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NIH Director's Response to Stem Cell Injunction
"Human embryonic stem cell research holds great promise for the development of treatments for people threatened by potentially curable diseases. The recent court ruling that halted the federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research could cause irreparable damage and delay potential breakthroughs to improve care for people living with serious diseases and conditions such as spinal cord injury, diabetes, or Parkinson's disease. The injunction threatens to stop progress in one of the most encouraging areas of biomedical research, just as scientists are gaining momentum--and squander the investment we have already made. The possibility of using these cells to replace those that have been damaged by disease or injury is one of the most breathtaking advances we can envision. Human embryonic stem cells also represent a powerful new approach to the early stages of screening for new drugs, and may hold the secrets to creating entirely new, targeted clinical therapies. We must move forward--without delay--to sustain this field of research that provides so much hope for thousands of patients and their families."
Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., Director, National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) -- The Nation's Medical Research Agency -- includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases.
For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
This Statement from the NIH Director is available online at:
http://www.nih.gov/about/director/08262010statement_stemcellinjunction.htm.
LAWRENCE A. TABAK NAMED PRINCIPAL DEPUTY DIRECTOR NIH
National Institutes of Health Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., today announced the appointment of Lawrence A. Tabak, D.D.S., Ph.D., as principal deputy director of the National Institutes of Health.
"I am delighted to have Dr. Tabak as deputy director during this critical time for biomedical research," said Dr. Collins. "His outstanding service in numerous activities across the NIH and combination of skills and experience will help the NIH move forward in these revolutionary times for the biomedical sciences."
"I am very pleased to have the opportunity to work more closely with Dr. Collins and his leadership team to contribute to NIH's continued success in supporting biomedical research, career development and training," said Dr. Tabak. "While I will surely miss my day-to-day interactions with my colleagues at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, and the members of the dental, oral and craniofacial research community, it will be a great privilege to serve NIH in this new way."
Dr. Tabak assumes the position held by Raynard Kington, M.D., Ph.D. Dr. Kington served as NIH deputy director since 2003, as well as acting NIH Director from October 2008 to August 2009. Dr. Kington is leaving the NIH to become the president of Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa.
Dr. Tabak has served as the director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research from September 2000. He served as acting NIH deputy director in 2009 and most recently as the acting director of the Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiative.
He came to NIH from the School of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Rochester, where he had most recently been the senior associate dean for research, director of the Center for Oral Biology, professor of dentistry, and professor of biochemistry and biophysics. While maintaining an active research lab within the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Dr. Tabak's major research focus has been on the biosynthesis and function of mucin-glycoproteins, molecules that are heavily decorated with sugars and help form the coating that protects the delicate inner soft (mucosal) tissues of the body.
A native of Brooklyn, New York, Dr. Tabak received his undergraduate degree from City College of the City University of New York, his D.D.S. from Columbia University, and both a Ph.D. and certificate of proficiency in endodontics from the University of Buffalo. A former NIH MERIT recipient, Dr. Tabak has received several honors and awards for his work including being elected as a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies and as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) -- The Nation's Medical Research Agency -- includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
This NIH Press Release is also available online.
NIH Announces DPCPSI Director
NIH announced the appointment of James M. Anderson, M.D., Ph.D., as the Director of the NIH Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI).
Dr. Anderson is currently Professor and Chair of the Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology in the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a position he has held since 2002. Before his appointment at Chapel Hill, he was Professor of Medicine and Cell Biology and Chief, Section of Digestive Diseases, at the Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Anderson has extensive clinical experience in both Internal Medicine and Hepatology, and he is considered among the top authorities in the world in his primary research field of tight junctions and paracellular transport. He has been a principal investigator on NIH grants for almost twenty years.
"With experience in clinical medicine, in academic research, and in administration, Dr. Anderson has a broad understanding of the biomedical research spectrum that will serve him and the NIH well as he works with us to evaluate, prioritize, and coordinate a wide range of trans-NIH research opportunities. I am thrilled to have recruited him to NIH," said Dr. Collins.
The NIH DPCPSI mission includes identifying emerging scientific opportunities, rising public health challenges, and scientific knowledge gaps that merit further research. The Division plans and implements trans-NIH initiatives supported by the Common Fund and coordinates research related to AIDS, behavioral and social sciences, women's health, and disease prevention.
To see the NIH Press Release, please visit:
http://www.nih.gov/news/health/aug2010/od-09.htm
APPOINTMENT OF PAT WHITE AS ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR LEGISLATIVE POLICY AND ANALYSIS, NIH
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIH News
NIH Office of the Director (OD)
For Immediate Release: Monday, March 1, 2010
FROM:
Director, NIH
SUBJECT:
Appointment of Pat White as Associate Director for Legislative Policy and Analysis, NIH
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Francis Patrick "Pat" White as the new Associate Director for Legislative Policy and Analysis, NIH. He will join us at the NIH in the next few weeks. I want to express my personal thanks to Roz Gray for skillfully guiding the Office of Legislative Policy and Analysis (OLPA) as its Acting Director for the past ten months.
Mr. White has most recently been serving as Vice President for Federal Relations at the Association of American Universities (AAU). In that position, he developed and executed advocacy strategies for AAU's president and the leadership of the 60 top research universities in the United States. Before working at AAU, he was Director of Legislative Relations for the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) from 2000 to 2003 and Director of Public Affairs for the American Association of Immunologists (AAI) from 1993 to 2000. Pat also has experience in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and as Chief of Staff for a Michigan Congressman, the late Robert W. Davis.
Please join me in welcoming Pat to the NIH leadership team, congratulating him on his appointment, and offering him your full support as he begins his work with us.
Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D.
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Major Changes to NIH Applications. Be Prepared!
Dear NIH principal investigators, signing officials, and applicants,
Are you planning to submit an NIH grant application? If so, please note that all applications intended for due dates on or after January 25, 2010* require the use of new forms and instructions. Major changes include:
- Restructured forms to align with review criteria
- Significantly shorter page limits
These changes apply to all competing applications, so whether you are submitting a new, renewal, resubmission or revision, you must take action now to ensure a successful submission!
- Return to the updated funding opportunity announcement or reissued parent announcement to download the new application package and instructions.
- FOAs are in the process of being updated. See timeline for more information.
- Be sure to choose the correct forms. Applications intended for due dates on or after January 25 require new forms.
- For Electronic SF 424 (R&R): ADOBE-FORMS-B
- For Paper PHS 398: Revision date “June 2009”
- Read the updated FOA and new application instructions carefully
For more details the Enhancing Peer Review Web site which has a page dedicated to the upcoming application changes, as well as a number of additional resources including:
Sincerely,
NIH Office of Extramural Research
Division of Communications and Outreach
* Applicants eligible for continuous submission who are submitting R01, R21, and R34 AIDS applications should use the old SF 424 (R&R) ADOBE-FORMS-A on or before February 7, 2010 and the new SF 424 (R&R) ADOBE-FORMS-B thereafter. Non-AIDS applications from applicants eligible for continuous submission need to us ADOBE-FORMS-A on or before January 24, and the ADOBE-FORMS-B on or after January 25, 2010.
Receive monthy updates on NIH grant policies and activities through the NIH Extramural Nexus.
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Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D. Confirmed as the 16th Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The AFMR is pleased to announce that Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D. has been confirmed as the 16th director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Collins has been a member of the AFMR since 1990 and his contributions to the fields of science and medicine have been remarkable. The AFMR is extremely proud to have him as a member.
Read Dr. Collins' article about New Cancer Treatments
View more about Dr. Collins' appointment
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The NIH Clinical Collection (NCC), a plated array of approximately 450 clinically tested compounds, is now available for distribution through www.nihclinicalcollection.com. There is a cost recovery charge of $805.00 for the collection.
Similar collections of FDA approved drugs have proven to be rich sources of undiscovered bioactivity and therapeutic potential. The clinically tested compounds in the NCC are highly drug-like with known safety profiles. These compounds can provide excellent starting points for medicinal chemistry optimization and, for high-affinity targets, may even be appropriate for direct human use in new disease areas. The compounds come as a ready-to-screen kit with the following features:
Format: The collection contains approximately 450 compounds arrayed in six 96-well plates. Compounds are supplied as 50ul of a 10mM solution in 100% DMSO.
Selection criteria: The NCC consists almost entirely of drugs that have been in phase I-III clinical trials and have not been represented in other available collections. These compounds also have favorable attributes for inclusion in a screening collection, such as purity, solubility and commercial availability for re-supply.
Drug-likeness: By definition, compounds that have been tested in human clinical trials have highly developed properties of drug-likeness, such as bioavailability and stability. Having been used in humans, most of these compounds also have well-characterized safety profiles.
Extensive Bioactivity Profiles: The NCC compounds are part of the screening library for the NIH Roadmap Molecular Libraries Screening Centers Network (MLSCN). Thus, extensive bioactivity data on these compounds from dozens of high throughput screens will be publicly available through PubChem. Through ongoing screening within and outside the MLSCN, the body of knowledge about these compounds will be continually expanding.
Resupply: All of the compounds in the NCC are commercially available for re-supply. Sources of compounds for the NCC are listed in the compound database.
The NCC was assembled by the National Institutes of Health through the Molecular Libraries Roadmap Initiative as part of its mission to enable the use of compound screens in biomedical research.
The NIH Roadmap for Medical Research is a series of far-reaching initiatives designed to transform the nation’s medical research capabilities and speed the movement of research discoveries from the bench to the bedside. It provides a framework of the priorities the NIH must address in order to optimize its entire research portfolio and lays out a vision for a more efficient and productive system of medical research. For more information about the NIH Roadmap, please visit the Web site at http://nihroadmap.nih.gov.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's Medical Research Agency — is comprised of 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.
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The objective of the Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (K08) is to continue the long standing NIH support of didactic study and mentored research for individuals with clinical doctoral degrees. This award provides support and “protected time” for an intensive, supervised research career development experience in the fields of biomedical or behavioral research, including translational research. For the purpose of this award, translational research is defined as application of basic research discoveries toward the diagnosis, management, and prevention of disease.
An award is for a period of 3 to 5 years and provides support for salary and research-related costs. The amount funded as salary for a career development award varies among the NIH participating Institutes and Centers (ICs). Therefore, the applicant is strongly advised to contact the relevant IC for any distinct guidelines, requirements, and allowable funds. Candidates for K08 award must have a clinical doctoral degree. Applications must contain a career development plan as well as a research plan. The participating NIH Institutes and Centers may have distinctive guidelines, requirements, and funding amounts for this announcement in order to accommodate the career needs of researchers working in fields related to their specific research missions.
For more information, please go to: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-06-512.html#SectionI
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NCRR News
The National Center for Research Offers Clinical and Translational Science Awards
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