Working with Story Landis over the past seven years has not only been professionally fulfilling, but also an exciting learning experience. I view the opportunity to serve as the Acting Director of NINDS as a privilege and a pleasure. I will strive to maintain and enhance the level of excellence at the Institute and advance its mission, to gather fundamental knowledge of the nervous system (brain, spinal cord, nerve and muscle) and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disorders. Yet, I fully realize that it is not the Director but the greater scientific community that really advances the science. First and foremost, NINDS is a facilitator for the work of the broad neuroscience community. I intend to build upon Story’s commitment to bring people and institutions together for the advancement of neuroscience.
On paper, NINDS is an Institute at NIH within the Federal government’s Department of Health and Human Services. In reality NINDS is so much more. NINDS recognizes that our strength derives from the extraordinary scientific curiosity and creativity of our basic neuroscientists, and the passion of our clinical investigators to improve treatments for patients, many who are suffering from tragic conditions. Patients and their families are acutely aware that neuroscience research is their source of hope, and they ask that their suffering inject a sense of urgency into the work of the Institute’s scientists. I would like patients and their families to know that they are a powerful motivating force that help us accelerate the pace of science to achieve our common mission. NINDS benefits tremendously from working together with all our partners to reduce the burden of neurological disease.
NINDS has a unique vantage from which to view the broad scope of neuroscience research. The Institute remains committed to exploring all aspects of neuroscience, including basic, translational and clinical research grants of high scientific merit. What does a healthy research portfolio look like? The answer varies year-to-year depending on the state of the science and the opportunities presented at a given point in time. NINDS is one of the few members of the community of neuroscience funders that make consistent, major commitments to basic neuroscience research; therefore, we especially value our investment in basic neuroscience. It is the vehicle that fuels discovery arising from unrestricted scientific curiosity. It is also the foundation for the translational research of industry and academia that leads to new treatments for patients. Placing a high priority on the fundamental neurosciences will strengthen not only scientific exploration, but will also strengthen the pipeline of translational and clinical research success stories.
Today, the BRAIN Initiative presents a unique opportunity. The Initiative will engage neuroscientists, engineers, physicists, and mathematicians in a sustained effort to develop technologies that can bring a more powerful set of tools to understanding the brain at a fundamental level. The success of this initiative also rests on making these tools accessible to the broader neuroscience community so that all can benefit. In addition we are confident that the economic value to the United States will grow as industry leaders invest in the BRAIN-inspired tools. As a trans-NIH effort, the BRAIN Initiative provides yet another example of the NIH neuroscience Institutes and Centers partnering for a common scientific purpose. The BRAIN Initiative is just one of many factors that make understanding the nervous system and its disorders the most exciting, high impact endeavor in science today.
In closing, it is important to recognize that the U.S. taxpayers, who generously support research in neuroscience and neurological disorders, are also part of NINDS. Besides its benefit to health, NIH strives to maintain the country’s competitive edge, which has reaped major economic benefits for America. Though the challenges of funding biomedical research are real, we should appreciate that American taxpayers have built the greatest neuroscience enterprise the world has ever known. Our success relies in large part on the commitment and wisdom of our peer reviewers. Although our peer review system is straining in the face of our current budgetary constraints, it is true to our American democratic values and has risen, time and again, as the most effective model around the globe.
I am enthusiastic about the opportunities to continue and expand efforts to explore neuroscience across NINDS and NIH. NINDS is pleased to serve the scientific and patient community as we work together to advance neuroscience.