Home > About Fogarty > Advisory Board > Report of the Director Archives > 02-05-2002
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
National Institutes of Health
John E. Fogarty International Center
for Advanced Study in the Health Sciences
Minutes of the Advisory Board
Fiftieth Meeting
Table of Contents
- DHHS, NIH, and FIC Personnel Announcements
- FIC Budget
- FIC Organizational Change
- FIC Programs and Initiatives
- FIC Network Meetings
- FIC In-House Science Seminars
- Regional Activities
- Activities of FIC Staff Members
I. DHHS, NIH, and FIC Personnel Announcements
Dr. Donald A. Henderson was named by Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Secretary Tommy G. Thompson to serve as Director of a newly created Office of Public Health Preparedness, which will coordinate national response to public health emergencies. In addition, Dr. Phillip Russell, a Virologist and retired U.S. Army Major General, was appointed by Secretary Thompson as a Special Advisor on Vaccine Development and Production.
Dr. David Satcher, who has served as U.S. Surgeon General since 1998, will resign at the end of his term on February 13 to become the first permanent director of the National Center for Primary Care at Atlanta's Morehouse School of Medicine. The Center was founded in 1997 to examine disparities in the U.S. health care system.
Dr. Ed Sontag was named by Secretary Thompson to serve as Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management, a new position at the DHHS. In this position, Dr. Sontag will oversee human resources and grants management operations.
Dr. Andrew Von Eschenbach was appointed Director of the National Cancer Institute by President George W. Bush, succeeding Dr. Richard Klausner, who left the NIH on October 1. Dr. Von Eschenbach comes to NCI from The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where he was Director of the Genitourinary Cancer Center and Director of the Prostate Cancer Research Program. He also served as Vice President for Academic Affairs at M.D. Anderson and as Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer, leading a faculty of almost 1,000 cancer researchers.
Dr. Enoch Gordis retired in December after 15 years at the helm of the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). He supervised the Institute's transformation from a component of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health Administration into a comprehensive research institute, and its integration into NIH. Dr. Raynard Kington was named Acting Director of the NIAAA in early January. Dr. Kington has been serving as NIH Associate Director for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research and Director of the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research since November 2000, positions he will retain while serving as NIAAA Acting Director.
Dr. Steven Hyman, Director of the National Institute on Mental Health (NIMH) for the past five and a half years and an ex officio member of the FIC Advisory Board for the past two years, returned to Harvard University in December to take up the position of Provost. In that capacity, he will help shape academics and policy at the University where he was once Professor and Director of Research for the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Richard Nakamura, Deputy Director of NIMH since 1997 and prior to that a senior program scientist at the Institute, has been named Acting NIMH Director.
Dr. Alan Leshner, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) left the NIH in December to become the Chief Executive Officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and Publisher of its journal, Science. Dr. Leshner had served as NIDA Director for eight years. During those years he focused the Institute's resources on reducing the health and social consequences of drug abuse and addiction throughout the United States. Dr. Glen Hanson, formerly Director of the NIDA Division of Neursocience and Behavioral Research, is serving as NIDA Acting Director.
Barbara M. McGarey has been appointed NIH Legal Advisor in the Office of the HHS General Counsel. Ms. McGarey has been General Counsel to the Foundation for the NIH since July 2000. Before being assigned to the Foundation, she was Deputy Director of the NIH Office of Technology Transfer.
Ms. Nalini Anand joined the FIC Division of Advanced Studies and Policy Analysis (DASPA) in early January. Prior to coming to FIC, she worked at the Institute of Medicine on issues related to the development of childhood vaccines for the developing world. She has spent the past five years practicing health care law, and will provide legal expertise to FIC on a variety of international health issues.
Mr. George Herrfurth joined the FIC Division of International Relations (DIR) in early October to serve as DIR's Multilateral Affairs Coordinator. Mr. Herrfurth is a 12-year veteran of the State Department's Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs and has a wide-range of experience with U.N. and other multilateral organizations. His talents will benefit FIC's efforts to advance NIH interests in multilateral institutions and processes.
Dr. Karen Hofman has been named Director of the FIC Division of Advanced Studies and Policy Analysis (DASPA). Dr. Hofman, who has served as Acting Director of DASPA since December 2000, came to FIC in March 1999 as a Science Policy Analyst. Prior to joining FIC, she served as Acting Clinical Director for the Center of Medical Genetics at Johns Hopkins, and as consultant to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), NICHD, NHGRI and the Child Health Policy Unit at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.
Dr. Sudha Srinivasan, formerly Program Officer for Africa and the Middle East in DIR, resigned in October.
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II. FIC Budget
Fiscal Year 2002
On January 10, 2002, the President signed the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2002. This Act includes $23.276 billion for NIH, an increase of $2.981 billion or 14.7 percent over fiscal year 2001. Within the total appropriation, $20.740 billion is designated for non-AIDS activities and $2.536 billion for AIDS activities. The Act provides for a $25 million across-the-board reduction in administrative and related expenses for the Departments of Labor, HHS, and Education. NIH's share of the reduction is $9.3 million and is reflected in the dollar levels cited.
For FIC, the fiscal year 2002 appropriation is $56,918,000 (appropriation of $56,940,000 less FIC's share of the reduction in administrative expenses - $22,000). This represents an increase of $6,446,000 or 12.8 percent over fiscal year 2001. Of the total FIC appropriation, $38,590,000 is designated for non-AIDS activities, an increase of $4,267,000 and $18,328,000 for AIDS activities, an increase of $2,179,000. The additional funds for non-AIDS extramural activities will be used as follows:
New Initiatives:
- International Tobacco and Health Research and Capacity Building Program
- International Collaborative Genetics Research Training Program
- Global Health Research Initiative Program for New Foreign Investigators
Current Programs:
- Expansion of the Ecology of Infectious Diseases Program
- Expansion of Fogarty International Research Collaboration Award Program
Fiscal Year 2003
It is expected that the President will submit the fiscal year 2003 budget to the Congress on February 4.
III. FIC Organizational Change
On January 13, the visa services that were provided though FIC's International Services Branch (ISB) were transferred to the NIH Office of Research Services, a component of the NIH whose primary mission is to provide services to the NIH community. The decision to effect this change was a result of a study that recognized the high level of proficiency and effectiveness of ISB, but recommended bringing the operation closer to the intramural research program itself, whose participants are directly served by the ISB function.
IV. FIC Programs and Initiatives
Genetics Initiative
In partnership with seven NIH Institutes and Centers and the World Health Organization, FIC released an RFA in November for an International Collaborative Genetics Research Training program. Applications are solicited to create innovative research training programs within existing scientific collaborations between developed and developing country researchers to begin to build a critical mass of scientists, health professionals and academics with human genetics expertise and a sustainable research environment at the collaborating developing country institution. Programs should include training in one or more of the following areas: genetic epidemiology, population genetics, molecular genetics, clinical genetics, statistical genetics, and bioinformatics. Expertise should be developed simultaneously on the ethical, social and legal implications of human genetics research in each program. Letters of intent were due on January 25 with an application receipt date of March 25.
International Clinical, Operational, and Health Services Research and Training Award (ICOHRTA) and ICOHRTA AIDS/TB
FIC funded 14 research and training projects focused on non-communicable conditions through the new ICOHRTA. FIC spearheaded the development of the ICOHRTA, designed to foster the translation of medical research advances into health care practice, working closely with five co-sponsors at the NIH, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). The program supports training that will lead to introduction of healthcare interventions in large populations in areas such as substance abuse and suicide prevention. The combined financial commitment from FIC and the ICOHRTA partners is approximately $2.7 million for the first year. Total financial support for the program will be approximately $14.6 million over the next five years.
FIC also released a Program Announcement in November for planning grants to organize programs for International Clinical, Operational, and Health Services Research Training focused specifically on HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis (ICOHRTA AIDS/TB). This new program supports training to facilitate integrated, clinical, operational, and health services research on the care of AIDS and tuberculosis patients in developing countries most affected by HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. The focus of the program is on building capacity at the foreign sites. Planning grant awards will be made directly to the foreign sites in the first phase. The second phase, to be funded in FY 2003, will use the cooperative agreement mechanism, with linked awards made to the foreign institution and their designated U.S. or other developed country partner collaborating institutions. The program's intention is to build sustainable programs and it will include infrastructure support for the long term. The current combined financial commitment from FIC and its partners is approximately $20 million over the first five years of the program. Initial applications for planning grants are due by March 19.
Global Health Research Initiative Program for New Foreign Investigators (GRIP)
As a result of consultations with NIH postdoctoral fellows from the developing world and NIH partners, FIC is developing a new Request for Applications for an RO1 grant intended to promote productive re-entry of NIH-trained foreign investigators into their home countries. This is part of a broader program to enhance the scientific research infrastructure in developing countries, stimulate research on a wide variety of high priority health-related issues in these countries, and advance NIH efforts to address health issues of global import. The specific goal of this initiative is to provide funding opportunities upon return home for the increasing pool of foreign biomedical and behavioral scientists, clinical investigators, nurses, and other health professionals with state-of-the art knowledge of research methods to advance critical issues in global health when they return to their countries. FIC expects to issue this RFA yearly for several years, depending on availability of funds. Total grants, for a project period that will not exceed five years, will be for up to $50,000 (salary and research costs), with half of the salary support deriving from the developing country institution. Eight percent for Facilities and Administrative costs to the foreign institution for up to five years will be added.
Health, Environment and Economic Development (HEED)
The process of economic development involves changes in society's use of natural resources and the environment, many of which affect human health. Market failures, policy failures, information gaps, and individual incentives and decisions contribute health risks in the development process. FIC and NIEHS sponsored meetings in November and December to explore the connections among economic development, environmental change and health conditions. The November meeting was at the Stone House with invited academic, NGO and governmental leaders in the fields of economics, ecology, and health. The December meeting was held in conjunction with the Global Development Network in Brazil and brought together leading U.S. researchers, international organization representatives, and developing country researchers to discuss the need for a research program combining the three themes. Participants in both meetings encouraged FIC and NIEHS to continue exploring a potential program in this area. The ultimate aim is to develop an RFA for FY03 funding.
International Research Scientist Development Award (IRSDA)
A revised program announcement for the IRSDA, an FIC fellowship program for junior U.S. scientists who would like to establish an international research career focusing on problems of developing countries, was released in December. The award is now available for four years and is renewable for up to three years. The amount of time to be spent at the foreign site is now 24 months over the life of the award. The application deadline remains February 13.
Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries Project (DCPP)
The DCPP is a partnership between the World Bank, WHO, and the NIH that aims to produce authoritative, science-based publications and other resource materials to inform national-level and global-level health policy directed to improving conditions in resource-poor countries. One of the results of the three-year project will be a second edition of a DCPP publication, based on extensive analytical work and consultations with scientific and technical experts and policy makers around the world. FIC will be the site of the of the DCPP Secretariat and Dr. Joel Breman will serve as co-managing editor of the publication.
Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM)
The MIM Secretariat, housed at FIC, is planning the third MIM Pan-African Conference, to be held in Arusha, Tanzania in November 2002. The Conference will bring together malaria researchers from around the world as well as those involved in control programs. Six hundred participants are expected. The conference is being supported by a range of partners, including NIH, the Wellcome Trust, WHO, USAID and Glaxo Smith Kline. Voting on the succession of the MIM Secretariat will take place in February 2002, with a view toward the new Secretariat taking the helm in December 2002.
Global Fund Technical Review
On January 14, FIC hosted an international meeting of the technical review working group of the newly created Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. The Fund will be used to help fund programs to combat AIDS, TB and malaria in those developing countries hardest hit by the three diseases. Pledges to the Fund from governments, corporations, foundations and individuals currently amounts to $1.9 billion. The working group developed a set of recommendations on the operation of a Technical Review Panel that were forwarded to the Fund's Governing Board for approval. Once established, the Panel will review and provide recommendations to the Fund's Governing Board on proposals that are submitted for funding.
Indo-U.S. Vaccine Action Program (VAP)
The VAP was established in 1985 to bring together U.S. and Indian scientists to jointly develop and test new and improved vaccines for immunization against diseases and to focus upon vaccine production, quality control, and delivery methodology. Dr. Keusch participated in this year's VAP Joint Working Group (JWG) held in India in December 2001. The JWG discussed the new VAP strategic plan and reviewed the reports of the three expert advisory groups in TB, HIV/AIDS, and malaria.
Consultation on Modeling Infectious Diseases
FIC hosted a consultation in December on the potential utility of mathematical and computational modeling in preparing for and responding to bioterrorism events. Top modelers from around the world reviewed the current state of knowledge of modeling bioterrorism agents and their control on the individual/population level; reviewed the utility of these models as tools to help formulate policies related to bioterrorism preparedness and response; discussed which outcomes and inputs are most relevant to policy makers; reviewed potential sources of data, existing models, and data needs; and discussed whether to move forward and, if so, develop a logistical framework for federal government collaborations with the extramural community and foreign nationals.
International Vaccine Initiative (IVI)
FIC hosted on December 17 an open session of the IVI Board to provide updates on IVI activities to NIH and U.S. Government staff.
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN)
On February 4, FIC hosted a meeting of the GAIN advisory group. Dr. Keusch serves as one of the advisors to the GAIN in its early phase of operation. The purpose of the meeting was to finalize a Request for Applications for proposals for GAIN-supported activities to lead to enhanced nutritional status of those in the developing world.
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V. FIC Network Meetings
FIC and NIH partners convened network meetings of grantees and trainees under the following programs in order to share information on experiences and discuss common concerns:
- International Studies on Health and Economic Development (ISHED)-November 9-10
- Minority International Research Training Program (MIRT)- January 10-12
- International Cooperative Biodiversity Groups (ICBG) Network Meeting and Program Review - January 14-16.
- International Training and Research Program in Environmental and Occupational Health (ITREOH) - January 16-17
- International Training Program in Medical Informatics (ITMI) - January 24-25
VI. FIC In-House Science Seminars
October 2 - "Contributions and Constraints for Agriculture to Support a Nutrition Strategy to Prevent Chronic Diseases" - Dr. Rachel Nugent, FIC/DITR
October 17 - "Control of Measles with Novel Vaccine Delivery Devices" - Mark Pappania, National Immunization Program, CDC.
November 8 - "AIDS: Before and After September 11." Danny Schechter, television producer and filmmaker of such films as "Nkosi: A Voice of Africa's AIDS Orphans"
November 20 - "Health Consequences of Gender-Based Violence" - Mary Ellsberg, Ph.D., Senior Program Officer, Program for Appropriate Technology
November 26 - "Immunological Memory and the Control of HIV Infection" - Dominik Wodarz, Institute for Advanced Studies, Princeton University.
December 17 - "Consequences of Violence and Disaster for Children: Research and Intervention needs" Paramit Joshi, M.D., Professor and Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Children's National Medical Center
December 18 - The International Clinical, Operational and Health Services Research Training Grant for AIDS and Tuberculosis - Dr. Pierce Gardner, Dr. Jeanne McDermott, Mr. Bruce Butrum, FIC
January 8 - "Stigma and Global Health: Developing a Research Agenda: Next Steps".
Dr. Kathleen Michels, Program Director, ITR and Ms. Emily Smith, Public Health Analyst, FIC Division of Advanced Studies and Policy Analysis.
January 11 - "Brain Disorders in Developing Countries: The Role of Research"
Donald Silberberg, M.D., Professor of Neurology, Senior Associate Dean, Director of International Medical Programs, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
January 15 - "Quasispecies Structure and the Antigenic Evolution of Influenze A" - Jonathan Dushoff, Ph.D., Research Associate, Princeton University.
January 17 - "Malaria in the State of Rondonia, Western Brazilian Amazonia: Disclosing Asymptomatic Infections" - Fabiana Alves, M.D. - University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
January 29 - Update on Recent FIC Bioethics Activities - Dr. James Lavery, DASPA
VII. Regional Activities
Latin America and the Caribbean
FIC staff participated in the regional symposium on "Mental Health in the Americas: Partnering for Progress", November 5-6, 2001 in Washington, D.C. The meeting, co-sponsored by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and NIMH, was designed to elaborate initiatives and activities pertaining to mental health in six main areas: research, training, policy, promotion, communication, and human rights. Discussions focused on identification of existing best mental health practices in the Region and existing research projects, current partnerships, and the development of new initiatives and activities to enhance regional cooperation in the Americas in each of the focus areas.
FIC staff met with representatives of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to discuss possible synergies between NIH and CIHR regarding joint activities and programs in Latin America and the Caribbean. CIHR is currently studying this proposal and has suggested a follow-up meeting in Canada in the spring.
Egypt:
The U.S.-Egypt Joint Board on S&T Cooperation received 80 proposals for its November 1 application deadline, with biotechnology proposals outnumbering all other fields. The U.S. administrator of the program at the Embassy in Cairo will distribute these proposals to relevant agencies for review. In line with Egyptian interest in furthering the development of young researchers, a small grant program for junior scientists has been initiated. Four applications were received from U.S. scientists applying to visit Egypt and 60 were received from Egyptian scientists to travel to the U.S. The Joint Board has decided that the U.S. and Egypt will each fund 3-4 grants.
Vietnam
The first meeting of the U.S.-Vietnam Joint Intergovernmental Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation, established by bilateral agreement in December 2000, met in Hanoi, November 14-16. Dr. Norman Neureiter, S&T Advisor to the Secretary of State, led the U.S. delegation and Dr. Allen Holt represented NIH in the Committee meeting and sessions of the Public Health Working Group. It was agreed that the Joint Committee will meet each year, alternately in Vietnam and the U.S., to review and assess the progress of cooperative S&T activities; define new areas for bilateral S&T cooperation; and discuss other issues related to S&T cooperation and implementation of the agreement.
The Public Health Working Group made cooperation in HIV/AIDS epidemiology, prevention, treatment and preparation for vaccine trials its top priority, citing cooperation already underway in this field between academic institutions and government research institutes in both countries. The Working Group recommended stronger cooperation in research related to maternal and child health, including vaccines; nasopharyngeal, hepatic and pediatric cancer; emergency services; tropical diseases; metabolic diseases; traditional medicine; and toxicology. Progress in cooperation in a study of the human health and environmental effects of dioxin was cited and the leaders in these efforts for both countries were commended. The Working Group identified public health genetics, bioethics in human subjects research, technology transfer (particularly in vaccinology), mental health and clinical research as promising areas for future collaboration.
The Vietnam Education Fund, established by Congress in 2000, will channel $5 million annually from 2002 to 2016 into programs of graduate science and technology education, enabling Vietnamese scholars to study in the United States and U.S. faculty to teach in Vietnam.
Russia and the NIS
U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation (CRDF)
CRDF received a total of 1,630 proposals in all areas of science and engineering under its 2001 Cooperative Grants Program competition, an increase of 30% over submissions received in 2000. Of the 370 submitted in biomedical and behavioral sciences 37 proposals in biomedical and behavioral sciences were selected for funding, with an average award size of $60,000 for a two-year period. The NIH contributed $1.4 million to this competition, enabling CRDF to leverage funds from the U.S. Department of State and other agencies in order to fund approximately $2.3 million in awards. NIH has committed another $1.4 million for FY 2003.
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VIII. Activities of FIC Staff Members
Dr. Keusch represented NIH at the Global Forum for Health Research (GFHR) held in October in Geneva. The GFHR is working to correct the "10/90" gap in which only 10% of the world's medical R&D resources are spent on diseases suffered by 90% of the world's population.
Dr. Keusch participated in a meeting on management of intellectual property rights in public health at the Rockefeller Conference Center November 5-8 in Bellagio, Italy. His presentation summarized the challenges faced in the management of IPR in health research at NIH and in the academic setting.
Dr. Keusch met with the Canadian Minister for Science and Technology and other U.S. science agency heads, including Rita Colwell of NSF November 19 to discuss common interests and potential areas of cooperation.
Dr. Keusch participated at two meetings of the Global Alliance to Improve Nutrition (GAIN) supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Dr. Keusch represents the scientific community on a five-member committee that is developing an RFA to be funded at a level of $100 million aimed at improving nutritional status in the poorest countries of the world. The RFA will be published in early 2002.
Dr. Keusch participated in an interview on November 29 on the Voice of America (VOA) entitled "Scene Setter for Word AIDS Day: The Global Fight Against AIDS," as part of VOA's effort to commemorate World AIDS Day.
Dr. Keusch was a guest December 3 on "Talk to America," a VOA daily international call-in talk show that has a daily worldwide audience of approximately 80 million people. He gave an overview of FIC and NIH efforts to improve global health by supporting research and building research capacity internationally.
Dr. Keusch presented a paper at the "Pan-American Health in the 21st Century: International Cooperation and Development of Human Capital" Conference, sponsored by the Mexican National Institute of Public Health, the Association of Schools of Public Health in Latin America and the Caribbean, North America, and Europe, and the Rockefeller Foundation December 6-8 in Cancun.
Dr. Keusch represented FIC/NIH at the 15th meeting of the Indo-U.S. Vaccine Action Program Joint Working Group (JWG) in New Delhi, December 9-11. The JWG discussed the new strategic plan and reviewed the reports of the three expert advisory groups in TB, HIV/AIDS, and malaria.
Dr. Keusch and FIC staff contributed several working papers to the WHO Commission on Macroeconomics and Health, including on the topic of IPR, global public goods for health, and the culture of ethical conduct. Papers may be viewed at http://www3.who.int/whosis/menu.cfm?path=whosis,cmh&language=english .
Dr. Keusch attended a meeting with the Gates Foundation January 8 in Geneva, Switzerland to discuss the organization and format of the Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries (DCP2) project, including ways in which Foundation staff can better support the DCP2 project.
Dr. Keusch participated at the January 28-29 meeting of the Board on Global Health of the Institute of Medicine. The agenda included a discussion on collaboration on health care services in developing countries. Dr. Keusch talked about the development of a Five-Year Program of Infectious Disease Studies.
Dr. Martin Alilio and Dr. Andrea Egan co-organized the Second Executive Committee meeting of the third MIM Pan-African Malaria Conference in September in Paris, and co-organized the Theme Coordinators meeting, which was held in Atlanta in November, in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH).
Dr. Joel Breman chaired the meeting of the MIM Executive Committee, hosted by the Institut Pasteur, September 24 in Paris.
Dr. Breman attended the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America October 24-28 in San Francisco. He was a rapporteur of a pre-meeting "Conference to Develop an HIV/AIDS Therapeutic Research Agenda for Resource-Limited Countries" planned by the IDSA International Affairs Committee, and co-sponsored by the HIV Medicine Association, the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), NIH, The Rockefeller Foundation and DuPont Pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Breman gave an overview of FIC emerging infectious diseases programs at the Institute of Medicine's Committee on Global Microbiologic Threats November 6 in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Breman met with principal investigators of the ABC/ICIDR program at the annual meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene November 11-15 in Atlanta to discuss new FIC RFAs and initiatives.
Dr. Breman gave a seminar at the Uniformed Services University for the Health Sciences entitled "The Eradication of Smallpox: History, Triumph, and Tribulation" December 17 in Bethesda.
Dr. Breman participated in a meeting of the viral hemorrhagic fever working group held by the Johns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Strategies January 10 in Baltimore. The purpose of the meeting was to critique a draft working paper "The agents of viral hemorrhagic fever as biological weapons: medical and public health management," the last in a series of papers addressing specific bioterrorism threats.
Dr. Breman was an invited discussant at a January 12 Washington Hospital Center meeting on bioterrorism preparedness, where management of suspected and confirmed patients with anthrax and smallpox were reviewed.
Dr. Breman will be a short-term consultant to the WHO's polio eradication program in Bangladesh from January 20-March 23. He will advise on surveillance, diagnosis, case investigation, immunization, public health, and research issues related to eradication.
Dr. Kenneth Bridbord represented FIC at the TB, Malaria Global AIDS Fund Consultation October 30 at Johns Hopkins.
Dr. Bridbord gave a presentation on future directions for FIC's AIDS programs at the November 7 meeting of the Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council.
Dr. Andrea Egan gave a presentation on the MIM at the meeting of the International Committee Members of the American Society of Hematology in December in Orlando, Florida.
Ms. Phyllis Freeman participated in a WHO-hosted international workshop entitled Evaluating the Performance of Health Research Systems October 8 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Ms. Freeman presented a talk to the WHO Special Program for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases November 12 in Geneva.
Dr. Pierce Gardner participated at the 9th Symposium of the Harvard AIDS Institute "HIV Vaccines for Developing Countries: Establishing Networks for HIV Vaccine Trials in Southern Africa," held in Gaborone, Botswana, November 27-30. He presented a paper "Capacity Building for HIV/AIDS Research in Developing Countries," in which he highlighted the recent program announcement of the International Clinical, Operational, and Health Services Research Training Award for AIDS/Tuberculosis (ICOHRTA-AIDS/TB).
Dr. Gardner attended World AIDS Day observances December 1 in Botswana, which included the dedication of a 25,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art HIV reference laboratory and training center that will support HIV vaccine trials and clinical research.
Dr. Gardner visited the Africa Center for Health and Population Studies in Mtubatuba, South Africa to review the FIC supported programs in Maternal and Child Health, Information Technology, and the ABC program. The Africa Center has established a well demographed population of 80,000 people in the KwaZulu Natal area and is conducting detailed field epidemiology studies and training programs related to AIDS and issues related to breast feeding.
Mr. George Herrfurth organized and participated in a meeting hosted by FIC on January 14 of the Technical Review Panel (TRP) Working Group of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM). The Working Group made progress in developing recommendations on how the TRP should be organized to review proposals that will be considered by the GFATM for possible funding.
Dr. Karen Hofman attended a preliminary meeting in December organized by the U.S. Office of International Refugee Health, together with representatives from other HHS agencies, the World Bank and other international organizations to discuss US response tissue of Global Burden of Preventable Injuries including road traffic accidents, drowning and burns.
Dr. Sharon Hrynkow participated in a special session on "Women in Leadership - Their Challenges in the Developing World," hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations on October 18 in New York. Dr. Gro Harlem Bruntland, Dr. Carol Bellamy, and Dr. Mary Robinson and other women leaders of U.N. Organizations shared their perspectives with the group.
Dr. Hrynkow participated in a panel on International Collaboration at the annual Society for Neuroscience meeting November 15-19 in San Diego. The panel was organized and moderated by Nobel Laureate and Secretary-General of the Human Frontier Science Program, Dr. Torsten Wiesel. Dr. Hrynkow discussed FIC and NIH opportunities and programs supporting basic and behavioral research and training in the neurosciences, with a particular focus on international collaborations.
Dr. Hrynkow participated on November 17 in the Selection Committee and interviews of finalists for the George Mitchell Scholarship. The Scholarship, which supports one year of graduate study in Ireland and Northern Ireland, was established by the U.S. Ireland Alliance to educate future U.S. leaders about Ireland and Northern Ireland and to enhance the relationship among the countries.
Dr. Hrynkow and FIC staff met on December 6 with a delegation from Norway to discuss common research and training interests. The delegation focused particular attention on increased cooperation in the neurosciences. In addition, Dr. Hrynkow and Ms. Minerva Rojo, Director of the Division of International Relations, met with representatives from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft on December 7 and with representatives of the Taiwanese Center for Disease Control on January 18 to discuss mutual research interests and potential collaborations.
Dr. Hrynkow hosted a special session on "Challenges and Opportunities at NIH for Scientists from Developing Countries" on December 11 in the Stone House. This meeting, a follow-on to a consultation held in March, provided an opportunity to hear perspectives on career challenges facing developing country scientists and to inform the scientists of activities and programs that may help prepare them to return home and enhance their experience on campus.
Dr. Hrynkow gave a presentation on the new Global Health Research Initiative Program for new foreign investigators to the Career Development Subcommittee of the Coordinating on Research on Women's Health December 13 at NIH; to NIH's Extramural Program Management Committee on January 9; and to NIH's Scientific Directors on January 16.
Dr. Hrynkow and NICHD's Gray Handley briefed the US-designate representative to the UNICEF Executive Board on NIH domestic and international programs on children and women's health on January 7.
Dr. Hrynkow chaired the first session of the first NIH-Osaka University Forum on Immunity and Inflammation held at NIH on January 8.
Dr. Hrynkow presented to the NCCAM Advisory Council on January 28 on FIC programs, activities and future directions.
Dr. Richard Krause traveled to India in October to review the implementation of the streptococcal surveillance project in Indian school children in a village near Chandigarh, India.
Dr. Krause was a member of the U.S. delegation to the Joint Working Group of the Vaccine Action Program in December in New Delhi. Joint efforts are underway on various diseases, including tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS, rotavirus infection and streptococcal pharyngitis.
Dr. James Lavery organized and chaired a symposium on international research ethics at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Meeting, November 14 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Dr. Lavery gave a keynote presentation entitled Ethics of DOD International Research at the Department of Defense (DOD) Human Subjects Research Review Board Conference, November 19-20 in Frederick, Maryland.
Dr. Lavery gave a talk entitled "Toward Cultures of Ethical Conduct: A Proposal for Progress in International Collaborative Research," November 21 at the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics.
Dr. Lavery gave a presentation entitled "Is the Declaration of Helsinki Truly Applicable in the Developing World?" at the Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research (PRIM&R) Annual Meeting, December 2 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Dr. Lavery represented FIC/NIH at a meeting of the Strategic Initiative for the Development of Ethics Review Capacity, December 5-10 in Bethesda.
Dr. Jeanne McDermott attended the 6th International Congress on AIDS in Asia October 5-10 and a meeting of the Global Research Network (GRN) October 11-12, both in Melbourne, Australia. She participated in a panel at the AIDS meeting sponsored by the GRN, and discussed funding opportunities within NIH for researchers interested in HIV/AIDS and drug use.
Dr. McDermott and Ms. Mildred Hatton attended the 3rd Conference on Global Strategies for the Prevention of HIV Transmission from Mothers to Infants, September 9-13 in Kampala, Uganda. Concurrently, they visited research sites from which FIC trainees are selected. These included a Johns Hopkins research site in Rakai District, and Case Western Reserve and Johns Hopkins sites in Kampala and Entebbe.
Dr. McDermott attended a meeting hosted by Quality Assurance Project/URC, October 25-26 to discuss three studies related to assessing skill birth attendants, determining factors for enabling an environment for improved quality of maternal care, and measuring the delay at health facilities experienced by pregnant women in developing countries with severe complications.
Dr. McDermott attended a consultative meeting organized by HRSA November 5-6 to discuss international nursing models of HIV/AIDS care in limited resource settings. Dr. McDermott gave a presentation at a session on research issues.
Dr. McDermott attended the Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Director's Meeting October 27-28 in North Carolina.
Dr. McDermott attended a meeting on safe delivery kits organized by the Saving Newborn Lives Initiative of Save the Children Foundation December 14 in Washington.
Mr. Michael McDowell traveled in November to Haiti with FIC grantees from Cornell Medical School and with representatives of the Panos Institute to work with local scientists and journalists on a series of communications pieces to inform people living with AIDS of treatment and research activities.
Mr. McDowell attending a workshop on HIV/AIDS in December in Gaborone, Botswana, through grantees at the Harvard AIDS Institute and the Botswana Media Consultative Council, followed by a week in South Africa meeting with journalists and medical editors.
Mr. McDowell attended a workshop in January organized by grantees at the Schools of Public Health and Journalism at the University of California Berkeley to create a curriculum on international health for journalists.
Dr. Ellis McKenzie organized and co-chaired an NIH consultation on the potential utility of mathematical and computational modeling in preparing for and responding to bioterrorism events.
Dr. Kathleen Michels attended the annual Society for Neuroscience Meeting held in November in San Diego. In addition to providing information at a FIC exhibitor booth, Dr. Michels discussed FIC programs at the annual Symposium on Neuroscience in Developing Countries, which focused on the use of information technology to help scientists and students in developing countries.
Dr. Michels is participating on a steering committee for a workshop on Children Exposed to Violence. The workshop, scheduled for May 2002, is being organized by NICHD and several other NIH ICs and will include an international component.
Dr. Mark Miller and Ms. Parvathi Myer presented a paper, "Risk of Inaction: Rotavirus Vaccine in Developing Countries," at the Global Meeting for Future Vaccines September 12-14 in Helsinki.
Dr. Miller participated in the International Vaccine Institute Social Science Task Force retreat October 3-4 in Morgantown, West Virginia.
Dr. Miller was a participant in a Sabin Foundation -sponsored meeting on Access to Future Vaccines: The Role of Intellectual Property Rights and Biotechnology for Public Health Goods October 9-11 in Cold Spring Harbor, New York.
Dr. Miller took part in a WHO clinical workshop meeting on human papilloma virus vaccines November 1-2 in Geneva.
Dr. Miller participated in a UNAIDS/WHO workshop to discuss future access to HIV vaccines November 19-20 in Geneva.
Dr. Miller was a participant in a Malaria Vaccine Initiative meeting on research to determine the potential market for malaria vaccine, December 10-11 in Rockville, Maryland.
Dr. Miller and NIAID staff co-hosted a consultation on the role of mathematical modeling of biological weapons to help formulate strategy and policy, December 13-14 at NIH.
Dr. Miller participated in a meeting of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization Financing Task Force, December 23-24 in Washington, D.C. and a WHO consultation on cost-effectiveness analysis, January 28-29 in Geneva.
Dr. Rachel Nugent participated in the 3rd Annual Meeting of the Global Development Network, December 9-13 in Rio de Janeiro.
Dr. Nugent is representing FIC/NIH in the preparatory process for the World Symposium on Sustainable Development to be held in September 2002.
Dr. Aron Primack participated as a panel member at the WHO Non-Communicable Disease meeting December 10-13 in Geneva. The meeting was held to set priorities and write a "white paper" with these findings for the Director General.
Dr. Joshua Rosenthal, Deputy Director of the FIC Division of International Training and Research, was selected to receive the prestigious NIH Director's Award. The award recognizes Dr. Rosenthal for his outstanding leadership, creativity and dedication in his efforts in fostering drug discovery through responsible screening of diverse species and for his efforts to improve the health of the world's people.
Dr. Luis Salicrup represented FIC at a meeting of the Wellcome Trust's Advisory Committee on Biomedical Research for Latin America and the Caribbean, October 22-24 in London, where recommendations regarding priorities for biomedical research topics and possible strategies to advance research activities and partnerships were discussed.
Dr. Salicrup presented a paper on "Pan American Health in the 21st Century: Strengthening International Cooperation and Development of Human Capital: Perspectives from the U.S. National Institutes of Health" at the Pan American Health in the 21st Century: International Cooperation and Development of Human Capital Conference, December 6-8 in Cancun, Mexico.
Dr. Barbara Sina coordinated a grants writing workshop for potential developing country applicants for the International Bioethics Training Program, November 5-6 at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Sina participated in the meeting of the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) November 11-15 in Atlanta, Georgia to discuss risks and benefits related to field trials of genetically engineered arthropod vectors of human infectious disease. During the course of the ASTMH meeting, Dr. Sina also coordinated a symposium for MIM/TDR grantees to present their research and held a network meeting of the FIC International Malaria Research Training Program.
Dr. Sina attended the first Rodent Malaria Genomics Meeting November 15-16 in Atlanta.
Dr. Sina attended the Comparative Insect Genomics Workshop sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in December in Crystal City, Virginia.
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