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The Stroke Progress Review Group

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Background

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) is the Nation's leading supporter of biomedical research on disorders of the brain and nervous system, including basic, clinical, and population-based research to identify and study the causes, biology, prevention, early detection, and treatment of Stroke. Through years of dedicated research, researchers supported by the NINDS have amassed a significant knowledge base about Stroke, and this knowledge, coupled with new technologies, is providing a wealth of new scientific opportunities. At the same time, increasing research needs and scientific opportunities require that the Institute determine the best uses for its resources. It is necessary to identify clear scientific priorities, both to provide guidance for the scientific community and to create a benchmark against which progress can be measured.

The Stroke Progress Review Group (Stroke PRG) is modeled after the National Cancer Institute's planning process which was originally established to assist the NCI in assessing the state of knowledge and identifying scientific opportunities and needs within its large, site-specific research programs. NINDS and the NCI have recently formed the Brain Tumor Progress Review Group (BT-PRG) which is the first PRG to be jointly established between NCI and another NIH Institute, in recognition of the importance of brain tumor research to both Institutes.

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Charge to the PRG

The Stroke PRG is charged with assisting the NINDS in addressing the Institute's Stroke research program. PRG members are asked to take a broad view in identifying and prioritizing unmet scientific needs and opportunities that are critical to the advancement of the research field. The Stroke PRG is specifically charged with the following:

  1. Identify and prioritize scientific research opportunities and needs, and the scientific resources needed to address them, to advance medical progress.
  2. Compare and contrast these priorities with an NINDS-prepared analysis of its Stroke research portfolio.
  3. Develop a research plan of action that addresses unmet opportunities and needs.
  4. Prepare a written report describing the PRG's findings and recommendations for deliberation by the National Advisory Council on Neurological Disorders and Stroke. This report will be the final product of the Stroke PRG's efforts and deliberations. The report will describe the group's findings and recommendations for advancing Stroke-related research. The following section details the process to be used in producing this PRG report.

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The PRG Process

The Stroke-PRG members are prominent scientists, clinicians, consumer advocates and industry representatives who together represent the full spectrum of scientific expertise required to make comprehensive recommendations for the NINDS's Stroke research agenda. Members are also selected for their ability to take a broad view in identifying and prioritizing scientific needs and opportunities that are critical to advancing the field of Stroke research.

In February 2001, the PRG Leadership finalized an agenda and process for the PRG Planning Meeting, to be held in March, 2001. At the Planning meeting, participants are identified to take part in a subsequent larger Roundtable meeting, and topics are identified for Roundtable breakout sessions to which those participants are ultimately assigned and for which the PRG members served as co-chairs.

The Stroke PRG Roundtable Meeting (to be held in July 2001) brings together approximately 140 leading members of the stroke research and advocacy communities, representing diverse institutions and scientific disciplines. These experts meet in an open forum in which they formulate key scientific questions and priorities for the next 5-10 years of stroke research. NINDS will provide the PRG Roundtable with extensive information about its stroke research programs for use in their review. The research priorities and resource needs that the Roundtable identify in the course of their deliberations will form the basis for the PRG Report.

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Development of the PRG Report

After the Roundtable Meeting, an intermediate draft report will be prepared, multiple iterations of which will be reviewed by the PRG Leadership and PRG Members. Upon completion of the final draft, the report will be submitted for deliberation and acceptance by the NINDS Advisory Committee. The report will be widely disseminated and integrated into the Institute's planning activities. In Spring 2002, the PRG will meet with the NINDS Director to discuss the Institutes' response to the report.

As an example, the NCI-NINDS PRG report on brain tumors is available on line at the NINDS web site or the NIH web site.

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Roster of Stroke PRG Members

Roundtable Meeting Schedule

NINDS Stroke Clinical Trials

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Last updated September 15, 2008