Home > About Fogarty > Advisory Board > Report of the Director Archives > 09-19-2000
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
Forty-sixth Meeting
Table of Contents
- DHHS, NIH, and FIC Personnel Announcements
- FIC Budget
- FIC Programs and Initiatives
- FIC In-House Science Seminars
- Regional Activities
- Activities of FIC Staff Members
I. DHHS, NIH, and FIC Personnel Announcements
Dr. Edward Greg Koski will serve as the first Director of the newly created Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Office for Human Research Protection (OHRP) in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health. The OHRP replaces the Office for Protection from Research Risk, which was part of the NIH. Dr. Koski comes to OHRP from the position of Director of Human Research Affairs at Partners HealthCAre System, Inc., in Boston and from Harvard Medical School, where he was Associate Professor of Anesthesia. The new office will provide leadership for all 17 federal agencies that carry out research involving human subjects under a regulation known as the Common Rule.
Ms. A. Victoria Rivas-Vazquez has been named DHHS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs/Media. Prior to joining DHHS, she was assistant press secretary at the White House Press Office and was Deputy Press Secretary for the Clinton-Gore re-election campaign.
Dr. Raynard Kington will become NIH Associate Director for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, effective October 8. Dr. Kington comes to the NIH from CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, where he has led the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Dr. Kington will replace Dr. Peter Kaufmann, who has been serving in this position in an acting capacity.
Mr. Barnett Kramer has been appointed Director of the Office of Medical Applications for Research (OMAR), a component of the NIH Office of Disease Prevention. OMAR is the focal point for NIH efforts to translate the results of biomedical research into knowledge that can be used effectively in the delivery of health services. Dr. Kramer comes to OMAR from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) where, since 1996, he has served as Deputy Director of the Division of Cancer Prevention.
Dr. Lawrence Tabak took up the position of Director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) on September 1. He comes to NIH from the University of Rochester, where he has been Director of the Center for Oral Biology, Aab Institute of Biomedical Sciences. Dr. Tabak replaces Dr. Harold Slavkin, who served as NIDCR Director for five years. Dr. Slavkin left NIH in July to become Dean of the University of Southern California School of Dentistry.
Dr. Jack Whitescarver is serving as Acting Director of the Office of AIDS Research (OAR), replacing Dr. Neal Nathanson, who left NIH September 1 t return to the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Whitescarver has been Deputy Director of OAR since its establishment in 1988.
Dr. Carl Kupfer, the founding Director of the National Eye Institute (NEI) stepped down from this position on July 15. Dr. Kupfer was the longest-serving NIH IC Director, having been at NEI since 1970. Concurrently with his NEI position, he served as Acting Director of FIC from January-June, 1988. He was an ex officio member of the FIC Advisory Board from 1996-1999. Dr. Kupfer will continue to see patients at the Clinical Center as part of his clinical research activities, and will continue his work on the Cogan Collection Catalogue, a compilation of clinical cases and pathology reports of over 50,000 patients. Dr. Jack McLaughlin, who had served as NEI Deputy Director, took over as Acting Director on Dr. Kupfer's departure.
Dr. Sharon Hrynkow has been named Deputy Director of the Fogarty International Center, replacing Ms. Stephanie Bursenos, who retired from Government service in May 1999. Dr. Hrynkow has been serving s FIC Acting Associate Director for Program Coordination since June 1, 1999, and was previously Director of the FIC Division of International Relations. Prior to joining the Center, she was a Science Officer at the Department of State, where she worked to advance health and science issues in the foreign policy arena. Dr. Hrynkow is a graduate of Rhode Island College and earned her Ph.D. in developmental neurobiology at the University of Connecticut.
Dr. Martin Alilio joined the FIC in July as a Malaria Program Officer for the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria. He comes to FIC from the National Institute for Medical Research in Tanzania, where he was involved in a number of research projects including: community control of malaria using pyrethroid impregnated bed curtains; insecticide kits for bed net impregnation at the household level; availability and use of anti-malaria drugs at the community level; and effectiveness of district health services in reduction of burden of disease at the community level. Dr. Alilio has worked as a consultant for the U.N. Children's Fund, Swiss Development Corporation, U.K. Department for International Development, and Danish International Development Agency. He was trained in Tanzania, the U.K., Switzerland, the U.S. and Denmark in health services management and administration.
Dr. Rachel Nugent joined FIC on September 6 as the first Sheldon M. Wolff Fellow in International Health under the auspices of the American Association for the Advancement of Science's Engineering, and Diplomacy Fellowship Program. She will work in the FIC Division of Advanced Studies and Policy Analysis on economic issues related to tobacco use, and environmental policy. Dr. Nugent has served as an economist in the Economic and Social Policy Analysis Division at the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization in Rome since 1998. In this capacity, she has been responsible for economic analysis of agricultural and environmental policies in U.N. member countries, and has been the divisional focal point for climate change, biodiversity and urban and peri-urban agriculture.
Ms. Jennifer Cabe joined FIC in June as a Communications Officer in the FIC Office of the Director. Ms. Cabe was Manager of Operation Services for Health Net Health Plan of Oregon, where she directed the company's advertising, branding, community affairs, marketing, media relations and regulatory/government affairs. She has written about health and medicine for national and regional publications, and has owned a communications company that published a bimonthly magazine for health and fitness enthusiasts. Ms. Cabe is a graduate of Trinity University, where she earned degrees in Communications and English.
Back to top ^
II. FIC Budget
Status of FY 2001 Appropriation
On June 14, the House approved the Departments of Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations Bill for FY 2001. This measure would provide FY 2001 funding for NIH at the level of the President's budget (PB) request of $18.8 billion, or a 5.6 percent increase over the comparable FY 2000 level. While the final House bill contained the President's budget level for NIH, the Committee stated that it would allocate a $20.5 billion level by NIH Institute/Center if funds were to become available subsequently.
Under this scenario, FIC would receive a House mark of $50.3 million, an increase of 16.1% over its FY 2000 level of $43.3 million and 4.8% increase over the FY 2001 PB level. FIC's PB level of $48 million was 10.8% over FY 2000.
On June 22, the Senate passed its version of the FY 2001 Labor-HHS appropriations bill, which included $20.5 billion for the NIH, $2.7 billion more than the FY 2000 appropriation (15.2% increase) and $1.7 billion more than the House level. FIC received a Senate mark of $61.3 million, a 41.4% increase over the FY 2000 level and almost $11 million more than the House mark.
The House and Senate met in conference to debate the bills prior to the summer recess. Although no reports were filed, NIH has learned that it received the Senate level of $20.5 billion. Conferees are expected to meet again upon their return to Congress to prepare reports and consider passage of the Labor-HHS bill.
III. FIC Programs and Initiatives
Second Global Forum on Bioethics in Research
The Second Annual Meeting of the Global Forum on Bioethics in Research will be held as a satellite to the International Conference on Health Research for Development in Bangkok, Thailand in October. The meeting will be hosted by the World Health Organization. Co-sponsors include FIC, other NIH institutes, CDC, the Pan American Health Organization and the U.K. Medical Research Council. FIC and several other NIH institutes, including the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute on Aging (NIA), NIDCR, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), provided funds for developing country participants to attend the conference. The third forum is planned for November 2001 in the Gambia.
The central issue to be discussed at the meeting is the responsibility of the sponsor and researcher to the host community. This includes the transfer of technology, steps to ensure access to treatment, and other potential benefits. The aim is not to advocate increased responsibility, but to debate whether doing so constitutes good research policy. There will also be sessions on capacity building.
Consultation on Medicine and the Media
On June 7, FIC sponsored "Biomedicine and the Media: An International Colloquium." Twenty-four participants, including six from the developing world, gathered at NIH for a one-day discussion on the challenges of communicating science to the public. Participants included medical editors (three from the developing world); print journalists (two from the developing world); researchers (one from the developing world); a social historian; a representative from the NIH Office of Communications; and FIC staff. Drummond Rennie, Journal of the American Medical Association, and Jerome, Kassirer, former medical editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, moderated the meeting. Participants took part in discussions ranging from editorial practice to international perspectives of biomedical reporting. Addressing whether the media plays a significant role in the success or failure of international research, reports research finding reliably and objectively, and whether concepts of ethics are distorted or the process may be misrepresented. The goal of the consultation was to determine how wide the gap may be between researchers and the media, and which, if any, issues are worth pursuing by FIC in order to narrow the gap and improve performance and responsible and accurate reporting. Among other possibilities, it was suggested that a larger conference of the press, medical journalists, and scientists might prove a useful forum for promoting a dialogue on the issues and existing tensions.
Presidential Millennium Vaccine Challenge
FIC, in cooperation with NIAID, is sponsoring a conference, "Enhancement of Pull/Demand Strategies for HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis Vaccines: Addressing the Presidential Challenge." The meeting will take place in late November at NIH. This is a follow-up to the conference, "Vaccines for HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis: Addressing the Presidential Challenge" that was convened in May by NIAID. Both meetings are in response to a presidential challenge to examine key issues regarding the creation of public-private partnerships to expedite development of vaccines for these three globally important diseases. The upcoming conference will focus on vaccine deployment and will include pharmaceutical companies in initial planning discussions.
International Tobacco Control Research and Training Initiative
FIC is developing a research and training program to deepen capacity in tobacco control research in low- and middle-income nations. The program is being developed in coordination with NCI, NIDA, NICHD and other institutes involved in research on tobacco related diseases. The intent is to build capacity in epidemiological and biobehavioral research, prevention, treatment, communications, and policy research. The program will support collaborative protocols and US-based training of low- or middle-income country scientists and health professionals. The level of specialization in any given international program would vary based on the strengths of the collaborating institutions. The program would reflect the need for transdisciplinary teams of experts to contend with the tobacco epidemic, linking various specializations. A colloquium was held with scientists from low- and middle-income countries as an ancillary session to the 10th World Conference on Tobacco or Health in order to hear perspectives on needs and opportunities for collaboration.
Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM)
The MIM secretariat is working with the African malaria research community to develop concept papers that will lead to programs to overcome major obstacles facing malaria research in Africa. These programs include the development of a training program for African research institution managers, a training and education network in Africa (The African School of Malariology), and the formation of an African peer review network leading to the strengthening of African research journals.
MIM, together with NIAID and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), sponsored a workshop on the Pathogenesis of Malarial Anemia in May at NIH, at which malaria investigators identified the need to collaborate with hematologists. In follow-up, the secretariat is organizing a symposium on malaria-induced anemia, which will take place at the American Society for Hematology Meeting in San Francisco in December. Finally, five MIM-supported African investigators will present their research findings at a MIM-sponsored symposium at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in Houston in October. MIM also will hold a grant writing and mock peer review workshop for African investigators attending this meeting.
The Sheldon M. Wolff Fellowship on International Health
In collaboration with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), FIC has established the Sheldon M. Wolff Fellowship on International Health. FIC will select AAAS Fellows for positions in either the Division of International Relations to advance NIH and FIC efforts through intergovernmental and other cooperative partnerships; the Division of Advanced Studies and Policy Analysis to analyze trends that impact global health and the medical research community or to develop new program concepts; or the Division of International Training and Research to implement program initiatives and contribute to new program development. Fellows will take part in program, policy and priority setting efforts and will gain insight into how FIC and NIH work to advance medical research through international cooperation.
International Bioethics Education and Career Development Award
Fourteen applications were received in response to a Request for Applications (RFA) for this new program. Applications were invited to create or enhance international bioethics training programs and to train developing country participants. Three proposals (2 from South Africa, 1 from Chile) were received from developing countries and two from non-U.S. industrialized countries (Canada and the United Kingdom). These proposals were reviewed by the NIH Center for Scientific Review at the end of August and will be reviewed by the Advisory Board at the September 19 meeting.
Ecology of Infectious Diseases
Seventy-nine applications were received in response to the first competition of this unique inter-agency, inter-IC program supported by FIC, NIAID, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Seventy-five of these were considered responsive to the RFA and were reviewed by a special emphasis panel convened by NSF. Five awards will be made by NSF and seven will likely be made by the NIH (3 FIC, 3 NIAID, 1 NIEHS) before the end of FY 2000. In the interest of maintaining a link between all awards, FIC plans to co-fund each of the eight non-FIC awards.
AIDS International Training and Research Program (AITRP)
Scores and summary statements were reviewed for three competing renewal applications, ten new start applications and 49 competing supplement applications for current programs. The Advisory Board will review these applications at the September 19 meeting, and awards will be made by September 29, 2000. It is anticipated that up to three competing renewals, six new starts and approximately 26 supplements will be made. New partners in the AITRP program include the National Institute of Nursing Research and NHLBI. Continuing partners include the Office of AIDS Research, NCI, NIDCR, NIDA, NIMH, NICHD, and NIAID.
International Maternal and Child Health Research and Training Program (IMCHRT)
The RFA for this program and the complementary research focused RFA, Global Networks for Women's and Children's Health Research, were published in the NIH Guide in March 2000. Thirty-eight applications were received for the IMCHRT, and all are linked to a Global Network application. Scientific review is planned for early to mid-November, with review by the FIC Advisory Board at the February 2001 meeting. Awards will be made in March 2001. Six of the current seven IMCHRT grantees are linked to applications for the Global Network.
International Training and Research Program in Population and Health (ITRPH)
Twelve applications were reviewed for the ITRPH, a program supported by FIC, NICHD and NIA, a new partner in the RFA. The FIC Advisory Board will review the proposals at the September meeting and awards will be made by September 29, 2000.
International Cooperative Biodiversity Groups (ICBG)
The ICBG held the first of two network meetings to be held in this five-year program cycle July 31-August 2 at the Lawton Chiles International House. Approximately 75 people from 12 countries and seven groups participated in this two and a half day meeting. The five categorical sessions included chemical bioassay innovations, inventory and conservation advances, biodiversity information science applications, community informed consent, and related funding opportunities.
International Training and Research Program in Environmental and Occupational Health (ITREOH)
The fifth annual ITREOH network meeting was held June 12-13 at the Lawton Chiles International House. The meeting, co-sponsored by FIC and NIEHS of NIH, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) of the CDC, and the Environmental Protection Agency, was attended by about 70 people, including foreign collaborators and trainees. Highlights included presentation of selected scientific and training advances made in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America, and 24 scientific posters presentations by trainees.
Malaria Research and Training Program
FIC requested applications in January for malaria research training programs for African scientists, or for participants from other malaria-endemic areas to receive research training in P. vivax or on problems related to P. falciparum. Eight applications were received in response to this RFA, six focused on African malaria research, on P. vivax research in Latin America and one on both Latin America and Africa. These applications were reviewed in July by a panel convened by NIAID and will be reviewed by the Advisory Board at the September 19 meeting.
International Research Scientist Development Award (IRSDA)
FIC received six applications for the IRSDA, which were reviewed on August 7. In order to encourage a larger number of applications, FIC is discussing possible changes to this program. These include increased salary support, more flexibility in the amount of continuous time spent at the foreign site, and converting the method of solicitation from Request for Application to Program Announcement. In addition, FIC will develop new ways in which to advertise this opportunity to the research community.
Minority International Research and Training Program (MIRT)
FIC plans to fund three $50,000 supplements to existing MIRT awards in order to form consortia with historically black colleges and universities and to train four to five student per year in international research. The consortia are: Oakwood College and the University of Pittsburgh, Albany State University and San Diego State University, and Howard University School of Nursing and the University of Illinois Chicago School of Nursing.
MIRT Bioethics Working Group
FIC sponsored a MIRT working group meeting September 13 at NIH to discuss international bioethics issues to be addressed in all MIRT training efforts and to provide examples of international bioethics activities relevant to the activities of the MIRT program directors and trainees.
Scholars in Residence Program
Since the May Advisory Board meeting, Dr. Masakazu Hatanaka, Shionogi Institute for Medical Science, Osaka, Japan, was in residence from June 1-July 1. Dr. Hatanaka was the last Scholar to be supported under the FIC Scholars-in-Residence Program, which became the NIH Fogarty Scholars Program in 1998.
Back to top ^
IV. FIC In-House Science Seminars
The latest series of in-house Science Seminars for FIC staff on priority health issues and related activities included presentations by the following:
May 17 - Mr. Erwan Seznek, French National Center of Scientific Research, "French Research in Biology; A Domestic and International Perspective."
May 25 - Dr. Jeanne McDermott, FIC Division of International Training and Research, "Taking the Last Step: Integrating Research Findings into Health Services."
June 14 - Dr. Mead Over, The World Bank, "The Impact of Malaria Interventions in the Solomon Islands: What can be Learned from Routine, Non-Experimental Program Data?"
June 15 - Mr. Anthony Battersby, Public Health Field Consultant, "Injection Safety, the Achilles Heel of Health Safety"
August 2 - Drs. Jeanne McDermott and Kenneth Bridbord "Report from the XIII International Conference on AIDS"
August 11 - Ms. Stephanie Tuttle, Yale University School of Public Health and a summer intern at FIC, "The Economic Burden of Malaria on Children in Rural Nigeria"
V. Regional Activities
Central and Eastern Europe
FIC represented NIH in meetings of the Joint Boards of the U.S.-Slovenia and U.S.-Hungary Science and Technology Commissions on September 5 and 11, respectively. In addition, FIC hosted the delegations at NIH for detailed discussions of opportunities available for supporting researchers from these countries in transition, as well as for expanding collaboration. On September 8, FIC hosted the Croatian Minister of Health for a general briefing and meetings with representatives of several NIH ICs; and finally, a delegation led by the Slovak Minister of Education visited FIC on September 11 to learn about NIH opportunities for expanding biomedical collaboration.
Egypt
FIC staff represented NIH at the Annual Board meeting for the U.S.-Egypt Joint Science and Technology Fund, under the Gore Mubarak Initiative, which took place on May 25 at the State Department. U.S. and Egyptian participants reported on health activities undertaken under the Joint Fund and reviewed 34 grant proposals. The Joint Board approved seven proposals in the health and biotechnology area for funding under the Annual Grants Program. The grant proposals included projects in the areas of natural products, vaccine development, and development of diagnostic kits to evaluate biomaterials for hard tissue repair. In addition, the Joint Board approved a workshop proposed by FIC on "Natural Products as Options for Treatment of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases." This workshop is a follow-on to an earlier workshop on natural products organized by FIC in 1997 as part of the Joint Fund activities.
Germany
The German Minister of Health met with Dr. Ruth Kirschstein and senior staff of FIC and the National Human Genome Research Institute on July 11 to exchange views on the scientific, medical, ethical and legal aspects of stem cell research. Additional topics for discussion included bioethics and the MIM. Germany is interested in becoming more involved in the MIM and in encouraging projects in vaccine development, epidemiology and therapeutics.
India
Secretary Shalala and the Indian Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. C.P. Thakur, signed two Joint Statements in June pledging to increase cooperation in biomedical and behavioral research. The first statement focuses on HIV/AIDS and STD prevention research and involves FIC, NIAID, NIMH, NICHD, NIDA and OAR. FIC has agreed to serve as the secretariat for this activity and is currently forming a Joint Working Group of which Dr. Keusch will be the co-chair. The Directors of each of the institutes listed above have agreed to serve on this Joint Working Group. The second statement focuses on maternal and child health and human development research and involves primarily NICHD.
Italy, Africa, Latin America
FIC hosted an international, interagency session in August to explore development of a strategy for establishing a "natural products research network" in the developing world and to consider opportunities for collaboration between scientists in the U.S., Italy and Africa, as well as Latin America. The meeting was a result of the Italian National Research Council's interest in conducting a workshop to identify opportunities for collaboration on topics such as natural products/drug discovery and development (biopharmaceutical bioindustrial applications); biodiversity conservation and sustainable development; agricultural biotechnology and plant genetics. Training, development of bioinformatics, and data management would be integral components of all joint activities.
Japan
The 36th Joint Committee Meeting of the U.S.-Japan Cooperative Medical Science Program was held in Tokyo September 5-7. Participants heard reports from the AIDS Panels and Viral Diseases Panel reviews and took part in discussion of review of the Parasitic Diseases Panels and the Environmental Mutagenesis and Carcinogenesis Panels. Plans and activities discussed included the immunization workshop, the U.S.-Japan Program 35-year report and the 6th International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Korea
The 4th meeting of the U.S.-Korea Joint Committee on Scientific and Technical Cooperation was held September 18 at the State Department. The agenda included topics of interest to NIH in the life sciences; cooperation in infectious diseases research, following up on recommendations made at the U.S.-Korea forum on emerging infectious diseases held in April 1999; and cooperation in genomics research made possible by the Korean government's new commitment to support a larger Korean investment in human genomics research.
Mexico
A five-year renewal of the Cooperative Agreement between NIH and the Mexican National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT) was signed by Dr. Ruth Kirschstein and Dr. Carlos Bazdresch Parada, Director General of CONACYT, on May 19, 2000. The agreement encourages cooperation in the biomedical and behavioral sciences, while supporting domestic and international health goals, including economic and social development. It provides a framework for the exchange of scientists and the support of cooperative biomedical and behavioral research and training consistent with the scientific and technical interests represented by the parties. The agreement includes support of the Pan American Fellowship Program through which Mexican post-doctoral fellows join the NIH Visiting Program with equal funding from U.S. and Mexican sources; the exchange of scientific publications, information and data pertinent to the development and implementation of joint research; the promotion and conduct of collaborative research; and the organization of joint conferences, seminars and symposia of mutual interest.
Russia and the NIS
U.S.-Russia Health Committee: The U.S.-Russia Health Committee met for the ninth time on July 20 in Moscow. Joint efforts were reviewed in priority areas of infectious diseases (tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS), maternal and child health, and access to quality health care. Currently, the NIMH, the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and NHLBI participate in activities under the last priority area. FIC staff prepared briefing material for the Secretary in advance of the trip.
U.S. Civilian Research and Development Foundation (CRDF): The State Department has provided CRDF with funds to support grants related to defense conversion and non-proliferation. These grants are in addition to new awards (55 of which are biomedical) that were announced in May at the CRDF Symposium in Moscow. CRDF made 199 awards in the 1999-2000 Cooperative Grants Program, providing nearly $10 million to collaborative research projects between scientists and engineers in the U.S. and the former Soviet Union. NIH contributed $3 million during that cycle. This year, grants were awarded to new NIS teams from Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Previous grants have been made to Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine.
FIC hosted a presentation on September 13 by CRDF grantees Dr. Kenrad Nelson, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and Dr. Tengiz Tsertsvadze, Georgian AIDS and Clinical Immunology Research Center, on The Epidemiology of HIV Transmission in the Republic of Georgia, a project funded by the NIH-supported CRDF Biomedical Program.
VI. Activities of FIC Staff Members
Dr. Gerald Keusch attended the Harold C. Neu Infectious Diseases Conference, a forum that examines subjects of interest to leaders in infectious disease research, May 18-20 in Dallas Texas.
Dr. Keusch gave a presentation at the Conference "Vaccines for Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS: Addressing the Presidential Challenge" May 22 at NIH.
Dr. Keusch took part in the Scientific Working Group Meeting of the UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) May 31-June 2 in Geneva. The meeting aimed to develop an overall vision and strategy for the new TDR Steering Committee on Strategic Social, Economic and Behavioral Research.
Dr. Keusch met with Secretary Shalala and the Indian Minister of Health to discuss cooperation and a wide range of biomedical and behavioral research questions with special emphasis on HIV/AIDS and other infectious disease research June, 13 in Washington.
Dr. Keusch met with Ambassador Simbi Mubako of Zimbabwe to discuss issues related to HIV/AIDS, tobacco research and malaria, June 21 at NIH.
Dr. Keusch attended a meeting at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to discuss U.S. initiatives to foster international scientific cooperation June 21 in Bethesda, Maryland.
Dr. Keusch participated in a "Consultation on Leadership for Vaccine Development and Immunization" convened by the Global Health Program of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation June 26-27 in Seattle, Washington.
Dr. Keusch met with Mr. Douglas Hartwick, U.S. Ambassador Designate to Laos to discuss issues related to HIV/AIDS and drug abuse, June 28 at NIH.
Dr. Keusch and Dr. Ruth Kirschstein met with Dr. Andrea Fischer, the German Minister of Health, to discuss NIH-German cooperation, particularly as relates to the human genome project and bioethics, July 11 at NIH.
Dr. Keusch gave introductory remarks at the plenary session on "The Roll Back Malaria Partnership: A Progress Report" and spoke at an invited panel session on "International Partnerships in Infectious Diseases Research, Training and Control" at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases, July 16-19 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Dr. Keusch briefed Mr. Leon Fuerth, Assistant to the Vice President for National Security Affairs, on mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS July 21 in Washington.
Dr. Keusch gave a presentation on International Nutrition Research Activities at a lunch meeting of the International Food Policy Research Institute, Consultative Group on Agricultural Research July 26 in Washington.
Dr. Keusch spoke at the "Meet the Professor" session on "Opportunities for International Research and Training Support: Understanding NIH Mechanisms" at the World Congress of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition August 5 in Boston.
Dr. Keusch gave a presentation on "Confronting Tobacco: International Strategies for Building Research Capacity" at the 11th World Congress on Tobacco OR Health August 6 in Chicago.
Dr. Keusch, Dr. Mark Miller and Dr. Luis Salicrup visited the National Council for Science and Technology (CO/NACYT) in Mexico City September 11-12 to meet with members of the Mexican biomedical research community and to discuss the Pan American Fellowship Program as well as potential opportunities for further bilateral collaboration on the renewed NIH/CONACYT agreement.
Dr. Keusch discussed NIH prevention and treatment activities, reviewing evidence that supports clinical interventions in developing countries, especially in Africa, at a one-day seminar September 12 at the Rockefeller Foundation entitled "Good Practices in Clinic-based HIV Prevention and Treatment."
Dr. Keusch will give a talk at a session on "International Research Ethics, Work in Progress: Reports from Organizations and Congresses" at the 3rd Global Summit of the National Bioethics Commissions, which will be held in conjunction with the Fifth World Congress of Bioethics, International Association of Bioethics, September 20 in London.
Mr. Amar Bhat traveled to Brussels, Belgium July 3-5 as part of a U.S. delegation that met with officials of the European Commission, including staff from the Directorates of External Relations, Development, and Research. The purpose of the visit was to discuss possible joint activities in HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria in follow-up to the May 31 meeting of President Clinton and European Union President, Romano Prodi. During the presidential summit, both leaders issued a joint statement pledging to do more to combat these diseases in developing countries, with a special emphasis on Africa.
Dr. Joel Breman attended the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases 2, July 16-19 in Atlanta, Georgia. He organized a panel entitled "International Partnerships in Research, Training and Control," which included participants from the Burroughs Wellcome Trust, FIC, The Tropical Diseases in Research Training Program/WHO, the East African AIDS Consortium, and the International Trachoma Initiative of the CDC.
Dr. Breman attended the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) meeting in New Orleans September 6-10. He was recently appointed to the IDSA International Affairs Committee.
Dr. Kenneth Bridbord and Dr. Jeanne McDermott attended the XIII International Conference on AIDS in Durban from July 9-14, as well as a number of satellite meetings. AITRP-associated foreign investigators contributed to an estimated 25 percent of presentations at the Conference.
Dr. Andrea Egan attended the "Roll Back Malaria (RBM) for African Prosperity" meeting at Harvard June 29-30, where she participated in a panel of experts to advise and endorse the development of an expert review committee to review malaria control proposals submitted to RBM.
Mr. Robert Eiss represented FIC at a meeting on "Priorities for Nutrition Research in Develeoping Countries" May 23 at the Center for International Development at Harvard University and the Harvard School of Public Health.
Mr. Eiss attended the National Nutrition Summit sponsored by the Department of Agriculture and DHHS May 30-31 in Washington.
Mr. Eiss traveled to Brussels, Belgium July 7-8 to attend the "Donors Meeting of the World Bank Global Development Network."
Mr. Eiss moderated a panel entitled "Right, Wrong and Unequal: Ethics Priorities in International Health Research" at the 27th Annual Conference of the Global Health Council: "A Century of Health for the Children of 2000" June 15 in Arlington, Virginia.
Mr. Eiss attended a "Synthesis Meeting" of the International Conference on Health Research for Development (IC2000) July 5-7 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Mr. Eiss attended a meeting on "Social Change and Mental Health: The Interrelations of Social Capital, Mental Health and Health", sponsored by NIMH, The World Bank, and WHO July 17 in Washington.
Mr. Eiss organized an ancillary session at the 11th World Conference on Tobacco or Health August 5-11 in Chicago. The purpose of the session was to invite perspectives on research, training and career development priorities for tobacco control in low- and middle- income nations.
Dr. Karen Hofman organized a session on Ethical and Legal Issues in Infectious Disease Research and Control and moderated the panel at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases held in Atlanta, Georgia in July.
Dr. Hofman was the FIC lead organizer of the meeting "Biomedicine and the Media: An International Colloquium" The meeting took place June 7 at NIH.
Dr. Sharon Hrynkow met with the following senior officials to discuss FIC/NIH collaborative research and training opportunities: Dr. Dominique Gillot, Secretary of State for Health, France (June 7); Dr. Richard Sezibara, Ambassador of Rwanda (June 14); Mr. Peter Volasko, State Under Secretary for Bilateral Science & Technology Cooperation, Ministry of Science and Technology of Slovenia (September 6); Dr. Ana Stavljenic-Rukavina, Minister of Health of Croatia (September 8); Mr. Milan Fta'cnik, Minister of Education of the Slovak Republic; and Dr. Gabor Szabo, Deputy State Secretary for Research and Development of Hungary (September 12).
Dr. Hrynkow participated on June 8 in a roundtable discussion on global health and the linkage with U.S. national security and foreign policy interests. The roundtable was sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations.
Dr. Hrynkow made a presentation on FIC programs and initiatives and discussed opportunities for FIC/NIH cooperation at the India-U.S. Neuroscience Collaboration Workshop held on July 3.
Dr. Hrynkow spoke on NIH International Activities on June 28 and again on September 14 at the Global Issues Course for Science and Technology Officers at the U.S. Department of State.
Dr. Richard Krause attended the 36th Joint Committee Meeting of the U.S.-Japan Cooperative Medical Science Program that was held in Tokyo September 5-7 .
Dr. Krause spent two weeks in India to develop protocols for epidemiological surveillance of Group A strep infections in Vellore and Chandigarh. The project was approved at the July meeting of the Joint Working Group of the Vaccine Action Program.
Dr. Jeanne McDermott gave a presentation on "Improving Interpersonal Skills of Providers: Lessons from Bolivia and Indonesia" at the MotherCare/CHANGE/WHO Behaviour Change Consultative Forum June 5 in Washington.
Dr. McDermott represented FIC at the review of Women's Health Research Advancement Awards supported by the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health Research.
Dr. Kathleen Michels attended the "Beijing plus 5" U.N Conference on Women, June 5-7 in New York City. This conference was a follow-up to the U.N. Conference on Women that was held in Beijing, China in 1995. Dr. Michels served as moderator for the forum on science, technology and health at the International Forum on Women in Science and Technology, which was associated with the NGO portion of the U.N. Conference.
Dr. Mark Miller gave a presentation on "Socio-behavioral Factors Pertaining to the Use of Vaccines in Developing Countries" at a meeting hosted by the Gates Children's Vaccine Program May 24-25 in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Miller was instructor for a vaccinology course at Fondation Merieux May 27-28 in Annecy, France.
Dr. Miller gave a presentation at a WHO Hepatitis B disease modeling meeting May 29-30 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Dr. Miller attended a vaccine research meeting for the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization June 6-9 in Montreux, Switzerland.
Dr. Miller attended a meeting July 25 in Geneva of the Steering Committee for the Global Health meeting that will take place in Bangkok, Thailand in October.
Dr. Miller hosted an International Vaccine Initiative Task Force for Socio-behavioral Research for the Introduction of New Vaccines against Bacterial Enteric Diseases in Developing Countries August 4-5 at NIH.
Dr. Luis Salicrup participated in the WHO Research Advisory Board Committee meeting July 17-20 in Havana, Cuba. He gave a presentation on FIC biomedical research activities, with special emphasis on current activities and new initiatives related to Latin America and the Caribbean. Dr. Salicrup also met with counterparts at Cuban biomedical research institutes.
Dr. Salicrup was invited by the American Society for Microbiology's (ASM) International Committee to give a presentation on FIC training and research programs at the 100th ASM General Meeting May 22-24 in Los Angeles. ASM expressed an interest in joining with FIC to organize regional workshops in Latin America and the Caribbean and in bringing selected recipients of ASM International Fellowships for Latin America to conduct research at NIH.
Dr. Salicrup attended the XV International Congress for Tropical Medicine and Malaria August 20-25 in Cartagena, Colombia. He chaired a session on Public Health and presented a paper on "International Health: Challenges and New Approaches in the Prevention and Control of Tropical Diseases."
Dr. Barbara Sina is organizing a symposium on insecticide resistance in malaria vector mosquitoes for the MIM/TDR grantees who work on this rapidly evolving problem in Harare, Zimbabwe next March and is planning an international meeting on P. vivax research to be held in India next spring or summer.
Dr. Sudha Srinivasan gave presentations on the Human Genome Project and Current Issues in Human Genetic Research, and opportunities for collaboration offered by FIC and NIH at a training course convened in Gaborone, Botswana by the Global Biodiversity Institute, a U.S.-based non-governmental organization. The training course focused on Southern African Biodiversity, Biotechnology and Law.
Dr. Srinivasan gave a presentation on NIH activities in Africa at an orientation session for incoming AAAS Diplomacy Fellows September 13 in Washington, D.C.
Back to top ^
