>>WELCOME TO THE 268th MEETING
OF THE NATIONAL ADVISORY MENTAL
HEALTH COUNCIL.
I'M JOSHUA GORDON, DIRECTOR OF
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL
HEALTH.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR
JOINING OUR COUNCIL MEETING
TODAY.
OUR COUNCIL IS A TIME FOR
INFORMATION EXCHANGE BETWEEN
INSTITUTE STAFF AND COUNCIL
MEMBERS AS WELL AS AN
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COUNCIL TO
PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO NIMH AND
NIMH TO PROVIDE TO YOU, THE
VIEWING PUBLIC INFORMATION ABOUT
OUR ACTIVITIES AND UPCOMING
ANNOUNCEMENT.
ETCETERA.
AT OUR MEETING TODAY I'M PLEASED
TO SEE OUR FULL PANEL OF COUNCIL
MEMBERS AND WE HAVE SOME STILL
PENDING.
WELCOME TO YOU ALL.
WE VERY MUCH LOOK FORWARD TO
HAVING ALL OF OUR COUNCIL
MEMBERS AS FULLY APPOINTED FOR
THE FEBRUARY 2023 MEETING AND
ALSO HOPE TO HOLD THAT MEETING
IN PERSON.
YOU'LL RECEIVE MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT THAT IN THE COMING WEEKS.
BEFORE WE MOVE INTO THE BUSINESS
OF THE MEETING, I WANT TO REMIND
ALL OF A FEW LOGISTICAL ITEMS.
THIS OPEN SESSION IS BEING
VIDEOCAST BROADLY TO THE NIH
COMMUNITY AND VIEWING PUBLIC
ALLOWING PEOPLE TO WATCH AND
LISTEN REMOTE.
THE MEETING IS ALSO BEING
RECORDED TO ALLOW VIEWING ON
DAMNED AT A LATER DATE.
THIS MEETING IS BEING
TRANSCRIBED AS WELL AS SO I WANT
TO REMIND YOU THAT WE ENCOURAGE
COUNCIL MEMBERS TO KEEP THEIR
VIDEOS ON THROUGHOUT THE MEETING
BUT ASK THAT NIMH STAFF
INCLUDING DIVISION DIRECTORS USE
VIDEOS ONLY WHEN PRESENTING.
PLEASE UNMUTE YOUR OWN
MICROPHONE WHEN SPEAKING AND
MUTE YOUR MICROPHONE WHEN NOT
SPEAKING.
IF YOU'RE REACHING US THROUGH
THE PHONE AUDIO, YOU CAN MUTE
AND UNMUTE BY PRESSING STAR 6.
WE ASK COUNCIL MEMBERS UNMUTE TO
MAKE A COMMENT OR ASK A QUESTION
RATHER THAN USING THE CHAT
FUNCTION IN THE BOX.
PLEASE RESERVE THAT CHAT FOR
CONTACTING THE NIH ZOOM HOSTS
WITH ANY TECHNICAL ISSUES.
I KNOW IN PARTICULAR EVERYTHING
IN THE CHAT BOX WILL BE INCLUDE
THE IN THE PERMANENT RECORD OF
THIS SESSION EVEN IF IT'S A
PRIVATE MESSAGE FROM YOU TO
ANOTHER PERSON OR ANOTHER MEMBER
OF COUNCIL.
WHEN WE CALL FOR A VOTE WE WILL
ASK COUNCIL MEMBER TO USE THE
RAISE HAND FUNCTION IN ZOOM TO
VOTE.
IT'S LIKELY TO BE LOCATED IN THE
ZOOM PARTICIPANT AND/OR IN THE
BOTTOM UNDER THE REACTIONS.
VOTING COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD
UNMUTE BY PRESSING STAR 6 TO
CAPTURE YOUR VOTE BY VOICE.
IF YOU EXPERIENCE CONNECTIVITY
ISSUES AND NEED TO CALL IN,
PLEASE REFER TO YOUR PERSONAL
ZOOM ITINERARY FOR THE OPEN
SESSION FOR DETAIL.
I'LL ASK IF THERE'S CORRECTIONS
TO THE MINUTES TO THE JUNE 2022
COUNCIL MEETINGS.
ANY CORRECTIONS, ADDITIONS OR
COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS?
SEEING NONE, I'LL HAND IT OVER
TO TRACY DO CONDUCT THE VOTE.
>> WE'RE SEEKING A MOTION TO
APPROVE THE JUNE 2022 DRAFT
MINUTES.
AND I SEE A MOTION.
THANK YOU, JOSEPH.
IS THERE A SECOND?
GREAT.
THANK YOU, MATTHEW.
SO ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE USE
THE RAISE HAND FEATURE.
I CAN'T SEE EVERYBODY, HERE WE
ARE ON THE SIDE, PERFECT.
EXCELLENT.
YOU CAN PUT YOUR HANDS DOWN.
ANY OPPOSED TO THE APPROVAL OF
THE MINUTES?
I SEE NONE AND ANY ABSTENTIONS?
WONDERFUL.
THE MOTION PASSES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, TRACY.
THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS.
THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS
MY UPDATE TO YOU.
I'M GOING GO HEAD AND LAUNCH MY
SLIDES.
HOPEFULLY YOU'RE SEEING THEM.
I SEE THUMBS UP.
ALL RIGHT.
IT'S REALLY A PLEASURE TO GIVE
YOU THIS CYCLE'S NIMH DIRECTOR'S
UPDATE AND ESPECIALLY I
APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK TO MANY OF THE NEW COUNCIL
MEMBERS ON BOARD FOR THE FIRST
TIME.
AND ANY WHO ARE LISTENING AND
WATCHING THE VIDEO.
THE AGENDA IS AS USUAL.
I'LL START WITH LEGISLATIVE AND
WHITE HOUSE ACTIVITIES AND THEN
GIVE AN UPDATE AS TO THE BUDGET
AND IN THE UPDATE REGARDING THE
BUDGET I'LL DESCRIBE WHAT I NOW
TRY TO DO MANUALLY WHICH IS
UPDATE YOU ON THE DEMOGRAPHICS
OF GRANTEES AND SUCCESS RATES
AND GIVE YOU A BRIEF UPDATE AS
TO THE PROGRESS OF
APPROPRIATIONS.
THEN I'LL HAVE SOME
ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM HHS AND NIH
AND NEWS FROM THE NIMH AND THEN
I'LL CLOSE AS USUAL SCIENCE
HIGHLIGHTS AND TAKE YOUR
QUESTIONS.
LET'S TALK ABOUT RECENT
LEGISLATIVE AND WHITE HOUSE
ACTIVITIES.
IT WAS A BUSY SUMMER.
PARTICULARLY IN THE LEGISLATIVE
AGENDA FRONT.
IN JUNE THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES PASSED THE
MENTAL HEALTH AND RESTORING
HEALTH ACCESSING ACCESS TO
SERVICES AND RE-AUTHORIZES MANY
PROGRAMS WE RELY ON THROUGHOUT
THE COUNTRY AT THE SUBSIDIES AND
MENTAL HEALTH ADMINISTRATIONS
AND HEALTH RESOURCES
ADMINISTRATION WHICH PROVIDE
SUPPORT FOR MANY INDIVIDUAL AND
FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES WITH
MENTAL ILLNESS.
AND THAT BILL WOULD RE-AUTHORIZE
THROUGH 2027 AND WE HOPE THE
SENATE WILL PASS AND
RE-AUTHORIZE THOSE PROGRAMS AS
SOON AS THEY CAN.
JUNE 25, 2022 AS YOU ALL LIKELY
KNOW, PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNED THE
BIPARTISAN SAFER COMMUNITIES ACT
THOUGH MANY OF THE PROVISIONS
ARE AROUND ORDERS PROTECTION AND
CRISIS INTERVENTION AND FIREARM
DEALERS AND THERE IS INCREASED
SUPPORT FOR COMMUNITY AND
SCHOOL-BASED VIOLENCE PREVENTION
AND MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS THAT
WE'RE PLEASED TO SEE SUPPORTED
THROUGH THAT ACT.
THE WHITE HOUSE HAS BECOME
INCREASINGLY INTERESTED IN
RESEARCH ON MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES.
I'LL HIGHLIGHT ONE ACTIVITY
WHERE THE OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY POLICY HOSTED ONE OF
OUR INTRAMURAL DISTINGUISHED
INVESTIGATORS DR. ZARATE WOULD
LOOKED AT TREATMENT-RESIST AND
THE DEPRESSION AND HE CARRIES ON
THAT RESEARCH IN THE INTRAMURAL
RESEARCH PROGRAM WE'VE
HIGHLIGHTED HERE FROM TIME TO
TIME.
TURNING TOWARDS THE NIMH BUDGET
AND SORTED INFORMATION.
IN 2022 WE WE'LL BE CLOSING OUT
THE PHYSICAL YEAR AND THERE'S
PENDING DECISIONS WE MAKE IN THE
TODAY AND THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO.
AND THERE WERE AN INCREASE IN
THE NUMBER OF GRANTS AWARDED
FROM THE NIMH AND FROM THE CURES
BUDGET WE WERE SET TO SUPPORT
THE BRAIN INITIATIVE.
WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH THOSE
FUNDS AND ARE WE ACHIEVING THE
GENDER AND RACIAL EQUITY WE SET
OUT FOR US AS A GOAL?
AS I PROMISED TO YOU AND TO ALL
THE NIMH STAKEHOLDERS, I WANT TO
BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE
ABOUT WHAT WE ARE DOING IN TERMS
OF GRANTS AND GRANTS SUCCESS
RATES.
I HAVE A SERIES OF GRANTS
DEMONSTRATING NIMH APPLICATIONS
AND AWARD RATE BY GENDER, RACE
AND THEN ETHNICITY.
WHAT YOU SEE IN THE BAR GRAPHS
THAT ARE BLUE AND ORANGE AND
GRAY ARE THE PERCENTAGE OF
APPLICATIONS BY GENDER.
WE ARE APPROACHING 50/50 THOUGH
WE'RE NOT QUITE THERE IN TERMS
OF THE PERCENT OF APPLICATIONS
RECEIVED THAT ARE WITH PRINCIPLE
INVESTIGATORS WHO ARE MALE OR
FEMALE.
YOU SEE PARITY SUCCESS RATES BY
GENDER AND THROUGH THE ENTIRETY
OF THE PAST 10 YEARS.
THE STORY WITH RACE IS ALSO
LOOKING MORE FAVORABLE THAN
YEARS AGO.
HERE WE HAVE THE PERCENTAGE OF
APPLICATIONS IN THE BAR GRAPHS
AND THEN ON TOP OF IT THE LINE
GRAPHS WITH THE INDIVIDUAL DATA
POINT IS THE SUCCESS RATES BY
RACE.
WHAT YOU CAN SEE IS A
CONVERGENCE OVER THE LAST FEW
YEARS OF SUCCESS RATES FOR
WHITES, ASIANS AND BLACKS.
THOSE ARE THE RACE GROUPS FOR
WHICH WE HAVE SUFFICIENT NUMBERS
TO BE ABLE TO REPORT OUT TO YOU.
THESE ARE ENCOURAGING
DEVELOPMENTS ESPECIALLY THE
CONVERGENCE AS YOU CAN SEE
LOOKING AT THE ORANGE LINES WITH
SUCCESS RATES WITH BLACK AND
WHITE INVESTIGATORS.
THE GAP IS FAMOUSLY KNOWN AS THE
GINTHER GAP WHO REPORTED ON THE
SUCCESS RATE BY RACE AND THROUGH
CONCERTED EFFORTS I'VE DESCRIBED
TO YOU ALL IN THE PAST IT SEEMS
LIKE LET ME KNOW WE'RE MAKING
HEADWAY IN TERMS OF REDUCING
THAT GAP.
ONE IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF
APPLICATIONS WE RECEIVED FROM
INVESTIGATORS FROM MINORITIZED
GROUPS AND HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL
IN INCREASING THE NUMBER OF
APPLICANTS FROM BLACK APPLICANTS
FROM THE FIRST HALF OF THE LAST
DECADE TO SECOND HALF AND SEEING
INCREASING APPLICATIONS FROM
BLACK APPLICANTS.
FINALLY, THERE IS STILL
REMAINING A GAP BETWEEN HISTORIC
AND NON-HISPANIC APPLICANT
THOUGH THE EVENT AWARD RATES ARE
CONVERGING AS WE APPROACH 2021
AND HOPE TO SEE THAT PATTERN
CONTINUE.
REGARDING 2023 THE FISCAL YEAR
WE'RE ABOUT TO ENTER IN A FEW
WEEKS.
ON JUNE 30 THE HOUSE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
ADVANCED THEIR BILL THE FUND FOR
THE LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES, EDUCATION AND RELATED
AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS
INCREASING OF $47.5 BILLION AND
THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS
COMMITTEE RELEASED ITS BILL
WHICH WOULD SIMILARLY INCREASE
NIH BY $2 MILLION AND NIMH BY
ABOUT $116 MILLION OVER THE 2022
ENACTED LEVELS.
WE LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING HOW
SENATE AND HOUSE WILL RESOLVE
THEIR DIFFERENCES.
WE ANTICIPATE HOWEVER, THAT IN
THE EARLY PART OF FISCAL YEAR
2023 AT LEAST WE'LL BE IN A
CONTINUING RESOLUTION GIVEN
CONGRESS' EFFORTS TO MAKE THAT
HAPPEN BY SEPTEMBER 30, THE
CLOSE OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
I HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM NIH
AND LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS.
AT NIH WE WERE PLEASED IN JUNE
TO HAVE DR. KEVIN WILLIAMS WAS
APPOINTED AS DIRECTOR OF THE NIH
OFFICE OF EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND
INCLUSION.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH KEVIN TO
ENHANCE OUR ACTIVITIES.
RECENTLY, PRESIDENT BIDEN ON
SEPTEMBER 13 ANNOUNCED HIS
INTENTION TO APPOINT RENEE
WEGRZYN WITHIN NIH AND HAS
EXPERIENCE IN DARPA AND THE BIO
TECH INDUSTRY AND LOOK FORWARD
TO WORKING WITH HER TO SEE HOW
ARPA-H CAN ADVANCE NIH'S
PRIORITIES.
AND MONICA BERTAGNOLLI WAS
APPOINTED TO THE NATIONAL CANCER
INSTITUTE AND DOUGLAS LOWY WILL
RESUME HIS PREVIOUS ROLE AND
JULY 14, 2022 THE NIH APPOINTED
NINASCHOR AND A WORKED WITH HER
WHEN SHE WAS SERVING AS DEPUTY
DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL
NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE AND TROKE
AND LOOKING FORWARD TO HER
LEADERSHIP WITHIN THE INTRAMURAL
RESEARCH PROGRAM.
AS YOU KNOW, DR. GOTTESMAN WHO
SERVED AT NIH DEPUTY DIRECTOR
RETIRED SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
ANOTHER RETIREMENT JUNE 23,
2022.
DR. JAMES ANDERSON STEPPED DOWN
AS THE DIRECTOR OF DIVISION OF
PROGRAM COORDINATION AND
PLANNING AND STRONG INITIATIVES
AND RESPONSIBLE FOR STRATEGIES
AND HAS STEPPED DOWN AND A
SEARCH WILL BEGIN SHORTLY.
THE BIGGEST NEWS OF THE SUMMER
AT NIH WAS THE DECISION BY
DR. FAUCI TO ANNOUNCE HIS
IMPENDING STEPPING DOWN AS THE
DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND DISEASE
AND MEDICAL ADVISER TO PRESIDENT
BIDEN.
HE'S BEEN A FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE
AND SAD TO SEE HIM GO AND
LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT HE DOES
NEXT.
IN TERMS OF HHS AND NIH NEWS,
AGAIN, WE SEE THE ADMINISTRATION
CONTINUES TO BE INVESTED IN
MENTAL HEALTH ACTIVITIES SINCE
ANNOUNCING IT AS PART OF THE
UNITY AGENDA AT THE STATE OF THE
UNION ADDRESS.
JUNE 7, THE SECRETARY OF HHS AND
THE IMPACTS ARE OF PARTICULAR
INTEREST TO THE WHITE HOUSE.
THEN CLOSER TO HOME AGAIN WE'RE
PLEASED TO SEE THE ACCELERATING
MEDICINES PARTNERSHIP STUDYING
SCHIZOPHRENIA AND AMP
SCHIZOPHRENIA IS A
PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH
NONPROFITS AND PHARMACEUTICAL
COMPANIES TO FUND BIOMARKER
STUDIES AIMED AT MAKING
PREDICTIONS REGARDING CLINICAL
OUTCOMES IN INDIVIDUALS AT RISK
FOR PSYCHOSIS AND OTHER MENTAL
ILLNESSES TYPICALLY STUDIED IN
LATE ADOLESCENCE AND EARLY
ADULTHOOD AND TO SEE THIS
PROGRESS TO PATIENT ENROLLMENT
IS EXCITING FOR US AND MARKS THE
FIRST PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
SPONSORED BY THE FOUNDATION OF
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH IN
THE MENTAL HEALTH ARENA FOCUSSED
ON DRUG DEVELOPMENT.
WE'RE EXCITED TO SEE THIS
HAPPEN.
ANOTHER NIH-WIDE EFFORT THE "ALL
OF US" PROGRAM HAS RELEASED
INFORMATION FROM 20,000 PEOPLE
AND THAT DATA IS AVAILABLE TO
RESEARCHERS TO STUDY COVID-19
PROGRESSION RECOVERY AND THEY
CONTINUE RELEASE MORE AND MORE
DATA REGARDING THE WHOLE OF THE
STUDYING AND WE'RE EXCITED TO
WORK WITH THEM ON EFFORTS TO
MEASURE BEHAVIOR AND MENTAL
ILLNESS RELEVANT TO OUTCOMES IN
THE "ALL OF US" COHORT.
OF NOTE, THE COMMON FUND IS
LOOKING FOR IDEAS AND IT'S THE
DIRECTOR'S FUND THAT SUPPORTS
NIH-WIDE PRIORITIES AND PROGRAMS
DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE BY ANY ONE
INSTITUTE.
IF YOU HAVE IDEAS FOR RESOURCES
OR PROJECTS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE
TO SEE THE COMMON FUND SUPPORT,
WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO RESPOND TO
THEIR REQUEST FOR INFORMATION BY
THE END OF THIS MONTH.
LET'S TURN NOW EVEN CLOSER TO
HOME TO THE NIMH.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SUICIDE
PREVENTION ACTIVITIES WE'VE BEEN
ENGAGED IN.
THE 25th NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TOOK
PLACE THIS SUMMER.
THE JAMES JACKSON MEMORIAL AWARD
AWARDED FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS
SUMMER.
AN UPDATE ON DIVERSITY
SUPPLEMENT WORKSHOP AND UPDATE
ON THE AUTISM COORDINATING
COMMITTEE AND THEN STAFF NEWS.
NIMH AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND
NIH AS A WHOLE RECOGNIZED
NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION
MONTH AND WE'VE BEEN ENGAGED IN
ACTIVITIES INCLUDING NIMH TO
TAKE OVER THE DIRECTOR'S BLOG
AND YOU'LL SEE A POST WRITTEN BY
ME WHICH WENT LIVE A WEEK OR TWO
GOOD.
WE HOSTED TWITTER CHATS AND ARE
ENGAGED IN OUTREACH AROUND
SUICIDE PREVENTION.
AND SPECIFICALLY WE RELEASED TWO
NOTICES OF SPECIAL INTEREST IN
CRISIS RESPONSE AND
IMPLEMENTATION RESEARCH TO
SUPPORT EVIDENCE-BASED RESEARCH
IN COMMUNITY SETTINGS TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND HOW BEST TO UTILIZE
THE 9-8-8 SUICIDE AND CRISIS
HELP LINE.
AS MOST KNOW, THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED
NATIONWIDE 9-8-8 AS A SUICIDE
AND CRISIS HOT LINE NUMBER THAT
IS AVAILABLE NOW THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY AS OF JULY.
STATES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
BACKING UP THE LIFE LINES WITH
SERVICES AND WE'D LIKE TO
CONTRIBUTE FROM A RESEARCH
PERSPECTIVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT
THE STATES ARE DOING THAT'S
WORKING AND SUPPORT IMPROVEMENT
EFFORTS USING EVIDENCE-BASED
PRACTICES.
I ENCOURAGE RESEARCHERS WITH
INTEREST IN THESE AREAS TO READ
THESE NOTICES AND APPLY FOR
FUNDS TO SUPPORT THIS IMPORTANT
RESEARCH.
AND THERE'S RESEARCH ON CRISIS
SERVICES IN THE CONTEXT OF NIMH.
IN AUGUST, NIMH DIVISION OF
SERVICES AND INTERVENTION
RESEARCH HOSTED THEIR 25th
NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
ENTITLED TRANSFORMING
CHALLENGES, NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
THIS HIGHLIGHTED SCIENTIFIC
OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEXT
GENERATION OF HIGH IMPACT
RESEARCHERS TO DRIVE MENTAL
HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS.
IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL MEETING AND
PROUD NIMH HAS AND MAKE SURE THE
AREA OF RESEARCH IS EMPHASIZED
AND GIVE OPPORTUNITIES TO COME
TOGETHER TO CON VER AND EXCHANGE
IDEAS AND TO PRESENT THE LATEST
RESULTS.
ALSO THIS SUMMER WE ANNOUNCED
THE SECOND ANNUAL JAMES JACKSON
MEMORIAL AWARD NAMED AFTER A
MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL FOR MANY
YEARS AND KAREN LINCOLN IS A
PROFESSOR FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF
SOUTHERN CAROLINA AND IT'S ON
THE PSYCHOSOCIAL AND PUBLIC
HEALTH FACTORS RELATED TO HEALTH
DISPARITIES.
SHE PRESENTED A MECHANISTIC
DISSECTS OF THESE FACTORS AT A
VIRTUAL WEBINAR DURING MINORITY
HEALTH MONTH AND WE WERE PLEASED
TO RECOGNIZE DR. LINCOLN WITH
THIS AWARD.
WE ALSO HOSTED DURING THAT
WEBINAR A COMMENTARY BY THE
FIRST AWARD WINNER, AND WERE
PLEASED TO HAVE THE TWO OF THEM
ENGAGE IN OUR Q&A SESSION AFTER
THE SEMINAR.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, NIMH HAS A
DIVERSITY SUPPLEMENT PROGRAM IN
WHICH WE SUPPORT LABORATORIES
WHO REQUEST ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO
SUPPLEMENT THEIR EXISTING GRANTS
IN ORDER TO HIRE AND SUPPORT A
MINORITY MEMBER OF THE
LABORATORY VIA A STUDENT OR
POST-BAC OR AND WE WERE ABLE TO
RESUME THE WORKSHOP THIS YEAR IN
A VIRTUAL FORMAT.
616 DIVERSITY SUPPLEMENT
SCHOLARS ATTENDED INCLUDING 45
SUPPORTED BY NIMH.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF
INTERACTING WITH THEM IN A
BOISTEROUS VIRTUAL COFFEE TABLE
EVENT AND IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE
SUCH PROMISING EARLY-CAREER
SCIENTISTS REPRESENTING MANY
DIVERSE COMMUNITIES THAT WILL
MAKE THE FUTURE OF SCIENCE SO
MUCH RICHER.
I APPRECIATE THAT OPPORTUNITY.
THERE WAS A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT
CONTINUES TO BE UNDER
DEVELOPMENT AND HOPE TO FINALIZE
THE MAIN POINTS OF THE PLAN AT
THE UPCOMING IACC MEETING THIS
MONTH.
NOW ON TO STAFF NEWS.
WE HAVE A SEARCH THAT REVEALED
MANY HIGH-QUALITY OUTSTANDING
CANDIDATES.
PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE DR. BORBA
HAS BEEN SELECTED TO BE DIRECTOR
OF THE ODWD.
SHE HAS COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH
AND A STRATEGIC VISION HOW TO
MOVE FORWARD IN THE AREA.
DR. LAURYN HILL WHO HAS BEEN
SERVING AS ACTING DIRECTOR WILL
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH DR. BORBA
AS ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR AND WE
LOOK FORWARD TO NA.
-- THAT.
WE HAVE CHRISTOPHER BARTLEY WHO
IS AN EXPERT IN EXPLORING THE
CONSEQUENCES OF IMMUNOLOGICAL
FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO
MENTAL ILLNESS AND WILL START A
CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL
RESEARCH PROGRAM.
AROUND DR. WHITE LEADS SOCIAL
AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENTAL
NEUROSCIENCE AND HAS WORKED WITH
A COHORT OF HER OWN SHE
DEVELOPED AS WELL AS DATA FROM
OTHER COHORTS.
OUTSTANDING DATA SCIENTIST AND
COMPUTATIONAL DATA SCIENTIST TO
HELP ADD RICHNESS TO OUR
EXISTING SET OF OUTSTANDING
CHILD PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATORS.
DR. WHITE IS ALSO IS ALSO A
CHILD PSYCHIATRIST AS WELL.
THOUGH WE'RE ALWAYS TO MARK THE
BRINGING IN OF NEW
INVESTIGATORS, WE'VE ALSO
ANNOUNCED WITH RETICENCE THE
REQUIREMENT OF NIMH
INVESTIGATORS AFTER LONG AND
SUCCESSFUL CAREERS.
MILES HERKENHAM AND DR. YOUNG
HAVE RETIRED RECENTLY AND WE'RE
PLEASED TO MARK THEIR
OUTSTANDING CAREERS AND WISH
THEM LUCK IN THEIR ENDEAVORS.
FINALLY, I GET TO SHARE WITH YOU
A FEW SELECT SCIENCE HIGHLIGHTS.
I'M GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT
TWO FROM THE EXTRAMURAL
COMMUNITY AND ONE FROM THE
RESEARCH PROGRAM.
IT'S CHOSEN AS AN OUTSTANDING
COLLABORATION FROM A JUNIOR AND
SENIOR INVESTIGATOR.
FIRST, TWO STORIES FROM THE
EXTRAMURAL COMMUNITY.
THE FIRST ONE THE DISSOCIABLE
OSCILLATE TORY THETA SIGNATURES
OF MEMORY FORMATION IN
DEVELOPING BRAIN AND THIS IS
SOMETHING DEAR TO MY HEART AS A
STUDY THE NEURAL MEMORY AND WHAT
MAKES THIS PARTICULAR PAPER IS
SO INTERESTING IS THEY WERE ABLE
TO STUDY NEURAL ACTIVITY IN
STUDY RECORDINGS FROM THOSE WITH
ELECTRODES IMPLANTED IN THEIR
BRAINS IN ORDER TO STUDY THE
SOURCES OF THEIR INTRACTABLE
EPILEPSY.
IT'S RARE TO SEE DATA COMING
FROM ADOLESCENTS AND SO I
THOUGHT I'D SHARE THIS WITH YOU
AND ALSO I THINK IT TELLS US
ABOUT THE MECHANISMS IN MEMORY
IN HUMANS THAT IS REMINISCENT OF
WORK DONE IN OTHER ANIMALS.
IT'S NICE TO SEE THAT
CONVERGENCE.
I HAVE A SLIDE THAT SHOWS THE
BEHAVIORAL PARADIGM ON THE LEFT.
ESSENTIALLY THE ADOLESCENTS AND
YOUNG ADULTS ARE SHOWN A SERIES
OF IMAGES.
THEY'RE ASKED TO TELL THE
INVESTIGATORS WHETHER THE IMAGE
COMES FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE
WORLD AND THEY'RE SHOWN THE
IMAGES WITH A SECOND TIME WITH
OTHER IMAGES THEY HAVEN'T SEEN
BEFORE AND ASKED TO RECALL THEIR
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE AND TELL US
WHETHER THAT IMAGE IS NEW OR
OLD.
YOU CAN SEE THAT TAKES PLACE
OVER TIME AS THEY'RE REVIEWING
THE IMAGES.
THEY'RE ALSO RECORDING NEURAL
ACTIVITY FROM THE ELECTRODES
THAT HAVE BEEN IMPLANTED OVER
THE SURFACE OF THEIR CORTEX IN
ORDER TO TRY TO HELP LOCALIZE
WHERE THEIR INTRACTABLE SEIZURE
COMING FROM.
THE FIRST DATA POINT IS THE
GRAPH ON THE RIGHT.
THIS IS A GRAPH OF BEHAVIORAL
PERFORMANCE.
THE PERCENTAGE OF CORRECT
RESPONSES THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS
ARE GIVING TO THE SERIES OF
IMAGES THEY'RE SEEING WHETHER
THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO CORRECTLY
IDENTIFY AS HAVING BEEN SEEN
THEM BEFORE OR NOT BEFORE AND
CONSISTENT WITH WHAT OTHER
INVESTIGATORS HAVE SEEN IN
CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENT WHO'S
DON'T HAVE EPILEPSY YOU SEE A
GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT IN
PERFORMANCE OVER TIME IN THIS
TASK.
THAT'S A CORRELATION BETWEEN
PERFORMANCE AND AGE OF THE
INDIVIDUAL.
THESE INDIVIDUALS HAD ELECTRODES
IMPLANTED OVER THE SURFACE OF
THE CORTEX.
HERE'S THE SURFACE ELECTRODES
AND THIS IS LOOKING FOR THE
BRAIN IN THE TEMPORAL LOBE AND
THE TWO IMAGES ON THE BOTTOM ARE
SHOWING ALL THE ELECTRODE
LOCATIONS OVER THE VARIOUS PARTS
OF THE FRONTAL LOBE.
WHAT THE INVESTIGATORS DID WAS
RECORD NEURAL ACTIVITY FROM THE
VARIATION LOCATIONS WHILE THESE
INDIVIDUALS WERE LEARNING THE
NEW STIMULI AND TRYING TO RECALL
WHETHER THEY'VE SEEN THEM AND
THE INVESTIGATORS CORRELATED
ACTIVITY BASED UPON THERE THE
INDIVIDUALS CORRECTLY LEARNED A
STIMULUS OR DID NOT CORRECTLY
LEARN THE STIMULUS AND WHETHER
THEY RECOGNIZED THAT STIMULUS AS
SOMETHING THEY HAVE SEEN BEFORE
AND ABLE TO IDENTIFY PATTERNS OF
ACTIVITY.
IN THIS CASE TWO FREQUENCIES OF
THETA OSCILLATIONS.
ACTIVITY THAT GOES UP AND DOWN
IN THEIR BRAIN THREE TIMES A
SECOND A SLOW THETA, 10 TIMES A
SECOND WAS FAST THETA.
BOTH OF THESE ACTIVITIES ARE
CORRELATED WITH MEMORY IN SUCH A
WAY AS THE INDIVIDUALS AGE
THERE'S MORE AND MORE
CORRELATION BETWEEN THE
DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES IN THE
DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE BRAIN.
LET ME TRY TO GO WITH THAT MORE.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT WHETHER SLOW
THETA IN THE MEDIAL TEMPORAL
LOBE THE RED DOTS MATCHES THE
SLOW THETA IN THE INFERIOR PART
OF THE FRONTAL CORTEX AT THE
SLOW FREQUENCY RANGE.
THEY FIND OVER TIME THE
INDIVIDUALS DO BETTER WHEN THE
TWO AREAS SYNCHRONIZE AND S TO
THEIR OVER ALL ENHANCEMENT AND
PERFORMANCE AND SAME HAPPENS AT
THE FASTER FREQUENCY BETWEEN THE
MEDIAL LOAD AND ELECTRODES IN
THE SUPERIOR PART OF THE FRONTAL
CORTEX.
THERE'S TWO CHANNELS OF
INFORMATION AND TWO
CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN THE MEDIAL
LOBE AND FRONTAL CORTEX.
AS THE CONVERSATIONS GET
STRONGER THEY START TO EFFECT
MEMORY PROCESSES TO ENHANCE THE
ABILITY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS TO
LEARN NEW STIMULI.
CORRESPONDING WITH THE ABILITY
OF THE TWO BRAIN REGIONS TO
COMMUNICATE THROUGH THESE AREAS
THEY ALSO SEE AN ENHANCEMENT IN
THE STRENGTH OF THE ANATOMICAL
CONNECTIONS AS MEASURED BY AND
THESE INCREASE IN A WAY THAT
CORRELAT
CORRELATES PERFORMANCE AND
THERE'S A CONNECTION BETWEEN THE
MEDIAL TEMPORAL LOBE AND THE
SUPERIOR PARTS OF THE DORSAL
LATERAL PARTS OF THE CORTEX THAT
ENHANCES MEMORY.
IT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO NOT
JUST LOOK AT IT IN THE RARE
INDIVIDUALS WITH ELECTRODES AND
LOOK AT THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN
THE BRAIN REGIONS IN INDIVIDUALS
WHO DON'T HAVE THE ELECTRODES
IMPLANTED AND MAKE INFERENCES
ABOUT DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS WE
EXPECT TO SEE AND MAYBE WE DON'T
SEE IN INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL
ILLNESSES OR PRE DISPOSITION OF
MENTAL ILLNESSES.
IT'S A BASIC SCIENCE STUDY THAT
HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE
TRANSLATIONAL IN THE FUTURE.
I'LL GO TO DETAILS OF BRAIN
PATTERNS OF BRAIN ACTIVITY AND
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND OR SET THE
STAGE FOR GREATER UNDERSTANDING
AROUND RACIAL AND ETHNIC
DISPARITIES IN MENTAL ILLNESS
PARTICULARLY IN LATE LIFE
DEPRESSION.
IT'S BEEN KNOWN INDIVIDUAL WHO'S
ARE BLACK AND HISPANIC HAVE
HIGHER RATES OF DEPRESSION LATER
IN LIFE.
THERE'S MANY WAYS WE CAN GO
ABOUT LOOKING AT THOSE
DISPARITIES.
THE INVESTIGATORS LOOKED AT A
REGION BY REGION BASIS REASONING
WHATEVER DISPARITIES MIGHT EXIST
AND THIS IS A FIRST-PASS STUDY
AND THE SEVERITY OF DEPRESSION
ARE NOT UNIFORM THROUGHOUT THE
UNITED STATES BUT PREVALENT IN
THE NORTHEAST AND MIDWEST IN
TERMS OF BLACKS AND HISPANICS.
SUCH THAT A BLACK IS 20% OR MORE
LIKELY TO HAVE A SEVERE
DEPRESSION COMPARED TO WHITES
AND HISPANICS TWICE AS LIKELY IN
THE MIDWEST AND IN THE NORTHEAST
INDIVIDUALS -- AFRICAN AMERICANS
AND BLACKS ARE ABOUT 20% MORE
LIKELY TO HAVE SEVERE DEPRESSION
THAN WHITES.
THIS KIND OF DISSECTION.
THIS IS A FIRST PASS.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE
MECHANISMS UNDERLYING IT THAT
GIVE US THE POTENTIAL TO TRY TO
BREAK DOWN DISPARITIES INTO LOOK
AT THE MECHANISMS AND POINT TO
WAYS TO EASE THESE DISPARITIES.
AND I WANT TO BRING A STORY FROM
THE INTRAMURAL PROGRAM AND
THOUGH I REPORTED RESULTS FROM A
LAB IN THE PAST, I WANTED TO
BRING THIS STUDY LATER WHICH
BUILDS ON SOME OF THE RESULTS
BECAUSE IT DEMONSTRATES THE
POWER OF COLLABORATION IN THE
INTRAMURAL PROGRAM.
AS YOU ALL MAY KNOW, WE HAVE A
SENIOR SCIENTIST, SAMER HATTER
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACTS
OF DISRUPTIONS IN DARK CYCLES
WHICH MAY RELATE TO
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL FINDINGS THAT
NIGHTTIME LIGHT INCREASES THE
RISK FOR MENTAL ILLNESS AND
TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW
DISRUPTIONS IN LIGHT-DARK CYCLES
CAN CONTRIBUTE TO
PSYCHIATRICALLY RELEVANT
BEHAVIORS IN RODENTS AND PAIRED
WITH A MORE JUNIOR INVESTIGATOR
DR. TEJEDA AN EXPERT IN
UNDERSTANDING THE IN VITRO
PHENOMENON AND THEY'VE BUILT ON
SAMER'S ORIGINAL WORK.
SOME ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
REGULATING MOOD AND EMOTION AND
ONE THING HE FOUND A PROJECTION
FROM THE RETINA TO A PART OF THE
THALAMUS SEEMS TO BE IMPORTANT
FOR MOOD -- REGULATION OF
BEHAVIORS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO
MOOD.
YOU SEE THE RETINAL PROJECTION
IN GREEN AND BIG PROJECTION TO
THE PRIMARY VISUAL AREA OF THE
THALAMUS AND YOU CAN ALSO SEE IN
GREEN SOME PROJECTIONS AND
HERE'S HAVE GABAERGIC NEURONS
THEY STIMULATED IN VITRO IN A
SLICE THOSE AXONS AND RECORDED
RESPONSES IN THESE PERIVENULAR
NEURONS AND ABOUT 55% HAVE THE
LARGE EXCITATORY NETWORK AND
BECAUSE IT'S NOT SEEN FOR OTHER
INHIBITORY NEURONS WITHIN THE
THALAMUS THEY GO TO OTHER PARTS
OF THE THALAMUS AND SPREAD
WIDELY AND FORM SYNAPSES ON THE
NEURONS AND THEY CAN IMPACT
OUTPUTS TO A WIDE RANGE OF
LIMBIC TARGETS RELEVANT FOR MOOD
AND OTHER PSYCHIATRICALLY
RELEVANT BEHAVIORS LIKE THE
NUCLEUS SUCCUMBENS AND HOW THE
LIGHT CYCLE MIGHT AFFECT MOOD
BEHAVIORS VIA A WIDE RANGE IN
REGULATION OF THALAMIC NEURONS
THAT PROJECT THESE DISPARATE
REGIONS OF THE BRAIN.
TO GIVE YOU ONE STEP FURTHER
ALONG THEIR PAPER THOUGH I'LL
LEAVE IT TO YOU TO READ THE
REST.
WHAT HAPPENS IS IF YOU PUT MICE
INTO LIGHT ON, LIGHT ON EVERY
SEVEN HOURS INSTEAD OF 24 HOURS
YOU DISRUPT THE INHIBITORY
NEURONS OF THE PHB AND THEY
BECOME MORE ACTIVE AT REST, AS A
RESULT IT INTERRUPTS THE BRAIN
REGIONS FOR VARIOUS BEHAVIORS.
IT GIVES A SENSE OF WHAT WE'VE
BEEN SUPPORTING IN THE
INTRAMURAL PROGRAM IN SUPPORT OF
OUR VISION.
WE ENVISION A WORLD WHERE MENTAL
ILLNESS IS CURED AND OUR MISSION
WHICH IS TO TRANSFORM THE
UNDERSTANDING AND TREATMENT OF
MENTAL ILLNESSES THROUGH BASIC
AND CLINICAL RESEARCH BASING THE
WAY FOR PREVENTION, RECOVERY AND
CURE.
WITH THAT, I'LL CLOSE OUT MY
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
STOP MY SHARING SO I CAN SEE YOU
ALL AND PLEASED TO TAKE
QUESTIONS ON ANYTHING I'VE
TALKED ABOUT FOR THAT MATTER
ANYTHING ELSE FROM MEMBERS OF
OUR COUNCIL.
AND I ASK SINCE WE DIDN'T DO A
ROUND OF INTRODUCTIONS, WHICH
CAN BE CUMBERSOME ON THE
INTERWEB, WHEN YOU ASK YOUR
COMMENT OR MAKE YOUR COMMENT,
INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND TELL US
YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION SO
EVERYONE WATCHING KNOWS WHO YOU
ARE.
BRIAN, YOU GET THE FIRST ONE.
>> THANKS.
I DON'T KNOW IF MILES --
>> CAN YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
>> I'M BRYAN ROTH.
I'M A PSYCHOLOGIST AND I WANT TO
GIVE A FORMAL RECOGNITION TO
MILES AND SCOTT YOUNG WHO I'VE
BEEN FOLLOWING THEIR WORK AND
I'VE BEEN INSPIRED BY THEIR WORK
SINCE THE 1980s.
THEY'VE MADE OUTSTANDING
CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF BASIC NEURAL
CIRCUITS AND BIOLOGY.
I WISH THEM ALL THE BEST GOING
FORWARD.
>> IT WAS GREAT TO SEE THE
PROGRESS ON RACIAL
TRANSPARENCIES AND I APPRECIATE
YOUR TRANSPARENCIES.
APOLOGIES IF I MISSED THIS IN
YOUR FINAL REPORTS, YOU WERE
TALKING ABOUT THE NUMBER OF
BLACK APPLICANTS.
IS THAT THE SAME AS BLACK P.I.s
OR WERE THOSE APPLICATION
INCLUDED A BLACK INVESTIGATOR
AND MAYBE A CO-INVESTIGATOR
ROLE?
>> THEY'RE ALL PRINCIPLE
INVESTIGATORS.
I THINK IT'S THE NUMBER OF
PRINCIPLE APPLICANTS THAT ARE
BLACK SO NOT THE NUMBER OF
APPLICATIONS BECAUSE IT COULD BE
FEWER OR MORE BUT HE SEE THE
NUMBER OF PRINCIPLE APPLICATIONS
BY THOSE WHO IDENTIFY AS BLACK.
>> THANKS FOR THE CLARIFICATION.
>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS YOU WANT
TO RAISE WHILE WE HAVE THE TIME
WHICH WE DO HAVE.
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
>> TED ABEL FROM THE UNIVERSITY
OF IOWA.
IT'S GREAT IT SEE ALL THE DATA
AND EXCITING FINDINGS.
I WANT TO RAISE A QUESTION ON
GENDER DIVERSITY WHICH AND
INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS
OFFER EXHIBIT A DIVERSE GENDER
EXPRESSION AND SENSE OF
IDENTITY.
THE WAY THINGS ARE SET UP THEIR
IDENTIFY IS NOT ABLE TO COME
THROUGH AS A PRINCIPLE
INVESTIGATOR AT NIH OR IN FACT
ACROSS THE GOVERNMENT.
THE OTHER DIVERSITY IS THE
DIVERSITY IN DISABILITY AND THE
NEURO DIVERSITY FOUND IN
INDIVIDUALS THAT STRUGGLE EVERY
DAY WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA OR
BIPOLAR DISORDER OR DEPRESSION
OR AUTISM WE STUDY.
I'M STRUCK BY THE FACT WE DON'T
INCLUDE THOSE TYPES OF DIVERSITY
IN OUR AND LOOKING AT CHALLENGES
THOSE INDIVIDUALS FACE.
>> RULES ARE UNDER EVALUATION
RIGHT NOW AND IN FACT WE JUST
LAUNCHED AN EFFORT TO WITH OUR
OWN WORKFORCE THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT IS ALLOWING PEOPLE TO
REPORT MORE OF THESE THESE
CATEGORIES PARTICULARLY AROUND
MORE FULLER OF GENDER AS WELL AS
CATEGORIZING DIFFERENT FORMS OF
DISABILITY.
WHETHER WE'LL GET SUFFICIENT
NUMBERS TO RELEASE THAT FROM OUR
OWN WORKFORCE WE DON'T KNOW YET
AND WE ANTICIPATE IN THE FUTURE
WE'LL BE ALLOWED TO GATHER THAT
DATA FROM OUR APPLICANTS.
BUT WE CAN'T RIGHT NOW.
WOE HAVE DATA ON DISABILITY BUT
TOO FEW TO REPORT OUT AND
WOULDN'T BE ANY GRANULAR THAN
ANY DISABILITY.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I'M PAMELA COLLINS PROFESSOR
OF PSYCHIATRY AND GLOBAL HEALTH
AT UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON AND
COUNCIL MEMBER.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
WONDERFUL TO SEE THE WORK.
I WANT TO CONGRATULATE DR. BORBA
AND DR. LAURYN HILL IN HER NEW
ROLE.
GREAT NEWS ON THAT OFFICE.
AND NIMH HAS 45 GRANTEES.
THERE COULD BE SO MUCH VALUE IN
CREATE COHORT AFFECT AMONG YOUNG
AND DEVELOPING INVESTIGATORS AND
WONDERING IF THE 45 WILL HAVE
MORE WAYS TO ENGAGE AS THEY MOVE
THROUGH THEIR TRAINING.
>> THAT'S A GREET QUESTION AND
WE KEEP TRACK OF OUR -- GREAT
QUESTION AND CREATE TRACKS I
DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE FROM OUR
TRAINING TEAM OR ODWD HAS A
BETTER RESPONSE THAN ONE I JUST
GAVE BUT IF YOU DO YOU, CAN YOU
UNMUTE AND ANSWER IT.
>>
>> THE BEST ANSWER I CAN GIVE
YOU IS THAT'S SOMETHING WE HOPE
TO BE ABLE TO DO IN THE COMING
YEAR AS WE GET STAFFED UP IN
ODWD.
WE'RE VERY INTERESTED IN
FOLLOWING THAT COHORT LOOKING AT
THEIR OUTCOMES AND HELPING THEM
TO BUILD A COHESIVE UNIT TO
NETWORK WITH EACH OTHER.
THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA, AS
MANY OF YOU KNOW WE'RE HEADED
INTO OUR 75th ANNIVERSARY NEXT
YEAR OF NIMH.
WE'RE PLANNING SEVERAL EVENT TO
COMMEMORATE THE OCCASION AS WELL
AS A NUMBER OF OUTREACH
ACTIVITIES AND PUBLICATIONS AND
THE LIKE.
WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN
OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE'RE PLANNING
SO ALL YOU CAN SEE AND ASKED
PHYLLIS AMPOFO OUR LEGISLATIVE
DIRECTOR AND THE CHAIR OF THE
75th ANNIVERSARY COMMITTEE AND
THEY'VE BEEN PLANNING THIS.
PHYLLIS.
>> I'M PLEASED TO GIVE A BRIEF
UPDATE ON THE PLANNING FOR THE
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION.
JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND HERE,
THE NIMH NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH
ACT WAS SIGNED INTO LAW IN JULY
3, 1946 AND ESTABLISHED THE
INSTITUTE IN 1949.
WE'RE USING APRIL 15 AS THE
BENCHMARK FOR OUR ANNIVERSARY
CELEBRATION.
TOO COMMEMORATE THE ANNIVERSARY
THE INSTITUTE WILL LAUNCH A
YEARLONG CELEBRATION LAUNCH
INNING SEPTEMBER, 2023 AND EVENT
IN 2024 AND THEY'LL HIGHLIGHT
AND BE ORGANIZED KNOWN AS THE
STRATEGIC PLAN FOR RESEARCH AND
THE EVENTS WILL PROMOTE
HISTORICAL ADVANCES CHALLENGES
AND DISCOVERY IN THE NIMH
RESEARCH PROGRAMS.
WE HOPE TO ENCOURAGE OUR
STAKEHOLDERS TO BE INVOLVED IN
THE ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AND
I'LL TOUCH ON THAT IN A MOMENT.
IN OUR MRANL EFFORTS WE CONVENED
TWO WORKING GROUPS OF NIH STAFF
THE EVENTS WORK GROUP OVERSEEN
BY OUR STEERING COMMITTEE.
I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE BY NIMH COLLEAGUES
WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS
EFFORT BY SERVING ON EITHER THE
EVENT WORK GROUP OR
COMMUNICATIONS OR STEERING
COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE ALL HANDS ON DECK TO
PLAN THIS WONDERFUL EVENT.
IN COLLABORATION WITH THE 75th
ANNIVERSARY STEERING COMMITTEE
AND EVENTS WORK GROUP, THE
COMMUNICATIONS WORK GROUP IS
DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE
STRATEGY TO DOCUMENT AND
CELEBRATE THIS IMPORTANT
MILESTONE.
THE GOALS OF THE CWG ARE TO
STAIR STORIES OF DISCOVERY AND
HOPE AND ENGAGE AUDIENCES AROUND
MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH AND OF
COURSE WITH THE EVENTS WORK
GROUP BY COMMUNICATING ABOUT THE
CELEBRATION AND RELATED EVENTS.
THEY'RE FOCUSSED ON DIFFERENT
AUDIENCES INCLUDING THE NIMH AND
NIH COMMUNITY AND INTRA-HHS
COLLABORATORS AND ADVOCACY
GROUPS AND PROFESSIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS AND THE PUBLIC
WHICH INCLUDES PATIENTS,
FAMILIES AND PROVIDERS.
I'VE INCLUDED A COUPLE EXAMPLES
ON THE SLIDE IN ADDITION TO
THESE ACTIVITIES, COMMUNICATION
WORK GROUP WILL ALSO PROMOTE THE
ANNIVERSARY EVENTS WHICH I'LL
TURN TO NOW.
WITH GUIDANCE FROM NIMH
LEADERSHIP AND THE SUPPORT OF
THE COMMUNICATION WORK GROUP THE
EVENTS WORK GROUP IS PLANNING
THREE UNIQUE EVENTS THAT WILL
COLLECTIVELY REVIEW THE EVOLVING
HISTORY OF MENTAL HEALTH
RESEARCH AND NIMH.
RECOGNIZE UNMET CHALLENGES AND
IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR
CHANGE AND WILL LOOK AHEAD
TOWARD THE FUTURE OF MENTAL
HEALTH ACROSS THE RESEARCH
SPECTRUM.
THESE THINGS ARE NOTED HERE.
EACH EVENT WILL BE HOSTED AS A
FULL DAY HYBRID EVENT WHICH WILL
TAKE PLACE DURING OUR
CELEBRATORY YEAR.
EVENT 1 WILL KICK OFF OUR
CELEBRATION AND SCHEDULED FOR
SEPTEMBER 2023.
WHILE EVENTS 2 AND 3 WILL TAKE
PLACE IN 2024.
THE THEMES WILL BE INCORPORATED
IN OTHER NIMH MEETINGS INCLUDING
THE AXELROD SYMPOSIUM AND THE
CONFERENCE AND DIRECTOR'S
INNOVATION SPEAKER SERIES.
WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT ROLE
OUR STAKEHOLDERS HAVE PLAYED
OVER THE YEARS AND WE'D LIKE TO
ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION AND
ENGAGEMENT IN OUR UPCOMING
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION.
IN ADDITION TO PARTICIPATION AND
THE THREE THEMED EVENTS I
MENTIONED, ENGAGEMENT BY OUR
STAKEHOLDERS MIGHT INCLUDE
SHARING COMMUNICATION MATERIALS
AND OTHER ANNIVERSARY ITEMS WITH
THEIR CONSTITUENTS.
ENCOURAGING NIMH PARTICIPATION
IN THEIR STAKEHOLDER INITIATED
ACTIVITIES OR EVENTS.
I'LL NOTE WE PARTICIPATED IN A
NUMBER OF ANNUAL MEETINGS
ORGANIZED BY STAKEHOLDERS AND
HAPPY HEAR ABOUT WAYS THEY MIGHT
WANT TO COMMEMORATE OUR
ANNIVERSARY.
IN ADDITION, ANOTHER WAY
STAKEHOLDERS CAN BECOME INVOLVED
AND ENGAGED IS HOSTING THE NIMH
TRAVELLING EXHIBIT OR SHARING OF
VIDEOS.
WE HAD 75 YEARS AND 75 SECONDS
AT ANNUAL MEETINGS WHICH WILL BE
ANOTHER WAY TO HAVE AN NIMH
PRESENCE AT THE MEETING.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING IN
COLLABORATION WITH CONSTITUENCY
GROUPS TO COMMEMORATE THE CON
-- CONSTITUENCY.
IF YOU HAVE IDEAS USE THE
ADDRESS AND KNOWING WHAT
STAKEHOLDERS ARE WILL ASSIST US
IN OFFERING SUPPORT AND SHARING
MATERIALS AND FULLY CAPTURE THE
BREADTH AND REACH OF NOT ONLY
NIMH RESEARCH BUT ALSO THE
CELEBRATION.
THAT E-MAIL ADDRESS LISTED IS
NIMH CELEBRATES 75 AT
MAIL.NIH.gov.
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO
BRIEFLY UPDATE YOU AND I'LL
PAUSE FOR ANY QUESTIONS AND
THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY.
>> ARE THERE QUESTIONS FOR ME OR
PHYLLIS ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES?
>> I HAVE ONE QUESTION.
PROFESSOR OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY
AND PSYCHIATRY AT OREGON
UNIVERSITY AND STUDY
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY.
CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF
STAKEHOLDERS?
>> MANY PROFESSIONAL AND FAMILY
ORGANIZATIONS, THE GENERAL
PUBLIC ARE STAKEHOLDERS SO EN
ORGANIZING EVENTS WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THERE'S SOMETHING FOR
EVERYONE AND NOT NECESSARILY
LIMITING OURSELVES TO THE
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY.
WE'LL HAVE A SYMPOSIUM BUT FEEL
RESEARCH HAS IMPACTED MANY
LIVES.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE INCLUDE
ALL OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS WHICH
MAY INCLUDE PATIENT AND
FAMILIES, RESEARCHERS, THOSE
WITH LIVED EXPERIENCES IT'S A
VERY WIDE NET WE'RE CASTING.
>> THANK YOU.
>> OTHERS?
WELL, THANK YOU.
WE ARE QUITE FORTUNATE TO BE
CONSIDERABLY AHEAD OF OUR
SCHEDULE.
AND SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL
TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF AN EXTRA
BREAK BUT GET STARTED ON OUR
NEXT SESSION A LITTLE BIT
EARLIER THAN WE INTENDED TO MAKE
SURE WE DON'T FALL BEHIND LATER
IN THE PROGRAM.
NOW, WE DO AT THE END HAVE AN
OUTSIDE GUEST WHO IS GOING TO
MAKE IT SO WE CAN'T GO
INCREDIBLY FAST BUT WE'LL SEE
WHAT WE CAN GET DONE.
IT'S NEARLY 1:00.
I SUGGEST WE TAKE A BREAK TO
ABOUT 1:20 AND THEN WE CAN
COMMENCE WITH THE NEXT SECTION
OF OUR AGENDA WHICH IS A REPORT
OUT ON THE LISTENING SESSIONS
NIMH HAVE HAD WITH EXTRAMURAL
INVESTIGATORS OF COLOR.
IS THAT OKAY, WITH YOU, TRACY,
WE TAKE A BREAK TO 1:20.
>> THAT SOUNDS GREAT.
>> LAUREN AND SHELLI, YOU'LL BE
STARTING A BIT EARLY.
>> SOUNDS GOOD, THANK YOU.
>> THANKS, EVERYONE.
SEE YOU SOON.
>> WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET
STARTED.
OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS BOTH
NIH AND NIMH HAVE BEEN ENGAGING
IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT
ACTIVITIES TO IDENTIFY AND
ADDRESS STRUCTURAL RACISM BOTH
WITHIN NIH AND BIOMEDICAL
RESEARCH AND IN ADDRESSING
STRUCTURAL RACISM AND WITH A
FOCUS WITHIN NIH AND FOCUS ON
THE EXTRAMURAL WORLD, WE
CONDUCTED A SERIES OF LISTENING
SESSIONS TO HEAR FROM EXTRAMURAL
INVESTIGATORS OF COLOR AND
OTHERS AT VARIOUS STAGES OF
THEIR CAREER.
THEY DISCUSSED EQUITY AND
FUNDING SUCCESS AND ALSO ABOUT
TO THE NATURE OF NIMH FUNDING
AND PRIORITIES AND LISTENED
INTENTLY.
WE'RE GOING HEAR TODAY FROM
DR. LAUREN HILL FROM THE OFFICE
OF DISPARITIES RESEARCH AND
WORKFORCE DIVERSITY PRIMARILY
ABOUT WHAT THOSE INVESTIGATORS
SAID AND THE THEMES THEY RAISED.
RESPECTING THEIR CONFIDENTIALITY
WE'RE OFFER UNIFYING THEMES AND
THEN FROM SHELLI AVENVOLI IN
WHAT NIMH HAS DONE AND CONTINUE
TO DO AND PLAN TO DO TO ACT ON
WHAT WE HEARD FROM THE
PERSPECTIVES HEARD FROM THE
INVESTIGATE ERS TO MAKE A MORE
INCLUSIVE AND DIVERSE EXTRAMURAL
WORKFORCE.
WITH THAT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO
LAUREN AND SHELLI AND LISTEN
INTENTLY AND BE PREPARED TO
DISCUSS AT THE END.
>> I'LL START US OFF BY SHARING
SOME OF WHAT WE HEARD AT THE
SERIES OF LISTENING SESSIONS
THAT JOSH MENTIONED WHERE WE
INVITED EXTRAMURAL INVESTIGATORS
WHO SELF-IDENTIFIED AS
INDIVIDUALS OF COLOR AND ASKED
THEM TO SHARE WITH US THEIR
PERSPECTIVES ON BARRIERS AND
FACILITATORS TO FUNDING SUCCESS
AT NIMH.
SHELLI'S GOING TO DESCRIBE THE
INITIATIVES AT NIH AND NIMH
RESPONSIVE TO SOME OF THE
CONCERNS AND CHALLENGES WE HEARD
FROM OUR EXTRAMURAL COMMUNITY
MEMBERS WHY ARE DESIGNED TO
PROMOTE INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE IN
OUR RESEARCH WORKFORCE.
WE'VE SPOKEN MANY TIMES AND WILL
CONTINUE TO DO SO ABOUT THE
CRITICAL IMPORTANCE OF
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH WORKFORCE
DIVERSITY TO SOLVE COMPLEX
PROBLEMS AND MEET OUR MISSION.
I'LL ONLY SAY HERE THE
IMPERATIVE OF OUR DIVERSITY
GOALS PROVIDES THE RATIONALE NOR
UNDERTAKE.
IN ADDITION, IF WE CAN GO
BRIEFLY TO THE NEXT SLIDE FOR A
MOMENT YOU ALL MAY RECOGNIZE
THIS SLIDE AND JOSH SHARED THIS
PREVIOUSLY IN OPEN SESSIONS OF
COUNCIL.
AT NIMH WE NOTICED A PERSISTENT
AND MARKED GAP IN FUNDING
SUCCESS BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE
P.I.s WHEN EXAMINING ABOUT 12
YEARS WORTH OF NIMH DATA AND
CLEAR EVIDENCE THERE WAS A
FUNDING DISPARITY PROBLEM AT
NIMH THAT WE NEEDED TO ADDRESS.
AS I SAID THE DATA IS AVAILABLE
AND JOSH PRESENTED THEM BEFORE
AND THEY'RE AVAILABLE IN OUR
WEBSITE AND IF YOU WANT TO LOOK
AT THEM MORE CLOSELY OR TAKE A
SECOND LOOK YOU CAN LOOK AT THEM
AT A SECOND TIME.
WE RECOGNIZED WE NEEDED TO
UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM BETTER IN
ORDER TO ADDRESS IT
APPROPRIATELY.
ONE IMPORTANT WAY TO INCREASE
OUR UNDERSTANDING DR. GORDON
WANTED US TO HOLD LISTENING
SESSIONS WITH MEMBERS OF THE
COMMUNITY AND TO HEAR
STRAIGHTFORWARDLY FROM
INVESTIGATORS OF COLOR AND ASKED
THEM TO SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES,
OBSERVATIONS, OPINIONS AND
FEELINGS ABOUT FACTORS THAT
IMPEDE AND FACILITATE SUCCESS IN
ATTAINING NIH GRANT FUNDING AND
ANYTHING ELSE THEY WANTED TO
SHARE.
IN MAY AND JUNE OF 2020 WE HELD
A SET OF CLOSED FOCUS GROUPS
ATTENDED BY A SMALL GROUP OF US
AND THEY WERE INTIMATE CLOSED
SESSIONS.
IN JANUARY, 2021 WE FOLLOWED
THOSE UP WITH A TOWN HALL FORMAT
SERIES OF SESSIONS THAT WERE
OPEN TO ALL ON STAFF AND IN FACT
TO THE PUBLIC IN WEBINAR FORMAT.
IN EACH INSTANCE PARTICIPANTS
WERE SEPARATED INTO GROUPS BY
CAREER STAGE.
I'LL SHARE TODAY AT A HIGH
LEVEL, BOTH KEY THEMES WE HEARD
AND ALSO DESCRIBE THE TONE OR
THE VIBE, IF YOU WILL, OF THE
FOCUS GROUP SESSIONS ALL OF
WHICH WERE AS IMPACTFUL AS THEY
WERE INFORMATIVE.
I'D LIKE TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES
WHO TOOK CAREFUL NOTES AND
HELPED PULL THE THEMES TOGETHER
AND KEEP TAB OF SOME OF THE
QUOTES I WILL SHARE WITH YOU.
MANY OF THE THEMES THE
PARTICIPANTS SHARED WERE SIMILAR
IN THE GROUPS AND TOWN HALL
MEETINGS AND WERE IMPACTFUL AND
FRANK AND INFORMATIVE WE
APPRECIATED THEIR GENEROSITY AND
OPENNESS AND TIME THE TONE OF
THE TRAINEES THE PRE AND
POST-DOCS WERE GROUNDED AND VERY
APPRECIATIVE.
MANY HAD NIMH FUNDING AND HAD OR
HAD HAD FELLOWSHIPS OR
DISSERTATION AWARDS OR K9 9s
AND WERE AT WELL RESOURCED
INSTITUTES AND WERE APPRECIATIVE
AND NOTED OTHERS WHO WERE
EQUALLY AS PROMISING BUT DIDN'T
HAVE THOSE ADVANTAGES HAD NOT
FARED AS WELL IN THEIR EARLY
CAREERS.
THE TRAINING SESSION OF THE TOWN
HALL THE GROUNDED PART WAS MORE
DIRECT.
THEY RECOGNIZED THEY WERE
CONSTANTLY NEGOTIATING
CHALLENGES ABOUT THEIR
COMPETENCE OR MERIT AND WERE
THEY THERE BECAUSE OF THEIR RACE
OR WORTHY OF BEING THERE AND
WERE TAKING ON EXTRA DIVERSITY,
EQUITY AND INCLUSION WORK AT
THEIR JUNIOR STAGE.
THEY'RE NON-MINORITIZED PEERS
WERE NOT.
THEY TALKED ABOUT THE CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT ROLES MENTORS PLAY FOR
EVERYONE.
ESPECIALLY FOR MINORITIZED
STUDENTS AND TRAINEES.
SOME HAD GREAT MENTORS AND OTHER
OTHERED HAD TO SEARCH IN OTHER
DEPARTMENTS OR INSTITUTIONS TO
FIND A GOOD FIT FOR THEIR
RESEARCH INTEREST.
ONE QUOTE, I HAD THE PLEASURE OF
BEING AT DR. BLANK'S LAB.
SHE'S NOT A MY SCHOOL AND HAD TO
GO TO ANOTHER INSTITUTION.
I'M SO GRATEFUL.
THAT WAS THE BEST EXPERIENCE OF
MY LIFE.
HERE WERE OTHER ACADEMICS WHO
HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WHO WERE
INTERESTED IN SIMILAR TOPICS
GUIDED ME THROUGH THE PROCESS OF
DOING RESEARCH IN A PARTICULAR
WAY THAT WAS MORE APPROACHABLE
TO THE SUBJECTS I WANTED TO
INVESTIGATE AND WORK ON.
BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE A MENTOR
LIKE THAT AND ADD AN INSTITUTION
WHERE ALL YOUR SENIOR LEADERSHIP
DOES NOT LOOK LIKE YOU, DOES NOT
TALK TO YOU, INADVERTENTLY
COMMITTING MICROAGGRESSIONS
LEFT, RIGHT CENTER YOU WON'T GET
THROUGH THE GRANT PROCESS.
THE OTHER WAS A DESIRE TO LEARN
MORE ABOUT NIMH WHICH MANY SAW
AT THAT STAGE AS A BLACK BOX.
THEY WANTED MORE OUTREACH AND
MORE CLEAR UNDERSTANDABLE
TRAINING ON GRANT APPLICATION
PROCESSES AND HOW THE NIMH
OPERATES AND HOW GRANTS ARE
REVIEWED.
AND THE TOWN HALLS WERE
DISTRESSED AND A GROUP WAS VOCAL
AND CANDID.
COMMON THEMES WERE EXPLOITATION,
VARIOUS STRUCTURAL BARRIERS AND
THE LIMITATIONS OF DIVERSITY
MECHANISMS.
EXAMPLES OF EXPLOITATION
INCLUDED BEING ADDED TO GRANTS
TO GAIN ACCESS TO MINORITIZED
COMMUNITIES TO WHICH THEY HAPPEN
TO BELONG OR BEING APPROACHED TO
BE ON A DIVERSITY SUPPLEMENT FOR
THE BENEFIT OF THE P.I. AND THE
PARENT GRANT OPPOSED TO THE
CANDIDATE.
ANOTHER THEME THAT WAS VERY
COMMON IN THIS GROUP WAS
WEIGHING THE PERSONAL OR
EMOTIONAL COST OF SUBMITTING AND
RESUBMITTING PERHAPS
RE-SUBMITTING AGAIN TO THE NIH
OR THE NIMH WHEN PERHAPS A
NON-FEDERAL GRANT APPLICATION
WOULD BE LOWER-HANGING FRUIT.
ONE QUOTE WAS AND THEN I
REMEMBER HAVING A CONVERSATION
WITH MY P.O. WHO I DEARLY WHO
SAID, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE KEY
THINGS IN GETTING FUNDED WITH
NIMH THESE DAYS IS JUST
PERSEVERANCE.
I REFLECTED ON THAT AFTER THE
CALL AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WITH
THAT PERSEVERANCE IS RECURRING
TRAUMA OVER AND OVER.
THERE WEREN'T MECHANISMS TO HELP
INVESTIGATORS FROM UNDER
REPRESENTED GROUPS GOING FROM K
TO THE R AND THAT WAS A THEME IN
THIS PARTICULAR GROUP.
>> THE GROUP WE HEARD OF
ESTABLISHING INVESTIGATORS WERE
IN THE THICK OF IT.
THEY WERE VERY PRODUCTIVE VERY
PRODUCTIVE AND NOT ALWAYS AT
NIMH.
SOME HAD OTHER FUNDING FROM
OTHER I.C.s OR OTHER SOURCE OF
FEDERAL FUNDING.
SOME HAD NIMH FUNDING.
THE TONE OF THE GROUP WAS OVER
BURDENED AND PRAGMATIC.
AND I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT BEING
OVER BURDENED IN COMMON THEME
SESSION IN A FEW MINUTES.
IN THE TERMS OF REMAINING BULL
ET ON YOUR SLIDE, INVESTIGATORS
ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO CONDUCTED
MENTAL HEALTH DISPARITY OR
MINORITY MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH
WERE QUITE VOCAL ABOUT A LACK OF
APPROPRIATE EXPERTISE IN PEER
REVIEW AND A LACK OF RACIAL AND
ETHNIC DIVERSITY AMONG
REVIEWERS.
ONE ESTABLISHED INVESTIGATOR
STATED THIS WAY, HOW MUCH DO
REVIEWERS KNOW ABOUT FAITH
COMMUNITIES.
WE NEED PEOPLE OF COLOR AND
PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE AREA.
THEY ALSO COMMENTED ON A LACK OF
DIVERSITY ON NIMH STAFF NOTING
OUR NUMBERS ARE SO SMALL MANY
HAVE KNOWN US FOR MANY YEARS OR
KNOW US BY NAME.
A RELATED THEME THAT RAN THROUGH
SEVERAL OF THE SESSION WAS A
SYSTEMATIC DEEVALUATION OF
KNOWLEDGE BASED IN COMMUNITIES
OF COLOR.
INCLUDING INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
IN URBAN SETTINGS AND ON THE
RESERVATION.
ONE INVESTIGATOR CALLED THIS OUT
AS A RISK AVERSION AT NIMH TO
NEW PARADIGMS, NEW WAYS OF
THINKING, NEW WAYS OF KNOWING
AND NEW WAYS OF ASKING EMPIRICAL
QUESTIONS AND THAT INVESTIGATOR
POINTED IT OUT AS DETRIMENTAL TO
DISCOVERY AND AN ANTITHETICAL TO
CONDUCTING GOOD SCIENCE.
ONE ESI SAID THIS ABOUT REVIEW,
AND THIS BRINGS ME TO MY LAST
POINT AND THAT IS THIS, IF YOU
DON'T HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE,
YOUR MORE LIKELY TO BE ON THE
MENU.
IN THIS CASE, YOU'RE ON THE MENU
BECAUSE FOLKS WHO ARE IN THE
ROOM READING YOUR GRANTS ARE NOT
FROM THE COMMUNITY.
SENIOR P.I.s AND PROGRAM
DIRECTORS, THIS FOCUS GROUP WAS
INTENSE.
THIS GROUP WAS COMPOSED OF
ASSOCIATE OR FULL PROFESSORS,
DEPARTMENT CHAIRS, PROGRAM
DIRECTORS, ETCETERA.
AS WITH MOST OF THE OTHER
GROUPS, THE SESSION STARTED WITH
A SINCERE APPRECIATION OF BEING
HEARD AND A DIRECT THANK YOU TO
JOSH.
OVERALL, HOWEVER, THE TONE OF
THE GROUP WAS QUITE STRIDENT AND
CYNICAL.
THEMES THAT EMERGED WERE
NEGATIVE INTERACTIONS WITH
PROGRAM OFFICERS.
SOME OF WHOM HAD ACTIVELY
DISCOURAGED THESE P.I.'S FROM
APPLYING AND HISTORICAL LACK OF
FUNDING FOR MINORITY MENTAL
HEALTH AND HEALTH DISPARITIES
RESEARCH WHICH COMMUNICATED TO
THEM, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, NIMH
DOESN'T CARE ABOUT MINORITY
COMMUNITIES.
THIS GROUP SPOKE WITH FLUENCY
AND EXPERTISE ABOUT STRUCTURAL
RACISM WITHIN THE CULTURE OF
SCIENCE AND THE SCIENTIFIC
ENTERPRISE INCLUDING THE
PRESSURE TO ASSIMILATE INTO THE
WAY THE DOMINANT CULTURE SEES
SCIENCE, ASK QUESTIONS, VALUES
OR DE VALUES DIFFERENT
POPULATIONS AND HOW WE AT NIH
AND NIMH MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON
THOSE VALUES.
THEY USED TERMINOLOGY LIKE WHITE
SUPREMACY, DECOLONIZATION AND
UNDER SCORING THE REALITY THAT
OFTEN TIMES IN THESE TYPES OF
SYSTEMS THAT DIFFERENTIATE FROM
THE DOMINANT CULTURE ARE REGARDS
AS DEFICIENT.
IN THE TOWN HALL SESSIONS THIS
GROUP GAVE US DIRECT SOMETIMES
DIFFICULT TO HEAR FEEDBACK ON A
RANGE OF TOPICS INCLUDING LESS
THAN OPTIMAL INTERACTIONS WITH
PROGRAM STAFF AND ABYSMAL TRACK
RECORD OR RESEARCH ON ASIAN AND
ASIAN AMERICAN HEALTH AND WOEFUL
INVESTIGATIONS OF HISPANICS AND
EROSION OF TRUST AT A PROMINENT
HBCU THAT THEIR NEUROSCIENCE
STUDIES WOULD EVER GET A FAIR
REVIEW.
COMMON THEMES THAT CUT ACROSS
THE CAREER STAGES.
BIAS IN PEER REVIEW.
I TALKED ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS
THAT MANIFESTED BUT I'LL TALK
ABOUT A WAY IT MANIFESTED ACROSS
THE GROUPS.
WE HEARD BIAS BIAS IN REVIEW
OFTEN TAKES THE FORM OF SENIOR
INVESTIGATORS, OFTEN WHITE
INVESTIGATORS BEING GIVEN THE
BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.
THEY CAN DO IT.
THEY'RE THE RIGHT PEOPLE FOR IT.
I KNOW IT'S NOT IN THE GRANT BUT
WE KNOW WHAT THEY MEANT TO PUT
IN THE GRANT.
REVIEWERS DON'T OFTEN AFFORD
MINORITIZED INVESTIGATORS.
WE HEARD BIAS TAKES THE FORM OF
OVERRELIANCE ON TRACK RECORD TO
PREDICT THE LIKELIHOOD AND
SUCCESS OF A PROJECT OR IMPACT
OF THE RESEARCH.
WE HEARD THAT POTENTIAL IS
JUDGED ON INDICATORS THAT HAVE
BIAS BAKED INTO THEM LIKE THE
NUMBER OF PAPERS, THE IMPACT
THEIR JOURNALS OR THE PAST TRACK
RECORD OF SUCCESSFUL FEDERAL
GRANT APPLICATIONS.
THEY DON'T APPRECIATE THE
UNTAPPED POTENTIAL OF A TALENTED
INVESTIGATOR WITH AN INNOVATIVE
OR NEW IDEA.
MAY THEY HAVE A SET OF COMPETE
COMPETING DEMANDS LIMITING THE
TIME THEY HAVE TO WRITE PAPERS
AND GRANTS, ETCETERA THAT'S
IMPACTING THE TRADITIONAL
INDICATORS OF PRODUCTIVITY AND
I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A
MINUTE.
THOSE TYPES OF COMPETING DEMANDS
ALSO KNOWN AS THE MINORITY TAX
AND DIVERSITY TAX THAT
DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT
FACULTY MEMBERS OF COLOR.
WE HEARD BIAS AND PEER REVIEW
TAKES THE PREFERENCE OF PEDIGREE
AND THEY'RE ABILITY TO BE
SUCCESSFUL IS QUESTIONS
DEPENDING ON WHO THEY TRAINED
WITH AND THE NEXT POINT IS THE
SOCIO CULTURE CAPITAL OF CERTAIN
INVESTIGATORS.
WE DID HEAR A NUMBER OF TIMES
FROM THE MOST JUNIOR PEOPLE TO
SOME OF THE MOST SENIOR PEOPLE
OF COLOR THEY NEEDED TO GET AN
ESTABLISHED OFTEN TIMES WHITE
INVESTIGATOR TO SERVE AS A
MENTOR OR COLLABORATOR ON THEIR
GRANT APPLICATION IN ORDER TO
GET IT FUNDED.
INEQUITY IN ACCESS IS ANOTHER
COMMON THEME.
THAT RELATED TO INEQUITY IN
INSTITUTIONAL RESOURCES.
SO SOME RESOURCES ARE MORE WELL
FUNDED THAN OTHERS.
AND THOSE INSTITUTION OF
RESOURCES COULD BE IN STATE OF
THE ART LABORATORY EQUIPMENT A
LACK ONE INVESTIGATOR NOTED LED
TO HIS TEAM'S PROJECT BEING
DESCRIBED AS LESS INNOVATIVE
THAN THOSE FROM INSTITUTIONS
WITH CUTTING-EDGE NEUROSCIENCE
EQUIPMENT.
THIS IS SOMEBODY WHO HAD DONE
TRAINING AT A RESEARCH
INSTITUTION AND CHOSE TO BE A
FACULTY MEMBER AT AN HBCU AND
KNEW THE DRILL IN TERMS OF THE
DIFFERENCE IN RESOURCES.
ACCESS AND RESOURCES ALSO VARIED
WITH RESPECT TO RESEARCH
INFRASTRUCTURE.
THERE ARE INSTITUTIONS THAT HAD
ESPECIALLY STRONG OFFICES OF
SPONSORED PROGRAMS WITH
SPECIALIZED ADMINISTRATIVE
SUPPORT STAFF WHEREAS OTHERS
DIDN'T OR WITHIN CERTAIN
INSTITUTIONS THERE WAS
INEQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OR
RESOURCES ON THE SCIENCE END.
FOR EXAMPLE, DIFFERENCES IN
ACCESS TO MENTORS OR
COLLABORATORS OR PEOPLE BEING
EXCLUDED OR FROM PROFESSIONAL
NETWORKS OR FUNDED INVESTIGATORS
INCLUDED IN THE NETWORKS AND
THAT MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
SPOOI
SOMETIMES THE DIFFERENCES BEING
ALONG RACIAL AND ETHNIC LINES.
THE MINORITY TAX HAS A BIG
IMPACT ON PEOPLE'S ABILITY TO
MAKE IT THROUGH THE CAREER
TRAJECTORY AND HAVE FUNDING
SUCCESS.
AND A QUOTE FROM ONE
INVESTIGATOR, MY WORK LOAD HAS
TRIPLED.
THERE'S COMPONENT THOSE MINORITY
TAX WE HEARD FROM OUR
INVESTIGATORS.
WE HEARD ABOUT ISOLATION THAT
COULD TAKE THE FORM OF
PROFESSIONAL ISOLATION AND LACK
OF SUPPORT BECAUSE YOU'RE THE
ONLY PERSON IN YOUR DEPARTMENT
CONDUCTING A PARTICULAR TYPE OF
RESEARCH OR COULD BE THE STRESS
RESULT FROM SOCIAL OR EMOTIONAL
ISOLATION BEING THE ONLY IN YOUR
DEPARTMENT OR IN THE ROOM.
COMMITTEE CONSERVATIVES.
A LOT OF MID-CAREER ESTABLISHED
INVESTIGATORS WERE OFTEN ASKED
TO SERVE AS REVIEWERS ON
UNIVERSITY COMMITTEES,
DEPARTMENT COMMITTEES, SEARCH
COMMITTEES BECAUSE IF THEY
DIDN'T SERVE THERE WOULDN'T BE A
PERSON OF COLOR.
THEY WERE OFTEN ASKED TO TEACH
OR TO MENTOR AGAIN BECAUSE THEY
WERE THE ONLY ONE OR THERE WAS
HIGH DEMAND BY STUDENTS OF COLOR
WHICH AGAIN TOOK AWAY FROM THE
TIME THEY HAD TO DEVOTE TO
RESEARCH AND WRITING GRANTS,
ETCETERA.
RACIALIZED WORK WAS PART OF THAT
TAX.
AND UNCOMPENSATED WORK ON DEI
INITIATIVES WHICH WASN'T
REWARDED FINANCIALLY OR WITH
GRANT MONEY AND DIDN'T COUNT
TOWARDS BUILD PACKET TOWARDS
PROMOTION OR TENURE.
AND FOR THOSE DOING COMMUNITY
PARTNERED RESEARCH, AND THE TIME
IT BUILD TO PARTNERSHIPS AND THE
FACT IT'S LABOR AND TIME
INTENSIVE DIDN'T COUNT WHEREAS
CRANKING OUT GRANTS AND PUBS
COUNTED AND THAT ALSO WAS A
BARRIER.
AND NIH PRIORITIES THEMSELVES
WERE CITED AS A BARRIER TO
SUCCESS FOR SOME AND I MENTIONED
SOME OF THOSE BUT THEY INCLUDED
AGAIN A HISTORICAL DEVALUATION
OF MINORITY HEALTH AND HEALTH
DISPARITY RESEARCH AND
DEVALUATION OF COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT IN THIS RESEARCH AND
PREFERENCE FOR SOCIAL SCIENCE OR
SOCIAL DETERMINATES OF HEALTH
AND NOT FOCUSSING ON STUDYING ON
HOW TO INTERVENE ON UPSTREAK
SYSTEMIC OR STRUCTURAL FACTORS
THAT EITHER CAUSE MENTAL ILLNESS
OR INCREASE RISK FOR MENTAL
ILLNESS.
AND I WILL STOP THERE AND TURN
IT OVER TO SHELLI BUT ALSO WANT
TO AGAIN EXPRESS OUR SINCERE
APPRECIATION FOR THOSE WHO
SHARED THEIR TIME AND CANDOR AND
IT WAS NOT EASY AND THEY MADE IT
CLEAR IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TALK
ABOUT SOME OF THESE THINGS.
SHELLI, OVER TO YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOU AND YOUR
TEAM FOR UNDERTAKING THESE
THEMES AND SUMMARIZING THE
THEMES.
I'LL TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE NIH
AND NIMH EFFORTS WE'VE CONDUCTED
SO FAR TO TRY TO ADDRESS SOME OF
THESE CHALLENGES.
WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT DOESN'T
SOLVE AAE AAL -- SOLVE ALL OF OUR
CHALLENGES BUT IT'S A PLACE TO
START.
BEFORE I START, I WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT NIH AND NIMH MADE FIRM
COMMITMENTS TO CHANGE IN THE
SHORT AND LONG TERM.
ONE WAY WE ACTED ON SHOWING THE
COMMITMENT IS TO INSTITUTE
SEVERAL LARGE EFFORTS TO FRAME
AND GUIDE OUR ACTIVITIES IN
WORKFORCE DIVERSITY AND
INCLUSIVITY.
I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT
NIMH IS WORKING CLOSELY WITH NIH
ON THE BROADER EFFORTS.
THIS IS ESSENTIAL BECAUSE MANY
CONCERNS LAUREN JUST OUTLINED
ARE ROOTED AS PART OF THE
BROADER NIH CULTURE OR
PROCESSES.
WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AND THE
IDEA IS IF WE DO THIS TOGETHER
WE'LL HAVE GREATER IMPACT IN THE
LONG-TERM FOR THE BROADER
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY.
THREES EFFORTS TAKING PLACE AT
NIH AND NIMH.
IN BRIEF, WITHIN NIMH, JOSH AR
ARTICULATED MOST OF OUR EMPHASIS
ON EXTERNAL SCIENTIFIC WORKFORCE
DIVERSITY FALLS UNDER THE
UMBRELLA OF WORKFORCE DIVERSITY
KNOWN AS ODWD AND ODWD'S MISSION
IS FOCUSSED ON PROMOTING MENTAL
HEALTH EQUITY BY SUPPORTING
MENTAL HEALTH DISPARITY AND
WOMEN'S MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH
AND RESEARCH WORKFORCE DIVERSITY
EFFORTS.
WE HAVE STAFF FROM OUR TEAM AND
FUNDING DIVISION AND OFFICES WHO
SUPPORT AND COLLABORATE WITH
ODWD TO CARE RIT OUT PLANNED
PRIORITIES AND DEVELOP
PORTFOLIOS IN THESE AREAS.
WE HAVE TWO ADDITIONAL
COMPONENTS THE ANTIRACISM TASK
FORCE AND OUR INTRAMURAL
RESEARCH PROGRAM AND THE EFFORTS
ARE FOCUSSED MORE ON PERSONAL
AND LESS ON THE EXTRAMURAL
WORKFORCE.
I WANTED TO MENTION THAT SO YOU
KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON DIVERSITY
WITHIN NIH IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT
BUT IT'S A TOPIC FOR A SEPARATE
DISCUSSION.
IN TERMS OF NIH LEVEL EFFORTS WE
HAVE THE UNITE INITIATIVE WE
TOLD YOU ABOUT BEFORE.
IT WAS ESTABLISHED TO IDENTIFY
AND ADDRESS STRUCTURAL RACISM
WITHIN NIH AND THE GREATER
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY.
RECENTLY, WE HAVE THE CHIEF
OFFICER OF SCIENTIFIC DIVERSITY
STRATEGIC PLAN AND THIS
FIVE-YEAR PLAN POSITIONS OUR
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OFFICER OF
WORKFORCE DIVERSITY TO BE ABLE
TO BUILD, DISSEMINATE AND ACT ON
THE EVIDENCE TO PROMOTE DID EIA
ISSUE AND SCIENTIFIC WORKFORCE.
AND FINALLY, CURRENTLY UNDER
DEVELOPMENT, THERE IS AN
NIH-WIDE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION AND
ACCESSIBILITY.
WE'LL BE HEARING MORE ABOUT THAT
IN THE FUTURE AND THAT WILL
CERTAINLY IMPACT OUR EFFORTS
GOING FORWARD.
WE HAVE COMMITTED TO CHANGE BY
BUILDING LEADERSHIP AND STAFFING
STRUCTURE TO LEAD AND SUPPORT
THESE EFFORTS.
JOSH MENTIONED WE RECENTLY
WELCOMED DR. BORBA AND LAUREN
HILL AND WE HAVE THIS CHRISTINE
PIGGEE TO GUIDE OUR EFFORTS IN
THE INTRAMURAL PROGRAM AND WE'LL
FILL A POSITION FOR A CHIEF
SCIENTIFIC DIVERSITY OFFICER.
LASTLY ON THE POINT OF
COMMITTING TO CHANGE, WE'RE
DOING SO BY PROVIDING PUBLIC
STATEMENTS AND OUTREACH TO
DESCRIBE OUR COMMITMENT BUT ALSO
TO DESCRIBE OUR EFFORTS AND
PROGRESS IN THESE AREAS.
GIVING YOU THAT BROAD OVERVIEW
AND NOW I WANT TO SUMMARIZE SOME
OF THE SPECIFIC EFFORTS THAT
FALL WITHIN THE THEMES LAUREN
JUST HIGHLIGHTED FOR YOU.
WE'LL BEGIN WITH BIAS IN PEER
REVIEW.
THE NIH CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC
REVIEW AND SORRY THE ACRONYM IS
MISLABELLED, IT SHOULD BE CSR.
IT REVIEWS MORE THAN 75% OF NIH
GRANT APPLICATIONS INCLUDING
NIMH GRANT APPLICATIONS.
I WANT TO BEGIN THE EFFORTS CSR
HAS UNDERTAKEN TO OVERCOME
ISSUES OF BIAS.
CSR DEVELOPED THIS HELPFUL
WEBSITE.
SEE THE FACE OF THAT RIGHT HERE.
IT'S COMPREHENSIVE AND DESCRIBES
THE CHANGES I'M GOING MENTION IN
GREATER DETAIL.
IT'S FOCUSSED ON PORE FOUR MAIN
AREAS.
FIRST THEY FOCUSSED ON BIAS
AWARENESS AND MITIGATION
TRAINING AND DEVELOPED A
TRAINING THAT'S BEEN PROVIDED TO
ALL REVIEWERS SINCE AUGUST OF
LAST SUMMER AND THE TRAININGS
TARGETED TOWARDS THE MOST COMMON
BIASES IN PEER REVIEW AND
INTERACTIVE AND IT'S MEANT TO BE
HIGHLY TRANSLATABLE.
SECOND, CSR HAS LAUNCHED A
RECORDING AVENUE THAT ALLOWS
INVESTIGATORS AND STAFF TO
REPORT ISSUES AND CONCERNS
RELATED TO PEER REVIEW.
RELATED TO RESPECTFUL
INTERACTION WITHIN PEER REVIEW
AND BIAS OR ANYTHING ELSE THEY
MIGHT HAVE HEARD IN A PEER
REVIEW THAT MAY AFFECT THE
FAIRNESS OF THE PEER REVIEW
PROCESS.
THIRD, CSR IS BROADENING THEIR
REVIEWER POOL.
HERE THEIR EFFORTS HAVE FOCUSSED
ON ENHANCING DIVERSITY IN STUDY
SECTIONS AND SPECIAL EMPHASIS
PANELS THEY'VE DEVELOPED AN
EARLY CAREER PROGRAM TO TRAIN
MORE JUNIOR FACULTY TO BECOME
REVIEWSER IN DIVERSIFIED PANELS
AND DEVELOPING TOOLS TO ASSIST
THE SCIENTIFIC REVIEW OFFICERS
IN FINDING A NEW AND MORE VARIED
SET OF QUALIFIED REVIEWERS.
FINALLY, CSR IS EVALUATING
SEVERAL BLINDED REVIEW PROCESSES
AND THEY'RE IN VARIOUS STAGES OF
EVALUATION AND WE HOPE TO HEAR
MORE ABOUT SOME OF THOSE SOON.
AND WHILE CSR REVIEWS THE
MAJORITY OF NIMH GRANT
APPLICATION WE ALSO HAVE
SPECIFIC STUDY SECTIONS AND
SPECIAL EMPHASIS PANELS.
WE'RE WORKING ON THESE SIMILAR
ISSUES AND WHERE POSSIBLE
APPLYING THE CSR TOOLS I JUST
DESCRIBED TO YOU.
AND IN PLACES WHERE IT'S NOT
POSSIBLE WE'RE ENHANCING OUR OWN
STRATEGIES FOCUSSING ON
DIVERSIFYING OUR PANELS AS WELL
AS ADDRESS BIAS IN TRAINING.
AN REVIEW SIS A TWO-STAGE PROCESS
THE STUDY SECTION AND THE SECOND
LEVEL WHICH TAKE PLAYS OF THE
NIMH AND MANHC.
WHAT WE'VE DONE TO ADDRESS
ISSUES IN THE SECOND STEP OF
REVIEW, WE COMMUNICATED TO THE
PUBLIC AND SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY
THROUGH OUR FY22 FUNDING
STRATEGY THAT ENSURING DIVERSE
PERSPECTIVES ARE REPRESENTED IS
ACTUALLY PART OF OUR SELECTION
OF APPLICATIONS AND FUNDING.
WE'VE BEEN MONITORING OUR REACH
DECISION TO MAKE SURE WE'VE MADE
THEM IN AN EQUITABLE WAY.
THIRD, WE'VE BEEN PROVIDING
FEEDBACK ON RACE AND ETHNICITY
TO KEEP OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE
AND CAREER OUR EYES ON THE
GOALS.
AND LASTLY, MANY HAVE BEEN ON
COUNCIL NOW FOR A COUPLE YEARS
WILL REMEMBER WE HAVE ENHANCED
OUR SPECIAL COUNCIL REVIEW
POLICY TO ENSURE BETTER
DISTRIBUTION OF OUR FUNDING
DOLLARS TO A BROADER POOL OF
APPLICANTS.
I KNOW JOSH SHOWED THE SLIDE
EARLIER BUT AS PART OF OUR
TRACKING, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
OUR MEASURES ARE HAVING IMPACT
AND THE SLIDE SUGGESTS MAYBE
SOME OF THE CHANGES ARE HELPING
US TO CLOSE THE AWARD RATES GAP
AT LEAST FOR BLACK APPLICANTS AT
THIS POINT.
SO I'M GOING TO THE MOVE THEME
IN EQUITY AND ACCESS.
AND THERE'S MANY WAYS WE'VE
TRIED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
THROUGH TRAINING WE'RE SUPPORT
SUITE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
FOR INDIVIDUALS AND
INSTITUTIONAL FUNDING AWARDS
THAT COVER THE FULL TRAINING
SPECTRUM.
WE ALSO SUPPORT THINGS LIKE
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND
DIVERSITY SUPPLEMENTS.
AND WHAT'S NEW IS NIMH HAS
JOINED THE SCIENCE EDUCATION
PARTNERSHIP AWARDS PROGRAM WHICH
MEANS WE FURTHER EXPANDED OUR
EFFORTS TO INCLUDE PRE-K THROUGH
12 S.T.E.M. EDUCATION IN OUR
PORTFOLIO.
WE HEARD ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT
EARLY TRAINING IS AND WE'VE
RE-INVIGORATED THAT AS OF PART
OF OUR PORTFOLIO.
IN MENTORING, WE RECENTLY POSTED
THE PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOP AND
WE'VE DONE SOME FORM OF THIS
OVER THE PAST TWO OR THREE YEARS
TRYING TO BRING TOGETHER OUR
DIVERSITY FELLOWS AND PROVIDING
A NET WORK FOR THEM TO WORK AND
WORK IN THE NEXT STAGE OF THE
GRANT FUNDING CAREER.
SECOND, WE STARTED -- THIS IS AN
NIH WIDE PROGRAM.
THE 21st CENTURIES SCHOLAR
PROGRAM.
THIS IS AN NIH MENTORING
PROGRAM.
THE EFFORT FOCUSES ON MENTORING
NIH SCIENTIFIC STAFF BUT WITH
THE GOAL OF TRYING TO ENHANCE
THE DIVERSITY OF PROGRAM AND
SCIENTIFIC REVIEW OFFICERS.
IN TERMS OF ENHANCING WORKFORCE
DIVERSITY, NIH HAS SIGNIFICANTLY
EXPANDED ITS INVESTMENT IN THIS
AREA AND THE EMPHASIS HAS
SHIFTED FROM FOCUSSING ON THE
INDIVIDUAL TO TARGETING MORE
SYSTEMATIC CHANGE THROUGH
INSTITUTIONAL TRANSFORMATION.
SO MANY OF YOU MAY RECOGNIZE THE
FIRST PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN AROUND
FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR NOW.
THIS PROGRAM PROMOTES
INSTITUTIONAL EXCELLENCE THROUGH
THE HIRING AND SUPPORT OF A
DIVERSE COHORT OF NEW FACULTY
AND INSTITUTIONS.
ALSO, THE BRAIN INITIATIVE AND
MANY OTHER INSTITUTIONS
INCLUDING NIMH NOW REQUIRE PLANS
FOR ENHANCING DIVERSE
PERSPECTIVES IN RESPONSE TO
CERTAIN FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES.
AND THEY'RE PART OF THE REVIEW
PROCESS.
THERE'S A NEW UPCOMING PROGRAM
FOCUSSED ON PROVIDING GRANTS TO
INSTITUTIONS TO SUPPORT
INSTITUTIONAL CLIMATE ASSESSMENT
AND DEVELOPMENT OF ACTION PLANS
FOR CULTURE CHANGE.
FINALLY, WE'RE LOOKING TOWARDS A
NEW PRIZE COMPETITION TO REWARD
AND PROMOTE INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE
AT ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS.
WE WE CONTINUE TO ENHANCE
DIVERSITY AT THE INDIVIDUAL
LEVEL SO FOR EXAMPLE RECENTLY
NIMH WITH A COUPLE OTHER
INSTITUTES HAVE RELEASED A
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR RO1s
FOCUSSED ON NEW INVESTIGATORS
AND AT-RISK INVESTIGATORS FROM
DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS.
AND FOR TRYING TO EXPAND
OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAPACITY
BUILDING THERE'S BEEN SPECIAL
EMPHASIS ON MINORITY-SERVING
INSTITUTION.
TWO UPCOMING PROGRAMS ARE ONE
WILL PROVIDE SUPPORT TO ASSESS
NEEDS AND DEVELOP PLANS FOR
ENHANCING RESEARCH AND TRAINING
CAPACITIES.
AND ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY WILL BE
SUPPORT THE PURCHASE OF
EQUIPMENT FOR INSTITUTIONS WITH
LIMITED RESOURCES.
I COVERED A LOT OF AT A HIGH
LEVEL BUT HAPPY TO COME BACK AND
TALK IN MORE DETAIL.
NEXT IS THE MINORITY TAX.
THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO TWO NEW
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAVE
FOCUSSED EXPLICITLY ON TRYING TO
THE MINORITY TAX.
THE FIRST PROVIDES FUNDS TO
OUTSTANDING MENTORS WHO HAVE
DEMONSTRATED COMMITMENT TO
ENHANCING DEI.
THIS IS THROUGH THE
ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPLEMENT
MECHANISM AND YOU MUST HAVE AN
EXISTING GRANT IN ORDER TO GET
THE AWARD.
THERE'S A SECOND UPCOMING IS A
NEW PROGRAM AND THIS WILL FOCUS
ON NEW FIVE-YEAR GRANTS FOR
P.I.s WHO HAVE DEMONSTRATED
EXCELLENCE IN DEI.
SO THESE ARE MEANT TO SUPPORT
BOTH RESEARCH AND THE DEI
EFFORTS OF THESE GRANT
APPLICANTS.
AND THE ISSUE OF A DISCONNECT
BETWEEN NIMH RESEARCH PRIORITIES
AND THE INTEREST OF MANY
SCIENTISTS FROM RACIAL AND ONLY
NICK GROUPS.
WE HEARD YOU AND RECOMMITTED TO
SUPPORTING RESEARCH AND MENTAL
HEALTH DISPARITY.
AND WE DID CONDUCT WORKSHOPS ON
MENTAL HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH
DISPARITIES AN SOUGHT INPUT FROM
THE BROADER COMMUNITY AND FROM
THESE EFFORT WERE ABLE TO
DEVELOP A SET OF RESEARCH
PRIORITIES THAT FOCUS ON
COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH,
MECHANISTIC BASED APPROACHES TO
UNDERSTANDING FACTORS
CONTRIBUTING TO DISPARITIES AN
TARGETED INTERVENTIONS TO
MITIGATE THESE DISPARITY.
WE HAVE THEM POSTED ON OUR
WEBSITE FOR ALL TO SEE.
THE NEXT STEP WAS TO THINK ABOUT
EXPANDING OUR PORTFOLIO IN THIS
AREA.
TO DO SO, NIMH CREATED A
CROSS-DIVISION MENTAL HEALTH
DISPARITIES TEAM AND APPLYING
BASIC TO TRANSLATIONAL TO
INTERVENTION AND SERVICE
DELIVERY TO LEAD THE DEVELOPMENT
OF TARGETED FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES IN THESE AREAS.
WE ALSO ADDED LANGUAGE ON MENTAL
HEALTH DISPARITIES RESEARCH TO
OUR STRATEGIC PLAN TO MAKE SURE
THESE PRIORITIES WERE CLEARLY A
COMPONENT OF OUR LONG-TERM
STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A
HALF OR SO WE DEVELOPED MORE
THAN 30 FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES OF
SOME FORM.
SOME OF THESE AS YOU CAN SEE ON
THE SLIGHT WERE NIMH SPONSORED
OPPORTUNITIES AND OTHERS WERE
DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER
INSTITUTES OR AT THE NIH LEVEL.
THIS IS ONE OF THE NIH WIDE
INITIATIVES WHERE NIH IS A LEAD
AND THIS EFFORT IS MEANT TO
ADDRESS THE STRUCTURAL FACTORS
THAT IMPACT MULTIPLE DIMENSIONS
OF HEALTH AND HEALTH
DISPARITIES.
THE GOALS OF COMPASS ARE TO
DEVELOP SHARE AND EVALUATE
COMMUNITY-BRAVEN STRUCTURAL
HEALTH EQUITY INTERVENTIONS AND
DEVELOP A NEW MODEL FOR GUIDING
THESE EFFORTS.
YOU'LL SEE ON THE SLIDE SOME
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ARE COMING
SOON.
THEY CAME OUT JUST LAST WEEK AND
WE CAN NOW UPDATE THE SLIDES TO
REFLECT THAT.
IN ADDITION TO DEFINING AND
EXPANDING OUR PORTFOLIO, WE ARE
TRYING TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC IN
THE PROCESS BY HIGHLIGHTING
SCIENCE AND MINORITY MENTAL
HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH
DISPARITIES RESEARCH AND
RECOGNIZING LEADERS IN THESE
FIELD.
JOSH ALREADY MENTIONED THE JAMES
JACKSON MEMORIAL AWARD WINNER
FROM THIS YEAR.
WE STARTED THAT AWARD TWO YEARS
AGO IN 2021 TO BEGIN TO
ACKNOWLEDGE EXCEPTIONAL
SCIENTISTS AND MENTORS IN THESE
AREAS AND ALSO ODWD HAS NOW FOR
THREE YEARS HOSTED A SERIES OF
WEBINARS FOCUSSED ON MINORITY
MENTAL HEALTH AND HEALTH
DISPARITIES RESEARCH AND
THERE'LL BE A NEW ONE TAKING
PLACE OCTOBER 22 SO HAVE A LOOK
OUT FOR THAT.
IN SUMMARY I PRESENTED A BROAD
IDEA OF WHAT WE'VE BEGUN TO DO
AT THE NIH AND NIMH LEVEL BUT WE
RECOGNIZE WE'VE MADE PROGRESS
BUT THERE'S STILL MORE TO DO AND
IN THE TRADITIONAL PHRASE IT'S A
MARATHON AND IN THE A SPRINT.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE
EFFECTS OF EXISTING PROGRAMS BUT
LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES TO ENHANCE
WORKFORCE DIVERSITY MOVING
FORWARD.
AND THIS WORK WOULD NOT HAVE
BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT COUNTLESS
CONTRIBUTIONS.
THANK YOU TO THE NIMH STAFF WHO
DESIGNED AND LED THESE LISTENING
SESSIONS AND LAUREN HILL WHO LED
THE EFFORT AND OTHERS.
AND TO THE PARTICIPANTS WHO
GENEROUSLY GAVE.
-- GAVE THEIR TIME, WISDOM AND
EXPERIENCES AND ALL WHO
CONTRIBUTES TOO THE EFFORTS I
BRIEFLY SUMMARIZED FOR YOU
TODAY.
AND THIS IS LEADING TO THE
MISSION OF BETTER PLEN MENTAL
HEALTH FOR ALL.
>> THANK YOU, SHELLI AND LAUREN.
ARE THERE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL?
ON REGARD TO REPORTS AND OUR
RESPONSE.
>> I'M MARJORIE BALDWIN AND I'M
AN ECONOMIST WITH THE SCHOOL OF
BUSINESS AT ARIZONA STATE
UNIVERSITY.
I WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT
YOUR MENTION OF THE MINORITY
TAX.
WHEN I TOOK MY FIRST FACULTY
POSITION AS AN ECONOMIST I WAS
THE ONLY FEMALE IN THE
DEPARTMENT AND THERE WAS
DEFINITELY A GENDER TAX IN
REGARDS TO THE SERVICE
EXPECTATIONS FOR ME.
I WAS INVITED TO SERVE ON MANY
COMMITTEES AT THE COLLEGE AND
UNIVERSITY LEVELS THAT THOSE
INVITATIONS WERE NOT EXTENDED TO
MY MALE COLLEAGUES.
FORTUNATELY, I HAD AN EXCELLENT
CHAIR AND WOULD GO TO HIM AND
SAY SHOULD I DO THIS AND
ENCOURAGED ME TO SAY NO WHEN IT
WAS APPROPRIATE AND SAYING YES,
THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR
VISIBILITY AND WON'T TAKE TOO
MUCH OF YOUR TIME.
IN ADDITION TO MENTORING AND
RESEARCH, MINORITIES NEED
MENTORS AT THEIR DEPARTMENT
LEVEL AND I'M GUESSING THIS
SOMETHING THEY DON'T HAVE.
AND I WANTED TO MAKE THAT
COMMENT AND HOPE YOUR EFFORTS
ARE EXTENDING IN THAT DIRECTION
AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I'M A PROFESSOR AND CHAIR OF
PSYCHOLOGY AT HARVARD AND MEMBER
OF COUNCIL, I'M MATTHEW NOCK.
JOSH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR
TRANSPARENCY AND SHARING THE
INFORMATION YOU SHARED AND TO
YOUR TEAM FOR SHIFTING THE CURVE
TOWARDS EQUITY AND FAIRNESS AND
FUNDING.
BIG THANKS TO DR. HILL AND
PARTICIPANTS FOR PRESENTING THIS
VALUABLE, IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
I WAS TAKING NOTES ON IDEAS OF
THE THINGS THAT NIMH COULD DO TO
ADDRESS THESE THINGS AND SHELLI
I THINK NAILED ALL OF THEM I HAD
WRITTEN DOWN.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE NIMH MOVING
THIS DIRECTION.
MY BIGGEST REQUEST I HOPE THE
INITIATIVES AND CHANGES BECOME
CRYSTALLIZED AS PART OF NIMH AND
NOT BRIEFLY BUT PART OF A
LONG-TERM STRUCTURE FOR NIMH.
THANK YOU.
>> THANKS, MATT.
DO YOU HAVE RESPONSES TO SO
EITHER THE FIRST TWO.
JOSEPH.
>> I'M JOSEPH TELFAIR MEMBER OF
COUNCIL.
FIRST, I WANT TO APPLAUD
EVERYONE ON THE WORK ON THIS.
IN DEALING WITH NIH IN THE EARLY
DAYS AND THE IRONY OF SIGNATURE
HERE WITH THE EXPERIENCE I HAD
EARLY ON, IS APPRECIATION OR
IRONY BUT ANYWAY, ONE OF THE
THINGS I SAW IS MY CONCERN AND
AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN
RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE EFFORTS IS
THAT THAT YOU CAN OVERWHELM THE
SYSTEM WITH TRYING TO DO GOOD
WORK.
MY CONCERN IS THAT UNLESS
THERE'S A MECHANISM TO TRACK,
MONITOR AND ASSESS THE OUTCOMES
RELATED TO THIS EFFORT IS JUST
EFFORT AND SOME WILL HIT AND
SOME WON'T.
MY FIRST COMMENT IS I HOPE BUILT
INTO EACH ONE OF THESE EFFORTS
IS THE MEANS TO EVALUATE AN
MONITOR THE IMPACT AND EFFICACY
OF THE WORK ITSELF.
THAT'S MY FIRST THING.
THE SECOND IS SOMETIMES THE
SIMPLEST APPROACH IN DEALING
WITH THESE ISSUES AND I CAN
SPEAK FROM LIVED EXPERIENCE IS
THE MOST EFFECTIVE.
WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT ONE
OF THE WAYS THAT WORKED REALLY
WELL NO MATTER HOW YOU DEFINE
DIVERSITY, WHICH I APPRECIATE MY
COLLEAGUES DR. ABEL BRINGS UP ON
A REGULAR BASIS, IS DIVERSITY.
AND IN ALL THE WORKS AND IT'S
STILL A TRADITIONAL APPROACH THE
WAY YOU'RE DOING THIS.
ONE THING I WANTED TO SUGGEST IS
YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE FACT
YOU SPOKE TO THESE INDIVIDUALS
AND OUTSTANDING PERSONS AND
ASKED THEM TO CATALOG WHAT HAS
WORKED FOR THEM GIVEN THEIR
CHALLENGES AT ALL LEVELS AND
WHAT HAS NOT.
MAKE THAT CATALOG IN SUCH A WAY
YOU'RE ABLE TO BRING THIS WISDOM
AND USE THE WISDOM SO THEY CAN
PASS THIS ON AND APPLY THIS.
IN OTHER WORDS, IF SOMEONE
KNOWS OF SOMEONE THAT'S BEEN
THROUGH THIS TYPE OF EXPERIENCE
AND LOG IT TO SHARE WITH OTHERS
TO USE IT AT A TIME THEY NEED IT
TO MOVE FORWARD IS A STRONG
SUGGESTION I HAVE AND DOING THIS
BECAUSE MANY OF US WHO HAVE BEEN
THROUGH THESE LIVED EXPERIENCES
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SURVIVE THESE
LIVED EXPERIENCES AND TO PASS
THE LIVED EXPERIENCE ON IN
MENTORING AND OTHER MEANS.
I WANTED TO LEAVE IT AT THAT AND
AGAIN I'M TRULY APPRECIATIVE YOU
AND YOUR COLLEAGUES HAVE
UNDERTAKEN THIS AND THE NIH HAS
STARTED TO SAYING THIS
SIGNIFICANTLY SERIOUS ISSUE AND
MOVING FORWARD.
THANK YOU.
>> THIS GOES TO MATT AND
JOSEPH'S POINTS THAT THESE ARE
MEANT TO BE LONG-TERM
COMMITMENTS.
THAT'S AT AN NIMH AND NIH LEVEL.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE WORKING
THROUGH IS HOW TO INTEGRATE THE
VARIOUS NIH EFFORTS WITH OUR OWN
EFFORTS AND THEN TO SET UP HOW
TO BEST EVALUATE THEM SO WE HEAR
YOU AND COMPLETELY AGREE WITH
THE NOTION OF EVALUATING WHAT
WORKS, MAYBE GETTING RID OF THE
THINGS THAT DON'T WORK AND BE
MORE SYSTEMATIC AND WE'RE TRYING
TO GET THERE.
>> SOMETHING I HEAR FROM
COLLEAGUES IS NIMH STAFF SO THEY
WERE BASICALLY NOT INTERESTED IN
THE PROPOSAL WHICH HAPPENS.
NIMH COULD NOT BE INTERESTED IN
EVERYTHING.
IN REGARD TO THIS PRESENTATION
IF YOU HAVE A LIST, SOME WAY TO
GET A LIST OF THE SORTS OF
THINGS NIMH FELT WAS QUOTE,
UNQUOTE, NOT INTERESTED IN THEY
FELT THEY MIGHT LEGITIMATELY BE
IN THEIR WHEELHOUSE.
>> LAUREN, I THINK YOU HAVE A
SENSE OF THE KINDS OF THINGS THE
INVESTIGATORS AT DIFFERENT
LEVELS WERE EXPERIENCING.
>> WE COMMUNICATE BROADLY.
>> I THINK MAYBE WHAT BRIAN WAS
ASKING WAS WHAT ARE THE
TOPICS --
>> I MISUNDERSTOOD.
WE DIDN'T WRITE DOWN A LIST BUT
I CAN GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES AND
SOME OF THIS WAS HISTORICAL
PARTICULARLY WITH THE SENIOR
FOLKS.
SOME OF OF THEIR INTERACTIONS
WERE MORE HISTORICAL THAN
CURRENT.
WE HAVE A REPUTATION OF NOT
BEING INTERESTED IN MINORITY
MENTAL HEALTH, IN HEALTH DIS
DISPARITIES AND IN SOCIAL
DETERMINATES OF HEALTH AND
COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH AND
ADAPTATIONS OF EXISTING
TREATMENT FOR PARTICULAR GROUPS
OF FOLKS.
THESE TYPES OF THINGS WE HEAR
ROUTINELY FROM OUR COMMUNITY
MEMBERS THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED
IN.
SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE NO
LONGER TRUE.
WE ARE INTERESTED IN RESEARCH ON
SOCIAL DETERMINATES OF HEALTH,
FOR EXAMPLE.
>> I REMEMBER HEARING THE
METHODS, THE THEMES WE
COLLECTIVELY, MOST OF US ARE
INTERESTED IN ARE NOT THINGS
NIMH ARE INTERESTED IN AND WE'RE
NOT ON THE STUDY SECTIONS
HELPING MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.
ENHANCING DIVERSITY ON NIMH AND
STUDY SECTIONS WILL HELP MAKE
OUR SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS HELP
THEM BE BETTER PRIORITIZED.
THAT'S PART AND PARCEL WITH THE
MESSAGE.
>> THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PRESENTATION.
I WANTED TO MENTION SOMETHING WE
DID AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA
THIS PAST SUMMER THAT WAS
HELPFUL.
AND PART OF THE PROGRAM BY
WISCONSIN NAP WAS A CULTURALLY
AWARE CAREER MENTORING SHOP OUR
FACULTY DID.
IT WAS PART OF A NIH FUNDED
STUDY AND IT WAS A TREMENDOUS
EXPERIENCE FOR THE FACULTY THAT
PARTICIPATED.
I GOT A CHANCE TO THINK ABOUT
OUR OWN PERSPECTIVES ON
DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
AND LONGING WHICH IS THE WORD WE
DECIDED TO ADD TO THAT AT ALL
TIMES.
AND EVEN WRITING A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT OUR OWN EXPERIENCE WHICH
WAS HELPFUL.
I WANTED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW
ABOUT THAT.
IT'S NOT A WIDELY AVAILABLE
RESOURCE BUT VERY INTERESTING IN
THE CULTURE BOX WHERE WE BROUGHT
IN OBJECTS FROM OUR CULTURAL
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSED IT AND
THAT'S SOMETHING EVERYBODY CAN
DO AND WAS REALLY HELPFUL.
I WANTED TO CALL OUT THE PROGRAM
AT WISCONSIN WEDGE MENTORING AND
AWARE IT'S NOT TERRIFIC.
>> ONE OF THE INITIATIVES THE
UNITE GROUP IS PROPOSING IS TO
CREATE MORE OF THOSE SERVICES
AND PROGRAMS AND SUPPORT THEM
DIRECTLY THROUGH NIH.
LOOK FORWARD TO ANNOUNCEMENTS ON
THAT IN THE FALL.
>> THEN I HAD A PARTICULAR
QUESTION FOR LAUREN AND I THINK
IT'S RELATED A LITTLE BIT TO
BRAIN'S QUESTION.
-- BRYAN'S QUESTION, AND AT THEN
OF YOUR SLIDE WHEN YOU WERE
TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH
DISPARITIES AND YOU MENTIONED A
FOCUS ON DEFICIT VERSUS
RESILIENCE AND STRENGTH.
THAT RESONATED WITH ME.
WE HAVE A GROUP HERE IN
EDUCATION WORKING WITH
EXCEPTIONAL INDIVIDUALS GIFTED
AND TALENTED BUT ON THE AUTISM
SPECTRUM.
THAT RESONATED AND CAN YOU
EXPAND AND WHAT YOU MENTIONED IN
THAT RESPECT.
>> I'LL SAY A LITTLE BIT AND
THEN I'LL TURN IT OVER TO JOB.
-- JOSH.
I WANT IT SAY OUR MISSION IS
MENTAL ILLNESS SO WE NEED TO
STAY FOCUSSED ON THAT AND I'LL
PUNT IT BACK TO JOSH IF WE TRAY.
WE'RE ALSO INTERESTED IN RISK
AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS AROUND
MENTAL ILLNESS AND RESILIENCE IS
PART OF THAT AND DON'T KNOW IF
YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THAT.
>> WHAT I HEARD ABOUT THOSE
INTERESTED IN COMMUNITY-BASED
RESEARCH WERE INTERESTED IN
IDENTIFYING RESILIENCE FACTORS.
SOME RELEVANT FOR MENTAL ILLNESS
AND SOME GENERAL RESILIENCE
FACTORS AND WERE FRUSTRATED
HISTORICALLY WE ARE PERCEIVED
AND PERHAPS IT'S A TRUE THING
THAT WE HAVEN'T SUPPORTED THOSE
KINDS OF STUDIES.
IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO
ARTICULATE PRIORITIES IN THE
AREAS.
WE'RE INTERESTED IN RESILIENCE
FACTORS EITHER THE INDIVIDUAL OR
COMMUNITY-BASED RESILIENCE
FACTORS AND HOW THEY COULD
CONTRIBUTE TO REDUCING THE
BURDEN OF MENTAL ILLNESS.
FINDING WAYS TO ARTICULATE THAT
CLEARLY IS SOMETHING WE'RE DOING
OUR BEST TO DO.
>> I WANTED TO ADD THE RISK
GIVEN THE HISTORY OF STRUCTURAL
RACISM OF PATHOLOGIZING PEOPLE
OF COLOR SO THERE'S A CONCERN OF
MISUSING DATA OR MISINTERPRETING
DATA OR CATEGORIZING PEOPLE AS
PATHOLOGICAL WHICH SAY RELATED
PART OF THAT -- IS A RELATED
PART BUT NOT EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE
ASKING BUT THERE'S SOME CONCERN
THERE.
>> WE HAVE FIVE MORE PEOPLE WHO
WOULD LIKE TO MAKE QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS AND HAVE TO HAND OVER
THE TOPIC AT 2:30.
I'M GLAD WE STARTED A LITTLE BIT
EARLY BUT KEEP YOUR QUESTIONS
BRIEF AND RESPONSES BREACH AS
WELL OUT OF RESPECT FOR ALL FIVE
WHO WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE.
MARGHERITA.
>> I'M WITH A PROFESSOR AT THE
OREGON HEALTH SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
PARTLY STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL
OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
I'M HEARTENED TO SEE THESE
EFFORTS.
THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE
TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.
I RESONATED WITH MUCH OF WHAT I
HEARD AND I WANT TO THANK THE
FOLKS WHO PARTICIPATED FOR THE
REASONS YOU ALREADY ARTICULATED.
THEY WERE IN A VULNERABLE
POSITION THERE'S A POWER
DYNAMIC.
IT WAS BRAVE FOR THOSE FOLKS TO
PARTICIPATE AND BE SO CANDID.
I HAVE MANY COMMENTS BUT JOSH IS
MAKING ME ONLY TALK ABOUT ONE SO
THE ONE COMMENT I WILL TALK
ABOUT IS AROUND TRAINING
PROGRAMS AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE
YOU ALL TO LOOK AT HOW YOU CAN
IMPROVE CURRENT TRAINING
PROGRAMS THAT EXIST.
OUR T32s, R25s AND A COUPLE
THOUGHTS HOW TO IMPROVE THE
PROGRAM AND HOLDING THE PROGRAMS
ACCOUNTABLE TO THE INCLUSION OF
DIVERSE SCHOLARS.
EVERYONE HAS TO SAY WHAT THEY'RE
GOING TO DO TO INCLUDE DIVERSE
SCHOLARS IN THEIR TRAINING
PROGRAMS AND WE SHOULD HOLD THEM
ACCOUNTABLE.
IF THEY'RE NOT DOING IT, THEY
SHOULD HAVE A PLAN FOR EARLY ON
TO IMPROVE UP THAT AREA IF IN
THE FIRST OR SECOND YEAR AND
TURNING IN THE PROGRESS REPORT
AND HAVEN'T HIT THOSE NUMBERS.
PROGRAMS, T32s TO DEAL WITH THE
MINORITY TAX ALLOWING MENTORS IN
ORDER TO BE PAID FOR THE TIME
AND INVESTMENT FOR THEM TO
MENTOR STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS AND
EARLY CAREER FOLKS.
IT TAKES TIME.
ESPECIALLY FOR SENIOR FOLKS OF
COLOR.
THEY'RE OVERLY BURDENED AND ONE
THING WE CAN DO IS TO COMPENSATE
THEM FOR THE TIME AND THE WORK
THEY'RE DOING I THINK WE NEED TO
RECOGNIZE, YOU POINTED OUT THE
HOLISTIC APPROACHES WE NEED AND
OFTEN TIMES A LOT OF OUR
TRAINING PROGRAMS FOCUS ON EASY
THINGS LIKE HOLDING WEBINARS OR
VIRTUAL MENTORS AND INVESTING
THE FUNDING AND RESOURCE FOR
WHAT IT TAKES HELP FOLKS TO BE
SUCCESSFUL WITH SOMETHING.
I THINK WE SHOULD ALL BE
THINKING ABOUT IT AN ENCOURAGE
YOU ALL TO CONSIDER.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
VELMA.
>> I'M VELMA MURRAY AN ASSOCIATE
PROVOST AND UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR
AT VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY IN
DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH POLICY AND
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY AND
DELIGHTED TO BE HERE TO BE PART
OF THIS GROUP AND COMMEND THE
COMMITTEE FOR THE WAY YOU SHARED
VARIOUS WAYS YOU COLLECTED DATA
FROM INDIVIDUALS ABOUT THIS
TOPIC AND AS MARGHERITA SAID
THE NARRATIVE ABOUT THE RESEARCH
AND THE WAY IT'S ACCEPTED.
THE ONE THING I WANT TO MENTION
IS HAVING A DELIVERABLE SOON
BECAUSE AFTER HAVING RECEIVED
THIS INFORMATION IT BEARS NO
EVIDENCE OF SOME KIND OF RESULTS
HAPPENING AS A CONSEQUENCE OF
THIS SHARING YOU'VE LOST THE
TRUST.
WHALE IT IS VERY COMPLEX, WHAT
ARE THERE LOW-LYING AREAS OR
FRUIT WHERE THERE CAN BE AN
IMMEDIATE OR SOON EVIDENCE OF
CHANGES MADE.
AND AND NIH FUNDED A TRAINING
GRANT WE HAD WE ENDED UP
TRAINING 100 AFRICAN AMERICAN
SCHOLARS IN MENTAL HEALTH.
IT WAS CALLED THE AFRICAN
AMERICAN MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH
CONSORTIUM.
IT WAS AN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL
TRAINING GRANTS WHERE THESE
SCHOLARS WERE ABLE TO BE MATCHED
WITH SEEING THEIR MENTORS AND IN
18 MONTHS HAD A GRANT
APPLICATION SUBMITTED TO NIMH.
THERE A SHIFT AT NIMH AND IT WAS
PROPOSED AS SPECIFIC TARGETED
POPULATION AND DOING DISPARITY
TRAINING GRANTS.
WE LOST FUNDING FOR THIS GRANT.
IT WAS A SEARCH FOR APPLICATIONS
AND PREPARING YOUNG SCHOLARS AS
WELL AS MID SCHOLARS FOR
SUCCESSFUL GRANTSMANSHIP, THINK
WITH THE MODELS AND HOW DO YOU
RESURRECT THEM IN ORDER TO
LEVERAGE THAT BECAUSE THESE
SCHOLARS ARE STILL AROUND AND
STILL TALK ABOUT IT AND ARE
STILL CONNECTED, THESE 100
SCHOLARS ARE STILL CONNECTED
WITH EACH OTHER.
ONE, DO SOMETHING QUICKLY OR
YOU'LL LOSE TRUST AND THINK OF
MODELS YOU USED BEFORE AND HOW
DO YOU RESURRECT THEM BECAUSE
THEY WERE SUCCESSFUL.
>> I WANT TO GIVE OUR THREE
REMAINING COUNCIL MEMBERS AN
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE COMMENTS AND
QUESTIONS FIRST.
>> I WANT TO STATE WHAT A
REVOLUTIONARY IMPACT THIS HAS
THE POTENTIAL TO BE.
WHERE NIMH GOES SO WILL GO THE
DEANS AND CHAIRS.
AS SOON AS YOU PUT MONEY BEHIND
EXPANDED FUNDING PROGRAMS AND
TRAINING AND DOLLARS, NIMH
DOLLARS BEHIND A NEW BODY OF
WORK AND IT WILL SHIFT MANY
ASPECTS OF WHAT HAS BEEN A
DOMINANT VALUE SYSTEM AS
DESCRIBED TO US.
IT'S FANTASTIC.
WE SHOULD BE SEEING THE TRUTS OF
THIS.
SOME WON'T BE VERY FAST IN THE
NEXT YEAR BUT I WOULD BET OVER
THE NEXT FIVE TO SEVEN YEARS IT
WILL HAVE QUITE A
TRANSFORMATIONAL IMPACT.
>>
>> I WONDER IF THERE'S A WAY TO
MERGE QUESTIONS AROUND
EVALUATION WITH IT SOUNDS LIKE
HAVE YOU A VERY ENGAGED GROUP
AND FOR THE SENIOR FACULTY IT
SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S DECADES LONG
OF FULFILLMENT IN PROVIDING
FEEDBACK TO NIMH ABOUT THE WORK.
HOW WILL YOU KEEP THE EXPERT
GROUPS ENGAGED ENGAGED AND NOT
JUST HAVING LISTENING SESSIONS
BUT ALLOW THEM THE OPPORTUNITY
TO EVALUATE AND GIVE ONGOING
FEEDBACK TO THE WORK GOING
FORWARD WHICH I THINK IS
CRITICAL TO HELP ADDRESS ONE OF
THE POINTS OF CYNICISM IN TERMS
OF THE INCREASED FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES AND PEOPLE MAY BE
UTILIZED IN THEIR EXPERIENCE AND
BACKGROUND AND TO THE SCHOLARS
BEING AWARDED.
>> GOOD POINT.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE INITIATIVES
AND FOR THE LEADERSHIP AND
WONDERFUL WORK.
I HAVE ONE SPECIFIC
RECOMMENDATION.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE SOCIAL
DETERMINATES ARE BECOMING
SOMETHING NIMH IS INTERESTED IN
AND VALUES SCIENCE AROUND THIS
AREA INCLUDING RACISM AS A
FUNDAMENTAL CAUSE OF DISPARITY.
I WONDER IF YOU CAN GO A STEP
FURTHER AND CLARIFYING THERE'S A
PORTFOLIO FOR THIS WORK WHERE
THE PORTFOLIO SITS AND STAFF TO
WHOM THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY
CAN GO TO AND DISCUSS IDEAS WITH
SO THIS CAN GROW AND BE A SOLID
PART OF WHAT NIMH DOES.
AND I WANT TO ADD THE GLOBAL
PORTFOLIO CAN HELP UNDERSTAND
HOW THE SOCIAL EXPOSURES AND
INTERVENTIONS FOR WHOM THEY WORK
AND HOW THEY WORK AND
UNDERSTANDING MECHANISMS IN
DIFFERENT CONTEXTS.
CONGRATULATIONS BUT IT WOULD BE
GREAT TO LET US KNOW WHERE DOES
THAT ALL SIT AND WHO DO WE GO
TO?
>> THANK YOU VERCH VERY MUCH.
THE CHALLENGE IS WELL HEARD AND
THE CHARGE I'VE GIVEN TO
CHRISTINA BORBA TO REVISE THE
STRATEGIC PLAN AND MAKE SURE WE
HAVE A STAFF WELL EQUIPPED TO
RESPOND TO THE QUESTIONS.
AND LET ME ADD ONE MORE THING IN
ANSWER TO WHAT YOU HEARD AND WE
HEARD ABOUT SHORT TERM GAINS AND
BEING TRANSPARENT ABOUT WHAT
WE'RE DOING.
THIS IS THE FIRST YOU'VE HEARD
THAT'S IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO
THESE LISTENING SESSIONS IN WHAT
WE'RE DOING AND THE THEMES
IDENTIFIED IN THE LISTENING
SESSION.
THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE
COUNCIL KNOW THE DATA I SHARED
IS OUTGROWTH OF WHAT IS
HAPPENING AND HOLD ME
ACCOUNTABLE OF WHAT WE HOPE IS
WORKING ISN'T WORKING.
I APPRECIATE ALL THE FEEDBACK
AND OUR STAFF AVIDLY.
WE'LL NOW TRANSITION TO THE NEXT
PHASE OF OUR MEETING WHICH IS TO
HEAR CONCEPT CLEARANCES ON THREE
PROGRAMS WE PLAN TO LAUNCH IN
THE COMING YEARS.
AS USUAL THESE CLEARANCES ARE
FOR PROGRAMS WE PLAN TO CREATE
BUT THE PURPOSE OF THE CONCEPT
CLEARANCE FOR NIMH STAFF AND
LEADERSHIP TO RECEIVE EARLY
FEEDBACK ON THE FUTURE RESEARCH
DIRECTIONS INCLUDING SUGGESTIONS
TO FURTHER SHAPE THEM AS
INITIATIVES.
A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE
CONCEPTS WAS INCLUDED IN THE ASR
WITH YOUR FEEDBACK WE HOPE TO
MOVE ON THESE AND WHAT EMERGES
FROM THE CONCEPT CLEARANCES IS
NOT YET SET AND DEPENDS UPON
SUFFICIENT FUNDS BEING AVAILABLE
TO DEVOTE TO THESE RESOURCES.
ONCE THEY'VE BEEN PRESENTED
PUBLICLY AT COUNCIL, THE
CONCEPTS ARE POSTED AT THE NIMH
WEBSITE AND AVAILABLE FOR
FURTHER COMMENT FROM THE GENERAL
PUBLIC WE ASSIGNED TWO COUNCIL
MEMBERS TO EACH CONCEPT THOUGH
WE WELCOME FEEDBACK FROM ALL OF
YOU.
THE FIRST CONCEPT IS GOING TO BE
PRESENTED BY LORI SCOTT-SHELDON
IN THE DIVISION OF AIDS RESEARCH
INTEGRATING DATA AND
PLEMENTATION SCIENCE TO
ACCELERATE HIV PREVENTION
TREATMENT AND CARE.
>> GOOD MORNING AND GOOD
AFTERNOON.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING THE
PRESENTATION ON INTEGRATING DATA
IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE TO
ACCELERATE HIV PREVENTION,
TREATMENT AND CARE.
THE OVERARCHING GOAL IS TO
ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATORY DATA
SCIENCE AND IMPLEMENTATION
SCIENCE RESEARCH TO ACCELERATE
HIV PREVENTION, TREATMENT AND
CARE.
WITH NEW HIV INFECTIONS AROUND
35,000 PER YEAR IN THE U.S. AND
ABOUT 1.5 MILLION INFECTED
GLOBALLY, ATTORNEY GENERAL TO
ADDRESS HIV ARE URGENTLY NEEDED
TO PREVENT INFECTION.
THE ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC
INITIATIVE AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE
SCREEN CALLS FOR INCREASED USE
OF DATA TO RESPOND QUICKLY TO
POTENTIAL OUTBREAKS AND TO GUIDE
DECISION MAKING TO ADDRESS LOCAL
HIV PREVENTION, CARE AND
TREATMENT NEEDS.
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES ARE
ALSO NEEDED TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS
AS WELL AS GLOBAL TARGETS LAID
OUT BY THE U.N. AIDS TO OPTIMIZE
EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS BUT
QUESTIONS REMAINING BUT
QUESTIONS REMAINING HOW THEY CAN
BE IMPLEMENTED WITH THE FACTORS
DOMESTICALLY AND GLOBALLY.
THE EMERGENCE OF LARGE-SCALE
DATA SOURCES AND COMPUTING AND
MODERN ANALYTIC TECHNOLOGIES
PROVIDES A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY WE
DIDN'T HAVE IN THE PAST.
TO ADVANCE HIV RESEARCH BY
FORECASTING AND ANTICIPATED
BENEFITS AND COST OF
EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS
PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTATION.
UNDERSTANDING THE COMPLEX SOCIO
ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT IN WHICH
PRIORITY POPULATIONS LIVE, WORK
AND INTERACT IS ESSENTIAL.
OPTIMIZING DATA-DRIVEN
DISCOVERIES BY ENGAGING
STAKEHOLDERS AND USING
IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE METHODS
IS ALSO CRITICAL FOR DELIVERING
PRECISION PUBLIC HEALTH THAT
WILL HAVE A MEANINGFUL AND
SUSTAIN IMPACT ON THE HIV
EPIDEMIC.
WHILE CONVENTIONAL AND DATA
SCIENCE APPROACH EXPLORE
ATTORNEY GENERALS FOR IMPROVING
THE UPTAKE OF HIV INTERVENTIONS,
ALBEIT USING DIFFERENT
METHODOLOGY.
DATA AND IMPLEMENTATION SCIENCE
LIKE OTHER DISCIPLINES LARGELY
OPERATE IN SILOS HINDERING
DISCOVERY.
WE BELIEVE COLLABORATIVE
TEAM-BASED RESEARCH CAN LEVERAGE
THE EXPERTISE OF BOTH DATA
SCIENTISTS AND IMPLEMENTATION
SCIENTISTS TO ACCELERATE THE
EFFORTS TO END THE HIV EPIDEMIC.
THE KEY QUESTION DRIVING THIS
CONCEPT IS CAN DATA SCIENCE
IMPROVE EFFECTIVENESS AND CAN
IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING AND
PREPARATION IMPROVE INTERVENTION
EFFICACY TO PREVENT OR TREAT
HIV?
THEREFORE OUR INITIATIVES SEEKS
TO CHALLENGE CONVENTIONAL DATA
AND I AM MRELATION SCIENCE
APPROACHES BY ENCOURAGING HIV
RESEARCH THAT USES DATA SCIENCE
APPROACHES TO MODEL COMPLEX
SYSTEMS INCLUDING THE SOCIAL AND
STRUCTURAL DETERMINATES OF
HEALTH, TO IDENTIFY MORE
TARGETED HIV PREVENTION AND
IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES, THAT
USES NOVEL MEASUREMENT
APPROACHES AND STATISTICAL
METHODS TO EVALUATE THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF DATA-DRIVEN
DISCOVERIES AND ENGAGEMENT OF
COMMUNITY AND PARTNERS AT EVERY
STAGE BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY WE'RE
CALLING FOR INVESTIGATORS TO
INTEGRATE TEAM SCIENCE AND
SYSTEM SCIENCE PRINCIPLES AND S
TO MORE CLEARLY IDENTIFY THE
PREVENTION, TREATMENT, DIAGNOSIS
AND RESPONSE REQUIRED FOR A MORE
TARGETED MEANINGFUL AND SUSTAIN
IMPACT ON THE HIV EPIDEMIC.
I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
TIME AND ATTENTION AND I LOOK
FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS AND
FEEDBACK.
>> WE ASKED DR. LIGHTFOOT AND
TELFAIR TO COMMENT ON THIS
PROPOSAL.
I HAVE A NOMINATION OF WHO WOULD
LIKE TO SPEAK FIRST?
>> I'LL CUT TO THE CHASE, I'M
VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE CONCEPT
AND THE IDEA OF LEVERAGING
SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT MADE IN
BOTH NUMEROUS STUDIES AS WELL AS
LEARNING FROM IMPLEMENTATION
SCIENCE IS PROMISING IN TERMS OF
TRYING TO ADDRESS HIV.
WE KNOW THERE'S COMPLEX MENTAL
HEALTH PROBLEMS THAT REQUIRE THE
APPROACH YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT
AND WHERE WE NEED TO BE
FOCUSSING ON.
I'M HEARTENED THE RECOGNITION OF
INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY AND
SOCIAL FACTOR INFLUENCE HIV
OUTCOMES AND DISPARITIES AND
THEY ALSO NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO
ACCOUNT AS WELL AS WHEN WE USE
CURRENT DATA AND BIG DATA.
I'M SUPPORTIVE AND APPRECIATE
THE NEED FOR ENGAGING COMMUNITY
MEMBERS SO THE IDEA OF A
TEAM-BASED APPROACH THAT'S
COLLABORATORY IS EXCELLENT.
I THINK WHAT WILL BE ONE OF THE
CHALLENGES YOU'LL WANT TO THINK
ABOUT IS WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO
HAVE COMMUNITY PARTNERS BEING
RESPECTED AND THEIR EXPERTISE
BEING VALUED AS PART OF THOSE
TEAMS.
I'M REFLECTING ON OUR EARLIER
PRESENTATION FROM DR. HILL WHERE
THERE'S THE SYSTEMATIC DEVALUING
OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE COMMUNITY
AND THE CHALLENGE IS HOW TO MAKE
THOSE TEAMS INCLUDE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS AND IT WILL PROBABLY
TAKE MORE THAN SAYING THERE
NEEDS TO BE COMMUNITY ONE PUT
AND YOU ARTICULATED THE REAL
NEED FROM PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS THE
OUTCOMES OF THE SCIENCE INCLUDE
THE COMMUNITY.
THINKING ABOUT PROPOSALS AND
WHAT THEY'LL NEED TO DEMONSTRATE
THAT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND
THAT MODEL DEVELOPMENT TESTING
AND EVALUATION AND THAT'S
HOPEFULLY NOT JUST HAVING
COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD THAT
MEETS QUARTERLY FOR CONSULTATION
SO YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY
AS YOU OUTLINED WHAT MAY BE
FUTURE CALLS TO INTEGRATE AND
SPELL OUT WHAT MAY BE HAVING A
SECTION TALKS ABOUT AND HOW ARE
YOU INTEGRATING COMMUNITY AS
PART OF THE TEAM.
I ALSO REALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE
IDEA OF EXPANDING DATA TOOLS AND
TECHNOLOGIES AND I THINK WE HAVE
TO KEEP IN MIND THAT DATA IS NOT
AS OBJECTIVE AS MUCH AS WE THINK
IT IS AND THE INVESTIGATES NEED
TO BE DONE AND IMPLEMENTED WITH
AN EQUITY LENS.
WE'VE HEARD HOW COMMUNITIES
OFTEN TIMES ARE PATHOLOGIZED AND
HAVE A MORE BALANCED VIEW AND
LOOKING AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE
SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT IN
TERMS OF OUR LOOKING AT THE DATA
AND OUR SOLUTIONS AND TOOLS
HAVING A HEALTH EQUITY LENS WILL
HELP DO THAT.
ALSO, I ENJOYED IN LOOKING FOR
SOLUTIONS AND BIG DATA TO LOOK
AT THE UPSTREAM FACTORS AND
LOOKING AT STRUCTURAL RACISM AND
ECONOMIC INEQUALITY, ACCESS TO
CARE.
I HOPE WHAT YOU'RE THINKING
ABOUT ALSO ACUS -- ALLOWS US TO
FORCE THE FIELD TO MEASURE THESE
THINGS AND HOW TO GET AT THOSE
TO GET AT THE DRIVERS OPPOSED TO
THE DATA FOR INDIVIDUAL FOCUS OF
IDENTIFYING.
THINKING ABOUT THAT WILL BE
IMPORTANT AND ALSO THINK OF
STRUCTURAL AND SOCIAL
DETERMINATES OF HEALTH.
ONE OF THE MOST RICH DATA SETS
ARE ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS
AND OFTEN TIMES WE HAVE A LOT OF
ROOM TO GROW IN INCLUDING THE
SOCIAL DETERMINATES IN
ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS.
AND DEVELOPING THE STRUCTURES BY
WHICH BIG DATA CAN BE USED AND
NOT JUST THE STUDIES THAT LOOK
AT DATA SETS THAT ARE LACKING
AND FUNDING THOSE AS WELL.
.
THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
OVER ALL THANK YOU FOR YOUR
EFFORTS IN THIS REGARD.
>> I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS AND
AGREE WITH MANY OF DR. LIGHTFOOT
DR. LIGHTFOOT'S COMMENTS.
I WILL NOT REPEAT THEM EXCEPT
FOR ONE THAT IS SLIGHTLY
DIFFERENT.
SO OVER ALL, I 100% AGREE.
IT'S A BRILLIANT CONCEPT AND
BRILLIANT EFFORT THAT NEEDS TO
GO FORWARD.
I FOUND SOME OF THE LANGUAGE A
BIT BROADLY STATED AND IF YOU
GAVE A FEW EXAMPLES TO PERSONS
IF YOU SAID THIS IS WHAT WE'RE
LOOKING FOR, THAT CAN BE EASILY
DONE IN YOUR RFA OR WHATEVER.
THAT'S ONE SUGGESTION.
AN OUTLINE OF APPROACHES AND
THERE'S CLEAR METHODOLOGY IN
TERMS OF HOW YOU ANALYZE DATA.
AND TO MAKE IT CLEAR YOU WANT TO
AVOID PREDICTIVE BIAS WHICH
HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO BIG DATA
ANALYSES AND YOU WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT YOU DO THE
CONFIRMATION OF WHAT YOU KNOW
AND FOCUS THE AREAS IN WHICH
THERE IS A REAL LACK AND IF
THERE HASN'T BEEN AREAS OF
CONFIRMATION THAT CAN BE
EXPLORED BECAUSE IT CAN BE
EASILY DONE IN AN APPLICATION
BECAUSE I WAS THINKING WHEN I
READ THIS, IF I WAS APPLYING FOR
THIS, COLLEAGUES WERE APPLYING
FOR THIS, HOW WOULD THEY FIRST
APPROACH THIS WITHOUT DIRECTION
AND ONE OF THE CLEAR THINGS
THEY'D PROBABLY DO IS FOCUS MORE
ON WHAT IS CALLED PATHOLIGIZING
RATHER THAN BEING EXPLORATORY.
I DO THINK THE OTHER THING TO
CONSIDER CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IS
BEYOND WHAT IS TO BE DONE AND
WHO WILL DO THIS.
WHO ARE THE ONES -- IF YOU THINK
ABOUT WHO IS WORKING WITH THIS
ONE AND I APPRECIATE THE
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PART AND
ORIENTATION PART HOWEVER, IT'S A
CHALLENGE TO SEE HOW SOME OF THE
AREAS WITH THE POPULATION OF
FOCUS AND IN THOSE AREAS DO YOU
HAVE INSTITUTIONS THAT CAN APPLY
EFFECTIVELY AND GET THIS.
I WOULD SAY MAKE SURE IN THE
REVIEW PROCESS THAT YOU TAKE
INTO ACCOUNT AREAS AND THERE ARE
MODELS THAT EXIST WHERE YOU HAVE
MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL APPROACHES
THAT IS BUILT INTO THE
APPLICATION THAT WILL REQUIRE
PULLING IN INSTITUTIONS WHERE
THEY PULL THESE IN AND THAT'S
THE THIRD PART AND THE LAST PART
IS THE PRACTICAL BIT WHICH IS
THE LIMITATIONS AND THE
LIMITATIONS AND IT CAN GO OFF
THE RAILS IN TERMS OF WHAT DATA
IS LOOKED AT OPPOSED TO USING
THE DATA ITSELF TO GUIDE
DECISION MAKING WHICH I THINK IS
WHAT YOU WANT TO DO PARTICULARLY
DEALING WITH SOCIAL AND
STRUCTURAL ISSUES AND THE OTHER
PRACTICAL BIT IS THE POTENTIAL
THAT WOULD BE GLOBAL
APPLICATIONS FOR THIS AND OTHER
AGENCIES INCLUDING GOVERNMENTAL
AGENCY HAVE EXISTING BIG DATA
SETS THAT ARE IN GLOBAL AREAS
AND DEAL A LOT WITH MENTAL
HEALTH ISSUES RELATED TO HIV
PARTICULARLY IN IN PERSONAL
THINGS LIKE TESTING UNITS LIKE
THAT TO BE USED.
THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
I REALLY LIKE THIS ONE.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
ARE THERE QUESTION OR COMMENTS
FROM OTHER MEMBERS OF COUNCIL?
WE'LL HOLD A VOTE ON EACH ONE OR
DO WE NOT VOTE ANY MORE?
>> NO MORE VOTING ON CONCEPTS.
>> I APPRECIATE THE APPRECIATE
THE SUGGESTIONS IN FORMULATING
THIS MOVING FORWARD.
THERE'S INDIVIDUALLY MEASURED
PHENOTYPES TO ADVANCE
COMPUTATIONAL TRANSLATION OR
IMPACT.
ONE OF TWO WE'RE BRINGING
FORWARD THAT ARE ABOUT TRYING TO
DEVELOP COMPUTATIONAL APPROACHES
TO BETTER MAKE PREDICTIONS AND
DEFINE CLINICAL PHENOTYPE AND
THIS IS ABOUT THE CLINICAL
PHENOTYPE SIDE OF THINGS AND
JENNY PACHECO FROM THE RESEARCH
DOMAIN CRITERIA UNIT WILL BEHALF
ON BEHALF OF THE TEAM.
>> THANK YOU.
IF YOU FOR GIVING ME THE TIME TO
PRESENT IMPACT INDIVIDUALLY
MEASUREDED PHENOTYPES TO ADVANCE
COMPUTATIONAL TRANSLATION.
WE'D LIKE TO IDENTIFY CLINICALLY
MEANINGFUL PHENOTYPES
INFORMATIVE FOR INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL
PREDICTION OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY.
AND UNDERSTANDING AND TREATING
MENTAL DISORDER ARE BASED ON THE
DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA BASED ON
PATIENT SELF-REPORT AND THE
SYMPTOM-BASED CATEGORIES HAVE
COMORBIDITIES AND OUR GROUPINGS
AREN'T AS INFORMATIVE AS THEY
COULD BE.
WE'D LIKE APPROACH FOR CLINICAL
DECISIONS WITH A GREATER FOCUS
ON MEASUREMENT AND PREDICTION.
HOW WE GET THERE IS THE CRUX OF
THE CONCEPT USING DATA-DRIVEN
TOOLS CAN HELP MAKE THE
DECISIONS WITH GREATER ACCURACY,
HIGHER CONFIDENCE AND ON A MORE
EFFICIENT TIME AND COST BASIS.
THERE'S A FOCUS ON BRINGING IN
THE NEXT GENERATION OF
BEHAVIORAL TASKS THAT CAN SHOW
INDIVIDUAL PREDICTABILITY.
THESE TASKS OFFER A LINK TO
MECHANISMS AND CAN GIVE INSIGHT
TO INCREASE PREDICTIVE POWER OF
THE TOOLS.
ADDITIONALLY, BEHAVIORAL TASKS
ARE ACCESSIBLE, LOW-COST
MEASURES TO BE WIDELY
ADMINISTERED AND EASILY USED.
AGE THEY CAN LOOK AT PHENOTYPES
TO ENRICH APPROACHES AND
DIAGNOSTICS, PROGNOSIS AND
TREATMENT DECISIONS.
WE SEE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS A
CRITICAL PART TO THIS PROJECT
THE PREMISE OF THE DATA-CENTER
ADD APPROACH IS DATA IS
COLLECTED WITH AN EMPHASIS IT IS
OF QUALITY TO BE EFFECTIVELY
USED WITH TYPES OF PREDICTIVE
MODELLING.
THIS IS DISTINCT FROM A DATA
REPOSITORY AND HAS PRACTICES
WITH DATA ACCESS AND REUSE AND
ALLOW THE MULTI-MODAL DATA SETS
AND BAYESIAN MODELS CAN BE USED
TO IDENTIFY RELATIONSHIPS AND TO
DEVELOP ROBUST CLINICAL
DECISION-MAKING TOOLS.
WE SEE THERE BEING TWO CRITICAL
SIDES TO THE SAME COIN IN WHERE
TO PLACE THE INITIAL FOCUS.
ONE SIDE WE HAVE BEHAVIORAL
TASKMENT OR OPTIMIZATION TO
GENERATE TASKS THAT SHOW
INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES HAVE
CLINICAL UTILITY AND MAINTAIN
CONSTRUCT VALIDITY AND YOU'D BE
IMPLEMENTED ON A LARGE SCALE AND
HAVE EVIDENCE TO A CLINICALLY
TARGETED NEUROCIRCUIT AND WE SEE
A DATA CENTRIC PLATFORM ON
MAINTAINING DATA IN A WAY THAT
PROMOTES DATA SHARING AND ACCESS
AND REUSE.
IT'S INTENDED TO BE CONTINUOUSLY
UPDATE AND ADAPTED.
DATA ARE A.I. READY AND FREE
FROM BIAS AND MACHINE READABLE
AND FINDABLE, ACCESSIBLE AND
INTEROPERABLE AND THE PLATFORM
CAN BE BUILT BY UTILIZATION
EXISTING DATA SETS ALREADY
A.I./M.L. READY.
I KNOW THAT WAS A QUICK EVERY
VIEW OF A LARGE ENDEAVOR AND
HAPPY IT HEAR COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
>> WE ASKED TWO MEMBERS OF
COUNCIL TO COMMENT ON THE
PROPOSAL.
DR. NOCK AND ALMASY.
>> THANK YOU FOR THIS
PRESENTATION AND INITIATIVE.
I HAVE SEVERAL COMMENTS I'LL
CONTAIN.
FIRST THERE'S A LOT IN HERE.
IT'S COMPLEX.
FIRST, I STRONGLY SUPPORT OF
THIS AS AN IMPORTANT IDEA.
AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL WE'VE KNOWN
THE PSYCHOLOGY LITERATURE THAT
USE OF ALGORITHMS CAN IMPROVE
CLINICAL DECISION MAKING BUT
THEY'RE NOT USED WHEN THEY COULD
BE AND EVEN EXISTING SIMPLE
ALGORITHMS CAN BE USED AND THE
USE IN CLINICAL PRACTICE AND
MORE SOPHISTICATED ALGORITHMS
USING TOOLS IS AN IMPORTANT
CONCEPT AND WOULD BRING THIS
FORWARD IN NEW WAYS SO THERE'S A
NUMBER OF INTERESTING
COMPLEXITIES WITHIN THIS WELL
CONCEIVED CONCEPT THAT I WOULD
FLAG AND SOME WERE NOT IN THE
ONE PAERJ.
I LIKE THE IDEA OF THE TALK OF
RECOGNITION DECISION SCIENCE AND
RELATED BUT NOT IDENTICAL OF
IDEAS OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO
DO.
THE SECOND HAS TO DO WITH THE
RELATIONSHIP OF MECHANISM TO
PREDICTION AND YOU WANT THE
MECHANISM SIMILAR TO NEURAL
MECHANISMS.
I ENCOURAGE REFLECTION.
MANY USEFUL PREDICTORS ARE NOT
MECHANISTIC AND MANY RELEVANT
MECHANISMS ARE NOT PREDICTIVE.
THERE'S A NEED FOR MECHANISTIC
AND DECISION-MAKING RESEARCH AND
BUT DON'T HAVE TO BE THE SAME
FEATURES IN A DATA SET.
I'D REFLECT MORE ON THE EXTENT
YOU NEED THEM TO BE USEFUL TO A
CLINICIAN AND THINKING OF THE
FRAMINGHAM STUDY ON HEART
DISEASE COMMONLY USED BY
CARDIOLOGISTS.
AND I WOULD FOCUS ON WHAT WILL
HELP THE DECISION TO BE ACCURATE
AND EFFECTIVE AND LET
MECHANISTIC RESEARCH PERCEIVE IN
ITS OWN PACE TO DEVELOP BETTER
INTERVENTIONS FOR FUTURE
ALGORITHMS AND TREATMENTS TO
USE.
YOU CALL FOR NEW PHENOTYPES AND
I AGREE BUT EQUALLY VALUE NEW
ALGORITHMS EVEN WITH EXISTING
FINDS AND BEHAVIORAL MEASURES.
AND THERE'S THE NEED FOR
IMPLEMENTATION ELEMENTS HERE AND
HOW WOULD THEY BE INTEGRATED
WITH CLINICAL WORK FLOWS AND
EMRs.
CLINICIANS HAVE HAD DEVICES FOR
A DECISION RISK SCORE AND IS
THAT IMPLEMENTATION ELEMENT
PREMATURE AND WOULD IT BE
INCLUDED IS A QUESTION AND THE
INFRASTRUCTURE IS AN INTERESTING
IDEA.
LOTS TO LIKE AND QUESTION AND
ENCOURAGE CONTINUED DEEP
THINKING HOW TO LOOK AT WHAT
THAT SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
THERE'S A LOT OF WAYS I CAN
IMAGINE CAN COME OUT WRONG AND
MULTIPLE WAYS TO DO IT RIGHT.
IT WILL TAKE DEEP THINKING AND
OVER ALL GREAT IDEA AND LOTS TO
THINK THROUGH IT MAKE IT WORK A
COMPLEX AREA AND CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT AND THERE'S LOTS OF
LOW-HANGING FRUIT TO GET
ALGORITHMS OUT IN THE FIELD WE
CAN TRUST THROUGH APPROPRIATE
PREPARATION WHILE WE'RE
DEVELOPING MORE ADVANCED
ALGORITHMS BOTH STATIC AND
LEARNING ALGORITHMS CAN BE
USEFUL.
THANK YOU FOR THIS.
IT'S AN AREA I'M EXCITED ABOUT
AND THE FIELD NEEDS TO MOVE ON
AND IT'S TIMELY.
THANK YOU.
I'LL STOP THERE.
>> THANK YOU, JOEL.
I WANT TO COMMENT ON YOUR FIRST
POINT AND THEN LOOKING FORWARD
TO WHAT LAURA HAS TO SAY.
I WANT TO COMPARE AND CONTRAST
THIS INITIATIVE TO THE NEXT.
THIS IS FOCUSSED ON MECHANISM
BECAUSE WE DON'T JUST WANT TO
USE THESE TOOLS TO MAKE
PREDICTIONS BUT WE WANT TO USE
THESE TOOLS TO ENHANCE OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THE
JUNCTURE BETWEEN FUNCTION AND
DYSFUNCTION.
>> I MISSED THAT.
>> NONETHELESS, THE POINT BEING
THERE'S STILL ROOM FOR EMERGING
THE TWO CONCEPTS IN SOME WAY IN
THE FUTURE OR THE INCEPTION IS
INTERESTING TO THINK ABOUT.
>> I'M A HUGE SUPPORTER OF WHAT
YOU PROPOSE HERE.
I THINK FEEPT HAVE VNKING IN
TERMS OF POWER AND
DISCRIMINATION AND I THINK THE
TYPES OF MEASURES YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT DEVELOPING HERE WILL BE
USEFUL NOT ONLY CLINICALLY BUT
IN RESEARCH SETTINGS INTO
MECHANISMS INTO TREATMENT
EFFICACY AS WELL.
I LIKE THE IDEA OF A DATA
INFRASTRUCTURE RESOURCE THAT CAN
BE USED TO FACILITATE THIS GOAL
BY MANY RESEARCHERS AROUND THE
WORLD.
I'LL ECHO THE COMMENT THERE
WHERE MANY THINGS IN YOUR
PRESENTATION THAT WERE ON THE
PIECE OF PAPER AND ONE I
INTENDED TO COMMENT ON IS
DIVERSITY.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THIS TYPE
OF RESOURCE BE DIVERSE AND
REPRESENTATIVE AND NOT BAKED IN
THE BIASES YET AGAIN IN HOW WE
CHOOSE TO DO THIS.
AND IF THAT CAN MAKE IT ON THE
PIECE OF PAPER THAT'S IMPORTANT.
>> WE ALSO THINK IT'S A
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT NO NOT HAVE
BIAS IN THE FIELD.
FOR THE ONE PAERJ AND THIS WE
HAD TO WHITTLE THIS DOWN TO
SOMETHING SMALL AND HAD TO MAKE
THIS IN A NUANCED WAY IN A SHORT
AMOUNT OF TIME BUT IT'S FRONT
AND CENTER.
>> ARE THERE COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS FROM OTHER MEMBERS OF
THE COUNCIL?
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION AND
FOR THE COMMENTS AND WE'LL TAKE
THEM INTO CONSIDERATION AS WE
MOVE WE HAVE ANOTHER CONCEPT
FOCUSSED ON A SIMILAR AREA OF
COMPUTATION AND BIOMARKERS,
DEVELOPING TOOLS TO INFORM
TREATMENT SELECTION AND IN
DEPRESSION.
MICHELE FERRANTE WILL PRESENT
THIS.
>> I'M HERE TO PRESENT OUR
CONCEPT ON THE DEVELOPING TOOLS
TO INFORM TREATMENT SELECTION IN
DEPRESSION.
WE HAVE NUMEROUS TREATMENTS FOR
DEPRESSION BUT TREATMENT
SELECTION IS STILL A TRIAL AND
ERROR PROCESS.
THE TRIAL FOR EACH MEDICATION OR
TREATMENT TAKING ABOUT THREE
MONTHS TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT
AND EVEN AFTER ONE YEAR OF TRIAL
ABOUT 40% OF PATIENTS ARE STILL
NOT FULLY RECOVERED.
THERE'S AN URGENT NEED FOR
TREATMENT SELECTION TO SHORTEN
THE TIME BETWEEN TREATMENT ONSET
AND NIMH FUNDS A LARGE AMOUNT OF
STUDY IN SINGLE TREATMENT
PREDICTION AND RESPONSE BUT HAVE
NOT HAD A PROGRAM THAT IS
FOCUSSED ON PREDICTING WHICH
TREATMENT WOULD BE BEST FOR A
GIVEN PATIENT.
IS THE GOAL IS TO DEVELOP
ACCURATE, FAST, EASY TO USE AND
ACCESSIBLE TOOLS FOR INTEGRATING
INDIVIDUAL PRE-TREATMENT
MEASURES TO PREDICT RESPONSE
AMONG MULTIPLE EXISTING
TREATMENTS FOR DEPRESSION AND
LONG-TERM DELIVERABLES IS TO
PRESCRIBE THE RIGHT TREATMENT TO
A PATIENT FOR RESPONSE.
THIS WILL SPARK HETEROGENEITY AT
BASELINE AND INFORM ASSIGNMENT
OF A DRUG, TOPICAL, PSYCHOSOCIAL
INTERVENTION OR THERAPEUTICS AND
THE TOOLS CAN ENCOURAGE LEARNING
AND WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP A
MILESTONE BASED AND IT'S BEEN
INSPIRED BY THE COVID-19
VACCINATION AND WE'LL VALIDATE
THE TECHNOLOGY BY INTEGRATING
STUDIES THAT WOULD REGULARLY
ASSESS EFFICACY TRIALS THAT
WOULD TEST THE NOVEL PREDICTION
GROUPS AND EFFECTIVENESS STUDIES
FOR POINT-OF-CARE TECHNOLOGY AND
THIS WAS INSTRUMENTAL FOR THE
INITIATIVE.
NIMH WILL ASSIST INNOVATORS IN
THE PROCESS REQUIREMENTS IN
COGNITION WITH FDA OR OTHER
AGENCIES AND WORK IN
COLLABORATION WITH PUBLIC AND
PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND SHARING
BEST PRACTICES TO A CONSORTIUM
OF INNOVATORS AND I WANT TO
PROVIDE A QUICK SAMPLE OF
STUDIES THAT USES COMPUTATIONAL
ANALYSIS TO DECIDE WHICH BRAIN
REGION TO STIMULATE FOR EACH
DEPRESSED PATIENT.
IN EACH CASE THE PREMISE IS TO
ASSIGN THE APPRECIATE TO
APPROPRIATE TREATMENT WILL
IMPROVE EFFECTIVENESS AT THE
POPULATION LEVEL.
IN THE STUDY THEY CORRELATE WITH
TREATMENT RESPONSE WITH THE
TARGETS OF STIMULATION IN THE
BRAIN.
AND WITH THAT SO THIS IS OF
COURSE ONE SOLUTION AND THE
TOOLS WE'RE DESCRIBING CAN
PREDICT ANALYSIS AND HELP WITH
THE SOLUTIONS WE HAVE WITH THAT
NEXT I'M HAPPY IT TAKE ANY
QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU.
WE HAVE DOCTORS NOCK AND
VINOGRADOV.
>> I WAS STRUCK BY HOW IT HAS
CONTINUITY WITH THE PROPOSAL WE
JUST HEARD BUT BRINGING IT TO A
MORE PRAGMATIC AND
IMPLEMENTATION-ORIENTED FOCUS.
THERE'S OBVIOUSLY AS YOU
MENTIONED THERE'S A HOST OF
RESEARCH THAT'S BEEN DONE AND
BEING DONE IN THIS GENERAL AREA
BUT HOW DOES IT GET MOVED INTO
ALGORITHMS THAT CAN DIRECTLY
AFFECT CLINICAL DECISION MAKING.
I'LL HAVE TO STEAL A FEW PHRASES
FROM THE COMMENTS ON THE PRIOR
PROPOSAL AGAIN THINKING ABOUT
THIS AS SOMEONE WHO WORKS IN
CLINICAL SETTINGS AND THE USE OF
ALGORITHMS WITHIN THE DECISION
MAKING WORLD AND THEN PERHAPS
MOST IMPORTANTLY AND DON'T KNOW
IF THIS IS EMBEDDED IN HOW YOU
THINK OF THE CONCEPT AND THE
ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION INTO A
REAL-WORLD CLINICAL WORK FLOW IS
GOING TO BE CRITICAL TO THE
TRANSLATIONAL SUCCESS OF THESE
CONCEPTS YOU DESCRIBED TO US.
THE OTHER COMMENT WAS THIS IS A
PROGRAMMATIC LEVEL YOU'RE IN
THIS POSITION AS YOU THINK ABOUT
THIS CONSTELLATION OF PROPOSALS
AND PROJECTS IS TO THINK ON THE
LARGER DATA SCIENCE INTEGRATION
PERSPECTIVE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT
MUCH OF THE DAY IS TO WORK WITH
P.I.s AND THINKING
PROGRAMMATICALLY ABOUT WHAT WILL
BE THE BEST PRACTICES YOU'LL
REQUIRE OF THESE DIFFERENT
PROPOSALS WHAT WILL BE THE
POTENTIAL FOR DATA HARMONIZATION
AS DATA EMERGES FROM DIFFERENT
POPULATIONS WHAT IS THE EVENT
POTENTIAL OF DOING INTEGRATED
ANALYTICS FROM DOING DIFFERENT
COMPARISON WITH DIFFERENT
PREDICTORS.
I THOUGHT THE CONCLUDING VERSION
WAS MODEST COMING UP WITH A
LIBRARY OF TOOLS THAT COULD BE
IMPLEMENTED.
I SUSPECT AGAIN IF YOU THINK
ABOUT EVENT DETE HARMONIZATION
CAPACITIES IT MAY BE MORE THAN A
LIBRARY.
YOU MAY END UP BEING ABLE TO
MOVE IN THE DIRECTION WHERE YOU
COME UP WITH THE TOP 10 OR TOP 5
OR TOP 5 MOST USING UNDER
CERTAINLY CONDITIONS, INSURED
PATIENTS AND UNINSURED PATIENTS
AND PATIENTS IN URBAN SETTINGS
THAT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO
VARIOUS HEALTH CARE TREATMENTS
AND OTHER ACCESS ISSUES.
AND THINKING ABOUT THE BROADER
VISION WHERE THIS COULD
EVENTUALLY END UP.
>> THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
COMMENT.
THE HOPE OF PRECISION MEDICINE
IN PSYCHIATRY HAS BEEN AROUND
FOR A LONG TIME WITH NOT GOOD
RESULTS IN MY VIEW.
THE PAST COUPLE YEARS THERE'S
BEEN A LOT OF ACTION AND SEEMS
LIKE A TIMELY AND WELCOMED
CONCEPT CLEARANCE.
A FEW QUESTIONS/SUGGESTIONS.
ONE IS CURIOUS, YOU DON'T NEED
TO ANSWER IT HERE, WHY FOCUS
ONLY ON DEPRESSION?
THERE'S SO MANY AREAS WHERE
THERE'S EXCITEMENT, PTSD,
SUICIDE PREVENTION, FINDING NOT
JUST WHAT WORKS BUT FOR WHOM.
I CAN SEE THIS BEING BROADER AND
FOCUSSING ON MAJOR DEPRESSION AS
FAR AS IDENTIFYING
EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENTS.
ANOTHER QUESTION IS THE RANGE
AND YOUR PRESENTATION FOCUSSED
ON BIOMARKERS AND BEHAVIORAL
MARKERS.
ONE CONCERN ABOUT LOOKING AT
BIOMARKERS FOR TREATMENT
RESPONSE IN RELATIVELY SMALL
SAMPLES IS FALSE POSITIVES IN
THERE.
YOU KNOW THAT.
THAT'S BAKED IN THE PROCESS AND
WHY WE NEED A SEQUENCE OF STUD
Y.
THERE'S A LINE OF RESEARCH USING
OBSERVATIONAL DATA SETS TO USE
SELF-REPORT MEASURES TO GET
PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS THAT CAN
BE USED TO DEVELOP PRECISION
TREATMENT RULES AND FOLLOW-UP
WITH TRIALS TO TEST OUT WHETHER
THE TREATMENT OPTIMIZATION RULES
WORK.
THERE WAS A NICE PAPER IN
PSYCHIATRY LAST YEAR IN
PRAGMATIC PRECISION PSYCHIATRY
THAT LOOKED AT THE PROMISE OF
LIFE CYCLE AND WHAT THIS CAN
LOOK LIKE AND IF THERE'S
REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS, WHAT
KIND OF STUDIES CAN BE
SUPPORTED?
YOU CAN USE OBSERVATIONAL
EXISTING DATA TO IDENTIFY SOME
PRECISION TREATMENT AND THEN
HAVE TO CONDUCT A TRIAL TO TEST
IF IT WORKS AND HOW ARE THE
CLINICAL DECISIONS MADE.
DO YOU WANT TO PACKAGE SEQUENCES
WHERE FIRST YOU FIND BIOMARKERS
OR BEHAVIORAL MARKERS OR
TREATMENT RULES AND THEN TEST
THEM OUT IN SOME KIND OF TRIAL?
AS I READ THIS I WAS EXCITED AND
THE DEVIL'S IN THE DETAIL AND
OVER ALL COOL WORK AND PROPOSAL
AND CONCEPT CLEARANCE AND
SUPPORT IT.
THANK YOU.
>> DO YOU WANT ME TO ANSWER?
>> WHY DON'T YOU TAKE TIME TO
ANSWER.
>> ONE OF THE KEY WORDS WE USED
IN THE POWER POINT IS THE FACT
THESE ARE GOING TO BE
INITIATIVES WHAT THAT MEANS IS
THERE'LL BE DIFFERENT TYPES OF
STUDIES AND THERE'S STUDIES WITH
A SECONDARY ANALYSIS OR FOR
EVIDENCE IN THE FIELD OR A
PERSON COMING IN WITH A STUDY IN
WHICH I BASE A STUDY ON ANALYSIS
IN WHICH THE OUTCOME MOIFZ
FORWARD OR NOT IN A LARGE SCALE
CLINICAL TRIAL IN A LARGER
SAMPLE SO YOU CAN SAY IF IT
WOULD WORK.
THE OTHER THING YOU WERE
MENTIONING WITH THE ANALYSIS WE
INTEND TO USE HERE WAS THE
REASON IS BECAUSE A FEW EXAMPLES
FROM OUR PORTFOLIO IN WHICH IT
SEEMS CLEAR THAT SEVERAL OPTIONS
FROM MOLECULAR MARKERS TO
GENETICS AND GENOMICS TO WITH
WEARABLE DEVICES AND SO WE ARE
LEAVING THAT OPEN ON PURPOSE AND
ANALYSIS IS THE BEST SHOT THEY
HAVE AND THAT ISSUE.
>> I WANT TO RAISE THE NOTION ON
SELF-REPORT MEASURES AND I'LL BE
CONTROVERSIAL AT THE WORSE IT
WILL SPUR ON MORE APPLICATIONS.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE EXCLUDING
THE NOTION THAT SOMEONE WOULD
COULD PUT FORTH A MEASURE
ENTIRELY ON SELF-REPORT
MEASURES.
I BET IT WILL NOT WIN THE
COMPETITION IN THE EARLY ROUNDS
WHICH WOULD BE BASED PRIMARILY
ON THE STRENGTH OF EVIDENCE FOR
STRONG PREDICTIVITY.
WE'RE NOT GOING AFTER MECHANISM
BUT PURE PREDICTION.
WE'VE HAD SELF-REPORT MEASURES
AND GOOD SELF-REPORT MEASURES
FOR DECADES AND WE'VE HAD
MATHEMATICIANS AND STATISTICIANS
TO TRY TO DEVELOP PREDICTIVE
MEASURES OFF THE SELF-REPORTS
AND I THINK IT'S NOT JUST THE
FACT THAT IT'S HARD TO GET
SOMETHING DONE IN THIS REALM IN
OUR FIELD BUT ALSO THEY HAVE
FALLEN QUITE SHORT.
WHILE I THINK WE'RE OPEN TO
INCLUDING THEM IN THE
COMPETITION, I'M QUITE SKEPTICAL
THAT ANY WOULD RISE TO THE LEVEL
OF EVIDENCE WE WOULD WANT TO
MOVE ON TO A TRIAL.
HOWEVER, YOU POINT OUT ONE THING
THEY'RE LARGELY WIDELY AVAILABLE
IN DATA SETS AND YOU POINT OUT
LARGE DATA SETS OFTEN YIELD
FALSE POSITIVES.
WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH
REGARD TO ALL THE MEASURES TO
CHOOSE THE ONES WITH THE BEST
EVIDENCE.
AND I'VE BEEN VERY SKEPTICAL AS
TO THE LIKELIHOOD THAT
SELF-REPORT MEASURES WOULD RISE
TO THE LEVEL OF PRODUCTIVITY WE
NEEDED TO DO.
>> AND SMALL DATA SETS ALSO
PRODUCE FALSE POSITIVES.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
WE HAVE TO TAKE THE BEST SHOT ON
GOAL WE COULD TAKE AND DON'T
WANT TO EXCLUDE STRIKERS OUT
THERE BUT LET'S SEE WHAT COMES
OUT OF IT.
OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM
COUNCIL ON THIS INITIATIVE?
THANK YOU FOR THE ATTENTION AND
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SHOULD
NOTE WE HOPE TO MOVE FORWARD FOR
THESE IDEAS AND AS YOU HEAR
INITIATIVES AND THINK YOUR
RESEARCH MAY CORRESPOND.
AND THE FINAL PART IS TO HEAR
FROM COLLEAGUES WITH WHOM WE'VE
WORKED WITH DR. RICK WOYCHIK
RELATIVELY RECENT BUT NOT SO
RECENT ANYMORE.
THE RELATIVELY RECENTLY APPOINT
THE DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH SCIENCES WHICH IS ONE OF
THE OTHER 26 INSTITUTES OR
CENTERS OF THE NATIONAL
INSTITUTES OF HEALTH.
.
RICK SAY FANTASTIC COLLEAGUE AND
WONDERFUL FRIEND AND THOUGHTFUL
PERSON AND BICYCLING ENTHUSIAST
WHICH COMMEND HIM TO ME AND
HOPEFULLY YOU AS WELL.
WE ARE DELIGHTED TO HAVE HIM
HERE TO DISCUSS EXPERIMENTAL
STRATEGY TO EVALUATE HOW
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES
CONTRIBUTE TO HUMAN DISEASE
PARTICULARLY IN THE CON TEXT OF
CLIMATE CHANGE AND WE ALL KNOW
THAT ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES
PLAY TREMENDOUS ROLES IN THE
RISK FOR MENTAL ILLNESS AND
RESI
RESILE -- RESILIENCE FACTORS AND
DISPARITIES AND THE LIKE AND
GLAD TO HAVE RICK SPEAK TO US
AND THERE'LL BE TIME FOR
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS AFTER THE
END OF HIS PRESENTATION.
THANKS FOR COMING.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY.
I WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE
BICYCLE RIDE YOU RECENTLY HAD TO
BOSTON.
THANKS AGAIN FOR THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO BE WITH YOU.
JOSH AND I TALKED ABOUT
DIFFERENT TOPICS I COULD COVER.
I GAVE YOU A GENERAL TITLE WHICH
TELLS ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL
YOU ABOUT A NUMBER OF THINGS
WE'RE DOING AT NIEHS AND FOCUS
ON THE NEW INITIATIVES WE'RE
UTILIZING FOR STUDYING THE
VARIETY.
HOPEFULLY SOME OF THESE THINGS
WILL BE NEW TO YOU.
CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME OKAY?
>> WE HEAR YOU GREAT.
>> PERFECT.
LET ME START OFF WITH THE
MISSION AND VISION FOR NIEHS.
WE'RE THE ENVIRONMENTAL
INSTITUTE.
OUR MISSION IS DISCOVERING HOW
THE ENVIRONMENT AFFECTS PEOPLE
IN ORDER TO PROMOTE HEALTHIER
LIVES.
OUR VISION IS TO PROVIDE GLOBAL
LEADERSHIP FOR INNOVATIVE
RESEARCH THAT IMPROVES PUBLIC
HEALTH BY PREVENTING DISEASE AND
DISABILITY.
THE KEY IN THE VISION STATEMENT
IS PREVENTING AND WHAT IN THE
ENVIRONMENT CAN POSITIVELY OR
NEGATIVELY AFFECT HUMAN HEALTH
AND IDENTIFY PREVENTION OF
DISEASES INCLUDING MENTAL HEALTH
OUTCOMES.
STUDYING THE ENVIRONMENT IS
COMPLICATED BECAUSE WE DEFINE
THE ENVIRONMENT BROADLY AND
THERE'S A RANGE FROM CHEMICAL
FOUND IN THE PRODUCTS IN THE
BUILDING MATERIALS WE USE AND
POLLUTANTS IN THE AIR WE
BREATHE, PESTICIDES AND
AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS AND
COSMETICS AND SUN SCREENS AND
ANALYZE THE CHEMICALS IN OUR
WORKPLACES AND FACTOR IN
NUTRITION, EXERCISE, VAPING,
SMOKING AND PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESS.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE'RE
INTERESTED IN HOW THE BROAD
ASSORTMENT OF DIFFERENT
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES CAN
POSITIVELY OR NEGATIVELY IMPACT
OUR HEALTH.
LET'S CLICK ONCE.
TO MAKE THE TASK MORE
COMPLICATED AND WHY YOU HAVE A
DIRECTOR OF THE NIEHS IS A
GENETICISTS BY TRAINING AND WE
HAVE TO COMPLIMENT HOW WE ALL
RESPOND TO A GIVEN EXPOSURE.
NOT DO WE LOOK DIFFERENT BUT
WE'RE METABOLICALLY VERY
DIFFERENT AND DIFFERENT
INDIVIDUALS WITH THEIR GENETIC
AND BIOLOGICAL MAKEUP RESPOND IN
DIFFERENT WAYS.
WHAT MAY BE DANGEROUS OR WHAT
MAKES SOMEONE SICK AT A GIVEN
DOSE MAY NOT APPLY TO SOMEONE
ELSE.
IF WE TRULY WANT TO UNDERSTAND
THE IMPACT OF EXPOSURES ON HUMAN
HEALTH AND DISEASE WE HAVE TO
TEASE OUT THE GENE BY
ENVIRONMENT AFFECTS.
THIS INVOLVES UNDERSTANDING THE
GENETIC AND BIOLOGICAL BASIS AND
THE EXPOSURES THEMSELVES AND
FACTOR THIS INTO THE WAY WE
STUDY THE ENVIRONMENT.
IN THE CONTEXT OF STUDYING GENE
BY ENVIRONMENT AFFECT I LIKE TO
SHOW THE SLIDE THAT CLEARLY
ILLUSTRATES THE INFLUENCE OF
GENETICS ON DIFFERENTIAL
RESPONSES OF A COUPLE DIFFERENT
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES.
BACK IN MY DAYS AS THE DIRECTOR
OF THE JACKSON LABORATORY
STUDYING THE IMPACT OF GENETIC
ON TOXICITY TO TYLENOL AND WE
STUDIED THE IMPACT OF GENETIC
BACKGROUND ON BENZINE TOXICITY
AND WE ALL KNOW WITHIN AN INBRED
STRAIN GENETICS ARE THE SAME BUT
THERE'S A HUGE DIFFERENTIAL
RESPONSE TO THE SAME DOSE OF
ACETAMINOPHEN OR THE TOXICITY
RESPONSE OR TO BENZENE.
IT'S BASED ON THE BACKGROUND OF
THE INDIVIDUAL MICE.
SAME APPLIES TO HUMANS AND WE
ALL RACKET TO THE DIFFERENT
EXPOSURES WHETHER IT'S
ACETAMINOPHEN OR A VARIETY OF
EXPOSURES IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
WE'RE NOW REALIZING WE'RE
LOOKING AT INDIVIDUAL VARIATION
IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT PASS WAS
SIMPLISTIC.
GEN ETICS IS GREAT BUT,000
METHYLATION CHANGES IN THE DNA
OR DIFFERENT TYPES OF
POST-TRANSLATIONAL CHANGES OF
HISTONES AND THIS IS WHAT WE
REFER TO EPIGENETIC REGULATION
AND THIS COULD BE INFLUENCED BY
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES.
A GREAT EXAMPLE OF THE IMPACT OF
EPIGENETICS ON GENE EXPRESSION
IS ILLUSTRATED ON THE SLIDE FROM
WORK ON MY OWN LABORATORY WE
STARTED OVER 20 YEARS AGO.
IF YOU ARE A GENETICISTS YOU
WOULD ASSUME BY LOOKING AT THE
MICE ON THE RIGHT SIDE THEY'RE
PHENOTYPICALLY VERY DIFFERENT.
THE ISSUE AND YOU ASSUME IF
YOU'RE A GENETICIST YOU HAVE
DIFFERENT MUTATIONS PRE DISPOSED
TO DIFFERENT FEEPHENOTYPES BUT THE
NICE ARE IDENTICAL AND CARRY A
MUTATION IN A GENE WE STUDIED
YEAR AGO AND IT EXPRESSES THE
NORMAL GENE EXPRESSED IN THE
DEVELOPING HAIR FOLLICLE BUT
EXPRESSED THROUGHOUT THE
ORGANISM AND IN THE
HYPOTHALAMUS.
THIS ECTOPIC EXPRESSION SHORT
CIRCUITS THE SATIETY RESPONSE.
I DON'T HAVE TIME TO SHOW YOU
THE DETAILS.
THE EFFECT IS INFLUENCED BY
DIFFERENT TYPES OF ENVIRONMENTAL
EXPOSURES.
FEEDING MOTHERS DURING PREGNANCY
HIGH LEVELS OF CHEMICALS THAT
FALL INTO THE CATEGORY OF METHYL
DONORS CAUSES AN INCREASE IN THE
NUMBER OF PUPS PHENOTYPICALLY
NORMAL.
WHETHER IT'S EXPRESSED OR HOW
CAN BE INFLUENCED BY THE
EPIGENETIC CHANGES IN THE
ANIMAL.
I DON'T HAVE TIME TO SHOW THE
DATA BUT THE WINDOW OF EXPOSURE
IS STRICTLY DURING DEVELOPMENT
AND WE HAVE DONE A WHOLE GENOME
ANALYSIS AND IT'S NOT JUST JUST
THE AGOUTI GENE THERE'S DOZENS
OF OTHERS INFLUENCED BY THE
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE.
SO WE HAVE TO FACTOR GENETICS IN
THE EQUATION AND EPIGENETICS AS
WE LOOK AT STUDYING THE
INFLUENCE OF THE ENVIRONMENT ON
HUMAN DISEASE AND STUDYING
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES, WHAT'S
EMERGING IN THE SCIENCE IS PRE
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND
RECOGNIZING INDIVIDUALS
REPUBLICANS TO ENVIRONMENTAL
EXPOSURES IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
IT DOVETAILS WITH THEALL OF US
COHORT AND WHILE THE PRECISION
MEDICINE PROGRAM IS ABOUT
GENETIC VARIATIONS THE PRECISION
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM
GOES BEYOND JUST GENETIC
DISPOSITION AND INCORPORATES
UNDERLYING GENETIC VARIATION AND
INCLUDES EPIGENETIC VARIATIONS
THAT CAN ARISE FROM
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES WHICH
WHICH OCCUR DURING DEVELOPMENT
AND IDENTIFYING HOW GENES ARE
EXPRESSED AND IN THE END WE HOPE
THIS WILL HELP BETTER UNDERSTAND
THE INDIVIDUAL RISK TO PREVENT
DISEASE.
AS ONE OF OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS
INDICATED, PRE VISION
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INTEGRATES
GENETICS, GENETICS AND OMICS
DATA.
WHAT'S THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE
WORK AT NIMH?
THERE'S ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES
THAT CAN PRE DISPOSE TO CERTAIN
OUTCOMES AND THERE'S EXPOSURES
TO PESTICIDES, AIR POLLUTION,
HEAVY METALS AND ENDOCRINE
DISRUPTING CHEMICALS, P FAS HAS
BEEN IN THE NEWS AND IS A GREAT
EXAMPLE OF AN ENDOCRINE
DISRUPTING CHEMICAL AND CAN
RESULT IN BEHAVIORAL CHANGES.
INCREASED RISK TO SCHIZOPHRENIA
AND SPECTRUM DISORDER.
MATERNAL EXPOSURE TO DEPH WHICH
IS PRESENT IN NUMEROUS CONSUMER
PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS AND
COSMETICS.
ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED RISK
WITH ADHD.
AND THERE'S AN INCREASED
INTEREST IN STUDYING THE
ENVIRONMENT AS IT RELATES TO
MENTAL HEALTH PHENOTYPES.
THE NUMBER OF ARTICLES PUBLISHED
ASSOCIATING ENVIRONMENTAL
EXPOSURE HAVE INCREASED THOUGH
THE NUMBERS ARE STILL SMALL SO
HELPFULLY WE CAN DO SOMETHING
ABOUT THAT IN THE FUTURE.
SO THERE'S ALSO INCREASING IN
STUDYING THE GENE BY
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFECTS.
WE FOUND AN INTERESTING PAPER.
THIS IS DATA FROM A SERIES OF
EXPERIMENTS UTILIZING HUMAN IPSC
DERIVED 3-D ORANOID BRAIN
SPHERES TO STUDY A GENE THAT'S
ONE OF THE 50 PLUS GENES TO BE
ASSOCIATED WITH THE AUTISM
SPECTRUM DISORDER.
MUTATING ONE OF THE TWO COPIES
OF THE GENE DECREASE THE
EXPRESSION OF THE CHD8 PROTEIN
BY ABOUT 50% AND INTERESTINGLY
THE TREATMENT WITH 100
MICROMOLAR OF THE PESTICIDE P
CHLOROPYRIFOS AND BRAIN BIO
SPHERES THAT WERE HETRO ZYGOUS
HAD INDIVIDUALS CARRYING THE
MUTATION MAY BE SENSITIZED TO
THIS EXPOSURE AND THE
ENVIRONMENTAL TRIGGER THAT LEADS
TO A CLINICAL RESPONSE AND IT
DOES THIS AT POTENTIALLY AT THE
LEVEL -- IT'S THE HYPOTHESIS IT
DOES IT AS THE LEVEL OF
INFLUENCING THE LEVEL OF
EXPRESSION OF THE CHD8 MUTATION.
OF COURSE, THIS IS LOTS OF WORK
THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ESPECIALLY
SINCE A LARGE NUMBER OF OTHER
GENE VARIANTS ASSOCIATED WITH
ASD AND IT'S NOT CLEAR HOW THE
EXPRESSION OF THESE GENES OR BUY
LODGE NETWORKS IN WHICH THEY
OPERATE.
SO ONE OF THE KEY THINGS TO
USING THE APPROACH IS WE HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND THE GENES AND THE
VARIATIONS WITHIN THOSE GENES
THAT PRE DISPOSE TO DIFFERENTIAL
RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL
EXPOSURES.
IT'S GOOD TO HAVE LOCI AND WE
NEED TO UNDERSTAND EXPRESSION
AND CONTRIBUTION TO THE
PHENOTYPE.
LIKE THE CHD WILL EXAMPLE I GAVE
WE WANT TO KNOW THE DISPOSITION
AND WHAT FALLS IN THE CATEGORY
OF COMPLEX TRAITS.
THIS MEANS THERE'S POTENTIALLY
MANY RESPONSIBLE SO IT'S NOT A
MENDELIAN TRAIT AND WE'RE ASKING
HOW DO WE DO THIS?
DO WE HAVE TO TAKE UP THE
GENOMICS EFFORT OR IS THERE
ANOTHER POSSIBILITY TO JOIN
FORCES WITH THIS NEW EFFORT
CALLED THE ICDA.
THERE'S AN INTERNATIONAL
ALLIANCE LAUNCHED AND IT STANDS
FOR THE INTERNATIONAL COMMON
DISEASE ALLIANCE.
THE ICBA IS ABOUT BRINGING
TOGETHER THE INTERNATIONAL
GENETICS COMMUNE UNDER A SHARED
VISION TO COLLABORATE ON
DEVELOPING NEW IDEAS AND
PRINCIPLES TO UNDERTAKE
FOUNDATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECTS,
CREATE COMPREHENSIVE CATALOG AND
DEMOCRATIZE THE RESOURCES.
AS A RESULT OF THE GLOBAL EFFORT
ON THE PART OF THE ICBA,
HOPEFULLY WE'LL ABLE TO GET
ACCESS DATA FROM DIVERSE
INDIVIDUALS AND IDENTIFY THE
GENE VARIANTS ASSOCIATED WITH
THE COMPLEX TRAITS INVOLVING
POTENTIALLY HUNDREDS OF
DIFFERENT GENE VARIANTS THAT ARE
ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR GENE BY
ENVIRONMENT AFFECTS.
THE PROBLEM IS THE ICBA IS NOT
SYSTEMATICALLY COLLECTING
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE DATA AND
WE'RE DEVELOPING STRATEGY TO
INCORPORATE THE DATA INTO THE
FRAMEWORK OF THE ICBA.
AS A TANGIBLE STEP INCORPORATING
THIS IN THE FRAMEWORK WE HAVE
BEEN WORKING WITH THE "ALL OF
US" PROGRAM IN BETHESDA.
THE "ALL OF US" IS THE DIVERSE 1
MILLION COHORT THAT'S THE BASIS
FOR THE PRECISION MEDICINE
PROGRAM AND PART OF THE ICDA.
JEFF AND JOSH RECOGNIZE THE
ENVIRONMENT PLAYS AN IMPORTANT
ROLE IN HUMAN HEALTH AND THERE'S
A NEED TO INCORPORATE
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES IN THE
"ALL OF US" PROGRAM.
THEY AND THEIR COLLEAGUES JOINED
MANY OF US AT NIEHS AND
PARTICIPATED IN A TWO-DAY
WORKSHOP WITH INTEGRATING
ENVIRONMENTAL DATA AND JUSTICE
IN THE "ALL OF US" PROGRAM.
WE WORKED WITH THE STAFF AS WELL
AS THE STAFF AND HAD 120 EXPERTS
IN BIO STATISTICS, CLIMATE
CHANGE AND GENOMICS AN
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EACH DAY WE HAD
A FEATURED SPEAKER WITH
PRESENTATIONS AROUND DIFFERENT
TOPICS FOLLOWED BY BREAKOUT
SESSION WHERE'S THEY TALKED
ABOUT GAPS IN OUR KNOWLEDGE AND
TRIED TO IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS FOR
THESE GAPS.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS AFTER A
COUPLE DAYS THERE WAS A VERY
ENGAGING SESSION AT THE END OF
THE WORKSHOP WHERE WE IDENTIFIED
17 DIFFERENT ANCILLARY PROJECTS
CURRENTLY BEING CONSIDERED WE
HOPED WOULD BE A STEP IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION TO BRING
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES INTO THE
"ALL OF US" PROGRAM.
AT THE EXTENT TO WHICH WE LOOK
AT MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES
HOPEFULLY YOU'LL HAVE DATA TO
BEGIN TO INPUT INTO YOUR
ANALYSIS.
GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES ON
DISEASE PHENOTYPES.
THE INTERNATIONAL AND
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES
COMMUNITY LAUNCHED A NEW PROJECT
CALLED THE EXPOSOME.
EXPOSOMICS RESEARCH COMES FROM
THE EMERGING CONCEPT IF THAT WE
WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF
THE ENVIRONMENT WE HAVE TO GET
BEYOND STUDYING ONE EXPOSURE AT
A TIME.
IT'S NOT JUST BENZENE THAT MAKES
YOU SICK OR AIR POLLUTION OR
PESTICIDES OR FLAME RETARDANTS
BUT ALL THESE THINGS.
THE EXPOSOME IS A RESEARCH
FRAMEWORK THAT FACTORS IN
EXPOSURES OVER THE LIFE COURSE.
THE FRAMEWORK IS NOT ONLY
INVOLVED PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL
AGENTS THAT INFLUENCE HUMAN
HEALTH BUT INCLUDES DIET, SOCIAL
MENTAL STRESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL
JUSTICE AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND
INCLUDES SLEEP, BEHAVIOR, DRUG
AND ALCOHOL USE.
MANY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
SCIENCES COMMUNITY HAS BEEN
CROSS-REFERENCING THE FRAMEWORK
SINCE TWICE BUT WHAT'S BECOMING
CLEAR FOR INVESTIGATORS OUTSIDE
THE EHS COMMUNITY INCLUDING
DR. BURTON, WE NEED TO HAVE A
BETTER UNDERSTANDING, HOW DO YOU
DO AN EXPOSOMIC EXPERIMENT?
GARY MILLER IS A GRANTEE AND A
GENE ATE THE AT THE COLLEGE OF
MEDICINE, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY.
WE NEED AN OPERATIONAL
DEFINITION OF THE EXPOSOME AND
HOW DO WE DO AN EXPOSOMICS
EXPERIMENT?
WE HAVE TO DEVELOP NEW
TECHNOLOGIES TO CAPTURE THE
EXPOSOME BUT WHY NOT START WITH
SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGIES WE HAVE
IN HAND CALLED THE PRAGMATIC
EXPOSOME.
DEVELOP NEW TECHNOLOGIES BUT
START WITH TOOLS WE CURRENTLY
HAVE AND GENOMICS DIDN'T START
WITH SINGLE-CELL RNA SEQ AN
THERE WERE PRIMITIVE MICRORAYS
WE CAN MAKE IN OUR OWN LABS.
NOW WE'RE IN A MUCH DIFFERENT
PLACE.
LET'S USE WHAT HE WE HAVE AND
SEEK TO DEVELOP MORE
SOPHISTICATED TOOLS IN THE
FUTURE.
TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE
HAVE AN EXPOSOMIC MODEL WE HAD
INDIVIDUALS FROM ACROSS THE
HEALTH SCIENCE COMMUNITY AND
HAVE FIVE WORK SHOPS AND THE
WORK IS TO MAKE A PIVOTAL SHIFT
IN DEFINING THE EXPOSOME TO
DOING IT.
WE'RE HOPEFULLY GETTING WHERE WE
CAN POSITION OURSELVES TO TELL
DR. GORDON AND ALL OF YOU AND
OTHERS HOW DO YOU DO AN
EXPOSOMIC EXPERIMENT AND WHERE
DO YOU DEPOSIT THE DATA AND
BRING IT TOGETHER.
WE CONDUCTED THIS ON STUDYING
THE BIOLOGICAL RESPONSE.
IT MAY NOT BE AS MUCH AS ABOUT
DETECTING THINGS IN THE
ENVIRONMENT AS IT WOULD BE
DETECTING BIOLOGICAL RESPONSES
TO TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL
EXPOSURES LIKE SIGNATURES.
THE THIRD WORKSHOP WAS ON
PREVENTION TRIALS AND THE FOURTH
WAS ON CAPTURE SOCIETAL IMPACT
OF THE EXPOSOME AND THE FIFTH
WAS HOW DO WE BUILD THE DATA
INFRASTRUCTURE TO CAPTURE THE
DIVERSE SET OF INFRASTRUCTURE TO
CAPTURE THIS ON A GLOBAL SCALE.
IT WAS A SMASHING SUCCESS AND
HAD 400 MEMBERS AND TOPIC WERE
RAISED AND WE COLLECT THE TOPICS
AND THEY'RE AVAILABLE SO IF
ANYONE'S INTERESTED IN READING
THROUGH THESE, NOTE THE URL OR
SEND ME AN EMAIL AND I'LL GET
YOU ACCESS TO THESE.
THIS IS STILL A WORK IN
PROGRESS.
WE HAD THE EXPOSOMIC SUMMIT LAST
WEEK ON AN ATTEMPT OF OUR
LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE WITH
MEMBERS OF OUR COUNCIL TO KNIT
TOGETHER THE DIFFERENT IDEAS AND
GET IDEAS HOW TO OPERATIONALIZE
THE EXPOSOME AND I'M COMMITTED
TO DOING THIS IN THE NEAR TERM.
WHEN DR. GORDON ASKED ME HOW DO
YOU DO EXPOSOMIC EXPERIMENT IT'S
A CLEAR SET AND WHERE YOU
DEPOSIT THE DATA.
I PROMISED TO TOUCH ON THE AREA
OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH.
THIS CAME TO THE FORE AS
PRESIDENT BIDEN LOOKED AT
TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE AT HOME
AND ABROAD WAS A HIGH PRIORITY
FOR HIS ADMINISTRATION.
AND RECOGNIZED THERE ARE HEALTH
IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND
POINTED TO THE NIH AND ASKED US
TO BE A LEAD AGENCY WITH
ADDRESSING THE HEALTH IMPACT OF
CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND WE'RE ENCOURAGED THERE'S
LANGUAGE IN THE FY23 BUDGET
PROPOSING TO ADD $100 MILLION
BUDGET TO THE BUDGET FOR NIEHS
AND THERE'S LANGUAGE TO ADD $10
OR $50 MILLION TO THE NIEHS
BUDGET DEDICATED TO CLIMATE
CHANGE AND HEALTH RESEARCH.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING HARD TO
DEVELOP A STRATEGY FOR CLIMATE
CHANGE IN HEALTH.
WE'RE DOING THIS ON AN NIH WIDE
SCALE AND WHILE NIEHS IS PART
THE REASON WHY THE MONEY WAS IN
THE NIH BUDGET, IT'S CLER CLEAR
TO ME THE TOPIC IS BIGGER THAN
WHAT ANY I.C. CAN DO ON ITS OWN
AN MANY HAVE A KEY INTEREST IN
CAPABILITIES IN THE AREA OF
RESEARCH FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND
HEALTH.
INCLUDING THINGS NIMH IS
INTERESTED IN SO INSTEAD OF
COMPETING WITH EACH OTHER WE'RE
DEVELOPING A PLAN TO ALLOW US TO
WORK COLLABORATIVELY TOGETHER AS
SEVERAL I.C. DIRECTORS HAVE
JOINED TOGETHER INCLUDING
DOCTORS BIANCHI AND DR. GIBBONS
AND DR. GLASS AND
DR. PEREZ-STABLE AND DR. ZENG.
WE HAVE COME TOGETHER AND FORMED
WHAT WE'RE CALLING THE EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND
HEALTH AND TOGETHER WE HAVE
RE-ENERGIZED A LODNG-STANDING
WORKING GROUP.
IT'S CO-CHAIRED BY AUBREY MILLER
AT NIEHS AND JOSH ROSENTHAL AND
THE WORKING GROUP HAS BEEN BUSY
ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
NIH-WIDE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK.
ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES
ASSOCIATED WITH HEALTH AFFECTS
ARE COMPLICATED.
THERE'S MANY DIRECT EFFECTS
RANGE FROM HEALTH-RELATED
ILLNESS AND RESPIRATORY DISEASE
AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE TO
MENTAL HEALTH IMPACTS.
THERE'S MANY INDIRECT AFFECTS
RANGING FROM CHEMICAL RELEASES
BASED ON EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
LIKE WILDFIRES AND POPULATION
DISPLACEMENT ALL THE WAY TO
ECONOMIC IMPACTS THAT LEAD TO
MORE PEOPLE LIVING IN POVERTY.
ANY STRATEGY MOVING FORWARD
WOULD HAVE TO BE BROAD-BASED TO
ADDRESS ALL THE ISSUES.
JUST THE ISSUE OF EXPOSURE TO
INCREASING TEMPERATURE AS YOU
INCREASE TEMPERATURE, THERE'S AN
INCREASING ASSOCIATION WITH
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS,
ANXIETY, STRESS RELATED SOMATO
FORM DISORDER AND SCHIZOPHRENIA
AND SELF-HARM AND
CHILDHOOD-ONSET BEHAVIORAL
DISORDERS.
THE HEALTH RELATED NEEDS
CONTINUE FOR YEARS AFTER A
CLIMATE CHANGE EVENT OCCURRED.
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
DAVIS IN A PROGRAM THEY CALLED
WHAT NOW CALIFORNIA STUDY
ASSESSED THE TOLLS FROM
WILDFIRES WITH AN ONLINE SURVEY
THAT ASKED HOUSEHOLDS ON UNMET
NEEDS AND HEALTH AND POST-FIRE
SYSTEMS BOTH THE PHYSICAL AND
MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEMS.
WHAT THEY FOUND WAS THERE WAS AN
INCREASING NEED FOR MENTAL
HEALTH SUPPORT AND COUNSELLING.
THIS IS NOTABLY TWO YEARS AFTER
AND THIS WAS ON THE SAME SCALE
AS FIND PERMANENT HOME AND
DEALING WITH MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES.
AS THE A BIG CHALLENGE WITH NIMH
WORKING ON THE ISSUES ON THE
IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
THE WORKING GROUP DEVELOPED THE
FRAMEWORK FOR CLIMATE CHANGE AND
HEALTH.
IT'S MULTI-FACETED LOOKING AT
EQUITY, TRAINING AND HEALTH
CAPACITY AND HEALTH RESEARCH AND
TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING
AND INTERVENTION SCIENCE.
AT THE CENTER IS
TRANSDISCIPLINARY TRANSFORMATIVE
RESEARCH WITH GLOBAL
PARTNERSHIPS AND THE COGS ON ARE
MEANT TO ILLUSTRATE TYPES OF
SCIENCE THAT WOULD NEED TO BE
CONDUCTED TO SUPPORT THE
FRAMEWORK.
THE RESEARCH AREAS ARE
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY IN NATURE.
THEY RANGE FROM SOCIAL SCIENCE
RESEARCH AND EPIDEMIOLOGY AND
PREDICTIVE MODELLING TO
ADAPTATION RESEARCH AND HOPING
IT WILL BUILD RESILIENCE TO
HUMAN HEALTH AND WE DEVELOPED AN
URL AND WEBSITE FOR CLIMATE
CHANGE AND HEALTH.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE IT'S
WWW.NIH.gov/CLIMATANDHEALTH.
WE HOPE YOU'RE INTERESTED.
THERE'S ALSO NEW FUNDING
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
STAY TUNED WE'RE HOPING TO BUILD
SUFFICIENT SUPPORT TO PERHAPS --
WE'RE HOPING THE $100 MILLION IN
THE PRESIDENT'S BUDGET WILL BE
APPROPRIATE BY CONGRESS IN FY23
AND WHILE THIS WILL BE ON THE
NIEHS BUDGET WE HOPE TO USE IT
IN SUPPORT OF THIS FRAMEWORK
ACROSS THE ENTIRE NIH INCLUDING
NIMH.
DO I HAVE A FEW MORE MINUTES?
>> YEAH, JUST A FEW LESS
QUESTIONS BUT WE HAVE JUST TO
AFTER 4:00 SO WE'RE GOOD.
>> LET ME TAKE A FEW MORE
MINUTES AND ADD WE'RE NOT
WAITING.
JOSH AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WERE HOPING
TO GET $100 MILLION IN THE FY
BUDGET THAT DIDN'T COME THROUGH
FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS AND
THOUGHT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING
AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE GOT TOGETHER WITH
DR. TABAK AND DR. SCHWETZ IN THE
OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF
INTRAMURAL RESEARCH AND PULLED
TOGETHER FUNDS TO CREATE A
START-UP FOR INITIATIVES THAT
ACROSS THE PROGRAMS AT THE NIH
AND A RESEARCH COORDINATING
CENTER TO ADVANCE CLIMATE CHANGE
AND HEALTH AND THE CENTER IS
ABOUT HELPING TO MANAGE DATA,
BUILD RESEARCH CAPACITY AND
ADVANCE THE PRIORITIES
ESTABLISHED IN THE NIH-WIDE
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK.
WE CAME UP WITH STARTING MONEY
TO SUPPORT WHAT WE'RE CALLING
THE ALLIANCE FOR COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT FOCUSSED ON CLIMATE
CHANGE AND HEALTH.
ACCH.
IT WILL ALLOW COMMUNITIES TO
ENGAGE COMMUNITIES MOST IMPACTED
BY CLIMATE CHANGE INCLUDING THE
UNDER SERVED AND THE RACIAL AND
ETHNIC MINORITY POPULATIONS AS
WELL AS RURAL POPULATIONS.
THE ACCH BUILDS OFF THE
SUCCESSFUL ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM
ESTABLISHED BY THE NHLBI AND
NIMH TO LOOK AT HEALTH EQUITIES
RESEARCH IN THE COVID-19 TESTING
PROGRAM THE RADX PROGRAM.
THE ACCH WILL WORK IN CLOSE
COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY
PARTNERS.
WE WANT THEM TO BE INCLUDE AND
TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE PARTNERS
WITH US IN THE CLIMATE CHANGE
AND HEALTH RESEARCH.
IT'S ALSO LOOKING AT THE
RIGHT-HAND SIDE AND THEY'RE
ENGAGING WITH I.C.s AND YOU HAVE
SEVERAL STAFF AT NIHM HELPING TO
GET THE WORD OUT CLIMATE CHANGE
AND HEALTH IS AN AREA OF
INTEREST.
WE WANT TO SUPPORT INVESTIGATORS
SUBMITTING PROPOSALS FOCUSSED ON
THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE.
THERE WILL BE NOESIS THAT
ARTICULATE DEVELOPING
APPLICATIONS IN CAPTURING THE
AFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
INCLUDED IN THE NEW PORTFOLIO IS
AN INNOVATIVE NEW PROGRAM CALLED
THE NIH CLIMATE AND HEALTH
SCHOLARS PROGRAM.
IT'S A MECHANISM TO SUPPORT
BRINGING IN EXTRAMURAL SIN
SCIENTISTS AND WORKING WITH
STAFF ON CAMPUS.
THEY'LL COLLABORATE AND BRING
IDEAS AND HOPEFULLY HELP TO
DEVELOP A MORE ROBUST PROGRAM
AROUND THE HEALTH AFFECTS OF
CLIMATE CHANGE.
WE THINK IT WILL BE A UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITY FOR SCIENCES AND
SOME ON COUNCIL, IF INTERESTED,
TO COME ON CAMPUS AND SHARE YOUR
KNOWLEDGE AND INTEREST AND
PASSION AROUND CLIMATE CHANGE
AND HEALTH AND THE APPLICATIONS
WERE DUE LAST WEEK AND WE HAD AN
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING.
WE HAD QUITE A ROBUST RESPONSE
THEY'LL DECIDE WHO WILL BE
AWARDED THESE AS PART OF THE
SCHOLARS PROGRAM.
LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
I'LL BRIEFLY SAY THOSE IN THE
INTRAMURAL PROGRAM WE HAVEN'T
LEFT YOU OUT.
DR. ZELDIN AT NIEHS TOOK UP THE
CHALLENGE WITH OTHER SBs AND
HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED THE ITCH.
IT'S THE INTRAMURAL TARGETED
CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH
PROGRAM.
THAT WAS MONEY PROVIDED BY
DR. GOTTESMAN AND I THREW IN
EXTRA MONEY AND WE CAN FUND FOUR
OR FIVE PROGRAMS ACROSS THE NIH.
TO SUMMARIZE IT ALL IF YOU'RE
INTERESTED IN THE DETAILS, I
ENCOURAGE YOU GET ON THE
WEBSITE.
NIH.gov/CLIMATE AND HEALTH AND
LOOK AT FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENTS AS
THE MONEY COMES FROM CONGRESS
AND PUBLIC SEMINAR SERIES AND
THERE'S A PRETTY EXTENSIVE
CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH
LITERATURE PORTAL.
I'LL CLOSE AT THIS POINT AND
THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
GET IDEAS ON THE TABLE AND HAPPY
TO FIELD ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE
WIDE-RANGING PRESENTATION ON
EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON WITH
CLIMATE CHANGE AND MORE.
IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING
WITH YOU AND ARE THERE QUESTIONS
FOR RICK FROM ANY MEMBERS OF OUR
COUNCIL?
>> I HAVE ONE THOUGHT FOR HOW TO
FRAME EFFORTS AND LOOKING AT
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES AND THE
THOUGHT IS IT'S NOT REALLY A
CRITICISM, IT'S JUST A
PERSPECTIVE.
I THINK SOMETIMES WE'RE TOO
INFLUENCED BY WHAT WE LEARN FROM
GENOMICS AND I WOULD MAYBE
CAUTION NOT TRYING TO APPLY THAT
EXPERIENCE TOO BROADLY.
THE REASON I SAY THAT IS FROM MY
PERSPECTIVE WHAT HAPPENED IN
GENOMICS IS WE GOT GOOD WORKING
WITH THE INHERENTED GENOME ONCE
WE UNDERSTAND THE SPACE AND
LOOKING FOR GENETIC
CONTRIBUTIONS TO RISK IS AN
INCREDIBLY WELL DEFINED PROBLEM.
SO MUCH IT SURPRISING WE BLEW IT
FOR SO MANY DECADES.
WE GOT IT RIGHT WHEN WE REALIZED
WE WEREN'T TESTING THAT MANY
HYPOTHESES AND ALL WE HAD TO DO
WAS UNDERSTAND THE NUMBER OF
HYPOTHESES WE WERE TESTING AND
HANDLE THAT NUMBER OF HYPOTHESES
IN SOME APPROPRIATE STATISTICAL
FRAMEWORK AND EVERYTHING FELL
INTO PLACE AND THE ASSOCIATIONS
BECAME RELIABLE AND TRULY
EVERYTHING CHANGED AND THAT WAS
BECAUSE THE PROBLEM WAS
DEFINABLE AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE
COMMON VARIANT ERA, THE PROBLEM
BOILS DOWN TO BEING ABOUT 10
MILLION COMMON VARIANTS AND
THERE'S INDEPENDENT HYPOTHESIZE
AND WHEN YOU TEST FOR A DISEASE
YOU CORRECT FOR THAT AND
EVERYTHING FALLS INTO PLACE.
I WOULD SUBMIT LOOKING AT
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES IS NOT
LIKE THAT AND ISN'T GOING TO BE
LIKE THAT ANY TIME SOON SO MAYBE
NEEDS A DIFFERENT WAY OF
THINKING ABOUT IT FROM HOW WE
USED IN GENOMICS SO JUST FOR
CONSIDERATION.
>> IT'S A GREAT COMMENT.
THE GENETICS PART IS RELATIVELY
SPEAKING IS PROBABLY SIMPLER
THAN LOOKING AT VARIETAL
EXPOSURES.
I APPROACH IT FROM THE POINT OF
VIEW THAT THERE ARE
ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES THAT
CAN TRIGGER A MENTAL HEALTH
PHENOTYPE SO WE HAVE TO BE MORE
SOPHISTICATED IN THE WAY WE
GATHER TE DATA AND WEAVE IT INTO
OUR ANALYSIS OF GENE BY
ENVIRONMENT AFFECTS.
MUCH WORK TO BE DONE.
YOU HAVE A COMMENT?
>> I HAVE WAS DELIGHTED TO SEE
THE PSYCHOSOCIAL EXPOSURES ARE
PART OF WHAT NIEHS CONSIDERS
WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENT AND FOR
THOSE KINDS OF QUESTIONS AROUND
PSYCHOSOCIAL EXPOSURES IS THIS
WHERE YOU LOOK FOR COLLABORATION
WITH NIMH TO SUPPORT THAT OR IS
THIS WORK THEY SUPPORT
SPECIFICALLY AND MY SECOND
QUESTION IS AROUND POPULATIONS.
I KNOW INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES IN
THE ARCTIC AND OTHER PLACES
WHERE CLIMATE CHANGE HAS A
SIGNIFICANT CHANGE ON PEOPLE'S
ABILITY TO CARRY OUT TRADITIONAL
WAYS OF LIVING OR BASIC ECONOMIC
SURVIVAL ALSO IS SOMETHING
PEOPLE WILL SAY AFFECTS THEIR
MENTAL HEALTH AND YOU SIDE RISK
ALL THESE QUESTIONS.
INTERESTED ALSO IN WHAT NIEHS IS
DOING AROUND SPECIAL
POPULATIONS.
>> GREAT QUESTION.
FIRST OF ALL, WE'RE TRYING TO
JUMP OUT OF OUR SILO.
WE'RE NOT NEXT TO THE I.C.s IN
THE GREATER WASHINGTON,
D.C./BALTIMORE AREA.
IT'S IMPORTANT WE DEVELOP
COLLABORATIVE OPPORTUNITIES.
THERE'S QUITE OF NUMBER OF
THINGS YOU'RE DOING AND HOPING
WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR
SKILL SETS AND MENTAL HEALTH AND
BRING TO THESE COLLABORATIVE
EXPERIMENTS SOME OF OUR
EXPERTISE IN EXPOSOMICS IN
STUDYING SOCIAL DETERMINATES OF
HEALTH.
THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS
I'M VERY INTERESTED IN REACHING
OUT AND DEVELOPING STRONGER
COLLABORATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS
WITH ALL YOU AND OTHERS
INTERESTED IN THE SOCIAL
DETERMINATES OF HEALTH.
THERE'S A NEW SOCIAL
DETERMINATES OF HEALTH
INITIATIVE AROUND NIH AND WE
JUMPED ON THAT OPPORTUNITY.
YOU THINK THERE'LL BE OTHER
OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK
COLLABORATIVELY TOGETHER.
RELATIVE TO SPECIAL POPULATIONS
WE HAVE STRONG RELATIONSHIPS
WITH TRIBAL COMMUNITIES.
THIS WHOLE ISSUE OF
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IT'S ONE
WE'RE VERY MUCH AKLINED WITH.
THERE ARE HEALTH RELATED ISSUES
IN THE SPECIAL COMMUNITIES ,
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES BUT THEY'RE
SITTING ON LAND WITH URANIUM
ENVIRONMENTAL TRAILINGS AND
THERE'S HAZARDS IN THEIR TRIBAL
LANDS.
WE'VE BEEN VERY INTERESTED IN
THAT.
WE'VE BEEN CULTIVATING THOSE
RELATIONSHIPS AND WE'RE TRYING
TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE THE
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES
IMPACTING THEIR HEALTH.
DOES THAT ANSWER BOTH YOUR
QUESTIONS?
>> YES, THANK YOU.
>> TED.
>> I HAD A GENERAL COMMENT AND
TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE
WITH THE PROGRAM AT NIEHS AND MY
COMMENT IS ONE ABOUT THINKING
ABOUT THE FLAUN
NON GENETIC VARIANTS AND IN THE
GENETICS OF AUTISM AND I IMAGINE
WILL ALSO BE A CHALLENGE AS YOU
THINK ABOUT THE EXPOSOME.
THAT'S AN AREA OF RESEARCH THAT
WOULD SPAN A NUMBER OF
INSTITUTES.
I'VE SEEN THE AUTISM FIELD
STRUGGLE WITH THAT NOTE
WITHSTANDING A NATURE PAPER AND
NOT PROVIDE INSIGHT.
IT'S A TOPIC I THINK COULD BE
VERY INTERESTING.
>> I THINK THAT'S A VERY
INTERESTING AREA AND MOST OF THE
CONCEPT TRAITS WE CAN MAP THEM
IN.
THERE'S CONSEQUENCE VARIANTS
WITHIN REGIONS AND WHAT IT'S
TELLING US IS THERE'S MORE TO
LEARN ABOUT HOW GENES ARE BEING
EXPRESSED AND REGULATION GENES
EXPRESSED AND PART OF THE REASON
I'M ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE ICBA
ASK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK
GLOBALLY IN A MORE COLLABORATIVE
FASHION TO SEAMLESSLY INTEGRASE
THE DATA WE'RE COLLECTING FROM
THE MILLION-PERSON COHORT OR 3
MILLION COHORT THERE AND JOINING
FORCES AND BILLING COHORTS OF
TENS OF MILLIONS OF INDIVIDUALS
TO BEGIN TO TEASE OUT THESE
EFFECTS AND OUR CHALLENGE WILL
BE HOW DOES IT PLAY IN THE GENE
BY ENVIRONMENT AFFECTS.
I THINK WE'RE IN ALIGNMENT
THERE.
SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE SINGING --
>> I HAD A QUESTION AND WONDER
IF YOU CAN COMMENT BRIEFLY ON A
PROGRAM THAT NIEHS HAS I LEARNED
FROM COLLEAGUE HERE AT IOWA.
THE VICTOR PROGRAM WHICH IS
INTERESTING TO ENCOURAGE
CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH BETWEEN AN
R21 AND R01.
COULD YOU COMMENT BRIEFLY ON
THAT?
I THINK IT'S AN INTERESTING AND
HOW IT'S BEEN SUCCESS.
I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG IT'S BEEN
GOING.
>> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND
I'LL HAVE TO GET BACK TO YOU ON
DETAILS ON THAT.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, RICK FOR
JOINING US TODAY.
THAT CLOSES OUT OUR OPEN
SESSION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO ALL
COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR YOUR
ATTENTION AND MANY QUESTIONS AND
COMMENTS AND FOR BEING HERE
AGAIN AND THANK YOU IN ADVANCE
FOR TOMORROW'S CLOSED SESSION
WHICH STARTS AT NOON AGAIN.
IS THAT CORRECT, TRACY?
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> WE'LL SEE YOU HERE AGAIN THEN
AND TO THE VUKE
VIEWING PUBLIC HOPEFULLY YOU
LEARNED SOMETHING ABOUT THE
EVENTS AND WHAT WE PLAN TO DO IN
THE FUTURE WITH THE CONCEPT
CLEARANCES AS WELL AS OUR
COLLABORATIONS WITH NIEHS.
THANK YOU AGAIN AND LOOK FORWARD
TO SEEING COUNCIL TOMORROW FOR
OUR CLOSED SESSION.
>> IF WE CAN ADD ONE THING, WE
DID NOT RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT
THIS ROUND SO IF COUNCIL MEMBERS
WERE WONDERING WHY YOU DIDN'T
RECEIVE ANY, WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY
COMMITTED TO THIS ROUND THOUGH
AS A REMINDER THE PUBLIC IS
ALWAYS WELCOMED TO SUBMIT
COMMENT IN ADVANCE OF THE
MEETING AND WE INCLUDE THEM AS
PART OF OUR MINUTES.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT REMINDS ME TO SAY TO
EVERYONE WHAT I SAID AT THE
OUTSET OF THIS MEETING WHICH IS
WE EXPECT OUR JANUARY MEETING
WILL BE IN PERSON AND HAVE A
HYBRID MODE AND WE WILL BE
PLANNING A WAY TO RETURN THE
ORAL PUBLIC COMMENTS AT THAT
TIME.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND WE'LL
SEE YOU TOMORROW.