NIAID
Council Operating Procedures
These are the operating procedures for
2008. This page is updated yearly.
The National Advisory Allergy and Infectious
Diseases Council (NAAIDC)
is charged with the responsibility of advising, consulting with, and
making
recommendations to the Director, NIH, on matters relating to research
activities and functions of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases (NIAID). The NAAIDC provides final review, for scientific
merit
and program priority, of all applications for research grants, training grants,
and career development awards assigned to National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, as well as other requests
for support for which Council recommendations are required by law.
Further, the NAAIDC
reviews
and provides clearance for concepts for
NIAID research initiatives.
The NAAIDC has three program Subcommittees: the Acquired Immunodeficiency
Syndrome Subcommittee; Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation Subcommittee;
and Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Subcommittee. Additionally,
three members of the NAAIDC are chosen to represent Council for the expedited second
level of review and en
bloc approval of IRG recommendations.
- REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS
- Grants Applications with No Special Concerns
Before Council, three council members review an Electronic Council Book containing peer review results for grant applications assigned to NIAID for consideration for funding. Based on that review, the members recommend en bloc concurrence of peer review results. This en bloc concurrence applies to applications meeting the following criteria:
- Proposed project is relevant to the NIAID mission and shows promise
of making valuable contributions to human knowledge.
- No unresolved human
subject, animal,
or biohazard concern identified
by the study
section.
- Not foreign.
- No unresolved issues regarding the recruitment of women, minorities,
or children or
data monitoring identified by the study section.
- No unresolved appeal letters or other issue including MERIT award
or extension and selective
payment award requiring attention of full Council.
Applications with no special considerations will be eligible for funding
as soon as the Council members have certified
to the Executive
Secretary of Council that their review is complete.
Annually, Council establishes the criteria for expedited review and
approval.
- Grants Needing Special Consideration
In closed session, each program Subcommittee of Council reviews
grant applications, discussing topics such as selective
pay,
selection of MERIT awardees,
foreign grant applications, inclusion of women and minorities and
children in clinical studies, human subjects or animal concerns, appeal
letters, and concurrence with or variance from recommendations of integrated
review groups.
Both Council members and NIAID staff may identify applications needing
discussion or action. An agenda, summary statements, special action
worksheets, and other materials are provided to Council members approximately
two weeks before meetings as background for these discussions.
After the Subcommittees have met, their recommendations are brought
to full Council for final consideration. Any Council member may raise
an
application for further discussion at the Subcommittee meeting or with
full Council.
NIAID staff will record all Council funding recommendations.
- CONCEPTS
FOR RESEARCH INITIATIVES
In open session, each Subcommittee conducts concept review of potential
research initiatives. These concepts originate in the scientific community,
constituency organizations, and Congress.
Using information from the sources listed above, NIAID staff prepare
concept summaries for review by the Subcommittees. A Subcommittee may
recommend
approval, modification, deferral, or disapproval of a concept. Approved
concepts are the bases for programs initiated through requests
for applications, requests
for proposals,
and program
announcements.
NIAID staff will record and maintain documentation reflecting Subcommittee
discussion and recommendations.
- POLICY AND RESEARCH PRIORITIES
Council members serve as a national resource in the developing, recommending,
and setting of Institute policy and research priorities. On occasion,
special working groups will be formed by or at the request of Council
to examine and address critical scientific or policy issues of importance
to the Institute and its constituencies.
- NIAID INTRAMURAL RESEARCH PROGRAM
At the May Council meeting, the director of the Vaccine Research Center
(VRC) shall provide an update on the intramural research program and
the recommendations of the VRC Board of Scientific Counselors. At the
September
Council meeting,
the director of the NIAID Division of Intramural Research (DIR) shall
provide an update on the intramural research program and the recommendations
of the DIR Board of Scientific Counselors.
- NIAID REPORTS TO COUNCIL
NIAID will inform Council of current scientific, budgetary, legislative,
or other issues that may have an impact on NIAID and its constituencies.
- NIH COUNCIL OF COUNCILS
One member of the NAAIDC will serve as a member of the legislatively-mandated NIH Council of Councils and will report to the NAAIDC on the results of Council of Councils meetings.
- COUNCIL OPERATING PROCEDURES
At the January/February meeting, Council will review the Operating
Procedures for the NAAIDC and make recommendations for revision, where
appropriate.
In the event that a public health or safety emergency precludes a planned physical meeting of the Advisory Council, a fully electronic meeting of the Council may be conducted.
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