National Advisory Council (NANDSC) Meeting - May 2016

May 26, 2016 | 8:00 - May 27, 2016 | 11:00

Contact: Kelly P. Baker
Contact Number: 301-496-9248
Contact Email: bakerke@mail.nih.gov
Location:

NIH, Building 31, Conference Room 10

Videocast


The 196th meeting of the National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council on May 26-27, 2016. For more information, visit the Advisory Council web page.

Related Resources

Agenda

May 26, 2016

Open Session
Time Agenda Item
8:00 a.m. I.   Call to Order and Opening Remarks
       Dr. Walter Koroshetz, Chairperson
       Director, NINDS
8:05 a.m.

II.   Report of the Director, Division of Extramural Activities, NINDS
        Dr. Robert Finkelstein
       Associate Director, Division of Extramural Activities
       Executive Secretary, NANDS Council
      
       A. Consideration of Minutes of February 4, 2016, Meeting

       B. Confirmation of Dates for Future Council Meetings
             Thursday and Friday, September 15-16, 2016
             Thursday and Friday, February 9-10, 2017
             Thursday and Friday, May 18-19, 2017
             Thursday and Friday, September 7-8, 2017
             Thursday and Friday, May 24-25, 2018  
             Thursday and Friday, September 13-14, 2018   

       C. Other Items           
            Expedited Review Process
            Extramural Announcements

8:15 a.m.

III.   Report of the Director, NINDS
         Dr. Walter Koroshetz

9:15 a.m.

IV.  Trends in NINDS R21 Grant Funding
       Dr. Christine Torborg, Health Science Policy Analyst
       Office of Science Policy and Planning, NINDS

10:00 a.m.

BREAK

10:15 a.m. V.   Update on the Research Program Award (R35)
       Dr. Robert Finkelstein, Director, Division of Extramural Research, NINDS
11:00 a.m.

VI.   National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) Vision
        Dr. Eliseo Perez-Stable, Director, NIMHD 

12:00 p.m.

LUNCH

1:15 p.m.

VII.   Update on NINDS Funding of Basic Research
         Dr. Anna Taylor, Health Program Specialist
         Division of Extramural Research, NINDS

         Dr. Robert Riddle, Program Director
         Neurogenetics Cluster, NINDS

2:00 p.m. VIII.   Concept Clearance for Proposed Initiative

           ME/CFS Research Consortium
           Dr. Vicky Whittemore, Program Director
           Channels, Synapses & Circuits Cluster, NINDS
2:30 p.m. BREAK
2:45 p.m.

CLOSED SESSION

This portion of the meeting is being closed to the public in accordance with the provisions set forth in sections 552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6), Title 5, U.S. Code and Section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. Appendix 2).

IX.   Review of Conflict of Interest, Confidentiality, and Council Procedures;
        Council Consideration of Pending Applications

        Dr. Robert Finkelstein
        Executive Secretary, NANDS Council

5:00 p.m. Adjournment (*This time is tentative.)


May 27, 2016

Closed Session
Time Agenda Item
8:00 a.m.

X.    Consideration of Pending Applications (Continued)
        Dr. Robert Finkelstein
        Executive Secretary, NANDS Council

11:00 a.m.* Adjournment (*This time is tentative.)

Meeting Minutes

Summary of Meeting1
 

The National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NANDS) Council was convened for its 196th meeting on May 26, 2016, in Building 31, C Wing, 6th Floor, Conference Room 10, on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) campus in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Walter Koroshetz, Director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), served as Chairperson.

In accordance with Public Law 92-463, the meeting was:

Open: May 26, 2016: 8:02 a.m. to 2:35 p.m. for the review and discussion of program development, needs, and policy; and
Closed: May 26, 2016: 2:35 p.m. to 4:25 p.m. for the consideration of individual grant applications.

Council members present:

Dr. Amy Brooks-Kayal
Dr. Karen Chen
Dr. E. Antonio Chiocca
Dr. Timothy Coetzee
Dr. Beverly Davidson
Dr. Gordon Fishell
Dr. Byron Ford
Dr. David Goldstein
Dr. David Gutmann
Ms. Janet Hieshetter
Dr. David Julius
Ms. Ilene Penn Miller
Dr. Jonathan Mink
Dr. Bruce Ovbiagele
Dr. Steve Perrin
Ms. Amy Comstock Rick
Dr. Ralph Sacco
Dr. Lawrence Zipursky

Council Roster (Attachment 1)

Ex officio members present:
         Dr. Christopher Bever, Department of Veteran Affairs
         Captain Michael Colston, Department of Defense

Members of the public present for portions of the open meeting included:

Ronald Bartek, Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance
Philip Goglas, II, Health & Medicine Counsel of Washington
Steven Roberds, PhD, Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance
Brandy Fureman, PhD, Epilepsy Foundation

Federal attendees are listed at the end of these minutes.

I.  Call to Order and Opening Remarks

Dr. Koroshetz welcomed Council members, visitors, and staff to the 196th meeting of the National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council.

All Council members were in attendance at the meeting. Dr. Alan Willard presided over the meeting as the Council Executive Secretary, in the place of Dr. Robert Finkelstein, who was unable to attend the meeting, but participated via teleconference.

II.  Report of the Director, Division for Extramural Research, NINDS

Approval of Council Minutes—Dr. Willard requested, and the Council voted approval of the February 4, 2016, Council meeting minutes.

The following future Council meeting dates were confirmed:

  • September 15-16, 2016 (Thursday and Friday)
  • February 9-10, 2017  (Thursday and Friday)
  • May 18-19, 2017   (Thursday and Friday)
  • September 7-8, 2017   (Thursday and Friday)

The following new dates were announced:

  • February 1-2, 2018   (Thursday and Friday)
  • May 24-25, 2018  (Thursday and Friday)
  • September 13-14, 2018   (Thursday and Friday)

Expedited Review Process—Each Council round, a subset of Council members approve applications in advance of the meeting with scores within the payline.  This expedited review process focuses on applications for which there are no unresolved issues.  Dr. Willard thanked Council members Amy Brooks-Kayal, Karen Chen, and David Julius for handling this responsibility for this meeting and the upcoming year.  For the current Council round, 205 applications were eligible to be expedited.  One hundred five (105) of these awards already have been issued, and the others will be issued shortly after Council.

Extramural Announcements

  • Dr. Willard introduced Dr. Carol Taylor-Burds, a new Program Analyst in the Repair and Plasticity Cluster.
  • Dr. Ernie Lyons introduced Dr. Ana Olariu, a new Scientific Review Officer in the Scientific Review Branch.
  • Dr. Willard announced the departure of Ms. Nena Wells from the Office of the Extramural Director.
  • Dr. Willard, in his role as Acting Director, Office of Translational Research (OTR), introduced Dr. Mohammed Hachicha, Program Manager in OTR.
  • Dr. Paul Scott, Director, Office of Science Policy and Planning, introduced Dr. Sophia Jeon as a new Health Science Policy Analyst in his office.
  • Dr. Koroshetz introduced three new members of the Office of Technology Transfer: Dr. Lola Olufemi, Dr. Oksana Dukhanina, and Dr. Smita Sharma.

III. Report of the Director, NINDS

NIH and NINDS Budgets—Dr. Koroshetz reported on funding trends and the status of the NIH and NINDS budgets for fiscal years (FY) 2016 and 2017.  The NIH and NINDS received a significant increase in funding in FY16 (a 6.6% and 5.6% increase, respectively) over FY15 funding levels.  The President’s Budget for FY17 proposes a 2.6% increase over FY16 levels for the NIH and flat funding for the individual Institutes and Centers (ICs).  The FY17 President’s Budget includes $1.695 million for NINDS, with 86% going to the extramural program, 10% to the intramural program, and 4% to RMS.  The Senate Appropriations Committee met on April 7 to discuss the FY17 budget request for NIH.  Dr. Francis Collins, Director of NIH, highlighted areas ripe for major advancement in the next ten years (e.g., Precision Medicine Initiative, BRAIN, and the Cancer Moonshot).  There was also discussion of efforts in particular areas such as Alzheimer’s disease, Zika, antibiotics, big data, and prevention of prescription opioid abuse.  Dr. Koroshetz raised the importance of supporting basic research at the hearing.    

Dr. Koroshetz reported on recent funding trends for NINDS.  The number of competing research project grant (RPG) applications increased from FY10 to FY14, and has since remained fairly level.  The Institute expects to receive a similar number of RPG applications in FY17.  In FY16, competing RPG awards were paid at the 15th percentile, and NINDS is committed to keeping the payline as robust as possible moving forward.  In order to maintain the 15th percentile payline with a flat budget in FY17, NINDS would need to significantly reduce the budget for High Program Priority (HPP) grants and Bridge AwardsNINDS originally planned $15 million for HPPs in FY16, but would prefer to convert them all to one-year Bridge Awards.

NINDS Extramural Science Committee—Dr. Koroshetz provided an overview of the NINDS Extramural Science Committee (ESC).  NIH policy requires applicants who seek research support of at least $500,000 in direct costs in a single year to seek permission from the IC to submit the application.  In 2001, NINDS established the ESC to provide advice to the NINDS Director on the acceptance of applications over $500,000.  When considering these decisions, the ESC considers the mission relevance, extent of current NINDS investment, appropriate mechanism of support, and the rigorous nature of scientific premise, but does not pre-review the application for scientific merit.  Between 2015 and 2016 (to date) the ESC considered 82 applications of which 66% were recommended to move forward.   

NIH and NINDS Leadership Changes—Dr. Koroshetz summarized recent changes to the leadership teams of NIH and NINDS.  Dr. Patricia Flatley Brennan was appointed Director of the National Library of Medicine.  Dr. Christopher J. Lynch was named Director of the Office Nutrition Research and Chief of the Nutrition Research Branch, NIDDK.  Dr. Matthew W. Gillman was appointed Program Director of Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes. Eric Dishman was named Director of the Precision Medicine Initiative (PMI) Cohort Program.  Dr. Maureen M. Goodenow was named NIH Associate Director for AIDS Research and Director of the NIH Office of AIDS Research.  Across NIH, searches for Directors of NIMH and NICHD are ongoing.  In addition, there are new searches for the NIH Deputy Director for Management, Chief Financial Officer, NINDS Deputy Director, and Director for the BRAIN Initiative. 

Zika Virus—In response to the ever-growing threat of the Zika virus (ZIKV) in the United States, the NIH issued the Rapid Assessment of Zika Virus Complications Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to provide an expedited funding mechanism for research on ZIKV and its complications.  NINDS has received applications through this FOA and conducts a rolling monthly review of applications.  Expedited Council approval is conducted via email for applications NINDS proposes to fund within 2 weeks of the review.  Dr. Koroshetz highlighted NINDS research advancements in this area, including recently published studies providing insight on how ZIKV might affect brain development, as well as the development of animal models and in vitro systems by investigators in the NINDS Intramural program to study the pathophysiology of microcephaly and Guillain Barré Syndrome associated with ZIKV.

The BRAIN Initiative®—Dr. Koroshetz reviewed BRAIN advances related to the Zika virus.  Dr. Arnold Kriegstein and colleagues identified a candidate entry receptor for Zika in neural stem cells.  AXL is highly expressed in several cell types, including human radial glial cells.  Loss of radial glia founder populations leads to microcephaly.  The AXL expression pattern is conserved in mice, ferrets, and human induced pluripotent stem cells, which are models for infectivity and developmental effects of Zika virus.  Dr. Koroshetz also highlighted BRAIN funding opportunity concepts for FY17 including support major data sharing repositories.  A BRAIN Initiative “TAD Talks”: Technology Accelerating Discovery will be held November 14, 2016 as a satellite event at the Society for Neuroscience meeting. 

NIH Clinical Center—The NIH appointed an external working group to review Clinical Center operations in response to issues uncovered last year in a pharmacy sterile production unit.  The working group recommended that greater emphasis be placed on operational efforts to ensure patient safety.  They did not find any evidence of patient harm.  As a result of the working group’s recommendations, NIH is implementing a new leadership structure similar to that found at most hospitals to include a chief executive, chief operating officer, and chief medical officer.

Overtime Pay Provisions—The Fair Labor Standards Act sets overtime pay provisions for US employees.  The new overtime pay threshold will be increased to $47,476, effective December 1, 2016.  Consequently, NIH will increase postdoctoral NRSA stipends to levels at or above the new threshold. 

January Council Discussion on Training—Dr. Koroshetz reviewed next steps for the NINDS training initiatives discussed at the January Council meeting.  The NINDS-specific F32 grant, reviewed at the NINDS NST-2 study section, for postdoctoral training will be available for postdocs within 12 months before joining to within the first 12 months in a postdoctoral lab.  The purpose of this program is to encourage earlier development of independence, more creative, bolder projects, and careful, early planning and discussions with mentors.  An NINDS-specific K01 for postdoctoral career development will be available to postdocs within 2-4 years of their cumulative postdoctoral period.  This training grant seeks to support outstanding candidates who have outstanding projects that require more than 4 years to come to fruition. 

Recent Meetings—Dr. Koroshetz highlighted recent meetings of interest including the Alzheimer’s Disease Related Dementias (ADRD) Summit and the Marijuana and Cannabinoids: A Neuroscience Research Summit.  The ADRD Summit was held in March 2016 to review scientific progress and update/refine research recommendations following the first ADRD Summit in 2013.  The Summit recommendations form the basis of Research Milestones that are included in the national plan to address to Alzheimer’s disease, and inform the annual Alzheimer’s disease Bypass Budget.  The Marijuana and Cannabinoids Neuroscience Research Summit was held in March 2016.  The goal of the summit was to ensure that evidence-based information is available to inform practice and policy, which is particularly important given the current landscape regarding the recreational and medicinal use of marijuana. In addition, Dr. Koroshetz reported on follow up from the 2014 consensus workshop held by the NIH Office of Disease Prevention on the Role of Opioids in the Treatment of Chronic Pain.  Since this initial workshop, the NIH has held follow-up partners meetings to identify priority research recommendations in this area.  The National Pain Strategy was released in March 2016.  

Action Plan for Muscular Dystrophies—Dr. Koroshetz highlighted a recently released Action Plan for Muscular Dystrophies(pdf, 689 KB)(pdf, 689 KB) (PDF, 708KB) as well as an editorial(pdf, 77 KB)(pdf, 77 KB) (PDF, 76KB) summarizing the effort. The action plan outlines priority areas for improving treatments and reducing the personal and societal impacts of all types of muscular dystrophy.  This plan includes 81 objectives that are organized under five priority areas:  understanding causes; screening and diagnosis; developing treatments; preparing for clinical trials; and providing care, management and access to services.

Congressional Interest in Concussions—The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held an initial Roundtable on Concussion in March 2016.  Participants from government, academia, foundations, and sports organizations were convened to raise awareness on the public health issue of concussions.  The roundtable focused on the current understanding and recent advances in how to prevent, diagnose, and treat brain injury due to concussion.  Topics spanned concussion, traumatic brain injury, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in both youth and professional contact sports. 

In May 2016, the Energy and Commerce Committee Democratic staff released a report “The National Football League’s Attempt to Influence Funding Decisions at the National Institutes of Health.”  Additionally, the Vivian L. Smith Foundation for Neurologic Research gifted NINDS over $10 million for the exclusive purpose of funding basic research in brain injury, spinal cord injury and stroke for a new research initiative of NINDS’ choosing. 

Plans for Myalgic Encephalitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Research—In an effort to bolster research on ME/CFS, a disease for which an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment have remained elusive, Dr. Francis Collins charged the NIH IC directors to work together to address this public health problem.  NINDS researchers, led by Dr. Avi Nath, are spearheading an NIH-wide intramural protocol to begin phenotyping, neurologic, and immunologic studies.  In addition, an Administrative Supplement program on ME/CFS was released in April by NIAID, NINDS, NIDCR, NINR, and NCCIH.  Dr. Vicky Whittemore is leading a trans-NIH working group to develop additional extramural research efforts in ME/CFS, the goal of which is to advance research on the cause, prevention, diagnosis, pathophysiology, and treatment of ME/CFS.  The working group organized a Federal Partners meeting on May 24, 2016 to develop disease parameters, outcome measures, treatment options, and training and education approaches.  Plans and next steps for collaborations among partners (i.e., HHS, FDA, CDC, HRSA, AHRQ, SSA, and NIH ICs) were outlined and will be summarized in a report. 

NINDS Research Advances— Dr. Koroshetz highlighted selected recent science advances, including: the affect of commensal microbiota on ischemic stroke outcome (Benakis et al., 2016), mechanisms of ligand and lipid action in nanodiscs (Gao et al., 2016), genetic factors that modify clinical onset of Huntington’s disease (Lee et al., 2015), and pioglitazone after ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (Kernan et al., 2016). 

NINDS Health Disparities Research— Dr. Koroshetz summarized NINDS research focused on health disparities.  The Stroke Prevention Intervention Research Program supports 10 projects, including 6 health disparities trials, cost effectiveness research, epidemiology, implementation research, and systems change science.  NINDS and NHLBI are partnering with the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to improve blood pressure control in minority race/ethnic, low socioeconomic status, and/or rural populations.  Two patient-centered trials through the Hypertension Disparities Reduction Program Partnership are being sponsored.   The trials aim to target high-risk racial and ethnic minority communities with the goal to evaluate hypertension control strategies at the health system and/or community level. 

Through the ADRD Summit, strategies, gaps and bottlenecks for health disparities research in ADRD were identified.  NINDS is participating in the Health Disparities and Alzheimer’s disease (R01) funding opportunity to address the ADRD HD Summit recommendations.  NINDS is also working to identify the disparities in pain care through activities of the National Pain Strategy, Federal Pain Research Strategy, and the Interagency Pain Research Portfolio.  Dr. Eliseo J. Perez-Stable, Director of the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), is a recognized leader in health care and disparities research.  He will be discussing NIMHD initiatives during today’s Council meeting.

IV.  Trends in NINDS R21 Grant Funding

Dr. Christine Torborg, Health Science Policy Analyst, Office of Science Policy and Planning, NINDS, provided an update on NINDS R21 grant funding trends.  Since the previous council discussion in 2013, the number of unsolicited R21 applications and awards continues to increase, driven largely an increase in the number of applications submitted by established investigators.  While the award rate for R21s is similar to that of new (Type 1) R01 grants (~15%), the number of R01 applications, in contrast, remains relatively stable.  This parity in award rates does not hold, however when looking at the career stage of R01 and R21 applicants, as the award rate for established investigators submitting R21s was approximately 10% higher in 2015 than for new investigators.  In contrast, award rates for new and established investigators submitting new R01s were 18% and 16% respectively. Dr. Torborg highlighted a number of purposes served by R21 grants, including: maintaining established laboratories, serving as a stepping-stone to R01 funding, and supporting research that is of high program priority to NINDS. 

Council members discussed the increased number of R21 grants and how funding through this mechanism should fit within the overall NINDS portfolio.  Council suggested encouraging younger, newer investigators to pursue an R01 over an R21 grant, and discussed the potential impact of dropping the R21 program.  NINDS has proposed an intervention to modify the R21 payline to help preserve the R01 payline at 15% by funding R21s up to the 10th percentile and choosing applications between the 10 to 15th percentile based upon projects that are highly innovative and sustaining programs with limited or no other support as they acquire preliminary data, including for new investigators.  Council members discussed this proposed intervention..

V. Update on the Research Program Award (R35)

Dr. David Owens, Acting Deputy Director, Division of Extramural Research, provided an update on the NINDS Research Program Award (R35).  The goal of the R35 program is to allow an investigator whose record of research achievement demonstrates his or her ability to make major contributions to neuroscience, the freedom to embark on ambitious, creative, longer-term research projects without the constraints of specific aims.  Rather than funding a single project, an RPA will fund an investigator’s overall research program for up to 8 years at a maximum level of $750,000 direct costs per year.  NINDS has committed $25 million to support approximately 30 R35 awards in FY16. 

The R35 RFA was released in July 2015 and applications were reviewed by the NINDS Scientific Review Branch in March 2016.  Dr. Owens reviewed applicant demographics and demographics of proposed awardees.  NINDS is proposing to fund 31 out of 196 applicants, at a funding rate of 16%.  The proposed budgets were roughly 80% of the amount requested by the investigator, and were based on reviewer comments, the PI’s career stage, and the investigator’s funding trajectory.  Awarded investigators will undergo a progress check at the fifth year of their award.  If NINDS determines the PI is making “reasonable progress”, they will receive three additional years of funding.  The R35 award will also implement a opt out/phase out process whereby investigators have the option to withdraw from the program.

Council offered suggestions for the year 5 check point evaluation and for the opt out/phase out process.  Council suggested that NINDS conduct interviews with applicants as part of the review and selection process.  The Howard Hughes Medical Institute research review model was discussed.  Council encouraged NINDS to continue to work toward eliminating the gender gap in R35 applicants..

VI. National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) Vision

Dr. Eliseo Perez-Stable, Director, NIMHD, summarized the vision and agenda of NIMHD.  NIMHD was established in 2010 to coordinate, conduct, and support scientific research that improves minority health and eliminates health disparities.  Dr. Perez-Stable reviewed the definitions of minority health and health disparities, the risk outcomes of health disparities, and how minority health and health disparities research overlaps.  The fundamental factors of the NIMHD research framework are race/ethnicity, low socioeconomic status, and rural environment, which are impacted by multiple domains and levels of influence. 

An important aspect of the NIMHD mission is supporting inclusion and workforce diversity.  Dr. Perez-Stable discussed efforts of the Institute to support diversity, such as providing funding support to diverse minority populations and its loan repayment program.  He also summarized research initiatives specifically focused on minority health and health disparities in neurological diseases, including the Hispanic/Latino secondary stroke prevention initiative and minority involvement in neurological clinical trials.  Dr. Perez-Stable concluded by highlighting new research areas for FY17, NIMHD scientific workshops, and efforts of the 2016 NIMHD Health Disparities Research Institute.

Council discussed NIMHD’s research efforts.  Council suggested that NIMHD partner with other ICs to conduct basic science research that could help inform health disparities and minority health issues.  Council encouraged the involvement of NIMHD in the Precision Medicine Initiative and for NIMHD to play a coordinating role for minority organizations across different disease sites.

VII.  Update on NINDS Funding of Basic Research

Dr. Anna Taylor, Health Program Specialist, Division of Extramural Research, NINDS, summarized NINDS support of basic research.  NINDS conducted an initial comprehensive analysis of its expenditures, including trends in funding of basic and applied research, during fiscal years 1997 to 2011.  Dr. Taylor reviewed how NINDS views basic versus applied research, the analysis strategy, and important findings.  Despite continued postdoctoral interest and performing better in peer review, there was a sharp decline in the funding of fundamental basic research studies in the NINDS portfolio.  NINDS suggested that the observed decline in basic research awards and applications may be the result of increased focus on disease-related research and investigators believing that NINDS was no longer interested in supporting research into the normal function of the brain and nervous system.   

Dr. Taylor reviewed the efforts to increase support of Basic//Basic research since the initial analysis was conducted in 2011.  NINDS updated its mission to focus on Basic//Basic research and released the Promoting Research in Basic Neuroscience (R01) FOA in November 2014 to stimulate research addressing fundamental questions in basic neuroscience.  The first of these applications were awarded in September 2015.  To begin to understand the impact of the implemented changes, the applications and awards from the September 2015 cohort were further analyzed to identify trends in basic and applied research.    Between 2011 and 2015, the number of Basic//Basic applications NINDS received increased 7 percent; however, the total number of applications received increased 10 percent.  Dr. Taylor noted that “pure” Basic//Basic research applications, or those that contained no disease related research, continue to perform well in peer review.

Council discussed how NINDS should move forward in the support of Basic//Basic research and possible reasons for the decline of this type of research.  Council noted that disease-related research is more attractive to philanthropic funding organizations, which many academic medical centers are turning to for support, due to the decline in NIH funding in recent years.  Council agreed that the NINDS mission and focus of supported research needs to highlight the importance of Basic//Basic research, and suggested communication efforts that would exemplify the importance of Basic//Basic research.  Council was in support of extending the PAS beyond FY18.

VIII.  Concept Clearance for Proposed Initiative

Dr. Vicky Whittemore, Program Director, Channels, Synapses & Circuits Cluster, NINDS, requested concept clearance for the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Research Consortium.  The consortium will support and coordinate multisite ME/CFS research, stimulate research specifically on the etiology and biomarkers of disease, develop a large well-defined cohort that could be utilized in future clinical trials, and train young investigators in the disease area.  Council voted to approve concept clearance for the ME/CFS consortium effort.

IX.  Council Consideration of Pending Applications  

This portion of the meeting, involving specific grant review, was closed to the public.  The Council gave special attention to applications from foreign institutions and other applications requiring specific discussion.  Prior to discussion of the grants, Dr. Willard reminded Council members regarding conflict of interest and confidentiality.

Conflict of Interest—Regulations concerning conflict of interest were reviewed.  Council members were reminded that materials furnished for review purposes and discussion during the closed portions of the meeting are considered privileged information.  All Council members present signed a statement certifying that they had not been involved in any conflict-of-interest situations during the review of grant applications. 

Confidentiality—During the closed session, any information that is discussed and the outcome of any recommendation are considered privileged information.  They may not be discussed outside of the closed session.  If an applicant requests support for his or her application from a Council member, the Council member must respond that he/she is not permitted to discuss the application.  Any inquiry should be referred to Dr. Robert Finkelstein, Council Executive Secretary, who then will refer the question to the appropriate staff member for response. 

Research Training and Career Development Programs – The Council reviewed a total of 408 research career development and institutional training grant applications with primary assignment to NINDS, and 249 of them (61 percent) were scored in the amount of $18.16 million first-year direct costs.  It is anticipated that, of the research career development and institutional training grant applications competing at this Council, NINDS will be able to pay first-year direct costs of approximately $7.69 million (69 grants).

Research Project and Center Awards – The Council reviewed a total of 1,806 research project and center applications with primary assignment to NINDS, and 1,014 of them (56.1 percent) were scored/percentiled in the amount of $328.3 million first-year direct costs.  It is anticipated that, of the research grants competing at this Council, NINDS will be able to pay first-year direct costs of approximately $68.66 million (258 grants).

Senator Jacob Javits Neuroscience Investigator Awards – The Senator Jacob Javits Neuroscience Investigator Awards are made to distinguished investigators who have a record of scientific excellence and productivity, who are actively pursuing an area of research of strategic importance, and who can be expected to continue to be highly productive for a seven-year period.  Candidates are nominated and selected at each Council meeting.  Council approved three Javits nominations at this meeting.

Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Award Programs – The Council reviewed a total of 114 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Technology Transfer Award (STTR) grant applications with primary assignment to NINDS, and 66 of them (57.9 percent) were scored in the amount of $24.08 million first-year direct costs.  It is anticipated that, of the SBIR and STTR applications competing at this Council, NINDS will be able to pay first-year direct costs of approximately $8.14 million (18 grants).

X. Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 4:25 p.m. on Thursday, May 26.

NINDS employees present for portions of the meeting included:

Dr. Amy Adams
Dr. Guadalupe Aquino
Dr. Deborah Babcock
Ms. Kelly Baker
Dr. Patrick Bellgowan
Dr. Francesca Bosetti
Dr. Emily Carifi
Ms. Stacey Chambers
Dr. Daofen Chen
Ms. Mary Coats
Ms. Janice Cordell
Dr. Roderick Corriveau
Dr. Charles Cywin
Dr. Karen David
Dr. Tijuanna Decoster
Dr. Rita Devine
Ms. Marian Emr
Dr. Edgardo Falcon
Dr. Robert Finkelstein (phone)
Dr. Jane Fountain
Mr. Paul Girolami
Dr. Jim Gnadt
Dr. Amelie Gubitz
Dr. Katrina Gwinn
Dr. Mohammed Hachicha
Dr. Preeti Hans
Dr. Yejun (Janet) He
Dr. Lyn Jakeman
Dr. Scott Janis
Dr. David Jett
Dr. Michelle Jones-London
Dr. Jim Koenig
Dr. Steve Korn
Dr. Walter Koroshetz
Dr. Pascal Laeng
Ms. Christine Lam
Dr. Nick Langhals
Dr. Tim LaVaute
Dr. Miriam Leenders
Mr. Brandon Levy
Ms. Quynh Ly
Dr. Ernie Lyons
Dr. Laura Mamounas
Ms. Barbara McMakin
Dr. Daniel Miller
Dr. Jill Morris
Dr. Claudia Moy
Dr. Glen Nuckolls
Ms. Joanne Odenkirchen
Dr. Ana Olariu
Dr. Lola Olufemi
Dr. David Owens
Dr. Katie Pahigiannis
Dr. Mary Ann Pelleymounter
Dr. Audrey Penn
Dr. Leah Pogorzala
Dr. Linda Porter
Dr. Shanta Rajaram
Dr. Ipolia Ramadan
Dr. Khara Ramos
Dr. Nagarajan Rangarajan
Dr. Matthew Raymond
Dr. Robert Riddle
Dr. Heather Rieff
Ms. Asha Rizor
Ms. Sara Rue
Ms. Lynn Rundhaugen
Dr. Cheryse Sankar
Dr. Joel Saydoff
Dr. Dana Schloesser
Dr. Paul Scott
Ms. Shalini Sharma
Dr. Smita Sharma
Dr. John Sheridan
Dr. Beth-Anne Sieber
Dr. Shai Silberberg
Mr. Andrew Skinner
Dr. Shardell Spriggs
Dr. Randall Stewart
Dr. Coryse St. Hillaire-Clarke
Dr. Natalia Strunnikova
Dr. Christine Swanson-Fisher
Dr. Amir Tamiz
Dr. Anna Taylor
Ms. Melissa Tipton
Dr. Christine Torborg
Dr. Lauren Ullrich
Dr. Ursula Utz
Dr. Ashlee Van’t Veer
Ms. Joanna Vivalda
Ms. Margo Warren
Dr. Elizabeth Webber
Dr. Letitia Weigand
Ms. Nena Wells
Dr. Vicky Whittemore
Dr. Alan Willard
Dr. May Wong
Dr. David Yeung
Dr. Robert Zalutsky

Other federal employees present for portions of the meeting included:

Dr. Christine Piggee, CSR
Dr. Alexei Kondratyev, CSR
Dr. Baishali Maskeri
Dr. Suzan Nadi, CSR
Dr. Richard Panniers, CSR
Dr. Elyse Schauwecker, CSR
Dr. Geoff Schofield, CSR
Dr. Laurent Taupenot, CSR
Dr. Biao Tian, CSR
Dr. Wei-Qin Zhao, CSR
Dr. Joseph Breen, NIAID
 

We certify that, to the best of our knowledge, the foregoing minutes and attachments are accurate and complete.

______
Date

_____________________________
Robert Finkelstein, Ph.D.
Executive Secretary
National Advisory Neurological Disorders
and Stroke Council

Director, Division of Extramural Research
National Institute of Neurological Disorders
and Stroke

 

______
Date
_____________________________
Walter Koroshetz, M.D.
Chairperson
National Advisory Neurological Disorders
and Stroke Council

Director
National Institute of Neurological Disorders
and Stroke

These minutes will be formally considered by the Council at its next meeting. Corrections or notations will be incorporated in the minutes of that meeting.


1For the record, it is noted that members absent themselves from the meeting when the Council is discussing applications (a) from their respective institutions or (b) in which a real or apparent conflict of interest might occur.