>> WALTER: GOOD MORNING, I'M THE
DIRECTOR AND I WANT TO WELCOME
PEOPLE TO THE OPEN SESSION OF
OUR 226TH MEETING. THIS IS LIVE
VIDEO CAST. AND WE HAVE A
PACKED AGENDA, A NUMBER OF ITEMS
TO GET TO AND AS YOU ALL MAY
KNOW WE'RE SO
>> WALTER: GOOD MORNING, I'M THE
DIRECTOR AND I WANT TO WELCOME
PEOPLE TO THE OPEN SESSION OF
OUR 226TH MEETING. THIS IS LIVE
VIDEO CAST. AND WE HAVE A
PACKED AGENDA, A NUMBER OF ITEMS
TO GET TO AND AS YOU ALL MAY
KNOW WE'RE SO LUCKY TO HAVE THE
NIH DIRECTOR TALKING TO US AT
AROUND 10:30. SO I WANT TO
JUST, AND IN THE BEGINNING, TALK
ABOUT SOME OF THE NEW AD HOC
MEMBERS THAT WE HAVE ON THE
COUNCIL AWAITING APPROVAL FOR
OUR SLATES FROM HHS. WE
ACTUALLY HAVE THREE YEARS OF
SLATES THAT DID NOT GET APPROVED
BY THE LAST ADMINISTRATION SO A
NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE IN THIS
POSITION BUT WE APPRECIATE ALL
THEIR INPUT. FIRST IS GERALDINE
SUNSHINE. I CAN'T SEE EVERYBODY
BUT MISS SUN SHINE IS PRESIDENT
OF THE ASSOCIATION AND WORKS FOR
MASS GENERAL. SHE HOUSES A
JOINT MISSION TO FIND A CURE FOR
LOW BAY GO SYNDROME WHILE
PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE SUPPORT
FOR THEIR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES
AND ALSO THE PRESIDENT AND THE
CEO OF THE ACADEMY IN THE
PHILIPPINES AN EDUCATIONAL
PLATFORM THAT PROVIDES LEARNING
EXPERIENCES FOR GRADES K-12
HIGHER EDUCATION AND LIFELONG
LEARNERS. NEXT IS DR. LINDA
DEBAR. DR. DEBAR HAS BEEN A
LONG-TERM GRANTEE AND DOES
TREMENDOUS WORK IN THE HEAL
INITIATIVE. SHE WORKS IN THE
NORTHWEST CENTER FOR HEALTH
RESEARCH AND AN AFFILIATE
PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
PSYCHIATRY AND BEHAVIORAL
SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
WASHINGTON MEDICAL SCHOOL. THE
CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST,
BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESEARCHER WHO
WORK TO ADDRESS HEALTH ISSUES
AND HAS PHYSICAL AND
PSYCHOLOGICAL CORES AND SYMPTOMS
AND CONCENTRATED IN HELPING
THROUGH HER RESEARCH, PEOPLE
WITH CHRONIC PAIN AND OPIOID
USE. PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH
CO-OCCURRING CONDITIONS. AND SO
HAPPY TO HAVE LYNN ON. AND NOW
I'M GOING TO TURN THE MEETING
OVER TO DR. ANN POE DUR RI WHO
IS OUR DEPUTY DIRECTOR.
I THINK WANTED TO GIVE ANN AND
ANDY MEREDITH A CHANCE TO TALK
ABOUT THEIR VISION FOR NINDS AS
COMING IN FROM THE OUTSIDE AND
SO ANN, THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR?
>> ANN: MORNING, THANK YOU,
WALTER AND THANK YOU TO AMY
ADAMS AND OUR WONDERFUL NINDS
LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR WELCOMING ME
IN OCTOBER OF 2024. AS YOU HEAR
IT'S BEEN A YEAR OF A LOT OF
CHANGE AND SINCE FOR MYSELF AND
DR. MEREDITH EVERYTHING'S BEEN
NEW, IT'S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGE
BUT IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL TO BE
EMBRACED BY THIS INCREDIBLE
TEAM. I WANT TO THANK ALL OF
YOU FOR BEING HERE AND SERVING
SCIENCE HERE TOGETHER WITH US.
I KNOW MANY OF YOU FROM MY
TRAINING ACTUALLY. I'M FROM
COLLABORATION SECTIONS BUT NOT
ALL OF YOU SO I THOUGHT I WOULD
GIVE YOU A QUICK SNAPSHOT OF
WHAT I WAS DOING BEFORE MY OWN
RESEARCH AND CLINICAL WORK
FOCUSED ON THE GENETICS OF
EPILEPSY FROM A HUMAN GENETICS
PERSPECTIVE AND ALSO ANIMAL
MODELING AND ZEBRAFISH PRIMARILY
AND THAT HAS EXTENDED INTO AREA
OF TRANSLATION AND ALSO INTO
AREAS OF ACCESS TO RESEARCH FOR
MANY POPULATIONS. THIS WAS IN
CONCERT WITH A LOT OF
INTERACTIONS I'VE HAD OVER THE
YEARS WITH THE NINDS BOTH FROM
STUDY SECTIONS AND SO ON BUT
ALSO REALLY MEANINGFUL
PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN THE NINDS
AND PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND A
LOT OF TRAINING GRANT
OPPORTUNITIES WHERE ONCE A
RECIPIENT I HAVE NOW HAD THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE MORE IN
THOSE ACTIVITIES SOI I HAVE BEE
HERE JUST FOR A FEW MONTHS AND
I'VE BEEN ABLE TO REALLY HAVE
THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH THE
NINDS TEAM IN A LOT OF AREAS
RELATED TO CHILD HEALTH AND
GENETICS, THE UNDIAGNOSED
DISEASE PROGRAM, SEVERAL OTHER
NETWORKS BUT ALSO TO BROADEN MY
LENS OUT BACK TO THE ADULT
DISORDERS I STUDIED ONCE UPON A
TEAM AND RELEARN AND TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THE PROGRESS THAT'S
BEEN GOING ON IN THE FIELD AND
THROUGH MANY, MANY DIFFERENT
COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVES ACROSS
THE NIH AND ALSO ACROSS THE
COUNTRY IN THE RESEARCH SPHERE
SO THAT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE BUT
REALLY THE MOST INCREDIBLE PART
IS BEING HERE WITH YOU TO REALLY
DO THE WORK THAT WE'RE ALL HERE
TO DO WHICH IS TO MAKE RESEARCH
HAPPEN ACROSS THE COUNTRY SO I'M
MOST GRATEFUL TO EVERYBODY TO BE
HERE TOGETHER. AND I ALSO WANT
TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ARE IN
UNCERTAIN TIMES, WE KEEP HEARING
ABOUT HOW A LOT OF CHANGES ARE
UNPRECEDENTED AND PEOPLE ARE
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO KEEP
THE MISSION IN FOCUS AND WE NEED
TO DO THAT MORE THAN EVER AND WE
NEED EACH OTHER MORE THAN EVER
AND TO SUPPORT OUR MISSION WHICH
IS TO DO GOOD SCIENCE AND
CULTIVATE A WORKFORCE TO KEEP AT
IT LONG AFTER WE'RE ALL DONE
DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING. SO
WE'VE AGAIN, THERE'S A LOT OF
NEGATIVES UNPRECEDENTED, UNHEARD
OF, UNCERTAIN AND THAT SOUNDS
VERY NEGATIVE AND FEELS NEGATIVE
BUT I REALLY, NOT TO TRY TO
GLOSS THINGS OVER BUT WANT TO
FOCUS NOW ON WHAT WE ARE HERE TO
DO TOGETHER AND THERE'S SOME
VERY POSITIVE THINGS THAT WE
KEEP REMIND OURSELVES ABOUT.
NOW THE FIRST IS THAT WE NEED TO
STAY FOCUSED PARTICULARLY AS
WE'RE TALKING TO OUR YOUNG
RESEARCH COMMUNITY. ON THE NEED
FOR THE RESEARCH THAT WE'RE
PROMOTING AND THAT WE'RE DOING.
THE CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH
NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS ARE NOT
GOING AWAY JUST BECAUSE THINGS
ARE CHANGE AND THE TIMES ARE
CHANGING. THEY'RE EVERYDAY IN
CLINIC. AND THE DOCTORS WHO SEE
THEM, THE NURSES WHO SEE THEM,
THE GENETIC COUNSELOR WHO IS SEE
THEM ARE VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE
NEED FOR RESEARCH IF THE STATUS
QUO WAS PERFECT WE WON'T NEED
TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH BUT
THERE'S A LOT OF UNMET NEED AND
PROMISE FROM THE WORK THAT'S
GOING ON SO WE NEED TO STAY
FOCUSED ON THE VERY REALLY
APPLICABILITY AND THE URGENT
NEED FOR OUR WORK TO CONTINUE.
I THINK WE ALSO HAVE TO CONTINUE
TO CULTIVATE THE SCIENCE AND
RECOGNIZE IT'S A COMBINATION OF
OUR BASIC FUNDAMENTAL
NEUROSCIENCE, OUR CLINICAL
RESEARCH AND THE TRANSLATIONAL
WORK THAT GOES ON BETWEEN THEM
THAT REALLY BRINGS ALL OF THESE
PARTS TOGETHER THAT ACKNOWLEDGES
THE VALUE OF ALL OF THESE
THINGS. SOME OF THE FUNDAMENTAL
WORK MAY HAVE THE APPLICABILITY
IN 10-20 YEARS AND TO MERGE
THOSE AND THINK ABOUT THOSE IN
ONE ROOM AND UNDER ONE ROOF
TOGETHER BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER,
BRINGS RESEARCHERS TOGETHER AND
ALLOWS THAT TRANSLATION TO
HAPPEN FASTER. I THINK WE ALSO
REALLY NEED TO PRESERVE A
CULTURE OF MENTORSHIP. THAT
COMES THROUGH AND YOU'LL HEAR
ABOUT THAT THROUGH THE TRAINING
MECHANISMS, THROUGH THE AWARDS
THAT GO THROUGH TWO OF THE
PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT ONLY WELL
RECOGNIZED RESEARCHERS INCLUDING
THOSE IN OUR GROUP AMONG US
TODAY BUT THOSE WHO HAVE PUT
MENTORSHIP AT THE FRONT OF THEIR
CAREERS. I AM HEARING QUITE A
LOT OF ANXIETY AND UNCERTAINTY
FROM TRAINEES AND FROM PEOPLE
WHO THOUGHT THEY WERE ON ONE
PATH AND MAYBE HAVE TO RETACKLE
A LITTLE BIT AND NOT SURE HOW
THE INSTITUTIONS CAN BUFFER THEM
AT THIS MOMENT. IT'S NOT EASY,
IT'S NEVER BEEN EASY, THE PEOPLE
HERE AS OUR ESTABLISHED
COMMUNITY KNOW THAT IT WASN'T AN
EASY PATH BUT A PATH WE FOSTERED
TOGETHER AND WE NEED TO KEEP
DOING THAT TO ENSURE OUR YOUNGER
FOLKS CANNOT ONLY DO THE SCIENCE
THEY WANT TO DO BUT HELP MAKE
ADVANCES TOWARDS ENDING AND
CURING NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS.
THIS IS NOT JUST SOMETHING WE
TALK ABOUT BUT SOMETHING WE'RE
REALLY SEEING HAPPEN. THE
AMAZING PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN
MADE IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT
SPHERES. THAT HAS TO KEEP
HAPPENING AND WE HAVE TO MAKE
SURE WE KEEP A LIFELINE OUT BOTH
IN TERMS OF ACTUAL FUNDING AND
IN TERMS OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT
AND ENCOURAGEMENT. MANY OF YOU
IN THE ROOM ARE DEPARTMENT
CHAIRS AND INSTITUTE DIRECTORS
AND IT'S GOING TO BE THAT
PARTNERSHIP WITH YOU THAT'S
GOING TO BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN
EVER IN THESE COMING MONTHS AND
YEARS. THE FINAL THING I THINK
WE CAN DO TOGETHER IN A POSITIVE
WAY IS TO COMMUNICATE, WE'RE
COMMUNICATING HERE TODAY
TOGETHER BUT WHEN WE'RE
COMMUNICATING TO OUR RESEARCH
COMMUNITY AND OUR TRAINEES AND
WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT DIALOGUE
GOING. SOME OF IT IS GOING TO
BE BETWEEN NINDS BUT IT HAS TO
KEEP HAPPENING AND IT'S NEVER
BEEN A MORE IMPORTANT TIME TO
COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER BUT
AS WALTER OFTEN SAYS AND I THINK
WE HAVE TO REMIND OURSELF OF
THIS TOO WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE
WITH THE COMMUNITY. WE'RE HERE
TO PROMOTE NEUROSCIENCE TO
ADVANCE MEDICINE AND SCIENCE TO
PROMOTE THE END AND
UNDERSTANDING AND THEN END OF
SOME NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS SO
MAYBE IN 50 YEARS PEOPLE WILL
NOT BE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME
PROBLEMS BUT NEW PROBLEMS WILL
BE ADDRESSED BUT TO UNDERSTAND
THE IMPACT ON THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE WE REALLY HAVE TO GET OUT
THERE AND TALK TO OUR PATIENTS,
OUR COLLEAGUES, OUR NEIGHBORS,
OUR LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS. WHO
IT'S NOT HARD TO GET EXCITED
ABOUT THE BRAIN. WE NEED TO GET
OUT THERE WHEN WE'RE ON THE BUS
OR THE METRO OR WHEREVER WE
MIGHT BE COMMUTING AND MAKE SURE
PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE DO IN
SCIENCE. PEOPLE ARE REALLY
EXCITED TO HEAR ABOUT GENETICS
AND THE BRAIN AND THE BRAIN
INITIATIVE AND I READ ABOUT THAT
IN THE NEWSPAPER AND WE GOT TO
KEEP THAT EXCITEMENT ALIVE. THE
WORK IS NEEDED. YOUR WORK IS
NEEDED. AND I WILL JUST END BY
THANKING YOU AGAIN FOR BEING
HERE AND HOPE WE CAN STICK THIS
OUT, THIS PERIOD OUT TOGETHER
AND THE COUNTRY NEEDS US AND OUR
RESEARCHERS NEED US AND
CERTAINLY OUR PATIENTS NEED US.
THANKS, TURN THINGS OVER TO
ANDY.
>> ANDREA: THANKS, ANN, I
COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BETTER
MYSELF. I JOINED JUST DR. ANN
JUST LAST NOVEMBER. THIS IS MY
FIRST TIME IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT.
WALTER ASKED TO SPEAK ABOUT OUR
BACKGROUND. LIKE ANN I CAME TO
THINK BIGGER AFTER STUDYING ION
CHANNELOPATHY EXCITABILITY. IN
MANY RESPECTS MY SHORT TIME HERE
HAS BEEN CHARACTERIZED BY BIG
CHANGES IN EXTRAMURAL POLICY AND
PROCESS AND WALTER'S GOING TO
DISCUSS SOME OF THOSE SPECIFICS
LATER IN HIS DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
BUT I'LL SAY THAT I FEEL
CHALLENGED TO APPROACH OUR
MISSION BEYOND HOW WE'VE
TRADITIONALLY DONE IT. THINKING
ABOUT NEW PATHS, NEW
POSSIBILITIES FOR HOW WE CAN
ACCOMPLISH THE EXTRAMURAL SIDE
OF THAT MISSION SO LET ME KICK
OFF THE OPEN SESSION WITH A
SHORT DEA DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
AND I WANT TO START WITH AN
OVERVIEW OF THE WIDE RANGE OF
SPECIAL PROGRAMS THAT WE FUND AT
NINDS AND I WANT TO DRAW YOUR
ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT
TWO-THIRDS OF THESE USE
SPECIALIZED FUNDING OPPORTUNITY
ANNOUNCEMENTS. RATHER THAN
GENERAL PARENT ANNOUNCEMENTS.
SLIDE IS UP. OUR FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES ARE DESIGNED WITH
SPECIFIC ENTRY REVIEW CRITERIA
THAT ARE TAILORED TO OUR
SCIENTIFIC AND REGULATORY
OUTCOMES. AND WE HAVE 54 NINDS
ISSUED FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
ACTIVE RIGHT NOW. WHICH COVER
GAPS IN THOSE PARENT
ANNOUNCEMENTS. SO WE HAVE
PROGRAMS LIKE THE BLUEPRINT FOR
NEUROSCIENCE, THEY HAVE DISTINCT
NINDS ISSUED OPPORTUNITIES, FOR
EXAMPLE, NEUROTHERAPEUTICS, THE
MED TECH PROGRAM AND OUR
TRAINING PROGRAMS. MANY OF OUR
TRANSLATIONAL AND CLINICAL
RESEARCH PROGRAMS REQUIRE
SPECIALIZED FUNDING
ANNOUNCEMENTS. CAN YOU CLICK ON
THAT SLIDE? I THINK THERE'S
SOME STUFF MISSING FROM THE TOP.
THANK YOU. CLICK AGAIN. THERE
WE GO. MANY OF OUR
TRANSLATIONAL AND CLINICAL
RESEARCH PROGRAMS REQUIRE THESE
SPECIALIZED FUNDING
ANNOUNCEMENTS BECAUSE THEY
INVOLVE LARGE MULTICENTER
STUDIES WITH COMPLEX
INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDING THE
ABILITY TO INTEGRATE A NEW
COMPONENT WITH EXISTING TRIALS.
SUCH AS THE UG 3 UH 3 STROKE NET
CLINICAL TRIALS AND BIOMARKER
STUDIES WE ALSO USE MILESTONE
DRIVEN FUNDING MECHANISMS AND
OUR SPECIALIZED OPPORTUNITIES
THAT ALLOW US TO ADVANCE THE
RESEARCH BY A SEQUENTIAL STEPS
IN DEPENDENT AIMS THIS MITIGATES
OUR RISK ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH
RISK EARLY STAGE PROJECTS. WE
USE THESE SPECIALIZED FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES TO ACHIEVE THE
UNIQUE REQUIREMENTS WITHIN OUR
CONGRESSIONALLY MANDATED
PROGRAMS INCLUDING THE BRAIN
INITIATIVE WHICH YOU'LL HEAR
ABOUT FROM JOHN LATER IN THE
AGENDA. THE HEAL INITIATIVE
WHICH IS CO-LED BY THE NINDS.
AND OUR TARGETED APPROPRIATIONS
FOR PAIN RESEARCH WHICH REQUIRE
THOSE SPECIALIZED FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES TO TARGET SPECIFIC
PRIORITY AREAS SUCH AS THE
DEVELOPMENT OF NON OPIOID PAIN
THERAPE
THERAPEUTICS.
THERE'S THE ALS EXPANDED ACCESS
PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES
INVESTIGATIONAL TREATMENT TO
PATIENTS THAT ARE NOT ELIGIBLE
FOR CLINICAL TRIALS WITH
ACCELERATED REVIEW TIMEFRAMES.
THE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND
ALZHEIMER'S RELATED DEMENTIAS
PROGRAM WHICH ARE CO-LED BY NIA
AND US HAVE 35 ALZHEIMER'S
DISEASE RESEARCH CENTERS THAT
SPAN BASIC TRANSLATIONAL
RESEARCH AND THE COORDINATION IS
ACHIEVED THROUGH RESPECTIVE
SPECIALIZED FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES AT EACH INSTITUTE.
AND THEN WE HAVE MANY
PARTNERSHIPS THAT INVOLVE
DIVERSE FUNDING MECHANISMS,
GRANTS, COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS,
CONTRACTS, THAT CAN'T FIT UNDER
SINGLE PARENT ANNOUNCEMENTS.
AND USE OUR SPECIALIZED FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES. FOR EXAMPLE, THE
ACCELERATING MEDICINES
PARTNERSHIP WHICH BRINGS
TOGETHER NIH, FDA, PHARMA
INDUSTRY AND FOUNDATIONS TO
SPEED THE IDENTIFICATION OF NEW
DISEASE TARGETS AND TREATMENTS
IN PARKINSON'S AND ALS. AND THE
LAST POINT I'LL MAKE IS THAT
SPECIALIZED FUNDING OPPORTUNITY
ANNOUNCEMENTS CONTRIBUTE TO OUR
OUTCOMES TRACKING. THIS HELPS
US ASSESS THE IMPACT OF OUR
FUNDING DECISIONS OVER TIME.
AND TO REPORT BACK TO CONGRESS.
I FOCUS ON THESE POINTS BECAUSE
WE'RE IMPLEMENTING A NEW
APPROVAL PROCESS FOR NIH FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES AT BOTH THE NIH
DIRECTOR AND THE HHS LEVELS. SO
IT'S GOING TO BE A SLOWER
PROCESS THAN WHAT MANY ARE USED
TO. AND YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE
ONLY ONE CONCEPT FOR COUNCIL
APPROVAL LATER IN THIS MEETING.
THERE'S ALSO AN NIH-WIDE EFFORT
TO SIMPLIFY AND STREAMLINE
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS THE
BOARD. WHICH CHALLENGE US TO
REIMAGINE HOW WE CRAFT OUR
PROGRAMS AND PRODUCE THE
INTENDED OUTCOMES. SO I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE AS WE
OPERATIONALIZE THESE CHANGES
THAT WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE
FEEDBACK AND EXPERTISE OFFERED
BY THESE COUNCIL MEETINGS AND
THIS COUNCIL INTERACTION IS
CRITICAL TO HOW WE THINK ABOUT
OUR PRIORITIES. AND REFLECT HOW
WE UPHOLD FAIRNESS AND RIGOR IN
OUR EXTRAMURAL PROGRAMS. SO
NORMALLY WE WOULD RECOGNIZE NEW
STAFF IN THIS REPORT. WHICH WE
ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE AT THIS
TIME. HOWEVER, I'D LIKE TO TAKE
A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
STAFF WHO HAVE RECENTLY DEPARTED
FROM NINDS CAN I HAVE THAT SLOO
SLIDE? WE HAVE A SLIDE OF THE
MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE LEFT NI
NINDS. THANKNNDS.
THANK YOU. NINDS. THANK YOU. M
NINDS. THANK YOU.
RECOGNIZE RECENT RETIREES
INCLUDING DAVE OWENS WHO USED TO
SIT IN THIS SEAT AMONG MANY
OTHERS. AND THE MOVE OF OUR
SCIENTIFIC REVIEW STAFF TO CSR
AT THE END OF THIS SLIDE WE
EXTEND OUR APPRECIATION TO ALL
OF THESE PEOPLE FOR THEIR MANY
CONTRIBUTIONS TO NINDS AND OUR
MISSION. THANK YOU. OKAY,
BEFORE WE GET STARTED, I HAVE A
FEW HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS JUST A
REMINDER THAT DAN, FRANCIS, AMY,
KATE, ROY, LYNN, HECTOR AND
GERALDINE, YOU ARE ATTENDING
THIS MEETING AS SUBJECT MATTER
EXPERTS WHICH MEAN YOU CAN
PARTICIPATE FULLY IN ALL THE
DISCUSSIONS BUT CAN'T FORMALLY
VOTE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
PATIENCE AS WE CONTINUE TO
NAVIGATE THE HHS APPROVAL
PROCESS. THIS SESSION IS VIDEO
CAST AND WILL BE ARCHIVED SO
KEEP THAT IN MIND DURING TODAY'S
MEETING. THERE ARE NINDS STAFF
WHO ARE ATTENDING IN-PERSON TO
THOSE OF YOU AROUND THE TABLE
AND IN THE ROOM MRAIZ PLEASE
MAKE SURE YOU'RE LOGGED ONTO
TEAMS BUT KEEP YOUR COMPUTERS
AND MICROPHONES MUTED FOR THIS
MEETING ANYTHING REQUIRING A
VOTE WILL BE MANAGED THE
OLD-FASHIONED WAY I WILL CALL
FOR A MOTION AND THE MOTION WILL
BE MADE AND SECONDED. THEN,
SINCE WE HAVE ATTENDEES ON TEAMS
I WILL TAKE A VOTE VIA ROLL CALL
TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE EACH OF
YOUR VOTES RECORDED. ARE THERE
ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY. ON THE
AGENDA WHICH YOU CAN FIND IN THE
ECB UNDER THE NINDS GENERAL TAB
COUNCIL MEETING DATES THROUGH
2027 ARE LISTED AND NOTE THAT
EACH SYNDROME WILL BE ON
WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. HOLD
THESE DATES ON YOUR CALENDARS
LET US KNOW IF YOU ANTICIPATE
ANY CONFLICTS. WE'RE HOLDING AN
EXTRA COUNCIL IN AUGUST FOR TWO
REASONS, THERE'S SOME
APPLICATIONS THAT ARE COMING IN
THAT HAD REVIEWS THAT COULDN'T
BE SCHEDULED IN TIME FOR THE
SPRING COUNCIL DUE TO THE DELAYS
WE HAD IN POSTING IN THE FEDERAL
REGISTER AND ADDITIONAL
APPLICATIONS WERE SPECIFICALLY
TARGETED FOR THIS AUGUST COUNCIL
SO THAT WE CAN PROCESS THE
AWARDS USING FISCAL YEAR 2025
FUNDS. EACH ROUND I REPORT TO
YOU ABOUT THE EXPEDITED REVIEW
PROCESS. WHICH THREE
COUNCILMEMBERS ARE DELEGATED TO
APPROVE A SUBSET OF APPLICATIONS
BEFORE THE COUNCIL MEETS. JEN,
JANE AND GYM AGREED TO HANDLE
THIS THIS YEAR.
THANK YOU FOR THAT. SORRY HANK.
>> YEAH, THANK YOU. I THANK YOU
BOTH FOR THE OVERVIEW HERE. AS
WE PREPARE FOR THE DOCTOR TO
ARRIVE I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW
OF THE MANY I DEPARTURES YOU HAD
WHAT FRACTION OF THE NINDS
WORKFORCE IS NO LONGER THERE?
ARE YOU DOWN BY 20%? 25%? WHAT
IS THE FRACTION THAT HAS
DISAPPEARED? IF YOU WILL?
>> ANDREA: WHEN I CALCULATED IT,
IT'S ABOUT 20%. AMY'S NODDING
AND I THINK THAT'S ROUGHLY TRUE
ACROSS NIH, RIGHT?
>> CAN I ASK YOU ARE THERE
PARTICULAR BRANCHES THAT HAVE
BEEN PARTICULARLY AFFECTED BY
THIS?
>> ANDREA: YES ON THAT SLIDE WE
TRIED TO SEPARATE PEOPLE OUT BY
DIVISIONS, AMY, DO YOU WANT TO
SPEAK TO THAT?
>> AMY: DIFFERENT REDUCTIONS
HAVE HURT DIFFERENT GROUPS. AS
WE LOOK AT THIS THE DIVISION OF
NEUROSCIENCE HAVE BEEN
PARTICULARLY HIT BUT ALL OF THE
DIVISIONS HAVE SUFFERED QUITE
QUIET A BLOW. WE THINK THAT THE
DIVISION OF INTRAMURAL RESEARCH
SUSTAINED A SIGNIFICANT HIT. WE
THINK THAT THOSE PEOPLE WILL BE
REINSTATED SO THEY WERE NOT
INCLUDED ON THE SLIDE BUT THEY
HAVE BEEN UNDER EXTRAORDINARY
UNCERTAINTY FOR MONTHS AND SO
WE'LL JUST CONTINUE TO HOPE THAT
THAT SITUATION GETS RESOLVED BUT
THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION.
>> AND THANK YOU, APPRECIATE IT.
>> ANDREA: THANK YOU, I AM GOING
TO BACK UP AND TALK ABOUT THE
REVIEW PROCESS NOW. WE HAD JANE
AND JIM AGREEING TO HANDLE THAT
THIS YEAR AND THIS EXPEDITED
APPROVAL ALLOWS OUR GRANTS
MANAGEMENT BRANCH TO ISSUE THE
AWARDS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE SO THAT
THE RESEARCH CAN GET STARTED THE
EXPEDITED PROCESS TYPICALLY
FOCUSES ON RO 1S AND OTHER
APPLICATIONS WITH SCORES WITHIN
THE PAY LINES THAT HAVE NO
ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE RESOLVED
BEFORE BEING AWARDED AND OUR
ABILITY TO GET THESE AWARDS OUT
QUICKLY IS DUE TO THE EFFORTS OF
OUR DEDICATED NINDS STAFF AND
PROGRAM STAFF ACROSS THREE
DIVISIONS AND OUR GRANTS
MANAGEMENT BRANCH LED BY SHELLY
WILL BURN, ALL THESE PEOPLE
ENSURE THESE MEET THE CRITERIA
FOR EXPEDITING. THIS ROUND WE
HAD 89 APPLICATIONS THAT WERE
EXPEDITED AND IN THE PROCESS OF
BEING ISSUED. THE TRIENNIAL
REPORT, WE SHARED THIS IN THE
ECB AND I JUST WANT TO ASK IF
THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OR
CONCERNS ABOUT THAT REPORT?
>> I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT IT A
LITTLE BIT LATER. I'LL BE
MENTIONING SOME DATA ABOUT THAT
A LITTLE BIT LATER AS WELL.
>> ANDREA: IF THERE ARE NO
CONCERNS, I NEED A MOTION TO
APPROVE.
>> SO MOVED.
>> SECOND.
>> ANDREA: THANK YOU. YOU GUYS
PROBABLY CAN'T SEE THIS BUT
THERE'S A BIG PILLAR BLOCK MY
VIEW OF THE SCREEN IN THE
IMMEDIATE DIRECTION. NOW I WILL
CALL FOR A VOTE. AMY? CAN YOU
VERBALLY STATE YOUR, DO WE WANT
THEM TO VERBALLY DO IT? YES,
VERBALLY, PLEASE.
>> YES, IF I CAN LEARN TO TURN
THE MICROPHONE OFF, YES,
APPROV
APPROVE.
>> (YESES).
>> ANDREA: NEXT UP IS DR. JOHN
NGAI AND I WILL TURN IT OTHER TO
HIM.
>> JOHN: I THINK WE'RE RUNNING A
LITTLE BEHIND. I WILL BE BRIEF.
WALTER ASKED FOR A BRIEF UPDATE
ON THE MICRONS PROJECT WHICH WAS
PUBLISHED LAST MONTH. LET ME
SEE THERE, YEAH, SO JUST A VERY
QUICK UPDATE AND HOPEFULLY
THERE'LL BE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME
TO TAKE QUESTIONS. SO LAST
MONTH A GROUP OF PAPERS WERE
PUBLISHED FROM THE MICRONS
PROJECT, THE MACHINE
INTELLIGENCE FROM CORTICAL
NETWORKS PROJECT AND THIS WAS
ESTABLISHING FUNCTIONAL
CONNECTIVITY OF THE MOUSE VISUAL
CORTEX THIS WAS A LARGE
CONSORTIUM PROJECT ORGANIZED
INITIALLY BY THE INTELLIGENCE
AGENCY IRPA. IT COMPRISED OVER
150 RESEARCHERS. AGAIN,
INITIALLY STARTED BY ARPA AND
THEN BY OTHERS. IT WAS LED BY
THREE INSTITUTIONS, IN SEATTLE,
PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY AND IN
HOUSTON FROM THE COLLEGE OF
MEDICINE. THEY PERFORMED AN EM
RECONSTRUCTION OF ONE CUBIC
MILLIMETER OF MOUSE CORTEX THIS
TOOK THE ANALYSIS OF OVER ABOUT
28,000 SECTIONS, THE RAW DATA
ITSELF COMPRISED ABOUT TWO PED
DA BITES OF DATA AND THROUGH
THIS EFFORT THEY WERE ABLE TO
LOOK AT CELLS AND OVER 500
MILLION SYNAPSES THIS IS GETTING
AT THE WIRING DIAGRAM OF THE
BRAIN AND THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS
TO UNDERSTANDING HOW THIS WIRE
DIAGRAM SERVES ACTUAL
COMPUTATIONS. SO THIS WASN'T
JUST A STATIC MAP OF CORTEX.
THIS IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE
CHARACTERIZATION OF THE MILLION
BRAIN CELL VOLUME SO FAR BUT
WHAT WHAT THEY DID BEFORE THEY
TOOK THIS PROCESSING.
THEY SHOWED THE MOUSE VIDEO
CLIPS OF VARIOUS SCENES
INCLUDING NATURALISTIC SCENES IN
A MOUSE THAT EXPRESSED A CALCIUM
INDICATOR SO THEY HAD ACTIVITY.
THEY WERE ABLE TO MONITOR
ACTIVITY FROM 76,000 NEURONS AND
OVERLAY THAT ONTO THE
FUNCTIONAL, ONTO THE ANATOMICAL
MAP. AND THIS ALLOWS THEM TO DO
A NUMBER OF THINGS INCLUDING
BUILDING A DIGITAL TWIN OF THIS
CUBIC MILLIMETER AND THEY
ESTABLISHED A FOUNDATION MODEL
OF NEURAL ACTIVITY THAT CAN
PREDICT RESPONSES TO NOVEL
STIMULUS TYPES SO THIS IS REALLY
THE HOLY GRAIL OF NEUROSCIENCE
WHICH IS TO CONNECT STRUCTURE
AND FUNCTION OF THESE CIRCUITS.
AND THIS REALLY SETS THE STAGE
FOR BUILDING THE BRAIN CONNECTS
PROJECT. THIS IS ONE OF OUR
THREE TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECTS TO
GROUND THIS WITH A WIRING
DIAGRAM THAT SYNAPSE SOLUTION AN
ENTIRE MOUSE BRAIN AT THE
PROJECTION OF A RESOLUTION FOR
AN ENTIRE HUMAN. NOW THIS
BUILDS ON PREVIOUS WORK THAT'S
BEEN PUBLISHED, SPOUPPORTED BY E
BRAIN INITIATIVE. THAT PROVIDES
A COMPLETE CELL ANALYSIS OF THE
MOUSE BRAIN AS WELL AS OF THE
NONHUMAN PRY MAT BRAINS AND THE
GROUP JUST RECENTLY MADE PUBLIC
THIS WILL BE CALLED THE BRAIN
KNOWLEDGE PLATFORM WHICH HAS
DATA CELL TYPE DATA, MOLECULAR
DATA FROM OVER 12 SPECIES TO ALL
OPEN ACCESS.
IT'S REALLY THE START IN OUR
EFFORT TO PROVIDE LARGE-SCALE
RESOURCES TO THE COMMUNITY TO
EMPOWER AND ACCELERATE RESEARCH
FOR ALL. NOW AGAIN, THESE TWO
PROJECTS, THE BRAIN INITIATIVE
CELL CENSUS PROJECT WHICH IS
FOCUSING ON BIG BRAINS TOGETHER
WITH THE CONNECTS PROGRAM SO THE
WIRING PROGRAM PLUS THIS GIVES
US THE GROUND TRUTH FOR HOW
CIRCUITS MIGHT COMPUTE AND THE
THIRD PROJECT WHICH I DON'T HAVE
TIME TO MENTION TODAY IS THE
PRECISION PERTAIN CELL ACCESS
AND THIS IS TO HAVE TOOLS AT
SCALE FOR THE SPECIFIC CELL
TYPES THAT ARE IDENTIFIED
MOLECULARLY FROM THE BICAN
PROJECT AS WELL AS CIRCUITS TO
ALLOW US PRECISION ACCESS.
TO BETTER UNDERSTAND NEURAL
CIRCUITS AND HEALTH AND DISEASE
AND TOGETHER THESE WILL LAY THE
FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE THERAPIES
SO IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT WE'VE
BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST TEN
YEARS OR SO, WE'RE CELEBRATING
THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY, YOU CAN
PICK UP THIS AND I WILL STOP
HERE AND IF THERE'S TIME FOR
QUESTIONS, I AM HAPPY TO, KEEP
YOUR EYES PEELED ON THE
LITERATURE NEXT WEEK. I AM
HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
>> WALTER: THANKS A LOT, JOHN, I
THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE
MOST AMAZING PROJECT THAT WE'VE
EVER SEEN IN NEUROSCIENCE. SO
THANKS FOR LEADING IT. IT JUST
KEEPS COMING. THE GOODIES KEEP
COMING. THANKS VERY MUCH.
DR. WHAT TA CHARIA IS ON. CAN
YOU HEAR US?
>> JAYANTA: I CAN HEAR YOU, CAN
YOU HEAR ME?
>> WALTER: WE'RE REAL PLEASED TO
HAVE DR. JAYANTA WHAT TA CHARIA
HERE. THE 18TH DIRECTOR OF THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
CONFIRMED BY THE SENATE IN MARCH
2025. HE'S A PH.D., LONG-TERM
PROFESSOR KNOWN FOR HIS WORKING
ON AGING, CHRONIC DISEASE AND
HEALTH POLL SIX -- POLICY.
HE PLANS TO BRING A STRONG FOCUS
ON ADDRESSING AMERICA'S CHRONIC
DISEASE CRISIS. HE'S SUBMITTED
TO FOSTERING OPEN SCIENTIFIC
DIALOGUE AND ADVANCING RESEARCH
THAT DELIVERS REAL WORLD IMPACT
AS I MENTIONED, HE'S IN A
LEADERSHIP POSITION THAT IS
REALLY GOING TO HELP DETERMINE
WHAT WE AS AN INSTITUTE CAN DO
FOR THE PEOPLE WITH NEUROLOGICAL
DISORDERS AND FOR THE FOLKS
WORKING HARD TO UNDERSTAND THE
BRAIN WHICH IS THE ORGAN AS JOHN
JUST TOLD YOU THAT MAKES US
HUMAN, MAKES US THE INDIVIDUALS
WE ARE AND NOT JUST THE SPECIES
WE ARE. SO JAY, IT'S A PLEASURE
TO HAVE YOU AND WE LOOK FORWARD
TO YOUR ADDRESS
>> KAT
>> JAYANTA: THANK YOU, WALTER, I
HAVE A SLIDE DECK I WANT TO
SHARE I WILL SEE IF CAN I GET
THAT WORKING. THERE IT IS,
FANTASTIC.
AS WALTER SAID, I'M THE NEW NIH
DIRECTOR AND I, ALTHOUGH I DON'T
HAVE A BACKGROUND IN
NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS IT'S
SOMETHING I'VE BEEN VERY, VERY
INTERESTED IN JUST FOLLOWING MY
ENTIRE CAREER AND IT'S ONE OF
THESE AMAZING THINGS THAT I'M
GOING TO BE ABLE TO LEARN FROM
YOU ALL. I JUST SAW A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT THE BRAIN INITIATIVE
AND I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING THAT FOR
A FEW YEARS AS WELL AND LIKE
WALTER I SHARE THE EXCITEMENT
THAT THERE IS ABOUT THE ADVANCES
IN KNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE HAD. I
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
CONTINUE THAT. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE SO I WANTED TO JUST START
BY GIVING A FEW LEADERSHIP
UPDATES. I WILL TALK ABOUT MY
VISION. AND THEN SOME PROBLEMS
I THINK WE NEED TO GET
ADDRESSED. SO THE NIH OBVIOUSLY
HAS BEEN THROUGH A TREMENDOUSLY
TURBULENT TIME OVER THE LAST FEW
MONTHS. AND WE'VE TRANSITIONED
WITH NEW LEADERSHIP. SO MATT
MEMO LEE WILL BE THE PRINCIPAL
DEPUTY DIRECTOR. SCENE THAT
KRAN STON IS REPLACING THE CHIEF
OF STAFF. ERIC SH NAB L. THE
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AND
JAMES MCELROY. WE HAVE
LEADERSHIP TRANSITIONS THAT ARE
GOING TO, I'M GOING TO WORK ON
VERY HEAVILY.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME WE HAVE SOME
FANTASTIC PEOPLE WHO STEPPED UP
AS ACTING DIRECTOR AT NINR, NIMH
DVR
D BUT IT'S A CHANCE TO MOVE THE
NIH WITH MORE POLITICAL SUPPORT
ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM.
FOCUSED ON THE HEALTH NEEDS OF
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. BEFORE I GET TO
MY VISION I WANTED TO PREFACE IT
WITH THE SENSE OF THE PROBLEMS I
SEE AS THE NIH FACES AND SCIENCE
MORE GENERALLY. DURING THE
PANDEMIC, A LOT OF AMERICANS
LOST THEIR TRUST IN THE
SCIENTISTS TO DO WHAT'S BEST
INTEREST OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.
THIS IS FROM A STUDY IN 2024.
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC MAYBE 12-13%
OF AMERICANS THOUGHT... HAD LOW
CONFIDENCE FOR SCIENTISTS TO DO
WHAT'S BEST FOR THE PUBLIC NOW
WE'RE TALKING IN THE ORDER OF
23%. ONE IN FOUR AMERICANS HAVE
NO TRUST WHATSOEVER THAT
SCIENTISTS DO WHAT IS BEST FOR
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. THIS IS
IMPORTANT BECAUSE, THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE THAT PAY FOR OUR SCIENCE,
THAT ARE THE... THAT POTENTIALLY
USE THE SCIENTIFIC RESULTS WE
HAVE. IF WE DON'T ADDRESS THIS
PROBLEM BY ADDRESSING THE THINGS
THAT LED TO THIS LACK OF TRUST,
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE
THESE TURBULENT TIMES IN THE
FUTURE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO
LET ME TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
MY VISION FOR THE NIH. AND I
HAVE BASICALLY FIVE IDEAS FOR
REFORMS THAT WILL HELP RESTORE
THIS PUBLIC TRUST. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. FIRST, WE HAVE TO FOCUS
ON THE THINGS THAT MOST IMPACT
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. AT NINDS I
DON'T THINK YOU HAVE ANY TROUBLE
WITH THAT. YOU ALL ARE FOCUSED
ON EXACTLY PROBLEMS THAT SO MANY
AMERICAN FOLKS, AMERICAN PEOPLE
HAVE. THE CHRONIC DISEASE
PROBLEM IS TO STRANGER TO THE
NINDS AND IT'S EXACTLY THE KIND
OF RESEARCH WE OUGHT TO DO SO
THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THESE HEALTH
NEEDS FROM STROKE TO
NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS TO
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. IF WE
FOCUS ON THOSE ITEMS THAT MOST
IMPACT THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
OF AMERICANS, AMERICANS WILL
START TO TRUST US ONCE AGAIN.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE STATISTICS
THAT, ON LONGEVITY FOR INSTANCE,
THERE WAS NO INCREASE IN
LONGEVITY IN THE UNITED STATES
BETWEEN 2012-2019 AND OF COURSE
DURING THE PANDEMIC THERE WAS A
COLLAPSE IN LIFE EXPECTANCY, SO
MUCH OF THE FOCUS CAME ONCO
COVID THAT AMERICANS LOST THEIR
CONFIDENCE THAT WE WERE FOCUSING
ON OTHER ASPECTS OF THEIR HEALTH
THAT CONTINUED DURING COVID AND
IN FACT GOT WORSE.
OF COURSE THAT'S NOT ALL BAD
NEWS WE ACTUALLY DID FOCUS ON
LOTS OF ITEMS THAT IMPROVED
AMERICAN HEALTH BUT WE HAVEN'T
TRANSLATED THAT INTO THE
POPULATION AT LARGE. SO WE HAVE
A LOT OF WORK TO DO, NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. EVERY 40 SECONDS
SOMEONE HAS A STROKE. IN THE
UNITED STATES. 50 MILLION
AMERICAN ADULTS LIVE IN CHRONIC
PAIN. MORE THAN 7 MILLION
AMERICANS HAVE ALZHEIMER'S
DISEASE OF COURSE THAT IMPACTS
NOT JUST THE PATIENTS BUT THEIR
FAMILIES AND THEIR CAREGIVERS.
ALMOST A MILLION PEOPLE IN THE
U.S. LIVE WITH PARKINSON'S
DISEASE AND IN 2030 IT'S TO BE
RAISED BY 1.2 MILLION. YOU ALL
KNOW THE PROBLEMS THAT NEED TO
BE ADDRESSED. THESE STATISTICS
ARE JUST NUMBERS. BUT THEY
REPRESENT SUFFERING ON A MASS
SCALE AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO
GET, IF THE DEMOGRAPHIC
ESTIMATES ARE RIGHT THEY'RE NOT
GOING TO GO AWAY IN THE COMES
YEARS THEY'RE JUST GOING TO GROW
AS THE POPULATION GETS OLDER.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THE
ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THESE
PROBLEMS IS ABSOLUTELY ENORMOUS
AS WELL THE HEALTH AND LONG-TERM
CARE COSTS FOR ALZHEIMER'S
DISEASE PATIENTS AND PATIENTS
WITH OTHER DEMENTIAS WILL REACH
384 BILLION DOLLARS THIS YEAR.
THE VALUE OF CARE PROVIDED BY
UNPAID CAREGIVERS WITH, FOR
PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA IS ON THE
ORDER OF 400 BILLION DOLLARS IN
2024. COMBINED THE INDIRECT AND
DIRECT COST OF PARKINSON'S
DISEASE ARE ESTIMATED TO BE ON
THE ORDER OF 50 BILLION DOLLARS
IN 2020. AND STROKE, ANOTHER 56
BILLION DOLLARS THESE ARE
PROBLEMS THAT NOT ONLY IMPACT
THE LIVES OF THE PATIENTS, THE
LIVES OF THE CAREGIVERS AND
THEIR FAMILIES BUT ALSO IMPACT
THE BOTTOM LINE OF THE UNITED
STATES. A HUGE CHUNK OF
MEDICARE EXPENDITURES GOES TO
EXACTLY THIS KIND OF CAREGIVING.
TO THIS KIND OF CARE. ADVANCES
IN OUR KNOWLEDGE AND OUR ABILITY
TO PREVENT AND TREAT ALZHEIMER'S
FOR INSTANCE WOULD BE
TRANSFORMATIVE ON MEDICARE
BUDGETS. THESE ARE FUNDAMENTAL
ISSUES THAT IF WE CAN MAKE
PROGRESS ON THEM WOULD BENEFIT
EVERY AMERICAN. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. SO THE FIRST PART OF MY
VISION IS TO FOCUS ON THOSE
ITEMS THAT PRIMARILY IMPACT
AMERICAN HEALTH AS I SAID NINDS
IS ALREADY DOING AN EXCELLENT
JOB AT THIS. THE SECOND PART OF
MY VISION IS TO ENSURE RELIABLE
RESULTS. THE NIH SUPPORTED
SCIENCE SHOULD BE REPRODUCIBLE,
GENERALIZABLE, UNFORTUNATELY,
THIS HAS BEEN A MAJOR PROBLEM
NOT JUST FOR NINDS BUT FOR
BASICALLY ALMOST ALL THE
BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. IN 2005, MY
COLLEAGUE JOHNNY AT STANFORD
UNIVERSITY PUBLISHED A PAPER
WITH THE TITLE WHILE MOST
PUBLISHED RESEARCH FINDINGS ARE
FALSE. THE BASIC IDEA IS THAT
THE SCIENTIFIC STANDARDS WE USE
ON P-VALUES AND OTHER SORT OF
STANDARDS AND THE INCENTIVES
THAT SCIENTISTS HAVE TO PUBLISH
IN JOURNALS DO NOT GUARANTEE
EVEN A PEER-REVIEWED JOURNAL
THAT THE SCIENCE PUBLISHED THERE
IS TRUE. WHEN I WAS A MEDICAL
STUDENT ONE OF MY FAVORITE
PROFESSORS WOULD OFTEN SAY THAT
WELL, HALF OF WHAT YOU'RE
LEARNING IN MEDICAL SCHOOL IS
FALSE AND I WOULD JUST WONDER AT
THIS BECAUSE YOU'RE LEARNING THE
KEYS TO HEALTH AND I SAID WHICH
HALF AND HE WOULD FOLLOW UP
WITH "I DON'T KNOW". SCIENCE
THE DIFFICULT. AND IT'S NORMAL
FOR SCIENTIFIC PROCESSES TO
END -- SCIENCE TO END UP WITH
RESULTS THAT TURN OUT IN
RETROSPECT TO BE FALSE. THE KEY
TO SCIENTIFIC ADVANCE THEN ISN'T
JUST PUBLICATION AND RESULTS BUT
ALSO REPLICATION OF THESE
RESULTS WHERE SYSTEMATIC
REPLICATION OF, WITH HIGH
QUALITY SCIENCE IS SEEN AS THE
ARBITER FOR WHAT'S TRUE OR FALSE
IN SCIENCE RATHER THAN
INFLUENCE, RATHER THAN
AUTHORITY, IT'S REPLICATION
THAT'S THE KEY IDEA IN FIELD
AFTER FIELD AFTER FIELD WE'VE
SEEN PSYCHOLOGY, WE'VE SEEN A
CRISIS IN REPLICATION THAT
UNDERMINES THE CONFIDENCE THAT
THE PEOPLE HAVE IN SCIENCE.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. I THINK TO
ME, WHEN I LOOK AT SOME OF THE
SCANDALS THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN
NEUROSCIENCE, IN MANY, MANY
OTHER FIELDS, WHAT YOU SEE IS
LEADERS IN THE FIELD MY MIRED IN
SCANDALS INVOLVING FALSIFICATION
RESULTS.
LARGE NUMBERS OF SCIENTIFIC
RESULTS THAT IN RETROSPECT TURN
OUT TO BE FALSE WHEN REPLICATED.
THOSE SCANDALS I VIEW THEM, IF
YOU THINK ABOUT THEM AS
INDIVIDUAL MORAL FAILURES I
THINK YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE A
MISTAKE. THE WAY TO VIEW THEM
IS THAT THEY'RE A SYSTEMATIC
RESULT OF THE INCENTIVES THAT
SCIENTISTS HAVE IN FIELD AFTER
FIELD. THE KEY INVENTIVE I WANT
TO FOCUS ON IS THIS IDEA OF
PUBLISH OR PERISH.
SCIENTISTS ADVANCE THEIR CAREERS
BY PUBLISHING PAPERS, OFTEN
PAPERS WITH, YOU KNOW, THIS
CONCEPT OF MINIMAL PUBLISHABLE
UNIT. YOU HAVE THESE SCIENTIFIC
RESULTS THAT ARE BOTH
SIMULTANEOUSLY ONLY INCREMENTAL
ADVANCES BUT THAT DON'T
NECESSARILY ATTRACT THE
ATTENTION OF OTHER SCIENTISTS
AND YET ADVANCE SCIENTIFIC
CAREERS BECAUSE YOU GET TO GET
THEM PUBLISHED IN PEER-REVIEWED
JOURNALS. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS
INCENTIVE IS THAT IT FOCUSES ON
ADVANCING SCIENTIFIC CAREERS
RATHER THAN ESTABLISHING WHAT'S
TRUE IN SCIENCE. I HAVE SPOKEN
WITH MANY DRUG DEVELOPERS WHO
TELL ME THAT THEY CAN'T TRUST
THE PUBLISHED BIOMEDICAL
LITERATURE AND THAT BEFORE THEY
MAKE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS IN INVESTMENTS IN
LARGE-SCALE CLINICAL STUDIES
THEY WILL COMMISSION THEIR OWN
PRIVATE REPLICATION EFFORT IN
ORDER TO CHECK WHETHER THE
SCIENTIFIC RESULTS ON WHICH
THEY'RE BASING THEIR FINDINGS
ARE TRUE. THIS IS A MAJOR
PROBLEM NOT JUST IN NEUROSCIENCE
BUT IN BASICALLY EVERY AREA OF
BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES. NEXT
SLIDE, PLEASE. SO WHAT IS THE
SOLUTION? THE SOLUTION IS THAT
WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE CULTURE OF
SCIENCE. SO THAT REPLICATION IS
REWARDED. THE WAY THAT I INTEND
TO DO THIS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF
THE NIH IS WITH A THREEFOLD
STRATEGY. FIRST, WE HAVE TO
FUND REPLICATION. WE AT THE NIH
PRIDE OURSELVES APPROPRIATELY ON
BREAKTHROUGHS, ON ADVANCES, YOU
KNOW, I'VE ALREADY JUST SITTING
IN ON THE LAST FEW MINUTES OF
THIS COUNCIL I'VE BEEN SO
IMPRESSED BY SOME OF THE AMAZING
SCIENCE THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO
ADVANCE OUR KNOWLEDGE IN
NEUROSCIENCE. BUT WE DON'T TEND
TO REWARD SCIENTISTS WHO DO
REPLICATION WORK. YOU CAN'T GET
FUNDING FOR IT. YOU, SO, WHAT I
WANT TO DO IS I WANT THE NIH,
EVERY PART OF THE NIH TO SUPPORT
REPLICATION WORK. I WANT THE
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY TO TELL US
WHAT ARE THE KEY RESULTS THAT
NEED REPLICATION IN EVERY SINGLE
FIELD THE RATE LIMITING STEPS IF
WE NEED TO KNOW IS TRUE, THESE
IDEAS ARE THOUSAND THAT WE CAN
HAVE ADVANCES, FURTHER ADVANCES,
WE SHOULD REWARD SCIENTIFIC
REPLICATION WITH THE KIND OF
SUPPORT THAT WE GIVE TO
INNOVATIVE SCIENCE. OF COURSE,
REPLICATION ITSELF IS INNOVATIVE
BECAUSE AN IDEA THAT ISN'T
REPLICATED CAN'T BE SEEN AS
TRUE. INDEPENDENT RESEARCH
TEAMS NEED TO HAVE THE RESOURCES
AND THE CAPACITY TO CHECK
WHETHER THE RESULTS ARE TRUE,
THE KEY RESULTS IN FIELDS ARE
REPLICABLE. SECOND THERE NEEDS
TO BE A SPACE IN THE SCIENTIFIC
LITERATURE WHERE SCIENTIST WHO
IS DO REPLICATION WORK CAN
PUBLISH THEIR WORK. OF COURSE
THE SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS PUBLISH
META-ANALYSIS, THAT'S GOOD, BUT
A LOT OF REPLICATION WORK SITS
IN PRIVATE DRAWERS OF SCIENTISTS
BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET THAT WORK
PUBLISHED. IT'S OFTEN SEEN AS
DERIVATIVE WHERE IN FACT IT'S
CENTRAL TO THE ENDEAVOR. I'D
LIKE TO HAVE THE NIH HAVE A
PLACE WHERE SCIENTIST WHO IS DO
REPLICATION WORK WHERE THEY CAN
PUBLISH THESE RESULTS.
AND IT'S EASY SEARCHABLE BY THE
COMMUNITY SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND
WHAT RESULTS ARE RELIABLE, WHICH
RESULTS NEED TO HAVE INDEPENDENT
REPLICATION. THIRD AND PROBABLY
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART
OF THIS AGENDA FOR REWARDING
REPLICATION RIGHT NOW SCIENTISTS
VIEW THE ACT OF BEING APPROACHED
FOR REPLICATION, OF THEIR IDEAS
BEING SUGGEST TO REPLICATION AS
A THREAT WHERE IN FACT IT'S A
GREAT HONOR IF YOUR IDEAS ARE
SOMETHING OTHER SCIENTISTS WANT
TO CHECK THAT MEANS YOUR IDEAS
ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
SCIENTISTS SHOULD BE REWARDED
JUST FOR THAT HAPPENING.
SCIENTISTS WHO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL
ACTIVITIES LIKE SHARING DATA,
THEY'RE NOT PART OF THE
SCIENTIFIC REWARD SYSTEM. WE
REWARD SCIENTISTS BASED ON HOW
MANY PUBLICATIONS THEY HAVE AND
HOW INFLUENTIAL THEIR
PUBLICATIONS ARE. THAT'S WHAT
CITATION COUNTS ARE AND OF
COURSE JOURNAL COUNTS. BUT
THAT'S TOO NARROW A BASIS FOR
DECIDE WHETHER SCIENTISTS ARE
PRODUCTIVE.
WE NEED TO MEASURE AND REWARD
THOSE WHO PROVIDE DATA OPENLY.
WHO ACT IN PROSOCIAL WAYS. IF
YOU DO THIS, YOU CAN HAVE A
CULTURAL CHANGE IN SCIENCE. SO
THAT REPLICATION IS REWARDED AND
THE INCENTIVES TO COMMIT
SCIENTIFIC FRAUD GO AWAY. IF
YOU PUBLISH A SCIENTIFIC PAPER
IN A TOP JOURNAL WITH FRAUDULENT
RESULTS YOU DON'T BE REWARDED
BECAUSE THAT RESULT WON'T BE
REPLICATED IF WE REWARD
REPLICATION WE ADDRESS THE LACK
OF TRUST THAT THE PUBLIC WILL
HAVE EVEN SCIENTISTS HAVE IN
THESE PUBLIC SCIENTIFIC RESULTS.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. THE THIRD
ITEM WE NEED IS TO MAKE BIG
ADVANCES. THIS IS SOMETHING
WE'VE ALREADY BEEN DOING AND
IT'S ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO DO
BETTER. IN RESEARCH PAPER THAT
I PUBLISHED JUST BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC ANALYZING THE NIH
PORTFOLIO, WHAT I FOUND WAS THAT
IN THE 1980S, THE NIH WAS
FUNDING SCIENTISTS TO PUBLISH
PAPERS THAT WERE VERY, VERY
CLOSE TO THE SCIENTIFIC
FRONTIER, OFTEN IDEAS THAT WERE
ONE OR TWO YEARS OLD THE NIH
FUNDED SCIENTISTS FOR PUBLISHING
IN THE 2000 TEENS IT ACTUALLY
REGRESDZ. THE NIH FUNDED
SCIENTISTS WERE PUBLISHING
PAPERS THAT WERE RELYING ON
IDEAS THAT WERE 7-8 YEARS OLD
THE SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE HAS
BECOME MUCH MORE FOCUSED ON
INCREMENTAL ADVANCES AT LEAST IN
THE NIH PORTFOLIO. I WANT TO
CONTRAST THIS FOR INSTANCE WITH
SILICON VALLEY WHERE, YOU KNOW,
IF YOU HAVE A PORTFOLIO OF
INVESTMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, 40 OF
THOSE INVESTMENTS TURN OUT TO BE
DUDS BUT, YOU KNOW, FIVE OF THEM
TURN OUT TO BE, YOU KNOW,
GOOGLE, ACTUALLY, EVEN JUST ONE
TURNS OUT TO BE GOING IT WILL
PORTFOLIO AS A WHOLE IS A
SUCCESS. FAILURE IS PUNISHED
TOO HARSHLY IN SCIENCE IF YOU
DON'T HAVE A SCIENTIFIC RESULT
EARLY YOU CAN'T ADVANCE TO YOUR
NEXT POSTDOC, YOU CAN'T ADVANCE
TO, EVEN IF YOU'RE VERY BRIGHT
AND YOU HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF
GREAT IDEAS, ONE FAILURE CAN
LEAD TO ESSENTIALLY HAVING TO
LEAVE THE SORT OF TENURE TRACK.
THIS KIND OF PUNISHMENT OF
FAILURE DISCOURAGES THE TAKING
THE KINDS OF RISKS THAT MAKE,
THAT LEAD TO BIG ADVANCES IN
SCIENCE. AND IT'S AGAIN A
CULTURE SHIFT, IT'S GOING TO
TAKE A LOT OF THINKING ABOUT HOW
TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, OF COURSE,
ARPA H IS A STEP IN THAT
DIRECTION. TO CREATE PORTFOLIOS
WHERE THERE ARE THESE LIKE BIG
ADVANCES THAT WILL HOPEFULLY
COME OUT OF THOSE KINDS OF
IDEAS. ONE CONCRETE WAY TO
THINK ABOUT THIS IS THAT IF
EVERY SINGLE ASPECT AND PROJECT
IN YOUR, IN THE SCIENTIFIC
PORTFOLIO, THE NIH IS SEEN AS A
SUCCESS THEN WE HAVEN'T TAKEN
BIG ENOUGH RISKS IT NEEDS TO BE
THE CASE THAT THERE ARE
SCIENTIFIC PROJECTS THAT WE
UNDERTAKE THAT WE DON'T KNOW IF
THEY'RE GOING TO SUCCEED. IT'S
THE ONLY REAL WAY THAT SCIENCE
WILL ADVANCE AND SO THAT
PORTFOLIO AS A WHOLE SHOULD
SUCCEED IN MAKING ADVANCES EVEN
IF SOME PARTS OF THE PORTFOLIO
ARE NOT WORKING THE WAY WE
THOUGHT. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
FOURTH, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN
SAFETY AND TRANSPARENCY.
RESEARCH SHOULD BE AT THE
HIGHEST ETHICAL STANDARDS AND NO
ENDANGER POPULATIONS. THIS IS
NOT AN NINDS THING BUT I THINK
ALL OF SCIENCE NOW SUFFERS FROM
THE PANDEMIC. THE, IT'S QUITE
POSSIBLE THAT THE SCIENTIFIC
WORK ITSELF THAT LED TO THE
PANDEMIC. CERTAINLY MUCH OF THE
WORLD POPULATION NOW BELIEVES
THIS AND WHETHER YOU BELIEVE IT
OR NOT, WHAT IS TRUE IS THAT
SCIENTISTS HAVE TAKEN RISKS THAT
DO ENDANGER HUMAN POPULATIONS.
CUTTING CORNERS ON ETHICAL, ON
ETHICAL STANDARDS, PROTECTING
INFORMED CONSENT, FAILING TO
PROTECT INFORMED CONSENT HAVE
LED TO THE PLACE WE'RE AT SO I
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE NIH
MAINTAINS SAFETY IN OUR WORK. I
THINK THE NINDS IS ALREADY QUITE
GOOD AT THIS BUT THIS IS PART OF
THE SET OF THINGS I WANT THE NIH
TO FOCUS ON IN EVERY PART OF
THIS PORTFOLIO. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. I THINK THE LAST ONE IN
MY VISION. FINALLY I WANT TO
ENCOURAGE ACADEMIC FREEDOM. A
LOT OF WHAT I THINK IS THE
PROBLEM IN SCIENCE HAS BEEN THAT
WE HAVE NOT ALLOWED SCIENTIFIC
DISSENT TO HAPPEN. CERTAINLY
DURING THE PANDEMIC I FACED THIS
MYSELF BUT I DON'T THINK I WAS
THE ONLY ONE. THE IDEA THAT
SCIENTISTS SHOULD ALWAYS SPEAK
WITH ONE VOICE IS A TREMENDOUS
MISTAKE. OUR SCIENTIFIC
STRENGTH COMES FROM THE
POSSIBILITY THAT WE ACCEPT THAT
WE MIGHT BE WRONG AND IT'S BY
ALLOWING PEOPLE TO SPEAK THAT
WE, TO SPEAK THEIR MINDS, TO
TEST THEIR IDEAS OUT, THAT WE
MAKE ADVANCES IN SCIENCE. SO
THIS IS, THAT'S THE LAST OF MY
FIVE POINTS FROM MY VISION OF
THE NIH. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
IN THE LAST, THE FIRST ONE
HUNDRED DAYS I TOOK OFFICE ABOUT
A MONTH AND A HALF AGO, AT THE
BEGINNING OF APRIL IN A VERY
TREMENDOUSLY TURBULENT TIME AT
THE NIH'S HISTORY WHERE THERE
WAS A MAJOR REDUCTION IN FORCE
AND IT'S BEEN A TURBULENT ONE
HUNDRED DAYS SINCE THE CHANGE OF
THE ADMINISTRATION. I WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE SUCCESSES
THAT I THINK HAVE BEEN
UNDERPLAYED. NEXT SLIDE,
PLEASE. IN, SINCE I ARRIVED,
WE'VE DONE A FEW THINGS I THINK
ARE GOING TO BE REALLY
IMPORTANT. FIRST, SECRETARY
KENNEDY ASKED ME TO LAUNCH A
STUDY ON THE ETIOLOGY OF AUTISM.
THE NIH ALREADY HAS A FANTASTIC
PORTFOLIO OF AUTISM RESEARCH BUT
IT DOES NOT HAVE THE KIND OF
COMMIT... INVESTMENTS IN
UNDERSTANDING THE ETIOLOGY OF
AUTISM THAT WE KNOW HAVE. WITH
THIS INITIATIVE WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE A... CREATE A REAL WORLD
DATA PLATFORM INVITE RESEARCHERS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO COMPETE
WITH THEIR IDEAS TO UNDERSTAND
THE ETIOLOGY OF AUTISM AND ITS
CO-OCCURRING CONDITIONS. WITH A
BROAD RANGE OF POSSIBLE
HYPOTHESES FOR WHAT THE CAUSE
IS. IF YOU ASK ME AS A
SCIENTIST DO I KNOW THE CAUSE?
I DON'T. AND IT'S A PROBLEM
BECAUSE WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING
BETTER ETIOLOGY WE CAN'T ADDRESS
THE PROBLEMS OF SO MANY KIDS. A
RECENT CDC STUDY ESTIMATE THAT
HAD ONE IN THIRTY K-ONE KIDS HA
AUTISM IN THIS COUNTRY AND WE
DON'T HAVE ANSWERS WITH THESE
KIDS WITH A RANGE OF A SORT OF
SYMPTOMS FROM LIKE VERY HIGH
FUNCTIONING KIDS WHO ARE WELL
INTEGRATED IN SOCIETY TO
SEVERELY DISABLED CHILDREN.
UNDERSTANDING THE ETIOLOGY OF
THESE DIFFERENT MANIFESTATIONS
INCLUDING THE BIOMEDICALLY
CAUSED CO-OCCURRING CONDITIONS I
THINK IS GOING TO BE VERY
IMPORTANT. SECOND, WE HAVE
ADOPTED A NEW POLICY THAT
ENCOURAGES HUMAN BASED RESEARCH
TECHNOLOGIES OVER ANIMAL MODELS
THAT DO NOT REPRESENT
NECESSARILY KNOWLEDGE THAT CAN
BE TRANSLATED INTO HUMANS. FROM
WHAT I UNDERSTAND, IT'S REALLY,
IT'S POSSIBLE TO CAUSE MICE TO
HAVE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND
IT'S ALSO POSSIBLE TO CURE
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE IN MICE.
BUT HOW WELL DO THOSE, THE
KNOWLEDGE IN HUMANS IS SORT OF
LESS CLEAR TO ME. BY
PRIORITIZING HUMAN BASED
RESEARCH TECHNOLOGIES INCLUDING
ORGANOIDS, INCLUDING AI
TECHNOLOGIES, WE CAN FOCUS OUR
SCIENCE ON THINGS THAT MAKE THE
JUMP INTO HUMANS AND ADVANCE THE
HEALTH FOR HUMANS MORE EASILY I
THINK. THIRD, WE ACCELERATED A
NEW PUBLIC ACCESS POLICY SO THAT
THE ADVANCES THAT THE NIH MAKES
WILL BE MORE EASILY LICENSABLE
BY COMPANIES AROUND AND...
AROUND THE WORLD. FOURTH, I
GUESS THAT WAS SECOND. THAT WAS
THIRD, NOW FOURTH, I PUT IN A
POLICY THAT PROMOTES ACADEMIC
FREEDOM AT THE NIH WHAT I
LEARNED WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED IS
THERE WAS ACTUAL OVERSIGHT OVER
THE PUBLICATION OF RESULTS BY
SUPERVISORS, SCIENTISTS HAD TO
DO GET SUPERVISORS TO CLEAR
SCIENTIFIC PAPERS. I WOULD LIKE
THE NIH RESEARCHERS, INTRAMURAL
RESEARCHERS TO ENJOY THE SAME
ACADEMIC FREEDOM I ENJOYED AT
STANFORD UNIVERSITY UNTIL 2020.
SCIENTISTS SHOULD BE ABLE TO
PUBLISH THEIR RESULTS AS LONG AS
THE RESULTS ARE SUBJECT TO
REPLICATION THAT'S HOW WE GET
SCIENTIFIC TRUTH. THE, WE
LAUNCHED A NEW PROGRAM TO LOOK
FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF FLU
VACCINES AND POSSIBLY A
UNIVERSAL FLU VACCINE CALLING IT
GENERATION GOLD STANDARD.
FIFTH, WE HAVE A NEW PROGRAM TO
IMPROVE THE SAFETY AND SECURITY
OF BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH, THE KIND
OF GAIN OF FUNCTION WORK, A
SMALL FRACTION OF THE BIOLOGY WE
DO BUT POTENTIALLY QUITE
DANGEROUS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO
CAUSE A PANDEMIC WILL BE MUCH
MORE RIGOROUSLY REGULATED. WE
IMPROVE THE FOREIGN SUBAWARDS,
THIS HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A
LOT OF MISUNDERSTANDING. IT WAS
IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE NIH TO TRACK
FULLY THE SPENDING ON SUBAWARDS.
WE WERE UNABLE FOR INSTANCE TO
GAIN ACCESS TO THE LAB NOTEBOOKS
OF THE WUHAN LABORATORY FUNDED
BY THE NIH. WE NOW PUT IN A
SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS RESEARCHERS
TO COLLABORATE WITH FOREIGN
INSTITUTIONS BUT GIVES THE NIH
MORE OVERSIGHT IN THE RESEARCH
THAT TAKES PLACE IN THOSE. IT
WILL ALLOW FOREIGN
COLLABORATIONS TO HAPPEN WITHIN
THE NIH BUT IN A MORE SURE WAY.
AND FINALLY WE'RE UNDERTAKING A
ROOT CAUSES PROGRAM. THIS IS
THE WORK OF THE ENTIRETY OF THE
NIH THAT HAS ALLOWED THIS TO BE
POSSIBLE. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
I THINK LAST ONE. 75 YEARS OF
NEUROSCI
NEUROSCIENCE, THE NIH HAS PLAYED
AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THAT. I'M
PROUD OF THE NINDS AND ALL THE
WORK DONE TO ADVANCE OUR
KNOWLEDGE OF NEUROSCIENCE AND I
THINK IN COMING YEARS WE'LL
START TO SEE IT PAY FRUIT IN
ADVANCING THE HEALTH OF THE
FOLKS ON ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, ON
PARKINSON'S DISEASE, ON STROKES,
ON A WHOLE HOST OF NEUROLOGICAL
C
CONDITIONS, THE KNOWLEDGE THAT
WE GAINED WILL WORK TO IMPROVE
THE HEALTH OF THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE. NEXT SLIDE, I THINK THE
LAST ONE. LAST ONE. I WANTED
TO LEAVE PLENTY OF TIME FOR
QUESTIONS. I HOPE I HAVE.
>> WALTER: THAT WAS GREAT, JAY.
AND, YEAH, A LOT OF THE TOPICS
CERTAI
CERTAINLY WE COULD SIT DOWN WITH
COVER FEE AND GO OVER IN DETAIL.
WE'VE CERTAINLY BEEN STRUGGLING
IN TRYING TO HELP IN MANY OF
THOSE SPACES. BUT I WANTED TO
GIVE TIME FOR SOME OF THE
COUNCILMEMBERS TO ASK SOME
QUESTIONS. I SEE HANK PAULSON
FROM UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN HAD
HIS HAND UP. HANK WORKS IN
NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES,
PARTICULARLY TRYING TO GET AT
THE CLUES THAT COME FROM GENETIC
CAUSES AND SO HANK.
>> HANK: THANK YOU, WALTER,
DR. BAT TA CHARIA. WE HELP WE
CAN ERADICATE CHRONIC DISEASES.
AND AS YOU MENTIONED SO MANY
CHRONIC DISEASES ARE IN THE
PURVIEW OF NINDS SO WE'LL KEEP
WORKING ON THAT. I HAVE SO MANY
QUESTIONS BUT I WILL KEEP IT
JUST TO A FEW. THE FIRST ONE I
GOT TWO QUESTIONS I WILL GIVE
YOU THE FIRST ONE IS
PRIORITIZING HUMAN BASED, YOU
KNOW, APPROACHES I THINK THAT IS
REALLY POWERFUL. ORGANOIDS CAN
BE REALLY IMPORTANT. I JUST
WANT TO KNOW HOW THAT IS DONE
BECAUSE IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT
LIKE THE ROUNDWORM, THE NEEM
TOAD LED TO THE DISCOVERY. AND
OTHERS ABOUT THE PATHWAYS OF
NEUROPRESENTATIVE DISEASE AND IN
MICE I KNOW THE AMYLOID IS ONLY
A SMALL PART OF THE ALZHEIMER'S
PICTURE.
BUT IT WAS IN MICE THAT WE SHOW
THAT HAD ACTUALLY YOU COULD
VACCINATE AND STOP THE DISEASE
IN MICE AND NOW WE HAVE GAME
CHANGING THERAPIES IN HUMANS.
SO THERE ARE WAYS IN WHICH THESE
NONHUMAN SYSTEMS ARE STILL VERY
VALUABLE SO I AM CURIOUS WHEN
YOU SAY PRIORITIZE, THAT'S
GREAT, BUT WILL THAT MEAN THAT
WE WILL ELIMINATE OR MARKEDLY
REDUCE OR HAVE, YOU KNOW,
REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS THAT
ARE ONLY FOCUSED ON HUMAN BASED
APPROACHES AND, ET CETERA, WHAT,
JUST FLESH THAT OUT A LITTLE BIT
FOR ME
>> JAYANTA: THIS IS SUBTLE AND
DIFFERENT IN EVERY FIELD I THINK
ROUTINELY FOCUSING ON ANIMAL
MODELS THAT DO NOT TRANSLATE.
THE WAY YOU ADDRESS THAT IS TO
ASK RESEARCHERS TO JUSTIFY USE
OF THOSE ANIMAL MODELS. I'M NOT
SAYING ERADICATE THEM. I AGREE
WITH YOU. THE HISTORY OF
SCIENCE INVOLVES LOTS OF
UNDERSTANDING THAT WE GAINED
FROM ANIMAL MODELS BUT AT THE
SAME TIME, JUST DOING DOING
THOSE ANIMAL MODELS WHEN THEY
HAVEN'T RESULTED IN ADVANCES IN
HUMAN HEALTH, DOESN'T MAKE
SENSE.
SO IT'S A CULTURAL SHIFT THAT I
THINK WE'RE TRYING TO INDUCE IN
SCIENCE WHERE WE ASK SCIENTIST
TO SAY, DO THESE ANIMAL MODELS
ACTUALLY RESULT IN ADVANCES IN
KNOWLEDGE THAT ADVANCE HUMAN
HEALTH? SOMETIMES, IF YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT BASIC SCIENCE, YOU
KNOW, YOU MAY HAVE ANIMAL MODELS
WHERE YOU NEED NEMATODES, ALL OF
THOSE ARE REALLY GREAT EXAMPLES
OF WHERE ANIMAL MODELS HAVE
ADVAN
ADVANCED BIOLAOGICAL IDEAS BUT
LOT OF TYPES THEY DON'T
TRANSLATE AND WE'RE ASKING
SCIENTIST TO THINK CRITICALLY
ABOUT THE ANIMAL MODELS.
THERE ARE THESE NEWER
TECHNOLOGIES THAT ARE COMING UP.
NOTHING'S PERFECT. BUT AS THEY
ARE REALLY GOOD IN MANY, MANY
CASES. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO
WITH THIS IS INDUCE A CULTURAL
SHIFT IN SCIENCE TOWARD HUMAN
BASED OUTCOMES RATHER THAN JUST,
YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE USE -- JUST
BECAUSE YOU'RE USED TO AN ANIMAL
HOD DELL DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULD
CONTINUE.
QUESTION IS WHAT, SCIENCE CAN
YOU DO THAT WILL TRANSLATE OVER?
>> HANK: I DO HAVE OTHER
QUESTIONS BUT I THINK I WILL
HOLD OFF AND LET OTHER PEOPLE
ASK QUESTIONS FIRST.
>> HI, I'M A NEUROLOGIST, STROKE
NEUROLOGIST HERE IN TEXAS. AND
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CHRONIC
DISEASES OBVIOUSLY STROKE IS A
MAJOR BURDEN, ALZHEIMER'S IS A
MAJOR BURDEN AND A LOT OF THIS
BURDEN CAN BE REDUCED BY
PREVENTION EFFORTS WHICH I KNOW
IS ONE OF YOUR MAJOR FOCUSES.
HOW DO YOU SEE, UP -- THEY
ESTIMATED UP TO 40% OF
ALZHEIMER'S CAN BE PREVENTED BY
REDUCING DIABETES, HYPERTENSION,
OTHER THINGS THAT DRIVE
NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES BUT
HOW DO YOU SEE THESE PREVENTION
EFFORTS ACTUALLY BEING
ACTIONABLE? WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE
SUPPOSED TO DO. WE KNOW WHAT WE
SHOULD BE TREATING. AND YET
THERE'S, AGAIN, A VERY LARGE GAP
BETWEEN IMPLEMENTING THAT IN OUR
POPULATIONS. AND SPECIFICALLY
POPULATIONS DISPARITY
POPULATIONS. SO DO YOU HAVE ANY
IDEAS ABOUT HOW WE CAN MAKE THAT
GAP? BECAUSE FOR ME, WHO DOES
TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH AS WELL
AS CLINICAL RESEARCH, THAT IS AS
BIG, IF NOT BIGGER PROBLEM THAN
TRANSLATING FROM ANIMAL MODELS
>> JAYANTA: I ALSO WORK IN THIS
AREA. I FEEL YOUR PAIN. I
THINK PART OF IT IS THE WAY WE
THINK ABOUT THIS. IF WE HAVE
OUR VIEW IS OKAY, WE HAVE THE
TRUTH AND WE JUST HAVE TO LIKE
CONVINCE EVERYBODY THAT WE HAVE
THIS AMAZING TRUTH AND THEN JUST
LISTEN TO US. IT'S NOT GOING TO
WORK AND WE ALSO CAN'T COME AT
IT AS IF WE ARE SITTING ABOVE
AND SAYING YOU MUST DO THIS OR,
I MEAN, IT'S, WE HAVE TO BE
PARTNERS IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT
ARE AFFECTED BY THESE. PART OF
THE PROBLEM ALSO LOUISE IS I
THINK WE THINK WE KNOW THE
ANSWER WHEN SOMETIMES WE DON'T.
I WAS LOOKING AT ACTUALLY, I
JUST GAVE A TALK AT THIS
NUTRITION MEETING AND I WAS
LOOKING BACK AT THE HISTORY OF
RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT EGGS.
AND -- EXACTLY. I THINK IF WE
ARE MORE HUMBLE ABOUT OUR
SCIENCE WE SAY, OKAY, LET'S WAIT
UNTIL WE HAVE LOTS OF TEAMS
REPLICATED IT. WE PARTICIPATE
AS PARTNERS WITH FOLKS IN THE
COMMUNITY RATHER THAN AS SITTING
ABOVE. WE'LL HAVE MUCH BETTER
LUCK TRANSLATING WHAT WE DO
ACTUALLY KNOW RELIABLY INTO
PRACTICE. AND I AGREE WITH YOU.
I THINK A LOT OF THE BURDEN OF
DISEASE IN ALZHEIMER'S IS
ADDRESSABLE. BUT I THINK WE
JUST DON'T DO IT, WE DON'T KNOW
HOW TO DO IT RIGHT.
>> DO YOU HAVE IDEAS ABOUT HOW
TO DO THAT IMPLEMENTATION
>> MEAN -- I MEAN WE KNOW THAT
HAVING A BLOOD PRESSURE OF
200/100 IS NOT GOOD FOR YOUR
BRAIN.
WE CAN DO THESE COMMUNITY THINGS
BUT WE'RE SEEING A RESTRICTION
OF THE FUNDING WE HAD FOR THE
COMMUNITIES THAT WE ABSOLUTELY
NEED TO REACH
>> JAYANTA: LET ME ADDRESS THIS
SQUARELY. YOU'RE NOT SAYING THE
KEYWORD. THE KEYWORD IS DEI.
THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED.
>> DISPARITY, UNDERREPRESENTED
>> JAYANTA: I BELIEVE AND I AM
COMMITTED ENTIRELY TO MAKE SURE
THE NIH ADDRESSES THE HEALTH
NEEDS OF THE MINORITIES IN THIS
COUNTRY. THERE'S NO WAY TO MAKE
AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN UNLESS YOU
DO THAT AND I AM FULLY COMMIT
THAT HAD THE NIH WILL CONTINUE
TO DO THAT.
THAT SAID I THINK A LOT OF THE
PORTFOLIO GOT MARBLED WITH
FRANKLY UNSCIENTIFIC IDEAS.
IDEAS THAT ARE NOT IN PRINCIPLE
BUT FALSIFIABLE AS A WAY TO...
AND I THINK ALSO, IN ADDITION TO
BEING SCIENTIFICALLY HARD TO
DEFEND, IT ALSO WAS POLITICALLY
ALIGNED. IT WAS A POLITICAL
ETIOLOGY RATHER THAN A
SCIENTIFIC HYPOTHESIS. HOW BEST
TO REACH POPULATIONS OF PEOPLE
WITH IMPORTANT SCIENTIFIC
MESSAGES? THAT'S A POTENTIALLY
A SCIENTIFIC QUESTION I THINK.
BUT THAT, BUT LIKE SYSTEMIC
RACISM AS A REASON WHY
MINORITIES HAVE LOW, BAD HEALTH,
THAT'S NOT A SCIENTIFIC QUESTION
ACTUALLY. RIGHT? BECAUSE I
DON'T EACH KNOW IN PRINCIPLE HOW
YOU WOULD FALSIFY THAT. WHAT
DATA POINTS WOULD YOU DO? IT
DOESN'T MATCH THE CRITERIA OF
FALSIFICATION, FALSIFIABILITY
THAT'S THE CLASSIC DEMARCATION
PROBLEM FOR SCIENCE AND
NONSCIENCE.
I THINK IF WE FOCUS ON THE
CONCRETE THINGS. THAT SAY,
OKAY, WELL, IF YOU HAVE A HEALTH
FAIRS IN CHURCHES, THIS MAKES IT
EASIER TO DO, TO HAVE PUBLIC
HEALTH CAMPAIGNS ON MEASURING
HYPERTENSION IN MINORITY
POPULATIONS. THAT'S A
SCIENTIFIC QUESTION. YOU DO
THAT VERSUS SOME OTHER WAY OF
OUTREACH. THAT'S A SCIENTIFIC
QUESTION. RIGHT? THOSE ARE
THINGS YOU CAN CONCRETELY DO.
THOSE ARE THINGS WE OUGHT TO BE
ABLE TO ASK AND I'M NOT EVER
GOING TO OPPOSE ASKING THEM IN
MY LEADERSHIP. BY WILL -- BUT
I WILL OPPOSE ASKING THINGS THAT
ARE ETIOLOGICAL AT THEIR HEART
AND UNSCIENTIFIC.
I THINK A LOT OF THE PORTFOLIO
IN MANY AREAS LED UP TO THAT AND
LED US TO BE VULNERABLE TO
POLITI
POLITICAL CRITICISM. THIS
SHOULD NOT BE POLITICAL. AT ONE
TIME THIS WAS THE EASIEST JOB.
YOU BRAG ABOUT THE BRAIN, AND
YOU GO ABOUT THE HUMAN GENOME
PROJECT, YOU BRAG ABOUT ALL
THESE THINGS AND EVERYONE'S LIKE
WOW, THIS IS COOL. ALL THAT
STUFF IS REALLY COOL, WE JUST
NEED TO GET BACK TO THAT AND THE
AWAY FROM THE POLITICIZATION
ESPECIALLY THAT HAPPENED DURING
THE PANDEMIC.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WALTER: SO HERE AT THE N
ISHNIH
WE'RE INTERESTED IN FINDING
CURES FOR DISEASES THAT ARE REAL
BAD AND WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO HAS
WORKED MORE OF HIS LIFE IN ALS
AND ANOTHER DOCTOR WHO WORKED ON
ALS AND NOW UNFORTUNATELY HAS
ALS SO THE TRAGEDY OF THESE
DISEASES, THESE GUYS KNOW BUT
EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT IT BUT BOB
GO AHEAD.
>> BOB: THANK YOU FOR YOUR
COMMENTS. WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE
THEM. YOU ALLAYED MANY
CONCERNS, IT'S REFRESHING TO
TAKE A HARD LOOK AT SO MANY
ASPECTS OF AN INSTITUTION LIKE
THIS I PARTICULARLY APPLAUD THE
EFFORTS TO UNDERSTAND THE ROOT
CAUSES OF DIET RELATED CHRONIC
DISEASES SUCH AS FOREVER
CHEMICALS. THAT'S SPECTACULAR I
HOPE WE MAKE PROGRESS IN THAT
AREA. I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT
TWO FUNDING DOMAINS. YOU
MENTIONED ANIMAL RESEARCH. ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT HAS
BEDEVILLED IS THE REQUIREMENT TO
USE NONHUMAN PRIMATES. MONKEYS.
I WONDER HOW YOUR VIEW WILL BE
IN TERMS OF FUNDING SUCH
STUDIES. BECAUSE THEY ARE
ETHICALLY CHALLENGING FOR ONE
THEY'RE INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE AND
AT A TEMPORAL LEVEL THEY SLOW
DOWN THE WAY WE MOVE FROM ANIMAL
TO HUMAN STUDIES AND NUMBER TWO
WHICH IS SORT OF PREDICTABLE.
WHAT IS YOUR VIEW OF HOW WE
SHOULD PROCEED WITH VACCINE
RELATED RESEARCH BECAUSE I KNOW
THAT'S ANOTHER BIG ISSUE HERE.
THANK YOU
>> JAYANTA: YEAH, THANK YOU,
BOB, FOR THAT, ON ONE, THE FDA I
THINK IS, ALSO MOVED AWAY FROM
ROUTINELY REQUIRING ANIMAL
STUDIES FOR ADVANCES.
SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE ROUTINE
REQUIREMENT FOR IF I'M
UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY FOR
NONHUMAN PRIMATES. IT DOESN'
TRANSLATE INTO KNOWLEDGE THAT
WILL BE DONE IN HUMANS. I THINK
THAT THAT, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO
DO IS ASK SCIENTISTS TO THINK.
IS THIS NECESSARY? IF WE WANT
TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO IMPROVE
HUMAN HEALTH IN AND THE ANSWER
IS NOT ALWAYS YES JUST BECAUSE
WE ALWAYS DO IT DOESN'T MEAN WE
SHOULD ALWAYS DO IT AND THERE
ARE ALTERNATIVES NOW AVAILABLE
THAT WEREN'T AVAILABLE BEFORE
AND WE SHOULD AVAIL OURSELVES OF
THEM. ON THE SECOND QUESTION
ABOUT VACCINES THE NIH IS
COMMITTED TO DEVELOPMENT OF
VACCINES. THERE'S NO CHANGE IN
THAT. I THINK KEY THING FOR ME
IS THAT WHEN WE, LET'S JUST SAY,
LET'S GO BACK TO AUTISM, RIGHT?
AUTISM SPECIFICALLY I PERSONALLY
HAVE LOOKED AT THE NIH, THE
LITERATURE ON MMR AND AUTISM AND
I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S A LINK.
I DON'T BELIEVE THE LITERATURE
SUPPORTS THIS LINK. THERE'S
LOTS OF GOOD EVIDENCE THERE
PROBABLY ISN'T. THAT SAID,
EVERY SINGLE VACCINE THAT WE
STUDIED HASN'T BEEN STUDIED TO
THE SAME EXTENT AS THE MMR
VACCINE AND IF WE ASK A QUESTION
LIKE WHAT IS THE ETIOLOGY OF
AUTISM AND WE IN ADVANCE
PREJUDGE IT AND SAY WE ARE NOT
ALLOWED TO HAVE THIS HYPOTHESIS
AS PART OF IT BUT OTHERS ARE
ALLOWED THE PUBLIC WON'T BELIEVE
US AND IT'S BAD SCIENCE. WE'RE
NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF PUBLIC
RELATIONS BUT DOING SCIENCE AND
ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT SCIENCE.
AND THAT MEANS WE SHOULD BE
ALLOWED TO ASK QUESTIONS THAT
THE PR PEOPLE DON'T WANT US TO
ASK. I THINK VACCINES ARE
TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT
TECHNOLOGY, PROBABLY THE MOST
IMPORTANT INNOVATION IN BIO
MEDICINE FOR PREVENTION OF
DISEASES.
I REMAIN COMMITTED TO THEM BUT
NOT EVERY VACCINE HAS THE SAME
SAFETY PROFILES AS THE SAFEST
VACCINES, THE, AS THE
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF DISEASE CHANGES
THE BENEFIT PROFILES OF SOME
VACCINES MAY CHANGE. WE DON'T
ROUTINELY VACCINATE THE U.S. FOR
YELLOW FEVER BECAUSE IT'S NOT
ENDEMIC HERE. IT REALLY MATTERS
SO THINKING THROUGH THE
EPIDEMIOLOGY, THINKING
SCIENTIFICALLY RATHER THAN AS A
P R KIND OF THING IS THE WAY
FORWARD FOR VACCINES.
SOME OF THE BIG CONCERNS THE
PARENTS HAVE MAY TURN OUT TO BE
TRUE AND OUR JOB IS TO ANSWER
THOSE QUESTIONS NOT TO PREJUDGE
TELL.
>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
>> WALTER: YOU PROMISED TO GO TO
11:15. IT'S 11:16. DO YOU WANT
TO TAKE MORE?
>> I'M HAPPY TO KEEP GOING.
>> WALTER: JIM WU, STROKE
INVESTIGATOR AND PHYSICIAN.
>> JIM: THANKS, WALTER AND
DR. WHAT TA CHARIA, THANK YOU
FOR ADDRESSING THE COUNCIL I
FEEL ASSURE THAT HAD YOU WERE A
FORMER NIH FUNDED INVESTIGATOR
AND YOU ARE IN THE POSITION TO
SHAPE THE DIRECTION OF THE NIH.
MY QUESTION IS THE TIME YOU
ENTERED, THE MOST CHAOTIC PERIOD
IN NIH HISTORY AND I THINK WE
ALL AGREE WITH THAT THE STUDIES
THAT I THINK ARE MOST AT RISK SO
THIS SMALL CHAOS MIGHT HAVE
LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES THAT I
WORRY ABOUT AND THE STUDIES THAT
ARE MOST AT RISK ARE CLINICAL
TRIALS THAT ARE ONGOING. AND
MAY BE DISRUPTED, AND SOME OF
THE LONGER TERM CLINICAL TRIALS
MAY BE INVALIDATED BECAUSE THE
RANDOMIZATION MIGHT BE DISRU
DISRUPTED. AND I CAN GIVE YOU A
CONCRETE EXAMPLE. ONE OF THE
STUDIES BEING DONE HERE AT WASH
U IS THE DIANNE TRIAL. BY THE
NATURE OF PREVENTION THE
TREATMENT REQUIRES LONG PERIODS
OF TIME, PROBABLY NOT JUST FIVE
YEARS BUT TEN YEARS. AND SO THE
CONTINUOUS FUNDING OF TRIALS
LIKE THIS IS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT OTHERWISE THE HUGE
INVESTMENT THAT HAS GONE INTO IT
MAY BE GONE TO WASTE. AND SO MY
QUESTION TO YOU IS, ARE THERE
MECHANISMS IN PLACE THAT MIGHT
HELP STUDIES THAT ARE AT RISK
THAT MIGHT BE DISRUPTED BY ALL
THE CHAOS THAT YOU EXPERIENCED
WHEN YOU FIRST ENTERED THE
OFFICE?
>> JAYANTA: THERE WAS A SENATOR
THAT ASKED ME ABOUT THIS
SPECIFICALLY. YOU ARE
WELL-REPRESENTED IN THIS AND I
HAVE LOOKED AT THE TRIAL. I
THINK THE TRIAL IS AN AMAZINGLY
IMPORTANT TRIAL. THERE ARE
ASPECTS OF THE TRIAL, FOR
INSTANCE, THERE WAS AN
OBSERVATIONAL STUDY LINKED WITH
THE TRIAL THAT DIDN'T SCORE
WELL. I'M NOT GOING TO PUT, I'M
NOT GOING TO, LIKE,
SCIENTIFICALLY, THE REVIEW
PROCESS IS NOT SOMETHING I'M
GOING TO PUT MY THUMB ON THE
SCALE OF THAT. AS FAR AS I CAN
TELL THERE'S STILL CONTINUED
SUPPORT FOR THE DIANNE TRIAL IN
PARTICULAR AND FOR CLINICAL
TRIALS GENERALLY. I SPOKE WITH
MATT WHO WAS THE ACTING DIRECTOR
BEFORE I ARRIVED. WHAT HE HAD
DONE IS THROUGH THE TODAY I
DON'T SAY A-- CHAOS AND THE
TRIALS AND HE WORKED TO NOT
DISRUPT THE PATIENT CARE THAT
HAPPENED.
THAT WAS HIS PRIORITY AND THAT'S
MY PRIORITY AS WELL THAT THE
CHAOS DOES NOT HARM PATIENTS.
THE NIH REMAINS COMMITTED TO
DOING THESE TRIALS. I SAW,
THERE WAS A PUSH, A REQUIREMENT
FROM THE ADMINISTRATION THAT WE
CUT 30% OF OUR CONTRACTS. AND
ONE OF THE CONTRACTS THAT WAS
PROPOSED TO BE CUT WAS THE
WOMAN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE, A
TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT CLINICAL
TRIAL THAT'S STILL ONGOING. AND
I MADE SURE THAT THAT GOT
REVERSED. IT'S A REALLY
IMPORTANT PRIORITY MIND THAT
THESE CLINICAL TRIALS ESPECIALLY
THESE LARGE-SCALE CLINICAL
TRIALS CONTINUE BECAUSE THAT'S
WHERE WE LEARN A LOT ABOUT WHAT
WORKS IN HUMAN POPULATIONS OVER
LONG-TERM. AND SO I... THAT'S
SOMETHING I'M PERSONALLY
COMMITTED TO. IF THERE'S
EXAMPLE WHERE IS THESE ARE
THREATENED. THESE BRING IT TO
MY ATTENTION. I WILL LOOK INTO
IT. DIANNE I THINK HAS BEEN
PROTECTED. IT'S NOT BEEN CUT.
THERE ARE PARTS OF IT THAT
DIDN'T SCORE WELL, I AM NOT
GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT
BECAUSE IT'S THE SCIENTIFIC
COMMUNITIES THAT DECIDE THAT BUT
THAT'S THE NORMAL SCIENTIFIC
PROCESS NOT A POLITICAL ONE.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH
>> NEXT IS AMY BRYNNE A LOT OF
OUR WORK, JAY S IS TRYING TO GET
AT THESE RARE NEUROLOGICAL
DISEASES THAT STOP KIDS FROM
DEVELOPING AND THINGS LIKE
EPILEPSY WHICH IS QUITE DESE
SCORE, AMY?
>> AMY: NOT ONLY AM I A FORMER
CE,OF AN ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION
BUT I'M ONE OF THE FEW PUBLIC
FACING MEMBERS REPRESENTING THE
CARER COMMUNITY.
I FOUND YOUR OPENING SLIDE ABOUT
THE DATA REGARDING THE PUBLIC'S
TRUST IN SCIENCE JUST ABSOLUTELY
DISTRESSING BUT FROM A
LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVE IT
APPEARS VERY CLEAR THAT IS YOUR
NORTH STAR. IN SETTING STRATEGY
AND I APPRECIATE THAT. SO MY
QUESTION TO YOU IS, IF YOUR MAIN
GOAL IS TO IMPROVE THE PUBLIC'S
TRUST IN SCIENCES, HOW ARE YOU
GOING TO GO ABOUT MORE ENGAGE
WITH THE PATIENT AND CAREGIVER
ADVOCACY COMMUNITY TO HELP YOU
IN THAT?
>> JAYANTA: LET ME GIVE YOU AN
EXAMPLE FROM THE AUTISM PROJECT.
RIGHT? SO THE AUTISM PROJECT,
THE ANNOUNCEMENT ABOUT IT GOT
LEAKED EARLIER THAN I WOULD HAVE
HOPED. THERE'S CONNECTIONS WITH
THE AUTISM COMMUNITY. THE
PARENTS THAT CARE FOR KIDS, THE
GROUPS THAT REPRESENT THEM AS
PART OF, OF THAT ANNOUNCEMENTS,
AND PART OF THAT. AND THAT'S
EXACTLY WHAT I INTEND TO DO.
I'M DOING OUTREACH TO THESE
COMMUNITIES, GOING TO GO MEET
WITH FOLKS, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT
WE CAN SUCCEED AS AN
ORGANIZATION IN OUR MISSION OF
ADVANCING THE HEALTH AND
LONGEVITY OF AMERICAN PEOPLE
UNLESS WE SERVE AS PARTNERS OF
THE PEOPLE. WE'RE NOT JUST
POINTY HEADED SCIENTISTS FROM
ABOVE POINTING OUT COOL THINGS.
WE HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH
PATIENT COMMUNITIES SO WE
UNDERSTAND WHAT QUESTIONINGS
THEY HAVE AND WE ADDRESS THOSE
QUESTIONS. THAT'S ONLY THE WAY
FORWARD. I HAVE SEEN THIS IN MY
OWN WORK BEFORE I GOT HERE. AND
I AM ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED TO
THAT. WE WILL DO THAT WITH
AUTISM, WITH ALZHEIMER'S WITH
EVERY SINGLE ASPECT OF OUR
PORTFOLIO. THE PATIENT
COMMUNITIES HAVE A PLAY A PRETTY
FUNDAMENTAL ROLE I MENTIONED
ABOUT GAIN OF FUNCTION ABOUT THE
PROBLEMS OF GAIN OF FUNCTION YOU
KNOW IN MY VIEW PROBABLY THE
BIGGEST PROBLEM THERE IS THAT
SCIENTISTS DECIDED WHAT RISKS
THEY WERE WILLING TO TAKE ON
BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE HUMAN
POPULATION WITH EXPERIMENTS.
THE MISTAKE WAS FAILURE OF
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT THERE.
WE'RE GOING TO FIX THAT. ACROSS
THE ENTIRE PORTFOLIO.
>> I APPRECIATE THAT. ALLOW THE
PATIENT AND COMMUNITY TO BE YOUR
AMBASSADORS TOO
>> JAYANTA: ABSOLUTELY, I'M NOT
GOING TO SUCCEED WITHOUT THAT.
WE WON'T WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO
DO. APPRECIATE YOUR EXCELLENTS,
AMY
>> KATIE: THANKS.
>> WALTER: YOU'RE HANGING IN
WITH US, JAY? SO LYNN DEBAR IS
A RESEARCHER IN KAIZER, PAIN IS
THE LEADING CAUSE OF DISABILITY
IN THE UNITED STATES. LYNN?
>> LYNN: YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL AND
COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW THAT WAS
REALLY HELPFUL AND AS SOMEBODY
WHO DOES A LOT OF VERY APPLIED
WORK, PRAGMATIC TRIALS, THINGS
WITH COST-EFFECTIVENESS IN REAL
WORLD POPULATIONS, I WAS STRUCK
BY YOUR STARTING WITH YOUR
VISION BY REALLY A FOCUS ON
IMPROVING POPULATION HEALTH AND
ALSO I KNOW YOU'RE A HEALTH
ECONOMIST AND WAS INTERESTED IN
SOME FURTHER THOUGHTS BOTH IN
MATERIALS OF WHAT ARE SOME OF
THE CONCRETE WAYS IN WHICH YOU
SEE TRYING TO PROMOTE POPULATION
HEALTH RESEARCH WITHIN NIH
EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH BUT ALSO IN
TERMS OF SOME OF THE NUANCES
WITH HEALTH ECONOMICS WHERE YOU
MIGHT GET A COST OFFSET OVERALL
BUT IT'S NOT INFLUENCING THE
FOLKS IN THE SYSTEM WHO ARE
REALLY PULLING THE LEVERS SO
WOULD APPRECIATE A MORE DRILL
DOWN IN HOW YOU MIGHT HELP TO
SHAPE SOME OF THAT WORK. THANK
YOU
>> JAYANTA: I THINK IN 2010 THE
NIH ISSUED A STATEMENT SAYING
THAT HEALTH ECONOMICS WAS GOING
TO BE DEPRIORITIZED. I REMEMBER
THIS DISTINCTLY BECAUSE OF MY
FIELD AND I THINK THAT WAS A
MISTAKE. IT'S NOT JUST HEALTH
ECONOMICS. BUT LIKE POPULATION
HEALTH I THINK THAT HAS TO BE
DEPRIORITIZED AND I WON'T BE
UNDER MY WATCH. IT'S GOING TO
BE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE NIH
PORTFOLIO. WE HAVE TO DO WORK
THAT IS ON HUMAN HEALTH THAT IS
OF COURSE THE SORT OF HALLMARK
BASIC SCIENCE WORK THAT WE
ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO HAVE A
COMMITMENT TO THAT BUT EQUALLY
WE HAVE TO HAVE A COMMITMENT TO
POPULATION HEALTH SCIENCES. AND
A LOT OF MY WORK IS OUTSIDE, YOU
KNOW, OUTSIDE THE, WAS FOCUSED
ON EXACTLY THOSE ITEMS. WHAT
THAT PORTFOLIO WILL LOOK LIKE,
IT'S HARD TO SAY EXACTLY, BUT
THE KEY THING IS IT WILL ADDRESS
THE KEY QUESTIONS THAT THE
COMMUNITIES HAVE THAT WE'RE
TRYING TO HELP. WE'LL BE
PARTNERS WITH THOSE COMMUNITIES.
RATHER THAN JUST DICTATING FROM
ABOVE AND WE WILL, WE'LL MAKE
SURE THAT WE ARE SCRUPULOUSLY
APOLITICAL, THAT WE'RE FOCUSED
ON HEALTH NEEDS RATHER THAN ON
TRYING TO ACHIEVE SOME OTHER
SOCIAL JUSTICE AIMS. I THINK
JUST IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF
POPULATIONS IS ENOUGH. THAT'S
MORE THAN ENOUGH. IF WE CAN
ACCOMPLISH THAT, WE'VE DONE WHAT
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO DO AS THE NIH.
>> LYNN: THANKS SO MUCH.
>> WALTER: NEXT IS KATE
NICHOLSON, BE CAREFUL, KATE'S A
LAWYER. BE CAREFUL. KATE IS
THE FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL PAIN
ADVOCACY CENTER AND SHE'S BEEN
REALLY HELPFUL TO US IN THE HEAL
INITIATIVE AS WE TRY TO ADVANCE
THE OPIOID TREATMENT OF PAIN.
KATE? YOU'RE STILL ON MUTE.
STILL MUTED. THE BUTTON'S NOT
WORKING? OKAY.
>> KATE IF YOU WANT TO E-MAIL
YOUR QUESTION, WE'LL GO TO THE
NEXT ONE AND I WILL ASK, OR
WALTER WILL ASK IT ON YOUR
BEHALF.
>> OR YOU CAN PUT IT IN THE CHAT
>> JAYANTA: I HAVE TIME FOR
MAYBE TWO MORE QUESTIONS, JUST
FYI. I CAN GO TO 11:30.
>> WON'T WE GO TO AMY MCGUIRE'S
NEXT A BIOETHICIST. WE, IN THE,
YOU MENTIONED ABOUT SAFE THE I
WE HAVE A DISCUSSION LATER BUT
THE BRAIN INITIATIVE IS BROUGHT
UP SOME NEUROETHICAL PRINCIPLES
AND ISSUES THAT REALLY ARE QUITE
STRIKING, NEED TO BE DEALT WITH
AND AYEMY'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN
THAT SPACE, AYEMY?
>> JAYA --
>> AMY: THANK YOU SO MUCH I WAS
CURIOUS IF THERE WERE CONCRETE
WAYS IN WHICH YOU WERE HOPING
THAT THE NIH COULD PROMOTE THOSE
PRINCIPLES AND WHETHER YOU HAD
THOUGHTS ABOUT WHETHER FUNDING
FOR BIOETHICS RESEARCH MIGHT
CHANGE UNDER SORT OF THE
RESTRUCTURING AT THE NIH I MEAN
IT'S BEEN LARGELY INSTITUTE
DEPENDENT AS YOU KNOW IN TERMS
OF WHAT GETS FUNDED AND WHAT
ISSUES THE ETHICS COMPONENT OF
IT GETS REAL DEDICATED RESOURCES
TO ENGAGE WITH AND IT'S LARGELY
BEEN FOCUSED IN GENOMICS AND THE
BRAIN INITIATIVE AND A COUPLE
OTHER INSTITUTES AND I WONDER IF
THERE'S A THOUGHT ABOUT HOW THAT
MIGHT LOOK GOING FORWARD?
>> JAYANTA: SO ON ETHICS, I
MEAN, IT NEEDS TO BE PART OF ALL
OUR PORTFOLIO. I MEAN I THINK
PART OF IT IS THE --
REPRODUCIBILITY. I THINK OF IT
AS AN ETHICAL THING. LIKE IF
YOU HAVE, THE INCENTIVES WE HAVE
NOW ARE ALL BROKEN, AMY, WE
BASICALLY DON'T ENCOURAGE
PEOPLE, WE BASICALLY ENCOURAGE
PEOPLE TO CUT CORNERS. BECAUSE
WE REWARD THEM FOR PUBLICATION
RATHER THAN FOR DEVELOPING, YOU
KNOW, TRUE IDEAS, PROSOCIAL
BEHAVIOR. IF WE CHANGE THAT A
LOT OF THE ETHICAL PROBLEMS THAT
HAVE, LIKE, UNDERMINE PUBLIC
CONFIDENCE SCIENCE WILL START TO
GO AWAY. OH, I GOT -- I'M
GETTING PULLED OUT. JUST A
SECOND. BUT I WANT TO ANSWER
YOUR QUESTION. THE QUESTION
ABOUT BIOETHICS, ABSOLUTELY, WE
ABSOLUTELY NEED TO HAVE
BIOETHICS BE SUPPORTED AT THE
NIH. THIS IS NOT A POLICY
QUESTION. A POLICY THING. I
WILL TELL YOU MY OWN PERSONAL
VIEW ON BIOETHICS. I THINK
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF BIOETHICS
THAT HAS ALMOST A PATERNALISTIC
BEND TO IT THAT I THINK IS PART
OF YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ALWAYS
WRONG. PARENTS SHOULD BE
PATERNALISTIC TOWARDS THEIR
KIDS. THAT'S NORMAL. BUT LIKE
THE BENT OF BIOETHICS, WHERE
PATERNALISM IS SORT OF... AS
BUILT INDICT IS A D -- INTO IT
IS A PROBLEM.
I THINK EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IF
IT'S GOING TO TRANSLATE OVER HAS
TO HAPPEN AT THE COMPONENT AND
UNDERSTANDING HOW THAT COMPONENT
WORKS IS GOING TO BE REAL
IMPORTANT. SO WE WILL SEE. I
HAVEN'T THOUGHT THROUGH EXACTLY
WHAT THE POLICY'S GOING TO LOOK
LIKE. WE WILL SEE IN COMING
DAYS BUT I APPRECIATE THE
QUESTION. I AM COMMITTED TO
MAKING SURE BIOETHICS REMAINS
PART OF THE NIH PORTFOLIO.
>> WALTER: AND THE BRAIN IS
INTEGRATED INTO THE SCIENCE.
JAY, I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR COMING ON AND I THINK
EVERYONE REALLY APPRECIATES THE
CANDOR AND THE THOUGHTFULNESS
AND THE ABILITY TO TAKE THOSE
QUESTIONS. SO THANKS, HAVE A
GREAT DAY AND...
>> JAYANTA: THANKS, EVERYBODY, I
HAVE TO GO TO THE NEXT MEETING,
BYE NOW.
>> WALTER: SORRY ABOUT THAT
>> JAYANTA: TAKE CARE. BYE.
>> WALTER DO YOU THINK THERE'S
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SOME OF THE
PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T GET A CHANCE
TO ASK QUESTION TO HAVE THEIR
QUESTIONS SENT TO DR. WHAT TA
CHARIA PERHAPS?
>> WALTER: IF YOU WANT TO SEND
THEM TO ME AND I WILL BUNCH THEM
OVER AND I WILL GET THE ANSWERS
BACK.
HE SEEMS INTERESTED IN GETTING
PEOPLE'S QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
THAT SOUND OKAY, FRANCES?
>> FRANCES: THAT SOUNDS
FANTASTIC AND IT WOULD BE GREAT
TO SEND THEM TO YOU TO MAKE SURE
WE CAN ADD TO THEM. THANK YOU.
>> WALTER: OKAY. ALL RIGHTY SO
NOW I GUESS THE NEXT THING IS MY
DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE. OKAY. ALL
RIGHT, SO AS YOU KNOW, AT NINDS
WE REALLY TAKEN PRIDE IN BEING
REALLY TOTALLY TRANSPARENT WITH
OUR COUNCIL. AND SO AS JAY
SAID, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF
TURBULENCE AND SOME OF THE DOORS
HAVE COME OFF THE AIRPLANE AND
SOME OF THE PEOPLE HAVE LEFT THE
AIRPLANE THROUGH THOSE DOORS
UNFORTUNATELY. SO THIS IS
UNLIKE ANYTHING WE'VE PRESENTED
BEFORE BUT WE'RE GOING TO REALLY
JUST STICK TO THE FACTS, LET YOU
KNOW WHAT THE SITUATION IS. AND
THEN BE CANDID ABOUT SOME OF THE
UNCERTAINTIES THAT WE'RE LOOKING
AT. SO START OFF AND END ON A
HAPPY NOTE. SO NINDS IS AS YOU
NOW IS TURNING 75 THIS YEAR.
AND THE ANSWER TO, FOR PEOPLE
WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN
NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROLOGY FOR
THE LAST 50-60 YEARS, REALLY
UNDERSTAND THINKING BACK HOW FAR
WE'VE COME BUT ALSO HOW FAR WE
HAVE YET TO GET TO THE GOALS
OF... THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON
WHICH IS ADVANCING OUR
UNDERSTANDING OF THE BRAIN AND
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. AND THEN
USING THAT KNOWLEDGE TO REDUCE
THE SUFFERING DUE TO
NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS. SO WE
HAD A LOT OF PLANS FOR THE 75TH
ANNIVERSARY IN TERMS OF
CELEBRATION OF PAST EVENTS AND
THEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THE, YOU
KNOW, THE PROMISE OF THE FUTURE.
THOSE WHO ALL GOT CUT SHORT IN
TERMS OF THE NIH INVOLVEMENT
BECAUSE OF THE BAN ON TRAVELING,
THE LOSS OF STAFF AND SUCH, BUT
REALLY HAPPY THAT WE WERE
WORKING WITH DIFFERENT
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND
SCIENCE ORGANIZATIONS TO HOLD
THESE EVENTS AND THEY WERE ABLE
TO HOLD THEM WITHOUT THE NIH
FOLKS AND THEY HAVE BEEN I
THINK, YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY
REACHED THE GOAL THAT WE HAD IN
STORE FOR THEM SO THE AMERICAN
STROKE ASSOCIATION THANKS TO
THEM THEY HELD A SESSION, THE
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY
HELD A SESSION ON THE ADVANCES
COMING OUT OF NINDS RESEARCH. I
WAS ABLE TO SPEAK AT THE
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF
NEUROLOGICAL SURGEONS. THE
TRAVEL BAN IS OVER SO WE'RE
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE EVENT
THAT THE AMERICAN NEUROLOGICAL
ASSOCIATION AND THE SOCIETY FOR
NEUROSCIENCE COMING UP IN THE
FALL AND IN THE AMERICAN
EPILEPSY SOCIETY IN THE LATE
FALL. THE LEADERSHIP CHANGES I
THINK THAT JAY TALKED ABOUT
THOSE. I WILL SKIP THROUGH
THERE. THE LEADERSHIP CHANGES.
HE ALSO MENTIONED. COUPLE
OTHERS, JOHN WHO IS DIRECTOR OF
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF
MEDICAL SERVICES IS NOW THE
ACTING DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR THE
OFFICE OF EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH.
AND THE OFFICE OF EXTRAMURAL
RESEARCH IS THE KIND OF THE CORE
PART OF NIH THAT ESTABLISHES
POLICIES AND IMPLEMENTS POLICIES
THAT COME DOWN FROM HHS WITH
REGARD TO RESEARCH AND WHAT WE,
YOU KNOW, HOW WE DO OUR GRANT
MECHANISMS AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT
NOTICE OF FUNDING AWARDS AND
THINGS LIKE THAT. THE CALL CAME
FROM NIHS AND RUNS THE PROGRAM
COORDINATION OFFICE IN DOCTOR
THE OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR.
RESPONSIBLE FOR THINGS LIKE THE
COMMON FUND AND ALSO TAKING A
STRONG ROLE IN THE AUTISM
PROJECT THAT DR. BHATTACHARYA
MENTIONED. SCENE THAT KRAN STON
CAME OVER AS THE NIH CHIEF OF
STAFF AND WAS PREVIOUSLY ON THE
STAFF OF FOLKS IN THE SENATE.
IN TERMS OF ICD LEADERSHIP,
UNFORTUNATELY, A NUMBER OF
INSTITUTE DIRECTORS WERE LET GO.
AND SO THERE ARE ACTING
DIRECTORS THERE WHO STEPPED UP,
COURTNEY AC LAND WHO USED TO BE
HERE IS ACTING AT THE NURSING
INSTITUTE. ALISON CERNICH WAS
THE DEPUTY AND NOW AT THE
NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON CHILD
HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT.
MONICA WEB HOOPER, ANDREA BECK
L-MITCH NEVER IS, SO, AS YOU
REMEMBER JOSH GORDON MOVED BACK
TO COLUMBIA. SHELLY WAS THE
ACTING DIRECTOR. SHE RETIRED
AND ANDREA BECK L MITCH NEVER IS
NOW THE ACTING DIRECTOR AT NIH.
ANDREA IS FANTASTIC AND HAS BEEN
THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR THE
BRAIN INITIATIVE AND SO SHE'S
NOW TAKEN, SHE'S GOT NOW TWO
FULL-TIME JOBS, CAROLYN HUTTER
IS NOW THE ACTING DIRECTOR AT
THE NATIONAL HUMAN GENOME
INSTITUTE AND JEFF CAME TO BE
THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF NIAI DD
WE HAD A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO I
THINK TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE
ABILITY TO RETIRE FROM FEDERAL
SERVICE. THAT WAS OFFERED BY
THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH. I THINK A
NUMBER OF THEM WAS IN THEIR
PLANS. SOME OF THEM WERE GOING
TO RETIRE IN ANY EVENT. ROD WHO
LED THE DEMENTIA PROGRAM HAS
LEFT AND RETIRED. LYNN JAKEMAN
WHO WAS THE DIRECTOR OF DIVISION
OF NEUROSCIENCE IS RETIRED.
MICHELE JONES-LONDON WHO WAS
JUST A FORCE OF NATURE AND
IMPROVING THE DIVERSITY OF OUR
WORKFORCE.
AND BASICALLY IMPROVING OUR
WORKFORCE AND INSTITUTE IN
GENERAL IS RETIRED. STEVE KORN
A LONG TIME DIRECTOR OF OUR
TRAINING OFFICE IS RETIRED.
ERNIE LYONS, WE'LL GET TO WHAT
HAPPENS WITH REVIEW BRANCH IN A
SECOND. DAVE OWENS WHO WAS THE
DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR DIVISION OF
EXTRAMURAL ACTIVITIES AND ACTING
DIRECTOR RETIRED. LINDA PORTER
WHO WAS THE FORCE BEHIND ALL OUR
PAIN INITIATIVES HERE AT NINDS
FOR YEARS PAIN CONSORTIUM, THE
INTERAGENCY PAIN COORDINATING
COMMITTEE AND THE HEAL
INITIATIVE RETIRED AND MARY ANN
SEW FRANCO WHO MANY OF YOU HAVE
NOT MET BUT WAS A FORCE AS THE
EXECUTIVE OFFICER. SO WE DID
LOSE REALLY HIGHLY CONTRIBU
CONTRIBUTING... PAT WHO WAS THE
DEPUTY TO LYNN JAKEMAN IS KNOT
NOW THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF THE
DIVISION OF NEUROSCIENCE AND
TISCH WHO WE WANT OUT TO
INDUSTRY AND CAME BACK IS KNOW
THE DIRECTOR OF OUR TRAINING.
WE HAVE GREAT PEOPLE WHO
ACCEPTED IN. TROUBLE IS THEY'RE
DOING MORE THAN ONE PERSON'S JOB
AND THAT IS ACTUALLY TRUE ACROSS
THE INSTITUTE IN GENERAL. SO
THE CHALLENGE IS, YOU KNOW,
PRETTY CLEAR AS WAS MENTIONED
REDUCTION, WE'VE LOST ABOUT 143
STAFF FOLKS. THIS HAS BEEN
ALMOST ENTIRELY, NOT TOTALLY BUT
ALMOST ENTIRELY IN THE
EXTRAMURAL WORLD WHERE, AND THE
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR WHERE WE
WORK ON THE GETTING GRANTS OUT
TO ADVANCING OUR SCIENCE. 90%
OF OUR FUNDS GO OUT THROUGH THE
DIVISION OF EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH
AND THE OFFICE OF DIRECTOR IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR MANAGING HOW WE
DO THAT AND SO WE LOST ABOUT 143
OUT OF, I WAS GOING TO SAY ABOUT
150 PEOPLE, MAYBE, WOULD THAT BE
FAIR? 143 OUT OF 150 PEOPLE
WHAT THAT MEANS IS WE REALLY
HAVE TO FOCUS DOWN ON OUR CORE
ACTIVITIES AND WE ARE NOT GOING
TO BE ABLE TO DO A LOT OF THE
OTHER THINGS THAT WE THINK ARE
REALLY IMPORTANT BUT JUST HAVE
TO BE POSTPONED UNTIL WE GET TO
A BETTER STATE. NOW MOST, WHAT,
THE WAY IN WHICH THE REDUCTION
IN FORCE WORKS IN THE GOVERNMENT
IT'S KIND OF INSIDE BASEBALL BUT
PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE GOVERNMENT
ARE, HAVE CIVIL SERVICE
PROTECTION SO FOR THEM TO BE LET
GO IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING
EGREGIOUS THAT HAS HAPPENED OR
THEY HAVE TO BE REALLY FAILING
IN THEIR WORK. THE EXCEPTION TO
THAT ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN
HIRED WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR SO
THEY ARE ON WHAT'S CALLED
PROBATION FOR THE FIRST YEAR AND
WE HIRED A LARGE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE IN THE LAST YEAR AND ALL
THOSE PEOPLE WERE LET GO PRETTY
MUCH. AND THEY WERE DOING
TREMENDOUS WORK FOR INSTANCE THE
WORKING AS PROGRAM ANALYSTS ON
THE DIFFERENT SCIENCE PROJECTS.
IN THE OFFICE OF DIRECTOR.
THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WERE
THE FUTURE OF NINDS AND VERY
TALENTED FOLKS THAT WE LOST
THERE. THEN THERE WAS WHAT'S
CALLED THE REDUCTION IN FORCE SO
WHEN THE GOVERNMENT, ALTHOUGH
YOU CAN'T THROW AROUND AND FIRE
INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE IF YOU WANT TO
REDUCE YOUR NUMBERS, BUT WHAT
YOU CAN DO IS YOU CAN GO IN AND
CLOSE AN ENTIRE OFFICE. SO THAT
IS WHAT HAPPENED AND THEY WENT
IN TO OFFICES ACROSS NIH ON THE
EXTRAMURAL AND OFFICE OF
DIRECTOR SIDE SO WE HAD A
LEGISLATIVE OFFICE AND POLICY
OFFICE AND ALL THOSE PEOPLE WERE
LET GO. OFFICE OF PAIN POLICY
AND PLANNING WHICH WAS LINDA
PORTER WAS RUNNING. WHAT, YOU
KNOW, IT STARTED AS A POLICY
OFFICE BUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH
THE HEAL INITIATIVE WAS A LOT OF
THE HEAL INITIATIVE ACTIVITIES
INCLUDING OVER SIGHT OF GRANTS
AND TRAINING WERE IN THE OFFICE
OF PAIN POLICY AND THE OFFICE OF
DIRECTOR AND ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE
WERE LET GO. THE MANAGEMENT
TEAM FOR THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW,
YOU, IF YOU'RE IN AN
ORGANIZATION ARE REALLY
ESSENTIAL TO HAPPEN ON A
DAY-TO-DAY BASIS. THOSE FOLKS
ARE NOW GONE. BIG PROBLEM NOW
IS IN, WHAT'S CALLED
ACQUISITIONS WHICH IS THE PEOPLE
WHO DO THE CONTRACTS IN THE
GOVERNMENT. IT'S A HIGHLY
SKILLED AREA. YOU HAVE TO HAVE
A SPECIAL WARRANT TO BE ABLE TO
DO THAT. IT TAKES ABOUT THREE
YEARS TO BE A COAG FOR CONTRACTS
AND THOSE PEOPLE ARE GONE. SO
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF CONTRACTS
WE'RE NOT SURE HOW WE'RE GOING
TO EXECUTE THEM AND NEW
CONTRACTS ARE GOING TO BE
EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. WE HAVE AN
ETHICS GROUP WHO THE PEOPLE HERE
ON THE COUNCIL HAVE MET BECAUSE
EVERYONE IN THE GOVERNMENT
INCLUDING SPECIAL GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYEES HAVE TO GO THROUGH
THIS ETHICS REVIEW. THE ETHICS
PEOPLE ARE ALL GONE NOW. SO A
LOT OF THE THINGS THAT WE USED
TO DO THAT WERE KIND OF LIKE A
MACHINES WITHIN THE INSTITUTE
HAVE NOW BEEN DISENTANGLED AND
MOVED. THE IDEA OVER HERE IS
THAT SOME OF THESE FUNCTIONS
WERE INEFFICIENT BECAUSE THEY
WERE ALL DOING THE SAME THING.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT DOESN'T
HAPPEN YET AND IT'S NOT ENTIRELY
CLEAR HOW CENTRALIZATION IS
GOING TO BE MORE EFFICIENT. BUT
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WAITING ON
NOW. IS CENTRALIZATION OF THESE
TYPE OF ACTIVITIES. INTRAMURAL,
YOU MAY HAVE READ IN THE PAPER
THAT WE HAD TEN OF OUR SENIOR
SCIENTISTS WHO WERE FIRED UNDER
THE REDUCTION FORCE AND THE
REASON IS BECAUSE AS OPPOSED TO
MANY OTHER INSTITUTES, OUR
INVESTIGATORS WHO RUN
LABORATORIES ARE NOT PART ANY
HIERARCHY SO THEY'RE NOT PART OF
A LAB OR A LAB CHIEF. THEY'RE
INDEPENDENT AND SO THEY REPORTED
TO THE SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR SO
THEY WERE TAGGED AS BEING
MEMBERS OF THE OFFICE OF THE
SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR AND THE
WHOLE OFFICE WAS FIRED NOT
REALIZING THEY THOUGHT THE IDEA
WAS THAT THESE PEOPLE WERE
ADMINISTRATIVE PEOPLE AND NOT
THE SCIENTISTS NOW WE HAVE
GOTTEN ASSURANCES FROM DR. BAT
TA CHAR YA AND ANY OTHER PERSON
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO THAT
THESE FOLKS THE SENIOR
INVESTIGATORS WILL BE, THEY HAVE
BEEN RETURNED TO THEIR WORK.
SO THEY ARE AT WORK. AND WE
HAVE RECEIVED ALL ASSURANCES
THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE
REINSTATED. AND OF COURSE IT'S
NOT JUST THE TEN INVESTIGATORS
BUT IN TOTAL IT'S 115 PEOPLE IN
THE LABORATORIES THAT WOULD BE
AFFECTED. SO THAT SHOULD HAPPEN
BY JUNE 2ND. AND I THINK WE'VE
GOTTEN SOME REALLY GOOD STRONG
ASSURANCES AT WILL. SO THE
CHALLENGE IS THAT LISTED HERE WE
HAD A PAUSE IN ABILITY TO, YOU
KNOW, MAKE PURCHASES WHICH
REALLY HURT THE INTRAMURAL
PEOPLE AS WELL AS THE EXTRAMURAL
BUT CERTAINLY INTRAMURAL THEY
WEREN'T ABLE TO ORDER SUPPLIES
TO DO THEIR EXPERIMENTS. THEIR
EXPERIMENTS WERE SUPPOSEDLY ON
HOLD YOU CAN ONLY DO EXPERIMENTS
THAT WERE STARTED OR SCIENCE
THAT WAS STARTED BEFORE THE NEW
ADMINISTRATION. THAT'S ALL GONE
NOW. THAT'S FINE TO GO. TRAVEL
WAS ON HOLD NOW TRAVEL IS OPEN
AGAIN. COMMUNICATIONS ARE NOW
OPEN AGAIN EXCEPT WE DON'T HAVE
THE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP THAT WE
HAD SO OUR ABILITY TO DO THINGS
SAY ON THE WEBSITE, OUR ABILITY
TO DO MEETINGS IS REALLY ALMOST
IMPOSSIBLE FOR US TO DO MEETINGS
NOW. YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE OUR
PROGRAM DIRECTORS BASICALLY SET
UP HOTELS AND AIRPLANE FLIGHTS
FOR PEOPLE AND REGISTER. SO A
LOT OF THINGS WE CAN'T DO. AS
YOU KNOW THE COUNCILS WERE
PAUSED THIS IS OUR FIRST OPEN
SESSION OF THE YEAR. BIG
PROBLEM FOR US IS THAT IT'S
THOUGHT THAT THE REVIEWS OF
GRANTS THAT WERE BEING DONE IN
THE INSTITUTE WERE BIASED: AND
SO THE ADMINISTRATION IS
PREVENTING ANYMORE REVIEW IN THE
INSTITUTE'S STUDY SECTIONS AND
EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE
REVIEWED AT THE CSR WHICH IS THE
CENTRALIZED REVIEW GROUP
INSTITUTE. BASICALLY A CENTER
FOR SCIENTIFIC REVIEW. THAT'S
SEPARATE FROM ANY OF THE
INSTITUTES AND I THINK IT'LL
TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME FOR
CSR TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE
TYPE OF PROJECTS THAT ARE KIND
OF MORE I THINK AS ANDY SAID,
MORE SPECIALIZED IN A PARTICULAR
AREA WHERE THERE ARE THINGS
WE'RE REALLY WANTED TO GET OUT
OF THE REVIEW AND THE CALL FOR
APPLICATIONS. WE'LL TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AND IT'S
RELATED TO WHAT ANDY MENTIONED
WHICH IS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION
IS LOOKING FOR US TO REDUCE THE
NUMBER OF RFAS NOW CALLED NOTICE
OF FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENTS BY 50%
AND THEY REALLY WANT US TO USE
THE PARENT AWARDS MORE THAN
THE... RELYING ON RFAS. I THINK
WE CAN WORK ON WAYS TO DO THAT.
BUT IT'S GOING TO REQUIRE
COMMUNICATION BY US OUT TO THE
GRANTEES TO GIVE THEM AN
INDICATION OF, YOU KNOW, IN THIS
COUNTS COMING UP IN SEPTEMBER
COUNCIL WE'RE GOING TO BE
FUNDING GRANTS IN THIS AREA SO
IF YOU HAVE GOOD IDEAS IN THIS
AREA PLEASE SUBMIT GRANTS BY,
YOU KNOW, FEBRUARY OF THE...
FEBRUARY BEFORE THE COUNCIL. TO
GIVE PEOPLE AN IDEA OF WHAT
WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN TERMS OF
THE SCIENCE, WHEN TO APPLY, AND
WHEN... SO THAT ALL THOSE KIND
OF GRANTS CAN BE COMPARED AND WE
CAN PICK THE BEST ONES GOING
FORWARD. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
MOVE MORE TOWARDS THESE
ANNOUNCEMENTS. AS ANDY
MENTIONED NOT ONLY DO THEY WANT
TO CUT THESE BUT THEY'RE GOING
TO REQUIRE HHS APPROVAL AND
THEY'RE GOING TO REQUIRE
APPROVAL EVEN BEFORE WE PRESENT
THEM TO THE COUNCIL SO THAT
MEANS THINGS ARE REALLY GOING TO
SLOW DOWN SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO
BE ABLE TO RELY ON THEM AS MUCH
AND THIS IS PARTICULARLY A
PROBLEM AS I'LL SHOW YOU WHEN IT
COMES TO THE PARTICULAR PROJECTS
THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE
CONGRESSIONALLY MANDATED LIKE
HEAL, THE ALS PROJECT, THE BRAIN
INITIATIVE. AS JAY MENTIONED
THERE'S A HALT ON FOREIGN
SUBAWARDS. AND HE'S RIGHT THAT
NIH NEVER HAD A MECHANISM WHERE
THEY COULD REPORT TO CONGRESS
ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY WAS GOING
TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES. I THOUGHT
THAT THIS WAS A PROBLEM AT SOME
POINT AND IT CERTAINLY TURNED
OUT TO BE THAT AND THAT'S
BECAUSE MOST OF THE MONEY GOING
OUT IS TO INDIVIDUAL GRANTS.
AND THERE'S NO MECHANISM TO
CAPTURE THAT BUT NOW THOSE ARE
STOPPED AND THEY'RE LOOKING
FORWARD TO A NEW PROCESS BY
WHICH FOREIGN GROUPS THAT ARE
PART OF OUR RESEARCH KIND OF
SEND IN THEIR OWN APPLICATION.
TO GET FUNDS SENT DIRECTLY
OVERSEAS SO THAT IS WHAT WE
HEARD IS THE PLAN GOING FORWARD.
NOW OF COURSE SOME OF THE PLACES
OVERSEAS PARTICULARLY IN THE
UNDERDEVELOPED COUNTRIES ARE
GOING TO HAVE A HARD TIME
SUBMITTING A GRANT TO NIH SO IT
COULD BE A PROBLEM. NOW AS YOU
PROBABLY HEARD, THERE ARE A
NUMBER OF TYPES OF GRANTS THAT
WERE TAKEN THAT ARE WHAT IS
CALLED TERMINATED OR THEY WERE
TAKEN OUT OF REVIEW BECAUSE THEY
DID NOT COMPLY WITH THE
EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT CAME UNDER
THE NEW ADMINISTRATION. AND SO
I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME
REALLY GOOD SCIENCE THAT IS NOT
GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE DONE,
THERE'S UNFORTUNATELY A LOT OF
CAREER DEVELOPMENT GRANTS THAT
ARE NOT GOING TO BE -- THAT WERE
NOT AWARDED. AND SO THAT, YOU
KNOW, REALLY PUTS US BACK, THE
OTHER THING WHICH I WILL MENTION
IS THAT THERE'S ALSO A LARGE
CHUNK OF MONEY NOW THAT WE HAD
PLANNED TO AWARD THAT IS NOT
GOING TO BE POSSIBLE TO AWARD IN
THE WAY THAT WE PLANNED. WE
WILL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A SE
SECOND. SO LOOKING TO THE
BUDGET, THAT'S WHERE THE REAL
UNCERTAINTIES COME. SO I'M
SHOWING HERE THE BUDGET FROM
21-25 AS YOU KNOW WE'RE IN AN
ACTED CONTINUED RESOLUTION, WE
KNEW HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF
MONEY THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR.
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF CHANGES TO
THE CURES FUNDING. THE... BUT
LOOKING FORWARD IS NOT A LOT OF
CLAR
CLARITY. THE ONLY THING WE HAVE
TO WORK WITH IS THE TOP DOWN
LINE ITEM FROM THE PRESIDENT'S
PLAN WHICH IS A CALLING FOR A
40% DECREASE IN THE NIH BUDGET.
NOW THAT IS A LITTLE BIT
UNCERTAIN ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS
FOR THE INDIVIDUAL INSTITUTES.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION
ALTHOUGH THINGS DID LEAK OUT IN
THE PRESS ABOUT POTENTIAL
INSTITUTES MOVING OUT OF NIH.
SOME CONSTITUTES CLOSING, SOME
INSTITUTES COMBINING, WHAT IT
MEANS FOR US IS NOT CLEAR, AS
YOU KNOW, ABOUT 70% OF OUR MONEY
IS TAKEN UP IN WHAT WE CALL
NON-COMPETING WHICH IS, YOU
KNOW, THOSE ARE OUR GRANTS THAT
GO ON FOR FIVE YEARS AND SO MOST
OF OUR MONEY IS OUT THERE AND
COMMITMENTS TO GRANTS SO A 40%
DECREASE WOULD MAKE IT HARD TO
ACTUALLY MEET OUR COMMITMENTS
LET ALONE FUND ANY NEW GRANTS.
SO HOPING THAT AS THE HOUSE AND
THE SENATE WORK ON A COMPROMISED
BUDGET THAT WE GET SOMETHING,
YOU KNOW, IS GOING TO HELP US
MOVE FORWARD BUT THIS IS, YOU
KNOW, THERE'S 40% DECREASE IS
CERTAINLY A WORRISOME FEATURE
RIGHT NOW. OKAY. WHAT WE'RE
GOING TO, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE,
THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT SUM OF
FUNDS THAT WERE NOT AWARDED AS
WE HAD PREVIOUSLY PLANNED. NOW
SOME OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE THE
MONEY'S ON HOLD. SOME OF THEM
ARE COMPLETELY TERMINATED. SOME
OF THEM ARE ON HOLD. IT'S
POSSIBLE THAT SOME OF THOSE
PROJECTS THAT ARE ON HOLD, YOU
KNOW, IF THEY GO, IF THERE'S A
COURT DECISION THEN WE MAY PAY
THOSE PROJECTS. SO IT'S NOT
NECESSARILY CLEAR TO US HOW MUCH
OF THAT FUNDING WILL NOT THEN
COME BACK ONTO OUR BUDGET SHEETS
IN THE FUTURE. SO WE HAVE TO BE
A LITTLE BIT CAREFUL, OR VERY
CAREFUL, AND SO THE PLAN IS TO
INSTEAD OF AWARDING MORE GRANTS
WITH THOSE FUNDS, IS TO USE
THOSE FUNDS TO MAKE MULTIYEAR
FUND AWARDS. SO THAT AND THAT
WOULD ALLOW US TO MOVE THE MONEY
OUT TO DO SCIENCE AND TAKE THE
PRESSURE OFF THE, SAME AND
SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCE -- SAY
2026-27.
FOR MULTIYEAR FUNDING WE USUALLY
FUND GRANTS EVERY YEAR. SO IN
THIS SITUATION, A GRANT GETS
400,000 THE FIRST YEAR AND EVERY
SUBSEQUENT YEAR. THIS IS ALWAYS
CONTINGENT ON FUNDS BEING
AVAILABLE FROM THE GOVERNMENT
BUT THAT'S GENERALLY WHAT WE'VE
BEEN ABLE TO DO WITH OUR OUT
YEAR COMMITMENTS AND SO
THEREFORE ABOUT 75% OF OUR FUNDS
ARE RESERVED FOR NON-COMPETING
AWARDS, THE CONTINUATIONS. IN
MULTIYEAR FUNDING WHAT WE COULD
DO IS FUND NOT JUST THE FIRST
YEAR BUT THE SECOND AND THIRD
YEAR OF THE GRANT. WITH THE
MONEY THAT WE HAVE NOW IN '25
AND THAT WOULD MEAN THAT THOSE
GRANTS DON'T NEED ANY ADDITIONAL
FUNDING IN '26 OR '27. WE ALSO
HAVE THE ABILITY THIS YEAR FOR
THE FIRST TIME TO MULTIYEAR FUND
THE LAST TWO YEARS OF AN AWARD.
WHICH WOULD THEN GET THAT GRANT
OFF OUR BOOKS FOR REQUIRING ANY
MONEY IN THE FUTURE. SO I THINK
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE HEAVILY INTO
THIS SPACE AND THAT WOULD ALLOW
US A -- PUT US IN A BETTER
POSITION IN 2026. SHOULD THE
BUDGET REALLY LOOK
JUST TO SAY, THIS SLIDE, WE
TALKED ABOUT THE BASE BUDGET FOR
NINDS IN THE PAST SLIDE BUT I
WANTED TO MENTION WE ARE THE
LEAD, CO-READ WITH NIMH FOR THE
HEAL INITIATIVE WITH THE BRAIN
AND CURES ACT MONEY, THERE'S AN
INCREASE IN THE CURES ACT MONEY
IN 2026, THE HEAL INITIATIVE WE
MANAGE ALL THE FUNDS FOR THE
WORK DEVELOPED NON-ADDICTIVE
PAIN THERAPEUTICS, ADRD, WE GET
$85 MILLION THERE FOR
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, RELATED
DEMENTIA WORK.
AND WE HAVE $2 MILLION FROM
UNDIAGNOSED DISEASE NETWORK, IN
2025, QUESTION MARKS FOR 2026,
WE'VE NOT HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT
HOW THESE FUNDS MIGHT OR MAY NOT
APPEAR IN 2026 FOR THESE
SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS, PUTS US IN
ANOTHER BIND.
IN ADDITION WE MANAGE $75
MILLION FOR THE ACT FOR ALS,
WHICH IS A BILL THAT WAS SIGNED
TO SET UP EXPANDED ACCESS
TRIALS, AND PUBLIC/PRIVATE
PARTNERSHIP CALLED THE
ACCELERATED MEDICINE PARTNERSHIP
FOR ALS, TO DEVELOP A LARGE
DATABASE TO EXPLORE FOR
BIOMARKERS AND TARGETS FOR ALS
THERAPEUTICS.
AND, AGAIN, THAT QUESTION MARK
IS ALSO UP THERE, WHETHER THOSE
FUNDS WILL COME IN 2026 OR NOT.
WE HAVE -- THE MAIN ISSUE WE
HAVE A LOT OF UNCERTAINTIES.
WE HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT
HAPPENS, AND WE'RE TRYING TO
PROTECT THE BUDGET AS BEST WE
CAN WITH THE TOOLS THAT ARE
AVAILABLE.
OKAY.
YOU'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE, SO WHEN
WE TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET,
IMPORTANT TO KNOW IS THAT
BESIDES THE AMOUNT WE GET FROM
CONGRESS, WE ALSO HAVE TO PAY
ATTENTION TO THE COST OF DOING
SCIENCE.
OF COURSE, THAT HAS BEEN
INCREASING PARTICULARLY OVER THE
LAST COUPLE YEARS.
BUT HERE ON THE ORANGE BELOW YOU
CAN SEE THE INCREASED COST OF A
GRANT, IF YOU LOOK AT REAL
DOLLARS LOOKING FROM 2024 ON,
REALLY HASN'T CHANGED AT ALL.
SO IN FACT THE INCREASED COST OF
SCIENCE IS REALLY TIED TO
INFLATION, AND IF WE LOOK AT
WHAT A -- HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO
MOVE A PAYLINE FROM 8th TO
9th PERCENTILE BECAUSE OF
INCREASED COST OF GRANTS THAT
NUMBER IS MOVED FROM, YOU KNOW,
PROBABLY ABOUT $10 MILLION BACK
HERE WHEN I CAME TO NOW $24
MILLION.
SO THINGS ARE DEFINITELY MORE
EXPENSIVE IN DOLLARS, BUT IF YOU
ADJUSTED TO BIOMEDICAL INFLATION
IS NOT REALLY THAT MUCH
DIFFERENT, SO IT'S REALLY
HEAVILY DRIVEN BY INFLATION.
WE MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE CENTRALIZATION OF REVIEW, SO
REMEMBER THE WAY OUR PROCESS
WORKS IS A VERY AMERICAN
PROCESS.
INVESTIGATOR CAN SUBMIT AN
APPLICATION FOR MANY OF THE
GRANTS, CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC
REVIEW ASSIGNS THE APPLICATION
TO AN INSTITUTE.
IT GOES TO REVIEW.
MOST OF THE R01 GRANTS, R21s,
THE Fs, SBIRs GO TO THE
CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC REVIEW,
ABOUT 78% OF APPLICATIONS GO
THERE FOR REVIEW.
WE REVIEW IN HOUSE THE TRAINING
GRANTS, CLINICAL SCIENCE GRANTS,
PROGRAM PROJECT GRANTS.
MOST OF OUR THERAPY DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMS WHICH ARE REALLY
SOMEWHAT UNIQUE TO NIH ARE
REVIEWED IN-HOUSE AS WELL AS OUR
CLINICAL TRIALS, A NUMBER OF OUR
CONTRACTS.
SO, NOW ALL THIS IS GOING TO
HAVE TO GO INTO CSR.
AND THEN IT'S GOING TO COME OUT
TO THE PROGRAM DIRECTORS TO
START LOOKING AT THESE GRANTS
WITH MAYBE NOT THE SAME LEVEL OF
REVIEW THAT WE HAD BEFORE, AND
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE
DECISIONS TO BRING TO COUNCIL
AND I THINK SO THIS COULD ALSO
INCREASE THE NEED FOR COUNCIL TO
TAKE CAREFUL LOOKS AT MANY OF
THESE -- PARTICULARLY THE LARGE
SPECIAL PROJECTS THAT COME OUT
OF THE CSR REVIEW, PARTICULARLY
IN BEGINNING YEARS, UNTIL WE GET
TO A NORMALIZED STATE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF
GRANTS, THIS IS THE DOLLARS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS THAT
ARE REVIEWED IN HOUSE, THE
PERCENT IS ABOUT 33, 34% FOR US.
AND BUT IF YOU LOOK AT "HEAL"
AND BRAIN INITIATIVE, IT'S IN
THE 80 TO 90% RANGE.
SO THIS IS WHERE WE HAVE OUR
BIGGEST PROBLEMS GOING FORWARD.
OKAY.
SO, I WANT TO JUST KIND OF
EMPHASIZE AGAIN THE PRIORITIES
AS WE ENTER THIS DIFFICULT
SPACE.
ONE IS WE'D LIKE TO PROTECT THE
PAYLINE TO KEEP THE RESEARCH
ECOSYSTEM, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST
OUT OF THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT,
IF WE CAN.
I THINK 8 PERCENTILE IS CLOSE TO
GOING IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
FOR THE RESEARCH ECOSYSTEM THAT
WE'RE TRYING TO MAINTAIN.
SO WE DO THAT, WE TRY TO FUND AS
MANY INVESTIGATORS AS POSSIBLE,
EVEN IF THAT MEANS REDUCING THE
SIZE OF EACH AWARD.
WE'D LIKE TO REALLY NOT MORTGAGE
THE FUTURE OF OUR SCIENCE BY
LOSING EARLY STAGE TRAINEES AND
EARLY-STAGE INVESTIGATORS, THOSE
WOULD BE OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY TO
KEEP GOING.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE AS A
LEADER HERE THE ONLY INSTITUTE
THAT'S 100% NEUROSCIENCE REALLY
WANT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO
MOVE NIH NEUROSCIENCE AS WELL BY
THESE TRANS-NIH ACTIVITIES.
AND, YOU KNOW, AS MENTIONED
DURING THE DISCUSSIONS, AND JAY
ALSO, WE HAVE TO TRY TO
ELIMINATE THE HEALTH DISPARITIES
AND INEQUITIES IN THE NEUROLOGIC
EDITIONS BY USING THINGS WE KNOW
WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE
CAN GET ACCESS TO THEM AND
DRIVES THE BURDEN OF DISEASE
DOWN.
OKAY.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF
INVESTIGATORS, SO WE ACTUALLY
DID WHAT WE WANTED TO DO, WHICH
IS INCREASE THE NUMBER OF
INVESTIGATORS OVER THOSE YEARS
AS OUR BUDGET WAS INCREASING YOU
CAN SEE WE WENT FROM ABOUT
ALMOST 2050 TO 2500 OUT OF THE
BASE BUDGET.
WHEN YOU ADD "HEAL," BRAIN,
ADRD, WE ALMOST DOUBLED THE
NUMBER OF INVESTIGATORS COMING
INTO R01-EQUIVALENT GRANTS.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO CERTAINLY
ACHIEVE THAT GOAL AND THAT'S WHY
I THINK OUR FIELD IS SO FULL OF
REALLY GREAT IDEAS TO MOVE
FORWARD.
NOW, AS WE GO FORWARD, WE DON'T
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY YET TO
REALLY DO WITH OUR WEBSITE WHAT
WE NEED TO DO TO COMMUNICATE TO
THE OUTSIDE COMMUNITY BUT WE'RE
GOING TO TRY AS BEST WE CAN VERY
SHORTLY.
AS I MENTIONED, WITH THE
NOFOs, NUMBER OF NOFOs
DROPPING, WE'RE GOING TO BE
INDICATING ON THE WEBSITE THE
AREAS OF INTEREST THAT WE'RE
LOOKING FOR GRANTS, PARTICULARLY
IN THESE CONGRESSIONALLY
MANDATED AREAS LIKE BRAIN OR
HEAL OR ADRD.
PEOPLE, PLEASE START PAYING MORE
ATTENTION TO THE NINDS FUNDING
SITE, FUNDING SECTION.
FOR MANY NOTICE OF FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES THEY ARE NOW GONE,
SO THEY WERE TAKEN DOWN BY THE
OFFICE OF EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH,
AND SO IF YOU HAVE A GRANT AND
YOU WERE HOPING TO GET INTO A
NOFO THAT'S NOT THERE, YOU HAVE
TO REALLY TRY TO LOOK AND SEE
WHICH IS THE BEST PARENT AWARD
THAT FITS YOUR SCIENCE SO
ENCOURAGING PEOPLE PARTICULARLY
WHO HAD DIVERSITY R01s OR ANY
OF THE DIVERSITY PROGRAMS TO
COME UNDER OF IN UNDER PARENT
AWARD REGULAR TRAINING OR R01 OR
R21.
THERE IS SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO
KNOW ABOUT, THE UPDATED PUBLIC
ACCESS POLICY OF THE NEW
ADMINISTRATION.
THIS WAS GOING TO GO IN EFFECT
LATER, BUT NOW IT'S NOW.
BY JULY 1, 2025, ALL THE
NIH-FUNDED RESEARCH MUST BE
SUBMITTED TO THE NATIONAL
LIBRARY OF MEDICINE PUBMED
CENTRAL, NO PERIOD OF EMBARGO IS
ALLOWED.
SO THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT NIH
WAS PLANNING TO DO.
THEY WERE INITIALLY THINKING OF
12-MONTH EMBARGO, BUT NOW THE
EMBARGO'S GONE SO ALL THESE
RESEARCH FROM NIH FUNDED HAS TO
GO INTO OPEN ACCESS.
OKAY.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE HEARING ABOUT
THE "HEAL" RESEARCH
RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE PAIN
SPACE COMING UP.
THERE IS I WANTED TO POINT YOU
TO THE ANNUAL REPORTS FROM THE
HEAL INITIATIVE IS NOW UP ON THE
WEBSITE.
AND THIS HAS THE COMPONENTS
RELATED TO REDUCING OPIOID
OVERDOSE DEATH AS WELL AS
IMPROVING PAIN CARE.
AS I MENTIONED, YEAH, THE HEAL
PAIN RECOMMENDATIONS COMING OUT
OF THE WORK GROUP CO-CHAIRED BY
ROB JARREAU AND KATHLEEN
INCLUDING -- SLUKA COMING FROM
THEM.
JACKIE WARD, THE FEDERAL
OFFICIAL RUNNING THIS GROUP WAS
LOST IN THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS.
THE TRIANNUAL REPORT, ANDY
MENTIONED THIS IS A REPORT
REQUIRED FOR THE COUNCIL TO
APPROVE EVERY YEAR, IT'S ABOUT
INCLUSION OF WOMEN AND
MINORITIES, PARTICIPANTS IN
CLINICAL RESEARCH, THE REPORT IS
IN THE ECB, THIS SLIDE JUST
INDICATES WHAT IS THE CHARGE TO
THE COUNCIL, AND CERTIFYING THIS
REPORT, AND JUST TO GIVE YOU A
GLIMPSE OF THE TAKEHOME DATA
THAT AT LEAST AS I PULLED IT OUT
IF ONE LOOKS AT SEX DIFFERENCES,
AS YOU CAN SEE OVER TIME,
MALE/FEMALE REPRESENTATION IN
OUR CLINICAL RESEARCH IS
PROBABLY CLOSE TO 50/50.
IN TERMS OF RACE, YOU CAN SEE
HERE IN TERMS OF THE AFRICAN
AMERICAN POPULATION IT IS
PROBABLY NOT -- A LITTLE BIT
BELOW WHERE IT SHOULD BE BUT
PRETTY CLOSE.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE ASIAN
POPULATION, AMERICAN INDIAN,
ALASKA NATIVE ALWAYS VERY LOW,
AND WHITES ABOUT 60%.
IF YOU LOOK AT ETHNICITY, I
THINK THAT THE HISPANIC
REPRESENTATION AGAIN KIND OF
GOVERNANCES UP AND DOWN
DEPENDING ON PROJECTS OPENING
AND CLOSING, AND THAT'S PROBABLY
A LITTLE BELOW WHERE WE SHOULD
BE, AND BUT I THINK ALL OUR
CLINICAL RESEARCH GROUPS ARE
TRYING TO GET POPULATION TO
STUDIES TO REPRESENT THE
AMERICAN POPULATION.
NEXT TO TALK ABOUT THE BROADER
NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH ECOSYSTEM
AS I MENTIONED WE HAVE MORE
PEOPLE COMING INTO NEUROSCIENCE,
INTO NINDS, AND THIS HAS LED TO
A WHOLE HOST OF WHAT I WOULD
CALL INNOVATIVE SCIENCE, DR.
BHATTACHARYA MENTIONED, YOU
KNOW, THE NEED FOR THESE KIND OF
REALLY NEW IDEAS AND NEW LEVELS
THAT WE GET TO IN OUR SCIENCE.
THIS IS JUST A COMPILATION OF
PHOTOS FROM THE -- I HAD, YOU
KNOW, OUR STAFF PUT TOGETHER A
TOP TEN LIST, AS WE DO EVERY
YEAR, DOESN'T REALLY DO JUSTICE
TO ALL THE RESEARCH BUT EACH OF
THESE PROJECTS AND PLEASE GO TO
THE DIRECTOR'S PAGE IF YOU WANT
TO READ ABOUT THEM, I THINK
REALLY GET YOU TO ANOTHER LEVEL
OF UNDERSTANDING IN THESE
DIFFERENT FIELDS OF
NEUROSCIENCE.
SO, OUR INVESTIGATORS ARE DOING
GREAT WORK OUT THERE, AND IT'S
REALLY UP TO US TO USE THE
TAXPAYERS' FUNDS APPROPRIATED TO
US TO KEEP THAT GOING AND
ADVANCE IT EVEN FURTHER.
IN ADDITION TO THE SCIENCE THAT
YOU READ ABOUT, THERE'S ALSO A
LOT OF THINGS GOING ON THAT
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT MUCH
ABOUT WHICH IS OUR TRANSLATIONAL
PROGRAM.
YOU KNOW, YEARS AGO WE PUT
TOGETHER A REALLY SOPHISTICATED
GROUP OF PEOPLE LED BY AMIR
TAVIZ COMING FROM CITY TO HELP
US MOVE DISCOVERIES AND EVENTS
TO ACTUAL TREATMENTS FOR PEOPLE,
FOR PATIENTS WITH NEUROLOGIC
DISORDERS, WHICH IS AS DR.
BHATTACHARYA SAID, THAT'S REALLY
WHAT THE POPULUS WANTS.
SO SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS,
WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF PROJECTS.
THESE ARE ACTUALLY PROJECTS THAT
KEEP GETTING BETTER AND BETTER
EACH YEAR FROM THE SMALL
BUSINESS PROGRAM, ALSO FROM THE
NON-SBIR GRANTS, A NUMBER OF
PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE FUNDING,
DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION, YOU
KNOW, DEVELOPMENT OF NEW DRUGS,
TREATMENT FOR ALS, RARE
DISORDERS OF RARE FORMS OF ALS,
THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT ARE
REALLY RIGHT AT THE CUSP OF
HELPING PEOPLE WITH REALLY TOUGH
PROBLEMS.
WE ALSO HAVE DONE SOME THINGS IN
THE REPRODUCIBILITY SPACE.
FOR YEARS RAN THE EPILEPSY
SCREENING PROGRAM NOW AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH RIGOROUSLY
LOOKING AT MULTIPLE DIFFERENT
EPILEPSY MODELS.
IT'S FREE TO BRING IN YOUR DRUG
TO SEE IF IT CAN PREVENT
EPILEPSY IN THESE MODELS.
AND YOU CAN GUARANTEE THAT THE
DATA COMING OUT OF THIS MODEL IS
REPRODUCIBLE AND RIGOROUS.
SO, ONE EXAMPLE IS SOMETHING IN
THIS SPACE WE'RE DOING FOR MANY
YEARS, THE SPAN NETWORK AND
STROKE IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE, AND
THEN THE PAIN PROGRAM WE HAVE IN
ANIMAL MODELS WITH PAIN IS
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THESE KIND OF
EFFORTS AND REPRODUCIBILITY OR
EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYTHING IS REPRODUCIBLE.
THE NUMBER OF OUR SCIENTISTS IN
THE INTRAMURAL PROGRAM HAVE DONE
OUTSTANDING WORK, RECOGNIZED,
INCLUDING AVI NAAT, JEFF
DIAMOND, ANTONINA AND LING-GANG
WU.
SOME EARLY-STAGE INVESTIGATORS,
SONIA SCHULTZ AND SADANYA
JACKSON NAMED PRESIDENTIAL
AWARDEES IN THE RECENT PAST,
GOOD EARLY STAGE FOLKS, NOT THAT
EARLY ANYMORE, BUT EARLIER THAT
WERE SOME OF THE OTHERS.
EARLIER THAN ME.
SO, I WANT TO END BY SAYING THAT
WE CAN'T DO WHAT WE HAVE DONE IN
THE PAST, AND ONE OF THE THINGS
WE TOOK REAL PRIDE IN IS
NON-PROFIT FORUM, BRINGING IN
THE DISEASE ORGANIZATIONS, FROM
70 TO 100, TO ALL MEET TOGETHER.
THEY PUT TOGETHER AN AGENDA FOR
THEM, WITH THEM, AND THEY
BENEFIT FROM IT.
WE BENEFIT FROM JOINING WITH
THEM.
COULDN'T DO IT THIS YEAR BUT,
BOY, WAS SO HAPPY THE AMERICAN
BRAIN COALITION, KATIE SALE AND
JEN FRENCH ALSO STEPPED UP TO
TAKE A LEADERSHIP IN ORGANIZING
THIS SO IT WILL GO ON AND IT'S
GOING TO BE EVEN BETTER THAN
EVER, AS I SAY EVERY YEAR.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE JUNE 25, AT
10:00 A.M., TO 4:00 P.M.
GOING TO BE RIGHT HERE IN THE
NEUROSCIENCE CENTER, IN THE
LARGER ROOM.
SO PLEASE COME TO THIS.
IT'S ALWAYS A GREAT MEETING, AND
IT WILL BE AGAIN THIS YEAR.
75 YEARS OF RESEARCH,
EXPLORATION, AND PROGRESS.
FOR THREE-QUARTERS OF A CENTURY
THE NIH'S NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF
NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND
STROKE, NINDS, HAS BEEN AT THE
FOREFRONT OF NEUROSCIENCE
IMPROVING LIVES OF MILLIONS.
FROM PIONEERING NEUROLOGY
RESEARCH TO CRITICAL
BREAKTHROUGHS, NINDS HAS
RESHAPED HOW WE UNDERSTAND AND
TREAT NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS.
FUELING ADVANCES THAT ONCE
SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE.
FROM LAB TO CLINIC, NINDS TURNS
RESEARCH INTO REAL WORLD
SOLUTIONS HELPING THOSE AFFECTED
BY NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS.
DRIVEN BY A VISION TO UNLOCK THE
MYSTERIES OF THE BRAIN, NINDS
KNOWS THAT DISCOVERY IS BUILT ON
COLLABORATION.
THAT'S WHY WE WORK SIDE BY SIDE
WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED
EXPERIENCE, THEIR INPUT GUIDES
RESEARCH PRIORITIES ENSURING
THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON WHAT
MATTERS MOST.
NINDS ALSO SUPPORTS A THRIVING
COMMUNITY OF SCIENTISTS
INVESTING IN PEOPLE PUSHING
BOUNDARIES OF SCIENCE EVERY DAY,
THROUGH EVERY DISCOVERY AND
CLINICAL TRIAL NINDS HAS BECOME
A BEACON OF HOPE FOR PEOPLE
LIVING WITH NEUROLOGICAL
DISORDERS, BY ADVANCING
NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH WE'RE
BUILDING A HEALTHIER, HAPPIER
FUTURE FOR ALL.
JOIN US IN SHAPING THE
THANKS VERY MUCH.
THAT'S OUR STORY.
WE'RE STICKING TO IT.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
I THINK WE'RE MOVING TO
QUESTIONS.
>> I HAVE A COMMENT, NOT A
QUESTION.
WALTER, I WANTED TO SAY THAT I'M
SURE I SPEAK FOR EVERYONE THAT
WE REALLY APPRECIATE THOSE OF
YOU AT NIH CONTINUING TO MOVE
FORWARD IN WAYS THAT INSPIRE US
TO CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE DO AND
I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
>> GREATLY APPRECIATED, HANK.
WE APPRECIATE THAT.
THANKS.
>> SECOND THAT.
YEAH, YOU GUYS KEEP US GOING
BECAUSE SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW,
IT'S EASY TO SAY, YOU KNOW, BUT
THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE WORK
THAT YOU GUYS DO.
IT REALLY IS INSPIRING.
>> AMAZING, LOUISE, THE FIRST
NICE THING YOU EVER TOLD ME.
[LAUGHTER]
>> EVER SAID.
I STARTED DRINKING EARLY TODAY.
NO, BECAUSE SERIOUSLY OUT HERE
IN THE WORLD TRYING TO KEEP
THESE YOUNG PEOPLE FROM JUST
FREAKING OUT WITH ALL THE CHAOS,
YOU KNOW, JUST TRYING TO REALLY
KIND OF BE OPTIMISTIC, UPBEAT,
YOU'VE CHOSEN A GREAT CAREER
PATH, IT'S GREAT TO GET THAT
REINFORCED FROM YOU GUYS,
REINVIGORATES ME TO PUBLIC
HARDER TO TRY AND BE OPTIMISTIC
>> JIN MU?
>> I WANT TO THIRD THAT, WALTER.
I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU'RE AT
THE HELM DURING THIS REALLY
CHAOTIC TIME.
YOUR LEADERSHIP IS REALLY
APPRECIATED.
BUT I HAVE A QUESTION, IN
ADDITION TO THAT COMMENT.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN TELL US
WHAT YOU THINK THE CONSEQUENCES
WILL BE OF MOVING REVIEW TO CSR.
I CAN UNDERSTAND THERE MIGHT BE
CERTAIN RFAs THAT REQUIRE
CERTAIN EXPERTISE FOR REVIEW,
BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK THE
CONSEQUENCES WILL BE FOR GRANTS
THAT ARE MIGRATING TO THE CSR?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, YOGI BERRA
SAID IT'S HARD TO MAKE
PREDICTIONS, ESPECIALLY ABOUT
THE FUTURE.
BUT I THINK IT'S -- YOU KNOW,
JUST TO BE HONEST WHAT WE DIDN'T
SAY IS THAT IN THIS
CENTRALIZATION WHAT CSR DID IS
THEY TOOK ALL THE SROs FROM
THE INSTITUTES INTO CSR.
SO THEY ARE ALL MOVING SO THE
PEOPLE FROM OUR INSTITUTE HAVE A
LOT OF EXPERTISE IN THIS SPACE
WILL BE MOVING TO CSR, SO THERE
IS THE OPPORTUNITY IF THERE'S
TIME AND PLANNING ENOUGH FOR CSR
TO SET UP THE REVIEWS THAT
MIRROR WHAT WE HAD HERE WITH THE
PEOPLE WHO DID THEM HERE, AND I
THINK ALSO, YOU KNOW, OVER TIME
I THINK WE FIND OUT WHAT THE
BUGS ARE AND THEN WE WORK WITH
CSR TO IMPROVE THE REVIEWS.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE
DEFINITELY ARE NOT STARTING FROM
GROUND ZERO BECAUSE WE HAVE
THESE SROs WITH EXPERIENCE
MOVING IN, AND I THINK WE'LL
MAKE PROGRESS OVER TIME.
I THINK IN THE SHORT TERM, YOU
KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY FOR SOME OF
THESE BIGGER PROJECTS WE HERE AT
NINDS AND YOU AS COUNCIL MAY
NEED TO DIG IN DEEPER TO GIVE
GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT TO
FUND.
WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GO AND
SCORE ORDER AS MUCH AS WE IN THE
PAST FOR THESE KIND OF BIGGER
PROJECTS, PARTICULARLY THINGS
LIKE CLINICAL TRIALS, ANYTHING
THAT HAS PHASES, PARTICULARLY
TRADITIONAL THERAPY GRANTS,
BRAIN INITIATIVE, HEAL
INITIATIVE, IT WILL TAKE A
LITTLE MORE WORK ONCE REVIEW IS
DONE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THE
RIGHT DECISIONS.
>> WALTER, CAN I ADD A COMMENT?
ANN HERE.
I WANTED TO ADD, YOU KNOW, IN
TERMS OF THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE
BEEN HAVING WITH THE CENTER FOR
SCIENTIFIC REVIEW WE'VE RAISED
SOME CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE HAVE
HOW ARE WE GOING TO MAKE THE
RIGHT EXPERTS ARE ON THE REVIEW
PANEL, IF IT'S TRAINING GRANTS,
PUT INTO A GENERAL STUDY SECTION
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THERE'S
NEUROLOGISTS AND NEUROSURGEONS
AND INTENSISTS WHO UNDERSTAND
THE CAREER PATH.
I WAS ASKED THE COMMUNITY TO
KEEP SIGNING UP FOR REVIEW WHEN
ASKED, THEY HAVE A ROSTER OF WHO
HAS BEEN ON OUR STUDY SECTIONS,
AND ARE LISTENING WHEN WE GIVE
FEEDBACK.
BACKUP THEY ARE ALSO ASKING FOR
FEEDBACK SO THIS IS NOT A TIME
TO BE QUIET.
BUT WE ABSOLUTELY NEED YOU TO
STEP UP OUR COLLEAGUES, WHO HAVE
BEEN SUCH WONDERFUL AND CAREFUL
REVIEWERS BECAUSE IT'S MORE
IMPORTANT IN THE COMING YEARS.
>> I FORGOT TO MENTION IN MY
TALK, WHICH I WANTED TO, IN
TERMS OF REVIEW, FOR SOME REASON
THE NEED FOR FOREIGN
JUSTIFICATION IN A GRANT HAS
GONE UP A COUPLE NOTCHES.
SO A NUMBER OF GRANTS HAVE BEEN
WITHDRAWN BECAUSE DID NOT HAVE A
FOREIGN JUSTIFICATION PIECE IN
THE GRANT, THE FOGARTY WHICH
ONLY DOES INTERNATIONAL GRANTS
HAD 35% OF THE GRANTS WITHDRAWN
BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE A
FOREIGN JUSTIFICATION.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO BASICALLY A
FOREIGN GRANT, I GUESS THEY
DIDN'T THINK THEY NEEDED TO PUT
THAT IN.
THE WHOLE THING WAS A FOREIGN
JUSTIFICATION.
BUT EVEN ON OUR END, PEOPLE WHO
HAD A COLLABORATOR IN ANOTHER
COUNTRY WASN'T EVEN GETTING ANY
FUNDING, WERE WITHDRAWN BECAUSE
THEY DIDN'T MENTION THAT IN THE
FOREIGN JUSTIFICATION.
SO ANYBODY YOU SEE, ANY KIND --
ANYTHING FOREIGN PIECE OF WORK
OR COLLABORATOR OR WE HAD ONE
WHERE A COMPANY INDICATED
INTEREST IN THE RESEARCH AND THE
COMPANY WAS IN ANOTHER COUNTRY,
ALL THOSE KINDS OF THINGS NOW
YOU NEED A FOREIGN JUSTIFICATION
FOR IT, FOR WITHDRAWING THE
GRANTS.
PLEASE SPREAD THAT MESSAGE.
FRANCES?
>> YEAH, AGAIN, HEARTFELT THANKS
FROM THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY FOR
EVERYTHING THAT YOU ARE
PRESERVING FOR US AND INNOVATING
THROUGH THESE CHALLENGING TIMES.
TO THAT POINT, I'M WONDERING
LISTENING TO DR. BHATTACHARYA'S
PRESENTATION, HE MENTIONED
SEVERAL TIMES HE FELT THE NINDS
WAS WORKING IN A SPACE WITH
EMPHASIS ON CHRONIC DISEASE THAT
HAS BEEN PRIORITIZED BY HIM AND
THE ADMINISTRATION.
I'M WONDERING TO WHAT EXTENT WE
CAN REALLY CREATE A VERY EASY TO
UNDERSTAND NARRATIVE ABOUT HOW
THE RESEARCH BEING DONE ON THE
BRAIN AND GIVEN THAT
NEUROLOGICAL AND PSYCHIATRIC
DISEASES ARE PROBABLY AN
AGGREGATE, THE HIGHEST SINGLE
CAUSE OF DISABILITY ADJUSTED
LIFE YEARS, FRANKLY ALMOST LIKE
100% CHANCE IN A LIFESPAN YOU'LL
HAVE SOME KIND OF
NEUROPSYCHIATRIC DISORDER,
WHETHER WE SHOULD BE WORKING
HARD TO MAKE IT RELATABLE,
UNDERSTANDABLE, THAT THIS FITS
WITH THE MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY
AGAIN KIND OF MANDATE AND WHERE
WE ARE IN THAT SPACE BECAUSE I
THINK WE ARE ACROSS THE LIFESPAN
FROM EARLY LIFE WE HEAR ABOUT
THE INTEREST IN AUTISM, TO
DEMENTIA, AND EVERYTHING IN
BETWEEN, WE'RE REALLY RIGHT
THERE.
AND THE BRAIN IS FRANKLY THE
MOST COMPLEX ORGAN SYSTEM IN THE
BODY AND IS SORT OF THE ONE IN
WHICH OUR SOCIETY IS INCREASING
DEPENDING ON, THE LAST FRONTIER
FOR THE MID-21ST CENTURY
SCIENCE, HOW WE CAN GET THAT
NARRATIVE ACROSS IN A RELATABLE
AND TRUSTWORTHY WAY TO THED A --
TO THE ADVOCATES WE NEED TO
COMMUNICATE WITH.
>> WELL, SO I CAN'T ADVOCATE,
BUT I THINK YOU MADE TREMENDOUS
POINTS.
AND I THINK THAT THE ISSUE IS,
YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE MORE
EFFECTIVELY GIVE THOSE -- GET
THAT MESSAGE ACROSS --
>> I DIDN'T MEAN ADVOCATE IN THE
TYPICAL, YOU KNOW, LEGAL FORM OF
ADVOCACY.
I MEANT IN CREATING AND
EXPLAINING WHAT WE DO.
>> YEAH.
YEAH, NO, BUT I WAS GOING TO SAY
THAT YOU COULD TAKE SOME
EXCEPTION TO THE DATA THAT JAY
PRESENTED BUT I THINK THE TRUTH
IS THE -- THERE IS THIS
IMPRESSION THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
DON'T UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF
THE RESEARCH WE DO.
AND SO THAT WOULD BE THE END OF
NIH BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE
TAXPAYERS' INVESTMENT IS WHAT
WE'RE WORKING OFF OF.
SO HOW TO GET THAT MESSAGE OUT,
I THINK DR. BHATTACHARYA -- I
THINK HE BUY INTO THE BRAIN
DISORDER ISSUES.
HE'S GOT HIS OWN ISSUES BUT, YOU
KNOW, I THINK THAT THE PEOPLE
CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE, REALLY
THE PATIENT GROUPS OUT THERE,
AND RECALL THAT EVERYTHING IS
REALLY DETERMINED BY THE BUDGET.
EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON
HERE HAS BEEN MORE KIND OF LIKE
THE INNER WORKINGS AND THE
MACHINE, BUT IT'S THE BUDGET
THAT REALLY MATTERS.
AND THAT'S WHERE THE MESSAGE HAS
TO COME FROM TRUSTED SOURCES TO
THE CONGRESS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING, AS I SAID,
WE CAN'T DO THAT.
WE CAN'T DO THAT AND -- BUT
THAT'S WHAT EVERYTHING RELIES
ON.
SO I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ALL
THAT ANA HAS DONE, BRAIN ATTACK
COALITION, DIFFERENT SOCIETIES,
SOCIETIES FOR NEUROSCIENCE BUT
WE'RE PROBABLY LOSING THE BATTLE
RIGHT NOW.
>> IN TERMS OF OUR PROPOSAL
AWARD, PROPOSAL -- OUR RESEARCH
PROGRAMS MAYBE EMPHASIZING
RELATIONSHIP TO THE PRIORITIES
THAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS
ALREADY CHOSEN, I'M FEELING
THERE'S SO MUCH THAT'S SO
NATURALLY TRANSFERABLE TO THOSE
KIND OF MANDATES THAT, YOU KNOW,
WE SHOULD WORK ON AS A COMMUNITY
REPRESENTING NINDS AND THINKING
ABOUT THE ACTUAL TYPES OF
GRANTS, THE AWARD MECHANISMS IN
FACT THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE
NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO GROW
RATHER THAN SHRINK IN SOME
AREAS.
>> I TOTALLY AGREE, YEAH.
>> I'M NEXT.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE
BUDGET BUT FIRST IN RELATION TO
WHAT FRANCES WAS SAYING GETTING
THE WORD OUT FALLS UPON ALL OF
US, SCIENTISTS AND COMMUNITIES
WE'RE PART OF.
THAT MEANS RESEARCH COMMUNITIES
AND PATIENT GROUPS THAT WE WORK
WITH.
LAST WEEK I WAS WITH ALL THE
ADRC DIRECTORS AND WE SAID WE'VE
NOT DONE A GOOD JOB SHOWING WHY
WHAT WE DO MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
ALSO BRINGING IN OUR RESEARCH
PARTICIPANTS TO MAKE THAT POINT
AS WELL.
SO, YES, WE HAVE TO DO THAT.
THE QUESTION ABOUT THE BUDGET,
YOU MENTIONED, WALTER, SOME
DOORS ARE OFF THE PLANE.
IF THERE'S A 40% REDUCTION IN
NIH BUDGET, A WING IS OFF THE
PLANE, FOR SURE.
SO IT'S HARD TO EVEN THINK ABOUT
THAT.
AND SO ONE OF MY QUESTIONS FOR
YOU IS I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
PLANS TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT NOT
OVERSPENDING RIGHT NOW BUT ALSO
HAVING WAYS TO TAKE BLOCKS OF
12, YOU KNOW, THREE YEARS OF
FUNDING SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY
COMMIT SOME MONIES NOW.
IF WE GET TO THE POINT BECAUSE
OF THE SLOW ROLLING OF AWARDS
THAT WE HAVEN'T SPENT OUT OUR
BUDGET IN THIS YEAR, WILL THAT
BE USED AS JUSTIFICATION BY
POLITICIANS THAT WE DIDN'T NEED
THE MONEY BECAUSE WE DIDN'T
SPEND IT?
SO IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU
THINK OF IN HOW YOU MIGHT ADJUST
YOUR PAY PLANS ACCORDINGLY TO
ENSURE THAT WE SPEND WHAT WE
CAN?
>> SO IF CHRISTINE LAMB IS HERE,
TELL US.
SO EVERY YEAR, WE RETURN
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN A DOLLAR AND A
DOLLAR-FIFTY.
AND WE --
>> WELL, THAT'S GOOD.
>> NOT TO GO OVER THAT.
YEAH, KNOW, BUT I THINK TO THE
POINT THAT'S WHERE THE
MULTI-YEAR FUNDING WILL BE USED,
SO THAT WE DON'T SEND -- WE USE
ALL THE MONEY APPROPRIATED BUT
THEN PROTECTED NEXT YEAR.
EXACTLY RIGHT.
DOES CHRISTINE REMEMBER HOW MUCH
WE RETURNED LAST YEAR?
OH, SHE'S NOT HERE, OKAY.
WE'LL LET YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S
TINY.
WE HAVE A GREAT BUDGET OFFICE.
>> SHE'S ON.
>> HI.
YEAH, WE WILL WORK DILIGENTLY
WITH PROGRAM AND GRANTS
MANAGEMENT TO SPEND EVERY DOLLAR
WE'RE ABLE TO BEFORE THE YEAR
LAPSE.
THAT'S OUR MISSION, MORE SO THIS
YEAR THAN EVER BEFORE.
>> THANK YOU.
WE APPRECIATE THAT.
>> BOB?
>> YEAH, I'LL BE BRIEF.
A COMMENT AND QUESTION.
I TOO WANT TO FIFTH OR SIXTH OR
WHATEVER ORDER PLUG YOU FOR WHAT
YOU'VE DONE, A PHENOMENAL
LEADER, WALTER.
DEEPLY GRATEFUL.
IT'S INTRIGUING, I LOOKED AT
SOME NUMBERS WITH EMILY AS WE
GOT CLOSER TO THE 75th
CELEBRATION, THAT SINCE ITS
INCEPTION IN 19 50 NINDS HAS
SPENT $55 BILLION TOWARD
IMPROVING AMERICAN HEALTH AND
NEUROLOGIC DISORDERS, THE IMPACT
IS IMMENSE, RAISING THE ALREADY
BROUGHT ABOUT UP ENORMOUS IMPACT
READILY VIEWABLE AND ACCESSIBLE
TO NOT ONLY THE PUBLIC BUT
PEOPLE WHO MAKE DECISIONS IN
CONGRESS.
SOMEHOW WE'VE DROPPED THE BALL
IN THE WAY WE CAN PROMOTE WHAT
GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS THERE HAVE
BEEN IN THE NINDS.
CAN YOU TELL US, MUCH MORE
GRANULAR, BUT WHAT ARE THE STEPS
WHEREBY THE DEFICIT OR 40%
REDUCTION WILL FINALLY BE
ADDRESSED?
EVERY DAY IN OUR DISCUSSIONS IN
THE LABORATORIES AT HOME, THIS
QUESTION COMES UP, WHAT ARE THE
NEXT STEPS, WHAT CAN WE DO IF
ANYTHING, AT THIS STAGE, TO
INFLUENCE THE FINAL DECISION
MAKING ON THE DEGREE OF THE
REDUCTION?
>> I COULD JUST TALK TO THE
PROCESS.
YOU KNOW -- THERE'S A HOUSE
BUDGET AND THERE'S A PRESIDENT'S
BUDGET, AND THEN THERE'S A
SENATE, AND THEN THERE'S A
COMPROMISE.
AND SO THIS YEAR THE HOUSE
BUDGET AND PRESIDENT'S BUDGET
LOOK PRETTY IDENTICAL WITH A 40%
CUT.
AND ALSO RECALL THE HOUSE BUDGET
FROM LAST YEAR WHICH WAS NOT
ENACTED, ALSO CALLED FOR
CONSOLIDATION OF MULTIPLE
INSTITUTES.
AND SO I THINK WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
IS THE SENATE HAS TO SIT DOWN
WITH THE HOUSE AND IRON OUT A
COMPROMISE.
IN THE PAST THE HOUSE BUDGET WAS
ALWAYS LOWER, SENATE BUDGET WAS
HIGHER, WE GOT SOMEWHERE IN THE
MIDDLE.
SO, THAT'S WHAT WE CAN SAY ABOUT
THE PRECEDENT THAT'S THERE NOW.
RIGHT NOW, YEAH, THE PEOPLE CAN
HAVE THE MOST INFLUENCE NOW
WOULD PROBABLY BE THE SENATE.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I HAVE A QUICK POINT.
IT CUTS INTO WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE
IS SAYING, ESPECIALLY FRANCES.
WHEN HE SHOWED THE POLL OF HOW
PEOPLE FEEL AND THEIR CONFIDENCE
IN SCIENCE AND THE CRISIS OF
REPRODUCIBILITY, THE LAST TIME
THAT WAS DONE WAS IN OCTOBER OF
2024.
SO IT MAY MAKE SENSE TO THINK
ABOUT WHAT WE THINK THE PUBLIC'S
OPINION WILL BE, THE NEXT TIME
IT'S POLLED, IS IT GOING TO GET
SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE, PEOPLE WILL
REALIZE SCIENCE HAS VALUE, WILL
IT GET BETTER?
AGAIN, THIS IS TAXPAYER DOLLARS,
WE HAVE TO ADDRESS WHAT
TAXPAYERS THINK OF OUR VALUE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S
SOMETHING GOING BACK TO FRANCES'
POINT OF SOME SORT OF, YOU KNOW,
KIND OF CONCERTED EFFORT TO --
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BELIEVE WHAT
THEY ARE GOING TO BELIEVE BUT TO
BASICALLY SHOW THAT THESE
SCANDALS OF THINGS ARE ACTUALLY
QUITE RARE AND HOW CAN WE, YOU
KNOW, AS A SCIENTIFIC SOCIETY
AND GROUP KIND OF GET AHEAD OF
THIS, IF ALL OF A SUDDEN NOW IN
JUNE OF 2025 OR LATER DATA SHOWS
THE PUBLIC HAS LOST EVEN MORE
SUPPORT OF SCIENCE?
I DON'T KNOW IF I'M MAKING ANY
SENSE, SORRY.
>> YEAH, SO I'D JUST SAY THAT,
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN WORRIED
ABOUT THIS FOR A WHILE.
IN THE PREVIOUS -- WHEN TABAK
WAS THE ACTING, WHAT I WAS
PROPOSING THAT NIH DO IS TO
DEVELOP WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE
THE UNIVERSITIES WE FUND,
DISEASE ORGANIZATIONS, TO
ORGANIZE THE MESSAGING BECAUSE
RIGHT NOW THE MESSAGING AROUND
SCIENCE IS VERY KIND OF HIT OR
MISS, HERE OR THERE, AND IT
DOESN'T NECESSARILY SPEAK TO THE
PEOPLE WHO DON'T ALREADY BUY
INTO IT.
SO I THINK -- I ALWAYS THOUGHT
THAT -- AND IF THE GOVERNMENT
DOES THE MESSAGING, THAT'S GOING
TO NOT GO THAT FAR.
BUT I THINK THAT FOR INSTANCE WE
FUND PEOPLE IN EVERY, YOU KNOW,
UNIVERSITY IN THE COUNTRY, AND
THOSE ARE THE UNIVERSITIES AT
THE LOCAL LEVEL THAT ARE MORE
LIKELY TO BE TRUSTED THAN THE
GOVERNMENT IN D.C.
SO I THINK WE COULD DO A LOT
BETTER AS A COMMUNITY IF WE
ORGANIZE OURSELVES AS THE
TENTACLES TO A -- TENTACLES ARE
ALL OUT INTO THE COMMUNITIES
THAT MATTER, AND WITH SOMEHOW
COORDINATED MESSAGING GOING OUT.
THE UNIVERSITIES COULD STILL,
YOU KNOW, PAT THEMSELVES ON THE
BACK FOR WHAT THEIR
INVESTIGATORS HAVE DONE, BUT
STORY WOULD SHOW US ALL THE TIME
THAT -- AND YOU SEE IT, YOU
KNOW, ALL THE TIME IN THE PAPER
BIG WRITE-UP, NEVER MENTIONING
THAT NIH FUNDED IT.
SO WE HAVEN'T -- NO ONE'S
ACTUALLY TAKEN THIS BULL BY THE
HORNS BUT THERE'S A LOT THAT
COULD BE DONE, BUT IT REQUIRES
SOME ORGANIZATION.
>> I THINK THAT'S, YEAH, THE
ORGANIZATION IS WHAT WE NEED,
WHO WE'RE TARGETING.
YOU KNOW, SO SOME AMAZING STUDY
IN NEURON OR WHATEVER, THAT'S
NOT GOING TO IMPRESS THE
COMMUNITY.
OVER THE PAST 150 YEARS OUR
LIFESPAN HAS GONE FROM AVERAGE
AGE OF 37 TO 81.
GIVEN THOSE SORT OF -- THAT KIND
OF INFORMATION MAYBE MORE KIND
OF REACHING THE PEOPLE THAT MAY
BE THE ONES THAT THINK SCIENCE
ISN'T DOING ANYTHING.
I THINK IT WOULD REQUIRE SOME
ORGANIZATION, AND I THINK IT
WOULD REQUIRE UNIVERSITIES, BUT
I THINK IT WOULD ALSO REQUIRE
LIKE MAYBE SOME OF OUR JUNIOR
FOLKS OR STUDENTS OR SOME PEOPLE
IN THE COMMUNITY REALLY KIND OF
HAMMERING THIS MESSAGE HOME.
I'M NOT SURE HOW TO DO IT.
>> YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.
YEAH, SO THE OTHER -- WHAT YOU
HINTED AT THERE'S A WHOLE NEW
WAY PEOPLE ARE COMMUNICATING
NOW, AROUND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT
YOU GUYS, BUT WE'RE NOT IN THAT
SPACE.
AND SO THAT'S A LOST PIECE OF
AMMUNITION.
>> I GUESS IT'S JUST SOMETHING
TO THINK ABOUT, LIKE ABOUT HOW
TO STRUCTURE THAT OR HOW DO WE
EACH INDIVIDUALLY TRY AND
CONTRIBUTE AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO
KIND OF SHOWING, YES, THIS IS
WHAT SCIENCE HAS DONE, AND THIS
IS WHAT THIS STUDY HAS DONE AND
THIS IS WHAT THIS DRUG HAS DONE
AND THIS IS WHAT, YOU KNOW, CAR
T THERAPY HAS DONE.
YOU KNOW, PATIENT GROUPS ARE
PROBABLY THE BEST WAY TO HAVE
THE PATIENTS THAT ARE AFFECTED
BY THESE DISEASES AND HAVE
GOTTEN TREATMENTS OR WHATEVER,
MAYBE, BUT I THINK IT WOULD
REQUIRE SOME SERIOUS
ORGANIZATION.
ANYWAY ...
>> ALL RIGHT.
I THINK WE TAKE A BREAK NOW.
WHAT TIME DO WE COME BACK?
COME BACK AT 1:30 EASTERN
STANDARD TIME.
AND, YEAH, WE HAVE SOME REALLY
GREAT THINGS TO TALK TERMS
OF GENETICS, AND THE DARK MATTER
IS WHAT ARE THE OTHER DRIVERS
AND THAT CERTAINLY HAS BEEN
DIFFICULT TO GET AT.
WE'VE REALLY ENJOYED THE HELP OF
THE NIEHS, DR. RICK WOYCHIK, THE
DIRECTOR OF NIEHS IS GOING TO
JOIN US.
A COUPLE YEARS AGO DAVID JETTE
AND SHARDELL SPRIGGS HAD THE
IDEA OF SPINNING OFF AN OFFICE
OF EXPOSOME RESEARCH, TO KIND OF
GET INTO THIS SPACE THAT WE
THINK IS SO IMPORTANT.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO HEAR FROM
THEM TODAY ABOUT HOW THEY THINK
ABOUT MOVING OFF THEIR STRATEGIC
PLAN AND COMMENTARY AND SOME
INPUT FROM DR. WOYCHIK.
LET ME HAND IT OVER TO DAVID, IS
THAT RIGHT?
WHO IS GOING TO GO FIRST?
RICK.
>> I THOUGHT, WALTER, I WAS
GOING FIRST.
>> YES, YOU ARE GOING FIRST.
YOU ARE CORRECT.
>> OKAY.
VERY GOOD.
EVERYONE CAN HEAR ME OKAY?
>> I STAND CORRECTED.
RICK, VERY GOOD.
>> TERRIFIC.
WELL, DELIGHTED TO BE HERE, TO
WALTER AND DAVID AND OTHERS,
THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION.
I UNDERSTAND SOMEBODY HAS MY
SLIDES, AND CAN YOU SHARE MY
SLIDES.
THERE WE ARE.
GREAT.
OKAY.
I'M GOING TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES
TO OPEN THE DISCUSSION AND TURN
IT OVER TO DAVID AND HIS
COLLEAGUES TO TALK ABOUT THE
EXPOSOME.
I'M CURRENTLY IN WASHINGTON AT
THE EXPOSOME MOONSHOT AGAIN WITH
DAVID AND OTHERS.
THE IDEA IS HOW TO -- TO REALLY
GET THE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
COMMUNITY EMBRACING THE CONCEPT
OF THE EXPOSOME.
LET ME TAKE YOU THROUGH AND
PROVIDE INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
OKAY.
NEXT SLIDE.
HERE WE ARE.
AND SO, WELL, WALTER JUST GAVE
YOU AN INTRODUCTION HERE.
I'M A GENETICIST BY TRAINING,
RECENTLY I HAVE MY FOOT IN
GENETICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL
HEALTH SCIENCES CAMPS.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY
QUESTION BETWEEN PUBLICATIONS
AND THE FINISHING OF THE HUMAN
GENOME PROJECT THAT WE CAN NOW
DO EXPERIMENTS IN GENETICS,
HUMAN GENETICS, THAT WE COULDN'T
EVEN IMAGINE DOING JUST A FEW --
A COUPLE DECADES AGO.
NEXT SLIDE.
JUST EXAMPLES OF THIS WOULD BE
IT'S TRANSFORMED OUR ABILITY TO
FIND THOSE MENDELIAN TRAITS,
SINGLE GENE ALLELIC VARIANTS
LURKING IN THE GENOME BACKGROUND
THAT WE CAN DECIPHER.
WE'VE BEEN FINDING THOSE WITH
GREATER FREQUENCY AND EASE, OF
COURSE THE ABILITY TO GO IN AND
STUDY COMPLEX TRAITS, DO THE
GWAS EXPERIMENTS.
ENABLED BY HAVING ACCESS TO
WHOLE GENOME SEQUENCES.
NEXT SLIDE.
IF YOU LOOK SPECIFICALLY AT THE
ABILITY TO LOOK AT, SAY, THE
TRAITS ASSOCIATED WITH
PARKINSON'S DISEASE AND THERE
ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT LOCI
ACROSS THE GENOME THAT ALL
CONTRIBUTE TO THIS DISEASE.
OF COURSE, THESE ARE COMPLEX
TRAITS, THEY ALL WORK IN SYNERGY
WITH EACH OTHER.
THE GENOME PROJECT ABSOLUTELY
REVOLUTIONIZED OUR ABILITY TO DO
THESE TYPES OF EXPERIMENTS.
NEXT SLIDE.
THE WAY I LOOK AT THIS IS THAT
THE GENETICS AND GENOMICS TO
HELP MOVE THE BALL DOWN THE --
MOFFITT DOWN TO MAYBE THE
50-YARD LINE, AND SO WE HAVEN'T
BROUGHT IT TO THE FINISH LINE
YET.
WE'RE NOT SCORING A TOUCHDOWN.
PART OF THE REASON, WE HAVE THE
DARK MATTER, AS WALTER WAS
REFERRING TO THIS, AT THE
BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION
HERE.
AND IT'S BECAUSE THERE ARE
THINGS WE KNOW IN THE
ENVIRONMENT.
LEAD, ARSENIC, PFAS, FLAME
RETARDANTS, ESPECIALLY
PESTICIDES IN CONNECTION WITH
PARKINSON'S DISEASE.
THESE ARE KNOWN AGENTS WITH THE
ASSOCIATION OF DEVELOPING
NEUROLOGIC DISORDERS OF THE WE
CAN'T LOOK JUST AT GENETICS.
WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS WHICH I
SUSPECT IN MOST CASES ARE REALLY
WORKING IN CONCERT WITH OUR
GENETIC BACKGROUNDS TO
ULTIMATELY CAUSE THESE
NEUROLOGICAL EFFECTS.
NEXT SLIDE.
IF YOU JUST LOOK AT AIR
POLLUTION, THERE'S BEHAVIORAL
PROBLEMS, DISEASES, AUTISM,
ASSOCIATION STUDIES DONE JUST
WITH AIR POLLUTION THAT REALLY
POINT TO THE IMPORTANCE OF
LOOKING AT ENVIRONMENTAL
EXPOSURES, STUDYING ETIOLOGY OF
NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES.
NEXT SLIDE.
INTRODUCING THE TOPIC OF TODAY'S
DISCUSSION, THE EXPOSOME.
BACK IN 2005 WHEN THE
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES
COMMUNITY CHOSE CHRIS WILD
SPECIFICALLY.
HIS PROPOSAL IF YOU WANT TO
UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF THE
ENVIRONMENT WE HAVE TO GET
AROUND STUDYING ONE EXPOSURE AT
A TIME.
MUCH LIKE THE GENOME MUCH WAS --
PROJECT WAS GETTING AROUND ONE
GENE AT A TIME, THE EXPOSOME
FRAMEWORK IS STUDYING THE
TOTALITY OF EXPOSURES I'VE THE
LIFE COURSE.
THIS MEANS THAT WE NEED A NEW
RESEARCH FRAMEWORK TO STUDY NOT
JUST ONE CHEMICAL EXPOSURE IN
THE BLUE BOX AT THE BOTTOM, NOT
JUST ONE PESTICIDE OR ONE PCB OR
PFAS, WE NEED TO DEVELOP A
STRATEGY LOOKING AT ALL THESE
DIFFERENT THINGS.
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT'S
SOMETHING I REALLY WANT TO
EMPHASIZE, THIS WAS A BIG PART
OF THE DISCUSSION AT THE
EXPOSOME MOONSHOT MEETINGS THAT
HAPPENED UP TO THIS POINT OVER
THE LAST COUPLE DAYS.
IT CAN'T BE JUST ABOUT THE
PHYSICAL CHEMICAL EXPOSURES.
WE HAVE TO BE INTEGRATED THE
SOCIAL, THE LIFESTYLE, THE
ECOSYSTEM VARIABLES, THE SOCIAL
DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH THAT CAN
BE WORKING IN SYNERGY WITH SOME
OF THE PHYSICAL CHEMICAL
EXPOSURES THAT CAN ULTIMATE LID
TRIGGER NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES.
FURTHERMORE WHAT WE'RE FINDING
IS THAT THERE MAY BE CERTAIN
LIFESTYLE VARIABLES.
FOR EXAMPLE, OLD-FASHIONED
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, GETTING ON
THE TREADMILL WITH SOME
REGULARITY, OR GETTING QUALITY
SLEEP, OR GOOD QUALITY DIETS.
WE HAVE SOME INVESTIGATORS THAT
ARE FUNDED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
KENTUCKY THAT DEMONSTRATED THAT
THERE'S POLYPHENOLS IN
BLACKBERRIES AND BLUEBERRIES
THAT MITIGATE SOME NEGATIVE
EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL EXPOSURES AS
RELATES TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF
TYPE 2 DIABETES.
WE NEED TO DEVELOP THIS EXPOSOME
FRAMEWORK, WHAT DATA DO WE
COLLECT, WHEN DO WE COLLECT IT?
HOW DO WE BRING ALL OF THESE
DIFFERENT THINGS TOGETHER IN A
MEANINGFUL WAY, AND TO DO THIS
OVER THE LIFE COURSE BECAUSE IT
CAN'T JUST BE IMMEDIATE PAST
EXPOSURE THAT WE STUDY, BECAUSE
AS WE'RE DISCOVERING THAT MANY
OF THOSE EXPOSURES THAT HAPPENED
ACTUALLY DURING PREGNANCY,
DURING DEVELOPMENT, OR EVEN
POSSIBLY BEFORE THE HUSBAND AND
WIFE MEET EACH OTHER, BEFORE
CONCEPTION.
THERE CAN BE EXPOSURES THAT CAN
BE IMPACTING HOW YOUR GENES WORK
LATER IN LIFE AND MANY OF THOSE
ARE THROUGH EPIGENETIC METHODS.
WE'VE GOT TO COME UP WITH THE
NEW EXPOSOME FRAMEWORK.
NEXT SLIDE.
THAT'S WHAT THE MEETING IN
WASHINGTON, EXPOSOME MOONSHOT,
IS CURRENTLY DOING.
STARTING WITH A BOLD VISION LIKE
THE GENOME PROJECT STARTED WITH
A BOLD VISION AROUND SEQUENCING
THE IMPACT OF SEQUENCING THE
ENTIRE GENOME, HOW THAT COULD
FOLKSILY TRANSFORM THE WAY WE DO
GENETICS AND GENOMICS RESEARCH,
AND IT HAS.
WE NEED A BOLD VISION AROUND THE
EXPOSOME, CALLING IT THE HUMAN
EXPOSOME PROJECT.
WE NEED TO HAVE A DEFINITION OF
WHAT IS THE EXPOSOME.
WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE
TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE GOING TO
NEED TO CAPTURE THE EXPOSOME.
JUST LIKE WITH THE GENOME
PROJECT, THE COMMUNITY DIDN'T
WAIT UNTIL NEXT GEN SEQUENCING
AND VERY SOPHISTICATED TOOLS
THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE
AVAILABLE, ONCE THOSE WERE
AVAILABLE THEY STARTED WITH THE
TECHNOLOGIES THAT WERE AVAILABLE
AT THE TIME.
ALL AROUND YOU'RE GETTING BEYOND
ONE GENE AT A TIME, SO MANY OF
YOU MAY REMEMBER SOME OF THOSE
cDNA SPOTS ON MICROSCOPE
SLIDES, PRIMITIVE COMPARED TO
TODAY WITH RNAseq.
BUT NEVERTHELESS A START, THE
WAY TO START COLLECTING DATA
BEYOND ONE GENE AT A TIME, WE
WANT TO DO THE SAME THING NOW
WITH THE EXPOSOME.
WE HAVE SOME REMARKABLE
CAPABILITIES.
HIGH RESOLUTION MASS SPEC
TROMETRY, LOOKING AT A SAMPLE OF
BLOOD.
THIS REQUIRES UNPRECEDENTED
DEGREE OF INTERNATIONAL
COOPERATION.
HAVING GROWN UP DURING THE
GENOME PROJECT ERA, I REMEMBER
THAT IT STARTED OFF, EVERYONE
WAS COMPETING.
ONE SEQUENCING CENTER AT ONE
INSTITUTION COMPETING WITH
ANOTHER SEQUENCING CENTER.
THE U.S. WAS COMPETING WITH
OTHER COUNTRIES.
AND ACTUALLY IT WAS ONLY ONCE,
TO FRANCIS COLLINS'S CREDIT,
ONCE HE BROUGHT THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND
STARTED THEM WORKING IN SYNC WE
STARTED MAKING PROGRESS, THE
HUMAN GENOME WAS PUBLISHED IN
2001.
THESE ARE THE COMPONENTS WE
NEED.
THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING
CURRENTLY DOWNTOWN IN D.C.
AND SO WE ARE HOPEFULLY HAVING
SOME DETAILS COMING OUT, WHAT
THE EXPOSOME -- WHAT WOULD A
HUMAN EXPOSOME PROJECT LOOK
LIKE, WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
AND SO ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
THINGS THAT WE NEEDED RIGHT OFF
THE BAT IS WE NEEDED TO CHARGE
SOMEONE WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY
TO BRING THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY
TOGETHER AND DEVELOP THIS
FRAMEWORK, AND SO WITH THE
GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS COMING
FROM SEVERAL I.C.s, INCLUDING
NINDS, NIEHS TOOK THE LEAD AND
WE'RE FUNDING WHAT WE'RE CALLING
THE NEXUS CENTER, THE NETWORK
FOR EXPOSOMICS IN THE U.S.
AND THIS IS AN AWARD THAT WAS
GIVEN TO COLUMBIA, HARVARD, AND
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA.
IT'S REALLY ABOUT BUILDING A
GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE
WHERE COOPERATION AND
COLLABORATION, NOTABLY IN
COORDINATION WITH THE EUROPEAN
HUMAN EXPOSOME NETWORK.
THE FOLKS ACROSS EUROPE ARE
PRETTY SOPHISTICATED IN WORKING
ON THE WHOLE EXPOSOME FRAMEWORK.
WE NEED THIS CONCEPTUAL
FRAMEWORK.
WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THE
TECHNOLOGIES, METHODS, DATA
SHARING THAT WILL BE NECESSARY
TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, AND REALLY
CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING EXPOSOME
RESEARCH INITIATIVES,
INFRASTRUCTURES, AND RESOURCES.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
I'LL END HERE TO HAND OFF TO
DAVID.
IT'S WHERE WE WANT TO BE, MOST
THINGS ARE GENE BY ENVIRONMENT
EFFECTS, NEITHER GENETICS NOR
ENVIRONMENT ALONE IS GOING TO
EXPLAIN THE DISEASE OUTCOMES, OR
SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISEASE SO WE
NEED TO DEVELOP THIS NEW
FRAMEWORK WHERE WE CAN CATALOG
THE EXPOSOME AND THEN WE HAVE
EXPOSOME SCIENTISTS WORKING
TOGETHER WITH GENOME SCIENTISTS,
WORKING IN COLLABORATION TO
ULTIMATELY TEASE OUT SOME OF THE
GENE BY ENVIRONMENT EFFECTS.
GENE BY ENVIRONMENT EFFECTS ARE
NOT EASY BECAUSE THE GENE
EFFECTS ARE NOT SINGLE GENE
EFFECTS.
THEY ARE COMPLEX TRAITS IN MOST
CASES.
SO NEXT SLIDE.
I'M VERY HAPPY TO SAY, NEXT
SLIDE, THAT -- ACTUALLY WALTER
KNOWS THIS WELL THAT THE JOSH
DENNY AND GEOFF GINSBERG AT THE
"ALL OF US" PROGRAM HAVE COME TO
REALLY UNDERSTAND AND EMBRACE
THE NOTION THAT IF WE TRULY WANT
TO ENABLE PRECISION MEDICINE, WE
HAVE TO ADD THE ENVIRONMENTAL
DATA SLICE TO THAT PIE.
SO, WE'RE STARTING OFF WITH
QUESTIONNAIRE DATA, AND GIS
DATA, AND WE ARE WORKING WITH
THEM NOW IN A PILOT EXPERIMENT,
TYPE 2 DIABETES, WHERE WE WILL
BRING A MORE SOPHISTICATED
EXPOSOMICS DATASET TO BEAR ON
THAT.
SO NEXT SLIDE.
I'LL FINISH UP HERE BY CALLING
TO ALL OF YOUR ATTENTION A
RECENT PUBLICATION THAT CAME OUT
A FEW WEEKS AGO IN SCIENCE
MAGAZINE FROM THE DANBURY
CONFERENCE IN NOVEMBER OF 2023,
THE PARTICIPANTS ARE SHOWN AT
THE BOTTOM HERE ON THIS SLIDE,
THE IDEA WAS AT THAT CONFERENCE
TO COME UP WITH A DEFINITION OF
WHAT IS THE EXPOSOME.
SO, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A
LOOK AT THE PAPER.
THE PAPER ENDS WITH THE
STATEMENT THAT LIFE EXISTS AT
THE INTERFACE OF GENETICALLY
ENCODED PROCESS AND
ENVIRONMENTALLY DRIVEN
REALITIES.
SO TOO SHOULD THE BIOMEDICAL
ENTERPRISE THAT STUDIES IT.
SO, THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.
SO, DAVID, I THINK I'M HANDING
OFF TO YOU NOW, IS THAT RIGHT?
>> I THINK SO.
>> WE CAN HEAR YOU, YES.
>> SO, YEAH -- YOU MAY SEE SOME
THINGS THAT LOOK LIKE WHAT HE'S
DONE BUT THAT'S FINE BECAUSE THE
MORE THE MERRIER.
SO, ANYWAY, I JUST FIRST WANT TO
SAY, YOU KNOW, HELLO TO
EVERYBODY.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK DR. WOYCHIK
FOR TAKING TIME FOR LETTING US
HEAR ABOUT NIEHS AND THE
IMPORTANT WORK OF THE PAST
SEVERAL YEARS, IT HASN'T JUST
STARTED.
WE DO LEARN A LOT ABOUT THIS,
ESPECIALLY THE IMPORTANCE OF
COLLABORATION.
IT'S DEFINITELY ESSENTIAL.
SO ANYWAY, I'M DAVE JETT,
DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF NEURAL
EXPOSOME AND TOXICOLOGY, WITHIN
THE DTR, SERVES ALL OF NINDS.
I ALSO WANT TO INTRODUCE OUR
SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER, IN OUR
OFFICE, DR. SHARDELL SPRIGGS,
THE CHEMICAL THREATS PROGRAM AND
OTHER THINGS.
SO TODAY FOR OUR AGENDA REALLY
IS OVER THE NEXT MAYBE 15
MINUTES OR SO, AND I WILL GIVE A
SHORT TALK ABOUT THE NEURAL
EXPOSOME AND WHY WE'RE WORKING
WITH IT.
AND THEN I WILL TURN IT OVER TO
DR. SPRIGGS WHO WILL LEAD THE
WORKING GROUP THAT WORKED ON THE
TOP PRIORITIES THAT COUNCIL
DEVELOPED LAST YEAR.
AND WILL GIVE YOU MORE
INFORMATION ON RECOMMENDATION
IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES.
SO, NEXT SLIDE.
YEAH, SO WHAT'S THE EXPOSOME?
AND I'LL SAY SO WE KNOW THE
IMPORTANCE OF GENETICS IN
DISEASE ETIOLOGY, BUT -- AND I
WOULD SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S
DEFINITELY IMPORTANT.
NOT LIKE IT'S NOT IMPORTANT OR
ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
BUT ACTUALLY MOST DISEASES
CANNOT BE EXPLAINED BY GENETICS
ALONE.
SO THERE MUST BE OTHER FACTORS.
THESE FACTORS ARE THE EXPOSOME.
AND IT HAS A DEFINITION OF AS
THE INTEGRATED COMPILATION OF
ALL PHYSICAL AND BIOLOGICAL AND
PSYCHOSOCIAL AND CHEMICAL
INFLUENCES THAT IMPACT OUR
BIOLOGY.
SO, WE BELIEVE THAT STUDYING
THESE EXPOSOME FACTORS COULD
HELP UNLOCK THE CAUSES AND
PREVENT DISEASES AND POOR
HEALTH.
OKAY.
SO, FOR NINDS, WE FOCUS ON THE
NEURAL EXPOSOME FACTORS THAT
HAVE AN IMPACT ON OBVIOUSLY
NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES AND
DISORDERS.
AND THE NEURAL EXPOSOME INCLUDES
EXOGENOUS RISK FACTORS, ALSO
ENDOGENOUS LIKE MICROBIOME,
EPIGENETICS IS ABSOLUTELY
IMPORTANT.
AND BEHAVIORAL RISK FACTORS LIKE
SLEEP AND OF COURSE PSYCHOSOCIAL
KINDS OF THINGS.
SO, WE BELIEVE THAT, WELL, WE
BELIEVE THAT THESE HAVE SOME --
IF NOT A LARGE EFFECT ON, IT IS
AN EFFECT ON NEUROLOGICAL
DISORDERS AND STROKE.
OKAY.
SO NEXT SLIDE.
SO FOR THIS ONE, WE DID THIS
GENERAL ASSESSMENT OF THE
LANDSCAPE OF NEURAL EXPOSOME
RESEARCH FUNDED BY NIH.
THANKS TO HEALTH PROGRAM
SPECIALIST DR. CLAUDIA FIGAR
DEMROE FOR THIS WORK.
AND LESS THAN 1% OF ALL NIH
AWARD GRANTS DURING THE PAST
SEVEN YEARS WERE NEURAL EXPOSOME
RESEARCH, 1%.
FOR NINDS, WE FUNDED ONLY 36
GRANTS OVER THAT PERIOD, AND
THESE COVERED ONLY A VERY SMALL
NUMBER OF DISEASES, IF YOU LOOK
AT THAT, SEE THAT IS JUST A
SMALL NUMBER.
SO WE NEED MORE RESEARCH AND
MORE DIVERSE RESEARCH TO MEET
OUR MISSION TO REDUCE BURDEN OF
NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES AND FOR
ALL PEOPLE NEXT SLIDE.
SO, YEAH, SO LAST SEPTEMBER OR
COUNCIL NEUROEXPOSOME WORKING
GROUP DEVELOPED PRIORITY AREAS
FOR NEUROEXPOSOME RESEARCH AT
NINDS.
SO, DEFINITELY WANT TO THANK
THEM FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK AND
VERY THOROUGH REPORT THAT THEY
DID, AND THE TOP PRIORITIES THAT
YOU'LL SEE IN THE NEXT SLIDES.
I WANT TO ESPECIALLY LIKE TO
THANK DR. PAM LYONS, THE CHAIR
OF THE WORKING GROUP, AND THEN
WE HAD DR. GINA POE AND DR.
RILEY AS REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE
COUNCIL.
SO THESE ARE THE -- OH.
YEAH, THESE ARE THE SIX
PRIORITIES THAT THE COUNCIL
WORKING GROUP DEVELOPED,
STARTING WITH THESE THREE PARTS,
THE FIRST THING WE MUST DO IS
IDENTIFY THE EXPOSOME FACTORS
THAT ARE RELEVANT TO
NEUROLOGICAL HEALTH.
FOR THE SECOND MECHANISTIC
RESEARCH HOW THEY INFLUENCE AND
FINALLY DONE WITH THE
APPROPRIATE HUMAN POPULATIONS.
THEN THE NEXT ONE IN RED AND
YELLOW -- RED AND YELLOW?
YEAH.
AND THESE ARE THE FOCUS ON THE
PEOPLE WHO WILL DO THIS
RESEARCH, AND THE RESOURCES AND
TOOLS THAT THEY WILL NEED.
AND THE LAST ONE, BURGUNDY I
BELIEVE, YEAH, OKAY, IS ON THE
IMPORTANCE OF COLLABORATION AND
PARTNERSHIP.
SO WITH THAT, I THINK WE CAN GO
AHEAD NOW AND FIND THE GOOD
STUFF WITH DR. SPRIGGS.
THANKS.
>> THANKS, DAVE.
ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, DR. JETT.
GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE.
AND APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY
TO DISCUSS OUR PROPOSED
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
SO NINDS FIRST FORMED A WORKING
GROUP THAT REFLECTED ON THOSE
SIX PRIORITY AREAS, AND THEN
DEVELOPED ACTIONABLE STEPS TO
IMPLEMENT NEURAL EXPOSOME
RESEARCH PROGRAM.
TODAY I'M PRESENTING ON BEHALF
OF THAT WORKING GROUP.
SARA DODSON AND KAT LEBLANC ARE
NO LONGER THERE BUT WE THANK THE
MEMBERS THUS FAR.
AFTER CAREFULLY STUDYING THE
REPORT IMPLEMENTATION WORKING
GROUP IDENTIFIED FIVE AREAS FOR
US TO FOCUS OUR INITIAL EFFORTS,
WE'LL FOSTER PARTNERSHIPS WITH
OTHERS THAT ARE WORKING IN THIS
SPACE, AND WORK TO AMPLIFY THE
MESSAGE THAT NINDS IS INTERESTED
AND COMMITTED TO NEURAL EXPOSOME
RESEARCH.
TO NOT REINVENT THE WHEEL, WE'RE
GOING TO LEVERAGE EXISTING
RESOURCES AND TOOLS TO JUMP
START OUR PROGRAM.
AND I IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE SMALL
INVESTMENTS CAN HAVE MEANINGFUL
IMPACT.
WE'LL TRAIN INVESTIGATORS AND
CONDUCT EXPOSOME RESEARCH,
RECRUIT MORE NEURAL SCIENTISTS
AND BUILD MULTI-DISCIPLINARY
TEAMS THAT CAN TACKLE WHAT CAN
BE COMPLICATED RESEARCH GAINS.
WE WANT TO CONVENE WORKSHOPS AND
OTHER MEETINGS TO PROVIDE A
FORUM FOR HAVING FOCUSED
DISCUSSIONS ON THE STATE OF THE
SCIENCE AS WELL AS EVOLVING
RESEARCH GAPS AND CHALLENGES.
WE'RE GOING TO SUPPORT NEURAL
EXPOSOME RESEARCH IN THE
EXTRAMURAL COMMUNITY.
AND THIS WILL LEAD TO DISCOVERY
OF NEW THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES
THAT WILL LOWER THE RISK OF
NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND
STROKE FOR EVERYONE.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO IN OUR FIRST FOCUS AREA OF
FOSTERING PARTNERSHIPS WE'LL
BUILD AND STAIN PARTNERSHIPS
WITH NIH INSTITUTES, RESEARCH,
ACADEMIA, CLINICAL PRACTICE AS
WELL AS ADVOCACY GROUPS AND
PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES, AND
REALLY ANYONE INTERESTED IN
WORKING ADJACENTLY TO NEURAL
EXPOSOME RESEARCH AS A FIRST
STEP, WE ESTABLISHED AN NIH
ENVIRONMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE
WORKING GROUP, CO-LED BY NIEHS,
THAT FUNCTIONS ACROSS NIH AS A
ROUNDTABLE TO DISCUSS INTRA AND
INTERINSTITUTIONAL INITIATIVES.
IN FACT, COLLABORATIONS WITHIN
THIS GROUP LED TO THE NINDS
CO-FUNDING OF THE NIEHS NEXUS
CENTER DR. WOYCHIK DISCUSSED.
TO AM AMPLIFY WE'LL LEVERAGE
SOCIETY FOR NEUROSCIENCE, TO
HOLD SYMPOSIA AND DISCUSS
IMPACTS OF EXPOSOME FACTORS ON
BRAIN HEALTH.
WE'LL PUBLISH FINDINGS FROM
THESE MEETINGS IN PEER-REVIEWED
JOURNALS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE
REACHING AS BROAD AN AUDIENCE AS
POSSIBLE.
WEBSITE INCLUDES A NEW MISSION
STATEMENT TO HIGHLIGHT THE
IMPORTANCE OF RESEARCH IN THIS
AREA.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
WE'RE GOING TO LEVERAGE MANY
EXISTING RESOURCES AND TOOLS
THAT HAVE BEEN CULTIVATED BUT
ARE NOT YET EXTENSIVELY USED TO
CONDUCT NEURAL EXPOSOME
RESEARCH.
RESOURCES LIKE BIOAND DATA
REPOSITORY STUDIES, HUMAN COHORT
STUDIES WITH RICH AND
DECADES-LONG DATASETS PRIMED TO
BE ADAPTED TO EXPOSOME RESEARCH
STUDIES.
WE WILL SUPPORT INTEGRATION OF
EXPOSOME FACTORS INTO RESEARCH
PROJECTS, AND DEVELOP COMMON
DATA ELEMENTS TO FACILITATE DATA
COLLECTION.
MODEL SYSTEMS INTERROGATE
COMPLEX QUESTIONS, INCLUDING NEW
APPROACH METHODOLOGIES, AND
HUMAN RELEVANT ANIMAL MODELS AND
EXPOSURE SYSTEMS THAT APPROACH
THAT MID TO HIGH THROUGHPUT
RANGE ARE RAPIDLY EVOLVING.
NEW METHODS SUCH AS HIGH
RESOLUTION MASS SPEC NOW
GENERATING DATA ON AN OMICS
SCALE, TO THAT END DATA
TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE, MACHINE LEARNING,
DATA SHARING PLATFORMS AND
MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS ARE MORE
IMPORTANT THAN EVER.
WE MUST LEVERAGE NOT ONLY WHAT
IS BEING FUNDED AT NIH BUT
ELSEWHERE AND BRING IT INTO THE
NEURAL EXPOSOME RESEARCH SPACE.
SO TRAINING INVESTIGATORS AND
BUILDING MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM
ARE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS, TO
PROVIDE TRAINING AND CONDUCT
EXPOSOME RESEARCH AND FUND
TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AT ALL
CAREER STAGES.
HANDLING COMPLEX DATA SUCH AS
INTEGRATED DISPARATE DATA
SOURCES TO BRIDGE EXPOSOME
FACTORS AND MAINTAIN RIGOR ARE
ALL AREAS THAT COULD BENEFIT
FROM GUIDELINES.
FOR NOW, WE CAN PUBLISH BEST
PRACTICES AND LEAN ON EXISTING
PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE TRAINING
AND TEACH DATA ANALYSIS FOR
EXPOSOME RESEARCH.
LIKE THE EXPOSOME BOOT CAMP AT
COLUMBIA.
WE CAN ALSO PARTNER WITH
EXPOSOME INITIATIVES THAT
PROVIDE FUNDING SUPPORT AT THE
TRAINING LEVEL LIKE ECHO AND
CENTERS LIKE THE HERCULES CENTER
AT EMORY.
TRAINING GRANTS REPRESENT A
GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO BRING EARLY
STAGE INVESTIGATORS INTO THE
NEURAL EXPOSOME FIELD AND THEY
ARE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO MAKE
THEIR MARK.
OVER THE RECENT YEARS NINDS
AWARDED 10% MUCH GRANTS, ON PAR
WITH NIH.
WHEN WE START TO THINK ABOUT THE
NUMBER OF THOSE TRAINEES THAT
ARE FOCUSED ON THE NEURAL
EXPOSOME, THAT LEVEL FALLS TO
WELL BELOW 1%, SO WE RECOGNIZE
THIS AS A CRITICAL GAP IN
OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN ADDRESS.
TO THAT END WE'RE IMPLEMENTING
THE NEURAL EXPOSOME ROAD SHOW
INITIATIVE, THIS IS AN OUTREACH
EFFORT WHERE OUR OFFICE IS
ENGAGING TRAINING PROGRAMS TO
LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT'S NEEDED
AND AVAILABLE IN THIS AREA, AND
START TO BUILD THOSE
RELATIONSHIPS.
WE ALSO NEED TO BUILD
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAMS.
SO WE CAN ADD EXPERTISE TO
EXISTING PROJECTS, AS WELL AS
ENCOURAGE TEAM SCIENCE
APPROACHES FOR NEW PROJECTS.
SO WHETHER IT'S COLLABORATION
WITH CLINICAL NEUROLOGISTS,
TOXICOLOGISTS, BIOSTATISTICIANS,
OR BASIC SCIENTISTS WITH
SPECIALIZED EXPERTISE WE WANT
THE RIGHT PEOPLE ON THE TEAM
BECAUSE AS WE KNOW, DIVERSITY OF
THOUGHT AND BACKGROUND INCREASES
OUR CHANCES OF SOLVING DIFFICULT
PROBLEMS.
WE WANT TO CONVENE WORKSHOPS AND
OTHER MEETINGS WITH THE SPECIFIC
GOALS OF ENGAGING RESEARCH
COMMUNITY TO DISCUSS THE STATE
OF SCIENCE, USE THESE AS
PLATFORMS FOR EDUCATION AND
OUTREACH, TO INCREASE AWARENESS
OF THE NEURAL EXPOSOME, SO WE
HOPE TO BRING TOGETHER POTENTIAL
COLLABORATORS TO BUILD THAT
COMMUNITY THAT WE'VE BEEN
DISCUSSING.
I'M EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE WE HAVE
OUR FIRST WORKSHOP PLANNED FOR
JANUARY 2026, LOOKING AT
INTERACTION OF MULTIPLE EXPOSOME
FACTORS AND CUMULATIVE EFFECT
ACROSS THE LIFE COURSE.
WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT FACTORS
THAT DEGRADE OR BOOST
NEUROLOGICAL RESILIENCE WITH AN
EYE ON VULNERABLE LIFE STAGES
AND CRITICAL WINDOWS OF
EXPOSURE.
RIGHT KNOW THIS IS PLANNED AS A
TWO-DAY IN-PERSON WORKSHOP AT
THE NEURAL SCIENCE CENTER IN
BETHESDA, MARYLAND, SO BE ON THE
LOOKOUT FOR MORE INFORMATION,
REGISTRATION.
OUR OFFICE HAS COLLABORATED ON
OTHER STRATEGIC PLANNING EFFORTS
TO INTEGRATE SYMPOSIA ON
EXPOSOME FACTORS SUCH AS
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND RELATED
DEMENTIA SUMMIT COMING UP IN A
FEW WEEKS THIS JUNE.
WE ALSO RECENTLY LAUNCHED A NEW
NIH BRAIN AND BODY EXPOSOME
SEMINAR SERIES THAT HAS BEEN
WELL RECEIVED, HERE WE'RE
EXPLORING HOW THE EXPOSOME
INFLUENCES BIDIRECTIONAL
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN CENTRAL
NERVOUS SYSTEM AND OTHER ORGAN
SYSTEMS IN THE BODY AND HOW THAT
IMPACTS BRAIN HEALTH AND ZEALS.-
DISEASE.
WE'RE PLANNING A WORKSHOP ON
TOOLS AND METHODOLOGY ASSESSING
NEEDS FOR COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS
MODEL BEST PRACTICES FOR NEURAL
EXPOSOME SCIENCE.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO LAST BUT NOT LEAST FOCUS
AREAS WE WANT TO SUPPORT NEURAL
EXPOSOME RESEARCH.
SO RESEARCH THAT GETS TO
IDENTIFYING IMPORTANT EXPOSOME
FACTORS THAT ALTER BRAIN HEALTH,
AS WELL AS SHIFTING TO A
HOLISTIC APPROACH WHERE WE
EXPAND OUR VIEWS AND ARE NO
LONGER LOOKING TO SPOTLIGHT ONE
FACTOR BUT WORKING TO UNDERSTAND
AND STUDY ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN
MULTIPLE EXPOSOME FACTORS AND
THEIR IMPACT ON NEUROLOGICAL
DISEASE.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE
UNDERLYING MECHANISMS THROUGH
WHICH EXPOSOME FACTORS ACT.
WITH THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY NEW
DRUGGABLE TARGETS TO MODULATE
DISEASE OUTCOMES.
WE NEED TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY,
AND STUDY THESE EXPOSOME FACTORS
IN REPRESENTATIVE COHORTS AND
MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING IT ACROSS
THE LIFE COURSE.
SO ONLY WITH COHORTS THAT ARE
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HUMAN
POPULATIONS CAN WE UNDERSTAND
INTERPLAY OF MODIFIABLE EXPOSOME
FACTORS LIKE STRESS, DIET,
EXERCISE, WITH THE
NON-MODIFIABLE FACTORS LIKE AGE,
SEX, GENETICS, AND START TO
ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY
DIFFERENT PEOPLE WITH THE SAME
EXPOSURES HAVE DIFFERENT DISEASE
OUTCOMES.
CLICK ONCE FOR ME.
THANK YOU.
AND SO LONG-TERM GOALS, REALLY
WITH ENOUGH DATA TO DEVELOP A
NEURAL EXPOSOME FRAMEWORK TO
PREDICT NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE
RISK BASED ON THE TOTALITY OF AN
INDIVIDUAL'S EXPOSOME.
SO WE CAN USE THIS TO PREVENT
DISEASE, MODIFY DISEASE
PROGRESSION, AND WHEN NEEDED
ADMINISTER PERSONALIZED
PRECISION THERAPEUTIC REGIMES
FOR IMPROVED OUTCOMES.
OKAY.
SO WE WALKED YOU THROUGH THE
FIVE AREAS OF FOCUS FOR OUR
RECOMMENDED IMPLEMENTATION
ACTIVITIES.
AND THIS SLIDE IS A BIG PICTURE
OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO
ACCOMPLISH OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL
YEARS.
AND WE HOPE YOU HAVE SEEN AN
OVERARCHING THEME OF
COLLABORATION, COMMUNICATION,
AND LEVERAGING.
SO WE WANT TO BUILD ON WHAT
OTHERS HAVE DONE, BREAK DOWN
SILOS AND ADJACENT DISCIPLINES,
AND ACCELERATE BREAKTHROUGHS IN
NEURAL EXPOSOME RESEARCH.
VERY BRIEFLY, WE WANT TO FOCUS
ON AND BUILD PARTNERSHIPS,
AMPLIFY AND MAKE SURE EVERYONE
KNOWS WE'RE INVESTED IN NEURAL
EXPOSOME RESEARCH, START TO TAP
INTO EXISTING RESOURCES AND
TOOLS TO FIGURE OUT WHAT'S
MISSING AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO
NEXT.
WE WANT TO HAVE SOME INTERESTING
WORKSHOPS, AND YOU'RE ALL
INVITED TO ATTEND.
WE WANT TO USE THESE AS
PLATFORMS FOR DISCUSSING STATE
OF SCIENCE, EDUCATION, OUTREACH,
FACILITATE TRAINING, INCREASE
NUMBER OF INVESTIGATORS AND
BUILD DISCIPLINARY TEAMS AND
LASTLY FOCUS ON NEURAL EXPOSOME
RESEARCH IN THESE AREAS THAT WE
ELABORATED ON IN THE PREVIOUS
SLIDE.
DR. JETT SHOWED YOU WE'RE
SPENDING VERY LITTLE OF OUR
MONEY ON WHAT COULD PREVENT THE
MAJORITY OF DISEASE.
UNDERSTANDING THE NEURAL
EXPOSOME IS THE MOST PROMISING
OPTION TO INCREASE HEALTH SPAN,
THAT'S A NUMBER OF HEALTHY YEARS
WE HAVE IN THIS LIFE AND PREVENT
CHRONIC AND LONG-LASTING
DISEASES LIKE ALZHEIMER'S,
DEMENTIA, STROKE, PARKINSON'S,
AND ALSO TRY TO GET AT SOME ROOT
CAUSES OF MANY NEUROLOGICAL
DISORDERS LIKE NEUROINFLAMMATION
SO IN STUDYING THE EXPOSOME IT
GETS US THAT MUCH CLOSER TO THE
MISSION REDUCING BURDEN OF
NEUROLOGICAL DISEASES FOR ALL
PEOPLE.
SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THERE
WERE MANY CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS
WORK, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK
THEM ALL STARTING WITH THE
WORKINGS OF COUNCIL THAT GAVE US
THE REPORT AND SIX PRIORITIES,
OFFICE OF NEURAL EXPOSOME AND
TOXICOLOGY, NIH ENVIRONMENTAL
NEUROSCIENCE WORKING GROUP, AS
WELL AS NEURAL EXPOSOME
IMPLEMENTATION WORKING GROUP,
AND OTHERS THAT HAVE PROVIDED
INVALUABLE FEEDBACK AND INPUT ON
IMPLEMENTATION PLANS.
OUR COLLEAGUES SHOWN WITH AN
ASTERISK ARE NO LONGER AT NIH
DUE TO COMBINATION OF
RETIREMENTS AND REDUCTIONS IN
FORCE.
BUT WE DO WANT TO RECOGNIZE
THEIR EFFORTS TOWARD OUR
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
WITH THAT WE'D LIKE TO GO BACK
TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, AND WE'LL
TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU
HAVE.
>> IF I COULD JUST WEIGH IN
QUICKLY, THAT WAS AN EXCELLENT
PRESENTATION ILLUSTRATING THE
COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS ACROSS THE
NIH.
AND IT'S -- I SHOULD HAVE MADE
IT CLEARER IN MY PRESENTATION
WE'RE NOT DOING IT ALL.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE
OF HOW NIEHS CAN TAKE THE LEAD
ON DEFINING ASPECTS OF THE
EXPOSOME BUT THEN HAVING ALL OF
YOU AT NINDS REALLY EMBRACING
SOME OF THESE CONCEPTS AND THEN
PUTTING IN PRACTICE FOR THE
BENEFIT OF BETTER UNDERSTANDING
THE DARK MATTER OF NEUROLOGICAL
DISEASE, THIS IS GREAT.
CONGRATULATIONS, THAT'S
TERRIFIC.
VERY SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT IT IS
THAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING HERE.
>> REALLY APPRECIATE THAT
ENDORSEMENT AND COMMENT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.
>> QUESTIONS?
THERE'S A QUESTION ONLINE.
STEWART, IS THAT YOU?
>> YEAH.
I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO TAKE
ONE THAT WAS IN THE CHAT.
>> NO, SORRY.
>> THAT'S OKAY.
THANK YOU FOR THAT GREAT
THREE-PERSON PRESENTATION.
FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS, BEING IN THE V.A., WE
HAVE TOXIC EXPOSURE RISK, BUT MY
AREA IS TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY.
AND THERE ARE SEVERAL
NINDS-FUNDED INVESTIGATORS LIKE
DOUG SMITH, HE HAS WORKED WITH
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATORS, AND
THEY HAVE SHOWN THE BLOOD-BRAIN
BARRIER IS DISRUPTED FOR MANY
YEARS AFTER A BRAIN INJURY.
THAT'S NOT EVEN LIKE A SEVERE
ONE, COULD BE EVEN MINOR.
SO CONSIDERING LIKE
SPORTS-RELATED BRAIN INJURY,
INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, AND
WHAT HAPPENS WITH OUR VETERANS,
BOTH WITH TBI AND MILITARY
OCCUPATION BLAST EXPOSURE ARE
YOU CONSIDERING PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY TO THE BRAIN TISSUE
THAT COULD DISRUPT THE
METABOLISM AND BLOOD-BRAIN
BARRIER FOR YEARS AS ONE OF THE
ELEPHANTS IN THE ROOM THAT NEEDS
TO BE LOOKED AT?
OVER.
>> I WOULD SAY YES.
I MEAN, JUST AS WALTER SAID,
ANYTHING THAT'S NOT GENETICS, I
THINK DR. WOYCHIK SAID THE SAME
THING, WE REALLY HAVE TO
CONSIDER ALL OF THESE THINGS
THAT MAYBE HAVE NOT BEEN
PREVIOUSLY LOOKED AT BEFORE, AND
I THINK THAT'S DEFINITELY ON THE
LIST.
>> I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING
TOWARDS OTHER THINGS BESIDES
THAT.
THAT COULD ACTUALLY CAUSE --
>> WELL, YOU CAN GO UP IN
DIRECTIONS LIKE INFECTION, VIRAL
INFECTIONS
>> RIGHT.
>> MY COUNTERPART HERE IN THE
TOXIC EXPOSURE RESEARCH PROGRAM
DO WE MAKE A CROSS-INTERSECTING
ANNOUNCEMENT LOOKING AT WHETHER
THESE TYPES OF BRAIN INJURIES
INCREASE THE PENETRATION INTO
THE BRAIN OF VARIOUS TOXINS.
SO, THAT'S -- THAT WOULD BE
MAYBE SOMETHING FUTURE BETWEEN
THE AGENCIES.
>> YEAH, IT'S HARD TO SAY THAT'S
NOT PART OF THE EXPOSOME.
IT'S ALMOST EVERYTHING.
BUT THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER STORY.
>> IF I COULD CHIME IN, STUART,
THAT'S ABSOLUTELY PART OF THE
EXPOSOME.
AND THE THING I WANT TO
EMPHASIZE, YOU ALLUDED TO THIS,
THERE MAY BE SYNERGISTIC
EFFECTS, THERE MAY BE CHEMICAL
EXPOSURES, AND THAT IF YOU NOW
HAVE THE BRAIN INJURY, THAT MAY
BE WORKING SYNERGISTICALLY WITH
CHEMICAL EXPOSURES EXACERBATING
EFFECT OF CHEMICAL EXPOSURES.
THAT'S THE CHALLENGE WITH THESE
EXPOSOME FRAMEWORKS, HOW DO WE
MEASURE THIS?
IT MIGHT BE, YOU KNOW, MOVING
INTO SOME VERY INNOVATIVE
THINKING.
I MEAN, WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN
DO NOW, WHICH IS IMPORTANT.
JUST LIKE THE GENOME PROJECT, WE
USED SOME OF THE EXISTING
TECHNOLOGIES TO GET MOVING, HIGH
RESOLUTION MASS SPEC, MANY
THINGS WE HEARD ABOUT, BUT THERE
MAY BE SOME OTHER INNOVATIVE
THINGS THAT IT'S A BETTER
APPROACH TO LOOK AT THOSE
SYNERGISTIC EFFECTS OVER THE
LIFE COURSE.
SO, THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE
EVOLVING, STICK WITH THIS, BUT
YOUR COLLEAGUES AT NINDS ARE
RIGHT ON TOP OF IT.
AND I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN A
PLEASURE WORKING WITH THEM BUT
YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY IS
CRITICALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE
EXPOSOME.
>> IF I COULD CHIME IN ON WHAT
RICK JUST SAID TOO, TALKING
ABOUT THE SYNERGISTIC EFFECTS,
THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY DIFFERENT
ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO
HERE.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO LOOK AT
MULTIPLE FACTORS, PEOPLE HAVE
STUDIED SLEEP, MANY OF THESE IN
ISOLATION FOR A LONG TIME BUT
WE'RE NOW GOING TO SEE WHAT
SYNERGISTICALLY ACTING OUTCOMES,
LOOKING AT MULTIPLE FACTORS AT
THE SAME TIME, A REALLY
IMPORTANT NUANCE YOU ADDED
ONTOTHAT.
>> I'M NOT A NEUROSCIENTIST, I
CAN'T SPEAK TO THIS BUT IT COULD
BE SLEEP IS ANOTHER VERY
IMPORTANT VARIABLE TO
POTENTIALLY MITIGATE SOME OF THE
NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THE BRAIN
INJURIES, SO THESE ARE ALL
THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE FACTORED
INTO THE EQUATION, THE
NON-GENETIC CONTRIBUTORS TO
NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE.
>> GRAY HAS A QUESTION.
>> THAT WAS A WONDERFUL
PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.
AND I REALLY APPLAUD THE
EFFORTS, PARTICULARLY KNOWING
THAT WE'RE USING SOMEWHERE ON
THE ORDER OF 3.6 MILLION TONS OF
PESTICIDES GLOBALLY EVERY YEAR,
THIS IS A TREMENDOUS LOAD.
AND SO EXPLORING THAT SPACE IS
GOING TO BE TRULY IMPORTANT.
BUT I WONDER ALSO ABOUT THE
VASTNESS AND COMPLEXITY OF THE
PROJECT AS STATED.
AND AS YOU SAID, IT'S
ENCOMPASSING VIRTUALLY
EVERYTHING.
I'D LIKE TO EVEN GO BEYOND THAT
TO TALK ABOUT THE SYNERGIES THAT
YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT,
WHICH ARE INTERESTING AT THE
LEVEL OF PERHAPS BRAIN INJURY
AND TOXINS, BUT IT BECOMES
VASTLY MORE COMPLEX IF YOU START
THINKING ABOUT GENE-GENE
INTERACTIONS AND GENE-SYNTHETIC
INTERACTIONS WITH THE
ENVIRONMENT AS WELL, SO THE
COMPLEXITY COMPOUNDS AND
COMPOUNDS.
WHEN WE SEQUENCED THE HUMAN
GENOME WE KNOW THE TASK AT HAND,
HAD TO GET THE BASE PAIRS BEHID
UP.
COULD -- LINED UP.
COULD THERE BE A MESSAGE ABOUT
WHAT THE MAGNITUDE ABOUT THE
COMPLEXITY, WHERE SYNERGIES ARE
LIKELY TO RESIDE AND HOW THE
PLAN TO MOVE FORWARD MIGHT DEAL
WITH THAT ISSUE WHICH I THINK IS
THE REALLY REMARKABLE THING THAT
YOU'RE TRYING TO UNDERTAKE.
>> YEAH, I DON'T KNOW, RICK, IF
YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING.
THE THING I THINK ABOUT FIRST IS
IN 2005, WHEN THIS FIRST CAME
OUT, EVERYBODY WAS SAYING NO
WAY.
THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN DO THIS.
IT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.
NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.
BUT THEN I THINK AS TIME GOES
BY, AND PEOPLE STARTED TO
UNDERSTAND THAT WE'VE GOT TO DO
SOMETHING WITH THIS BECAUSE
WE'VE GOT TO DO THIS, THAT'S ONE
THING THAT STARTED OFF.
BUT THEN WE STARTED GETTING NEW
THINGS COMING IN THAT COULD, YOU
KNOW, HELP, A.I., MACHINE
LEARNING, ALL THESE OTHER THINGS
THAT, OKAY, MAYBE WE CAN DO
SOMETHING AND START WITH.
I THINK ANOTHER THING WITH THAT
IS YOU HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE.
SOME PEOPLE WILL SAY, YOU CAN
START BUT YOU WON'T SEE ANYTHING
UNTIL 15 YEARS FROM NOW OR
SOMETHING.
WELL, CAN YOU DO SOME THINGS NOW
AS A START.
SO, YEAH, I MEAN I JUST THINK
THAT YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THAT.
BUT IT'S ALMOST LIKE IMPOSSIBLE
BUT YOU GOT TO START SOMEWHERE
TO MAKE IT NOT IMPOSSIBLE.
THAT'S THE WAY I LOOK AT IT.
THE WAY I THING WE SHOULD STILL
BE DOING IT.
>> ACTUALLY, DAVID, IF YOU
WOULDN'T MIND, AND GRAY, I COULD
CHIME IN HERE.
GRAY, I ASKED THE SAME QUESTION
RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING WHEN I
STARTED HEARING ABOUT THE
EXPOSOME.
DAVID IS ALLUDED TO THE FACT.
WHAT THE MOONSHOT THAT'S
HAPPENING YESTERDAY, TODAY,
TOMORROW IS ABOUT IS
OPERATIONALIZING THE EXPOSOME.
WHAT DO WE NEED TO COLLECT?
AND THEN BRINGING IN THE
COLLECTIVE WISDOM OF PEOPLE
ACROSS THE NIH AND ACROSS THE
GLOBAL COMMUNITY THAT ARE
INVOLVED IN THIS.
IT'S CLEAR WE HAVE CERTAIN TOOLS
LIKE HIGH RESOLUTION MASS SPEC,
GIS COORDINATES FOR ESTIMATING
EXPOSURES BASED ON WHERE YOU
LIVE, WHERE YOU WORK, WHERE YOU
LIVED AND WHERE YOU'VE WORKED.
HOW DO WE KNIT THIS TOGETHER
INTO A FRAMEWORK TO KNOW WHAT DO
WE COLLECT AND WHERE DO WE
COLLECT THIS INFORMATION SO WE
CAN, YOU KNOW, SYNTHESIZE THIS
AND BRING IT TOGETHER.
YOU CAN'T DO EVERYTHING.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS
ENGAGED IN RIGHT NOW.
I THINK THE PRESENTATIONS YOU'VE
HEARD ARE THINGS WE CAN DO NOW
THAT I CAN'T IMAGINE THEY WOULD
NOT BE INTEGRAL TO PARTS OF THE
FLOW.
>> I KNOW.
>> I GUESS IT WAS A GREAT
QUESTION.
>> YEAH.
>> IT WAS A GOOD QUESTION.
AGAIN, THE WHOLE ISSUE IS STAY
TUNED.
AND WE'RE HOPING THAT WE'LL HAVE
MORE DEFINITION, WHAT DO WE
COLLECT AND WHAT TIME FRAME AND
WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE TO PUT
IT TOGETHER AND TO REALLY BRING
THIS EXPOSOME CONCEPT FORWARD IN
AN OPERATIONALLY TANGIBLE WAY.
DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
>> IN PART, I GUESS.
CERTAINLY WITH THE POWERS OF
A.I. AND THE MANY MODALITIES
WITH WHICH YOU CAN COLLECT DATA
ARE HUGE ADVANTAGE RIGHT NOW.
I WONDER WHETHER THE CONTEXT OF
NINDS YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO
DEFINE A FEW AREAS AND CLASSES
OF THE EXPOSOME THAT ARE MOST
LIKELY TO BE RELEVANT TO THE
TOPICS THAT ARE THE MISSION OF
NINDS.
AND WITHIN THAT DEFINED AREA
EXPLORE WHAT THE TRUE COMPLEXITY
MIGHT ACTUALLY BE BECAUSE I
DON'T THINK WE PERHAPS KNOW WHAT
THE COMPLEXITY IS GOING TO
EXPOUND TO BECOME.
BUT IF YOU HAD A FOCUSED
COMPONENT THAT YOU WERE GOING
AFTER PERHAPS THAT COMPLEXITY
COULD BE REVEALED.
>> I THINK THAT, DAVID, YOU CAN
SPEAK TO THIS.
YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES AT NINDS
HAVE PARTICIPATING IN THE
MOONSHOT, FOR PRECISELY THAT
REASON.
WE WANT TO BRING SUBJECT MATTER
EXPERTS IN DIFFERENT DISEASE
AREAS FORWARD SO THAT THEY CAN
BE TEASING OUT SOME OF THE
VARIABLES AND SOME DETAILS
AROUND WHAT WOULD YOU COLLECT AS
RELATES TO NEUROLOGICAL DISEASE.
SOME OF THE PESTICIDES ARE
CLEARLY NO BRAINERS.
YOU KNOW, HOW TO WITHIN THE
CONTEXT OF PESTICIDES, HOW DO WE
APPROACH THE EXPOSOME.
DAVID, DO YOU WANT TO ELABORATE
ON THIS?
>> IT BOTHERS ME A LITTLE BIT
WHEN I THINK ABOUT YOU'RE NOT
GOING TO GET ANYTHING ANYTIME
SOON.
WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE
GETTING SICK, SO I WAS THINKING,
I THINK THEY SAID THIS, THEY
SAID THIS TOO I THINK YESTERDAY
ABOUT JUST DO SOMETHING THAT YOU
CAN GET A BETTER PLACE FOR
PEOPLE TO LIVE.
EVEN IF IT'S NOT EVERYTHING, IF
YOU CAN GET JUST SOMETHING, THEN
I THINK -- YOU KNOW, I THINK
THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD START.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERS
YOUR QUESTION.
>> YEAH, AND I THINK THAT THIS
IS ALSO PART OF OUR FUTURE
CONVERSATION, IF WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT THE TYPES OF -- IF WE DO
HAVE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT
COME OUT, IN THE FUTURE, HOW WE
WANT TO SHAPE THOSE TO GET THE
SCIENCE THAT WE WANT TO SEE IN
THE AREAS WE WANT TO SEE THEM.
WE WANT TO SEE DIFFERENT THINGS
ADDRESSED BECAUSE SOME DISEASE
AREAS ARE A LITTLE BIT FURTHER
ALONG THAN OTHERS AT STUDYING
THE EXPOSOME FACTORS, SO THESE
ARE JUST PARTS OF INITIAL
CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING
RIGHT NOW TO DISTINGUISH AREAS
WOULD BE MORE -- TO SEE WHICH
AREAS WOULD BE MORE RIPE FOR
PICKING THAN OTHERS.
>> YEAH, JUST THE OTHER COMMENT
I'LL MAKE, I'M OLD NOW HAVE HAVE
BEEN PART OF THE GENOME, WHERE
THE MOLECULAR GENETICS COMMUNITY
PRIOR TO THE GENOME PROJECT, I
REMEMBER EARLY DISCUSSION ALSO
WHICH WERE SIMILAR TO SOME OF
THE COMMENTS YOU'RE MAKING,
GRAY, ABOUT WHAT ARE WE DOING?
I MEAN, NUCLEOTIDE SEQUENCE THE
ENTIRE GENOME?
THIS IS THE DAYS DOING MAXIMUM
GILBERT AND THIN GELS, WE HAVE
TO BE THINKING VERY CREATIVELY
AND INNOVATIVE WAY, HOW CAN WE
TACKLE THE PROBLEM?
IT'S NOT JUST ONE THING IN THE
ENVIRONMENT THAT'S IMPACTING OUR
BIOLOGY.
THERE ARE MULTIPLE DIFFERENT
THINGS.
SO ONE THING THAT I'M BRINGING
TO THE DISCUSSION IS THE ISSUE
AROUND EPIGENETIC MARKS, YOU
KNOW, ARE THERE EPIGENETIC MARKS
IN YOUR GENOME THAT REFLECT
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES THAT
HAPPENED, SAY, DURING PREGNANCY?
WE STUDY THAT IN MY LAB AND WE
KNOW THIS.
TRAITS IN PREGNANCY WITH
ROTEODONE, TICKLED THE
MITOCHONDRIA, THERE ARE HUNDREDS
OF IF NOT THOUSANDS OF DIFFERENT
EPIGENETIC CHANGES IN THE GENOME
THAT ARE PERSISTENT THROUGH THE
LIFE COURSE.
SO, IT'S ANOTHER WAY OF THINKING
ABOUT THE EXPOSOME.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING,
REALLY TRYING TO BRING THE
DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW
TOGETHER, AND THEN HAVING AN
OPERATIONAL DEFINITION COMING
OUT OF THIS SO THAT WE'RE
COLLECTING DATA THAT IS SIMILAR,
AND THAT WE CAN SYNTHESIZE TO
ULTIMATELY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT
OF THE ENVIRONMENT GOING BEYOND
ONE EXPOSURE AT A TIME.
YOU ASKED A GREAT QUESTION.
>> YEAH, AND I'LL JUST CLARIFY
IT WASN'T A CRITICISM OF THE
IDEA AT ALL.
IT WAS -- BECAUSE I APPLAUD THAT
NOTION, ABSOLUTELY.
IT'S MORE THINKING ABOUT THE
MISSION STATEMENT AND THE
ABILITY TO EXPLICITLY DEAL WITH
SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE ALL
THINK ABOUT, WHICH IS THAT
IMMENSE COMPLEXITY.
THE MORE YOU CAN DEFINE THAT AS
THE ISSUE AND HOW IT WILL BE
ADDRESSED, I THINK THE MORE KIND
OF BUY-IN THAT WILL HELP TO
ACHIEVE.
>> AGAIN, THESE ARE GREAT YES,
SIR, AND FROM MY POINT OF VIEW
AT NIEHS WE'VE BEEN TALKING
ABOUT THIS NOW FOR A NUMBER OF
YEARS, LIKE 20 YEARS.
BUT WE NEED TO JUST STOP NOW AND
START THINKING NOT JUST ABOUT
DISCUSSING THE CONCEPT BUT START
OPERATIONALIZING IT AND, AGAIN,
WITH THE MUCH APPRECIATION FROM
NINDS, FOR YOUR SUPPORT, YOU
WERE REAL PARTNERS WITH US IN
FUNDING THE NEXUS CENTER, AND
THE PURPOSE, GRAY, TO DO
PRECISELY WHAT YOU'RE ASKING.
LET'S GET THE WORLD COMMUNITY
ENGAGED, DEFINE HOW TO
OPERATIONALIZE THIS.
WE HAVE ONE CENTER, NOT MULTIPLE
COMPETING WITH EACH OTHER BUT
ONE CENTER ENGAGING GLOBAL
COMMUNITY TO OPERATIONALIZE THE
EXPOSOME AND WE'LL HOLD THEM
ACCOUNTABLE FOR DELIVERING THAT.
DAVID OR WALTER, DO YOU AGREE
WITH THAT?
>> EPIGENETICS IS WHERE WE'RE AT
RIGHT NOW BUT I'M GLAD YOU SAID
THAT.
>> THERE MAY BE OTHER BIOLOGICAL
RESPONSES, EPIGENETIC IS ONE OF
THEM, BUT THAT'S AN AREA THAT I
THINK WE KNOW THAT'S PLAYING A
ROLE BUT HAVEN'T TAPPED INTO IT
AND BROUGHT THAT TO A LEVEL OF
SOPHISTICATION THAT WE NEED TO
DO MORE WITH THAT.
THERE ARE PROBABLY OTHER
QUESTIONS.
>> VERY GOOD.
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING
WITH YOU, RICK.
I'D LIKE TO GET FROM
ASSOCIATIONS TO CAUSATION AND DO
INTERVENTION TO FIND OUT IF
WE'RE REALLY ONTO SOMETHING.
BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT
PARTNERSHIP GOING FORWARD.
THANKS FOR JOINING.
>> WALTER, IT'S BEEN A GREAT
PARTNERSHIP UP TO THIS POINT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST AND
YOUR WILLINGNESS TO COLLABORATE.
THAT'S THE WAY THIS IS GOING TO
WORK, JUST LIKE THE GENOME
PROJECT.
I USED THE ANALOGY THAT 30 YEARS
AGO IF YOU WERE DOING GENETICS
AND GENOMICS YOU WERE AT NHGRI
OR FUNDED BY THEM.
TO DR. COLLINS' AND DR. GREEN'S
CREDIT IT'S NOW BECOME INTEGRAL
TO THE WAY WE STUDY ETIOLOGY OF
DISEASE.
WE NEED TO DO THE SAME WITH
EXPOSOMICS.
WE'LL WORK ON THAT.
THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT.
AND YOUR COLLABORATION.
>> THANKS.
SO WE NEED TO VOTE ON THIS.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT
THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN?
>> I MOVE.
>> THANK YOU.
AND SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANKS YOU.
OKAY.
VOTING, PLEASE DO IT AUDIBLY,
STARTING WITH AMY.
>> OH, SORRY.
OKAY.
BOB.
>> YES, WE HAVEN'T HAD MUCH
DISCUSSION OF BUDGET THOUGH BUT
I'M GOING TO VOTE YES ANYWAY.
>> WE NEED TO BACK IT UP AND
DISCUSS BUDGET?
DO WE NEED TO BACK IT UP AND
DISCUSS BUDGET?
>> FOR THE REASONS WE TALKED
ABOUT EARLIER, SO, YEAH, WE
HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN ABLE TO KIND
OF PUT ANY KIND OF SET-ASIDE
MONEY AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
>> YEAH.
>> BUT WE'LL COME TO YOU, YEAH,
WITH INITIATIVES WHEN THEY
CERTAINLY, YEAH, INITIATIVES --
BEFORE WE DO ANYTHING IN THIS
SPACE.
>> HARD TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE
VOTING FOR OTHER THAN SAYING
YES, THESE ARE ALL GOOD IDEAS.
IN
THAT SENSE I CERTAINLY VOTE YES.
>> THAT'S WHERE WE ARE NOW, BOB.
YEAH, AGREE.
>> WE'LL CALL IT CONCEPTUAL
INTEGRATION AT THIS POINT.
OKAY.
BOB, THAT WAS A YES.
>> YES.
>> THANKS YOU.
YISHI?
>> I AGREE WITH BOB'S COMMENTS,
AS WELL AS GRAY'S COMMENTS ABOUT
SETTING GOALS.
>> THANK YOU.
SO NOTED.
JANE?
LET'S GO TO JIN MU.
>> YES.
>> THANK YOU.
JOHN?
>> YES.
>> LOUISE?
>> APPROVE.
>> THANK YOU.
HANK?
>> APPROVE.
>> OKAY.
DO WE KNOW WHERE -- WE HAVE
QUORUM.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
NEXT UP JEFF DIAMOND WITH THE
INTRAMURAL REPORT.
JEFF, ARE YOU ON?
YES, YOU ARE.
>> YES, I AM.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YES.
>> OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
WELL, THANKS, EVERYONE.
I KNOW YOU'VE HAD A LONG DAY.
IT'S NOT OVER YET.
YOU STILL HAVE TO TALK ABOUT
PAIN, KIND OF HAVE BEEN TALKING
ABOUT PAIN MOST OF THE DAY.
HOPEFULLY THIS WON'T BE PAINFUL.
I'M HAPPY TO REPORT ON THE
INTRAMURAL PROGRAM.
I'D LIKE TO KEEP IT SIMPLE AND
TO BE HONEST QUITE POSITIVE,
WITH MAYBE ONE GLANCE AT SOME OF
THE REALITY WE'RE FACING BUT I'D
LIKE TO TALK ABOUT SOME COMINGS
AND GOINGS TO THE INTRAMURAL
PROGRAM, A COUPLE INTERESTING
DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS OUR
COMMUNITY, I LIKE TO TAKE TIME
TO JUST SIT AND REVEL IN SOME
SCIENCE THAT WE'RE DOING, AND
JUST SHOW YOU A SMALL SAMPLE OF
THE SCIENCE AND THEN JUST FINISH
WITH AN UPDATE ON A LITTLE BIT
OF SUMMARY OF THE PRODUCTIVITY
ACROSS THE PROGRAM.
SO, HELLO THAT I'M HAPPY ABOUT
TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE'VE
APPOINTED A DEPUTY SCIENTIFIC
DIRECTOR, AND THAT'S LUCY
FOREST, A SENIOR INVESTIGATOR IN
THE INSTITUTE, CHIEF OF THE
COMPUTATIONAL STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY
SECTION.
SHE USES, AS I SAY HERE, SHE
USES COMPLEX COMPUTATIONAL
METHODS TO STUDY STRUCTURE OF
MEMBRANE PROTEINS AND TO SEE HOW
PARTICULAR MOTIFS REPEAT WITHIN
PROTEINS AND ARE COMMON ACROSS
PROTEINS.
IT'S REALLY BEAUTIFUL WORK, YOU
CAN SEE FROM THIS LITTLE BIO
THAT LUCY PING PONGS ACROSS THE
ATLANTA SEVERAL TIMES.
HOPE THE PING PONG BALL HAS
STOPPED BOUNCING.
SHE'S A TERRIFIC ADDITION TO
YOUR INTRAMURAL PROGRAM, IN A
SHORT TIME SHE'S BEEN A
FANTASTIC ADDITION TO OUR
OFFICE.
SO I'M REALLY HAPPY THAT LUCY
AGREED TO TAKE ON THIS ROLE.
WE HAVE HAD SOME MOVEMENT IN
TERMS OF OUR FACULTY, IN THE
LAST YEAR, WE'VE WELCOMED TWO
NEW TENURE TRACK INVESTIGATORS,
CHRIS GRUNSEICA AND AMREEN
MUGHAL, INTEGRATING WELL IN THE
COMMUNITY.
CHRIS WAS HERE AS A CLINICAL
FELLOW, AND SO HE IS STAFF
CLINICIAN, WAS QUITE WELL
INTEGRATED.
WE'RE ALSO RECRUITING TWO NEW
P.I.s, BOTH ON THE CLINICAL
SIDE, AND THEY IN THE
NEUROIMMUNOLOGY BRANCH AND
SURGICAL NEUROLOGY BRANCH
REFLECT THE SUCCESS OF TWO
CLINICAL INVESTIGATORS THAT HAVE
BEEN REVIEWED POSITIVELY BY THE
BOARD OF SCIENTIFIC COUNSELORS
AND WE'RE LOOKING TO ADVANCE
THEM TO THE TENURE TRACK.
WE HAD TWO INVESTIGATORS TENURED
IN 2024, ARIEL LEVINE AND SONIA
SCHOL DIS
AN EASY JOB TO MAKE THE CASE FOR
THEM WITH THE CENTRAL TENURE
COMMITTEE.
TWO CASES COMING UP, DEREK IS ON
THE SCHEDULE, HE WILL BE
PRESENTED ON AUGUST 4, AND YI GU
WILL FOLLOW NOT SO CLOSE BEHIND.
NOT SO FAR BEHIND, ACTUALLY,
SORRY.
SO, WE'VE ALSO HAD SOME
RETIREMENTS.
THERE HAVE BEEN A NUMBER OF
RETIREMENTS IN THE LAST COUPLE
YEARS.
THIS YEAR DAVID GOLDSTEIN AND
DAVID SIBLEY TWO SENIOR
INVESTIGATORS AND LONGTIME
CONTRIBUTORS TO THE COMMUNITY
RETIRED.
GOLDSTEIN APPROVED AS SCIENTIST
EMERITUS BY COMMITTEE OF
SCIENTIFIC AND CLINICAL
DIRECTORS, AND I WILL BE
PRESENTING DAVE SIBLEY IN THE
NEAR FUTURE, AND I EXPECT THAT
TO BE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY BY
THE SCIENTIFIC AND CLINICAL
DIRECTORS.
RETIREMENTS, IT'S ALWAYS SAD TO
SEE PEOPLE GO BUT IT'S KIND OF A
HAPPY OCCASION, SOMEWHAT MORE
BITTERSWEET OCCASION IS TO MARK
THE DEPARTURE OF WEI LU, SENIOR
INVESTIGATOR, A PRODUCTIVE
MEMBER, I'LL TALK ABOUT THE WORK
WITH.EI DID -- WEI DID, DECIDED
TO MOVE TO AN OPPORTUNITY IN
SHANGHAI, WE WISH WEI THE BEST,
WE'RE SO THAT HE WAS COMPELLED
TO MOVE ON BUT HE WAS A GREAT
CONTRIBUTOR TO OUR COMMUNITY
WHEN HE WAS HERE.
IT WAS A SAD YEAR IN THAT WE
LOST A NUMBER OF REAL PILLARS OF
THE NINDS INTRAMURAL PROGRAM, WE
LOST THESE FOUR INDIVIDUALS THIS
YEAR, BOB BURKE, PETER FISHMAN,
TOM REESE, JOHN HALENBECK.
EACH MADE SIGNIFICANT
CONTRIBUTIONS, WE JUST LAST WEEK
HAD A REALLY NICE SYMPOSIUM
HONORING THE MEMORY OF TOM
REESE, IT WAS REALLY A NICE
EVENT.
ALL OF THESE SCIENTISTS WILL BE
FONDLY REMEMBERED.
SO, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT COMINGS
AND GOINGS.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO
ARE IN LIMBO.
I THINK YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT ABOUT
REDUCTION IN FORCE, GIVING RISE
TO A NEW WORD IN OUR LEXICON,
RIF, A NOUN, A VERB, AN
EXPLETIVE.
IT'S BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT
THING.
WE LOWEST A LOT OF PEOPLE ACROSS
THE INSTITUTE TO THE REDUCTION
IN FORCE, LOST A LOT OF GOOD
PEOPLE IN THE DIVISION OF
EXTRAMURAL RESEARCH, OFFICE OF
THE DIRECTOR, AND ALSO THE
DIVISION OF INTRAMURAL RESEARCH.
BUT AS PART OF THIS THE PROCESS
ACTUALLY ACCIDENTALLY RIFFED 30
PEOPLE DUE TO AN ERROR IN
INTERPRETING SOME KIND OF H.R.
CODE.
AND SO THERE WERE 30 PEOPLE WHO
WERE RIFFED WHO WEREN'T MEANT TO
BE, AND ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE
MISSED.
I'M FOCUSING ON 11 OF THOSE 30
WHO WERE SENIOR INVESTIGATORS,
BECAUSE -- NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE
MORE IMPORTANT ALTHOUGH THEY ARE
PRETTY IMPORTANT, BUT EACH OF
THEM DIRECTS MATURE LABS WITH A
LOT OF EXCELLENT SCIENTISTS SO
WHILE IT LOOKS LIKE 11 PEOPLE
HERE ARE SITTING IN LIMBO, THEY
WERE RIFFED ON APRIL 1, THEY
HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THESE RIFs
WERE MADE IN ERROR AND WILL BE
RESCINDED.
THEY HAVE NOT BEEN RESCINDED
YET.
AND THEY ARE FACING THE PROSPECT
OF BEING LET GO ON JUNE 2, A
NUMBER OF THESE PEOPLE ARE --
WELL, THEY ARE ALL VERY ANXIOUS,
SOME ARE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR
STATUS WITH REGARD TO RETIREMENT
AND SO FORTH.
BUT I WANT TO BRING THIS UP
BECAUSE THERE ARE 11 PEOPLE, BUT
WITHIN THEIR LABS THERE'S A MUCH
LARGER NUMBER OF SCIENTISTS, A
LOT OF YOUNG TRAINEES AT THE
BEGINNING OF THEIR CAREERS WHO
ARE ALSO IN LIMBO.
AND ARE VERY ANXIOUS ABOUT
WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE REMAIN HOPEFUL THAT THIS RIF
ACTION WILL BE RESCINDED BUT
KIND OF EVERY DAY THAT PASSES
THAT GETS CLOSER TO JUNE 2, THE
ANXIETY LEVEL OF THESE, YOU
KNOW, 107 PEOPLE IN PARTICULAR
PLUS THE OTHER 19 PEOPLE, IT
CONTINUES TO REMAIN HIGH.
OKAY.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT TWO THINGS
THAT HAVE HAPPENED IN THE
COMMUNITY.
LAST YEAR, I RELATED TO YOU THAT
THE FELLOWS AT NIH WHO HAD
ORGANIZED INTO AN ORGANIZATION
CALLED NIH FELLOWS UNITED
ELECTED TO BE REPRESENTED BY THE
UNITED AUTO WORKERS UNION, AND
THERE WAS AN EXTENSIVE
BARGAINING SESSION THROUGHOUT
2024, AND IN DECEMBER OF 2024
NIH AND U.A.W. FINISHED THEIR
NEGOTIATIONS OF COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING AGREEMENT RATIFIED BY
THE UNION AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY
SIGNED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
AND THAT WENT INTO EFFECT IN
JANUARY, AND THE OFFICE OF
INTRAMURAL TRAINING AND
EDUCATION HAS BEEN WORKING TO
ADAPT THE POLICIES THAT WE HAVE
FOR FELLOWS ACROSS THE NIH TO
FULLY SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS
OF THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
AGREEMENT, AND I THINK JUST THIS
MIGHT OF MY PERSONAL IMPRESSION
OF THE AGREEMENT THAT THE
AGREEMENT IS VERY VALUABLE IN
THAT IT PROTECTS FELLOWS FROM
POTENTIALLY BAD SITUATIONS.
I THINK THE LARGE MAJORITY OF
THE SUPERVISORS ACROSS NIH ARE
GOOD BOSSES BUT OCCASIONALLY YOU
RUN INTO A SITUATION THAT'S
PROBLEMATIC AND A FELLOW FEELS
LIKE THEY HAVE VERY IT'S
LEVER -- LITTLE LEVERAGE AND THE
UNION AGREEMENT CAN GO A LONG
WAY TO GIVING THE FELLOWS SOME
SUPPORT IN THOSE SITUATIONS.
ANOTHER REALLY NICE THING THAT'S
DEVELOPING IN OUR COMMITTEE
WITHIN NINDS IS THE STAFF
SCIENTISTS AND CLINICIAN
ASSOCIATION, AND THIS IS I THINK
A RECOGNITION WITHIN THAT
COMMUNITY THAT WE SPEND A LOT OF
TIME WORRYING ABOUT THE FELLOWS
AND THE P.I.s, YOU KNOW,
CONTROL THE LAB BUDGETS AND
EVERYTHING.
IN BETWEEN ARE THE STAFF
SCIENTISTS AND STAFF CLINICIANS,
RELATIVELY SENIOR, HIGHLY
ACCOMPLISHED SCIENTISTS AND
CLINICIANS WHO CONTRIBUTE A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT IN VARIOUS
WAYS, BOTH IN THE LAB, IN THE
CLINIC, AND IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND SO THIS ASSOCIATION HAS
BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER AND THEY
CAN DISCUSS AND SUPPORT -- THEY
CAN DISCUSS ISSUES AND SUPPORT
ONE ANOTHER.
THEY HAVE MEETINGS FOUR TIMES A
YEAR WITH ME.
AND THOSE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN
GREAT AND PRODUCTIVE.
THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE
INTRAMURAL STAFF RETREAT.
AND WE'VE DEVELOPED TOGETHER
WITH THEM SOME WORKSHOPS TO HELP
THEM, BOTH WORKSHOPS TO HELP
THEM NEGOTIATE THE ANNUAL AND
QUADRENNIAL EVALUATIONS THEY
HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND WE
RECENTLY HAD A DAY-LONG TRAINING
WORKSHOP TO HELP THEM DEVELOP
LEADERSHIP SKILLS.
IT'S BEEN A NICE I THINK
ORGANIZATION TO SUPPORT THIS
PART OF THE PROGRAM.
OKAY.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES
TO TALK ABOUT A FEW OF THE
PROJECTS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF
THE INTRAMURAL PROGRAM IN THE
LAST YEAR.
AND I REALIZE NOW THAT A COUPLE
OF THESE FIRST FEW ARE IN THE
SAME VEIN.
JOHN SHOWED NICE BEAUTIFUL
RESULTS SUPPORTED BY THE BRAIN
INITIATIVE, THE VALUE OF
RECORDING FROM ESSENTIALLY EVERY
NEURON IN A REGION OF THE
CORTEX, THE FIRST THREE PAPERS
SHOW THE VALUE OF REPORTING FROM
A NUMBER OF THEM.
AND THE FIRST PAPER COMES FROM
KARINNE'S LAB, IN PATIENTS THAT
HE'S TREATING SURGICALLY THEY
HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECORD
FROM THE CORTEX OF THESE
PATIENTS, ANTERIOR TEMPORAL LOBE
AND HAVE THE PATIENTS DO TASKS
WHILE RECORDING FROM DIFFERENT
BRAIN REGIONS, AND IN THIS CASE
THE TASK IS TO LOOK AT A NATURAL
IMAGE, TO CHARACTERIZE THE
OBJECT AS ANIMAL, PLACE, PERSON,
AND THEN RECORDING FROM A NUMBER
OF INDIVIDUAL NEURONS SO YOU
MIGHT NOT BE SURPRISED THAT IN
RESPONSE TO A PARTICULAR OBJECT
YOU SEE A BURST OF ACTIVITY
ACROSS A NUMBER OF NEURONS, BUT
IF YOU ZOOM IN ON THE TIMING OF
THESE BURSTS YOU SEE THAT THE
NEURONS FIRE IN A PARTICULAR
SEQUENCE THAT CHANGES WHETHER
THEY ARE VIEWING AN ANIMAL, AN
OBJECT, A PLACE, OR A PERSON.
AND SO WHAT KAREEM AND LAB HAVE
SHOWN IS THESE SEQUENCES ADD
INFORMATION THAT IS DISTINCT
FROM THE PEAK FIRING RATE OR THE
AVERAGE DELAY OR THE TIME OF THE
OVERALL BURST, AND SO THESE
SEQUENCES HAVE A LOT OF EXTRA
INFORMATION AND YOU CAN SEE OVER
HERE THAT IT ALLOWS THEM TO
DISTINGUISH IMAGES OF QUITE
DISTINCTLY EVENING WITHIN ONE OF
THESE LARGER CATEGORIES, FOR
EXAMPLE, THIS IS ANY OLD PERSON,
ACTUALLY NOT ANY OL' PERSON,
IT'S ACTUALLY KAREEM.
BUT THAT'S DISTINCT AND THEY
SHOWED PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO
DISTINGUISH AND PROVIDE
DIFFERENT SEQUENCES FOR
DIFFERENT FAMOUS PEOPLE, FOR
EXAMPLE, THESE FOUR DIFFERENT
PRESENCE, THE LATEST IN WHAT HAS
BEEN JUST A WONDERFUL SERIES OF
REALLY INTERESTING STUDIES
COMING FROM KAREEM'S LAB.
MARK WAGNER IS A YOUNG
INVESTIGATOR.
HE JUST HAD HIS FIRST BSC REVIEW
AND IS STUDYING HOW THE
CEREBELLUM AND TOGETHER WITH THE
CORTEX COMPUTES DIFFERENT TASKS,
SKILLED LEARNING, HOW TO ENCODE
REWARD, AND WHAT HE'S BEEN ABLE
TO DO IS RECORD USING TWO PHOTON
MICROSCOPY FROM CEREBELLAR CELLS
AND CLIMBING FIBERS AT THE SAME
TIME.
AND SO -- CLIMBING FIBER
ACTIVITY AT LEAST, IMAGES OF
CEREBELLAR GRANULE CELLS AND
PURKINJE THAT GIVE A GOOD
READOUT WHEN A CLIMBING FIBER
FIRES AND LIGHTS UP THE PURKINJE
CELL DENDRITES IN AN AWAKE
BEHAVING MOUSE, CAN DO THIS
SEVERAL DAYS AT DIFFERENT TIMES
DURING LEARNING, AND IMAGE THE
ACTIVITY OF THE SAME CELLS AND
WHAT HE DOES IS HE -- THEY TRAIN
THE MOUSE SO THAT IT MOVES THIS
LEVER AND THEN RECEIVES A REWARD
FOR DOING THAT.
AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE GREEN
WHEN THE MOUSE FIRST STARTS
THIS, AS SOON AS THEY MOVE THE
LEVER THEY ARE EXPECTING A
REWARD VERY QUICKLY SO THEY
START LICKING.
BUT THE REWARD DOESN'T COME FOR
AN ENTIRE SECOND AFTERWARDS.
AND AFTER A WHILE THE MOUSE
LEARNS THIS AND IS ABLE TO
MODULATE HIS LICKING OVER AN
EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
SO THE MOUSE IS LEARNING TO
ANTICIPATE THE REWARD THAT'S
HAPPENING OVER A MUCH LONGER
DELAY WHICH IS INTERESTING
BECAUSE THE LEARNING RULES IN
THE CEREBELLUM OPERATE IN TIME
BUT USUALLY WITH MUCH SMALLER
DELAYS BETWEEN THE GRANULAR
CELLS AND PURKINJE CELLS, 150
MILLISECONDS IS THE LEARNING
WINDOW, BUT HERE THEY ARE ABLE
TO ENCODE REWARD DELAYS OVER A
SECOND.
IN FACT, YOU CAN TRAIN A MOUSE
TO LEARN TO ENCODE OVER A SECOND
AND YOU CAN RETRAIN THEM AND HE
LEARNS TO STRETCH TO TWO
SECONDS.
THEY LOOKED AT THE RECORDINGS IN
INDIVIDUAL GRANULE CELLS, HERE
YOU CAN SEE RECORDINGS FROM
THOUSANDS OF THEM, AND THESE ARE
THE -- SORTED BY PEAK ACTIVITY,
AND THIS IS THE TIME THEY MOVE
THE LEVER, AND THIS IS THE TIME
OF THE REWARD.
CAN YOU SEE FOR A LOT OF GRANULE
CELLS ACTIVITY SPREADS OUT IN
TIME OVER HERE.
THEY ARE ADJUSTING THE
POPULATION, VARYING THE TIME OF
THEIR ACTIVITY, IN ORDER TO
ENCODE A MUCH LONGER DELAY
BETWEEN THE MOTOR ACTION AND THE
REWARD.
AND THEY DID SOME BEAUTIFUL
CONTROLS FOR THIS.
SO IT'S REMARKABLE.
AND THEY ARE ABLE TO RECORD FROM
THE GRANULE CELLS, AND ALSO THE
CLIMBING FIBERS ACTIVITY WHICH
IS TYPICALLY VERY TIGHTLY
COUPLED HERE TO THE REWARD.
TIMING IS ALSO IMPORTANT IN
SPATIAL NAVIGATION, AND ANOTHER
TENURE TRACK INVESTIGATOR HAS
BEEN STUDYING THIS IN MICE IN A
VIRTUAL REALITY ARENA.
AND THEY CAN GO ALONG AND THERE
ARE AREAS THEY CAN STOP AND GET
A REWARD, AND IN THE PAST SHE'S
SHOWN HOW ANIMALS USE VISUAL
CUES TO FIND THESE.
I THINK IN THE FIELD IT'S
BEEN -- THERE'S SOME WHO THINK
THAT THE ENTORHINAL CORTEX MAPS
THIS OUT AGNOSTIC TO THE SENSORY
INPUT, DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER
IT'S VISUAL OR AUDITORY OR
OLFACTORY.
YI AND HER LAB TOOK A LOOK AT
THIS AND YOU CAN SEE DOWN HERE
THAT THE ANIMAL WOULD GO THROUGH
A LONG -- THROUGH A VIRTUAL
REALITY ENVIRONMENT, AND THERE
WOULD BE AREAS WHERE THEY WOULD
GET AUDITORY CUES OR VISUAL
CUES, AND THERE WERE AREAS WHERE
THOSE CUES WOULD BE ASSOCIATED
WITH REWARDS, AND IF THEY LOOKED
AT SOME OF THE ANIMALS, SORRY,
SOME OF THE CELLS, THEY WOULD
SEE SOME CELLS RESPOND TO
AUDITORY-ASSOCIATED REWARD ZONES
AND OTHER CELLS RESPOND ONLY TO
VISUAL REWARD ZONES.
THESE AREN'T JUST VISUAL CELLS
BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER VISUAL
STIMULI THEY DON'T RESPOND TO
BUT IT'S THE AREAS WHERE THEY
KNOW THERE'S ALSO A REWARD.
SO, SHE'S SHOWN THERE ARE CELLS
THAT ARE ACTUALLY ONLY AUDITORY
OR VISUAL, NOT BOTH, AL ALTHOUH
THERE IS A POPULATION OF
MULTI-MODAL CELLS THAT ENCODE
BOTH AUDITORY AND VISUAL
STIMULI.
WE'VE LOST WEI, ENJOYED HAVING
HIM HERE.
HE SPENT A LOT OF HIS TIME HERE
LOOKING AT THE MOLECULAR BASES
OF SYNAPSE DEVELOPMENT.
HE SPENT A LOT OF HIS CAREER
INTERESTED IN EXCITATORY
SYNAPSIS AND BECAME MORE
INTERESTED IN INHIBITORY
SYNAPSIS, HE IDENTIFIED A
PROTEIN THAT AT THE TIME
FUNCTION WASN'T REALLY KNOWN,
TMEM-132B, INTERESTING BECAUSE
IT WAS REDUCED IN HUMANS WHO
SUFFERED FROM ALCOHOL USE
DISORDER.
AND HE CHARACTERIZED THIS
PROTEIN, ASSOCIATED WITH GABA
RECEPTOR, AUXILIARY PROTEIN,
INTERESTING BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW
A LOT OF EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN
DUE TO ALCOHOL INVOLVE GABA-A
RECEPTORS, AND SO WHAT HE FOUND
WAS THAT THIS PROTEIN FIRST OF
ALL ENCOURAGED THE RECRUITMENT
OF GABA RECEPTORS TO INHIBITORY
SYNAPSES, IN THE KNOCKOUT A
REDUCTION IN NUMBER, THE PROTEIN
ENHANCES GABA RESENTER
SENSITIVITY TO TO ALCOHOL.
SO THIS WOULD SUGGEST THAT IT
MIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO BEHAVIORAL
RESPONSE TO ALCOHOL, AND IN FACT
THAT IS THE CASE.
TURNS OUT THAT WHEN A MOUSE
LEAVES THE PUB, HE'S MUCH MORE
LIKELY TO GO OUT AND WANDER INTO
OPEN SPACES, MICE OFTEN SPEND
MORE TIME IN ENCLOSED SPACES BUT
MICE WITH ALCOHOL ARE LESS
INHIBITED, REDUCED ANXIETY,
SPEND MORE TIME IN OPEN SPACE,
THIS TENDENCY IS REDUCED IN MICE
IN WHICH THIS PROTEIN IS KNOCKED
OUT.
TOGETHER WITH THAT IN THE
KNOCKOUT ALSO APPARENTLY ITS
SENSITIVITY TO BEING SATED WITH
ALCOHOL CHANGES SO IT'S MORE
INCLINED TO DRINK MORE ALCOHOL.
SO, THIS IS A REALLY INTERESTING
FINDING, AND I THINK IT'S
SOMETHING THAT WEI IS GOING TO
PURSUE, WE WISH HIM LUCK IN
SHANGHAI, AND I'M SURE WE'LL
HEAR A LOT MORE FROM HIM IN
LITERATURE.
I WANT TO FINISH WITH A PAPER
DEREK PUBLISHED AT THE END OF
2024, DEREK IS COMING UP FOR
TENURE, STUDIED MITOCHONDRIAL
FUNCTION AND IMPORTANT ROLE OF
REGULATION AND REPAIR OF
MITOCHONDRIA, PUBLISHED A PAPER
IN EMBO, IF YOU HAVE TIME I
RECOMMEND THAT YOU TAKE A LOOK
AT THIS.
GIVE YOURSELF TIME BECAUSE IT'S
A HUGE PAPER.
HE LOOKED AT ROLE OF A
MITOCHONDRIAL PROTEIN AND
EFFECTS OF DELE1 ON GROWTH --
CELL GROWTH AND SURVIVAL IN THE
FACE OF FOUR DIFFERENT STRESSORS
ON MITOCHONDRIA, FOUR DIFFERENT
MOLECULAR MANIPULATIONS SO
LOOKING AT A NICE DIVERSITY OF
STRESSORS AND SHOWED THAT THE
SURVIVAL OF THE ANIMAL IS
REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY IN ALL
CASES WHEN HE KNOCKS OUT DELE1.
WHAT HE SHOWED IN THE PAPER, AND
I CAN'T GET TOO DETAILED ABOUT
THIS, WAY OUT OF MY EXPERTISE,
BUT BASICALLY IN RESPONSE TO
THESE STRESSORS DELE 1 CAUSES OR
CONTRIBUTES TO INTEGRATED STRESS
RESPONSE WHICH RESULTS IN A
NUMBER OF GENES TO BE EXPRESSED
THAT HAVE EFFECTS ON METABOLISM,
AND OTHER PROCESSES THAT CAN
PROTECT THE CELL.
THE UPREGULATION OF THESE IS
DIMINISHED WHEN HE KNOCKS OUT
DELE1, SHOWING THIS IS NOT JUST
TRANSCRIPTOMIC BUT ALSO IS
IMPACTING PROTEIN EXPRESSION.
THIS IS A GRAPH OF THE CHANGE IN
PROTEIN EXPRESSION VERSUS THE
CHANGE IN TRANSCRIPT EXPRESSION.
SO, IT'S GOING TO BE FUN
PRESENTING DEREK'S CASE IN
AUGUST.
I THINK HE'S A VERY STRONG
CANDIDATE FOR TENURE.
AND I THINK CENTRAL TENURE
COMMITTEE IS LIKELY TO AGREE.
SO FINALLY I WANT TO UPDATE YOU
ON AND TELL YOU THAT THE
INTRAMURAL PROGRAM REMAINS VERY
CONSISTENTLY PRODUCTIVE, AND I
WOULD SAY THAT I THINK THIS IS
PRETTY REMARKABLE GIVEN THAT THE
REGION BETWEEN 2018 AND 2024
ENCOMPASSES COVID, WHICH WAS
DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE, AS WELL
AS A MAJOR FLOOD THAT OCCURRED
IN ONE OF OUR BUILDINGS,
DRAMATICALLY INFLUENCING A
NUMBER OF OUR INVESTIGATORS.
SO, PEOPLE CONTINUED TO BE
PRODUCTIVE.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE WORD CLOUD OF
THE TITLES OF THOSE PAPERS YOU
CAN SEE THAT THEY ARE FOCUSED ON
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU
WOULD WANT THE INTRAMURAL
PROGRAM TO BE, TO BE FOCUSED ON.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK ON CHRONIC
DISEASE, ON THE ROOT CAUSE OF
THESE DISEASES, AND A WHOLE
RANGE OF INTERESTING TOPICS THAT
REALLY DO A NICE JOB OF COVERING
MANY INTERESTING PARTS OF THE
NEUROSCIENCE FIELD.
THIS IS JUST SHOWING THAT THIS
WORK IS BEING PRESENTED TO THE
WORLD IN WELL-RESPECTED
JOURNALS, AND THE MOST FUN THING
ABOUT THIS JOB IS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SORT OF GET A
HANDLE ON THE WORK THAT'S BEING
DONE ALL ACROSS THE INTRAMURAL
PROGRAM TO SEE PEOPLE BEING, YOU
KNOW, EVALUATED DURING THE BOARD
OF SCIENTIFIC COUNSELORS AND
WONDERFUL WAY THEY PRESENT THEIR
WORK.
SO, I'LL STOP THERE AND IF
ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
>> JEFF, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
THAT OVERVIEW.
AND YOU SAID YOU WOULD TELL US
ABOUT COOL SCIENCE, COOL INDEED.
ALWAYS NICE TO SEE HIGH IMPACT
WORK OUT OF THE INTRAMURAL
PROGRAM UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP.
YOU PROBABLY WEREN'T THERE WHEN
WE HEARD FROM DR. BHATTACHARYA
TODAY.
HE DID NOT TALK ABOUT THE
INTRAMURAL PROGRAM MUCH.
WE DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE
OF THE FACT THAT THERE WAS AN
ERRONEOUS AND TRAGIC RIFFING OF
MANY PEOPLE INCLUDING LEADING
SCIENTISTS.
THAT SAID, IT'S TRULY MADDENING
TO THINK THAT THEY MIGHT NOT BE
RESTORED AND THERE'S A RISK OF
CATASTROPHE HERE IF THEY ARE NOT
RESTORED.
IT'S UNUSUAL TIMES.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BEYOND OUR
PURVIEW AS COUNCIL MEMBERS BUT I
PERSONALLY WOULD ADVOCATE WE AS
COUNCIL MAKE IT CLEAR ESPECIALLY
TO WALTER AND PERHAPS IN SOME
WAY ADDRESS THIS TO DR.
BHATTACHARYA, THAT WE THINK IT
IS ESSENTIAL THAT THESE
INDIVIDUALS BE RESTORED BY THE
JUNE 2 DEADLINE FOR THE SAKE OF
CONTINUING GOOD GRADE SCIENCE
THAT HITS AT BRAIN HEALTH,
CHRONIC DISEASES, AND ENSURES
THAT SCIENCE AT NIH AND NINDS
CONTINUES THE WAY IT SHOULD.
I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHETHER THAT'S
WITHIN OUR PURVIEW AS COUNCIL TO
DO THAT.
MAYBE NOT YOURS TO ANSWER, MAYBE
IT'S WALTER'S.
>> WELL, I'LL JUST LET WALTER
CHIME IN BUT I WOULD JUST SAY
ONE OF THE FRUSTRATIONS THAT WE
FACE AS FEDERAL EMPLOYEES IS,
YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY RESTRICTED
FROM APPEALING DIRECTLY TO THE
POWERS THAT BE.
I THINK THAT THE SUPPORT OF
COUNCIL WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THAT IN
ANOTHER INSTITUTE THERE WERE
SOME YOUNGER SCIENTISTS WHO WERE
RIF'ed, THE BSC SENT A LETTER
TO CONGRESS THAT LOOKS LIKE IT
WAS QUITE EFFECTIVE BECAUSE
THOSE PEOPLE WERE REINSTATED.
I FEEL WE'VE GOTTEN A LOT OF
REASSURANCES THAT THIS
REINSTATEMENT WOULD OCCUR.
I REMAIN, TO BE HONEST, VERY
CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN
TO THE INTRAMURAL PROGRAM IF ALL
FEATURES OF THE PROPOSED BUDGET
GO THROUGH.
PART OF THAT INVOLVES EXPECTED
DEPARTURE OF, TO BE HONEST, MOST
OF OUR SENIOR SCIENTISTS, MOST
OF OUR CLINICIANS BY VIRTUE OF
ASKING PEOPLE ABOVE A CERTAIN
PAY GRADE TO RESIGN.
I'M VERY WORRIED ABOUT THAT.
>> THANK YOU FOR EXPRESSING YOUR
TRANSPARENT VIEWS.
WALTER, ARE WE IN A POSITION
WHERE WE COULD ADVOCATE
EXPLICITLY TO THE NIH DIRECTOR
THE VITAL IMPORTANCE MAKING SURE
THIS HAPPENS BY JUNE 2?
>> YEAH, I THINK THE COUNCIL IS
APPOINTED BY THE SECRETARY, AND
NIH DIRECTOR'S IN THAT LINE, SO
IF THE COUNCIL WANTED TO COMPOSE
A LETTER I'M SURE THAT WOULD BE
FINE.
HE HAS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS
SAID THAT THIS IS GOING TO
HAPPEN, SO HE'S DEFINITELY ON
OUR SIDE HERE.
>> I MEAN, I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT
OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE TO
SAY BUT I THINK YOU NEED TO LET
HIM KNOW THAT -- WE ALL PROBLEM
HEAL FEEL THE -- PROBABLY FEEL
THE WAY WE FEEL BUT I'D LOVE TO
HEAR WHAT OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS
HAVE TO SAY.
>> I'M TOTALLY WITH YOU ON THIS,
HANK.
WALTER, WE WANT TO HELP YOU IN
ANY WAY WE CAN.
SO IF THAT'S A LETTER OR
ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT, I'M
OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS.
>> OR EVEN PASSING A MOTION OF
SOME SORT TODAY FROM THE BOARD
OF COUNSELORS SUPPORTING
REINSTATEMENTS.
>> THAT'S AN INTERESTING IDEA.
I WOULD SUPPORT THAT,
ABSOLUTELY.
AND WE CAN GET IT INTO LIKE THE
MINUTES.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY ARE GOING TO
BE REINSTATED, SO WE HAVE TO BE
CAUTIOUS ABOUT IF WE NEED A
LETTER FOR SOMETHING ELSE TOO.
BUT I DO THINK WE HAVE TO SHOW
SOLIDARITY HERE.
>> YEAH, I REALIZE I'M NOT
ALLOWED TO VOTE BUT I KNOW I'M
ALLOWED TO EXPRESS FEELINGS.
ALSO, I'M TERRIBLY CONCERNED
ABOUT IT.
AND I THINK I LOVE THAT IDEA OF
A MOTION BECAUSE I THINK THAT
WILL SHOW SUPPORT, IF THE
DIRECTORS ALREADY GOT THIS IN
MOTION, IT WOULD BE NICE TO SHOW
THAT WE APPRECIATE THAT AND WE
FULLY SUPPORT IN A VERY STRONG
WAY TO MOVE THAT FORWARD.
>> MAYBE THE WAY WE DO THIS
BECAUSE I'M HEARING LOTS OF
SUPPORT AND I DO IT WE'LL HEAR
ANYTHING OPPOSED THAT IF WE CAN
GET UNANIMOUS STATEMENT FROM THE
COUNCIL THAT WE ARE UP COURAGED
COURAGED -- ENCOURAGED TO HEAR
THEY WILL BE REINSTATED BY JUNE
2, IMPERATIVE, MAYBE NOT A
MOTION BUT IF WALTER COULD GO
FOR WARD TO THAT STATEMENT BY
DR. BHATTACHARYA AND MAKE IT
CLEAR THIS IS CRITICALLY
IMPORTANT.
>> I MEAN, I COULD DO THAT OR
YOU GUYS COULD DO A LETTER, BUT
WHATEVER YOU FEEL IS GETTING THE
MESSAGE ACROSS, YEAH.
>> WHY DON'T WE MAKE A MOTION
AND THEN HAVE A VOTE ON THIS AND
WE'LL SEE HOW THIS GOES.
>> YEAH.
>> I WILL TRY TO MAKE THIS
MOTION.
I MOVE THAT WE AS COUNCIL
EXPRESS OUR STRONG SUPPORT FOR
THE RESTORATION OF THE
SCIENTISTS WHO WERE ERRONEOUSLY
DISMISSED OR RIF'ed, BECAUSE
THEIR RESTORATION IS ESSENTIAL
TO THE VITALITY OF SCIENCE IN
THE INTRAMURAL BRANCH AND
ADVANCEMENT OF OUR UNDERSTANDING
OF BRAIN HEALTH AND ERADICATING
CHRONIC DISEASE.
THAT'S THE MOTION.
>> I SECOND.
>> SECOND.
>> ANYONE OPPOSED?
WE HAVE A UNANIMOUS MOTION.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS
RECORDED.
YOU KNOW THE SENTIMENTS, WALTER,
SO YOU CAN CARRY THAT FORWARD TO
DR. BHATTACHARYA.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I APPRECIATE THE SENTIMENT AND
THE MOTION.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT THE SUPPORT
OF COUNCIL IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND TO BE FRANK, I DON'T THINK
THIS IS THE LAST TIME WE'RE
GOING TO NEED IT.
WE HAVE SOME EXTREMELY
CHALLENGING TIMES COMING UP.
I'M VERY COGNIZANT THOSE
CHALLENGES ARE NOT RESTRICTED TO
THE INTRAMURAL PROGRAM.
THE CHALLENGES FACING THE
EXTRAMURAL PROGRAM.
AND THE OFFICE OF DIRECTOR.
THEY ARE EXISTENTIAL.
BUT IT MEANS A LOT TO HEAR THE
SUPPORT FROM THE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THE LEAST WE CAN DO.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT --
>> OKAY.
IF THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS,
THANK YOU, JEFF.
AND THANK YOU, COUNCIL.
WE APPRECIATE THAT.
NEXT UP WE HAVE THE "HEAL" PAIN
STRATEGIC RESEARCH PRIORITIES
WORKING GROUP.
AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO WALTER.
>> GREAT.
ROB AND KATHY, ARE YOU LIVE OVER
THERE SOMEWHERE?
>> I'M HERE.
>> AWESOME.
GREAT.
OKAY.
WE'RE GOING TO HEAR A REPORT
FROM THE HEAL PAIN STRATEGIC
RESEARCH PRIORITIES WORKING
GROUP.
AND IT'S GOING TO BE BY ROB ROB
GEREAU, AND KATHLEEN SLUKA,
WORKING TOGETHER A YEAR PUTTING
TOGETHER RESEARCH
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PAIN
SIDE OF THE HEAL INITIATIVE, WE
CALL IT THE CONGRESS
APPROPRIATED $285 MILLION A YEAR
TO NINDS, THESE FUNDS ARE THEN
PUT INTO RESEARCH THAT IS VOTED
ON BY 14 I.C. DIRECTORS, PART OF
THE HEAL-PAIN I.C. DIRECTOR
GROUP.
WE HAVE STEERING COMMITTEE
MEMBERS, WHO ARE FROM THE
PROGRAM DIRECTORS OF ALL 14
INSTITUTES, IT'S A REALLY
TRANS-NIH ACTIVITY BECAUSE PAIN
IS SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IN
THE PORTFOLIO OF THE 14
DIFFERENT I.C.s, SO IT'S BEEN
A GREAT PROGRAM.
IT WAS STARTED BY DR. COLLINS IN
RESPONSE TO THE OPIOID CRISIS, A
LARGE COMPONENT RUN BY DRUG
ABUSE AND NORA VOLKOW, $385
MILLION A YEAR IN THE HEAL
INITIATIVE AND WE DO JOINT
PROGRAMS WITH THEM PARTICULARLY
REGARDING THE OVERLAP BETWEEN
PAIN AND OPIOID OVERUSE AND
INTERESTING PROGRAMS, ONE BEING
THE N-CREW PROGRAM TO TRY TO
IMPROVE PAIN MANAGEMENT AND
REDUCE OPIOID DEATHS IN NATIVE
AMERICAN POPULATIONS, MANY
OTHERS AS WELL.
WE'VE NOT HAD A STRATEGIC
RESEARCH PRIORITY WORKING GROUP
LOOKING AT "HEAL," IN THE PAST,
IT WAS REALLY THE BRAINCHILD OF
DR. COLLINS TO BEGIN WITH.
BUT THE GROUP THAT WAS PUT
TOGETHER ABOUT A YEAR AGO DID A
FANTASTIC JOB, I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO THE REPORT BY ROB AND
KATHLEEN.
ROB IS DIRECTOR OF WASHINGTON
UNIVERSITY PAIN CENTER, AND HE'S
IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ANESTHESIA.
HIS WORK FOCUSES ON DETERMINING
CIRCUITS, CELLULAR AND MOW
ELECTRIC MAR MECHANISMS IN
DEVELOPMENT CHRONIC PAIN
CONDITIONS WITH AN EYE TOWARD
INFORMING DEVELOPMENT OF NEW
APPROACHES FOR PREVENTION AND
MANAGEMENT.
HE RECEIVED THE NINDS LANDIS
AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING MENTORSHIP
IN 2020.
KATHLEEN IS PROFESSOR OF
PHYSICAL THERAPY AND REHAB,
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, HER WORK
FOCUSES ON PERIPHERAL AND
CENTRAL MECHANISMS OF CHRONIC
MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN AND
NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENTS
FOR CHRONIC PAIN, P.I. OF A
NUMBER OF NIH AND HEAL AWARDS
AND INCLUDING THE P.I. OF THE
CLINICAL COORDINATING CENTER FOR
THE ACUTE TO CHRONIC PAIN
SIGNATURE PROGRAM AND CO-P.I. ON
THE IOWA T32 INTERDISCIPLINARY
TRAINING PROGRAM IN PAIN, ALSO
RECIPIENT OF THE 2024 "HEAL"
MENTORSHIP AWARD.
ROB WILL START, IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YEAH.
THANK YOU, WALTER.
WELCOME TO EVERYBODY.
HANG IN THERE, IT'S BEEN A LONG
RUN HERE.
WE'RE GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT
SOMETHING MORE POSITIVE IN TERMS
OF DEVELOPING NEW RESEARCH
STRATEGIES AROUND PAIN FOR NINDS
TO CONSIDER IN THE CONTEXT OF
THE HEAL INITIATIVE.
PRESENTING ON THE FIRST HALF
WITH KATHLEEN, I DO ALSO WANT TO
MENTION OUR INCREDIBLE PARTNER
IN THIS, JACKIE WARD, WHO WAS
THE DESIGNATED OFFICIAL TO WORK
WITH US AS PART OF THIS PROCESS
WHO WAS UNFORTUNATELY LOST FROM
NINDS WITH THE SORT OF
DEVASTATING TO THE PAIN RESEARCH
COMMUNITY LOSS OF THE ENTIRE
OFFICE OF PAIN POLICY AND
PLANNING.
AND JUST TO MARK THIS MOMENT TO
THANK THEM FOR THE INCREDIBLE
WORK THAT GROUP HAS DONE OVER
THE YEARS, AND WE CERTAINLY MISS
THEM.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
WALTER MENTIONED THE HEAL
INITIATIVE, LAUNCHED IN 2018, TO
SET THE TABLE HERE, AFTER
CONGRESS ADDED THIS $500 MILLION
TO THE BASE APPROPRIATION FOR
NIH TO DEVELOP NEW INITIATIVE TO
RESEARCH OPIOID ADDICTION,
ALTERNATIVES, PAIN MANAGEMENT,
ADDICTION TREATMENT.
THIS WAS LAUNCHED AT BREAK-NECK
SPEED.
AND THERE WAS NO TIME AT THE
BEGINNING TO UNDERGO A FORMAL
STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.
FORTUNATELY THERE HAD BEEN
RECENTLY DEVELOPMENT OF FEDERAL
PAIN RESEARCH STRATEGY IN 2017,
AND THEN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
GARNERED THROUGH THE SERIES OF
THIS WAS CALLED CUTTING EDGE
SCIENCE MEETING TO END THE
OPIOID CRISIS THAT WERE CONVENED
TO TALK ABOUT BOTH PAIN AND
OPIOID ADDICTION AT THAT TIME.
SO, WHAT WAS DONE AT THAT TIME
WAS INFORMATION SORT OF FROM
THOSE PROCESSES WAS MINED TO
DEVELOP A HEAL RESEARCH STRATEGY
THAT WAS PUBLISHED IN JAMA, AND
THAT WAS USED TO DEVELOP THE
INITIAL SET OF FUNDING
OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT
FORMED THE BASIS FOR PAIN
RESEARCH AND FOR "HEAL."
SO FROM 2018 TO 2023, THE HEAL
INITIATIVE WAS HOUSED IN THE
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR.
AND THEREAFTER AS WALTER
MENTIONED IT'S BEEN HOSTED
JOINTLY THROUGH NIDA AND DR.
COAL --
DR. VOLKOW AND NINDS WITH DR.
KOROSHETZ.
JEFF MENTIONED THAT.
SINCE ITS BEGINNING AS YOU CAN
SEE HERE OVER 2200 RESEARCH
PROJECTS HAVE BEEN INITIATED,
ALL 50 STATES, INCLUDING
TOTALING $3.9 BILLION IN TOTAL
INVESTMENT.
AS WALTER SAID A COLLABORATION
ACROSS ALL 19 ICs, IT'S BEEN
PRODUCTIVE, OVER 40 FDA
APPROVALS FOR DRUGS AND DEVICES,
300 CLINICAL TRIALS UNDERWAY OR
JUST FINISHING.
SO, MANY OF THOSE INITIAL
PROJECTS FROM THAT HEAL 1.0 ARE
WRAPPING UP NOW, TRANSITION
POINT, AS I SAY.
AND RECENTLY THE LAST YEAR THE
HEAL MULTI-DISCIPLINARY GROUP
WHICH I'M A MEMBER OF DEVELOPED
A STRATEGIC PLAN TO GUIDE
INVESTMENTS AROUND PAIN.
AND SO THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A
DELIBERATIVE PROCESS GUIDED BY
EXTERNAL WORKING GROUP TO
RECOMMEND STRATEGIC RESEARCH
PRIORITIES THAT CAN FORM BASIS
FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS OF THE
HEAL INITIATIVE.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO, AS PART OF THIS WHEN WE
BEGAN THIS PROCESS ONE OF THE
THINGS WE ASKED FOR WAS AN
ANALYSIS OF PAIN RESEARCH AT THE
NIH AND HOW THINGS HAVE BEEN
TRENDING OVER TIME SINCE THE
ADDITION OF THE HEAL INITIATIVE.
IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE
THAT FUNDING UNDER HEAL
INITIATIVE IS NOT MEANT TO
COMPRISE ALL OF PAIN RESEARCH AT
THE NIH.
IT'S VERY SPECIFIC.
THERE'S THE HEAL PAIN MISSION
STATEMENT IS HERE.
IT ENDS TO REDUCE PAIN AND RISK
OF OPIOID USE DISORDER BY
DEVELOPING SAFE AND EFFECTIVE
PAIN TREATMENT AND PREVENTION
STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF
LIFE FOR ALL PEOPLE, A SET
CIRCUMSCRIBED GOALS, A SMART
PART OF RESEARCH ACTIVITY AT THE
NIH.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE GRAPH THE NIH
FUNDING FOR PAIN-RELATED
RESEARCH OVER TIME.
AND YOU CAN SEE WITH THE TEALISH
BARS, YOU CAN SEE FUNDING IN
2018 ARE THAT FIRST COUPLE YEARS
WAS LUMPED AND SPLIT OVER 2018
AND 2019.
BUT YOU CAN SEE THAT THE GENERAL
NIH IC FUNDING FOR PAIN RESEARCH
SHOWN IN THE PINKISH BARS
CONTINUED TO TREND UP, AND THAT
TREND UPWARD TRACKS NICELY WITH
THE TOTAL NIH BUDGET.
SO THAT'S JUST TO SAY THAT THE
I.C. FUNDING FOR PAIN RESEARCH,
THEY DIDN'T TAKE THE FOOT OFF
THE GAS IN TERMS OF FUNDING
BASIC PAIN RESEARCH.
THIS WAS ADDITIONAL FUNDING
FOCUSED ON THIS MISSION AND THAT
GOAL, THE GOAL OF COURSE WAS TO
ACCELERATE DEVELOPMENT OF
TREATMENTS, IT'S VERY EVIDENT
FROM THE ANALYSIS THIS WAS
ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND I'LL
DESCRIBE SOME OF THE WORK THAT'S
HAPPENED AND YOU CAN SEE IT'S
REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS
PROCESS.
THANK YOU.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
YOU CAN READ THROUGH THIS.
ONE OF THE BIG ACHIEVEMENTS AT
THE BEGINNING IN THE FIRST PHASE
WAS ESTABLISHMENT OF AN
ECOSYSTEM THAT ENABLED
DEVELOPMENT OF THERAPEUTICS IN
THE CONTEXT OF ACADEMIC SETTING.
AND SOME OF THAT THERE HAVE BEEN
VALIDATION OF NON-OPIOID
TARGETS, INHIBITORS, MODULATORS,
AND ACETOMENOPHIN ANALOGS WITH
LOWER RISK OF HEPATOTOXICITY.
AN INTERESTING STUDY ON MINK
INHIBITORS THAT'S IN PHASE 1,
NEAR COMPLETION OF PHASE 1 FOR
TREATMENT OF PAIN.
AND A NUMBER OF STUDIES
RELATESSED TO DEVELOPMENT OF NEW
CB-1 RECEPTOR MODULATORS.
THERE'S BEEN WORK UNDERSTANDING
PAIN BIOLOGY LIKE HUMAN PAIN
BIOLOGY, IDENTIFYING BIOMARKERS,
DEVELOPING OF ATLAS OF SENSORY
NEURONS ACROSS SPECIES, REALTIME
SIGNATURE FOR CHRONIC PAIN FROM
PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC PAIN
DISORDERS.
BY STROKE OR AMPUTATION.
IMAGING BIOMARKERS THAT
DISTINGUISH BETWEEN AGING,
ADVANCES IN DEVICES FOR PAIN
MANAGEMENT, IMPROVED FORMS OF
SPINAL CORD STIMULATION, FOR
EXAMPLE, NEW TRANSCUTANEOUS
STIMULATOR FOR TREATMENT OF
PAIN.
AND CLEARANCE, FDA CLEARANCE OF
DEVICE TO TREAT CHRONIC PAIN.
THERE ARE MORE THAN 40 CLINICAL
TRIALS, MANY ARE WRAPPING UP
THIS YEAR, ONE SHOWED BENEFIT TO
PEOPLE WITH DIALYSIS-RELATED
PAIN USING COPING SKILLS THAT
LESSENED INTERFERENCE OF PAIN IN
THEIR LIVES.
THERE'S BEEN A HUGE IMPACT FROM
HEAL INITIATIVE ON PROVIDING
TRAINING FOR PAIN RESEARCHERS,
OVER 80 EARLY CAREER RESEARCHERS
SUPPORTED, ESTABLISHED INITIALLY
THE PURPOSE NETWORK WHICH HELPS
CONNECT FOLKS AND CREATED SOME
RESOURCES THAT WE'RE GOING TO
TRY TO CONTINUE IN ITS ABSENCE
GOING FORWARD.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO HERE'S THE TIMELINE.
THIS WAS PROPOSED TO DEVELOP
THIS NEW SET OF RESEARCH
PRIORITIES, WE STARTED THIS
PROCESS A LITTLE OVER A YEAR
AGO.
THIS WORKING GROUP FORMED AS A
WORKING GROUP OF THIS COUNCIL,
LAUNCHED IN LATE APRIL, EARLY
MAY OF 2024.
THE FIRST THING THAT WE DID WAS
TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WAS AN
INCLUSIVE PROCESS, ONE THAT GOT
BROAD STAKEHOLDER INPUTS, THAT
BEGAN IN JUNE OF 2024 WITH
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION TO
SOLICIT INPUT ON THE FUTURE OF
THE HEAL INITIATIVE, REQUEST WAS
WHAT HAS "HEAL" DONE WELL, WHAT
ARE GAPS, WHAT HAS BEEN MISSED,
WHAT SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED GOING
FORWARD.
THAT INFORMATION WE GOT A LOT OF
RESPONSES ON, INDIVIDUALS FROM
PATIENTS, FROM PHYSICIANS, FROM
PATIENT ADVOCACY GROUPS THAT
HELPED US COALESCE SEVEN
RESEARCH AREAS, AREAS FOR
RESEARCH FOCUS, FROM THAT RFI
THAT WE CONVENED A WORKING GROUP
AROUND THOSE SEVEN AREAS.
IN JULY, WE BEGAN A PROCESS
WHERE THESE SUBCOMMITTEES BEGAN
MEETING, DELIBERATING, AND EACH
OF THEM ALSO HAD PUBLIC
WORKSHOPS, ADDITIONAL REQUESTS
FOR INFORMATION AROUND THESE
SPECIFIC AREAS, TO -- I'LL GO
THROUGH THOSE SPECIFIC AREAS IN
A MINUTE.
BUT TO KIND OF HELP THEM INFORM
THEIR DELIBERATIONS WHICH THAT
PROCESS, THOSE PUBLIC WORKSHOPS,
FOUR OR FIVE-HOUR PUBLIC
WORKSHOPS, ALL THESE THAT WE
ATTENDED WITH OUR STAFF, THEN
THEIR CHARGE WAS BY DECEMBER OR
JANUARY WE WERE MOVING AT
BREAK-NECK SPEED BECAUSE THE
GOAL WAS TO WRAP UP BY JANUARY
TO GET A RECOMMENDATION TO
COUNCIL IN FEBRUARY TO HELP
INFORM MAYBE THE DEVELOPMENT OF
A STRATEGIC PLAN AND POTENTIAL
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR FY 27.
SO, THAT WRAPPED UP IN JANUARY,
WORKING GROUPS PROVIDED FINAL
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE.
WE'LL GO THROUGH THE PROCESS IN
A LITTLE BIT.
AND HERE WE ARE TODAY TO TALK
ABOUT THIS PROCESS.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
SO, THIS SHOWS THE EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE AND THE SEVEN
SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRS, KATHLEEN
AND MYSELF VERY SKILLFULLY
HELPED -- LET ME BACK UP A
LITTLE BIT.
ONE SLIDE PLEASE.
THERE WE GO.
MICHAEL FALCON, OUR LIVED
EXPERIENCE ADVISER, HELPFUL IN
INTEGRATING THE VOICE OF THE
FOLKS WITH LIVED AND LIVING
EXPERIENCE OF PAIN THROUGHOUT
THE WHOLE PROCESS.
THESE ARE SEVEN AREAS AND
CO-CHAIRS, FIRST BEING HEALTH
EQUITY AND PAIN ACROSS THE LIFE
COURSE, CHAIRED BY TAMARA BAKER,
A FOCUSED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF
NON-ADDICTIVE THERAPEUTICS, JOHN
PRICE AND PAIN BIOMARKERS,
OPTIMIZATION OF INTERVENTION TO
IMPROVE PAIN, IMPLEMENTATION AND
HEALTH SERVICES HEADED BY LYNN
DEBAR WITH STEVE GEORGE.
INTERSECTION OF PAIN AND
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND
FINALLY PAIN RESEARCH WORKFORCE
TRAINING.
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
THE PROCESS WAS AS FOLLOWS.
SUBCOMMITTEES MET, DELIBERATED,
INFORMED BY MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS,
RFI.
THE SUBCOMMITTEES DEVELOPED A
LIST OF RESEARCH PRIORITIES,
WITHIN THEIR GROUPS, KATHLEEN
AND I WITH JACKIE WORKED TO --
THERE WAS A LOT OF OVERLAP AMONG
THE COMMITTEES SO WE WORKED TO
REFINE AND COMBINE SOME OF THOSE
TO GET DOWN TO A KIND OF MORE
SPECIFIC AND KIND OF HARMONIZED
ACROSS THE GROUPS SET OF
POTENTIAL PRIORITIES, SUBMITTED
THAT THROUGH THE FULL EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE TO A MODIFIED DELPHI
PROCESS, PRIORITIZED ALL OF
THOSE ACROSS ALL THE
SUBCOMMITTEES, BASED ON THEIR
ABILITY TO ADVANCE THE HEAL-PAIN
MISSION, HERE ON THE SCREEN.
WE CAME UP WITH WHAT WE'RE GOING
TO PRESENT IN TERMS OF RESEARCH
PRIORITIES.
IN ADDITION THERE WERE A NUMBER
OF ITEMS THAT WERE REALLY
CONSISTENTLY COMING UP ACROSS
ALL OF THEM.
SO, IN ADDITION TO SPECIFIC
RESEARCH PRIORITIES, THE REPORT
HAS A SET OF CORE PRINCIPLES,
AND THEN TEN SPECIFIC RESEARCH
PRIORITIES FOR HEAL PAIN THAT
WE'RE PRESENTING HERE THAT CAN
BE USED TO INFORM A STRATEGIC
PLAN.
AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE
THROUGH THOSE.
NEXT SLIDE.
I'M GOING THROUGH THE CORE
PRINCIPLES AND THE RESEARCH
PRIORITIES BUT NOT PRESENTED IN
ANY SPECIFIC ORDER.
THIS IS NOT A RANK ORDERING OF
ONE TO TEN BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL
VERY CLOSELY ALIGNED IN TERMS OF
CORE.
THIS IS A GOOD PROCESS TO COME
TO CONSENSUS.
CORE PRINCIPLES SHOWN HERE
ACROSS THE BOARD INVOLVEMENT OF
PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE OF
PAIN IN THE HEAL, NIH HEAL
RESEARCH, INCLUDES TRAINING OF
INVESTIGATORS IN TERMS OF
WORKING WITH PEOPLE, INCLUSION
OF PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE,
BASIC AND CLINICAL RESEARCH,
INCLUSION THROUGH DESIGN AND
DATA ANALYSIS.
THERE'S A REAL STRONG CONSENSUS
OF NEED FOR EDUCATION, WE HEARD
ABOUT THAT MORE EARLIER IN THE
OPEN SESSION TODAY.
BUT NEEDING TO FIND WAYS TO
IMPROVE RESEARCH DISSEMINATION,
FINDINGS TO THE PUBLIC COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT FOR CLINICAL TRIALS
AND PUBLIC CAMPAIGN TO HIGHLIGHT
IMPORTANCE AND IMPACT OF
RESEARCH ON PAIN, SOME OF THAT
IS WITHIN THIS SCOPE OF WHAT THE
NIH CAN DO, SOME IS NOT BUT
THERE ARE WAYS TO DO THAT WORK.
THERE ARE METHODOLOGICAL
PRINCIPLES FOR RESEARCH,
REPORTING OF SEX, LOG ONE, USE
OF AGED ANIMALS TO CAPTURE PAIN
ACROSS THE LIFESPAN, STUDY OF
CO-OCCURRING CONDITIONS,
INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL FACTORS, AND
INTEGRATION OF IMPLEMENTATION
PRINCIPLES INTO ALL THE CLINICAL
RESEARCH STUDIES DONE.
THE USE OF INTERDISCIPLINARY
TEAMS SHOULD BE USED TO
CAPITALIZE ON SKILLS AND
METHODOLOGIES.
AND THEN A WAY TO ENABLE AND
PRIORITIZE SECONDARY ANALYSIS OF
EXISTING DATASETS AND BIOLOGICAL
SAMPLES, MANY OF THOSE WHICH ARE
ALREADY STORED IN THE HEAL DATA
ECOSYSTEM USED TO YIELD INSIGHTS
INTO THE GENESIS AND MAINTENANCE
OF CHRONIC PAIN.
THE CORE PRINCIPLES ARE THINGS
THAT SHOULD PERMEATE AND NOW
WE'LL TOUCH ON THE SPECIFIC
RESEARCH PRIORITIES WITH THE
NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
THE FIRST OF THESE GOING TO THE
WORK FORCE AND TRAINING
COMMITTEE STRONG SUPPORT FOR
COMPREHENSIVE FELLOWSHIP, CAREER
DEVELOPMENT, RESEARCH SCHOLAR
AWARDS, NON-U.S. CITIZENS BEING
ELIGIBLE, FOSTER GROWTH, STRONG
POTENTIAL TO BRING THEM INTO THE
FOLD.
WE'VE SEEN IMPACT OF THAT,
PEOPLE COMING FROM OTHER FIELDS,
BRINGING NEW EXPERTISE TO THE
PAIN FIELD.
SO, STRONG SUPPORT FOR CAREER
DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY.
THE SECOND ON THE NEXT SLIDE,
SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF
MECHANISTICALLY VARIED AND
HIGHLY EFFICACIOUS MODALITIES,
DEVELOPED IN THE FIRST
GENERATION FIELD, GOING FROM
SMALL MOLECULE DESIGN TO
CLINICAL TRIALS, AND INCLUDING
PRE-CLINICAL SCREENING PLATFORM
FOR PAIN THAT RIGOROUS ANIMAL
RESEARCH EVALUATION PROGRAM THAT
WAS DEVELOPED.
WE WANT TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING
THOSE EXISTING PROGRAMS ON SMALL
MOLECULES BUT ONE OF THE MAIN
THINGS WAS TO MAKE SURE THIS IS
OPENED UP TO NEW THERAPEUTIC
MODALITIES LIKE MONOCLONAL
ANTIBODIES, mRNA-BASED
THERAPIES, TARGET PROTEIN
DEGRADATION, DIFFERENT WAYS NOT
CURRENTLY SUPPORTED, STRONG
SUPPORT FOR ENABLING
INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND
THERAPEUTIC DEVELOPMENT.
THIS IS A GOAL TO INVEST IN
RESEARCH WITH FOCUS ON HUMAN
BIOLOGY, WHICH THERE'S SOME OF
THAT DONE NOW IN HEAL 1.0 BUT
THE GOAL TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT
OF NOVEL THERAPEUTICS IN A
COUPLE WAYS.
FIRST IS TO NOMINATE HIGH
QUALITY TARGETS FOR DEVELOPMENT
OF NEW PAIN THERAPEUTICS BASED
ON HUMAN BIOLOGY.
AND IMPORTANTLY ANOTHER THING
THAT WAS EMPHASIZED WAS USING
WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THAT HUMAN
BIOLOGY AND DISEASE SPECIFIC TO
SUPPORT A NEW GENERATION OF MORE
PREDICTIVE AND SPECIFIC MODELS
TO FACILITATE THERAPEUTIC
DEVELOPMENT IN THE LABORATORY.
SO I'M GOING TO HAND OFF TO MY
COLLEAGUE KATHLEEN TO PICK UP
THE REST OF THE RESEARCH
PRIORITIES.
>> NEXT SLIDE.
GREAT.
SO THE REST OF THESE PRIORITIES,
AND THERE WERE A LOT MORE BUT WE
TRIED TO COME UP WITH SOME THAT
WERE -- SOMEWHAT ENCOMPASSING
BUT GEARED TOWARDS MOVING
CURRENT TREATMENT AND DISCOVERY
OF POTENTIAL NEW TREATMENTS,
PRIMARILY --
>> YOUR CALL MAY BE MONITORED
FOR QUALITY PURPOSES.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, PRESS ONE.
[LAUGHTER]
>> I'M GETTING SOMETHING.
ALL RIGHT.
WE'LL CONTINUE.
ANYWAYS, GEARED TOWARDS
IMPROVING THAT AND IDENTIFYING
MANY OF THESE IN HUMAN
POPULATIONS, AND THERE'S A FEW
INSTANCES WITH PRE-CLINICAL
STUDIES FACILITATING TRANSLATION
BOTH DIRECTIONS BETWEEN HUMANS
AND THE ANIMALS.
SO THE NEXT ONE THAT WE REALLY
ARE LOOKING AT IS TO DEVELOP
PAIN PREVENTION STRATEGIES THAT
PREVENT DEVELOPMENT OF CHRONIC
PAIN ALTOGETHER.
AND THE THOUGHT IS PEOPLE DON'T
WAKE UP ONE DAY WITH CHRONIC
PAIN SO IF WE CAN PREVENT IT
FROM TRANSITIONING TO CHRONIC
PAIN, WE WILL REDUCE THE BURDEN
OF CHRONIC PAIN ALTOGETHER.
AND SO IN ORDER TO DO THAT WE
HAVE TO DEVELOP AND TEST
SCREENING TOOLS AND BIOMARKERS
THAT CAN PREDICT THAT TRANSITION
TO CHRONIC PAIN BUT ALSO THAT
CAN PREDICT RESILIENCE AND
UNDERSTANDING THOSE COULD
POTENTIALLY GO BACK TO
THERAPEUTIC DEVELOPMENT BASED ON
THOSE BIOMARKERS.
THIS WOULD ENTAIL NOT ONLY
PREVENTING THE TRANSITION TO
CHRONIC PAIN AFTER ACUTE INJURY
BUT ALSO PREVENTING CHRONIC OR
ACUTE PAIN FROM OCCURRING FROM
WORKFORCE PROGRAMS,
DISEASE-MODIFYING TREATMENTS OR
LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS.
AND THEN LASTLY A LOT OF THESE,
THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF
PRE-CLINICAL STUDIES LOOKING AT
TRANSITION TO CHRONIC PAIN, SO A
LOT OF THIS COULD BE IF WE
IDENTIFY THESE MARKERS WE CAN
TAKE THEM TO ANIMALS AND SEE
WHAT THEIR ROLE IS OR IDENTIFY
MARKERS IN ANIMALS AND TAKE THEM
BACK TO HUMANS.
SO THIS ONE IS ABOUT PREVENTION
OF PAIN.
NEXT ONE.
RIGHT.
THE NEXT ONE IS REALLY TO
DEVELOP BIOMARKERS THAT PREDICT
TREATMENT RESPONSE.
SO WE ALL KNOW ONLY HALF OF
PEOPLE RESPOND TO ANY ONE GIVEN
TREATMENT, BUT WHAT ARE THE
FACTORS THAT IDENTIFY THOSE
PEOPLE AND RESPONDERS AND WHAT
ARE THE ONES THAT IDENTIFY THEY
ARE NOT RESPONDERS?
AND SO IN THE FIRST PLACE IN
ORDER TO DO THIS WE HAVE TO
IDENTIFY BIOMARKERS AND VARIOUS
RESPONSES THAT WILL PREDICT
THEIR TRANSITION.
PREDICT THEIR RESPONSE TO
TREATMENT, WITH THE HOPE THAT
EVENTUALLY WE CAN BETTER PICK
TREATMENTS.
RIGHT NOW MANY INDIVIDUALS WITH
CHRONIC PAIN, WE HEARD THIS FROM
OUR PEOPLE WITH LIVED
EXPERIENCE, WILL GO THROUGH
YEARS TRYING TO FIND OPTIMAL
TREATMENT AND WE'D LIKE TO CUT
THAT DOWN BY GETTING THEM TO THE
RIGHT TREATMENT SOONER.
IF WE CAN IDENTIFY THESE, THEY
COULD SERVE AS SURROGATE
ENDPOINTS IN CLINICAL TRIALS,
INCORPORATED, WILL REQUIRE
RIGOROUS VALIDATION AND WE CAN
BEGIN TO LOOK AT A NUMBER OF
PREDICTIVE AND PROGNOSTIC AS
WELL AS PHARMACODYNAMIC
BIOMARKERS FOR IMPROVING
TREATMENT RESPONSE.
OKAY.
NEXT.
THE OTHER THING WE INHERENTLY
KNOW IS THAT IF WE UNDERSTAND
THE MECHANISMS AND WE TREAT
WHAT'S GOING ON, THE UNDERLYING
CHANGES IN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM OR
THE BODY, THEN PERHAPS WE CAN
GET BETTER TREATMENT OUTCOME.
AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOW
WE DEVELOP OUR NEW THERAPEUTICS,
WE IDENTIFY MECHANISMS, DEVELOP
A DRUG FOR IT, AND WE TREAT
THAT.
AND SO WE'RE LOOKING TO SEE IN
THIS ONE IF WE CAN DEVELOP
INDIVIDUALIZED TAILORED
MECHANISM-BASED APPROACHES TO
THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC PAIN.
THIS IS REALLY GETTING TOWARDS
PERSONALIZED MEDICINE WHERE WE
ULTIMATELY WOULD LIKE TO BE.
IN ORDER TO DO THAT WE HAVE TO
DEVELOP PAIN BIOSIGNATURES OR
COMPOSITE PAIN SIGNATURES THAT
NOT ONLY INCLUDES BIOLOGICAL
MARKERS BUT PATIENT-RECORDED
OUTCOMES TO CAPTURE COMPLEXITY
AND NATURE OF PAIN, PSYCHOSOCIAL
PROCESSES AS WELL AS BIOLOGICAL
PROCESS.
IN ORDER TO ALSO DO THIS,
NON-PHARMACOLOGIC OR NON-DRUG
TREATMENT ALSO ARE KEY
TREATMENTS IN CHRONIC PAIN AND
PROVIDE ADDITIONAL HELP AND
RELIEF FOR PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC
PAIN, LIKE EXERCISE AND
ACUPUNCTURE OR OTHER COGNITIVE
BEHAVIORAL THERAPY BUT WE DON'T
KNOW MECHANISMS OF A LOT OF
THESE.
WE'RE BEGINNING TO GET SOME BUT
NEED TO UNDERSTAND THOSE THAT
ARE SO WE CAN BETTER USE THEM
AND WE NEED TO ACTUALLY TEST
WHETHER OR NOT USING THE
PERSONALIZED APPROACH WORKS
BETTER THAN STANDARD OF CARE WE
TYPICALLY GIVE A PERSON.
WE THINK THIS IS THE BEST
APPROACH, YET THERE ISN'T ANY
DATA TO SUGGEST THAT.
THE NEXT AIM, SO THE NEXT
PRIORITY WE CAME UP WITH WAS TO
LOOK AT DEVELOPING AND TESTING
KIND OF AN EVIDENCE-BASED
GUIDANCE FOR CLINICIANS APPROACH
TO CHRONIC PAIN WHERE WE
DETERMINE THE ORDER, THE TIMING,
WHAT SHOULD INITIAL THERAPY BE,
WHAT APPROACHES SHOULD BE
COMBINED, WHAT IS THE SEQUENCE
OF THOSE APPROACHES, DO THEY ALL
GO AT THE SAME TIME?
AND WHAT ARE NON-SPECIFIC
EFFECTS OF THOSE AND HOW DO WE
PUT THOSE ALL TOGETHER?
AND, AGAIN, IN ORDER TO DO THIS
YOU'LL SEE OFTENTIMES WHILE WE
HAVE SEPARATE ONES ON BIOMARKERS
YOU'LL SEE THEM COME UP AGAIN
AND AGAIN, WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY
THE PREDICTORS OF THE TREATMENT
RESPONSE IN ORDER TO HELP DOING
THIS.
WE NEED TO EVALUATE COMBINATIONS
OF THERAPIES.
NOT SINGLE THERAPIES ALL ON
THEIR OWN ANYMORE.
AND THEN THE TIMING OF WHEN TO
APPLY THESE APPROACHES, THERE'S
A BEST TIME TO APPLY EXERCISE,
RIGHT AWAY, OR SHOULD THAT BE
WAITING SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS LIKE
OFTENTIMES IT IS NOW?
WE NEED EVALUATE NOT ONLY
PHARMACOLOGICAL THERAPIES BUT WE
NEED TO EVALUATE THOSE IN
ADDITION AND COMBINED WITH
NON-DRUG APPROACHES AND
UNDERSTAND THE NON-SPECIFIC
EFFECTS OF THEIR INFLUENCE ON
PAIN.
AND MAYBE HOW TO MAXIMIZE THOSE
NON-SPECIFIC EFFECTS ON PAIN.
NEXT PRIORITY.
THIS PRIORITY IS ABOUT ONCE
WE'VE IDENTIFIED ALL THESE
REALLY GREAT STRATEGIES WE'VE
DEVELOPED SOME, WE NEED TO
FIGURE OUT TO YOU TO GET FROM
THE CLINIC, IF THEY WORK IN A
REAL WORLD SETTING.
THIS IS ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION.
AND LOOKING AT REALLY
PRIORITIZING CLINICAL TRIALS AND
COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH, AND WE
RECOGNIZE THAT THIS HAS BEEN A
BIG PART OF THE LAST HEAL
INITIATIVE, A NUMBER OF
PRAGMATIC CLINICAL TRIALS,
CLINICAL EFFECTIVENESS THAT
WORKS, THE PRISM NETWORK LOOKING
AT NON-DRUG THERAPIES IN THE
REAL WORLD, LIKELY USEFUL TO
CONTINUE BECAUSE THEY ARE NOW --
THESE ARE SOME BIG TRIALS NOW
COMING UP STARTING TO GET
RESEARCH DATA OUT FROM THE FIRST
SETS OF TRIALS.
BUT WE NEED TO ACTUALLY LOOK AT
THESE IN THE REAL WORLD.
WE NEED TO ALIGN THESE, WHAT CAN
BE DONE IN A REAL CLINICAL
SETTING, WHAT IS MEANINGFUL TO
THE STAKEHOLDERS, EITHER THE
HEALTHCARE SYSTEM PART OR THE
PAYERS, IN THIS CASE.
OR IF THE PEOPLE WITH LIVED
EXPERIENCE, WHETHER OR NOT
SHARED DECISION MAKING TOOLS ARE
HELPFUL AND SEE ABOUT
INTEGRATING THEM INTO THESE
TRIALS.
WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT
INTEGRATED CARE MODELS IN THE
HEALTH CARE SETTING.
AND VARIOUS COMMUNITY SETTINGS,
NOT JUST HEALTH CARE BUT ALSO
COMMUNITY SETTINGS PARTICULARLY
IN CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTS THAT MAY
HAVE LESS ACCESS TO A VARIETY OF
HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS.
THEN ONE OF THE OTHER KEY
FACTORS I THINK CAME OUT WAS
THAT IN ADDITION TO IMPLEMENTING
WHAT WE THINK ARE HIGH VALUE OR
QUITE EFFECTIVE AND EASY TO
IMPLEMENT INTERVENTIONS, THESE
NEED TO BE COMBINED WITH
DEIMPLEMENTING LOW VALUE MAYBE
HIGH RISK OR HIGH EXPENSE
INTERVENTIONS THAT ARE STILL
GOING ON ON A REGULAR BASIS IN
INDIVIDUALS WITH CHRONIC PAIN.
AND SO THIS IS REALLY WHERE THE
NEXT STAGE IS REALLY GETTING
THEM TO IMPLEMENTATION AND
EFFECTIVENESS IN THE REAL WORLD
SO THE NEXT PRIORITY, WE KNOW A
LOT OF PEOPLE GO ON TO CHRONIC
PAIN OR HAVE CHRONIC PAIN USE A
NUMBER OF SUBSTANCES, AND
SOMETIMES MISUSE SOME OF THOSE
SUBSTANCES, AND SO THIS PRIORITY
IS AROUND THE COMBINATION OF
SUBSTANCE USE AND PAIN TOGETHER,
AND IT IS TO IDENTIFY WHO --
WHICH POPULATIONS THAT ARE
DISPROPORTIONATELY AND HIGHLY
IMPACTED BY BOTH OF THESE, BOTH
PAIN AND SUBSTANCE USE, AND
UNDERSTAND THE MECHANISMS THAT
IMPACT THESE POPULATIONS.
AND TO DEVELOP AND TEST
INTERVENTIONS TO ADDRESS IMPACT.
NOT EVERYBODY WHO IS GIVEN AN
OPIOID FOR INSTANCE WILL DEVELOP
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.
OBVIOUSLY PROPORTION DO SO
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHICH ONES
ARE AND WHAT THOSE ARE,
PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH PAIN.
THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS DOWN
UNDERNEATH HERE ABOUT WHAT THOSE
INTERVENTIONS COULD BE, OR
SHOULD BE, REALLY TESTING
INTERVENTIONS WITH HIGH
POTENTIAL FOR IMPACT, LOOKING AT
UNDERLYING MECHANISMS AND THEIR
RELATIONSHIP, AND EVEN TAKING
THESE BACK TO AN IMPLEMENTATION
AND EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACHES
THAT ADDRESS THIS COMPLEXITY.
OKAY.
SO THE NEXT ONE.
AND THIS ONE WAS CALLED OUT AS A
SEPARATE ONE.
IT DIDN'T ACTUALLY START THERE
BUT THERE WAS A LOT OF THOUGHTS
AROUND THE USE OF NON-DRUG OR
NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENTS,
YET HASN'T BEEN CALLED OUT IN
SEPARATE CALLS BEFORE, SEPARATE
RESEARCH, AND IT'S BEEN EMBEDDED
ALONG WITH PHARMACEUTICAL
RESEARCH YET THERE'S A LOT WE
DON'T KNOW ABOUT THESE NON-DRUG
APPROACHES FOR TREATMENT OF
PAIN.
AND SO THIS IS A SEPARATE ENTITY
TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF
FOCUSING ON NON-DRUG APPROACHES.
WE KNOW THESE ARE OFTEN FIRST
LINE TREATMENTS FOR PEOPLE WITH
CHRONIC PAIN, PHYSICAL THERAPY
APPROACHES, EXERCISE,
ACUPUNCTURE OFTEN USED RIGHT
AWAY IN THE BEGINNING OR SHOULD
BE USED MORE FREQUENTLY SO THIS
SUGGESTS WE NEED TO IDENTIFY
THESE EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACHES
NOT ONLY FOR PAIN BUT ALSO FOR
ADDICTION.
PEOPLE WITH THE PAIN AND
SUBSTANCE USE, AND TAILOR THESE
ARE VERY USING HYBRID
IMPLEMENTATION TRIALS.
AND THEN, AGAIN, FOCUS ON
UNDERLYING GETTING MECHANISMS,
LOOKING FOR RESPONDER ANALYSIS
WHICH ARE OFTEN NOT DONE IN
THESE TRIALS, BUT WE NEED TO
BEGIN TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE
PREDICTORS ARE AND BIOMARKERS
ARE FOR THE RESPONDERS IN THESE
AS WELL.
AND THEN OPTIMAL TIMING OF THE
INTERVENTION.
AGAIN, SOME OVERLAP WITH SOME
OTHER PRIORITIES BY CALLING THIS
OUT AS A SEPARATE ENTITY.
AND I BELIEVE THAT MIGHT BE OUR
LAST PRIORITY.
NEXT SLIDE.
YES.
THIS IS A SUMMARY OF THEM IN ONE
SLIDE, IF YOU WANT, BUT YOU CAN
SEE THEY ARE WRAPPED AROUND
TRAINING, DRUG DEVELOPMENT,
BIOMARKERS, CLINICAL --
IMPROVING CLINICAL TREATMENT
ULTIMATELY IMPROVING CLINICAL
TREATMENT THROUGH CLINICAL
TRIALS AND IMPLEMENTATION
STUDIES.
NEXT SLIDE.
THIS WAS A MULTI-TEAM APPROACH,
FANTASTIC, ALL THESE MEMBERS WHO
SERVED ACROSS THE SEVEN
SUBGROUPS WERE VERY ENGAGED, AND
THIS WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DONE
WITHOUT THEM.
THIS IS JUST A LIST OF EVERYBODY
WHO PARTICIPATED, SO AS WELL AS
THAT VERY LONG LIST OF NIH STAFF
WHO HELPED US ALONG THIS JOURNEY
AS WE PUT THIS TOGETHER.
IT WAS A RATHER RAPID TIME
FRAME, SO AGAIN IT WOULDN'T HAVE
BEEN DONE WITHOUT A LOT OF
PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER IN A
REALLY THOUGHTFUL MANNER.
WITH THAT, I THINK THERE ARE NO
MORE SLIDES.
YEP, WE'LL JUST THANK YOU.
THIS WAS OUR WORKING GROUP AT
WashU AT ROB'S PLACE, THIS IS
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
THIS WAS AFTER WE HAD FINALIZED
OUR PRIORITIES.
WITH THAT WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT
HAVE OR TAKE ANY COMMENTS.
>> THANKS.
KATE HAS A QUESTION.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
>> GOT YOU KNOW.
>> THERE WAS BACKGROUND NOISE.
SO FIRST I WANT TO APOLOGIZE,
THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH MY LINK,
THANK YOU FOR PERSISTING.
I WANTED TO THANK BOTH OF YOU,
SOMEONE WHO IS TANGENTIALLY
INVOLVED, I KNOW HOW MUCH WORK
THIS ENTAILED AND I THINK THE
PRIORITIES ARE EXCELLENT AND
REALLY REFLECTIVE OF VERY
THOUGHTFUL PROCESS.
MY QUESTION GIVEN THE ENORMOUS
IMPORTANCE OF "HEAL" AND THE
PAIN ASPECT OF "HEAL" IS GIVEN
THIS IS AN INTACT REPORT AND WE
HAVE A NEW ADMINISTRATION WITH
NEW PRIORITIES AND SOME
DISCUSSION THAT WE HAD WITH DR.
BHATTACHARYA EARLIER, WHETHER
THERE WILL BE ANY THOUGHT TO HOW
TO COMMUNICATE SOME ASPECTS OF
THIS.
I FEEL LIKE SEVERAL THINGS ALIGN
WITH SOME PRIORITIES THAT HAVE
BEEN DISCUSSED TODAY, HUGE
BIOLOGY, TRANSLATION,
PREVENTION, THE ELEPHANT IN THE
ROOM IS ALSO DISCUSSIONS AROUND
D.E.I. AND HAVING SORT OF EQUITY
SPECIFICALLY INCLUDED AS A TERM,
ALTHOUGH I FEEL LIKE ALREADY IN
DESCRIBING SOME OF THIS THERE'S
BEEN WAYS OF FRAMING DISPARITIES
AS GOING FOR IMPACT OR PRECISION
MEDICINE AND DIFFERENT WAYS OF
SORT OF PUTTING LANGUAGE AROUND
THIS THAT MIGHT BE LESS
ALIENATING TO A NEW
ADMINISTRATION.
I GUESS THIS IS A LARGER
QUESTION BUT I'M CONCERNED THIS
URGENT WORK GO FORWARD IN A WAY
THAT'S ACCEPTABLE AND APPEAL
PERHAPS TO A SHIFT IN
PRIORITIES.
THANKS.
>> YES, THANKS, KATE.
HAVING LOOKED BACK AT THIS AND
DISCUSSED THIS WITH OTHERS ON
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE I FEEL
PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THIS REPORT
WITH RESPECT TO THOSE CONCERNS,
SPECIFICALLY.
FIRST OF ALL, CHRONIC PAIN IS OF
COURSE A MAJOR DEBILITATING
CHRONIC CONDITION.
AND MANY OF THE THINGS THESE
PROCESS CAME UP WITH DO ALIGN
WELL WITH MANY OF THOSE
PRIORITIES.
I THINK THE COUNCIL CAN READ
THIS AND SEE, THIS IS AN
EXTERNAL REPORT TO NINDS, AND
THEY WILL, YOU KNOW, PUT THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS APPROPRIATELY.
I THINK THE GROUP WAS THOUGHTFUL
WITH RESPECT TO THOSE CONCERNS
THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
KATHLEEN, DID YOU WANT TO
ANSWER?
>> WHAT ROB SAID IS ABSOLUTELY
RIGHT.
WE DID WRITE INTO THE REPORT
RIGHT UP FRONT ACTUALLY THIS WAS
A CHRONIC DISEASE, PAIN IS
ASSOCIATED WITH MOST IF NOT MANY
CHRONIC DISEASES, AND IT IS A
MAJOR BURDEN TO THE U.S.
WE ALSO PUT AND HAD LONG
DISCUSSIONS HOW TO ADDRESS
DISPARITIES AND HEALTH EQUITY,
AND WE DIDN'T REMOVE IT.
WE MAY HAVE WORDSMITHED BUT
DIDN'T REMOVE IT.
AND WE KEPT THAT IN THERE
BECAUSE, AGAIN, IT'S AN EXTERNAL
REPORT AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS
VITALLY IMPORTANT TO KEEP IT IN.
SO, I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO SEE
THE QUESTIONS YOU ASKED GOING
BEYOND WHAT WE CAN DO BUT THERE
SHOULD BE SOME METHOD OF
DISSEMINATING AND SOME METHOD OF
HOPEFULLY IMPLEMENTING IT.
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT WILL
BE AT THIS POINT.
FIRST WE HAVE TO GET IT HERE
BEFORE WE CAN MOVE IT TO THE
NEXT STAGE PROPERLY.
>> THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THE
CHAT.
>> I HAD A QUESTION IF I MAY.
VERY COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO
ALMOST THE TOTALITY OF HOW WE
UNDERSTAND CHRONIC DISEASE AND
ACUTE ASPECTS OF PAIN IN MANY
DIMENSIONS, THANK YOU FOR SUCH A
COMPREHENSIVE SORT STRATEGIC
PLAN.
MY QUESTION IS THIS.
YOU'VE BEEN IN EXISTENCE, THE
HEAL INITIATIVE HAS BEEN IN PLAY
FOR SEVERAL YEARS, EMPHASIZING
DOLLARS SPENT, 40 TRIALS,
SPECTACULAR.
IS THERE SOMEWHERE A SUMMARY OF
WHAT'S BEEN LEARNED, APART FROM
STRATEGIC PLAN?
I DON'T DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT I.
[ LOUD TONE ]
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
SO, MY QUESTION IS, IS THERE
SOMEWHERE A SUMMARY OF THE
ACTUAL CONCRETE THINGS THAT HAVE
BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN TERMS OF
SPECIFICS OUT OF HEAL
INITIATIVE?
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU MENTIONED WHICH
IS SO IMPORTANT NON-ADDICTIVE
THERAPEUTICS AND THEIR
DEVELOPMENT, YOU HAVE A
COMMITTEE WITH 12 PEOPLE, RIGHT?
SO YOU ALLUDE TO ANTIBODY
MANAGEMENT, MAYBE NUCLEIC ACIDS,
SMALL MOLECULES, ION MARKERS.
YOU HAVE A COMMITTEE, WHAT HAVE
WE LEARNED?
AS YOU TALK ABOUT DISSEMINATING
TO THE GREATER PUBLIC SEEMS
EQUALLY IMPORTANT IS TELLING THE
PUBLIC WHAT HAS BEEN LEARNED SO
FAR.
SO THERE MUST BE A SUMMARY OF
THAT SOMEWHERE, IMPORTANT IN
TERMS OF JUSTIFYING DOLLARS THAT
ARE BEING APPROPRIATELY ENOUGH
BEING PUT INTO THIS.
>> YES, THANK YOU.
THERE IS.
THERE IS, YEAH, WALTER JUST PUT
THIS IN THE CHAT.
THERE'S AN ANNUAL REPORT FROM
THE HEAL INITIATIVE ON PROGRESS
THAT'S BEEN MADE.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S EASILY
DIGESTIBLE BY THE PUBLIC.
AND I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO IN
FACT ONE OF THE CORE PRINCIPLES
THIS STUFF, WE'RE ALL
RECOGNIZING NOW, NEEDS TO BE
COMMUNICATED MORE CLEARLY, AND
ANOTHER LINK IN THIS, IN THE
CHAT THERE, THAT EMPHASIZES SOME
OF THAT.
BUT HAVING THESE REPORTS DOESN'T
DO MUCH UNLESS THAT INFORMATION
GETS DISTRIBUTED.
AND THAT IS AN AREA OF MAJOR
FOCUS DISCUSSIONS WITHIN THE NIH
AND THERE'S -- THEY DO WHAT THEY
CAN.
THEY ARE NICE REPORTS, BUT THOSE
DON'T ALWAYS GET OUT THERE.
IT'S REALLY UP TO THE COMMUNITY,
RESEARCH COMMUNITY, TO BE
PATIENT ADVOCACY GROUPS TO DO A
BETTER JOB AND THERE'S A TON OF
DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW TO MAKE
THAT HAPPEN.
[CROSSTALK]
>> GIVE US A CONCRETE ACCOUNTING
OF YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS IN ENGLISH,
THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING, YEAH.
THANK YOU.
>> AGREED.
>> I AGREE.
WE NEED TO DISSEMINATE NOT ONLY
TO THE SCIENTISTS BUT BACK TO
THE PUBLIC SOMEHOW.
THERE'S AN EFFORT TO GET SOME
THINGS OUT, MAYBE NOT SPECIFIC
TO "HEAL" BUT MAYBE THAT'S
SOMETHING WE CAN GET TO OTHERS
TO TRY AND DO FROM ADVOCACY
GROUPS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE -- WE NEED
TO GET IT FARTHER DISSEMINATED.
LYNN?
>> U.S. ASSOCIATION FOR STUDY OF
PAIN.
>> I'LL SAY A COUPLE THINGS, WE
TALKED A LOT ABOUT THIS IN OUR
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING IN
JANUARY ABOUT EDUCATION AND HOW
TO DO THAT IN A MUCH MORE ROBUST
WAY.
I KNOW UP UNTIL RECENTLY AND
THAT'S BEEN AFFECTED AT WELL
THERE WAS A COMMUNICATIONS ARM
OF "HEAL" THAT WAS REALLY PUT
TOGETHER FOR THIS PURPOSE SO I
THINK WHATEVER CAN BE UTILIZED
FROM THAT EVEN IF THAT EFFORT
IS, YOU KNOW, LESS ROBUST THAN
IT WAS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND I THINK THINGS ARE JUST
STARTING TO ROLL OUT GIVEN THE
TIMING OF WHEN A LOT OF THESE
TRIALS STARTED.
SO IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT
COMMENT, ACTIONABLE TIME.
THE ONLY OTHER COMMENT I WANT TO
MAKE, I WANT TO THANK ROB AND
KATHLEEN AND JACKIE WARD WHO IS
NOT HERE AND WALTER WHO JUST DID
SUCH A TREMENDOUS JOB OF THIS
AND I GUESS ONE OF THE THINGS I
WANT TO SAY I WAS IMPRESSED WITH
AS A MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE
COMMUNITY EVEN BEFORE BUDGETARY
RESTRAINTS THERE WAS SO MUCH
EFFORT TO LOOK AT THE SYNERGIES
ACROSS THESE DOMAINS OF SCIENCE
AND REALLY BE VERY JUDICIOUS IN
THE NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS
AND WAYS WHICH THESE THINGS
COULD BE INTERWOVEN.
SO I THINK IF THERE ARE WAYS
THAT THESE CAN BE ACTED ON IT
GIVES ME MORE CONFIDENCE THAT IT
CAN REALLY MOVE MULTIPLE AREAS
OF SCIENCE FORWARD.
SO IT WAS JUST A TREMENDOUS
HONOR TO BE INVOLVED IN IT AND I
THINK REALLY GOOD PRODUCT.
>> HANK HERE.
THANK YOU FOR THE OVERVIEW.
ONE COMMENT, ONE THING WHERE YOU
COULD TAKE MORE ORDINARY
LANGUAGE TO MAKE THE SAME POINT,
WHEN HAVE YOU THAT MANY
RECOMMENDATION POINTS, SOME READ
IN A WONKY WAY, AS ROB SAID IT'S
A WONKY DESCRIPTION, ORDINARY
LANGUAGE THOSE THINGS TO BE
UNDERSTANDABLE TO THE SCIENTIFIC
COMMUNITY AND NIH BUT BEYOND.
I TOOK THIS TIME TO LOOK THROUGH
THE 2024 REPORT.
IT READS VERY WELL.
THE QUESTION IS WHO DOES SEE
THAT REPORT?
WHAT ASPECTS OF THE REPORT ARE
EXTRACTED AND SENT TO THE
PUBLIC?
WALTER MENTIONED OPIOIDS, LAST
NEWS IN THE LAST COUPLE DAYS BUT
I DON'T SEE BIG NEWS ABOUT
IMPACTS OF PAIN INITIATIVE WORK.
IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT, JUST WE
DON'T HAVE A COMMUNICATIONS TEAM
TO DO THAT.
IS THE ANNUAL REPORT SEEN BY THE
POPULATIONS YOU WANT TO HAVE SEE
IT?
>> NO.
>> NO, IT NEEDS TO BE, YOU'RE
RIGHT, HANK.
TOTALLY NEEDS TO BE.
THROUGHOUT THE COMMITTEE WE
TALKED ABOUT HOW POOR A JOB
WE'VE DONE.
THAT HAS TO COME FROM MULTIPLE
SOURCES, NIH MAYBE NEEDS TO DO A
BETTER JOB COMMUNICATING
REPORTS, AND AS A COMMUNITY WE
NEED TO PICK IT UP AND PUSH IT
OUT AS WELL.
AND WE HAVEN'T.
WE SPENT THE LAST 20 YEARS
TRYING TO GET FUNDING TO IMPROVE
PAIN RESEARCH AND WE FINALLY GOT
THERE SO NOW WE'RE ON THE NEXT
PAGE I THINK IS HOW TO GET IT
OUT THERE.
A GOOD COMMENT.
>> THERE'S A LOT OF ENERGY,
HANK, AROUND MAKING SURE THAT WE
DON'T JUST PUBLISH A PAPER AND
SAY, AH, THERE, DONE, MISSION
ACCOMPLISHED.
IT'S A PUBLIC CAMPAIGN.
BEYOND THE PURVIEW OF NIH,
ACTUALLY, BUT WE NEED TO TAKE
THAT AS A COMMUNITY AND FIND A
WAY TO DO THAT.
BROADLY, NOT JUST FOR PAIN.
>> YEAH.
I THINK THIS IS A SYMPTOM OF
WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, IN
TERMS OF MESSAGING THE VALUE OF
THE RESEARCH.
I WOULD JUST BE HONEST THAT NIH
IS THE WEAKEST PARTNER AT THIS
TIME, PROBABLY WEAKER THAN EVER
BEFORE.
WE HAVE TO RELY ON TRUSTED
SPOKESFOLKS.
IN TERMS OF THE HEAL INITIATIVE
WE DID THE NEUROBIOLOGY DISEASE
COURSE, CLIFFORD WOOLF GAVE A
TALK ON PAIN.
THINGS HAVE JUST EXPLODED IN
TERMS OF THE SCIENCE OF PAIN AND
CLIFFORD CERTAINLY HAD A LOT TO
DO WITH IT BUT THEN THERE'S
POTENTIALLY BREAKTHROUGHS,
COMPANIES WERE NEVER INTERESTED,
HAVE NOT BEEN INTERESTED IN PAIN
FOR A LONG TIME BECAUSE OF ALL
THE FAILURES BUT THERE'S BEEN
RECENT BREAKTHROUGHS THERE, AND
IT WAS ALL BASED ON BASIC
SCIENCE THAT THEY PICKED UP ON
AND WE HAVE PROJECTS HERE TO GET
THINGS TO PATIENTS, THOSE ALSO I
THINK ARE LOOKING PROMISING.
SO WE HAVE A GOOD STORY.
WE'RE NOT SELLING BAD GOODS
HERE, GUYS.
WE'RE NOT MAKING ANYTHING UP.
WE HAVE FIGURE OUT HOW TO LET
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND PARTICULARLY
PEOPLE HAVE BAD PAIN, IT'S HARD
TO BE ENTHUSIASTIC WHEN WE DON'T
HAVE SOMETHING FOR THE PERSON IN
FRONT OF YOU.
BUT I THINK WE'RE DEFINITELY
MAKING PROGRESS.
>> IF YOU KNOW WHAT THE SOUND
IS, CUT IT OFF.
>> YEAH, EXACTLY.
>> DO WE HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING
THIS PRESENTATION?
OKAY.
SO, WE NEED TO APPROVE THESE
RECOMMENDATIONS.
CAN I GET A MOTION TO APPROVE?
>> I'LL MAKE THE MOTION IF
NOBODY ELSE WILL.
>> I'LL SECOND IT.
>> WHOEVER IS WASHING THEIR
HANDS ... OR WAS THAT OUR MOTION
TO APPROVE?
DID SOMEONE MOTION?
>> FROM LOUISE AND THEN I
SECONDED.
>> THANK YOU.
THAT WAS COVERED UP BY THE HAND
WASHING.
OKAY.
SO, AGAIN, AUDIBLE VOTE.
BOB?
>> YES.
>> YISHI?
>> YES.
>> JANE?
>> YES.
>> JIN MU.
>> APPROVE.
>> JOHN?
>> APPROVE.
>> LOUISE?
>> APPROVE.
>> HANK?
>> APPROVE.
>> THANK YOU.
OKAY.
NEXT UP, I WANT TO MAKE A
MENTION WE HAVE TWO MORE ITEMS
ON THE AGENDA, A CONCEPT
CLEARANCE AND A PUBLIC COMMENT.
AND WE'RE A LITTLE BEHIND
SCHEDULE.
SO WE WERE THINKING OF JUST
BREAKING AT THE END OF THE OPEN
SESSION AND DOING THE CLOSED
SESSION TOMORROW.
I'M SEEING NODS.
IS THAT OKAY WITH YOU, WALTER?
>> THAT'S FINE WITH ME.
>> OKAY.
THAT'S THE EASIEST DIVISION.
SO LET'S JUMP INTO THIS CONCEPT
CLEARANCE.
AS YOU KNOW BEFORE WE LAUNCH A
NEW INITIATIVE WE'VE ASK COUNCIL
FOR CONCEPT CLEARANCE AND AS I
MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY THERE'S A
NEW APPROVAL PROCESS FOR THIS
REQUIRING BOTH NIH AND HHS LEVEL
CLEARANCE BEFORE THEY CAN COME
TO COUNCIL.
ACTUALLY FOR THE HHS LEVEL IT'S
NOT GOING TO BE REQUIRED BEFORE
THINGS COME TO COUNCIL, THAT WAS
A NEW MOVE LAST WEEK.
BUT IN GENERAL WE'RE TRYING TO
ALIGN THE CONCEPTS THAT WE PUT
BEFORE YOU WITH NIH PRIORITIES
BEFORE THEY ARE IN COUNCIL.
AND BECAUSE OF THIS NEW PROCESS
WE ONLY HAVE ONE CONCEPT TO
APPROVE TODAY, WHICH IS U24 BIO
AND DATA REPOSITORY.
WE TYPICALLY DON'T DISCUSS THESE
UNLESS THERE'S SIGNIFICANT
CHANGES THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED.
OR IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT
ANYONE WANTS TO CALL ATTENTION
TO, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR
CONCERNS ABOUT THE CONCEPT THAT
YOU SEE IN YOUR ECB?
OKAY.
HEARING NONE, THEN WE WILL VOTE
ON THE CONCEPT.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE
IT?
>> (INAUDIBLE).
>> I'LL TAKE THAT.
>> I SECOND.
>> SECOND, THANK YOU.
BOB?
>> YES.
>> YISHI?
>> YES.
>> JANE?
>> YES.
>> JIN MU.
>> APPROVED.
>> JOHN?
>> APPROVE.
>> LOUISE.
>> APPROVE.
>> HANK.
>> APPROVE.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
BEFORE WE ADJOURN WE HAVE THE
PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO THIS IS A SUBMISSION IN THE
FORM OF A LETTER FROM DR. JARROD
BAILEY, DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL
RESEARCH FROM THE PHYSICIANS
COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE
MEDICINE.
YOU CAN FIND THIS IN THE ECB.
HE WRITES ON BEE BEHALF OF THE
COMMITTEE TO COMMENT ON SUPPORT
FOR HUMAN BASED NON-ANIMAL BASED
APPROACHES SPECIFICALLY
COMMENTING ON THOSE LAUNCHED IN
2024 WITH THE COMPLEMENT ANIMAL
RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTATION
COMMON FUND PROGRAM WHICH
ACCELERATES DEVELOPMENT,
STANDARDIZATION, VALIDATION, AND
USE OF NEW APPROACH
METHODOLOGIES.
AND ALSO THE APRIL 29, 2025, NIH
INITIATIVE TO PRIORITIZE
HUMAN-BASED RESEARCH
TECHNOLOGIES WHILE REDUCING
ANIMAL USE.
THE LETTER RECOMMENDS THAT NINDS
BUILD ON THESE NIH EFFORTS BY
PRIORITIZING DEVELOPMENT AND USE
OF HUMAN-BASED METHODS FOR
NEUROLOGICAL RESEARCH AND NUMBER
TWO, PHASING OUT USE OF
NON-HUMAN PRIMATES IN
NEUROLOGICAL RESEARCH.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS ABOUT THE PUBLIC
COMMENT?
OKAY.
HEARING NONE, THIS CONCLUDES OUR
OPEN SESSION.
WE'RE ADJOURNED.
AND WE WILL RECONVENE TOMORROROR