May 2007 Director's Status Report

• Budget and Appropriations
  • Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Graphs
• Legislative Update
• Staff Changes
• Institute-Sponsored Meetings, Workshops, and Conferences
• General Information/Staff Awards
• Relevant Notices and Initiatives Published in the NIH Guide
  

BUDGET and APPROPRIATIONS

Status of FY 2007, 2008, and 2009 Budgets for NIA

FY 2007
On February 15th, the President signed into law H. J. Res. 20, the "Revised Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2007," as P.L. 110-5. This followed three Continuing Resolutions which expired on February 15th and provides funding for the entire fiscal year. The Joint Funding resolution included increases above the FY 2006 funding levels, including a $687 million increase for NIH to $28.9 billion.

For NIA, the FY 2007 enacted level is $1,047,260 million, an increase of $10.7 million or 1.0% over FY 2006. As part of the Joint Funding resolution, funds reserved for roadmap activities were released to the NIH ICs for use in FY 2007. The NIA roadmap allocation was $12.5 million.

In FY 2007, the NIA currently estimates support of 1,518 RPGs, including 433 new and competing projects and a success rate of approximately 17.3 percent. NIA is presently supporting competing RPGs up to the 11 percentile. Support levels for other funding mechanisms include 74 research centers for $83 million; 243 other research grants, including 213 research career awards, for a total of $34.5 million; 554 full-time training positions for $23.8 million, and a total of $68.8 million for research and development contracts.

NIA will follow the NIH FY 2007 funding policy for non-competing research grants, which is to provide no inflationary increase over FY 2006. In an effort to reinforce its support for new investigators, NIA plans to support a total of 54 new investigators in FY 2007, the average number of new investigators NIA supported over the last 5 years.

FY 2008
The FY 2008 President’s budget was released to the public on February 5, 2007. The President’s request for NIH is $28.9 billion. In the FY 2008 President’ budget, NIH identified the NIH Roadmap for Biomedical Research, enhanced support for new investigators, and physical infrastructure as top strategic priorities.

The FY 2008 budget request for NIA is $1,047,148 million, an increase of $648 thousand or 0.06 percent from the FY 2007 budget enacted under the Joint Resolution and adjusted for comparable transfers. This amount includes $13.783 million for NIH Roadmap activities. The NIA FY2008 Congressional Justification can be viewed at http://www.nia.nih.gov/AboutNIA/BudgetRequests/.

As the final FY 2007 level was enacted subsequent to the time the budget was developed and submitted to Congress, the FY 2007 base and comparable level for the FY 2008 request was an earlier Continuing Resolution. This earlier base included NIH roadmap funds in the individual IC budgets. As discussed in the section above, the FY 2007 final level includes additional funds in the NIH Office for the Common Fund and makes available to the individual NIH Institutes and Centers the money previously targeted towards roadmap activities.

For NIA, the FY 2008 revised request, redistributed for the impact of the FY 2007 final appropriated level, will allow for 1,502 total research project grants (RPGs), including 393 new and competing awards. The revised estimate also includes a total of $117.5 million for research centers and other research grants, approximately the same amount as the FY 2007 level. For research training, the FY 2008 budget request includes $23.8 million to support 554 trainees. Stipends for pre-doctoral recipients of these awards will remain at the FY 2007 level. The R&D contract mechanism will be supported at a level of $70.3 million, an increase of $1.5 million or 2.2 percent over FY 2007. Increases in the R&D contract mechanism will provide for the NIH Genes, Health, and Environment Initiative and the Neuroscience Blueprint.

Please see below, under “Major Changes in the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Request,” sections from the NIA Congressional Justification that outline major changes in the FY 2008 Budget Request as well as some graphic displays.

FY 2009

Preliminary work on the budget for FY 2009 has begun using the FY 2008 President’s budget request as the base. After intermediate stages of review, the President’s budget request for FY 2009 will be presented to Congress in February 2008, at which time it will become available to the public.

Major Changes in the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Request
Major changes by budget mechanism and/or budget activity detail are briefly described below. Note that there may be overlap between budget mechanism and activity detail and these highlights will not sum to the total change for the FY 2008 budget request for NIA, which is $1,277,000 more than the FY 2007 Continuing Resolution, for a total of $1,047,148,000.

• Research Project Grants (-$1,750,000; total $682,798,000): NIA will support a total of 1,511 Research Project Grant (RPG) awards in FY 2008. Noncompeting RPGs will decrease by 5 awards and $11,124,000. Competing RPGs will increase by 28 awards and $9,987,000. NIA will follow the NIH policy of providing no inflationary increases for both non-competing and competing projects.

• Research Careers (+$630,000; total $27,486,000): NIA will support the NIH Pathway to Independence program by funding an additional 7 awards in FY 2008. Total support for the Pathway program in FY 2008 is 14 awards and $1,260,000. The goal of this program is to nurture a vibrant, creative, research workforce, including sufficient numbers of new investigators with new ideas and new skills.

• Research and Development Contracts (+$1,488,000; total $70,318,000): NIA will continue to expand its support for the Trans NIH Neuroscience blueprint (+$669,000), which was inspired by recognition that unifying themes in neuroscience research are fundamental to understanding the normal and disordered nervous system and to developing better prevention and treatment therapies. In addition, support for NIH and DHHS activities funded under program evaluation will be expanded (+$819,000).

• Intramural Research (-$710,000; total $101,370,000): NIA will work to identify areas of potential savings within the Intramural Research Program that will allow the institute to continue to achieve its program goals and accomplishments.

• Research Management and Support (+$388,000; total $39,194,000): The NIA oversees almost 1,900 research grants and more than 500 full-time training positions and 100 research and development contracts. The increase will be used to partially offset the expenses associated with pay raises and other inflationary cost increases necessary to provide for the effective administrative, planning and evaluation, public information and communications, and scientific leadership of the institute.

• NIH Roadmap for Biomedical Research (+$1,231,000; total $13,783,000): NIA will continue its support of the NIH Roadmap, an incubator for new ideas and initiatives that will accelerate the pace of discovery in FY 2008.

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Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Graphs

History of Budget Authority and FTEs:
Distribution by Mechanism:
Change by Selected Mechanism:

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

1. Significant Legislative/Executive Action
   
   
   1. FY 2007 and FY 2008 Appropriations for NIH/NIA –
      
      
      1. On February 15, the President signed into law H. J. Res. 20, the "Revised Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2007," as P.L. 110-5. This followed three Continuing Resolutions which expired on February 15 and provided funding for the entire fiscal year. The Joint Funding resolution included increases above the FY 2006 funding levels, including a $687 million increase for NIH to $28.9 billion. As part of the Joint Funding resolution, funds reserved for roadmap activities were released to the NIH ICs for use in FY 2007. The NIA roadmap allocation was $12.5 million.
         
         
      2. S. Con. Res. 21 – On March 23, the Senate passed S. Con. Res. 21, an original concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2008 and including the appropriate budgetary levels for Fiscal Years 2007 and 2009 through 2012. The overall discretionary spending total, $948.8 billion, would be $16 billion above the FY 2008 President’s Budget Request and $70 billion above FY 2007 funding levels. Preliminary information indicates that the Senate Committee on the Budget supports an increase of at least $700 million above the FY 2008 President’s Budget for NIH.
         
         
      3. H. Con. Res. 99 – On March 29, the House passed H. Con. Res. 99, an original concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2008 and including the appropriate budgetary levels for Fiscal Years 2007 and 2009 through 2012. According to the House budget committee’s website, the resolution would provide “additional resources to begin to address long-standing domestic priorities within a fiscally responsible framework, including increased funding for scientific innovation and a 2008 program level for education, training, and social services that is $3.0 billion above current services.” Preliminary reports indicate that the Resolution assumes an increase of $2.1 billion for discretionary health activities (function 550).
         
         
      4. On March 23, a floor amendment was offered by Senators Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) to increase the amount available in the budget resolution by an additional 1.6 percent for NIH, CDC, and health professions. The amendment passed by voice vote. According to remarks made by Senator Specter, the following is a summary of the amendment: “The amendment increases funding for Health-related programs (Function 550) by $2.2 billion above the amount provided in the underlying resolution. This $2.2 billion (together with the increase of $1.6 billion included in the underlying resolution) would be used to (1) restore NIH funding to the fiscal year 2005 inflation-adjusted level (+$3.5 billion), (2) provide increases at the CDC and continue facilities construction and revitalization, and (3) restore funding for Health Professions Training Programs to their Fiscal Year 2005 levels.”
         
         
   2. H.R. 1560/S. 898 – On March 15, Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) introduced S. 898, the
      Alzheimer’s Breakthrough Act of 2007. The House companion bill, H.R. 1560, was
      introduced by Edward Markey (D-MA) on March 19. These bills would increase the authorization level for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research, and require the Director of the NIA to make supporting AD research a priority for the Institute. In addition, the bills would require an expansion of clinical research on AD with a focus on (1) early diagnosis and detection, (2) the relationship of vascular disease and AD, and (3) expediting the translation of research findings into effective treatments and prevention strategies. The bills would require the Secretary, HHS, within three years of enactment of the legislation and every three years thereafter, to convene a summit on AD for the purpose of providing a detailed overview of current research activities at the NIH, as well as to discuss and solicit input to potential areas of collaboration between the NIH and other Federal agencies related to research, prevention, and treatment of AD. S. 898 was referred to the Senate HELP Committee. H.R. 1560 was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
      
      
2. Committee/Subcommittee Action - Congressional Hearings
   
   Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Theme Hearings on FY 2008 Budget – On April 20, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education (Senator Tom Harkin [D-IA], Chairman) held its second NIH theme hearing on the Burden of Chronic Disease. Drs. Richard Hodes, Director, NIA; Stephen Katz, Director, NIAMS; Elizabeth Nabel, Director, NHLBI; and Griffin Rodgers, Acting Director, NIDDK, testified.
   
   (For information, contact Dr. Tamara Jones, NIA/OD, Ph: 401-451-8835)

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STAFF CHANGES

Dr. William B. Ershler joined the Intramural Research Program (IRP) as Deputy Clinical Director for the Clinical Research Branch (CRB) where he is taking a leadership role in translational and clinical research. Dr. Ershler previously held positions at the University of Wisconsin and the Eastern Virginia Medical School. More recently, he was Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Aging (IASIA) in Washington, DC.

Dr. Elaine Lewis recently joined the Scientific Review Office (SRO) as a Scientific Review Administrator (SRA). Dr. Lewis was recently employed at the National Science Foundation as a program director in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology. Prior to that, she was a faculty member in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Oregon Health and Sciences University, in Portland, OR, where she led a research program studying gene expression mechanisms of the catecholamine biosynthetic pathway genes, including tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine beta-hydroxylase. Her research group identified the Phox2 homeodomain transcription factors that are essential for the development and maintenance of the noradrenergic cell type. She has a long history of grant support from NIH (NIGMS and NIAAA).

Dr. Jack Guralnik, previously Acting Laboratory Chief of the Laboratory of Epidemiology, Demography, and Biometry (LEDB), NIA, was named Laboratory Chief of LEDB on April 1, 2007.

Dr. Eddie Billingslea joined the Neuroscience and Neuropsychology of Aging (NNA) Program as a Research Program Analyst on April 1, 2007. Dr. Billingslea completed his doctorate in Neuroscience at Georgetown University in March, 2007. His research there focused on the role of brain serotoninergic systems in different phenotypes of autistic-like behaviors in an animal model. Before beginning his doctoral studies, he most recently worked at the VA Medical Center in Washington, D.C., as a Psychiatric Research Assistant, conducting basic research using an animal paradigm relevant to schizophrenia. Dr. Billingslea holds a B.S. degree in Psychology and French from Virginia Union University and an M.S. degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of the District of Columbia.

Dr. Ronald Kohanski, Ph.D., formerly Program Director for the Cardiovascular Biology and the Stem Cell Biology portfolios within the Aging Physiology Branch of the Biology of Aging (BAP) Program, was named Deputy Director of BAP. Dr. Kohanski is the latest recruit to BAP, but already he has made innumerable contributions, both scientific and administrative, which have resulted in significant improvements in BAP operations. His leadership, clarity of ideas and goals and innovative approaches to problem solving should prove valuable to BAP as a whole.

Dr. Rebecca Fuldner, Ph.D., formerly Program Director for the Immunology portfolio within the Aging Physiology Branch of BAP, was named Chief of that Branch. Dr. Fuldner has made exemplary progress in building the immunology portfolio in the last few years, and is expected to expand her energetic leadership to the entire Branch. Similarly, having chosen the heads of each of the three branches, BAP is looking forward to increased interaction and collaboration among all members of the unit.

Dr. Jeffrey Elias left NIA’s Behavioral and Social Research (BSR) Program on April 6 to accept a position at the University of California-Davis Medical School in Sacramento, CA. BSR will miss his considerable talents, expertise, and insight. In his three years at NIA, Dr. Elias developed the areas of driving behavior and decision-making in the elderly. He was instrumental in successfully guiding the ACTIVE (Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly) researchers and in bringing their highly visible conclusions to publication. Dr. Elias was an outstanding colleague, always willing to share his ideas and science with NIA and the broader research community.

Dr. Edgar (Pete) Raymond Miller III recently left his position as Staff Clinician, Clinical Research Branch (CRB), to accept a position with Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He will continue to pursue his career in clinical work, research, and teaching.

Dr. Jill Carrington, Ph.D., former Deputy Director of BAP, accepted a position as Director, Gastrointestinal Development and Epithelial Biology and Inflammation, and Director, Neurogastroenterology, at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH, in February 2007. At NIA since 2000, Dr. Carrington served as Deputy Director, BAP, and Chief of BAP’s Systems Branch. Prior to that, she was a Scientific Review Administrator and Director of the Biological Models and Materials Program at the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR). Dr. Carrington’s work before coming to the NIH, was as an Assistant Professor of Anatomy at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD. She will apply her developmental biology background and broad scientific training in physiology in her new role in the Digestive Diseases and Nutrition Division at NIDDK.

Ms. Angie Chon-Lee left BSR on April 13, 2007, to accept a position as Lead Grants Financial Analyst in the Financial Management Office of NIDDK. Ms. Chon-Lee was a vital part of BSR for ten years and adeptly handled the grants budget, the operating budget, recruitment, the epidemiology portfolio, and served on various scientific committees. She was the point person for every kind of analysis, and her wide knowledge, considerable skill, and exceptional processing speed will be sorely missed.

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INSTITUTE-SPONSORED MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS, CONFERENCES, AND PUBLIC INFORMATION ACTIVITIES

1. Meetings Held

MIND THE GAP! Behavioral Perspectives on the Medicare Part D Market for Prescription Drug Insurance - December 8-9, 2006
This exploratory workshop, sponsored by NIA/BSR and the University of California Center for the Economics and Demographics of Aging (CEDA), with additional support from the Stanford Center on Longevity (SCL), was held on December 8-9, 2006, in Berkeley, CA. The purpose of the conference was to give psychological and economic perspectives on the ability of aging consumers to effectively direct their own health care, and make choices in markets for medical services that promote individual well-being and efficient resource allocation. A focus of the conference was the lessons learned from experience with the Medicare Part D prescription drug insurance market, and identification of research and policy opportunities that this program presents. The format of the conference was a series of informal presentations by participants, each about 20 minutes in length, summarizing their research on (or relevance to) Medicare Part D and consumer-directed health choices. (For more information, contact John W. R. Phillips, BSR, Ph: 301-496-3136.).

Social Neuroscience of Aging Exploratory Workshop - February 7-8, 2007
The focus of this NIA/BSR supported exploratory workshop, held in Washington, DC, was on how to best advance multilevel, interdisciplinary social neuroscience research on aging (combining behavioral with neuroendocrine, genetic, or neurophysiological methods). The aims of this workshop were (1) to capitalize on the momentum in this burgeoning field to direct attention to important social neuroscience topics of relevance to aging, and (2) to promote cross-fertilization among aging researchers, behavioral geneticists, and social neuroscientists to advance interdisciplinary research on these topics. The meeting brought together leading researchers in social and personality psychology, neuroscience and neurobiology, psychoneuroimmunology, population science, psychiatry, and genetics who share an interest in social behaviors, and who have the breadth of knowledge regarding developmental and aging issues within their respective disciplines. Participants addressed research and resource needs for advancing social neuroscience research on aging on topics including, but not limited to: (1) the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the relation between social connectedness and psychological and physical health in middle- and older age; (2) the neurobiological correlates of age-related change in emotion regulation and affective style, social cognition, socioeconomic behavior and attitudes (fairness, cooperation, trust), and social influences on decision-making; and (3) the impact of social stress, socioeconomic status, and social environments and institutions on neurobiological processes in middle aged and older adults. A workshop report is being edited for posting on the BSR website. (For more information, contact Drs. Lisbeth Nielsen and Jennifer Harris, BSR, Ph: 301-496-3136.)

Workshop on the Harmonization of Longitudinal Aging Surveys for Cross-National Comparative Studies in Aging - February 2007
This NIA-supported exploratory workshop, held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, gathered together a group of renowned experts to discuss approaches to improving the cross-national comparability of longitudinal studies of aging using ex-post and ex-ante harmonization techniques. This workshop was developed on the premise that ex-ante comparability can only be established with communication among researchers at the development stage, and ex-post comparability requires deliberate evaluation of surveys. Thailand is the location of a recently created aging survey. (For more information, contact Dr. John Phillips, BSR, Ph: 301-496-3138.)

Exploratory Workshop on the Economic Value of Good Health - February 2007
The goal of this NIA-supported exploratory workshop was to gather together a group of experts to discuss methods to measure and evaluate the economic value of health and health improvement in terms of reduced disability and extending life. Several experts presented papers discussing the state of the research and potential future directions. The workshop, held in Santa Monica, CA, is a starting point for considering future directions in this line of research, which is likely to prove useful to policy makers and analysts, including the new NIH/Division of program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic initiatives (DPCPSI). (For information, contact Dr. John Phillips, BSR, Ph: 301-496-3138.)

Summit on Global Aging - March 15, 2007
NIA/BSR assisted the U.S. Department of State in organizing this Meeting which was held in Washington, DC. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice delivered the keynote address to the Summit and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt provided opening remarks. Led by Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs, Paula J. Dobriansky, the Summit included distinguished experts from government, universities, and the private sector as panelists. In many parts of the world, people are living longer and healthier lives. For the first time in history, people 65 years of age and older will soon outnumber children under age 5. But the added years of life, a crowning achievement of the 20th century, also pose significant challenges. As the world's population ages, the prevalence of chronic disease increases. Insurance, pensions, and other social support systems are strained. Many governments, both in the developed and developing worlds, are beginning to recognize that global aging can affect economic growth, labor force, trade, migration, international relations, and national security. International cooperation will help countries plan and better address our common concern for the issues related to worldwide aging. By convening the Summit on Global Aging, the United States wishes to catalyze greater international dialogue and encourage coordinated international studies about the health, economic, social, and security implications of this important issue. A State Department Fact Sheet is available at http://www.state.gov/g/oes/rls/fs/2007/80940.htm. Additional information on the global aging issue is available in the report issued jointly by the Department of State and Health and the Department of Health and Human Services, NIH, NIA: Why Population Aging Matters: A Global Perspective. The Report isalso available at http://www.state.gov/g/oes/rls/or/81537.htm. (For information, contact Ms. Georgeanne Patmios, BSR, Ph: 301-496-3138.)

ASPE Seminar on Medicare Part D - March 21, 2007
This was the second seminar in the ASPE Seminar Series for senior DHHS and other agency analysts, designed to bring researchers and policymakers together to discuss the early findings from an important new DHHS program: Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D). The seminar was held at DHHS and was attended by individuals representing several DHHS agencies, and other agencies and research institutions. Dr. David Weir (Institute on Social Research and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor) presented results from the Health and Retirement Study on Part D coverage and satisfaction. Dr. Geoffrey Joyce (RAND) presented results on the impact of caps on drug coverage to drug therapy adherence and health outcomes. (For information, contact
Ms. Georgeanne Patmios, BSR, Ph: 301-496-3138.)

United Nations Commission on Population and Development - April 9, 2007
At the request of the US Delegation to the United Nations, BSR organized a background session for delegates from all over the world attending the annual meeting of the UN Commission on Population and Development. The session on population aging and its implications for health and pensions policy, held at UN headquarters, included presentations by Drs. Richard Suzman and John Haaga of NIA, and NIA grantees Dr. John Bongaarts of the Population Council and Dr. David Canning of Harvard University. (For information, contact Dr. John Haaga, BSR, Ph: 301-496-3138.)

Maximizing ADNI – April 4, 2007
This exploratory meeting, held on April 4, 2007 in Bethesda, MD, brought together the principals of the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) and other parties interested in biomarker development and public-private partnerships including staff from FDA’s Critical Path to New Medical Products Initiative, the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research, and the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH)/NIH Biomarkers Consortium. The meeting focused on strategies to maximize ADNI’s resources towards its goal of identifying biomarkers that can be used in clinical trials. (For more information, contact: Dr. Susan Molchan, NNA, Ph: 301-496-9350.)

2. Meetings Planned

Follow-on Exploratory Meeting of BSR’s Data Review Committee - May 2007
The first meeting of the Special Ad Hoc Committee to review BSR data activities and make recommendations on priorities was held on September 19-20, 2006, in Washington, DC. The committee was charged to:

• Review current data collection, archiving, and dissemination funded by NIA/BSR,
• Assess likely needs during the next 10-15 years for data infrastructure for behavioral and social research on aging,
• Recommend priorities for NIA/BSR’s investment in data.

The committee chairs recommended preparatory staff work and another face-to-face meeting to develop a consensus on recommendations to include in the final report. This meeting will be held in late May 2007 in the Washington, DC, area. The final report is expected by September 2007. (For more information, contact Dr. John Haaga, BSR, Ph: 301-496-3138.)

Panel to Oversee a Research Program on the Design of National Health Accounts - May 17, 2007
This NIA/BSR-funded exploratory meeting, the third in the series, is to be held at the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC. Since health policies can be informed by National Health Accounts, they are particularly important to the well-being of older populations, who spend a disproportionate amount of income on health maintenance. The health and well-being of the elderly is at the core of the NIA mission, and research to support the development of National Health Accounts is a high priority BSR initiative. The United States is entering another period of rapidly rising health care expenditures. Escalating health care costs are of great interest to national policymakers and will likely remain a high policy priority into the future due to the fiscal pressure exerted on social programs from population aging. Despite concerns about medical costs, however, relatively little attention has been paid to the issue of health care value. The absence of information about population health in relation to spending could lead to limited access to the very benefits made possible through national investments in research and technology. The meeting is being organized by the NAS Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) and participants include academic economists and physicians, health policy researchers, and members of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the National Institutes of Health, the National Center on Health Statistics, and the National Institute on Aging. The meeting will consist of presentations and discussion on concepts of inputs and outputs in health/medical expenditure accounts and will hear from researchers abroad leading health data efforts by government agencies to produce national health accounts. (For information, contact Dr. John Phillips, BSR, Ph: 301-496-3138.)

BAP New Investigators Forum (BAPNIF) – May 29-31, 2007
The Biology of Aging Program is sponsoring a New Investigators Forum in San Antonio, Texas, on May 29-31. The purpose of the forum is to bring together new awardees (i.e., Principal Investigators who can be identified as “new investigators”) to present their research in the spring of the year following their award. This will allow BAP program staff to get better acquainted with the new grantees, as well as allow the new grantees to network with each other. It is hoped that this forum will encourage the continued success of the awardees and help further focus their research in the area of aging. (For more information, contact Dr. David Finkelstein, BAP, Ph: 301-496-7847.)

Thymic Atrophy with Aging – June 5-6, 2007
An NIA-sponsored (exploratory) workshop on Thymic Atrophy and Aging will be held on June 5-6, 2007, in Gaithersburg, MD. The purpose of this workshop is to discuss recent research advances in our understanding of the underlying mechanisms that regulate thymic atrophy during aging. Several investigators with scientific expertise in age-related changes in hematopoiesis, regulation of lymphocyte differentiation in the thymus, and the molecular and cellular processes responsible for thymic involution will participate in this workshop. In addition, investigators who have developed and tested strategies to accelerate thymopoiesis and induce T cell recovery in animal models or in clinical settings will discuss their findings. The goal of the workshop is to identify and discuss the gaps in our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for thymic involution and to assess various strategies that have been tested in the past or are currently being developed to promote immune reconstitution. (For more information, contact: Dr. Rebecca Fuldner, BAP, Ph: 301/496-6402.)

The National Institute on Aging Workshop on Statistical Methods for Longitudinal Data on Aging – June 13-14, 2007
This exploratory meeting will be held in Bethesda, MD, on June 13-14, 2007. The goal of the meeting is to identify important statistical issues and analytical tools that are necessary to achieve correct inferences regarding long-term effects of risk factors and causal sequences over the life course. Issues to be explored include methodological needs for handling special issues regarding the analysis of temporal and sequential changes over time and strategies to handle missing data and combining data from various sources. Meeting participants will include experts in clinical aging research who work with longitudinal data and experts in statistical methods and analysis. (For more information, contact: Ms. Winnie Rossi, GCG, Ph: 301-496-6761.)

Optimizing Clinical Management & Outcomes for Older Patients with Critical Illness – Summer 2007 To promote translational research that will improve the treatment, diagnosis, and outcome of patients with critical illness, the Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology Program (GCG) has joined other NIA programs and NIH Institutes in support of a Program Announcement (PA) for R01 applications in clinical translational research in critical care (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-07-233.html). GCG is planning this exploratory workshop for summer 2007 to focus on the special needs of elderly persons with critical illness and encourage applications addressing the Emergency Department (ED) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) care of older patients. The workshop will focus on new technologies and treatment approaches to optimize the medical management and clinical outcomes of older patients with critical illness in both the ED and ICU settings. It will convene clinical researchers with expertise in ED and ICU (cardiopulmonary) care, medical and surgical sub-specialists experienced in ICU consultation for multi-systems disease (e.g., organ failure, infection and sepsis), critical neurological illness and its complications, geriatrics and clinical gerontology, and medical rehabilitation. Topics for discussion will include the impact of physiological changes associated with aging on management options in both ED and ICU settings, the influence of pre-existing multiple morbidities and polypharmacy on treatment approaches and medical and functional outcomes, optimization of ED/ICU procedures (e.g., mechanical ventilation) for older patients, prevention of complications of critical illness such as delirium, transition between critical care unit and medical/surgical hospitalization, and maintenance and restoration of functional status following a critical illness or ICU stay. The results of this Workshop should identify knowledge gaps in the management of critical illness in older patients and encourage R01 applications in response to the PA to address these deficits. (For information, contact Dr. Susan Nayfield, GCG, Ph: 301-496-6949)

Animal Models of Age-Related Comorbidities - Summer 2007
The Geriatrics and Clinical Gerontology (GCG), Biology of Aging (BAP), and Neurophysiology and Neuropsychology of Aging (NNA) Programs at NIA will sponsor an advisory workshop on Animal Models of Age-Related Comorbidities in Bethesda, MD in September 2007. The purpose of this workshop will be to address needs and opportunities for the development of animal models to study co-occurring disease processes in older persons. Topics of interest include: 1) the effects of one age-related condition on the development or clinical presentation of other age-related conditions; 2) the effects and mechanisms of interactions of coexisting conditions and their treatments in older persons; and 3) the role of aging processes in the development of multiple coexisting conditions. Participants will include clinical researchers familiar with issues related to comorbidities in older persons, basic scientists experienced in the use of animal models to study a variety of chronic diseases and/or aging mechanisms, and program staff from NIA and other collaborating Institutes with relevant animal model programs (NIDDK, NHLBI and NCRR). The workshop will make recommendations on (1) what research would be desirable in these specific areas, (2) what existing animal models could be used or adapted for such research, (3) what new animal models should be developed, (4) and what funding mechanisms and existing resources could be used to support the research in these areas. (For information, contact Dr. Susan Nayfield or
Dr. Ying Tian, GCG. Ph: 301-496-6761.)

Allostatic Load - August or September of 2007
The purpose of this one and one-half day exploratory workshop is for researchers studying biopsychosocial pathways to late life health outcomes to discuss the state of the science in this field. Participants will include researchers in integrative science, psychology of personality and emotion, caregiving, cognitive aging, brain-behavior relationships, health disparities, demography, and epidemiology. This workshop, to be held in the Washington, DC, area, will focus on conceptual and methodological issues surrounding the related concepts of allostatic load and cumulative physiological risk, and the behavioral and psychosocial factors hypothesized to influence them. (For more information, contact Dr. Lis Nielsen, BSR, Ph: 301-402-4156.)

Workshop on Phenotypic Measurement in Individual Differences in Economic Behavior - September 10-11, 2007
The goal of this NIA-supported exploratory workshop, to be held in Bethesda, MD, is to identify the key issues requiring further examination. Recent developments in neuroeconomics that link economic behaviors to neurobiological function open opportunities for measurement of individual differences in economic behavior at both the behavioral and neurobiological levels. Of particular relevance to aging are questions regarding (1) whether individual differences in economic behavior at any life stage reliably predict outcomes in older adulthood, (2) whether individual differences in economic behaviors become more or less pronounced with age, and (3) whether measurement of individual differences is reliable at a single life stage, or across life stages. The recent initiation of studies linking molecular genetics and individual differences in economic outcomes has prompted BSR to explore this issue more thoroughly. (For more information, contact Dr. Erica Spotts, BSR, Ph: 301-496-3138.)

Randomized Clinical Trials in the Elderly Methodology Workshop – September 2007
An exploratory methodology workshop on randomized clinical trials in the elderly is scheduled for September 2007 in Bethesda, Maryland. The purpose of this workshop will be to review such important issues as interventions targeting multiple risk factors; selection of outcome measures among functional, diagnostic, cognitive, physiologic, and QOL domains if more than one could be affected by an intervention; transitions between health states (e.g., in and out of disability); long-term effects of preventive interventions; and multiple morbidities. (For more information, contact: Dr. Sergei Romashkan, GCG, Ph: 301-435-3047; Dr. Molly Wagster, NNA, Ph. 301-496-9350; Dr. Jeffrey Elias, BSR, Ph: 301-594-5942.)

NNA First Annual Investigators Meeting for Translational Research - September 2007
The NNA Program has an ongoing translational initiative that includes an R21 Early Drug Discovery Program (PAS-06-261), and a U01 Preclinical Drug Development Program (PAR-05-148). In addition to these resources, NNA’s investigators involved in drug discovery and drug development can utilize the services of NIA’s Toxicology Contract, “Investigational new Drug Toxicology for Drugs to Treat Alzheimer’s Disease and other Aging-Related Diseases” with SRI International.

In order to closely monitor the progress of the translational initiatives, provide guidance and foster interactions between investigators involved in translational research funded by these programs, NNA staff will hold the First Annual Investigators Meeting for Translational Research in September 2007. Participants in this exploratory meeting will include investigators who are recipients of grants from the above programs and investigators who use the Toxicology Contract services, program staff from NIA and NINDS, a representative of the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, relevant experts from the FDA, and several experts on drug discovery for AD from academia and/or industry in the role of expert advisors. These advisors will provide immediate feedback and guidance to the investigators and, in doing so, increase the likelihood of success of these translational projects. (For more information, contact: Dr. Neil Buckholtz or Dr. Suzana Petanceska, NNA, Ph: 301-496-9350).

The Cognitive Aging Summit - October 10-12, 2007
The Cognitive Aging Summit, an advisory meeting co-sponsored by the NIA and the McKnight Brain Research Foundation (MBRF), will be held in the Bethesda, MD/Washington, D.C. area in the fall of 2007. The Summit will bring together a range of experts in a variety of research fields to discuss cutting edge advances in our understanding of age-related brain and behavioral changes. It is anticipated that recommendations for research directions will emerge from the Summit that can be pursued in future partnerships between the NIA and the MBRF and that this research will lead to practical recommendations and interventions for maintenance of cognitive health throughout life. The goals and objectives of the Cognitive Aging Summit are to: assess the status of the current scientific knowledge in normal aging and changes in cognition associated with the aging process; explore new avenues of potential research within the scientific community which could lead to the development of pharmacological and behavioral interventions and, ultimately, to improved outcomes for the aging; and raise the level of awareness both within the scientific community and among the public about the importance of this area of research and its tremendous value to society. Plans are to include an activity on Capitol Hill to mark the event and to highlight the importance of research and advances for cognitive health in older persons. Additionally, an event targeting a lay/community audience and associated with the Summit is being planned. (For more information, contact: Dr. Molly Wagster, NNA, Ph: 301-496-9350; wagsterm@nia.nih.gov).

The Genetics of Alzheimer’s Disease: Where do we go from here? – Fall/Winter 2007
A two-day advisory workshop to examine the next steps to be taken in the field of AD genetics and genetic epidemiology is to be held in Bethesda, MD, during the late fall or early winter of 2007. This workshop will bring together scientists from a number of fields including molecular and statistical geneticists, epidemiologists and clinicians. The focus of the workshop will be on the examination of state of the art methods in order to help us in the process of considering what types of genetic and genetic epidemiology studies should take place in the future, what methodological approaches should be utilized, and how new studies should be planned. (For more information, contact: Dr. Marilyn Miller, NNA, Ph: 301-496-9350).

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GENERAL INFORMATION/STAFF AWARDS

Dr. Rafael de Cabo, Investigator, Laboratory of Experimental Gerontology (LEG), Aging, Metabolism, and Nutrition Unit, in the Intramural Research Program (IRP), received the Nathan Shock New Investigator Award at the Gerontological Society of America meeting on November 18, 2006.

NIA WSA Achievement Awards

• Dr. Rui-ping Xiao, Senior Investigator, Laboratory of Cardiovascular Science (LCS), IRP, was selected by the NIA Women Scientists Advisors (WSA) for the NIA WSA Investigator Award.
• Dr. Sudha Sharma, Visiting Fellow, Laboratory of Molecular Gerontology (LMG), IRP, was selected for the NIA WSA Fellow Award. Both recipients will present seminars in honor of Women’s History Month on March 28, 2007 at the Gerontology Research Center.

Dr. Bronwen Martin, a Visiting Fellow at the IRP being co-mentored by Drs. Josephine Egan, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation (LCI) and Mark Mattson, Laboratory of Neurosciences (LNS), was recently awarded a prestigious Fellowship from the Huntington’s Disease Society of America for a research project aimed at developing a new treatment for Huntington’s disease.

Dr. Richard Suzman was awarded the Robert J. Lapham Award by The Population Association of America at its annual meeting in New York, March 30, 2007. The Lapham Award is given every two years to individuals who have "distinguished themselves by their achievements in … (1) contributions to population research; (2) applications of demographic knowledge to improve the human condition; and (3) service to the population profession, including efforts that enable others to conduct research." In his speech announcing the award, Prof. Steven Ruggles of the University of Minnesota referred to Dr. Suzman as "a thinker, provocateur, and crusader" in his energetic promotion of the demography of aging.

New Publications Funded by BSR/NIA

• Trends in Severe Disability Among Elderly People: Assessing the Evidence in 12 OECD Countries and the Future Implications. OECD Health Working Papers #26, Gaétan Lafortune, Gaëlle Balestat, and the Disability Study Expert Group Members, 2007.

As the number and share of the population aged 65 and over will continue to grow steadily in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)countries over the next decades, improvements in the functional status of elderly people could help mitigate the rise in the demand for, and hence expenditure on, long-term care. This paper assesses the most recent evidence on trends in disability among the population aged 65 and over in 12 OECD countries: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. One of the principal findings from this review is that there is clear evidence of a decline in disability among elderly people in only five of the twelve countries studied (Denmark, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United States). Three countries (Belgium, Japan, and Sweden) report an increasing rate of severe disability among people aged 65 and over during the past five to ten years, and two countries (Australia, Canada) report a stable rate. In France and the United Kingdom, data from different surveys shows different trends in Activities of Daily Living (ADL) disability rates among elderly people, making it impossible to reach any definitive conclusion on the direction of the trend. One of the main policy implications that can be drawn from the findings of this study is that it would not be prudent for policymakers to count on future reductions in the prevalence of severe disability among elderly people to offset completely the rising demand for long-term care that will result from population aging. (For information, contact Dr. Richard Suzman, BSR, Ph: 301-496-3131.)

• Why Population Aging Matters: A Global Perspective. NIA/BSR with US Department of State, March 2007.

People are living longer and, in some parts of the world, healthier lives. This represents one of the crowning achievements of the last century but also a significant challenge. Longer lives must be planned for. Societal aging may affect economic growth and many other issues, including the sustainability of families, the ability of states and communities to provide resources for older citizens, and international relations. The Global Burden of Disease, a study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank, with partial support from NIA, predicts a very large increase in disability caused by increases in age-related chronic disease in all regions of the world. Despite the weight of scientific evidence, the significance of population aging and its global implications have yet to be fully appreciated. This report paints a compelling picture of the impact of population aging on nations. (For information, contact
Dr. Richard Suzman, BSR, Ph: 301-496-3131.)

• A Strategy for Assessing Science: Behavioral and Social Research on Aging. National Academy of Sciences, Committee on Assessing Behavioral and Social Science Research on Aging, Irwin Feller and Paul C. Stern, Editors, 2007.

This report responds to a request from BSR for a study on how best to assess the progress and vitality of areas of behavioral and social science research on aging and on how to identify the factors that contribute to the likelihood of discoveries in areas of aging research. This request raised some of the longest standing and most current of questions confronted in the formulation of national science policies, in both the US and other countries, including (1) criteria questions, such as what kinds of science should the public sector, or specific agencies, fund; (2) selection mechanism questions, such as what procedures should be used to implement these criteria; (3) principal-agent decision ques­tions, such as which individual(s) or groups of individuals should possess the authority to make decisions regarding choice of areas of funding or se­lection of specific research proposals; (4) conditions for success questions, such as the size and composition of the most productive research unit, ranging from single investigators to large teams comprised of researchers to several disciplines; and (5) quality assessment questions, such as the compatibility between established disciplinary-based procedures for organizing selection panels and assessing the importance of scientific findings with statements about the increased salience of research done at the intersections of fields or the interstices between and among them. The report includes conclusions and recommendations. (For information, contact
Dr. Richard Suzman, BSR, Ph: 301-496-3131.)

NIA News Releases

Nine press releases were distributed, generating 249 clips in print and internet outlets, reaching nearly 101 million people.

• Disability Among Older Americans Continues Significant Decline
• Easy-to-Read Booklet Offers Cold-Weather Tips for Older Adults
• Herbal Supplement Fails to Relieve Hot Flashes in Large NIH Trial
• Mental Exercise Helps Maintain Some Seniors' Thinking Skills
• New Brain Imaging Compound Shows Promise For Earlier Detection of Alzheimer's Disease
• NIHSeniorHealth Adds Information on Depression
• Scientists Find New Genetic Clue to Cause of Alzheimer’s Disease
• Special Journal Issue Focuses on Delirium and Dementia in Older People
• Could Baby Boomers Be Approaching Retirement in Worse Shape Than Their Predecessors?

(For more information on NIA’s press releases, contact Ms. Vicky Cahan, Director, Office of Communications and Public Liaison [OCPL], Ph: 301-496-1752.)

The following new publications were printed:

• Stay Safe in Cold Weather!
• Connections Vol. 14, no. 3-4
• Age Page: Exercise and Physical Activity (Spanish translation)
• Age Page: Mourning the Death of a Spouse

The following publications were updated or reprinted:

• AD Medications Fact Sheet
• Pills, Patches, and Shots
• Age Page: Nursing Homes: Making the Right Choice
• Age Page: Taking Care of Your Teeth and Mouth
• NIA Publications CD-ROM
• Caregiver Guide

NIHSeniorHealth.gov website
A new topic (depression) and 13 new videos were added. The Alzheimer’s disease topic was completely updated. (For more information on NIA’s publications or on NIHSeniorHealth, contact Ms. Vicky Cahan, OCPL, Ph: 301-496-1752.)

Meetings and Exhibits

Florence Mahoney Lecture: Dr. Richard Morimoto presented “Protein Misfolding in Aging and Degenerative Diseases” at NIA’s 20th annual Florence S. Mahoney Lecture on Aging on March 21. Dr. Morimoto is the Bill and Gaye Cook Professor of Biology; Professor of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Cell Biology; and Director, Rice Institute for Biomedical Research at Northwestern University. The lecture is part of the NIH Director’s Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series.

NIA and ADEAR publications were distributed at the following meetings and exhibits: National Women’s Heart Health Day Fair, NIA Regional meeting, and the National Council on the Aging/American Society on Aging Joint Conference on Aging.

Brain Awareness Week: More than 240 children in grades 4-8 learned more about Alzheimer’s disease this year while visiting the NIA’s booth at the annual Brain Awareness Week. OCPL’s Anne Decker coordinated NIA’s participation and NNA’s Dr. Nina Silverberg led the discussion.
(For more information on these NIA events, contact Ms. Vicky Cahan, OCPL, Ph: 301-496-1752.)

Dr. Hodes participated in the following public liaison meetings: February 27 - Friends of NIA, March 9 - Population Association of America/Association of Population Centers, March 19 - Alzheimer’s Association Annual Policy Forum, March 28 - Institute for Biomedical Aging Research of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, March 30 - American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, April 11 - American Geriatrics Society. (For more information, contact Dr. Tamara Jones, NIA Legislative Office, 301-496-3121.)

Awards

The following publications won NIH Plain Language Awards for 2006:

Outstanding:
Talking with Your Doctor
Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease
So Far Away: 20 Questions for Long Distance Caregiving

Excellent:
Bound for Your Good Health
Understanding Memory Loss

Honorable Mention:
Video: What’s Wrong with Grandma?

(For more information on these NIA awards, contact Ms. Vicky Cahan, OCPL, Ph: 301-496-1752.)

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www.nia.nih.gov/GrantsAndTraining/FundingOpportunities/CurrentFundingOpportunities.htm
(Shown here are selected Notices and Initiatives relevant to NIA/National Institutes of Health/DHHS).