIGH
PREVALENCE OF OMICRON.
WE CAN GET TESTS WITH DETECTION
LIMITS THAT ARE LOWER.
WE ARE ALSO FACING ANTIGEN TESTS
COMPARED TO RTPCR SO THE
DEFINITION IS TO NUCLEIC ACID
AND SOME WORK WE SEE IN OUR CORE
AT EMORY, IF YOU ANALYZE N
PROTEIN NUCLEIC ACID IN
INDIVIDUALS FROM THEIR NASAL
SWABS, IT IS QUITE -- FOLLOWS A
DIFFERENT PATTERN THAN IF YOU
ANALYZE IT FROM A POOL WITHIN
SUBSEQUENT SERIAL DILUTIONS
WHERE IT IS LINEAR AND YOU
DILUTE THEM OUT SO WHAT THIS
MEANS IS THAT WHEN YOU EVALUATE
PERFORMANCE IN A LAB, UNDER
REALLY CONTROLLED CONDITIONS, IT
MAY NOT ACCURATELY REFLECT THE
PERFORMANCE THAT YOU SEE OUT IN
THE CLINIC OUT IN THE REAL WORLD
BECAUSE OF THE ACTUAL
COMPOSITIONAL DIFFERENCES THAT
WE SEE BETWEEN PEOPLE.
ON THE DAY OF SAMPLING.
ON WHETHER YOU ARE IMMUNIZED OR
NOT OR HAVE PRIOR INFECTION.
SO WILL IS REGULATORY SCIENCE WE
CAN ALSO ADVANCE BUT TESTING
TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS WE ARE SO
CLOSE TO DOING BETTER SO YOU
HAVE SEEN BREAK THROUGH, WE HAVE
Q DETECT, THEY ARE WILDLY
POPULAR, THE DETECT PLATFORM
COSTS A FEW HUNDRED BUCKS THE
REAGENTS COST OF GOODS ARE
PROBABLY LESS THAN $15.
BUT THE TEST ITSELF IS MORE
EXPENSIVE, BUT DON'T HAVE TO DO
IT AS OFTEN BECAUSE DETECTION IS
COMPARABLE TO LABORATORY TEST.
REALLY EASY TO DO.
Q IS SUPER SUCCESSFUL IN THAT
AREA.
THE OTHER THING WITH ANTIGEN
TEST, THEY COULD BE MUCH LESS
EXPENSIVE FROM THE TOLL RETAIL
COST TO THE CONSUMER.
SO THEY COULD CERTAINLY BE IN
THE $2 BALLPARK AND WE NEED
BETTER CONSORTIUM APPROACH AND I
LIKE TO THINK OF SEMA TECH HERE
AS A NICE EXAMPLE, THAT A
CONSORTIUM COMES TOGETHER LOOK
AT KEY ELEMENTS OF BOTH THE TEST
PERFORMANCE AND WHATEVER RELATED
TECHNOLOGY ARE NECESSARY TO GET
THE TESTS TO BETTER LEVELS OF
PERFORMANCE AT LOWER COST.
AND SHARE SOME OF THOSE AND IT
COULD ALSO PROVIDE A KIND OF
BUFFER TO FLUCTUATIONS IN DEMAND
SO THAT WE ALWAYS HAVE TESTS
BEING PRODUCED.
WHEN OMICRON GOES AWAY AND
PEOPLE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN A
BILLION ANTIGEN TESTS WHAT'S
GOING TO HAPPEN, MANUFACTURERS
DRIVEN BY MARKET WILL SHUT THEIR
LINES DOWN, LAY PEOPLE OFF AND
THEN THE NEXT VARIANT WILL COME
OUT.
SO IT IS NOT LIKE FLIPPING A
SWITCH AND YOU GET A BILLION
TESTS.
IF YOU WORK OUT THE NUMBERS AND
YOU SAY EVERYBODY SHOULD BE
DEPLOYING ANTIGEN TESTS OR MANY
PEOPLE COUPLE OF TIMES A WEEK
FOR MOST EFFECTIVE USE, THOSE
ARE BILLIONS OF TESTS A MONTH IN
THE UNITED STATES ALONE.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF CHALLENGES
AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE COUNCIL
SELF-ORGANIZING AND TAKING THE
LEAD.
WE CAN SUPPORT OF COURSE WE WANT
TO GET OUT OF CRISIS MODE THAT
WE ARE CURRENTLY IN, BUT IT IS
TIME TO REFLECT, RETHINK, THE
REGULATORY PROCESS FOR ANTIGEN
TESTS STRUCTURED AROUND A HIGH
PERFORMING MEDICAL DEVICE WHICH
AGAIN WE HAVE POINTED OUT THEY
ARE NOT REALLY HIGH PERFORMING
MEDICAL DEVICES, MANY PEOPLE
HAVE REPEATED THAT MESSAGE AS
WELL.
>> SAM, QUESTION OR COMMENT?
>> BRUCE, AGAIN, THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO LISTEN
TO ALL THE ADVANCES MADE.
FAVORITE, (INAUDIBLE) REALLY
ENCOURAGING.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A MORE
BORING PRESENTATION.
NEXT TIME.
>> GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.
>> BRUCE, ONE AREA I KNOW THAT
-- IS VERY GOOD AT REACTING TO
PANDEMICS AND EMERGENCIES.
BUT IF IT AUGUST US ANYTHING, IT
IS THAT WE CAN SOLVE PROBLEMS.
BUT YOU JUST LAY THE GROUND WORK
I KNOW YOU MENTION SOMETHING
ALONG THAT LINE WE HAVE
DEVELOPED A PLATFORM TO TEST
DIFFERENT KINDS OF PANDEMICS OR
DISEASES.
WE ALL KNOW FOR EXAMPLE, THAT
EARLY DETECTION OF CANCER LEADS
TO ALMOST CURATIVE OUTCOME.
BUT SUCH TESTS ARE NOT DEVELOPED
FOR EARLY DETECTION.
I CAN GO ON FOR OTHER KINDS OF
DISEASE, HEART DISEASE AND SO
FORTH.
NO CHEAP METHODS TO TEST, THAT
ARE RELIABLE AND CONSISTENT.
SO WHEN I LOOK AT YOUR BUDGET
YOU SEE COVID-19 WHICH WE KNOW
WILL GO AWAY VERY SOON.
CAN WE RELEASE THIS BUDGET, MAKE
IT MORE CONSISTENT TO THEN APPLY
TO OTHER KINDS OF DISEASES
THROUGHOUT THERE ARE ALREADY
URGENT ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED.
BEFORE WE ADDRESS THEM.
THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN MAKE A CASE
FOR SUSTAINING THAT LEVEL OF
BUDGET FOR NIBIB.
ANOTHER POINT I WANT TO BRING UP
IS THE ISSUE OF GLOBAL DATA
SCIENCE INITIATIVE THAT IS GOING
ON RIGHT NOW.
ONE CHALLENGE IS TO FIGURE OUT
WHERE TO GET CRITICAL MASS DATA
FOR RARE DISEASES.
IT IS DIFFICULT.
THE OTHER POSSIBILITY OF PENDING
DATA SCIENCE INITIATIVE TO HELP
US GET DEVELOPED FOR RARE
DISEASE AROUND THE WORLD MOVING
FORWARD.
>> YES, THANK YOU, SAM.
I THINK YOU WILL SEE IN TIFFANI
LASH'S PRESENTATION WHICH IS A
COON SEPTEMBER CLEARANCE ON POP
TURN EXACTLY WHAT YOU REFER TO
IN THE FIRST THING WHICH IS CAN
WE TAKE THE STRUCTURE BUILT FOR
COVID AND APPLY BOTH PROCESS SO
INNOVATION AND PROCESS IS A
SPECIAL SAUCE WE HAVE OPTIMIZED
WITH THE RADX PROGRAM.
ALSO IN THE UNDERLYING
TECHNOLOGIES, AND PARTNERSHIPS
CREATED TO AXEL RATED THROUGH SO
MANY HURDLES FROM REGULATORY TO
ACCEPTANCE, WE STILL HAVE A LONG
WAY TO GO IN THOSE.
ABSOLUTELY, SO IN OUR ACTUALLY
ENDING AND IN THE CONCEPT
CLEARANCE YOU WILL HEAR FROM
TIFFANI HOW WE ENVISION JUST IN
A GENERAL CONCEPT POINT OF VIEW,
HOW WE CAN EXTEND THE RADXDX
INNOVATION PARTNERSHIPS AND WE
HAVE DEVELOPED SEVERAL
INSTITUTES AN OFFICES VERY
ENTHUSIASTIC IN CONTRIBUTING AND
WE EFFECTIVELY HAVE A BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT TEAM, THAT'S
DESIGNED TO REACH OUT TO
PARTNERS SO WE ARE LOOKING AT
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE,
HIV, OTHER SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED
DISEASES, PARTNER SHIPS THERE,
PARTNER EPISHIPS IN TB, CANCER,
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE.
THE TRICK IS TO BUILD CORE
STRUCTURES AROUND WHICH TO BUILT
MULTIPLE STAKE HOLDERS TO
ADDRESS AND SOLVE DIFFERENCE
PROBLEMS.
AT THE PACE AND LEVEL OF
INVESTMENT THAT ARE APPROPRIATE
FOR THOSE STAKEHOLDERS.
SO THAT I THINK WILL KEEP US
BUSY FOR A WHILE.
TO DO IT RIGHT 2002 HAVE TO HAVE
-- WE CAN'T JUST HAVE TWO
INSTITUTES FOREVER, ONE IS
SUPPORTING COVID IN A BIG WAY
AND ONE IS SUPPORTING EVERYTHING
ELSE.
IN THE TECHNOLOGY COMMUNITY.
SO IF WE CAN HAVE SUBSTANTIAL
RECURRING INVESTMENT, IN THE
IDEAS AND PROCESSES BLUEPRINT
MED TECH IS BUILDING.
THAT'S THE FIRST ONE, THE
LEADING EDGE ONE AND YOU HAVE
HEARD FROM THAT, FROM MIKE
WOLFSON ABOUT NEUROTECHNOLOGIES,
ADOPTING THE RADX TYPE
FRAMEWORK.
SO THOSE ARE KEY THINGS THAT WE
ARE LOOKING TOWARDS THE CLOCK IS
TICKING.
AND WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO
CONTINUE TO PUSH IN THOSE AREAS.
>> THANK YOU, NOT SEEING ANY
MORE HANDS UP, BRUCE, WE HAVE
OUR SPECIAL GUEST DR. BYRNES HAS
ARRIVED AS WELL.
ANYONE HAVE A FINAL QUICK
QUESTION FOR BRUCE OR COMMENT.
NONY, THANK YOU AND WELCOME,
NONI.
BRUCE, I WILL TURN IT BACK OVER
TO YOU.
THANK YOU.
>> SO I'M GOING TA SHARE MY
SCREEN, BEFORE I INTRODUCE YOU,
I JUST, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
COMING NONI.
WE ARE SO PLEASED TO HAVE YOU.
I WANT TO INTRODUCE OUR OFFICE
OF SCIENTIFIC REVIEW, WHICH
WORKS VERY CLOSELY WITH NONI AND
I HAVE REFERRED TO THAT LED BY
MANANA AND OUTSTANDING
COLLEAGUES IN THAT OFFICE, SO WE
FOCUS ON NON-TRADITIONAL
PROGRAMS
>> SPECIAL PROGRAMS, SOME
CONTINUOUS PROGRAMS AND MULTIPLE
RECEIPT DATE PROGRAMS THAT ARE
UNIQUE FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF
THE BIOENGINEERING COMMUNITY.
WE ARE FORTUNATE FOR ALL OF CSR
TO BE LED BY DR. NONI BYRNES.
YOU AND I HAVE BEEN AT THE NIH
FOR YOU HAVE BEEN LONGER OVERALL
BUT AS FAR AS DIRECTORS WE ARE
ALMOST CO-REGISTERED COHERENT IN
TIME, I THINK YOU WERE FEBRUARY
2019, I WAS JANUARY 2019.
NONI ACTUALLY JUST THE
STATISTICS ARE AMAZING.
SHE OVERSEES PEER REVIEW OF
AROUND 75% OF THE NEARLY 50,000
GRANT APPLICATIONS RECEIVED.
PROBABLY EVEN MORE THAN 50,000.
SO THAT'S PROBABLY AN OLD
NUMBER.
SHE IS SUPER INNOVATIVE,
LAUNCHED AN ENTIRELY NEW DATA
DRIVEN FRAMEWORK TO CONTINUOUSLY
EVALUATE ALL THE STUDY SECTIONS
WITH QUANTITATIVE MEASURES,
EXPERT STAKEHOLDER INPUT.
SO WHAT I -- I THINK WE ALL CAN
REALLY RELATE TO NONI.
BECAUSE SHE KNOWS THE TRENCHES,
SHE KNOWS THE NUMBERS.
HER CAREER BEGAN AT CSR IN 2000.
AS A SCIENTIFIC REVIEW OFFICER
IN THE ENABLING BIOANALYTICAL
TECHNOLOGY STUDY SECTION.
I RECALL THAT STUDY SECTION WELL
AND AT ONE POINT I THINK WERE
YOU -- DAVID MENTION THIRD
DEGREE TO ME, WERE THE YOU THE
P-41 COORDINATOR AS WELL?
>> RIGHT.
BACK IN THE DAY.
YEAH.
>> SO NONI HAS ALL OF THE KEY
FOUNDATIONAL EXPERIENCES AND
KNOWLEDGE THAT IS SO IMPORTANT
FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
SHE BECAME IN 2012 DIRECTOR OF
DIVISION OF BASIC AND
INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
WITH SO MANY DIFFERENCE STUDY
SECTIONS, FROM GENOMICS TO
BIOENGINEERING, AND WHEN I FIRST
MET NONI WE SPEND A GOOD AMOUNT
OF TIME TALKING ABOUT ANALYTICAL
CHEMISTRY, BIOANALYTICAL
CHEMISTRY, MASS SPECTROMETRY,
REALLY COOL STUFF AND HER
EXPERIENCE IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL
INDUSTRY AND REGULATORY PROCESS.
SO I THINK NONI HAS SEEN
EVERYTHING.
WE ARE SO FORTUNATE TO HAVE HER
IN CSR AND SHE'S LED A VARIETY
OF DIFFERENT INITIATIVES AS HAS
BEEN THINKING DEEPLY ABOUT
ADDRESSING BIAS AND PEER REVIEW.
WITH THAT, THANK YOU, NONI.
THE MICROPHONE IS YOURS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THAT
INTRODUCTION AND THANK YOU FOR
INVITING ME AND GIVING ME A
CHANCE TO TALK TO YOUR COUNCIL
WHICH I HAVE BEEN HERE THE LAST
15 MINUTES AND I SEE THAT YOU
ENJOY A REALLY ENGAGED COUNCIL
AS I DO B AT CSR SO I LOOK
FORWARD TO THIS DISCUSSION.
SO THANKS TO YOU AND TO JILL AND
TO DAVID FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF CSR
ACTIONS TO MITIGATE THE BIAS
THAT ECONOMISTS IN THE BIAS IN
THE BIOMEDICAL COMMUNITY.
THE STRUCTURAL BIAS FROM THE
BIOMEDICAL COMMUNITY FROM THE
PEER REVIEW PROCESS.
THAT WILL BE THE FOCUS.
BEFORE I GET THERE, I THOUGHT I
WOULD TELL US ABOUT TWO STAGE
PEER REVIEW SYSTEM AT THE NIH.
I THINK YOU ARE ALL FAMILIAR
WITH IT BUT IT BEARS REPEATING.
NIH IS UNIQUE IN ITS TWO STAGE
PEER REVIEW SYSTEM, THE
EVALUATION OF SCIENTIFIC MERIT
IS GOAL OF THE FIRST STAGE WHICH
IS DONE IN A STUDY SECTION OR IN
SEPs.
THE SECOND LEVEL REVIEW
CONSIDERS EVALUATION OF
SCIENTIFIC MERIT AND BASED ON
THAT, AS WELL AS PROGRAMMATIC
PRIORITIES AND OTHER
CONSIDERATIONS THAT ARE
IMPORTANT TO THE IC THAT MAKE
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUNDING FOR
THE INSTITUTE.
SO I THINK THIS IS FAMILIAR BUT
I WANTED TO GET -- SET GROUND
WORK HERE FOR WHERE PEER REVIEW
LANDS IN THE BROADER PICTURE OF
NIH.
BRUCE MENTIONED NUMBERS BUT I
WILL GIVE YOU THE LATEEST IN
FISCAL YEAR 21, NIH RECEIVED
88,000 APPLICATIONS.
MORE THAN 66,000 MORE THAN THREE
QUARTERS WERE REVIEWED AT THE --
CSR.
AND THIS IS SORT OF THE BRED AND
BUTTER OF WHAT CSR DOES AND YOU
PROBABLY MOST FAMILIAR WITH, WE
DO A VAST MAJORITY OF RO1s,
SMALL BUSINESS AS WELL AS THE
NRSA FELLOWSHIP APPLICATIONS.
WHAT YOU MAY BE LESS FAMILIAR
WITH IS ALL THE SPECIAL
INITIATIVES ESPECIALLY THE
TRANS-NIH INITIATIVES, AND THOSE
THAT HAVE MORE THAN ONE
INSTITUTE INVOLVED THAT ARE DONE
BY CSR.
SO IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, CSR
HANDLED 182 SPECIAL INITIATIVES,
I THINK SOME OF THESE YOU WILL
RECOGNIZE.
I DON'T THINK WE HAD A LITTLE
GRAPHIC FOR RADX, WE PUT IT IN
THE MIDDLE BUT WE ARE IN THERE
WITH RADX AS WELL.
BEFORE I GOT TO TALKING ABOUT
ACTIONS THAT CSR IS TAKING I
WILL WALK US THROUGH BRIEFLY THE
LITERATURE ON BIAS AND PEER
REVIEW AND I WILL PREFACE IT BY
SAYING NONE OF THE ACTIONS THAT
CSR IS TAKING INVOLVE STUDYING
THE PROBLEM.
I THINK THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN
STUDIED BY MULTIPLE PEOPLE
WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE NIH AND
NOT DOING THAT ANY MORE WE ARE
ACTUALLY TAKING ACTIONS TO
MITIGATE BIAS THAT EXISTS.
LET ME WALK YOU THROUGH THE
LITERATURE, SOME OF THE
LITERATURE IS STRONG,, OTHERS IS
NOT, IT GETS QUOTED AROUND, I
WANT TO MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND
WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
OF COURSE, LET'S START WITH THE
GENTHER PAPER, EVERYONE
UNDERSTANDS THAT IS A WELL
DESIGNED WELL POWERED STUDY AND
A SEMINOLE PAPER PUBLISHED IN
2011 THAT LOOKED AT RO1s FROM
2000 TO 2006 AND FOUND A VERY
DISTURBING FUNDING GAP AWARD
RATE GAP BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE
PIs THAT COULDN'T BE EXPLAINED
BY ANYTHING OTHER THAN RACE.
GINTHER HAD A NUMBER OF
SUBSEQUENT PAPERS SINCE THEN
LOOKING AT THIS FROM THREE
DIFFERENT ANGLES, 2012 AND 2016
LOOKING AT GENDER AND THE
MEDICAL SCHOOL VERSUS NOT AND
2018 TOOK THE SAME DATA THAT WAS
IN THE ORIGINAL PAPER AND
EXAMINED THE BIOSKETCHES AND
FOUND THAT BIBLIOMETRIC
MEASURES, DISPARATE PUBLICATION
RATES CAN EXPLAIN ABOUT HALF OF
THAT BLACK AND WHITE FUNDING
GAP.
SHE WAS MORE CIRCUMSPECT IN
LATER PAPERS AN ACKNOWLEDGED
THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY DIRECT
EVIDENCE OF RACE AS A SINGLE
VARIABLE.
AFFECTING PEER REVIEW OUTCOME.
THIS MONTH SHE HAS A COMMENTARY
IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL
AND REFLECTING ON HER MANY
PAPERS AND EXPRESSING SOME LEVEL
OF SURPRISE AT THE LACK OF
ATTENTION HER 2018 PAPER GOT BUT
I URGE YOU TO LOOK AT IT BECAUSE
SHE DOES A NICER JOB OF
CAPTURING NOT JUSTER HER OWN
PAPERS BUT OTHER LITERATURE.
THERE WERE OTHER PAPERS IN 2019
SO NOT A WELL POWERED STUDY AND
REQUESTS RELATED TO DESIGN BUT
TESTIFY -- IT SIMULATED NIH
REVIEW, DIDN'T FIND ADVANTAGE OF
WHITE MALE ADVANTAGE BASED IN
PEER REVIEW.
BUT IT WASN'T -- THERE WERE
QUESTIONS RAISED RELATED TO
DESIGN AND ITS POWER.
IN 2020 SHOVA LOOKED AT
APPLICATION, ONE OF THE THINGS
THEY FOUND AGAIN WAS FUNDING GAP
PERSISTS, WE KNOW IT STILL
PERSISTS UNFORTUNATELY.
BUT THE PRIMARY QUESTION FOR THE
PAPER WAS WHETHER THERE WAS A
COMMENCE RATION BIAS, THAT IS
DID THE CRITERIA SCORES COME
TOGETHER IN WAYS THAT ARE
DIFFERENTIAL FOR BLACK AND WHITE
APPLICANTS AND THE ANSWER FOR
THAT PRIMARY QUESTION IN THAT
CASE WAS NO.
WITHIN NIH THIS WAS A PAPER THAT
I ASSUME MANY OF YOU MIGHT HAVE
BEEN FAMILIAR WITH THAT CAME OUT
OF 2019 BY HOFF, THIS PAPER
LOOKED AT TOPICS THAT WERE
SUBMITTED BY BLACK PIs
COMPARED TO THOSE THAT WERE
SUBMITTED BY WHITE PIs.
AND ATTRIBUTED THE FUNDING GAP
PART OF THE FUNDING GAP TO
REVIEWER BIAS ON TOPIC BASED ON
THE TOPIC.
SO THIS WAS AN INTERESTING PAPER
GOT A LOT OF PRESS.
COUPLE OF POINTS, ONE THE AWARD
RATES WERE INDEED DIFFERENT.
ACROSS TOPIC CLUSTERS.
WHEN WE DID A QUICK INITIAL
ANALYSIS OF THE PAPER ONE THING
THAT STRUCK US WAS THAT THE LOW
AWARD RATE CLUSTERS WHICH
INCLUDED TOPICS SUCH AS HERE ARE
LISTS CHILDHOOD OBESITY BUT IT
WAS A LOT OF MINORITY HEALTH
TOPICS, SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL
SCIENCE TOPICS, THOSE HAVE LOWER
AWARD RATES THAN THE HIGH AWARD
RATE CLUSTERS THAT INCLUDE
OCULAR AND MUCH OF THE BASIC
SCIENCE AND OCULAR SCIENCE.
SO WHAT WAS PUZZLING IS HOW THIS
IS ATTRIBUTED TO IGNORE BIAS
BECAUSE THESE ARE NOT TOPICS
REPSEUDOIN THE SAME STUDY
SECTION OR BY THE SAME
REVIEWERS.
SO MORE ANALYSIS WAS DONE.
NIH DID A R REANALYSIS.
THIS IS A PAPER MIKE PUBLISHED
LATE LAST YEAR THE REANALYSIS
ADDED AN IMPORTANT VARIABLE THAT
WAS MISSING THE ORIGINAL PAPER,
THAT IS INDIVIDUAL INSTITUTE
CENTER AWARD RATES. AS A
VARIABLE.
I WON'T GO THROUGH THE PAPER BUT
LET ME POINT TO THIS PLOT THAT
WAS IN THE PRE-PRINT AS WELL AS
PAPER.
THIS LOOKS -- THEY DID ANALYSIS
A LITTLE BY DIFFERENTLY, THEY
BROKE UP TOPICS INTO CLUSTERS
WHICH WERE INCLUDING THOSE THAT
WERE MORE HEAVY AND NUMBER OF
AFRICAN AMERICAN APPLY TO THOSE
TOPICS VERSUS OTHERS.
IF YOU LOOK AT PROPORTION OF
APPLICATIONS WHAT THEY ARE
CALLING AFRICAN AMERICAN
PREFERRED TOPICS, ONE OF THE
LOWEST ONES IS THE EYE
INSTITUTE.
THAT IS ALSO THE IC THAT HAS THE
HIGHEST AREGARD WAIT AWARD RATED.
IF YOU LOOK AT MINORITY HEALTH
AND HEALTH DISPARITY, HAS
HIGHEST PROPORTION OF TOPICS
PREFERRED BY AFRICAN AMERICAN
BLACK RESEARCHERS BUT ALSO HAS
THE LOWEST AWARD RATE.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
COMES ACROSS IN THIS IS TO THINK
OF THE NIH AWARD RATE NOT --
BRUCE MENTIONED MONOLITHIC
AGENCY, NIH IS FAR FROM ONE, AND
IT IS NOT A SINGLE AWARD RATE AT
THE NIH.
FOR 24 DIFFERENT AWARD RATES
BASED ON INSTITUTE AND ITS
FUNDING AN PRY YOUR I THES.
AND MANY OTHER FACTORS.
THEN AGAIN, THE TABLE HERE
SIMPLY SHOWS THEY DID AN
ANALYSIS OF THE OUTCOMES OF PEER
REVIEW FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF
CLUSTERS AND ALL I WANT TO SHOW
YOU HERE IS THAT THE DISCUSS
RATES AND CLUSTERS THOSE WITH
HIGHER PROPORTION OF BLACK PI
VERSUS LOW IS DIFFERENT.
PRIORITY SCORE MEDIUM, THESE ARE
REVIEW OUTCOMES WERE NOT
DIFFERENCE.
TERSE PERCENTILES WERE NOT
DIFFERENT BUT ARE WHERE CAN
DISPARITY CAME IN WAS IN THE
FUNDING DECISIONS.
WHETHER OR NOT THEY WERE
DISCUSSED.
IF THEY WERE, THEY WERE STILL
DISPARITY AMONG DISCUSSED
APPLICATIONS SO WILL IS A LOT
MORE IN THE PAPER I URGE YOU THE
LOOK AT IT.
MAIN CONCLUSION OF THE PAPER WAS
THAT DESPITE WHAT HALL PROPOSED
THE LOWER RATE OF FUNDING FOR
TOPICS WAS DUE TO THEIR
ASSIGNMENT TO INSTITUTES THAT
HAD LOWER AWARD RATES AND NOT
DUE TO BIAS ON THE PART OF PEER
REVIEWERS.
THAT MAKES SENSE GIVEN REAL
DISPARITY IN DIFFERENT TOPICS
GOING TO DIFFERENT PANELS.
CSR HAD ANONYMIZATION STUDIES,
THIS WAS PUBLISHED A FEW MONTHS
AGO.
AND THIS IS A STUDY TO LOOK AT
REDACTED GRANT APPLICATIONS AND
SEE IF IT CHANGES -- IF IT
ACTUALLY CHANGES BEFORE OF BLACK
VERSUS WHY APPLICANTS.
FOR THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN AROUND
THE PAST TEN YEARS AND FOLLOWING
THIS FIELD YOU KNOW IN THE
ORIGINAL PAPER CAME OUT ONE OF
THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE
ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE NIH
DIRECTOR WAS THAT CSR SHOULD
UNDERTAKE THE STUDY WHERE THEY
REDACT IDENTIFIERS AND LOOK AT
THE OUTCOMES WHICH WAS DONE.
THE STUDY DESIGN HAD 1200
APPLICATIONS, BLACK PI MATCH
WHITE PI AND RANDOMLY SELECTED
PI ALLOW US FLEXIBILITY TO DO
MORE SECONDARY ANALYSES.
THESE WENT THROUGH PEER REVIEW,
THERE'S ISSUES WITH THE DESIGN
CLEARLY LAID OUT IN THE PAPER
BUT THE RESULTS OF THE PRIMARY
QUESTION WAS DID THE SCORES OF
BLACK PIs IMPROVE AS A RESULT
OF THE IDENTIFIERS BEING
REMOVED.
THERE WAS NO CHANGE MANY THE
SCORE OF BLACK PIs BUT
INTERESTING, THERE ARE SCORES OF
WHITE PIs HAD A SMALL IMPACT
SIZE BUT SIGNIFICANT WORSENING.
SO WHEN YOU REMOVE IDENTIFIER IT
IS SORT OF ADVANTAGE WHITE PIs
MIGHT HAVE WASN'T THERE ANY
MORE.
AROUND 20% OF THE TIME REVIEWERS
ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PI THOUGH
IDENTIFIERS WEREN'T AVAILABLE.
THIS IS NOT SURPRISING.
YOU EXPECT THIS BECAUSE PEOPLE
KNOW THE SCIENCE AND KNOW WHO IS
DOING WHAT IT IS ONE OF THE
CHALLENGES OF LOOKING AT AN
ANONYMIZED PROCESS IN SCIENCE.
SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
DOES IT MEAN THERE'S NO BIAS
AGAINST BLACK PIs IN THE PEER
REVIEW PROCESS?
IT IS NOT THAT SIMPLE.
THIS WAS LOOKING VERY MUCH AS
RACE AS ONE SINGLE VARIABLE.
AND RACE IS NOT A SINGLE
VARIABLE, IT CAN'T BE CONSIDERED
A SINGLE VARIABLE BECAUSE IT IS
REALLY CHALLENGING TO DO SO.
THERE ARE A LOT OF LINKED
VARIABLES.
THERE IS DIFFERENTIAL ACCESS,
DIFFERENTIAL ACCESS TO
MENTORING, NETWORKS THAT PEOPLE
ARE INVOLVED IN, THERE'S THE
INSTITUTIONAL PRESTIGE ISSUE.
THERE'S WHO TRAINED WHO AND
CONNECTIONS, ALL OF THESE HALO
EFFECTS COME INTO PLAY SO IT IS
HARD TO TEASE OUT JUST RACIAL
BIAS.
WHAT THIS DOES TELL US IS
REDACTION MAY HAVE REDUCED SOME
OF THESE HALO EFFECTS FOR
WHITES.
AND THAT WE SHOULD EXPLORE
APPROACH THAT DIMINISH THE ROLE
OF THE PI IDENTITY.
WE ARE DOING THAT.
SO START LOOKING AT BLINDED
REVIEW PROCESSES.
CSR JUST HAS AN ONGOING
COLLABORATION WITH THE COMMON
FUND HIGH RISK HIGH REWARD
PROGRAM THROUGH THE
TRANSFORMATIVE RESEARCH AWARD.
SO THIS ONE ALREADY IS A THREE
STAGE REVIEW PROCESS.
AND IT LENT ITSELF NICELY TO
TRYING THIS OUT IN THE REAL
WORLD, NOT A STUDY, BUT AN
ACTUAL REVIEW THAT WAS DONE IN
AN ANONYMIZED FASHION.
SO THE FIRST THREE STAGES IT IS
AN EDITORIAL BOARD PROCESS, HAS
NO IDENTIFIERS, ONLY HAD THE
SCIENCE THAT IS REVIEWED.
IN THE MIDDLE OF THIRD STAGE THE
IDENTIFIERS WERE INVESTIGATOR
INSTITUTION WERE PROVIDED AND
STUDY SECTION MEETING OCCURRED.
THIS WAS AN EVALUATION DONE BY
EXTERNAL CONTRACTOR, THE STUDY
SECTION OCCURRED IN APRIL.
THE RESULTS WERE ENCOURAGING SO
TRANSFORMATIVE RO1s HAVE HAD A
LOW NUMBER, HAVE HAD DIVERSITY
IN TERMS OF GENDER AND IN TERMS
OF MINORITIES.
AND THIS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY.
SEE MORE OF THE DATA AT THE
COMMON FUND SITE.
INTERESTINGLY, AROUND A QUARTER
OF THE RESPONDENTS SAID THE FACT
THE PROCESS WAS GOING TO BE
ANONYMIZED AFFECTED THEIR
DECISION TO APPLY.
ASSUMING IN A POSITIVE WAY, THE
REASONS THEY PROVIDED WAS THIS
IS FUNDING PROJECT AND THAT THE
INSTITUTIONAL PRESTIGE BIAS
WOULDN'T COME INTO PLAY.
WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS
EXPERIMENT.
NOT EXPERIMENT BUT THIS METHOD
OF DOING THE TRANSFORM ACTIVE RO
-- TRANSFORMATIVE RO1s FOR AT
LEAST THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
OKAY.
THE OTHER PART IS LOOKING AT
BLINDED REVIEW PROCESSES
INVOLVES THE CSR ADVISORY
COMMITTEE WORKING GROUP SO WE
TALKED HOW ENGAGED NIBIB COUNCIL
IS, CSR ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS
ENGAGED WITH US, IS LOOKING AT
BROADER PROCESS TO SIMPLIFY PEER
REVIEW BRING IT BACK TO ORIGINAL
MISSION OF LOOKING AGENT THE
SCIENCE AND THE SCIENTIFIC MERIT
AND PAST TEN YEARS A LOT OF
ADDITIONS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO
PEER REVIEW, A LOT OF
ADMINISTRATIVE CONSIDERATIONS
THAT ARE BURDENSOME AND MOVE
FOCUS AWAY FROM THE SCIENCE.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT
WORKING GROUPS LOOKING AT HOW TO
SIMPLIFY THE PROCESS.
AND THEIR CRITERIA.
ONE THING WE GOT OUT OF BOTH
WORKING GROUPS WAS THEY
SUGGESTED REORGANIZING THE FIVE
REVIEW CRITERIA, INTO THREE
SCORED FACTORS.
IMPORTANCE OF THE SCIENCE
FEASIBILITY AND RIGOR AND TAKING
THESE FACTORS, INVESTIGATORS AND
ENVIRONMENT INTO THIRD FACTOR.
WHAT THAT DOES IS ALLOWS US TO
EXPLORE MULTI-STAGE PARTIALLY
BLINDED PROCESS.
THAT IS MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH
THE NIH AT THIS POINT, I'M
EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES.
IN THE FUTURE.
WE ARE LOOKING, WE ARE
INCORPORATING BIAS TRAINING, FOR
STUDY SECTION CHAIR ORIENTATION
SESSIONS SO EVER YEAR CSR
INVITES ITS INCOMING STUDY
SECTION CHAIRS TO ABOUT 90 OF
THOSE SO WE HAVE 180 CHARTER
COMMITTEES, CHAIRS AROUND TWO
YEAR TERM SO EVERY YEAR WE HAVE
HALF THE CHAIRS CYCLING OFF.
THOSE CHAIRS COME IN EVERY
SUMMER AND WE GO THROUGH A TWO
HOUR INTERACTIVE SESSION VAST
MAJORITY OF THAT SESSION IS A
VIGNETTE BASED FRAMEWORK THAT
SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN
DISCUSSION.
WE HAVE INCORPORATED BIAS
TRAINING AND MITIGATING THE
ROLESES OF BIAS STUDY SECTION.
THERE IS A VIDEO UP ON OUR
WEBSITE SO YOU CAN SEE THIS AND
HOW IT PLAYS OUT THE WHOLE TWO
HOUR SESSION.
THEN I'M VERY EXCITED TO
ANNOUNCE WE WERE ABLE TO LAUNCH
RAINING MODULE FOR REVIEWERS IN
AUGUST, 2021 PRIOR TO ALL
MEETINGS.
THIS IS BIAS AWARENESS.
I WANT MAKE SURE WE UNDERSTAND
OUR GOAL HERE IS NOT IMPLICIT
BIAS TRAINING WHICH IS WHAT YOU
WOULD DO FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES OR
YOUR STAFF.
REVIEW -- WE GET REVIEWERS FOR A
SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, THEIR
ATTENTION IS BUSY PEOPLE THEY
HAVE DAY JOBS.
AND WE HAVE THEM FOR A LIMITED
AMOUNT OF TIME, WE HAVE TO TRAIN
ON A LOT OF STUFF SO THIS IS
VERY MUCH TARGETED TOWARD MORE
COMMON BIASES.
THAT COME INTO PEER REVIEW.
AND NOT IMPLICIT BIAS.
I WOULD URGE YOU TO LOOK AT THIS
30 MINUTES LONG, DELIVERED TO
REVIEWERS BEFORE THE FALL
MEETINGS.
IT HAS BEEN A VERY WELL RECEIVED
BY THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY.
WE LOOKED AT SURVEY RESULTS THAT
SHOW THAT REVIEWERS ARE MUCH
MORE LIKELY TO IDENTIFY BIAS AND
HOW MUCH MORE FRUITFUL AN
INTERVIEW.
IN THE FALL MEETINGS WE ALSO
HEARD FROM OUR SROs ANECDOTAL
EVIDENCE FROM MANAGEMENT AND
OBSERVING THAT PEOPLE SPEAK UP
AND ACTUALLY REFER TO THE
TRAINING.
YOU CAN'T SAY THAT.
WE ARE SUPPOSED TO ONLY LOOK AT
THIS.
SO IT IS ACTUALLY GOING WELL, WE
DO INTEND TO CONTINUE THIS
TRAINING AND REFRESH IT AND
ADAPT IT BASED ON SERVICE WE
GET.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WE DIDN'T
SIT IN SOME ISOLATION AND
DEVELOP THIS TRAINING, WE HAD
OUR COUNCIL VERY DEEPLY INVOLVED
AND DEVELOPING SCENARIOS WE HAD
EXPERTISE FROM NIH AS WELL AS
WITHIN COUNCIL AND AD HOC IN
WORKING GROUP WHO HELPED DEVELOP
THIS TRAINING SO I'M GRATEFUL
FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE.
THE OTHER THING THAT WE LAUNCHED
IN 2021, MARCH OF 2021 WAS A WAY
FOR ANYONE, APPLICANTS,
REVIEWERS, PROGRAM STAFF, TO
REPORT BIAS IN THE PEER REVIEW
PROCESS.
IT IS THROUGH A DIRECT MAILBOX,
THIS ADDRESS LISTED HERE, IN
RED, WE HAVE A LOT OF MEETINGS,
WE DO THOUSANDS EVERY YEAR, WE
HAVE 18,000 INDIVIDUAL REVIEWERS
WHO WORK WITH US, IT IS A HUMAN
PROCESS.
WE WILL HAVE MISTAKES.
AND WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THEM
WHEN THEY HAPPEN.
SO THIS IS A STATEMENT LISTED AT
THE BOTTOM OF EVERY CSR STAFF
OUTGOING EMAIL.
GABRIEL IS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
FOR WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT AT
CSR WHO REPORTS DIRECTLY TO ME.
THIS EMAIL WILL GO DIRECTLY TO
HIM.
WE HAVE LISTED IT ON STAFF
EMAILS ON WEB PAGES AND ON STUDY
SECTION PAGES BECAUSE THOSE GET
HIGHEST NUMBER OF HITS FOR CSR
SO WE WANT TO TRY TO GET THIS
DISSEMINATE AND HOPE YOU WILL
HELP US DO THAT.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THIS IS
NOT JUST BIAS AGAINST THE
APPLICANT IT IS BIAS IN REVIEW
PROCESS.
WE HAD LISTENING SESSIONS COUPLE
OF SUMMERS AGO AND I HAVE HEARD
SINCE DURING THAT AND SINCE THEN
THE HIGHER BAR THAT WOMEN FACE
OR WOMEN AND MINORITIES FACE IN
TRYING TO ESTABLISH EXPERTISE
DURING THE STUDY SECTION,
MEETING, IS REALLY HEART
BREAKING STORIES OF BRINGING
BACKGROUND DATA JUST SO THAT
THEY ARE TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND I
THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY
UNFORTUNATE.
WE HAVE WE INVITE EVERY REVIEWER
BECAUSE OF THEIR EXPERTISE AN I
WANTED TO HEAR ABOUT THAT IF
THAT OCCURS IN A MEETING.
SO THIS IS AN OPEN BOX FOR
ANYONE TO REPORT BIAS.
WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE GET A
REPORT?
WE ASSESS SITUATION.
HEARSAY TAKEN OUT OF THE HANDS
OF THE SRO DONE BY MANAGEMENT WE
TAKE AN OBJECTIVE LOOK AT IT.
IF WE AGREE THIS WAS A BIAS
PROCESS AND WE HAD MULTIPLE
CASES WHERE WE HAVE DONE THIS,
WE REVIEW THE APPLICATION IN THE
SAME COUNCIL ROOM, REREVIEW IT.
THE REASON TO DO THAT IS NOT
NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE NUMBER IN
TEEMS OF TIMING OF FUNNING.
IF WE ARE UNSURE WE REFER THEM
TO A PROCESS AND ASK THEM TO
TAKE TO IT THE PROGRAM OFFICER
AND COUNCIL BUT WE APPRECIATE
YOUR HELP GETTING THIS OUT.
I DON'T THINK SOME OF THIS
PROCESS EXISTED BEFORE.
BUT WE WANTED TO DISSEMINATE IT.
BROADLY.
AND FINALLY, I WANT TO TALK
ABOUT BROADENING OUR PILE AND
DIVERSIFYING OUR -- -- I WILL
TOUCH ON THIS BRIEFLY, EARLY
CAREER REVIEWER PROGRAM
ESTABLISHED PREVIOUSLY THROUGH A
CSR ADVISORY COUNCIL WORKING
GROUP WAS REVAMPED AND EXPANDED
SIGNIFICANTLY IN 2020 AND WE
DOUBLED THE NUMBER OF EARLY
CAREER REVIEWERS ON OUR STANDING
STUDY SECTION.
THE ECR POOL IS MORE DIVERSE, A
STRONGER PROCESS AND WE PUT IT
IN A DATABASE TO ALLOW US TO
TRACK PROGRESS AND GET MORE DATA
OUT PREVIOUSLY IT WAS A LITTLE
MORE UNSTRUCTURED.
BOTTOM LINE WE DOUBLE THE NUMBER
OF EARLY CAREER REVIEWERS, IT IS
AFFIANTS PROGRAM BECAUSE IT
ALLOWED ALLOWED EARLY CAREER
SCIENTISTS INSIDE LOOK AT STUDY
SECTION WHICH WILL END UP
REVIEWING RO1 AND GETS POSITIVE
FEEDBACK FROM ECR WHO
PARTICIPATED SO PLEASE PUBLICIZE
THIS AS WELL.
THE OTHER TOOL WE LAUNCHED IN
OUR SCIENTIFIC REVIEW OFFICERS
IS CALLED REVIEWERS FINDER TOOL.
ONE THING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
SRO IS THEY ARE USUALLY IN A
HURRY.
THERE IS A BUNCH OF APPLICATIONS
TO RECRUIT PEOPLE.
AND THEY GO TO THEIR NETWORKS.
OR THEY GO TO NIH NETWORKS.
WE WANTED TO FIND A SINGLE
PORTAL FOR SROs TO GO AND FIND
DIVERSITY BROAD RANGE OF
REVIEWERS SO THIS PORTAL
INCLUDES ALL THE EARLY CAREER
REVIEWERS, ANY RECOMMENDATIONS
FROM IC PROGRAM STAFF, WE HAVE A
LIST OF FUNDED UNDERUSED PI SO
THESE ARE PEOPLE FUNDED BY THE
NIH BUT SOME REASON -- I HEARD
DURING THE LISTENING SESSIONS I
FUNDED BUT I HAVE NEVER BEEN
ASKED.
I DON'T WANT TO HERE THAT.
WE INCLUDED THAT.
SOCIETY RECOMMENDATIONS AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY OTHER AGENCY FUNDED
IS INCLUDED IN HERE, THAT
INCLUDES THE NSF, AND DOE AS NIH
MOVES TO BROADER AREAS BOTH IN
TERMS OF BIOENGINEERING AND
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT BUT ALSO
HEALTH DISPARITIES AND COMMUNITY
BASED RESEARCH, OTHER AGENCIES
FUNDING DATABASES TO BROADEN OUR
-- AND WE ALSO INCLUDED THE
APPLICANT POOL.
IN THE END THE TOOLS WILL HELP
WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT IS
CULTURE, GETTING OUR INTERNAL
CULTURE CHANGE, AND IT IS NOT
JUST US, I THINK CSR AND PEER
REVIEW IS VERY MUCH A MICROCOSM
OF BROADER BIOMEDICAL SCIENTIFIC
CULTURE.
THE IDEA OF LOOKING AT DIVERSITY
AS A REQUIREMENT HAS EXISTED.
WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.
MOVE AWAY FROM THAT, AND
EMPHASIZE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS
FOR NIH TO HEAR DIVERSE
PERSPECTIVES TO MAKE SURE WE ARE
IDENTIFYING THE BEST SCIENCE.
FOR THE NIH MISSION.
IT IS CRITICAL FOR NIH TO HEAR
DIVERSITY OF PERSPECTIVES AND
NOT HAVE THE SAME PEOPLE COMING
IN ADVISING IN PEER REVIEW.
CHANGING THE MESSAGING BY
ENSURING THAT WE ARE CLEARLY
COMMUNICATING THAT HIGH QUALITY
REVIEW MEANS DIVERSITY IN THE
REVIEW, COMMITTEE.
AND IT IS MULTIPLE DIMENSIONS,
DEMOGRAPHIC AND GEOGRAPHIC OF
COURSE, BUT IT IS ALSO THE
SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND AND CAREER
STAGE, AND PEER REVIEW
EXPERIENCE EXPECTATION IS WE GET
NEW PEOPLE INTO THE SYSTEM.
REGULARLY AND REFRESH PANELS
REGULARLY, STUDY SECTION
MEMBERSHIP STANDING STUDY
SECTION MEMBERSHIP IS THOROUGH
AND HAS MULTIPLE LEVELS OF
OVERSIGHT AND APPROVE, I APPROVE
EVERY STUDY SECTION MEMBER
NOMINATION AND ACTUALLY GOES TO
THE NIH OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR.
FOR APPROVAL.
WHERE WE FALL SHORT IS DIVERSITY
ON SPECIAL EMPHASIS PANELS
THOUGH CSR DOES A LOT OF STUDY
SECTIONS, MAJORITY OF OUR PANELS
ARE SPECIAL EMPHASIS PANELS.
THOSE ARE AIL SEMIABLED QUICKLY
AND ON AN AD HOC BASIS, AND THAT
IS WHERE NUMBERS DON'T MATCH UP
TO STANDING PANELS.
SO WE HAVE WORKED HARD OVER THE
LAST YEAR AND A HALF TO RAISE
COLLECTIVE AWARENESS OF STAFF,
TO EMPHASIZE THAT CRITICAL NEED
FOR DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES TO SET
EXPECTATIONS AN MOST IMPORTANTLY
TO SHARE DATA WITH OUR STAFF
PANEL LEVEL DATA.
THE TOOLS LIKE REVIEWER FINDER
THAT I MENTIONED IS AVAILABLE
BECAUSE AGAIN MORE WE GO TO
MENTAL ROLE DEX THE MORE LIKELY
TO BRING THE SAME PEOPLE BACK IN
AND NOT BROADEN -- THIS ALLOWS
PEOPLE TO -- SRO TO FIND WELL
QUALIFIED SCIENTISTS FOR
AVAILABLE AND HAVE AN IMPACT.
AND TRAINING.
WE HAVE A VERY ENGAGED STAFF AND
MANY OF THEM ARE VERY CREATIVE,
HAVE EXCELLENT IDEAS AND THIS
PEER TO PEER INTERACTION.
RAISING AWARENESS AND SHARING
BEST PRACTICE FOR BROADER
RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES.
IT HAS BEEN WORKING, IT IS A
WORK IN PROGRESS BUT IT'S
WORKING SO THIS IS JUST CSR
MEETINGS, ALL CSR MEETINGS
STANDING STUDY SECTION MEETINGS,
SPECIAL EMPHASIS PANELS, AND
JUST AS A BENCHMARK APPLICANTS
IN CSR.
THIS IS PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN,
LOOK IN 2019 AND SUMMERS, WE
TOOK SUMMER MEETINGS FOR A
COMPARISON POINT.
STANDING STUDY SECTION IS
SLIGHTLY ENRICHED IN 2019 AND
2020, IN SEP IT IS ABOUT THE
SAME LEVEL, SORT OF RANDOM
DISTRIBUTION SROs ARE GOING
AND RECRUITING FOR SEPs FROM
THE APPLICANT BASE AND FROM
THEIR NETWORKS.
IN 2021 THOSE NUMBERS WENT UP,
THEY WERE STEADILY GOING UP
ANYWAY FOR STANDING PANELS
BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE OVERSIGHT.
BUT I WAS PLEASED TO SEE THE
JUMP IN PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN
ON SEPs.
EVEN THOUGH THE APPLICANT BASE
REMAINED THE SAME.
THAT REFLECTS A REAL EFFORT ON
THE PART OF OUR STAFF AND THAT
SOME OF OUR EFFORTS ARE WORKING.
WE PLAN TO CONTINUE TO PUSH.
SIMPLY FOR OTHER REPRESENTED
MINORITIES, ABOUT SEVEN 1/2
PERCENT OF APPLICANTS AT CSR ARE
UNDER-REPRESENTED MINOR AT THIS
AND STANDING STUDY SECTION THAT
NUMBER IS MORE ENRICHED.
BUT IN SEP IT IS LOWER THAN IT
IS THE APPLICANT.
IN 2021, THOSE NUMBERS TOOK A
JUMP AND I WAS PLEASED TO SEE
THAT AND I THINK WE STILL HAVE A
WAYS TO GO.
BUT WE'LL PLAN TO CONTINUE
PUSHING EFFORTS.
IN THE END THOSE TRAINING AND
CULTURE CHANGE AND AWARENESS
RAISING IS GOING TO BE THE
HIGHEST IMPACT TOOL WE HAVE.
IN ADDITION TO ALL OTHER TOOLS.
CSR ADVISORY COUNCIL IS BUSY
AGAIN AND NOW WE HAVE A WORKING
GROUP THAT IS LOOKING AT
INEQUITIES IN NRSA FELLOWSHIP
REVIEW PROCESS, MULTIPLE WAYS
WHICH THIS COULD BE IMPROVED.
SO WE ARE GETTING ADVISE FROM
COUNCIL AND COUNCIL WORKING ON
ON THAT INCLUDES (INDISCERNIBLE)
AS WELL.
WE WOULD LIKE TO SOLICIT BROADER
COMMUNITY INPUT.
THIS WAS A BLOG PUT OUT BY
COUPLE OF SROs AND CSR DEPUTY
RECTOR ASKING FOR INPUT AND I
WOULD PUT YOU TO SHARE THIS,
SHARE YOUR INPUT AND ALSO ASK
YOUR FACULTY AND OTHER
COLLEAGUES TO SHARE THEIR INPUT
INTO HOW TO IMPROVE FELLOWSHIP
PROCESS.
THAT IS ALL I HAVE.
HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS HERE AND
IF YOU WANT TO TALK MORE DEPTH
ABOUT ANYTHING I PRESENTED, YOU
CAN REACH ME DIRECTLY.
>> THANK YOU, MELANIE.
WHAT A FANTASTIC BREADTH OF
EFFORTS YOU ARE ENGAGING WITH
CSR.
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, THOUGHTS
FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS PLEASE?
JENNIFER.
>> JENNIFER BURTON, THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR THIS INCREDIBLE, HUE
FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND YOUR WORK
PUTTING IT TOGETHER IN A GREAT
PRESENTATION.
SOME OF US WHO REMEMBER SRO MAY
RECALL HE HAD A PHRASE HE SAID
NIH DOESN'T AWARD PROCESS, NOT A
REWARD PROCESS.
AND I THINK THAT WAS A GOOD
REMINDER TO PEOPLE TO NOT MAKE
THEIR COMMENTS STUDY SECTION
ABOUT THE APPLICANT BUT ABOUT
THE SCIENCE.
SO I APPLAUD THE IDEA OF HAVING
INVESTIGATOR AND ENVIRONMENT,
COMBINED TO PERHAPS DE-EMPHASIZE
ESPECIALLY FOR R GRANTS AND THEN
PUTTING IT AS A SECOND TIER
REVIEW PROCESS WOULD BE REALLY
INTERESTING BECAUSE I FOUND THAT
ANECDOTALLY WHAT I HAVE SEEN IS
THAT FOR MOST GRANTS EITHER THE
APPLICANT, APPLICANTS ON A
PARTICULAR PROJECT HAVE THE
EXPERTISE TO APPROPRIATELY
CONDUCT THE SCIENCE AND THEY
PROBABLY WOULDN'T APPLY IF THEY
DIDN'T, AND EITHER THE
ENVIRONMENT HAS THE ADEQUATE
THINGS THEY NEED TO GET DONE OR
IT DOESN'T.
I THINK IT'S FAR TOO MUCH
EMPHASIS ESPECIALLY IN THE R
GRANTS THOSE TWO CRITERIA.
SO LOVE THAT AND LOOK FORWARD TO
SEEING WHERE THAT GOES.
>> THANK YOU, SIMON.
>> THAT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION
AND IMPRESSIVE RESULTS IN THE
LAST YEAR FROM THE INITIATIVES.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE BIAS
TRAINING, (INAUDIBLE) CHAIRS AND
REVIEWERS YOU USE THE WORD TO
INVITE PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN
THE BIAS TRAINING IT IS INVITE
OR IS IT REQUIRED?
>> THAT IS A REALLY GOOD
QUESTION.
THE FIRST TIME WE DIDN'T REQUIRE
IT BUT WE URGED STRONGLY.
WE WANTED TO SEE AND SROs AS
WELL AS DIRECTLY.
THERE MIGHT COME A TIME AFTER WE
HAVE GOTTEN FEEDBACK, WE WANTED
TO SEE HOW WELL IT WOULD WORK.
THIS IS THE FIRST TIME NIH HAS
TACKLED THIS.
I HOPE LATER LIT BECOME PART OF
-- ACTUALLY EVEN GO THROUGH OUR
ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS WHERE YOU
HAVE TO TAKE TRAINING TO ACCESS
YOUR GRANTS AND ERA SO THAT IS
MY ULTIMATE HOPE THAT IS WHERE
WE WILL GET TO.
BUT THIS WAS THE FIRST TRY AND
WASN'TED TO HEAR WHAT COMMUNITY
THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND IF IT
ACTUALLY AFFECTED THE REVIEW
PROCESS.
>> I SUSPECT IT WOULD BE A GOOD
IDEA TO REQUIRE EVENTUALLY.
BECAUSE I HAVE A SNEAKING
SUSPICION THAT FOLKS IMMEDIATE
TO HAVE REQUIRED.
>> THOUGH I HOPE WE CAN MOVE
FROM HAVING SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE
PARTICIPATING.
INTERESTING TO SEE WHO TAKES IT
UP
>> I HAD ONE FOLLOW UP QUESTION
ON A DIFFERENT TOPIC WHICH IS
ONE OF THE GRUMBLINGS I HEAR
FROM PEOPLE WHEN THEY GET THEIR
REVIEWS BACK PARTICULARLY WHEN
IT'S FOR SPECIFIC RFA OR RFP
OUTSIDE THE PARENT CALL IS THEY
OFTEN FIND REVIEWERS DON'T
NECESSARILY CONSIDER OR
COMPLETELY COMPREHEND SPECIFIC
REQUIREMENT TO THAT I KNOW IT IS
HARD BECAUSE REVIEWERS LOOK ACT
SO MANY THINGS, SO MANY CALLS AT
HAIR PARTICULAR REQUIREMENTS
OVER PRELIMINARY DATA SOMETIMES
I HEAR A LOT OF GRUMBLINGS ABOUT
THAT.
DO YOU HAVE THOUGHTS HOW TO
BETTER MAKE SURE REVIEWERS ARE
FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS FOR THAT
PARTICULAR RFA OR RFP?
>> WHEN YOU SAY REVIEWERS,
FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS, YOU MEAN
REVIEW CRITERIA FOR THAT
PARTICULAR INITIATIVE.
>> YES.
>> BY SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
REVIEWERS ARE IGNORING?
THAT IS --
>> THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO ASK
BECAUSE (INDISCERNIBLE) PARENT
RO1 TYPE REVIEW CRITERIA.
>> SO THIS SOMETHING SPECIFIC
AND HAS SPECIFIC REVIEW
CRITERIA, THAT IS A PROCESS
ISSUE.
SEW THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM
REVIEW CRITERIA BEING THE SAME
AND VERBIAGE AND INITIATIVE NIH
IS INTEREST IN X Y Z AND
REVIEWERS ARE NOT GIVING ENOUGH
CREDIT TO APPLICATION IN XYZ.
FAY VERY MUCH TOLD TO STICK TO
REVIEW CRITERIA, NIH POLICY THAT
OCCURS WHETHERSR OR IC.
THAT IS A DIFFERENT ISSUE BUT IF
IT'S IN THE REVIEW CRITERIA AND
BEING IGNORED THAT IS A PROCESS
ISSUE WE NEED TO HEAR ABOUT.
SO I WOULD SUGGEST STARTING WITH
THE SRO AND REPORTING IT OUT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
PRESENTATION ESPECIALLY THE
LITERATURE THAT WAS HELP.
AND CONGRATULATIONS ON
STRATEGIES BEING EMPLOYED.
THE POINT I WANT TO MAKE IS THAT
IF OUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO CLOSE
THESE GAPS, EVEN WITH DIFFERENT
MEASURES TAKEN, WE ARE STILL
GOING TO HAVE HUGE PROBLEMS WITH
CLOSING THE GAP BECAUSE OF
CERTAIN THINGS THAT HAPPEN ON
THE GROUND.
ENVIRONMENTS WHERE PEOPLE ARE
DOING THE RESEARCH AND YOU
ALLUDED TO THE IDEA ABOUT WHO TO
ACCESS NETWORKS THE
CREDENTIALING, THE -- WHAT KINDS
OF RESEARCH LABORATORIES
RESOURCES DO YOU HAVE
FACILITIES.
ACCESS TO GRADUATE STUDENTS AND
THERE'S SO MANY INTANGIBLES THAT
PEOPLE JUST DON'T SEE.
SO EVEN WITH THESE STUDIES THAT
ARE MEASURING CERTAIN VARIABLES
THEY ARE THINGS YOU CAN'T
MEASURE.
SO HOW DO YOU FIX WHAT YOU CAN'T
MEASURE?
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF SOMEONE IS
SITTING THERE BIAS BECAUSE THE
PERSON THEY REVIEW NEVER HAD AN
RO1 HOW DO YOU MEASURE THAT?
HOW DO YOU MEASURE SOMEONE
BEATEN DOWN THEY DON'T SUBMIT
IT.
AND HOW DO YOU MEASURE THINGS
LIKE WITHIN OUR SYSTEMS WE TREAT
AN RO1 LIKE A HOLY GRAIL.
SO PEOPLE KNOW IF YOU DON'T GET
RO1 IMPACT YOUR CAREER DEPENDING
ON ENVIRONMENT SO THERE'S EXTRA
COMPETITION IN THE ENVIRONMENT,
BECAUSE ONLY SO MANY GET THE
RO1.
I'M SAYING FOR US TO BE MINDFUL
THAT THERE ARE ALL THESE
INTANGIBLES THAT WE DON'T
NECESSARILY MEASURE EVEN WHEN WE
TRY TO DO BLINDED STUDIES OR
BLINDED APPLICATIONS TO KEEP
THOSE IN MIND BECAUSE WE HAVE TO
HAVE A MULTI-PRONGED APPROACH,
WHAT CSR CAN DO BUT ALSO WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN THE ACTUAL
ENVIRONMENT WHERE RESEARCH IS
BEING CONDUCTED.
EVERYTHING YOU SAY RESONATES
COMPLETELY AGREE, WHAT I MEANT
ISSUES ARE SYSTEMIC AND THEY ARE
STRUCTURAL AND THEY ARE REALLY
LONG STANDING.
SINGLE APPROACH NOT GOING TO
SOLVE IT AND IT REQUIRES NIH AND
DIFFERENT INSTITUTES AT NIH CSR
AS WELL AS INSTITUTIONS AND
SOCIETY.
IT IS A BIOMEDICAL ENTERPRISE
THAT HAS STRUCTURAL BARRIERS.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I
POINT OUT IS WE WANT THERE -- WE
WANT TO TRY TO MITIGATE EXPLICIT
RACISM.
AND -- THE THINGS WE CAN SEE
TACKING PEOPLE IMPLICIT BIAS IS
SO FAR BEYOND WHAT WE CAN MANAGE
TO DO IN 30 MINCE TO TWO HOURS
WE HAVE TRAINING REVIEWER SO IT
IS VERY CHALLENGING AND THE
MULTI-PRONG APPROACH IS EXACTLY
WHAT IS NEEDED.
>> THANK YOU.
>> HI, THIS IS MANU.
THAT WAS GREAT, IT WAS NOT
DIFFICULT TO SEE THE THINGS YOU
ARE DO AND YOU ARE ASSESSING
ALSO.
I HAVE A QUESTION IN THE FINAL
SLIDE YOU SHOWED THE NUMBERS OF
UNDER-REPRESENTED MINORITIES ON
STUDY SECTIONS AND I'M CURIOUS
BECAUSE I KNOW PEOPLE THAT HAVE
PUT THEM ALL TOGETHER FOR NUMBER
WHEREAS THERE'S OTHERS SHOW IF
THERE IS A LATINO, MAYBE FEEL
LIKE THAT ONLY BUT WITH MULTIPLE
ONE MS. THE ROOM THERE'S MORE
COURAGE TO SPEAK UP SO I'M
CURIOUS IF THERE IS ANY THOUGHTS
OR RUN THAT EXPERIMENT OR
THOUGHT ABOUT THAT EXPERIMENT
THREE AND FOUR OF ONE TYPE IN A
ROOM HA GIVE MORE GUMPTION TO
SPEAK UP OR STEP UP IF THEY HEAR
ANYTHING.
OUT OF LINE OR IF THAT HAS BEEN
CONSIDERED.
>> SO THANKS VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
OF COURSE, THAT WOULD BE A
REALLY NICE IDEAL SITUATION TO
GET TO.
IF WE HAD -- IF WE WERE ABLE TO
DO THAT.
KIND OF A PUSHING STAFF TOWARD
THAT.
HAVING A BREADTH OF DIVERSITY ON
THE PANEL IN MULTIPLE
DIMENSIONS.
THE NUMBERS THAT I SHOW YOU ARE
CUMULATIVE URM.
IF YOU LOOK AT NUMBERS OF BLACK
REVIEWERS THIS IS ALL NOW
POSTED, Z TRANSPARENT AS
POSSIBLE ON OUR WEBSITE IT IS
VERY LOW, STUDY SECTIONS MAYBE 4
1/2 PERCENT AND SEP TOTAL IS TWO
AND A HALF PERCENT BLACK
REVIEWERS.
APPLICANTS ALSO REALLY LOW ONE
OF THE MULTI-PRONG APPROACH TO
LOOK AT HOW TO DEVELOP BUT I SEE
WHAT YOU SAY AND WE HEARD IT IN
LISTENING SESSION YOU NEED
MULTIPLE PEOPLE, HOPEFULLY NOT
JUST THE WORD FALLING ON THE
MINORITIES AND IF YOU TAKE OUR
REVIEWER TRAINING, IT ACTUALLY
TALKS ABOUT BYSTANDER TRAINING.
WE NEED EVERYBODY NOT JUST
BURDEN ON MINORITIES, TWO OR
THREE OR HOWEVER MANY.
I HEAR WHAT YOU ARE SAYING.
>> THANK YOU.
HAND UP EARLIER?
>> I WANT TO THANK -- OUTSPOKEN
ON THIS ISSUE.
THANK YOU FOR THIS EXCELLENT
PRESENTATION.
I WANT TO APPLAUD THE CSR FOR
EFFORTS THEY ARE MAKING.
OUR RESPONSIVENESS HIGHLY
APPRECIATED BY THE COMMUNITY.
I HAVE JUST A COUPLE OF
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NEW
CRITERIA, THAT YOU MENTION.
DRILLING DOWN FROM 5 TO 3.
REVIEWERS DEFINITELY TRYING TO
-- OUT TWO OF THOSE.
I WONDER HOW THAT AFFECT THIS
SCORING SCALE ITSELF, BECAUSE I
KNOW IT IS COMPACT, PEOPLE ARE
STRUGGLING TO ALWAYS ASKED TO
EXPRESS CAUSE AND HOW THAT WE
CONDENSE MAKING IT MORE
DIFFICULT FOR PROGRAM OFFICIALS
TO KNOW WHICH PROGRAM WHICH IDEA
PROPOSALS FUNDED OR NOT.
OTHER ONE YOU TOUCHED ON NETWORK
THAT IS A HUGE PROBLEM.
A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE YOU GAIN FROM
PEOPLE YOU COME IN CONTACT WITH
AT WORK WITH AND HOW CAN YOU
IDENTIFY YES VIEWERS.
THE IDEA OF PROFESSIONAL SOCIETY
RECOMMENDATION IS VERY GOOD BUT
WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE TO INCLUDE
INSTITUTIONS AND SIZE.
SUCH THAT THEN AVAILABLE TO NOT
JUST DO SITING PROFESSIONAL
SOCIETIES BUT ALSO KNOW WELL
LOCAL LEVELS TO RECOMMEND FOR
REVIEWERS.
ONE LAST POINT I WAS THINKING
ABOUT IS WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT URL
PARTICIPATE, I THINK MANU SAID
EARLIER, I WOULD TRY TO FIGURE
OUT ACROSS THAT TO TO COME UP
WITH THAT NUMBER.
HAVING SAT ON MANY REVIEW PANELS
I CAN TELL YOU THAT I ONLY ONE
AT TIMES AND THE POINT THAT IS
MADE ABOUT NOT EXPECTING THE URL
REVIEWERS TO CARRY THE BURDEN IS
VERY IMPORTANT.
WE ARE TRAINING THE CHAIRS OF
ALL THESE PANELS BECOME
CRITICAL.
BECAUSE IF YOU LEAVE IT ON ONE
TO PEOPLE MAKE A DIFFERENCE JUST
NOW GOING -- NOT GOING TO
HAPPEN.
WORK THAT BLINDS SOMETHING THAT
I REALLY BELIEVE WE HAVE A LOT
MOVING FORWARD.
SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU ARE
DOING.
IT IS APPRECIATE AND WE HOPE TO
SUPPORT YOU IN MANY BAYS AS WE
CAN.
>> THE ONLY POINT I MAKE RELATED
TO MODIFIED REVIEW CRITERIA,
THAT IS STILL IN PROCESS AND
QUITE PREMATURE TO THINK ABOUT
SCORING.
I SEE YOUR POINT, AND ALL OF
THOSE ACTUALLY CONSIDER BY
REVIEWERS, THERE IS NOT TO TAKE
PART OF THAT OUT OF REVIEWERS
HANDS SO IT IS STILL MAKING ITS
WAY LIEU THE NIH AND WE REQUIRE
LOT MORE COMMUNITY UNPUT BEFORE
IMPLEMENTED.
>> THANK YOU.
RANU AND MARY ELLEN.
>> THANK YOU FOR SUCH A
COMPREHENSIVE PRESENTATION, IT
WAS HELPFUL.
I HAVE ONE COMMENT.
CONSIDERATION OF INVESTIGATOR
AND ENVIRONMENT.
MAYBE THERE COULD BE MORE CHANCE
OF BIAS EXPLICIT BIAS BY
REVIEWERS, AND I WONDER IF YOU
DON'T PUT THOSE IN THERE, IS
THERE SOME COLLATERAL EFFECTS?
MANY TIMES FACULTY OR
RESEARCHERS WITHIN UNIVERSITY
SYSTEM THAT PREFERSIALLY CREATES
TENURE TENURE FACULTY DOES NOT
GIVE AS MUCH CREDENCE TO
RESEARCH FACULTY WHO MAY BE
APPLYING, THEY DO SOMETIMES THIS
NIH SUBMISSION, TO ASSURE WE
NEED SUPPORT.
SUPPORT OF THE INSTITUTION TO BE
ABLE TO BE COMPETITIVE.
FROM IF THAT IS NOT GIVEN THE
SAME VALUE, THOSE INVESTIGATORS
MAKE FURTHER GET MARGINALIZED,
WITHIN INSTITUTION ITSELF.
THIS IS A BIGGER PROBLEM AT THE
HIGHER RAN INSTITUTIONS IT MIGHT
BE AT MEDIUM WHAT -- THE MORE
COMPETITIVE UNIVERSITIES WHEN
THERE IS A SPOKEN OR UNSPOKEN
MULTI-TRACK RECOGNITION OF IN
THAT SITUATION UNDER-REPRESENTED
MINORITY, OUR RESEARCHERS ARE IN
THAT SITUATION.
SO JUST WANTED TO COMMENT ON
THAT.
>> I THINK JUST BRIEFLY TO
ADDRESS THAT, I THINK SOME OF
LIKE WAS MENTIONED BEFORE THESE
ARE MULTI-FACTORIAL ISSUES AND I
THINK SOME CHANGES HAVE TO BE
MADE AT THE INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL
HOW EVALUATIONS ARE DONE.
TENURE EVALUATIONS ARE DONE, I
THINK THOUGH IN THE INSTITUTION
AND ENVIRONMENT IS ARE WE SEE
EXMR. I SIT EXAMPLES OF BIAS
COME INTO THE PEER REVIEW
PROCESS.
SO IT WAS IMPORTANT, I THINK
WORKING GROUP FELT IT WAS
IMPORTANT TOP TACKLE THAT.
MORE DIRECTLY.
IT IS AS I MENTION STILL MAKING
WAY THROUGH THE NIH.
>> THANK YOU.
SOHI.
>> THANK YOU, VERY MUCH, NONI
FOR A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION.
I'M AT THE SCIENCE FOUNDATION
AND I SHARE WITH YOU THE
CHALLENGE WE FACE IN ADDRESSING
THIS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT
PROBLEM AND JUST YESTERDAY WE
HAD DISTINGUISHED LECTURE AT NSF
ABOUT WOMEN OF COLOR IN TECH.
THIS IS A NATIONAL ACADEMY STUDY
THAT (INDISCERNIBLE) FOR THAT
STUDY GROUP.
AT THE NATIONAL ACADEMY.
IT WAS -- IT IS SORT OF -- YOU
BECOME SORT OF HELPLESS WHEN YOU
SAY ALL THE EFFORTS YOU TRY TO
DO, AND STILL THE BOTTOM LINE
WAS IT IS NOT ENOUGH AND PROBLEM
PERSISTS, THAT WAS THE BOTTOM
LINE OF THE STORY.
SO MY QUESTION TO YOU AS YOUR
INITIATING THESE WONDERFUL
INITIATIVES AT NIH AND SOME OF
THEM ARE KNOWN YOU HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO LOOK AT THIS IN
THE CONTEXT OF SCIENCE OF
SCIENCE OR SCIENCE OF -- HAVE AN
INTRAMURAL PROGRAM IN CSR WOULD
BE AN INTERESTING CONCEPT IF YOU
DON'T HAVE SUCH A THING.
TO CONDUCT STUDY HOW YOU DID
THIS, PRIORITY RATHER THAN
POSTERIOR SO WE HAVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO DESIGN A STUDY,
THIS IS AN INTERVENTION WE ARE
GOING TO DO, AND THIS IS HOW --
THIS IS OUR GOAL, THIS IS HOW TO
MEASURE THE INTERVENTION.
ARE YOU DOING ANYTHING LIKE THAT
WITH EITHER INITIATIVES THAT YOU
HAVE DESCRIBED TO US, ARE YOU
PLANNING ON STUDYING THEM ON
WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE MAKING
AN IMPACT ON THE INTENDED ROLE.
>> THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO.
WE ARE PLANNING TO DO MORE
STUDIES.
WHETHER OR NOT THE IMPACT OCCUR
OCCURS, THE MAIN IMPACT WE SEE
IS CLOSING OF THE FUNDING.
WE WILL NEVER KNOW WHETHER HAVE
TO DO WITH THIS INTERVENTION OR
THAT INTERVENTION.
FRANKLY IT DOESN'T MATTER.
WE NEED ALL INTERVENTIONS WE
NEED THAT FUNDING.
WE ARE FOUGHT DOING MORE STUDIES
OR PLANNING WE DON'T HAVE AN
INTRAMURAL PROGRAM AT THIS
POINT.
OUR FOCUS IS TO TRY TO MITIGATE
THE VARIOUS BIAS THAT COME INTO
THE PROCESS.
AND HOPE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO A
STRONGER REVIEW PROCESS AND ALSO
CLOSES THE FUNDING GAP WHICH
MORE EFFORTS BEING MADE ACROSS
NIH AT INSTITUTES WITH THE UNITE
PROGRAM TO DO THAT.
I THINK YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT THAT
SOON HOPEFULLY.
>> TEJAL.
>> THANK YOU, I ECHO EVERYTHING
YOU SAID, COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT A
TREMENDOUS PROGRESS YOU HAVE
MADE.
BUT I GUESS I WANT TO DIRECT MY
COMMENTS AND PERHAPS QUESTION AT
FELLOWSHIPS YOU MENTIONED.
BECAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE THAT
THIS IS ONE OF THE MAJOR GATE
KEEPERS IN TERMS OF PROMOTING
AND ALLOWING STUDENTS SUBSEQUENT
ENTRY INTO NIH.
I AM CURIOUS HOW YOU ARE
THINKING ABILITY BEGINNING TO
TAKE THE SAME ISSUES YOU ARE
WORKING ON IN THE REVIEW PORTION
AND PUT THEM INTO PRACTICE
WITHIN FELLOWSHIP AND
PARTICULARLY AROUND ACADEMIC
MEASURES HISTORICALLY USED GPA
AND TEST SCORES AS WE ARE IN MY
OWN INSTITUTION LOOKING AT THAT
AS IN TERMS OF ADMISSION AND HOW
IT HAS FAIRLY LOW PREDICTED
VALUE IN TERMS OF SCIENTIFIC
OUTPUT.
JUST CURIOUS ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS
IN THAT ARENA.
>> THANKS, TEJAL.
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
EXACTLY THE CONSIDERATION OF
UNDERGRADUATE RATES FOR POST DOC
FELLOWSHIP.
THE IDEA ONE MUST HAVE -- MENTOR
MUST HAVE STRONG MENTORING
EXPERIENCE WHICH REALLY PUTS ALL
ASSISTANT PROFESSORS OUT UP THE
RUNNING FOR SPONSORING
FELLOWSHIPS, THERE ARE MULTIPLE
THINGS THAT THE WORKING GROUP IS
CONSIDERING THOSE.
WE ARE STILL IN THE FEEDBACK
PHASE FROM COMMUNITY SO URGE YOU
TO GO AND PUT THAT OPEN MIC I
THINK CROSS POSTED OR BLOG OR
JUST SENT ME AN EMAIL.
THE MORE RESPONSES WE HAVE, THEY
ARE ALL COMING AROUND THE SAME
ISSUES.
SO I SUSPECT THAT WHERE THE
WORKING GROUP WILL LAND WHICH
YOU WILL HEAR MORE THIS YEAR.
HOPEFULLY PROGRESS.
>> THANK YOU.
MARY ELLEN.
>> MARY ELLEN GIGER.
FIRST I WANT TO -- I APPRECIATE
ALL THE EFFORTS AND THE DATA
THAT YOU PRESENTED.
I THINK THAT'S A WE ARE A DATA
DRIVEN SOCIETY.
AT LEAST I AM.
I VERY MUCH SUPPORT SEPARATING
SCIENCE VERSUS THE INVESTIGATORS
AND INSTITUTION.
I AM STARTING TO THINK OF A
STUDY HOW ONE CAN HALF THE GROUP
DO THE SCIENCE THE OTHER GROUP
DO THE OTHER ABOUT FLIP-FLOP AND
SEE WHERE THEY LAND.
WHILE I SUPPORT THAT I THINK IT
IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT BECAUSE
IN THE SCIENCE HOW DO YOU HANDLE
THE PILOT DATA WITHOUT
IDENTIFYING THE SOURCES THAT.
AND WITH THE INVESTIGATORS AND
INSTITUTIONS ONE MAY BE AN
EXPERT IN A BUT NOT IN B IN THE
-- SO THERE'S -- I'M VERY
INTERESTED IN THAT, THERE MAYBE
WAYS TO TEASE THOSE OUT.
AND THE OTHER POINT I WANTED TO
MAKE BECAUSE THE IMPORTANCE OF
THE CHAIR ON STUDY SECTION,
WILLING TO PROCESS IN KNOWING
WHEN IT IS DIFFERENT THAN A
TYPICAL RO1 AS WELL AS IN BIAS
AND BE ABLE TO CALL MEMBERS OF
-- CALL PEOPLE OUT ON THINGS
THAT THEY ARE DOING THAT'S NOT
RIGHT.
AND I KNOW THAT IS EASIER SAID
THAN DONE.
I AM GLAD YOU HAVE THE TRAINING.
I WAS TRAINED AS A JUNIOR
FACULTY FOR SOME ON STUDY
SECTION BY EXTREMELY STRONG SRA
-- EXTREMELY STRONG CHAIR AND I
THINK THAT VERY IMPORTANT I
DON'T KNOW HOW TO ACCOMPLISH
THAT BECAUSE YOU RELY ON A SENSE
BY VOL HUNDRED TIRES.
WE ALL ARE VOLUNTEERS.
RIGHT?
BUT SOMEHOW TO GET THAT
IMPORTANCE OUT SO THEY CAN THAT
CAN OCCUR.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
>> THANK YOU, MARY ELLEN.
THAT'S ALL THE HANDS THAT ARE
RAISED AT THIS POINT.
>> SO I WONDER IF I CAN EXERCISE
THE DIRECTOR PREROGATIVE AND
NONI YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER
THIS QUESTION NOW OR YOU CAN
GIVE A VERY BRIEF SORT OF
IMPRESSION BUT WE ARE CURIOUS
BECAUSE OF THE WAY RADX EVOLVED
WHICH IS IS QUITE DIFFERENT FROM
PEER REVIEW WHERE YOU HAVE GOT
EVERYONE LOOKING FOR FALSE OR
FLAWS OR ERRORS IN A CONCEPT
THAT PEOPLE SPEND A LONG TIME
POLISHING AND OPTIMIZING AND
THAT IS NECESSARY.
YOU HAVE A COMPETITIVE SITUATION
TRYING TO GET THROUGH STUFF.
BUT WE ARE KIND OF -- WE ARE THE
OPPOSITE.
WE ARE KIND OF OPENING UP THIS
FUNNEL TO YOUR GREAT IDEAS.
THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE FULLY
FORMED.
IT IS MORE TIME AND LABOR
INTENSIVE BUT WE ARE KIND OF
THIS -- IT IS A SMALL OPERATION
BUT LOOKING FOR THE VALUE THE
EXCITEMENT THE POSSIBILITY IN
IDEAS AND THEN FORMING A SMALL
TEAM AROUND THAT.
TO ENCOURAGE AND EXTRACT THE
GREAT STUFF IN A CONSENT THAT
COMES THROUGH AND THOUSAND
SUPPORT THAT.
IT IS UPSIDE DOWN IN THE WAY WE
DO PEER REVIEW.
IT IS ALIGNED WITH HOW IN
PRINCIPLE TO TRAIN Ph.D.
STUDENTS, STUDENTS IN GENERAL,
LOOK FOR THEIR STRENGTHS AND
AMPLIFY AND FIND OUT WHERE THEY
ARE SUCCESSFUL.
DO YOU IMAGINE ANYTHING LIKE
THAT COULD EVER MAKE ITS WAY
OTHER THAN RENEGATE PROGRAMS
LIKE NIBIB INTO MORE STANDARD
PRACTICE?
WITHIN CSR OR IS IT JUST TOO
IMPRACTICAL?
YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE ALL OF IT
BUT MAYBE PHILOSOPHICAL BITS AND
ELEMENTS WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO
FIND VALUE AND EVEN IN THE
DEVELOPMENT PATH IF THAT PERSON
DOESN'T ACHIEVE THE RICHES AT
END OF THE FUNNEL ALONG THE WAY,
THERE WILL BE VALUABLE
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE IDEA AND
KEEP PEOPLE IN BUSINESS AND
GOING.
SO IT IS A DIFFERENT APPROACH.
A KINDER GENTLER APPROACH.
>> SO I'M NOT NECESSARILY
ANSWERING THAT, BRUCE, OTHER
THAN TO SAY THAT IT IS A REALLY
INNOVATIVE APPROACH, AND
FANTASTIC STUFF WITH IT.
I THINK IT IS WORKED REALLY WELL
AND IT IS AN EXAMPLE FOR CERTAIN
PROGRAMS THAT WOULD BE QUITE
WELL AMENABLE TO THAT APPROACH.
ANY TIME APPROACH IS TRIED OUT
ON A SMALL SAMPLE SET, I THINK
THE IDEA OF HAVING THAT SAME
APPROACH WORK FOR 80,000
APPLICATIONS, 30,000 REVIEWERS
AND ALL HECK BREAKS LOOSE AND
PEER REVIEW DOESN'T WORK.
I THINK IF IT WORKFORCE A SMALL
PROCESS AND I THINK IT WOULD BE
SLOWLY EXPANDED TO OTHER AREAS.
WHERE -- AND ESPECIALLY
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND AREAS
THAT SUFFERED FROM MORE
CONSERVATIVE REVIEWS.
I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE
DONE AND THERE IS CHANCE FOR IT
TO BE EXPANDED.
HOWEVER, THAT IS ANOTHER
QUESTION.
>> DEFINITELY, THANK YOU.
SO THANK YOU AGAIN SO MUCH FOR
YOUR INCREDIBLY, WE HAVE AN
AMAZING GROUP OF COUNCIL MEMBERS
WITH VERY ASTUTE COMMENTS WE
SHOULD PROBABLY -- IT IS
VIDEOCAST SO PEOPLE CAN GO BACK
AND LOOK AT THIS, WE JUST
APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU ARE
DOING WITH CSR AN OBVIOUSLY
RESONATING VERY WELL,
QUANTITATIVE METRICS AND
QUANTITATIVE EVALUATION YOU ARE
BRINGING TO IT IS SO IMPORTANT
FOR OUR FIELD AND FOR ALL
FIELDS.
SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU, NONI.
>> THANK YOU.
BYE-BYE EVERYONE.
>> BYE-BYE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, NONI.
GOODBYE.
>> SO NOW WE ARE MOVING TO
DIVERSITY EQUITY INCLUSION
ACCESSIBILITY WORKING GROUP.
AND DR. ERIM DIRECTOR OF THE
INTERDISCIPLINARY TRAINING AT
NIBIB WILL MAKE A PRESENTATION.
AND THEN DR. BAR BOW AND
PETTIGREW WILL LEAD DISCUSSION.
SHE IS ALL YOURS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, DAVID.
GIVE ME A THUMBS UP IF YOU CAN
SEE THE SLIDES. GOOD AFTERNOON
AND GOOD MORNING FOR STILL SOME
PEOPLE.
I'M GOING TO BE PRESENTING TODAY
BRIEF UPDATES ON NIH UNITE
INITIATIVE AND THEN MOVE TO
NIBIB EFFORTS ON DIVERSITY
EQUITY INCLUSION AND
ACCESSIBILITY.
THE UNITE INITIATIVE WAS
ESTABLISHED TO IDENTIFY ADDRESS
STRUCTURAL RACISM WHEN IT OCCURS
(INDISCERNIBLE) BASICALLY MADE
UP OF 300 COMPONENTS, HEALTH
DISPARITIES AND MINORITY HEALTH
EXTERNAL WORK FORCE INTERNAL
WORK FORCE AND IN ADDRESSING
RACIAL EQUITY IN THE AREAS
UNDERSTANDING STAKEHOLDER
EXPERIENCES AND COMMUNICATION
AND ACCOUNTABILITY WITH OUR
(INAUDIBLE) STAKEHOLDERS OUR
GUIDING PRINCIPLES.
I WILL MAKE A VERY BRIEF
HIGHLIGHT OF REALLY FIELD OF
ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE UNITE
INITIATIVE WITH THE FULL
PRESENTATION HAS (INAUDIBLE)
COUNCIL DIRECTORY IN DECEMBER
AND YOU CAN SEE THE FULL
VIDEOCAST IN THE SLIDE, THE PDF
OF THE SLIDES THAT HAVE BEEN
USED IN THE PRESENTATION ARE
ALSO AVAILABLE THROUGH THIS LINK
ONLINE.
GOING BACK TO ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN
EACH AREA IN TERMS OF HEALTH
DISTEAR PARITY, AN --
DISPARITIES AN RFA ON
TRANSFORMATIVE RESEARCH
ADDRESSING HEALTH DISPARITIES
AND ADVANCING MINORITY HEALTH
HAS BEEN PUBLISHED.
UP TO $24 MILLION IN THE FIRST
THREE YEARS AND UP TO $60
MILLION OVER FIVE YEARS
PERMITTED.
SO VERSION OF THE RFA AT
MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTIONS IS
SCHEDULED TO BE PUBLISHED FOR FY
22 AS WELL.
REGARDING THE EXTERNAL WORK
FORCE THE PROCESS OF
IMPLEMENTING THE EXPRESSION OF
EXISTING SEPA PROGRAM TO MAKE
NIH PROGRAM FOCUSING MORE ON THE
K-12 STEM COMMUNITY AND
RESOURCES CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
FOR UNDER-REPRESENTED FOLKS AS
WELL AS MORE OBJECT ENGAGEMENT
AND MSI.
REGARDING THE INTERNAL WORK
FORCE, PLAN FOR INSTITUTE AND
CENTER DIRECTORS HAVE BEEN
ESTABLISHED FOR FY 22 TO HOLD
THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR DIVERSITY
EQUITY INCLUSION AND ACCESS TO
ICs.
ALSO EXPECTATION OF RACIAL AND
ETHNIC EQUITY PLANS FOR EACH IC.
ON THE AREA OF COMMUNICATIONS,
THE RECOGNITION PROJECT HAS BEEN
TAKEN ON AND THIS PROJECT
INVOLVE REDOING OF THE ART WORK
NIH DIGITAL SPACES MORE
REPRESENTATIVES IMAGING OF THE
(INDISCERNIBLE) AND TO HAVE A
MORE INCLUSIVE WORKPLACE.
UNITE UPDATES JUST MENTIONING
THAT THERE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED
AN ENDING STRUCTURAL RACISM
WEBSITE WHICH COMPILES A LOT OF
USEFUL RESOURCES IN MANY
DIFFERENT AREAS.
ONE OF THEM IS THE DATA
DASHBOARD THAT PROVIDES
INFORMATION ON DEMOGRAPHICS OF
THE NIH WORK FORCE AS WELL AS
NIH FUNDED WORK FORCE.
AND HERE AS WELL YOU WILL BE
ABLE TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH NIH
-- SORRY WITH UNITE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
SWITCHING BACK TO OUR FIRST AT
THE NIBIB, WE BEGAN IN SUMMER OF
21 BY COMPILING A FULL LIST OF
IDEAS WE COULD COME UP WITH.
DIFFERENT CREATIVE LEVELS AND
BASED ON DISCUSSION WITHIN THE
WORKING GROUP AS WELL AS PAST
COUNCILS, WE CHOSE THESE MANY
IDEAS, FIVE PROJECTS THAT COULD
IMPACT OUR COMMUNITY IN A BEST
WAY.
THESE ARE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE
SPECIFIC TO THE BIOENGINEERING
COMMUNITY AND NEEDS THAT ARE NOT
ALREADY BEING ADDRESSED BY UNITE
AND OTHER NIH WIDE EFFORTS.
THESE AREAS OF FOCUS ARE FUNDING
UNIVERSITIES TO ENHANCE THE WORK
FORCE AS WELL AS HEALTH EQUITY
AND HEALTH DISPARITIES RESEARCH,
BUILDING BIOENGINEERING
DEPARTMENTS AT HBCU E AND
ENHANCING EDUCATION ENCOURAGING
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AMONG
UNDER-REPRESENTED INNOVATORS,
AND DEIA IN THE NIBIB WORK FORCE
ITSELF.
I'M GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH
EACH OF THESE FOAL CUSS AREAS,
PROVIDE US WITH YOUR NEED BACK
AND START THE DISCUSSION.
SO IF FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES HAVE
ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED BY DR.
TROMBERG IN HIS REPORT BUT I
HAVE THEM HERE.
AS A QUICK SUMMARY.
ALSO I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT
NEXT DEADLINE IS FAST
APPROACHING FOR ALL OF THEM,
THEY ALL HAVE DEADLINES IN
FEBRUARY.
LIKE DR. TROMBERG MENTIONED WE
HAVE ONE RO1 THAT IS REDUCING
HEALTH DISPARITIES BUT DOES NOT
HAVE ANY EXPECTATION ON THE PI
IN TERMS OF PROMOTING DIVERSITY.
AND THEN WE HAVE TWO
OPPORTUNITIES AN RO1 AND R21
THAT HAVE NO RESTRICTIONS ON
TOPIC AREA AS LONG AS WITHIN THE
MISSION OF THE SUPPORTING ICs.
BUT IT HAS THE REQUIREMENT THAT
THE APPLICANTS AS WELL AS
PROMOTE WORK FORCE DIVERSITY.
THE NEXT IDEA IS THE STARTING OF
BIOENGINEERING DEPARTMENTS AT
HBCUS THIS IDEA WAS STARTED BY
HBCU THAT DR. TROMBERG AND DR.
(INAUDIBLE) ATTENDED AT THE
WHITE HOUSE.
AND AT THIS MEETING IT BECAME
CLEAR THAT THERE ARE ONLY TWO
HBCUs WITH ACCREDITED --
BIOENGINEERING DEPARTMENTS,
ALTHOUGH THERE'S INTEREST
POSSIBILITY IN RESOURCES, FIVE
HBCUs THAT HAVE ENGINEERING
AND BIOMEDICAL REALLY FIELD SUCH
AS BIOLOGY CHEMISTRY, COMPUTER
SCIENCE, ET CETERA. THIS
PROJECT IS ABLE TO STRENGTHEN
THE HBCUs INCLUDE THEM IN
BIOENGINEERING GOALS.
AND IT WOULD DIRECTLY TARGET THE
BIOENGINEERING PIPELINE.
REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION WE ARE
CURRENTLY THINKING VARIOUS IDEAS
INCLUDING MECHANISMS OF SUPPORT
SUCH AS SOURCES PRIZES
COLLABORATION WITH OTHER
AGENCIES, AND INDUSTRY, ENGAGING
LEADERS THROUGH INSTITUTIONS
WITH EXPERIENCE TO HELP
COLLABORATE WITH HBCUs TO
SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES.
AND ALSO COMING UP WITH THE BEST
PRACTICES TOOL KIT FOR ASSISTING
OTHER INSTITUTIONS TO FOLLOW.
WE BELIEVE OUR NEXT STEP IN THIS
AREA IS TO HAVE A ROUND TABLE
WITH HBCU LEADERS TO UNDERSTAND
ENGAGE THEIR INTEREST AS WELL AS
UNDERSTAND ROAD BLOCKS THAT NEED
TO BE TACKLED.
THE NEXT FOCUS AREA IS ENHANCING
UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION.
AND FOR THIS WE WILL FOCUS
AROUND OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAM
WHICH SUPPORTS STUDENTS DURING
THE CRITICAL TRANSITION TO
COLLEGE AND THROUGH FRESHMAN
SOPHOMORE YEARS WITH EMPHASIS
ONCOHORSE MENTORING AND RESEARCH
-- ON, COHORTS MENTORING AN
RESEARCH EXPERIENCES.
ONE OTHER IDEA THAT WE WILL USE
TO ENHANCE UNDERGRADUATE
EDUCATION IS OUR EXISTING VISA
PROGRAM, EXPANDING THIS WITH
DIVERSITY FOCUS AND SUPPORTING
STUDENTS FROM MULTIPLE YEARS FOR
EXAMPLE NOT ONLY UNDERGRADUATE
SUMMER INTERNSHIP BUT ALSO
FOLLOWING -- RESEARCH PROGRAM
FOR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS THAT
REALLY EXPAND ANY REACH OF THE
PROGRAM.
WE HAVE A STELLAR PROGRAM AT UIC
CALLED S PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES
HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHERS
WITH SUMMER RESEARCH EXPERIENCES
IN IC RESEARCH RANS AND HELPS
THEM THROUGH DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION IN DEVELOPING
CURRICULUM AND ALSO MAKE THESE
CURRICULA AVAILABLE FOR ANY
OTHER TEACHERS TO BENEFIT FROM.
THE NEXT IDEA IS
ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING.
AND AGAIN FOR THIS THINKING OF
BUILDING ON EXISTING PROGRAM AND
BUILDING DIVERSITY FOCUSED
VERSION OF IT.
THE SENATE CRASH PROGRAM IS ALSO
FOCUSING ON DIVERSITY THIS YEAR
AND WE ARE LOOKING TO BENEFIT
FROM THEIR EXPERIENCES AND
INCORPORATE THOSE IN OUR
PLANNING AS WELL.
DIVERSE MENTORS CONNECTS TO
INDUSTRY, ACCESS TO NETWORK
SUPPORT, TO SUPPORT CHANNEL
MEETINGS WITH VENTURE
CAPITALISTS AND VENTURE
CAPITALISTS AND INVESTOR
CONFERENCES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED
AS MAJOR ROAD BLOCKS THAT KEEP
UNDER-REPRESENTED INNOVATORS
FROM COMMERCIALIZING INNOVATION.
SO WE ARE PLANNING TO
CONCENTRATE ON THOSE.
LASTLY, WE ARE FOUND LOOKING
INTO DEIA AT THE NIBIB WORK
FORCE EXAMINING THE DEMOGRAPHICS
OF OUR WORK FORCE TAKING ENTRY,
LISTENING TO STAFF CONCERNS AND
WE WILL BE PLANNING
INTERVENTIONS WHICH ARE ALSO
PART OF THE RACIAL ETHNIC EQUITY
PLAN CALLED RATE REQUIRED BY
UNITE.
TWO KEY POSITIONS THAT ARE
CRITICAL IN ENHANCING THE DEIA
IN THE NIBIB WORK FORCE, INCLUDE
DIRECTOR OF THE NIH BETA CENTER
THAT DR. TROMBERG MENTIONED.
THIS PERSON WILL ALSO BE
ASSOCIATE RECTOR FOR SCIENTIFIC
DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
AND PROVIDE LEADERSHIP ADVICE IN
ACHIEVING THESE GOALS NIBIB
WIDE.
ANOTHER POSITION THAT WILL BE
CRITICAL TO OUR DEIA EFFORTS
WILL BE NIBIB DEIA OFFICER, WHO
WILL BE A SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER
IN THE EXTRAMURAL SCIENCE
PROGRAM, AND ADVISE SUPPORT
SENIOR LEADERSHIP IN DESIGN
IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF
DEIA LEADERSHIP TO HELP NIBIB
REACH ITS GOALS IN THIS AREA.
WE NEED YOUR HELP RECRUITING
COMPETITIVE APPLICANTS FOR THIS
POSITION.
AS A MATTER OF FACT WE HAVE
SEVERAL POSITIONS THAT ARE OPEN
RIGHT NOW.
AND AT THIS LINK YOU CAN FIND
EXISTING OPPORTUNITIES LISTED,
THE WAY HOW THESE POSITIONS
WORKS IS ONE NEEDS TO SUBMIT
APPLICATION THROUGH THESE LINKS
AT USAJOBS.GOV.
AND YOU NEED TO APPLY TO ONE OF
THESE LINKS DEPENDING ON YOUR
LEVELS, THAT DESCRIPTION AND
APPLY TO APPROPRIATE LINK THEN
YOU WILL BE ABLE TO BE
CONSIDERED FOR ANY PROGRAM
OFFICER OR SCIENTIFIC REVIEW
OFFICER POSITION AT THE NIBIB.
ONE CATCH THESE ANNOUNCEMENTS
ARE OPEN ABOUT THREE TIMES A
YEAR AND THEY CLOSE QUICKLY.
WE HAVE ONE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT IS
OPEN RIGHT NOW.
IT CLOSES JANUARY 27 SO CLOCK IS
TICKING.
NEB INTERESTED BROADLY ENCOURAGE
YOU TO SUBMIT APPLICATIONS AND
THEY CAN LATER BE CONSIDERED FOR
AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITIES I WILL
FINISH BY ACKNOWLEDGING MY
COLLEAGUES WHO MAKE UP NIBIB
DEIA WORKING GROUP.
I WILL STOP SHARING.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT THE
TAKE QUESTIONS OR MOVE ON,
DAVID.
>> DR. BAR BOW AND PETTIGREW
WILL TAKE QUESTIONS -- BAR --
DR. BARABINO AND PETTIGREW WILL
TAKE QUESTIONS HERE.
>> GIVEN OUR TIME MAYBE WE CAN
GET DISCUSSION GOING AND HAVE
QUESTIONS IF THEY COME UP ALONG
THE WAY.
AND GIVEN THAT WE HAD WORKING
GROUP MEETING WHERE WE ALL
TALKED WE HAVE WORKING GROUP
MEETING IN ADVANCE OF COUNCIL
MEETING I THOU THOUGHT IT WOULD
BE HELPFUL TO RECAP DISCUSSION.
I WILL SAY A LITTLE BIT AND ASK
ROD TO JOIN IN AND OPEN UP TO
EVERYONE.
FOR CONTRIBUTIONS.
ONE THING THAT WAS IMPORTANT TO
POINT OUT BASED ON LAST
CONVERSATION, IN THE WORKING
GROUP, WAS THERE SEEMS TO BE
CONVERSION OF LOTS OF INTEREST
AROUND FOCAL AREA OF STARTING
DEVELOPING BIOENGINEERING
DEPARTMENTS AT HBCUs.
PART OF THE INTERACTION AROUND
THAT, WAS THE NEED OUR TIMES OF
THE INTEREST AS WELL AS WE USE A
FOCAL POINT LIKE THAT, IT ALLOWS
US TO ADDRESS THE OTHER FOCAL
POINTS AS WELL IN TERMS OF
TAPPING UNDERGRADUATE TALENT AND
BROAD ANY THE DIVERSE PIPELINE
AND BROADENING DIVERSITY OF THE
WORK FORCE IN THE BIOMEDICAL
SPACE.
SO BECAUSE THERE WAS SUCH ENERGY
AROUND THAT, I THOUGHT IT MIGHT
BE GOOD IF WE STARTED EXPANDING
ON THAT CONVERSATION HOW IT TIES
TOGETHER.
SO ROD, WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR VIEW
AND RECAP OF THAT CONVERSATION
AS WELL?
GOOD AFTERNOON, NIBIB.
SO GRAD TO SEE EVERYBODY.
I HAVE TO APOLOGIZE BRUCE.
I HAVE A HARD STOP IN 11
MINUTES.
I GOT A CALL COMING IN.
BUT ACTUALLY ON VERY MUCH ON
THIS RELATED TO THIS TOPIC WE
ARE DISCUSSING NOW.
NOT EXACTLY BUT EXACTLY RELATED
TO.
COUPLE OF THINGS, FIRST I MISSED
THE PRESENTATION BY NONI BUT I'M
GOING TO GO BACK AND WATCH THAT.
AFTER HEARING ALL THE GREAT
PRAISE THAT WAS GIVEN AND TOPIC
THAT WAS COVERED.
SO I STAND TO LEARN A LOT FROM
LISTENING AND SECOND A QUICK
QUESTION ABOUT THE FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES WHICH WAS THE
FIRST AREA OF FOCUS THAT ZAINEP
MENTIONED AND YOU DID A GREAT
JOB SUMMARIZING UNITE BUT
REGARDING FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
WHERE IS THE FOCUS OF REVIEW?
IS THAT CSR?
>> THE TWO WILL BE ENHANCED BY
OUR OFFICE OF SCIENTIFIC REVIEW.
ONE, THE R21 WILL BE REVIEWED BY
CSR.
>> SO THAT'S GREAT THEY ARE IN
HOUSE BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN
REALLY MONITOR THEM AND SEE HOW
IT IS GOING.
EITHERRER OF THEM HAVE OTA
OPTION, IS THIS MORE A STANDARD
REVIEW?
>> NOT SURE WHAT THAT IS.
>> CONTRACTING RARE.
THEY ARE STRUCTURED AS
CONVENTION ALVING RO1s.
>> SO THE SECOND THING IS I VERY
MUCH AGREE WITH GILDA THAT IN
OUR WORKING GROUP DISCUSSION,
THERE WAS CONVERGENCE AND I
WOULD SAY ENTHUSIASM AROUND THIS
IDEA OF HELPING ADNATION
H,BCUs TO DO SOMETHING THERE
IS A NEED, THERE IS A DEFICIT.
IF YOU CAN ADDRESS THIS DEFICIT
IT WOULD BE A TREMENDOUS
CONTRIBUTION TO NATION AS WHOLE,
GREAT THING FOR NIBIB HISTORIC
EVENT AND REAL SUBSTANTIAL PART
OF LEGACY OF NIBIB.
THAT IS TO HELP COLLEGE CREATE
ESTABLISH AND ADVANCE BIOMEDICAL
ENGINEERING AND BIOENGINEERING
DEPARTMENTS.
THE FACT THERE ARE HUNDRED
HBCUs AND ONLY TWO WITH
DEPARTMENTS NOW SPEAKS TO THE
OPPORTUNITY THAT IS THERE.
I DID LIKE THE APPROACH THAT
ZEYNEP OUTLINED AS THE NEXT STEP
OF HAVING A ROUND TABLE
DISCUSSION WITH HBCU LEADERS SO
THAT WE REALLY DO UNDERSTAND THE
PRACTICAL CHALLENGES THAT THESE
COLLEGES ARE UP AGAINST AND
STARTING NEW DEPARTMENTS.
BRUCE HAS EXPERIENCE RECENTLY
FROM COMMENT FROM A UNIVERSITY
WITH A DEPARTMENT AND RECOGNIZES
THE RECENT -- AND GILDA TOO SO
SHE WAS DEAN I FORGOT GILDA U NO
U YOU ARE PRESIDENT BUT I FORGOT
YOU WERE ONCE A DEAN.
BUT BOTH OF THEM KNOW THAT IT
TAKES CONSIDERABLE PERSONAL AND
FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO CREATE
SOMETHING NEW LIKE THIS.
THE BIOENGINEERING DEPARTMENTS
STARTED AND SEEDED BY THE
WHITAKER FOUNDATION 20 YEARS AGO
WERE DONE WITH LARGE GIFTS THERE
IN THE 15 TO 20 PLUS MILLION
RANGE.
I WOULD IMAGINE THE HBCUs
WOULD NEED MORE THAN THAT, THAT
WAS 20 YEARS AGO, $20 MILLION.
SO IF WE ADJUST THAT IN 2022
TERMS THAT REQUIRES SUBSTANTIAL
FUNDING.
BUT YOU HAVE DONE THAT ALREADY.
WITH RADX, YOU GENERATED A LOT
OF LINES FOR REAL CALLING.
THERE IS A REAL CALLING HERE,
POTENTIAL TO GET THE KIND OF
SUPPORT THAT IS NEEDED TO MAKE
THIS GREAT IDEA PRACTICAL
REALITY, ALSO EXISTS. SO I LOVE
THIS IDEA.
THIS IS A GREAT IDEA, BETTER
THAN GREAT, IT IS A FANTASTIC
IDEA.
IT REALLY IS.
IT IS A FANTASTIC -- YOU WOULD
DELIVER SOMETHING TO THE NATION
THAT JUST -- THAT ISN'T THERE
RIGHT NOW.
I'M REALLY ENTHUSED ABOUT THIS
IDEA.
>> GREAT JOB.
THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO START
WITH THIS CONVERSATION ABOUT
THIS FANTASTIC IDEA.
>> YES.
>> IF I CAN ADD A SMALL
PUNCTUATION TO THAT.
NOW IS THE TIME WHEN
CONVERSATIONS ARE ONGOING
THROUGHOUT GOVERNMENT AND
MULTIPLE BRANCHES, MOST NOTABLY
LED BY THE WHITE HOUSE WHICH
INVITED US TO THIS PARTICULAR
EVENT, TIFFANI AND MYSELF, WHERE
IT WAS REALLY CLEAR FROM THE
BACKGROUND WORK AND DR. MADDOX
TO TALK ABOUT IT YVONNE MADDOX
WHO ORGANIZED THE EVENT, THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT JUST HAS NOT
HAPPENED HBCUs, IT'S BEEN A
POWERFUL FORCE EVERYWHERE ELSE,
ALL OF US ON THE SCREEN ARE
LIVING EXAMPLES OF THAT SO THERE
IS A LOT WE CAN DO.
BUT IS QUITE A LOT OF ENERGY AND
ENTHUSIASM IN THE WHITE HOUSE
AND IN CONGRESS FOR FIGURING HOW
TO SUPPORT AND ACCELERATE
PROGRAMS AT HBCUs.
SO I SAY THAT THERE ARE LIMITS
ON WHAT I CAN SAY, AND ASK
PEOPLE TO DO BUT ENCOURAGE
EVERYONE TO GET ENGAGED, THINK
ABOUT THAT AND BECAUSE AS ROD
POINTS OUT, THERE WOULD BE TO DO
THIS CORRECTLY WE ARE COMMUNITY
NEEDS TO COME TOGETHER, WE NEED
TO BUILD IN MULTIPLE
STAKEHOLDERS AND THERE NEED TO
BE REALLY SUBSTANTIAL RESOURCES
THAT WE COULD ALLOCATE TO THIS
-- TO DO IT RIGHT.
>> GO AHEAD, ROD.
>> TWO HANDS UP.
>> YES.
>> (INAUDIBLE) THEN BRUCE.
>> WE WANT TO HEAR FROM TEJAL
AND BRUCE.
I WANT TO ADD ONE THING.
WE WERE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO
REALLY BRING TOGETHER THE WORK
THAT IS HAPPENING INTERNALLY FOR
THE INTERNAL WORKING GROUP AND
US AS EXTERNAL CONSTITUENTS SO
THINKING ABOUT THAT AS A FOCAL
POINT AS WELL.
TEJAL NEXT PLEASE.
>> I JUST WANT TO ONE SAY I'M
COMPLETELY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT
THIS.
IT COULD BE THE SINGLE MOST
IMPORTANT ANYWHERETIVE BY IN
TERMS OF EXPANDING THE
BIOENGINEERING COMMUNITY.
AS SOMEBODY WHO HAS BENEFITED
FROM THE EVOLUTION OF WHITAKER
SUPPORT, I THINK ONE OF THE
THINGS TO REFLECT ON IS, CAN WE
BRING IN THOSE FOUNDATIONS OR
OTHER DEEP POCKETS TO BE
PARTNERS EARLY ON.
CONCEIVING THIS.
NIBIB, BRUCE YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO BRING TOGETHER THESE PARTNERS
FOR THE RADX AND EVERYTHING ELSE
SO THIS IS REFLECTING WHAT WE
TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, A SOCIETAL
NEED THAT CAN BE REALLY
ADDRESSED BY THE INFRASTRUCTURE
THAT YOU PUT IN PLACE.
SO I REALLY AM ENTHUSIASTIC
ABOUT THAT.
AND JUST A QUESTION, MAYBE NOR
ROD AND GILDA, BEYOND FUNDING,
WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE
BIGGEST CULTURAL CHALLENGES OR
INSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGES TO
ESTABLISHING BIOENGINEERING
PROGRAMS?
ONE OF THE THINGS I SORT OF WAS
THINKING ABOUT IS HISTORICALLY
BIOENGINEERING IS NOT SEEN AS A
PATH TO INDUSTRY IN THE SAME WAY
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING OR OTHER
FIELDS HAVE BEEN.
SO CURIOUS ABOUT WHETHER THAT IS
STILL AN ISSUE IN TERMS OF
BRINGING ENGINEERING INTO THESE
INSTITUTIONS.
>> YOU MENTION BEYOND FUNDING.
BUT FUNDING IS SO BIG.
SOME OF THE INSTITUTIONS I HAVE
BEEN WORKING WITH, THE DESIRE
WAS THERE, SO NOT JUST FUNDING
IT IS HAVING EXPERTISE AN
SUPPORT AND THOSE WHO KNOW THE
ROPES AND HOW TO MAKE THE
CONNECTIONS.
AND BEING CONNECTED IN THAT WAY
HAS BEEN PART OF THE ISSUE AS
WELL.
ONE EPICAME FROM IN PARTICULAR
XAVIER UNIVERSITY LOUISIANA HAS
A HUGE BIOLOGY SECTOR, BIOLOGY
IS LIKE THE LARGEST MAJOR, BUT
THERE IS NOT THAT KIND OF
SUPPORT AROUND THE TECHNICAL
PART LIKE ENGINEERING PART OF
IT.
SO IT IS NOT THAT THE NEED -- OR
THE DESIRE IS NOT THERE.
SO LIKE HOW TO GET THE REST OF
THE SUPPORT AROUND IT, THAT YOU
WOULD NEED BEYOND FUNDING EVEN.
(OVERLAPPING SPEAKERS)
>> THE SIMPLISTIC TEJAL HOW TO
DO THIS REALLY IS ROCKET SCIENCE
YOU NEED SPACE AND PEOPLE.
I THINK THE CALLING IS THERE.
AND THE DISCIPLINE IS THERE, SO
WE TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT
IS, IT IS VALUE TO SOCIETY ALSO.
I THINK IS UNDERSTOOD.
THE CHALLENGES THAT IF YOU GO TO
HBCU WHICH IS NURTURING, AND
PRODUCING PEOPLE THAT BRING IN
DIVERSE TALENTS TO THE WORK
FORCE WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT, VERY FEW ARE IN
THIS FIELD.
VERY FEW OF THEM ARE IN THIS
AREA.
SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
BRIDGE THAT GAP.
BREW BRUCE HAS HIS HAND UP.
>> THANKS, ROD I WILL SECOND ALL
THE ENTHUSIASM THAT YOU AND
GILDA AND OTHERS HAVE EXPRESSED
HERE.
SO MUCH OF THE HANG UP WE HAVE
HAD AS WE THINK ABOUT OUR POST
GRADUATE PROGRAMS GRADUATE
PROGRAMS RELATES TO PIPELINE.
WHILE SOME NEEDS TO START
EARLIER STILL, A LOT OF IT
REALLY IS CONSTRICTED AT THE
UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL AND THIS
WOULD BE A GREAT CONTRIBUTION.
ONE THING THAT INSPIRED MY
THINKING ABOUT IS THE ELITE
INSTITUTIONS HAVE TAKEN A
SINCERE ATTITUDE AND FOCUS TO
TRY TO CONTRIBUTE TO HAVE
SOLUTION.
AND OF COURSE A LOT OF THAT
ACTIVITY IS FOCUSED ON THEIR OWN
POLICIES AND PROGRAMS WITHIN
THEIR OWN CAMPUSES BUT SINCE
THEY ALL RECOGNIZE THE
IMPORTANCE OF THE PIPELINE TO
HELP THEM SOLVE THEIR PROBLEM, I
BONDER WHETHER IT MIGHT BE
POSSIBLE TO ENGAGE THOSE
INSTITUTIONS TO PROVIDE HUMAN
INFRASTRUCTURE IF NOT PHYSICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT THE NEW
PROGRAM WOULD REQUIRE TO GET
STARTED.
I THINK MORE PEOPLE ON THIS
CALL, WE HAVE SEVERAL DEANS OF
MAJOR PROGRAMS AROUND WHO WOULD
KNOW BUT I GET THE SENSE THAT
THERE WOULD BE A REAL INTEREST
IN FINDING WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE.
INTEREST ON THE PART OF THE
STUDENTS IN THIS PROGRAMS, THE
GRADUATE STUDENTS MORE ADVANCE
PEOPLE INTEREST IN THE PART OF
FACULTY TO CENT.
AND IT MIGHT HELP ESPECIALLY IN
EARLY STAGE WHERE JUST THE
NOTION OF RECRUITING A WHOLE NEW
FACULTY CAN BE EXTREMELY
DAUNTING, PERHAPS THAT CAN BE
STAGE OVER TIME WITH ADDITIONAL
HELP COMING IN FROM PARTNER
INSTITUTION OR MAYBE A
COLLECTION OF PARTNERS.
SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT MIGHT
HAVE RISEN TO ANY OTHER
EXPERIENCES AND IS IT SOMETHING
WE CAN BE THINKING ABOUT FROM
SAY MIT OR HARVARD PERSPECTIVE,
BUILDING BRIDGES TO THOSE
PROGRAMS?
>> THAT IS A GREAT SUGGESTION.
AND THAT IS THE REASON WE HAVE
THESE DISCUSSIONS IS BECAUSE
GREAT IDEAS LIKE THAT POP UP.
AND BEING A PERSON WHO CAME FROM
AN HBCU, I WAS A MORRIS
UNDERSTOOD GRAD WHO WENT TO SUCH
AN INSTITUTION, GOT MY Ph.D.
SAME PLACE YOU GOT YOURS.
AND WHERE PAULA IS NOW.
YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT TO
CONTRIBUTE IN THIS REGARD AND I
WOULD IMAGINE AN INSTITUTION
LIKE MIT AND HARVARD FIND
SUBSTANTIAL VALUE IN HELPING US
ACHIEVE THIS GOAL.
WE ALSO HAVE SAM WHO WILL SOON
START AS MAWING RAIL CHAIR OF
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT AT MAJORITY
INSTITUTION.
UT SOUTH WESTERN.
HE WILL SOON HAVE A TON OF
EXPERIENCE ON WHAT IT TAKES TO
DO THIS AND WHAT HAPPEN BRIDGES
NEED TO BE CROSSED WHAT GAPS
NEED TO BE NAVIGATED AT AN HBCU
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS ROUND
TABLE OF HBCU LEADERS.
AND FIND OUT WHAT ARE THE
CONSTRAINTS THAT THEY REALLY
HAVE TO OPERATE UNDER.
MANU WHO ALSO CAME FROM THE SAME
UNDERGRADUATE PLACE THAT I CAME
FROM, THAT WAS TOP TIER
INSTITUTIONS NOW, SIMPLY HAS
GREAT EXPERIENCE TO BRING IN TO
THIS DISCUSSION AND STRATEGY
PLANNING.
I'M INTERESTING IN HEARING FROM
SAM, HE HASN'T STARTED HIS JOB
YET BUT PROBABLY HAS SOME IDEA
WHAT HE'S GOING TO FACE.
SINCE STARTING THE NEW
DEPARTMENT BUT AT MAJORITY
INSTITUTION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
NOTHING REALLY COMPARED TO ALL
THE POWER HOUSES WE HAVE RIGHT
NOW IN TERMS OF IN THE
DEPARTMENT, I JUST SENT YOU
EMAIL SURE YOU HAVE NOW READ IT
SO I THINK THIS IS A GREAT
OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HAVE
ESTABLISH NEW DEPARTMENTS ACROSS
THE COUNTRIES AT HBCUs.
I AGREE ONE WAY OF DOING THIS
EFFICIENTLY IS TO PARTNER WITH
ESTABLISHED PROGRAMS ALREADY.
THAT IS ALWAYS HELPED A LOT,
EVEN IN MY CASE I KNOW ALREADY
IN DISCUSSION WITH SOME OF THE
-- IN THE FIELD AND
COLLABORATING WITH DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENTS ALREADY.
SO I BELIEVE THIS IS AN --
PROGRAM BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN
EMPOWERED MANY OF THESE STUDENTS
THAT ARE IMPRESSED THAT MAY NOT
WANT TO REALLY BE -- THEY WANT
TO REMAIN IN AN ENVIRONMENT
WHERE THEY FEEL COMPETENT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SHARING MY
EXPERIENCES VERY SOON.
ESPECIALLY IN SIX MONTHS TIME.
AND TO KNOW IF IT WAS WORTH IT
OR NOT.
>> THANK YOU, SAM, RANU YOU HAD
A COMMENT.
>> I WAS WONDERING WHAT
INFORMATION YOU MIGHT HAVE OF
PUBLIC VERSUS PRIVATE HBCUs
AND WHAT CAPACITIES WE MIGHT BE
ABLE TO CONSIDER AVAILABLE TO A
PUBLIC VERSUS PRIVATE HBCU AT
THE UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL.
BECAUSE WE HEAR OF THE MOREHOUSE
AND -- WE HERE OF VERY
SUCCESSFUL -- WE HEAR A LOT OF
SUCCESS COMING OUT OF THE
PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES.
I WONDER WHAT IS THE STATUS OF
THOSE LINK IN THE PUBLIC
UNIVERSITY SYSTEM.
>> I CAN TELL YOU THIS, RANU.
THE PUBLIC VERSUS PRIVATE THE
PUBLICS ARE PROBABLY FURTHER
UNDERRESOURCED.
ALL THE HBCUs ARE
UNDERRESOURCED.
I WORK RECENTLY WITH A GROUP OF
HBCU PRESIDENTS AND FOR THE WORK
BEING DONE AND SUCCESS THAT THEY
HAVE IT IS AMAZING TO BE ABLE TO
CARRY THAT OUT WITH LEVEL OF
UNDERFUNDING HUNDRED DOLLARS
RESOURCE SO PUBLIC IS WORSE
BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURES ARE
ATTACKING AND EVEN THE LAWS PUT
IN PLACE LIKE THE MOREAU ACT FOR
LAND GRANT INSTITUTIONS THAT WAS
SUPPOSED TO GIVE FUNDING THE
WHITE MAJORITY INSTITUTIONS
RECEIVE THE FUNDING AND THE HBC
USs NEVER DID.
WHEN THEY STARTED TRYING TO
REMEDY SOME OF THAT STILL THE
LEVEL OF FUNDING IS MINUSCULE
COMPARED TO WHAT IS NEEDED.
SO I DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO
FACTOR THAT IN AS WELL.
THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT LIKE BRUCE
WAS MENTIONING, WOULD BE HUGE
BUT WE NEED TO REMEMBER TO
CENTER THOSE THAT WERE THAT WE
ARE TRYING TO SERVE AT THE HEART
OF THE CONVERSATION ABOUT WHAT
THE NEEDS ARE.
>> I THINK THAT WILL BE
IMPORTANT WHEN WE -- AS AN NIBIB
FOCUS INITIATIVE WE REALLY MUST
PAY ATTENTION TO THE FACT OF
WHAT ARE THE REALITIES OF PUBLIC
VERSUS PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS,
WHAT YOU DON'T WANT YOURSELF
FINDING OUT DOWN THE ROAD IS
LIKE WE ARE TRYING TO PUT SO
MANY PROGRAMS IN TO MSIs AND
ALL OF THE -- SOME PART IN THE
BEINGBEGINNING OF WHAT YOU DO THERE.
SAME FOR PARTNERSHIPS.
YOUR POINT GILDA, OF HOW THEY --
HOW THE HBCUs ARE SUPPORTIVE
AND -- WE ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH
-- WE WANT AN MSI PARTNER JUST
BECAUSE THEY ARE MSI AND NOT
BECAUSE WE ARE GROWING EFFORT IN
THERE.
AND SO I THINK THAT -- THOSE
SHOULD BE PART CLUE AND LESSONS
LEARNED FROM PAST INVESTMENT OF
HOW TO PUT THAT IN PLACE WITH
THE -- IN A (INAUDIBLE) WAY.
>> POINTS WELL TAKEN.
THANK YOU FOR THAT RANU.
WE ARE UP ON OUR TIME, ARE THERE
OTHER COMMENTS ANYONE WANTED TO
GET IN BEFORE WE END THIS PART
OF THE SESSION?
>> GILDA, IF I CAN JUST MAYBE
ADD COUPLE OF OBSERVATIONS.
THE TWO DEPARTMENTS ARE ACTUALLY
STATE NORTH CAROLINA NT AND UDC
AND UDC BEING THE MOST RECENT
ONE, IT WAS IN THE PAST FEW
MONTHS.
AND THERE -- IF WE GO BACK IN
TIME TO SOME OF THE EARLY
ACCELERATION OF THE WHITAKER
SUPPORT FOR DEPARTMENTS AND I
LOOK AT OUR EXPERIENCE, AT UC
IRVINE, THE SCHOOL OF
ENGINEERING WAS SMALL AT THE
TIME.
AND WILL NOT BE UNLIKE BUT WE
MAY ENCOUNTER WITH PRIVATE
INSTITUTIONS AND HBCUs AND
ALSO A LOFT OPPOSITION MANY THE
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING BECAUSE
PEOPLE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR TURF
BEING INVADED, PEOPLE FELT LIKE
THERE WAS A ZERO SUM GAME WITH
ABILITY TO ATRACK AND SUPPORT
STUDENTS AND FACULTY.
AND THAT A BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER
ORGANIZE BIOENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT WOULD DIVERT
RESOURCES FROM MECHANICAL AND
AEROSPACE AND ELECTRICAL, SO
FORTH.
WE ALL TRY TO MAKE OPPOSITE
ARGUMENTS AND ULTIMATELY THE
WHITAKER SUPPORT CARRIED THE DAY
BECAUSE IT GOT THE DEAN
ATTENTION AN PROVOST ATTENTION
SO THAT IS A VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT GOING BACK TO WHAT YOU
SAID, MONEY WAS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANTS THE ABILITY TO HAVE
IT AND ALSO THE ABILITY TO HAVE
EXTERNAL BODIES COME IN AND
REVIEW PROGRAMS AND MAKE -- SAY
THINGS ABOUT PROGRAMS AND PEOPLE
AND PROMISE THAT ADMINISTRATION
HEARD AND THEY LISTENED AND MADE
DECISIONS TO SUPPORT THE
EXPANSION OF BIOENGINEERING IN
MANY DEPARTMENTS AROUND THE
COUNTRY BECAUSE THE WHITAKER
CAME IN WITH OUTSTANDING PEOPLE
SAYING YOU NEED TO DO THIS AND
YOU HAVE EXCELLENT POTENTIAL.
SO WE WILL HAVE TO I THINK
PROBABLY ANTICIPATE SOME OF
THOSE POTENTIAL RESISTANCE
PARTICULARLY SMALLER DEPARTMENT
WHERE IS THERE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN
A LOT OF GROWTH TERMS OF FACULTY
OR PROGRAMS OR MAYBE PEOPLE
PERCEIVED GROWTH IS LIMITED.
BUT TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND
WHAT IS HAPPENED IN OUR
COMMUNITY OVERALL THE FOUR OR
FIVE FOLD GROWTH IN DEPARTMENTS
AROUND THE COUNTRY, THE ENORMOUS
HIRING OF FACULTY AND TRAINING
OF STUDENTS.
THIS IS A -- OF TALENT AND
ENERGY THAT CAN BE DIRECTED TO
HBCUs TO WEAVE THEM INTO THE
FABRIC OF THE BIOMEDICAL
ENGINEERING MOVEMENT AROUND THE
COUNTRY.
SO THAT'S OUR BIG OPPORTUNITY.
WE ARE GOING TO NEED EVERYONE TO
CONTRIBUTE IN THEIR WAYS THAT
THEY CAN TO GET THIS DONE.
IT WILL BE A LEGACY INVESTMENT
SO THAT IS WHAT IS SO AMAZING.
ALL OF US I'M SURE ALL OF US ON
COUNCIL AND CONNECTED TO NIBIB
BENEFITED FROM THE ENORMOUS
SURGE EFFORT VISION FROM THE
WHITAKER FOUNDATION TO UNITE
DEPARTMENTS.
AND OUR LIVES WILL BE TOTALLY
DIFFERENT IF THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
SO IMAGINE BEING ABLE TO DO THAT
IN THE 107 HBCUs IN THE
COUNTRY WITH SOME TRACTION, BUT
OBVIOUSLY NOT ALL IMMEDIATELY
WILL BE ABLE TO LAUNCH BUT
EVENTUALLY MAYBE VIRTUALLY
EVERYONE LIKE WE CAN'T EVEN
IMAGINE SCHOOLS NOT HAVING
CHEMISTRY BIOLOGY PHYSICS.
AND IN THE FUTURE THAT SHOULD BE
THE CASE FOR BIOENGINEERING.
SAYS DIRECTOR OF BIOENGINEERING
INSTITUTE.
>> BRUCE, I WILL WRAP US UP WITH
THIS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
THANKS ALL OF YOU FOR THE
WONDERFUL COMMENTS, THINGS WE
SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT AND THE
ENTHUSIASM.
ROD AND I ARE GOING TO TAKE IT
UPON OURSELVES TO KEEP THE
CONVERSATION GOING.
THERE'S SOME CONVERSATIONS WE
WOULD LIKE TO START HAVING.
WITH FOLKS AROUND SOME OF THE
LEADERS, AND POTENTIAL FUNDERS
AND SO ON AND WE WILL BE
COLLECTING THAT INFORMATION TO
REPORT BACK TO OUR GROUP.
AGAIN, THANKS VERY MUCH.
WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT MOVING
FORWARD.
>> THANK YOU GILDA FOR TAKING
THE LEAP.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, GILDA AND
ROD AND ZEYNEP.
CONCLUDING THAT WE'LL MOVE TO
CONCEPT CLEARANCE.
WE HAVE TWO CONCEPT CLEARANCES,
ONE FROM DR. TIFFANI LASH AND
ONE FROM SHUMIN WONG.
THE FIRST COUNCIL MEMBER THIS
WILL BE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT
PROCESS, AS YOU WILL SEE ON THE
TIFFANI WILL BE SPEAKING TO THE
POTENTIAL USE OF CONTRACTS AS
FUNDING MECHANISM AND DIFFERENT
FROM THE CONCEPT CLEARANCES OF
INITIATIVES THAT INVOLVE ONLY
GRANTS OR COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS
FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATIONS
REQUIRE CONCEPT CLEARANCES
INVOLVING CONTRACTS BE VOTED ON
BY COUNCIL.
SO THE PRESENTATION EVERYTHING
IS THE SAME JUST WHEN YOU ARE
DONE WITH DISCUSSION WE'LL HAVE
A VOTE SO THAT IT MEETS YOUR
APPROVAL AND THAT IS SOMETHING
REQUIRED TO DO FOR OTHER
INITIATIVES.
WITH THAT, TIFFANI, PLEASE SHE
IS ALL YOURS.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, DAVID.
SO TODAY I WILL BE INTRODUCING
THE CONCEPT CLEARANCE FOR
POCTURN AS WELL AS RADX.
SO BEFORE I START I WOULD LIKE
TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES AND
CURRENT SUPPORTERS OF THE POCTRN
INITIATIVE THAT IS MYSELF, TODD
MERCHAK, JUE CHEN AND ERIN AND
PARTICIPATING IC AND OFFICES
THAT SUPPORT THE POCTRN NETWORK.
WE CREATED POCTRN TO FACILITATE
DEVELOPMENT OF A PIPELINE OF
POINT OF CARE TECHNOLOGIES WITH
COMMERCIALIZATION POTENTIAL.
THAT WAS USE UTILIZING A CENTER
STRUCTURE THAT ENABLES
INCORPORATION OF CLINICAL AND
USER NEEDS IN THE DEVELOPMENT
PROCESS AND PROVIDES EXPERTISE
AND RESOURCES TO ADDRESS EARLY
BARRIERS TO VIRTUALIZATION AND
IMPLEMENTATION.
SO THROUGHOUT THE MANY YEARS OF
POCTRN IS TRAIN MAINTAIN THE
THEME OF THE CLINICAL NEED
DRIVES TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT.
WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE
TO TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT, BY
CREATING CENTERS IN AREAS SUCH
AS NEUROTECHNOLOGIES, SEXUALLY
TRANSMITSED DISEASES, DISASTER
READINESS, GLOBAL HEALTH CANCER
CARE, PRIMARY CARE,
MICROSYSTEMS, HIV AIDS, AND ALSO
HEART LUNG BLOOD AND SLEEP
DISEASES.
SO A FEW THINGS ABOUT THE
NETWORK THAT THE CENTERS ARE
ACTUALLY SUPPORTED BY
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.
THEY PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY NEEDED
TORR NIH AND CENTERS TO ADAPT TO
SPECIFIC NEEDS AND SPECIFIC
RESOURCE AREAS.
I LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE
ATTRIBUTES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
WITH POCTRN AND HEN SHARE A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THINGS THAT
OCCURRED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS
WHICH YOU HAVE HEARD FROM BRUCE.
SO WITH POCTRN WHAT IS UNIQUE IS
WE SUPPORT CENTERS IN CENTERS
ACTUALLY SUPPORT SOLICIT
APPLICATIONS TO EVALUATE FUND
THESE PILOT PROJECTS.
THEY ALSO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
CONDUCTING VALIDATION AND
CLINICAL TESTING, A PROTOTYPE
POINT OF CARE DEVICES, AND ALSO
COLLABORATE WITH PHYSICAL
BIOCHEMICAL AND COMPUTATIONAL
SCIENCES AND ENGINEERS ONENINGS
EMPLOYERTORY TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
ANOTHER UNIQUE ASPECT IS THE
COMPLETE CLINICAL NEEDS
ASSESSMENT IS REALLY INTERESTING
AS OVER THE YEARS I REMEMBER ONE
OF THE CLINICAL NEEDS
ASSESSMENTS INVOLVE HUNDREDS OF
PHYSICIANS AND DURING THE NEEDS
ASSESSMENT THE QUESTION WAS WELL
WHAT CAME OUT OF IT WAS POINT OF
CARE DIAGNOSTICS, THE QUESTION
WAS WHAT IS IT?
SO NOW WE ARE IN THAT ERA OF
USING POINT OF CARE TECHNOLOGIES
IN THE HOMES AT THIS POINT.
SO IF WE LOOK AT THE TOP, THE
WAY POCTRN WAS SET UP NIBIB
SUPPORTED MULTIPLE CENTERS AS
YOU CAN SEE IN THE BLUE.
THEN THE PANDEMIC OCCURRED.
AT THE ONSET OF THE CURRENT
PANDEMIC, NIB AND NETWORK WE
WERE ABLE TO QUICKLY BRING
FORWARD CENTER STRENGTH AND
RESOURCES TO ASSEMBLE A RAPID
ACCELERATION DIAGNOSTIC PROGRAM
DELIVERING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS
OF ACCURATE EASY TO USE COVID-19
TESTS TO AMERICANS.
YOU CAN SEE HERE HOW THINGS WERE
STRUCTURED AS YOU MOVE FORWARD
WITH RADX.
SO WITH RADX, WE LOOK TOWARDS
THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF DR.
TROMBERG HAS SHARED SEVERAL
ACCOMPLISHMENTS BUT WE OPENED UP
A FUNNEL FOR ANYONE TO APPLY AND
ACCEPTED AND REVIEWED A TOTAL OF
824 APPLICATIONS, SUPPORTED OVER
100 ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH THE
PROGRAM.
1.5 MILLION TESTS PRODUCED AND
37 FDA AUTHORIZED TESTS.
THROUGH RADX THE FIRST OVER THE
COUNTER TEST FOR USE AT HOME WAS
ESTABLISHED, THERE WAS ALSO
UNPRECEDENTED COLLABORATION
BETWEEN THE FDA CDC BRTA AND
OTHER FEDERAL AGENCIES.
ONE OTHER BY-PRODUCT OF RADX
TECH IS TRAINING OF NEXT
GENERATION TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPERS
THROUGH IMMERSESIVE EXPERIENCES
AND MENTORSHIP.
THERE WAS SEVERAL UNDERGRADUATE
AND GRADUATE STUDENTS WHO WERE
ON THE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT
TEAMS TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT IT
MEANS TO HAVE A COMPANY
EVALUATED AND TO DEVELOP
TECHNOLOGIES.
SO MOVEK POINT OF CARE TESTING
FORWARD, POINT OF CARE -- THE
POCTRN NETWORK CONTRIBUTED TO
THE VALUE OF THE RESEARCH
COMMUNITY.
THEY HAVE ADDRESSED THE ENTIRE
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE.
WITHIN POCTRN WE SAW THE FIRST
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIOUS
POINT OF CARE FDA 510 CLEAR
DEVICE IN THE MARKET, FIRST AND
THE SECOND.
AND ONE OF THESE CENTERS, 21
MILLION -- 21, 331 MILLION WAS
RAISED FOR AWARDEES OF THESE
PROJECTS.
THAT WERE FUNDED THROUGH POCTRN
CENTER.
WE HAVE ALSO SEEN TIME AND
MOTION STUDIES AND CLINICAL
TRIALS, HAY SHOW SIGNIFICANT
TIME USE POINT OF CARE DEVICES
IN GETTING TREATMENT
ACCOMPLISHED FAR AHEAD OF THE
USE OF LAB TESTS.
WE ALSO ASSESS BIOSPECIMENS FOR
CONCEPT VERIFICATION THE DEVICE
WORKS WITHIN A SAMPLE MATRIX.
PROGRAMS I WANT THE KIT, WITH
REGARDS TO SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED
DEERSES, IN AREAS SUCH AS
BALTIMORE AND DC, WERE
DISTRIBUTED AND SUCCESSFUL
PROGRAM, ALSO DEVELOPMENT OF
DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE
ACTUALLY USED AT THIS TIME.
THE POINT OF CARE TECHNOLOGY
RESEARCH NETWORK ALSO SHOWS THAT
ROBUST POINT OF CARE TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT THE FOSTERS
INNOVATION CAPACITY BUILDING AND
LOW RESOURCE SETTINGS.
WE HAVE MULTIPLE INTERNATIONAL
CENTERED WORK BEING DONE IN THE
CENTERS.
AS WE MOVE FORWARD WE HAVE SEEN
RESOURCES AND WHAT CAN HAPPEN.
WHAT WE HAVE SEEN WITH RADX AS
POCTRN MOVED FORWARD SHAPED TO
RADX TO SUPPORT THE COVID-19
PANDEMIC WE SAW A NEED FOR
FLEXIBILITY, A NEED FOR RIGOROUS
EVALUATION AND RECOMMENDATION
AND IMPLEMENTATION.
ALSO EXPERT WORKING GROUPS.
ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT WE
REALLY SAW AS A VALUE WAS
PARTNERSHIPS.
ALSO WE SAW THERE WERE MULTIPLE
PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS.
IF WE LOOK BACK AT THE FUNNEL WE
HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT
APPLICATION FROM ALL WALKS.
SOME APPLICANTS MAY NOT HAVE A
BUSINESS ESTABLISHED AS A
BUSINESS.
THEN THERE WERE MID SIZE TO
LARGE BUSINESS SO WE SAW THAT
WITH MOBILIZING INTO CERTAIN
AREAS THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL
WITH TECHNOLOGY PIPELINE WE LOOK
TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT WAYS WITHIN
RADX THAT CAN BE EMPLOYED AS WE
MOVE FORWARD.
SO WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS
DEVELOPING RAD -- RAPID
ACCELERATION DIAGNOSTIC
TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION CENTERS,
WE STILL LIKE TO MAINTAIN THE
ABILITY TO HAVE FUNNELS WHERE
APPLICATIONS CAN COME IN AND YOU
COME OUT WITH A RESULT.
WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL INTERESTED
PARTIES NOT JUST COVID-19 FOR
FUNNELS BUT ALSO OTHER AREAS
THAT WOULD WARRANT A PRODUCT AT
THE END THAT ARE IN THE HANDS OF
THE PEOPLE WHO MADE THEM.
WE SEE BOTH RADX AND WITH POCTRN
HAVING CENTERS WORKING TOGETHER
TO CREATE THESE -- CREATE
RESULTS.
WITH THE POCTRN TECHNOLOGY
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTERS
SOME EXAMPLES OF AREAS OF
INTEREST AND WHO HAVE EXPRESSED
INTEREST IN HAVING CENTERS, ARE
LISTED HERE FROM CANCER MATERNAL
HEALTH, DRUG ABUSE AND
INFECTIOUS DISEASE, AGING
NURSING NEUROSCIENCE AI TO
TUBERCULOSIS GLOBAL HEALTH AND
PRIMARY CARE.
BECAUSE THESE ARE -- THESE ARE
MAJOR INITIATIVES, WE WANTED TO
PRESENT FOR THE CONCEPT
CLEARANCE THE FLEXIBILITY TO BE
ABLE TO WORK WITH COOPERATIVE
AGREEMENTS AND CONTRACTS.
AS YOU SEE AT THE TOP WE HAVE
CLINICAL STUDY CENTER
COORDINATION AND
COMMERCIALIZATION CENTER
VALIDATION AND TESTING CENTERS.
WE LIKE TO HAVE THE
FLEXIBILITIES TO BE ABLE TO
DETERMINE WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST
MECHANISMS TO PUT FORTH THESE
CONCEPTS THAT WE HAVE TO MOVE
RADX AS WELL AS POCTRN FORWARD.
AS WE LOOK TOWARDS THE NEXT
GENERATION OF RADX TECH AND
POCPTRN, THE THINGS WE LIKE TO
SEE AS WE MOVE FORWARD IS TO
ACCELERATE THE TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE FROM
BEGINNING TO END.
SO REPORTING FULL SCALE
DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNOLOGY, IT IS
NOTHING BETTER THAN ACTUALLY
SEEING YOUR PRODUCT IN THE HANDS
ON THE SHELVES, BEING USED.
EFFICIENT EVALUATION AND
IMPLEMENTATION METHODS,
CERTAINLY THE REGULATORY
VALIDATION AND TESTING, CLINICAL
STUDIES, LARGE SCALE OPERATION
SUPPORT, WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE
ADDITIONAL RESEARCH ON AREAS
INVOLVED IN PORTRN AND RADX
FUNNELS.
ALSO THE INCLUSION OF WOMEN
MINORITY AS INDIVIDUALS ACROSS
THE LIFE SPAN, ONE THING WORKING
WITH RADX WE HAVE SEEN SEVERAL
COMPANIES COME MANY THE DOOR AND
WE WANTED TO -- I BELIEVE ZEYNEP
MENTIONED THIS, WE WANT TO SEE
INCREASE IN NUMBER OF WOMEN
MINORITIES AND INDIVIDUALS
ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN APPLYING TO
OPPORTUNITIES ESPECIALLY
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT REALM AS
WELL AS TRAINING NEXT GENERATION
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPERS.
WE HAVE A BIG GOAL AHEAD OF US,
WE ARE LOOKING TOWARDS YOU AS
COUNCIL MEMBERS TO PROVIDE THAT
FLEXIBILITY WITH MOVING FORWARD
WITH A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT OR
CONTRACT MECHANISMS TO MAKE THIS
HAPPEN.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, TIFFANI.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR
TIFFANI ON HER CONCEPT
CLEARANCE, PLEASE?
I THINK MANU.
>> YES.
HI, TIFFANI.
SO EXCITED TO SEE THE SUCCESS
POCTRN AND RADX BROUGHT AND SEE
THE WORK YOU HAVE BEEN DOING SO
GREAT TO SEE YOU.
WHAT I'M CURIOUS ABOUT IS HAVING
THE SPECIMENS AVAILABLE FOR THE
NEXT ROUND THAT -- SO THEY CAN
USE IT.
CURIOUS WHAT HAPPENED WITH RADX
MAKING SAMPLES AVAILABLE AND HOW
DO YOU ALL FORMULATE HOW YOU
WILL JUDGE AND DETERMINE WHICH
GROUPS WILL ACTUALLY GET ACCESS
TO SAMPLES AND OTHER
REPOSITORIES THAT HAVE BEEN PART
OF THEIR SUM REVIEW PROCESS,
SOMETIMES TOLD NO, SOMETIMES
YES, AND WHAT YOU NEED TO HAVE
EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF THOSE
SAMPLES.
>> WITH REGARD TO BIAS
SPECIMENS, WE DO LEAD THAT THE
CENTERS ACTUALLY HAVE THE ACCESS
TO THOSE BIOSPECIMENS.
WE DO HAVE OVERSIGHT AS FAR AS
EVALUATING HOW THE PROCESS IS
RUN, WHEN THEY ARE SHARING THOSE
BIOSPECIMENS.
SO AS FAR AS EQUITABLE
DISTRIBUTION THERE IS A LEVEL OF
REVIEW ON OUR END, AS CENTERS
PROVIDE THOSE RESOURCES.
>> RANU.
>> HI, TIFFANI.
YOU CAN SEE ALL HA PUT TOGETHER
IN ONE PLACE.
COULD YOU PERHAPS GIVE MORE
INFORMATION ON WHERE YOU SEE
COOPERATIVE ARGUMENTS VERSUS
CONTRACT, HOW DO YOU SEE THAT
FALLING OUT AND WHAT MIGHT BE
THE CRITERIA THAT YOU MIGHT USE
FOR THOSE?
>> SURE.
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS ACTUALLY
IS A VERY FLEXIBLE MECHANISM.
WHAT WE HAVE SEEN WITH RADX WE
WERE ABLE TO UTILIZE BOTH
MECHANISMS ACTUALLY BECAUSE WITH
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WE
SUPPORTED THE CENTERS SO WE ALSO
NEEDED CONTRACTORS IN FORMS OF
EXPERTS TO PROVIDE WORKING
GROUPS AND SPECIAL TEAMS.
IN THAT CASE WE HAD TO USE
CONTRACTORS.
SO ED HAD TO FORMULATE A
CONTRACT.
SO WE ALSO SAW CONTRACTS IN THE
FORM OF SUPPORTING ACTUAL
TECHNOLOGIES, AT SOME POINT WE
WERE AT A THRESHOLD, WE COULD
USE GRANTS BUT WHEN DEALING WITH
MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACTS AND
PROCUREMENT AT CERTAIN STAGE
WITH RADX TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT
PIPELINE SUPPORTING TECHNOLOGIES
WE HAD TO MOVE INTO THE CONTRACT
REALM.
SO WHAT THIS PROVIDES IS A
FLEXIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO
UTILIZE DIFFERENT MECHANISMS OF
SUPPORT.
>> ONE QUESTION IF I MAY ASK,
HOW ARE YOU HANDLING THE
CONTRACTORS OR PROPERTY -- IP
AND NON-DISCLOSE SURE POLICIES?
>> RIGHT.
WE CERTAINLY HAVE IP POLICIES IN
PLACE AND WE ALSO HAVE TO HAVE
-- WE HAVE SIGNATURES THROUGH
ALL OF -- EVERYONE'S INVOLVED
AND WE HAVE TO HOLD THOSE WITH
REGARDS TO IP.
>> ARE YOU DOING THIS NIH DOING
THE -- ARE YOU DEALING WITH
DIRECTLY WITH CONTRACTS OR ARE
THE CENTERS LIKE THE DEPARTMENT
CENTERS CONTRACTORS FOR THAT?
>> WE HAVE HAD BOTH IN TWO
DIFFERENT WAYS.
THERE IS THE CONTRACT THAT DEAL
WITH HUMAN CAPITAL PEOPLE WHO
ARE ACTUALLY WORKING ON THE
DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
THE EXPERTS.
THEN WE ALSO HAVE CONTRACTS THAT
ARE GIVING WITH RADX GIVEN O THE
COMPANIES.
SO WITH THOSE CONTRACTS, WE HAVE
A CONTRACT SHOP HERE AT NIH THAT
DEALS WITH THAT AND WE ALSO HAVE
CONTRACT OFFICER
REPRESENTATIVES, WHO CAN ALSO BE
NIH EMPLOYEES.
THAT SERVICE THOSE CONTRACTS.
WE DO HAVE TO -- WE ARE HEAVILY
REGULATED WHEN IT DEALS WITH
CONTRACTS AND CONTRACTORS.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU
>> RANU, ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS TO TIFFANI?
THANK YOU, TIFFANI.
HAVING HAD THAT -- SORRY, I
MUTED MYSELF.
WE'LL HAVE A VOTE THEN.
I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION THE
APPROVE THIS CONCEPT CLEARANCE.
>> I MOVE.
>> SO MOVED.
IS THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> ALL IN FAVOR AYE.
>> AYE.
>> ALL OPPOSED NAY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU, TIFFANI.
NOW WE WILL MOVE TO THE NEXT
CONCEPT CLEARANCE FOR THE BRAIN
INITIATIVE BY NIBIB PROGRAM
DIRECTOR DR. SHUMIN WANG.
>> THANK YOU, DAVID.
CAN I LOAD MY SLIDES -- CAN YOU
SEE MY SLIDES?
>> YES, LOOKS GREAT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, MY
NAME IS SUE MINUTE WANG,
(INDISCERNIBLE) CO-LEAD FOR TEAM
USA.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT THE CONCEPT
NON-INVASIVE FUNCTIONAL IMAGING
TECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENT.
THE CONCEPT COME FROM THE BRAIN
INITIATIVE I WILL PRESENT THIS
CONCEPT IN A WEEK TO
MULTI-COUNCIL WORKING GROUP FOR
SCIENTIFIC INPUT BECAUSE THE
IMPLEMENTATION IS MANAGED BY
NIBIB, ALSO TOPIC WITH OTHER
IMAGING TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT
MISSION.
PRESENTING HERE TODAY FOR
CLEARANCE AND ALSO TO SEEK
SCIENTIFIC INPUT.
FIRST I WANT TO GIVE A BIG TO
OUR TASK FORCE MEMBERS WHO COME
FROM DIFFERENT ICs OF THE
BRAIN TYRANNY, ESPECIALLY WE
HAVE A SUITE COMING FROM NIBIB
INCLUDING DR. TATJANA
ATANASIJEVICEN DR. GEORGE ZUBAL
ANIMES.
SO THIS IS A GREAT CONCEPT FOR
NEBIB INTEREST.
THIS CONCEPT IS RELATED TO THE
FOLLOWING PRIORITY AREAS
SPECIFIED IN 2025 REPORT.
NUMBER TWO MAPS AT MULTIPLE
SCALES FOR FUNCTIONAL
NON-INVASIVE IMAGING, PRIMARILY
INTERESTED IN MICROSCOPY SCALE
FROM MILLIMETER TO CENTIMETER
AND MESO SCALE CURRENTLY AT
100-MICRON BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN
GET TO PEN TA MICRON IN THE NEXT
PHASE.
THE THIRD PRIORITY AREA, THE
BRAIN ACTION WISHES TO PRODUCE A
DYNAMIC PICTURE OF THE
FUNCTIONING BRAIN FOR
NON-INVASIVE IMAGING TECHNOLOGY
TERM RARE DILUTION RANGE FROM
TENTH OF MILLISECOND BY
PHYSIOLOGY TO TENTH OF SECOND BY
MOLECULAR IMAGING TOOLS SUCH AS
PET.
AND AREA NUMBER 6 ARE ONES IN
HUMAN NEUROSCIENCE REQUIRE USE
OF NON-INVASIVE TOOLS ON HEALTHY
HUMAN SUBJECTS.
SO IN 2019 THE BRAIN INITIATIVE
INFORM THE WORKING GROUP TO --
TO EVALUATE THE ACHIEVEMENT MADE
FIRST PHASE THE BRAIN INITIATIVE
WORKING GROUP 2.0 ALSO MADE
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THAT SPACE
BRING SOME EXAMPLE OF THIS HERE.
NUMBER 3 IN AREA 2 IS TO DEVELOP
HIGH RESOLUTION FUNCTIONAL MR
BETTER THAN 0.01-MILLIMETER
CUBIC RESOLUTION.
CONSIDER CURRENTLY THE HIGHEST
SPATIAL RESOLUTION OF MRI IS 0.1
CUBIC MILLIMETER, THIS REPRESENT
RECORDER OF MAGNITUDE
IMPROVEMENT IN TERMS OF
SENSITIVITY WHICH IS HUGE.
PRIORITY NUMBER P IS O TO
DEVELOP TOOLS TO MECHANISTICKIC
AND TREND BEHAVIOR.
CONVENTIONAL BRAIN FUNCTIONAL
IMAGING DEVICE SUCH AS MRI AND
PET WERE ALL DESIGNED FOR
IMAGING SUBSET OF PATIENTS SO
IMAGINE TO TAKE A FUNCTIONAL
SIGNAL OUT OF SUBJECT MOVING
FREELY IN THE LAB ON THE STREET
OR COMMUNICATING WITH ANOTHER
PERSON IS BEYOND WHAT
CONVENTIONAL TOOLS CAN DO.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THE CHALLENGE IS
HUGE.
THE BIG QUESTION FOR US IS CAN
WE DO IT.
THIS CONCEPT HAS TWO PRECEDING
REQUESTABLE APPLICATION RFA.
RO1 PROVEN CONCEPT AND UO 1 FOR
DEVELOPMENT.
AFTER FIVE YEARS INVESTMENT IN
ORDER TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE, AND
WHERE WE CAN GO, WE ORGANIZE TWO
WORKSHOP IN 2021.
FIRST OF THESE DISSEMINATION
WORKSHOP TO EVALUATE THE
ACHIEVEMENT OF EXISTING
(INAUDIBLE) NON-INVASIVE TOOLS.
THE TRANSFORMATIVE WORKSHOP TO
EXPLORE NEW OPPORTUNITIES THAT
CAN BE -- COULD BE IMPLEMENTED
IN THE NEXT FIVE TO TEN YEARS.
MEANTIME WE ALSO PUBLISH REQUEST
FOR INFORMATION TO SOLICIT INPUT
FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
BASED ON OUTCOMES OF THE TWO
WORKSHOPS AS RFI HERE ARE THE
MAIN FINDINGS.
FIRST COMPLETELY NEW MODALITIES
THAT COULD SIGNIFICANTLY BROADEN
THE APPLICABILITY OF BRAIN
FUNCTIONAL IMAGING ARE UNDER
DEVELOPMENT.
FOR INSTANCE, UNTETHERED
PORTABLE FNIRS BEING DEVELOPED
BY A WASU GROUP COULD ENABLE
TAKING CORTICAL HEMODYNAMIC
SIGNAL FROM SUBJECT MOVING
FREELY IN THE LAB ON THE STREET
OR TALKING TO ANOTHER PERSON
THIS TYPE OF CAPABILITY DOES NOT
GIVE -- DID NOT EXIST PRIOR TO
BRAIN INITIATIVE.
FOR THIS EXISTING MODALITIES,
SUCH AS MEK, PET AN FMRR WE MUST
-- TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT TO
FIRST PHASE OF INITIATIVE.
WE SPENT ALL THE -- IMPROVEMENT
ACROSS THE BOARD.
THIS SIGNIFICANT SENSITIVITY
IMPROVEMENT WILL ALLOW MUCH
BETTER RESOLUTION FROM MILIHERTZ
STILL PRIOR TO START UP OF
INITIATIVE DOWN TO COUPLE
HUNDRED MICRONS, MESO SCALE AT
CURRENT MOMENT AND ALSO
RESOLUTION.
WE ARE NOT NEAR THE END OF THE
ROAD.
THERE IS STILL GREAT OPPORTUNITY
THAT EXIST FOR US, TO EXPLORE
NEXT FIVE TO TECH YEARS.
HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF
POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES LONG
LIST I WANT TO SPECIALLY
EMPHASIZE THE FIRST TWO.
THE FIRST ONE IS NOVEL
INTEGRATIVE SYSTEM TO ASSESS
SKILLS, ASPECTS OF MACROSCOPIC
SCALE AN ME SEW SCALE AS ASPECT
SUCH AS HEMODYNAMICS ASPECT,
MOLECULAR ASPECT OR PHYSIOLOGY
ASPECT, BRAIN FUNCTION
CONNECTIVITY.
DURING THE FIRST PHASE OF
INITIATIVE, NEW MODAL AT THIS
SUCH AS MCEC PET OR NMR ARE
DEVELOPED WITH OTHER SENSITIVITY
IMPROVEMENT.
NEVERTHELESS THERE IS A GAP OF
DEVELOPING THIS -- TO INCLUDE
PROVIDE THE COMPLIMENTARY AND
CLEAR PICTURE OF THE FUNCTION
AND WE BELIEVE BY SPECIAL
EMPHASIZING THIS HARDWARE WE
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE BIG
JUMP IN THE NEXT PHASE.
THE SECOND THE MACHINE LEARNING
AND MODEL BASED TECHNIQUES OF
THE SO CALLED COMPETITION BASED
SOFT TECHNIQUES THAT COULD
SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE
PERFORMANCE RESULT HARDWARE OR
RERUNS OF THE EXPERIMENT.
WE SEE EVIDENCE IN THE FIRST
PHASE OF INITIATIVE THAT THIS
TYPE OF APPROACH CAN IMPROVE
SENSITIVITY BY FACTOR OF FIVE,
SIX, SOMETIMES 8 WE BELIEVE THAT
BY SPECIAL EMPHASIZING IT IN
THIS NEW ANNOUNCEMENT WE COULD
SEE THE BENEFIT PROPAGATE TO
OTHER AREAS OF IMAGING AND HUGE
COST EFFECTIVE AGAIN ACROSS THE
BOARD.
ENCOURAGED BY NEW OPPORTUNITIES
HERE WE PROPOSE A CONCEPT.
THESE CONCEPT IS THREEFOLD.
FIRST, THIS IS TO CONTINUE THE
MOMENTUM BY SUPPORTING
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY SYNERGISTIC
INTEGRATIVE APPROACHES FOR
BRIDGING GAP BETWEEN MULTIPLE
SCALES PEER PRIMARY MACROSCOPIC
AND ME SEW SCOPIC SCALE AND
ASPECT, HEMODYNAMIC MOLECULAR
AND PHYSIOLOGY.
THIS CORRESPOND TO FIRST PLATE
OF -- THE SECOND GOAL IS GUIDE
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT BY
EMPHASIZING TECHNOLOGIES SUCH AS
WORKSHOP AND BIOCOMMUNITY
INSTEAD OF (INAUDIBLE) ROAM
TREATMENTLY AND IN THE FIELD.
SEVERAL LINES TO RECUR IS OUT OF
O OUR SYNCING.
LOOK AT THAT TO THE FIRST PHASE
OF INITIATIVE, IS EXIST
KNOWLEDGE CAN NOT BE CONCEIVED
BY CONVENTIONAL WISDOM SUCH AS
CRANIAL, WHICH IMPROVE THE SCOPE
OF PHYSIOLOGY BY OTHER -- USING
ULTRASOUND.
SUCH WITHOUT OUR THINKING THAT
REVOLUTIONIZED THE FIELD.
WE HOPE EMPHASIZING THIS WE CAN
SEE MORE OF SUCH TRANSFORMATIVE
TECHNOLOGY BEING DEVELOPED IN
THE NEXT FIVE TO TEN YEARS.
HOWEVER THE RESULT OF --
ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH RISK, A BIG
QUESTION TO TASK FORCE IS HOW
CAN WE MANAGE RISK.
HERE IS ANSWER, WE BELIEVE THE
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WILL BE
THE BEST WAY TO PROMOTE
INNOVATION SUCH AS OUT OF BOX
THINKING AND ALSO REDUCING RISK
IF -- WE ARE DOOMED FAIL
(INAUDIBLE) SO THE
IMPLEMENTATION WE INCLUDE
THROUGH PHYSICS THE FIRST ONE IS
UP TO THREE YEARS WITH LIMITED
BUDGET THIS IS PRETTY MUCH LIKE
MILESTONE R21 WITH A LITTLE
LARGER BUDGET.
THE PURPOSE IS TO ALLOW
INVESTIGATOR TO PROVE
FEASIBILITY OF NEW FUNCTIONAL
CONNECTIVITY IMAGING CONCEPT.
AT THE END OF THE FIRST PHASE IS
A FEASIBILITY MILESTONE IS MET
THEN THIS GRANT WILL TRANSITION
TO THE SECOND PHASE WHICH IS USE
THROUGH ANOTHER ROUND OF GRANT
SUBMISSION AND PEER REVIEW TO
REDUCE REVIEWERS INVESTIGATOR
AND PEER BURDEN.
SO DURING THE SECOND PHASE WE
PROVIDE UNLIMITED BUDGET BUT HAS
TO BE REASONABLE FOR UP TO FOUR
YEARS DEPENDING ON LENGTH OF
PHASE 1 COULD BE ANYWHERE
BETWEEN THREE YEAR TO FOUR YEARS
HOWEVER THE TOTAL DURATION OF
AWARD WILL NOT EXCEED FIVE
YEARS.
SO AS A SECOND PHASE BASICALLY
LET INVESTIGATOR FULLY DEVELOP A
FUNCTIONAL PROTOTYPE WITH FIRST
IN HUMAN IMAGING RESULT TO SHOW
THAT THEY ACTUALLY DO IT IN
HUMAN.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE THIS IS SORT
OF A PRIZE MECHANISM.
WE GAVE A INVESTIGATORS SOME
SEED MONEY TO START CONCEPT, IT
IS TO SEE SUCCEED IF IT IS PROVE
THEY CAN DO IT THEY WILL GET
MUCH MORE RESOURCE IN THE SECOND
PHASE TO FULLY DEVELOP THE IDEA.
SO WE HOPE THAT THIS COULD GIVE
SOME ENCOURAGEMENT TO
INVESTIGATORS FOR TECH
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND
MITIGATE RISK SO IF THEY FAIL
DURING THE FIRST PHASE THEN HOW
TO THINK ABOUT OTHER
OPPORTUNITIES.
THE TASK FORCE ALSO ASK OURSELF
THE QUESTION, CAN WE DO IT
BETTER.
LOOKING AROUND INSIDE THE
INITIATIVE MANY SUCCESS STORIES
OF TEAM SCIENCE FOR EXAMPLE,
THIS ICCC BRAIN BRAIN SENSOR
CONSORTIUM AND BICCN BRAIN
INITIATIVE CELLS NETWORK, THAT
ENGAGE GROUP OF HUNDRED RESEARCH
GROUPS ACROSS THREE CONTINENTS
TO ACHIEVE WHAT CAN NOW BE
IMAGINED AT A SINGLE INSTITUTE.
SO LOOKING BACK TO THE PHASE 1
OF EFFORT SUCH MECHANISM UNIFY
NON-INVASIVE IMAGING TOOL
DEVELOPERS AS A TEAM IS LACKING.
ALSO WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE
MECHANISM TO BE AS HEAVILY
RESOURCED AS DATA GENERATING
BRCC AND BRCCN, WE DO BELIEVE
SUCH CONSORTIUM WOULD MUCH HELP
NON-INVASIVE IMMANNING COMMUNITY
TO TALK TO EACH OTHER, STIMULATE
CROSS POLLINATION OF RESEARCH
IDEA, EITHER INSIDE ACROSS
DIFFERENT MODALITIES TO COME UP
WITH A INTEGRATED SYSTEM AND
VERY (INAUDIBLE).
THEREFORE WE PROPOSE TO FORM
CONSORTIUM OF INVESTIGATORS
AFTER THE MOVE TO SECOND PHASE
OF OTHER AWARD.
THIS REQUIREMENT WILL NOT BE A
SOFT ONE BUT PUT THAT INTO THE
FUNDING OPINION ANNOUNCEMENT AND
NOTICE AWARD, WE EXPECT
INVESTIGATOR TO PARTICIPATE
MULTIPLE ANNUAL MEETINGS TO TALK
ABOUT PROGRESS AND RESEARCH AND
ALSO FORM AD HOC SUP GROUPS
ISSUES OF SHARED CONCERN ACROSS
THEIR FIELD AND ALSO THE ENTIRE
CONSORTIUM.
WE BELIEVE THIS WILL HELP
MAXIMUM, RETURN OF BIRTH
INVESTMENT ON THESE TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT.
I HOPE MY -- GIVE YOU BIG
PICTURE, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION AND OPEN THE FLOOR FOR
QUESTIONS COMMENTS OR
SUGGESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, SHUMIN.
MEMBERS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS?
I SEE BRUCE ROSEN.
>> I AM SURPRISED SIMON AND I
WERE FIRST TO PUT OUR HANDS UP.
FIRST I WILL SAY I'M VERY
ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE CONCEPT,
MANY INTERESTING ELEMENTS.
I WANT THE MAKE SURE I
UNDERSTOOD PHASE 1 AND 2
ELEMENTS.
IS THE GRANT PEOPLE ARE APPLYING
FOR BASICALLY DESCRIBING BOTH
PHASE 1 AND 2?
BUT THERE'S A GO, NO GO DECISION
BASED ON CERTAIN MILESTONES AT
THAT BORDER BETWEEN PHASE 1 AND
2?
OR IS THERE PHASE 1 GRANT GETS
REVIEWED AND THEN SOME OTHER
APPLICATION IS PUT IN FOR
INTERNAL REVIEW FOR PHASE 2?
>> THANK YOU, BRUCE, A GOOD
QUESTION.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A SIMILAR TO
K99 R 00 THAT MOST OF US WERE
FAMILIAR WITH.
WHICH DESCRIBES BIG PICTURE AND
MILESTONES FOR THE K99 SO END OF
THE FIRST PHASE THE FEASIBILITY
MILESTONE TO MAP YOU PROVE YOU
CAN ACTUALLY DO IT IN HUMAN
THOUGH WE HAVE NOT DONE IT THEN
YOU CAN MOVE TO PHASE 2 WITHOUT
THIS -- WITHOUT APPLICATION
REVIEW.
HOWEVER, YOU PROBABLY PROVIDE A
SUBSTANTIATED RESEARCH TIME FOR
THE PHASE 2.
BUT THIS PHASE 2 PLAN CANNOT BE
IGNORED IN THE ORIGINAL
APPLICATION.
BIG PICTURE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.
>> DO YOU HAVE TO BUDGET GIVE
THEM THAT PROPOSED BUDGET FOR
PHASE 2?
>> NO.
REASONABLE.
IMPLEMENTATION IS HIGH.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT REASON --
REASONABLE TWO YEARS FROM NOW.
>> BUT YOU WOULD -- AN
INVESTIGATOR WOULD PUT FORWARD
THEIR BUDGET WHEN THEY PLY
INITIALLY WHAT A -- APPLY
INITIALLY WHAT THEY PROPOSE IT
LOOK LIKE?
>> YEAH, I THINK SO.
ALSO FOR THE PHASE 1 WE LIMIT
BUDGET TO DIRECT COST TO UP TO
LIKE $300,000 SO YOU NEED TO
SUGGEST SOME BUDGET, IN A PHASE
2.
>> THANKS VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, SHUMIN.
>> REALLY GREAT PRESENTATION AND
CONCEPT, BRUCE I'M VERY
ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT IT AS WELL
BUT I HAVE A CONCERN.
IF YOU REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE
OUT OF THE BOX THINKING, REALLY
LONG TERM DEVELOPMENT OF NOVEL
APPROACH I DON'T THINK FIVE
YEARS IS NEARLY ENOUGH TO GO
FROM A PROVEN CONCEPT TO FIRST
IN HUMAN FUNCTIONAL PROTOTYPE IN
MANY CASES.
SOME CASES IT MIGHT BE AND
CERTAINLY IF YOU ARE BUILDING ON
TECHNOLOGIES THAT ALREADY EXIST.
BUT IF YOU REALLY WANT TO GO OUT
OF THE BOX IDEAS I'M CONCERNED
THEY ARE NOT GOING TO FIT IN
THIS FIVE YEAR TIME FRAME.
I WONDER WHAT YOUR COMMENTS WERE
ABOUT THAT.
>> SIMON, VERY GOOD QUESTION.
ACTUALLY THE PURPOSE OF THE
SECOND WORKSHOP TRANSFORM ACTIVE
WORKSHOP IS TO EXPLORE IDEA THAT
COULD BE IMPLEMENTED IN NEXT
FIVE TO TEN YEARS.
SEVERAL INTERESTING IDEA THAT WE
WANT, THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE, COME
DEPENDS ON PHYSICS AND
ENGINEERING LIKE A SUPER HIGH
FMR, THERE'S NO SUCH TECHNOLOGY.
SO BUT THERE ARE CERTAINLY A
GROUP OF TECHNOLOGIES THAT COULD
BE REACHED.
THAT'S ONE THING.
ALSO OUT OF THE BOX THINKING,
REALLY BY NATURE WE DON'T KNOW
WHAT THEY ARE.
SO IF YOU KNOW WHAT THEY ARE,
THEY ARE NOT OUT OF THE BOX
THINK BUG BASED ON EXPERIENCE IN
THE FIRST PHASE OF OUR
INITIATIVE, THERE ARE SUCH
EXAMPLES FOR EXAMPLE, THE
(INDISCERNIBLE) ORIGINALLY
DESIGNED TO MEASURE CARDIAC
MUSCLE SIGNALS.
HOWEVER, THE ADAPTED TO THE
BRAIN IMAGING BUT THEY HAVE
SOLVE A BUNCH OF PROBLEM LIKE
SCOPE, DISTORTERS SOMETHING LIKE
THAT.
WE EXPECT THIS KIND OF OUT OF
THE BOX THINKING COULD BE
POSSIBLE IN THE NEXT PHASE.
BUT THAT IS SUCH POSSIBILITIES.
>> I AGREE WITH YOU IN SOME
CASES IT WILL BE POSSIBLE, I
GUESS I'M CONCERNED THAT BY
LINKING THE PHASE 1 AND THE
PHASE 2 THAT IF REVIEWERS THINK
THAT THE PHASE 2 LOOKS TOO
AMBITIOUS TO GET TO A FUNCTIONAL
PROTOTYPE FIRST IN HUMAN IMAGING
RESULTS HAY MAY NOT EVEN FUND
PHASE 1 PART WHICH MIGHT BE
CRITICAL AND ENABLING SOME
INITIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THESE
INTERESTING IDEAS.
I GUESS THIS IS MY CONCERN WE
MAY BE LOSING SOME OPPORTUNITIES
HERE.
IN SOME CASES.
BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A LONG
ENOUGH TIME.
I KNOW WE ARE REQUIRING PHASE 2
GET TO A FUNCTIONAL PROTOTYPE
FIRST IN HUMAN.
THAT IS A PRETTY TALL ORDER IN
FIVE YEARS.
FOR SOMETHING REALLY NEW.
>> YEAH.
SIMON AS YOU CAN SEE THE FIRST
PHASE WILL BE UP TO THREE YEARS.
COULD BE ANYWHERE BETWEEN ONE TO
THREE YEARS.
WE DO THINK VIRTUALLY
(INAUDIBLE) CONCEPT MIGHT BE
OKAY.
BUT I MEAN --
>> THE PROBLEM IS IF IT'S THREE
YEARS THAT MEANS ONLY TWO YEARS
TO THEN GO FROM THAT CONCEPT TO
A FULLY FUNCTIONAL PROTOTYPE.
I WILL ADMIT, I SOMEWHAT SHARE
SIMON'S CONCERN NOT ABOUT THE
CONCEPT OF TWO PHASES WHICH IS
GREAT BUT FOR THE INNOVATIVE
IDEAS, HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO
ESTABLISH THEM REVIEWERS TO
UNDERSTAND THEY ARE IDEAS.
>> THANK YOU, BRUCE AND SIMON
FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
THIS ONE IS LIKE MYSELF BUT THAT
IS NOT ALL POSSIBILITY.
WE HAVE EXISTING UO 1 WHICH
BASICALLY TAKE -- ESTABLISH IDEA
GIVE YOU FIVE YEAR.
WITH ADDITIONAL INDEPENDENT OF
THAT ONE WE DIDN'T ROLL OUT THE
POSSIBILITY OF CONTINUING THAT
ONE.
THIS BASICALLY TO REPLACE JUST
THAT ALONE RO1 COME DOWN THE
STREET.
>> THIS IS RANU.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION IS THERE A
REASON WHY YOU WANTED TO LIMIT
THE TIME?
BECAUSE I WOULD AGREE ON IT
SIMON AND BRUCE TOO, ESPECIALLY
IF IT HAS TO GO TO THE FDA.
TO BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THIS.
THEN YOU WOULD BE I CAN TAKING
EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES AND MOVING
THEM HERE.
THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE SETTING
THINGS UP FOR.
>> I THINK PRIMARY
ADMINISTRATIVE CONCERN BECAUSE
WE CANNOT HAVE ANY GOING LONGER
THAN FIVE YEARS.
FOR ANY NIH INITIATIVE YOU
CANNOT MAKE IT LONGER THAN FIVE
YEARS.
THAT IS STOP AT FIVE YEARS.
>> COULD YOU CHANGE THE PHASE 2
TO BE FUNCTIONAL PROTOTYPE
WITHOUT THE REQUIREMENT FOR
FIRST IN HUMANS?
>> THAT IS A GOOD SUGGESTION
DEFINITELY WE WILL HAVE FURTHER
DISCUSSION WITH BRAIN INITIATIVE
FOLKS AND THAT IS POSSIBLE.
I DO AGREE.
PHASE 1 IS LIKE THREE YEARS,
GIVING TWO YEAR TO DO FIRST IN
HUMAN SHORT.
GREAT COMMENTS.
>> I THINK IT MIGHT BE GOOD TO
LOOK AT THE BLUEPRINT TIME LINE
OF BRINGING TECHNOLOGY TO A
CERTAIN POINT AND THEN GOING
INTO THE NEXT PHASE.
MAYBE THERE IS SOME SYNERGIES IN
THINKING THROUGH WITH THAT.
>> THAT IS GOOD SUGGESTION.
THANK YOU.
>> MARY ELLEN.
>> IF SOMEONE HAS SOMETHING IN
PROCESS, THEY CAN JUMP TO PHASE
2 IMMEDIATELY?
>> YEAH.
>> OKAY.
PERHAPS IN THE WRITE UP CAN YOU
SAY SUCCESSFUL ADDITIONAL FIVE
YEARS WOULD BE SOUGHT?
RECOGNIZING THAT ONE WOULD HAVE
TO COME BACK?
>> YES, DEFINITELY, YES.
>> OKAY.
>> THIS IS NOT (INAUDIBLE) OTHER
EXISTING CONCEPT ON THE STREET.
>> SHUMIN FOR CLARIFICATION ON
MARY ELLEN'S QUESTION.
SO COULD SOMEONE SAY I DON'T
KNOW FOR SAKE OF DISCUSSION
TECHNOLOGY MAYBE DETECTOR
LIMITED SO THEY SPEND THE FIRST
COUPLE OF YEARS WORKING ON SOME
FABULOUS DETECTORS AND ADVANCING
THEM TECHNOLOGICALLY MAYBE THAT
IS TWO TO THREE YEARS.
THEN THEY HAVE TWO MORE YEARS TO
GET TO FIRST IN HUMAN.
IS THERE ANY MECHANISM TO GIVE
THEM A FAST TRACK TO
RENEWABILITY TO GET TO FIVE
YEARS FROM THE TIME THEY SAY
THEY HAVE ADVANCED THE DETECTOR
TECHNOLOGY TO A LEVEL WHERE IT
IS READY TO GO?
>> BRUCE, I THINK FROM THE
GRANTS MECHANISM FIVE YEARS
LIMIT REGARDLESS UO 1 OR PHASE
MECHANISM BUT THAT IS A GREAT
COMMENT.
I THINK WE WILL OPEN OTHER
OPPORTUNITIES IF ALL TOGETHER
WITH FIRST IN HUMAN IF YOU --
REQUIRE MORE TIME FOR FIRST IN
HUMAN PROBABLY SOME OTHER
EXISTING OPPORTUNITIES ENABLE TO
DO IT BUT FOR THIS FIVE YEARS IS
A -- BUT I BELIEVE BECAUSE FIRST
PHASE WILL BE MUCH LIKE
MILESTONE R21 MOST -- PROPOSE A
LIMITED BUDGET FOR THREE YEARS.
TO BE MORE TO HAVE UNLIMITED
BUDGET UP TO FOUR YEARS.
THAT COULD BE THE REALITY.
AS I SUSPECT.
>> THANKS SHUMIN.
>> I THINK SIMON YOU PUT YOUR
HAND UP AGAIN.
>> YES JUST A QUICK
CLARIFICATION.
SO THE R MECHANISMS AT NIH DO GO
ON THE GRANTS LIKE R 35s LIKE
SEVEN YEARS SO IS IT --
FUNDAMENTALLY NOT POSSIBLE TO GO
TO A LONGER GRANT PERIOD?
>> SO DURING OUR DISCUSSION
THERE IS (INAUDIBLE) FIVE YEARS
MAXIMUM BUT DEFINITELY GO BACK
TO SEE IF OTHER COULD BE
EXTENDED FOR UP TO SEVEN YEARS.
BUT CONSIDER LENS OF THE BRAIN
INITIATIVE, MAKE SEVEN YEARS,
PROBABLY (INAUDIBLE) INITIATIVE.
>> THANK YOU, SIMON.
DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP, DID
YOU HAVE A COMMENT?
>> YEAH.
A QUICK ONE REALLY.
I THINK I GET WHERE YOU ARE
GOING WITH THIS WHOLE PROCESS.
I -- THE STRUGGLE HERE IS HOW --
THE OUTCOME REALLY NEED.
I CAN SEE PEOPLE WRITE -- RO 3
GRANTS FOR THIS BUT WE ARE
BASICALLY WANT TO PICK WHAT WE
ALREADY HAVE AND MAKE IT TO MOVE
TO THE R 3 PHASE AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE.
I THINK WHAT YOU REALLY WANT IS
INNOVATION.
CRITICAL ONES THAT -- ALONG THE
WAY.
AND THE PROBLEM THEN BECOMES HOW
REVIEWERS OR APPLICANTS GOING TO
WEIGH THAT BECAUSE REVIEWERS
FOCUS ON TRANSLATION DOWN THE
LINE, THE WAY IS GREATER.
INNOVATION, (INAUDIBLE) UNDER
THAT SITUATION.
ARE YOU -- CAN YOU CONSIDER
MAKING IT TWO TIER SYSTEM AS
WELL JUST WHAT YOU HAVE WHERE IF
IT DOES MORE THAN THREE YEARS TO
PROVE CONCEPT OF HIGHLY
INNOVATIVE PROJECTS, THEY CAN
ALWAYS COME WITH THIS MILESTONE
YOU CAN LOOK AND REVIEW AND
APPROVE, WHY NOT ADMITTING THOSE
THAT HAVE SOMETHING THAT ARE
(INAUDIBLE) THAT WILL NEED ONLY
ONE YEAR TO DEMONSTRATE
FEASIBILITY AND MOVE TO FULL
PROGRAM.
>> THAT IS A QUICK QUESTION.
HERE IS UP TO THREE YEARS.
ORIGINALLY LIKE TWO YEAR BECAME
MORE LIKE R21 BUT THE
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT BUT
OCTOBER BUDGET SIDE MORE LIKE R
-- BUDGET IS LARGER THAN THAT
R21.
THE THREE YEARS PRIMARILY IS
LIKE MAXIMUM ALLOWED BY R21, IN
REALITY WE THINK A LOT OF THE
WORK PROPOSES TWO YEAR REGULAR,
AND ALSO THAT'S THE CASE IN THE
PAST, THE (INAUDIBLE) HAD TWO
CONCEPT INITIATIVE ONE IS U 24
-- R 24, TWO YEARS AND THE OTHER
IS RO1 CONCEPT TWO YEARS.
SO MOST (INAUDIBLE) IN THIS WHO
YEAR SO AGAIN THIS THREE YEARS
IS BASICALLY FAIR BECAUSE THAT
IS THE UPPER LIMIT OF OUR R21 R
61 NOT THE REALITY WE THINK DO
REQUIRES A YEAR.
ALSO AS I MENTION SECOND PHASE
HAVE UNLIMITED BUDGET I WOULD
NOT BE SURPRISED TO SAY SOME MAY
PROPOSE ONE YEAR, ONE FOUR YEAR
PHASE 2.
(INDISCERNIBLE)
>> THANK YOU.
SO SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS I'M
HEARING STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE
CONCEPT.
AND SOME GOOD FEEDBACK HUMAN NIH
IMPLEMENTATION OF IT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU ALL.
THAT CONCLUDES OUR AGENDA FOR
THE DAY.
BRUCE WE ARE ABOUT 45 MINUTES
BEHIND, WE SHOULD BE GOOD IN
CLOSE SESSION.
BEFORE WE ADJOURN THOUGH BRUCE
WOULD YOU LIKE THE MAKE ANY
CLOSING REMARKS?
>> JUST A GENERAL THANK YOU AND
PEP TALK, WE HAVE A LOT TO DO
AND YOUR COMMENTS ARE VERY MUCH
APPRECIATED, INCREDIBLY WISE AND
REPRESENTATIVE OF OUR ENTIRE
COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE LOTS OF WORK TO DO GOING
FORWARD OBVIOUSLY.
I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT COMING FROM
ACTION ITEMS HERE, LOOKING
TOWARDS POSSIBLY MOVING TOWARDS
HBCU BIOENGINEERING DEPARTMENTS,
IT IS A COLLABORATIVE HIGHLY
INTERACTIVE EFFORT WE CAN TAKE
ON WITH COUNCIL, AND POINTS OF
DISCUSSION RAISED EARLIER,
THERE'S SO MANY ELEMENTS OF
SOCIETY THAT ARE COMING TOGETHER
AND REVEALED, IN THIS PANDEMIC,
REVEALING THE IMPORTANCE OF
BIOENGINEERING AN TECHNOLOGY
COMMUNITY AS CONTRIBUTORS IF WE
CAN EXPAND THAT MESSAGE AND HAVE
VOICES ENGAGED IN THAT AND BRING
TOGETHER NEW INDICATIONAL
PROGRAMS PERHAPS BRINGING
STAKEHOLDERS IN ONE OR PERHAPS A
SERIES OF MEETINGS THAT ADDRESS
THIS TOPIC, WE ARE UNIQUELY
POSITIONED TO RAISE THIS AND
HELP DRIVE A CHANGE IN THIS
AREA.
SO WE WILL BE REACHING OUT TO
YOU, PLEASE REACH OUT TO US FOR
IDEAS ON HOW TO INNOVATE AND
ORGANIZE AROUND THAT.
I HOPE OUR NEXT COUNCIL MEETING
IS MUCH MORE BORING WITH REGULAR
SLEEP INDUCING DATA, THAT WOULD
BE A GOOD SIGN WE HAVE TURN AD
CORNER WITH THE PANDEMIC AND WE
CAN ADDRESS OUR ATTENTION TO HOW
TO RESTRUCTURE AREAS THAT NEED
ATTENTION REVEALED IN THIS
INTENSIVE PRESSURE OF THE PAST
TWO YEARS.
THANK YOU ALL.
>> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, VERY MUCH EVERYONE
BEFORE WE ADJOURN I WOULD LIKE
TO REMIND COUNSEL MEMBERS THAT
THE CLOSE SESSION WILL BE IN A
DIFFERENT ZOOM MEETING SO
HOPEFULLY HAVE THAT LINK.
WE WILL -- WE ARE LATE SO TAKE A
REQUEST I CAN BREAK, GRAB A
SNACK AND JUMP TO CLOSED SESSION
WILL COMMENCE WHEN EVERYONE
CONVENED PLEASE.
I WILL ADJOURN THE OPEN SESSION
OF COUNCIL, I WOULD LIKE TO
THANK OUR SPECIAL GUESTS BOTH IN
THE VIDEO CONFERENCE ROOM AND
WHO ATTENDED ON VIDEOCAST AND
HOPE YOU CAN JOIN AT OUR NEXT
COUNCIL MEETING.
SO THIS OPEN SESSION OF THE THE
58TH MEETING OF THE NIBIB
NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL IS
HERE BY ADJOURNED.
GOODBYE, EVERYONE AND TAKE CARE.