Director's Report to Council: June 2003

Over the past several months, NIDCR Director Lawrence Tabak met with Congressional representatives; delivered presentations at dental schools, dental professional organizations, and scientific meetings about the future of dental, oral, and craniofacial research; and continued to play an active role on several NIH committees.

In late March, Dr. Tabak met with Rep. Bill Young (R-FL), Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and Vice Chairman of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee. Congressman Young has been a strong advocate for doubling funding for the NIH. Dr. Tabak discussed NIDCR’s advances in the field of clinical research, salivary diagnostics, and the concept of a “lab on a chip.” Also in attendance at the meeting were: Dr. Isabel Garcia, NIDCR special assistant for science transfer, Dr. Linda Niessen, president-elect, Friends of the NIDCR, and Ms. Anne Hauser, from the NIH Office of Legislative Policy and Analysis.

In May, Dr. Tabak was the guest speaker at a Congressional briefing when the Friends of the NIDCR hosted a luncheon in conjunction with the inaugural Congressional Oral Health Caucus briefing on oral health to educate members and staff. Reps. Charles Norwood (R-GA) and Mike Simpson (R-ID) co-chair the caucus. Dr. Tabak gave an overview of advances in oral health research.

Rep. Donna M. Christian-Christensen (D-Virgin Islands), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Braintrust, and a staffer for Rep. Anne Northrup (R-KY) attended the briefing.

At the NIH level, Dr. Tabak continues his leadership role on several NIH committees. In addition to co-chairing the NIH Search Committee for the Deputy Director for Extramural Research, he co-chairs the committee on Multidisciplinary Research Teams of the Future. This initiative is one of the components of NIH Director Elias Zerhouni’s Roadmap Plan--a vision for NIH in the environment of rapidly evolving challenges faced by biomedical researchers and institutions funded by NIH. The Roadmap Plan covers trans-NIH initiatives in four areas: Revolutionary Methods of Research; New Pathways to Discovery; Multi-Disciplinary Research Teams of the Future, and Reengineering the Clinical Research Enterprise. Dr. Tabak also serves on the NIH Agenda-Setting Committee and the NIH Extramural Functions Review Committee.

Among the conferences attended by Dr. Tabak were the Gordon Research Conference in Ventura, CA, where he delivered the plenary talk of the conference-- “The Sweet Side of Salivary Function,” the meeting of the Iowa Section of the AADR 50th Anniversary Research Day, where he delivered by teleconference the keynote address on “The Post-Genomic Era Enters the Mouth,” and the AADR annual meeting in San Antonio, TX. He also attended the meeting of the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs in Chicago and spoke at the NIEHS Director’s Seminar Series in Research Triangle Park, NC. At the University of Puerto Rico XXIII Annual Research and Education Forum, he discussed “Multidisciplinary Approaches in Addressing Health Disparities in the Millennium.” Other presentations included his delivery of keynote addresses at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry Annual Research Table Clinic Day and the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine 2003 Annual Bates Day. He gave the Wentz Memorial Lecture at the University of Nebraska Medical Center 17th Annual Professionals’ Day Program, the William Jarvie Student Research Society Lecture and the commencement address at the Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery, and also spoke at the New York University School of Dentistry, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

ACTIVITIES OF THE NIDCR DEPUTY DIRECTOR

NIDCR Deputy Director Dr. Dushanka Kleinman continues to work closely with the NIDCR training, career development and outreach program directors and staff in the development of new initiatives and program evaluation plans. She serves on several NIH-wide committees addressing administrative restructuring, private-public partnerships and biodefense research activities. She also is working with the NIH Deputy Director to develop ways to coordinate NIH interactions with the National Center for Health Statistics. Dr. Kleinman made presentations to the American Dental Association’s Council on Government Affairs and the ADA’s Council on Access and Professional and Institutional Relations. She spoke about dentistry and bioterrorism at the 80th American Dental Education Association Meeting and participated as a panelist on workforce issues and capacity building at the 4th Joint National Oral Health Conference sponsored by the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (ASTDD) and the American Association of Public Health Dentistry (AAPHD). She also delivered the commencement address at the University of Connecticut Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine.

As the Chief Dental Officer, USPHS, Dr. Kleinman participated as an organizer and speaker at the conference on Dentistry’s Role in Responding to Bioterrorism and Other Catastrophic Events, jointly sponsored by the American Dental Association and the US Public Health Service. The conference attracted more than 300 private practice and public health dentists, dental educators, military dental officers, dental researchers and team members including hygienists and assistants.

National Call to Action to Promote Oral Health

At the National Oral Health Conference held on April 29 in Milwaukee, Surgeon General, VADM Richard H. Carmona released the National Call to Action to Promote Oral Health, referred to as the Call to Action. Together with Dr. William Maas, Dr. Caswell Evans, Ms. Susan Johnson and Ms. Ellie Murcia, Dr. Kleinman participated in the preparation for the release of this document.  

The Call to Action was called for in Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General and builds on the Healthy People 2010 oral health objectives. It presents five actions to expand the efforts of individuals, health care providers, communities, and policymakers at all levels of society in improving the nation’s oral health. These actions are: to change perceptions of oral health; overcome barriers by replicating effective program and proven efforts; build the science base and accelerate science transfer; increase oral health workforce diversity, capacity and flexibility; and increase collaborations. The Call to Action delineates specific implementation strategies for each action. In particular, it focuses on the fact that oral health is essential to general health and well-being and on the need to reduce disparities in oral health.

BUDGET UPDATE

FY 2003

NIDCR’s final appropriation for FY 2003 is $371.6 million.

An estimated $216.5 million will go towards Research Project Grant (RPG) funding in support of 631 awards. An estimated $21 million will go towards 12 center awards. Additionally, 104 Research Career Development Award (RCDA) positions and 273 full-time training positions will be funded.

FY 2004

President’s Budget

The FY 2004 President’s budget request for the NIDCR is $382.4 million, including AIDS, which is an increase of $10.8 million--or 2.9 percent--over the FY 2003 appropriation of $371.6 million. The FY 2004 President’s budget request for the NIH is $27.3 billion, including AIDS, which is an increase of $3.7 billion--or 15.7 percent-- over the FY 2003 estimate.

The FY 2004 request provides funding for an estimated 151 competing RPGs and 470 non-competing RPGs--a total of 621 awards. It also includes funding for 12 research centers, including support for recompetition of the current P60 centers program.

The FY 2004 request for funding to support 94 Research Career Awards, constructed on an earlier FY 2003 estimate of 94 Research Career Awards, has since been revised to reflect 104 awards. In the FY 2004 request, NIDCR will support 273 pre- and postdoctoral trainees in full-time training positions.

See the Congressional Justification narrative.

Budget Hearings

Fiscal Year 2004 House Appropriations hearings were comprised of three separate hearings that addressed: The State of NIH; NIH Budget Overview; and Biodefense. The budget hearing was held on April 8. Dr. Zerhouni testified on behalf of the entire NIH. Institute Directors were in attendance to respond to any specific questions that might be directed to them. Dr. Tabak attended “The State of NIH” hearing on April 2 and had the opportunity to respond to a question on salivary diagnostics research. The Senate hearing on the NIH budget request was held on April 8. Dr. Zerhouni testified on behalf of the entire NIH; all Institute Directors attended.

See the NIDCR Director’s Statement for the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee.

DHHS/NIH/NIDCR ACTIVITIES

DHHS Activities:

Healthy People 2010 Activities
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between DDHS (oral health co-lead agencies) and the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) was signed on May 7. In addition, DHHS has an MOU with the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) regarding Healthy People 2010. A third MOU is in development with Oral Health America.

HHS Agencies Forge Strategy on Health Literacy
On April 2, representatives from DHHS agencies came to the NIH campus to discuss health literacy, which is defined by Healthy People 2010 as “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.” Dr. Alice Horowitz, from the NIDCR Health Policy, Analysis and Development Branch, DPHPS, co-organized the workshop. While a key indicator of a person’s health literacy is his or her ability to read, it can also include the ability to understand what is spoken, such as a doctor’s instructions. Aging, vision and hearing problems, poverty, learning disabilities, immigration and minority status and education all contribute to low health literacy. Surgeon General Richard Carmona voiced his endorsement of departmental activities in health literacy as well, since health literacy may be both a cause of and contributor to health disparities. HHS has sponsored external experts to draft an action plan, now in the clearance process, for achieving the health-communication objectives in Healthy People 2010, including those pertaining to health literacy. The department also has added 20 questions related to health literacy to the U.S. Department of Education’s 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy. Efforts outside HHS include an Institute of Medicine study in progress to assess the problem of health literacy and to recommend steps to remedy the situation through public health and education.

HHS Proposes New Guidance for Conflict of Interest in Human Subjects Research
HHS has proposed draft guidance for protecting research volunteers from harm caused by financial conflicts of interest that would apply to all human subject research regulated by the NIH, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The guidance is intended to help investigators, research institutions, and Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) assess whether financial interests in research could affect the rights and welfare of research subjects and if so, what actions might be taken to manage or eliminate these conflicts of interest. The draft guidance suggests: (1) institutions could separate responsibility for financial decisions and research decisions, or could establish conflict of interest committees to verify the absence of financial interests in the research; (2) IRBs could verify that members have no conflicts of interest regarding protocols they consider; (3) investigators could directly provide subjects with information on the source of funding and the funding arrangements for reviewing and carrying out the research; and (4) investigators and IRBs could ensure an independent third party is used to explain the research study to subjects and obtain subjects’ consent. The proposed guidelines were published in the March 31 Federal Register with a 60-day comment period.

President Bush Names Dr. Grim to be Director of Indian Health Service
On April 23, President Bush announced his intention to nominate Charles W. Grim to be Director of the Indian Health Service (IHS), Public Health Service for a four-year term. Dr. Grim had been serving as the interim director of the Indian Health Service. Previously he was area director for the Oklahoma City area IHS. He also serves on the Department of Health and Human Services’ Intradepartmental Council on Native American Affairs, the Minority Initiative Steering Committee, and the Tribal College and Universities Initiatives Committee.

NIH Activities:

President Bush Speaks at NIH to Promote Bio-shield Biodefense
On February 3, President Bush, accompanied by DHHS Secretary Tommy Thompson and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, came to the NIH campus and spoke about his $6 billion Project Bio-shield. The purpose of Project Bio-shield is to develop and stockpile vaccines and treatments for diseases that could become weapons of bioterror. Currently, the U.S. must go beyond its borders to find companies willing to make vaccines and drugs to combat biological weapons; the two main drug therapies to treat anthrax are produced overseas. According to President Bush, America’s capacity to produce vaccines must be rebuilt by committing the Federal government to purchases of medicines to combat bioterror. Project Bio-shield will give the U.S. government the spending authority to purchase these vaccines in amounts sufficient to meet any emergency and stimulate U.S. industry to invest in vaccine development.

Revitalization of NIH Pain Consortium
NIDCR is taking the lead, along with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) to reinvigorate the NIH Pain Consortium. NIH Director Elias Zerhouni charged the Consortium at a meeting held on June 10. Pain is a critical national health problem. It accounts for nearly 40 million health care visits annually and costs this country over 100 billion each year in health care and productivity. The NIH Pain Consortium is designed to promote pain research and to increase awareness among the various NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) to stimulate collaborative interdisciplinary research across ICs, both extramurally and intramurally.

Revised NIH Policy on Submission of a Revised (Amended) Application
On June 27, 1997, NIH issued a notice in the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts that limited the number of revised or amended applications permitted-- as well as the time window--during which those amended applications would be received. An announcement issued on May 7, 2003 reiterates the NIH policy on the number of amended applications permitted but eliminates the two-year restriction on receipt of these applications. Accordingly, NIH will not consider any A3 or higher amendment to an application for extramural support. But, as of May 7, there is no longer a time limit for the submission of the first and second revisions (A1 and A2). This policy applies to all NIH extramural funding mechanisms. See further details about the Revised NIH Policy on Submission of a Revised (Amended) Application. 

Center for Scientific Review Posts New Roster Page on Web Site
The NIH Center for Scientific Review has posted a new roster page on its website. See the CSR's new roster page.

NIH Releases New Stem Cell Web Site
NIH now has a new central page for NIH stem cell information.

Discussion Plan for Reengineering Clinical Research Readied for Summer Release
An initial blueprint for Reengineering the Clinical Research Enterprise—part of Dr. Zerhouni’s Roadmap Plan--should be ready soon for broad consultation with stakeholders. The anticipated dialogue will involve constituencies such as academic health centers, general clinical research centers, the Food and Drug Administration and other agencies, and advocacy groups. NIH spent $7.6 billion on clinical research in FY 2002. It estimates spending $8.4 billion in FY 2003, and $8.7 billion in FY 2004.

Volkow Named New Director of NIDA
On February 23, Dr. Zerhouni announced the appointment of Nora Volkow, M.D., as the new director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Dr. Volkow, a psychiatrist who served as associate director of life sciences at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), also was Director of Nuclear Medicine at BNL and director of the NIDA-Department of Energy Regional Neuroimaging Center. In addition, she was a professor in the Department of Psychiatry, SUNY-Stony Brook, and associate dean of the Medical School at SUNY-Stony Brook. Dr. Volkow is known for her work on the brain’s dopamine system. She has been supported by grants from NIDA, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and the Department of Energy. She assumed her new position on April 15.

Scientists Discover Unique Source of Postnatal Stem Cells
Scientists report for the first time that “baby” teeth, the temporary teeth that children begin losing around their sixth birthday, contain a rich supply of stem cells in their dental pulp. The researchers say this unexpected discovery could have important implications because the stem cells remain alive inside the tooth for a short time after it falls out of a child’s mouth, suggesting the cells could be readily harvested for research. According to the investigators, who published their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the stem cells are unique compared to many “adult” stem cells in the body. They are long lived, grow rapidly in culture, and, with careful prompting in the laboratory, have the potential to induce the formation of specialized dentin, bone, and neuronal cells. Dr. Songtao Shi, NIDCR scientist and senior author on the paper, and his colleagues named the cells SHED, which stands for Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth. If follow-up studies extend these initial findings, the scientists speculate they may have identified an important and easily accessible source of stem cells that possibly could be manipulated to repair damaged teeth, induce the regeneration of bone, and treat neural injury or disease. Dr. Shi’s coauthors on the paper include NIDCR and National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) scientists Drs. Masako Muira, Stan Gronthos, Mingrui Zhao, Bai Lu, Larry W. Fisher, and Pamela Gehron Robey.

Scientists Report Important New Data in Adult Stem Cell Debate
A team of NIH scientists, reporting in The Lancet, has offered a key piece of new evidence to advance the debate that stem cells can change into other types of cells. In a study of five women who had received bone marrow transplants from their brothers several years earlier, the team reports finding cheek cells that contained the male Y chromosome, a sign that some transplanted stem cells had differentiated into cheek cells. Moreover, the group found almost no evidence of fusion among the cells in the cheek. If transdifferentiation—the process in which adult stem cells switch--is a biological reality, scientists would have a potential inroad to therapeutically manipulate adult stem cells, the long-lived “progenitor” cells that produce the myriad specialized cells in our tissues. In theory, scientists could gather the most easily obtainable adult stem cells, such as those from the blood, switch them into another type of adult stem cell, then prompt them to produce large amounts of tissue-specific cells. This harvest of specialized cells could be transplanted to heal wounds more efficiently or even possibly to construct replacement tissues, such as a salivary gland or a tooth. The research was conducted by Bruce Baum, Simon Tran, Stanley Pillemer, Rose Anne Leakan, Kenneth Yamada, and Albert Kingman from the NIDCR; Amalia Detra and Evgenia Pak from the National Human Genome Research Institute; A. John Barrett from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; Michael J. Brownstein from the National Institute of Mental Health; and Sharon Key and Eva Mezey from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Scientists Identify Genes that Control Differences in Vertebrate Upper and Lower Jaw
Scientists supported by the NIDCR and the National Institute of Mental Health have recently identified the genes that control differences in the vertebrate upper and lower jaw. By simultaneously inactivating two homeobox genes—Dlx5 and Dlx6—the scientists were able to create mice in which the lower jaw was transformed into a copy of the upper jaw, complete with whiskers. Dlx genes divide the jaw precursor, or pharyngeal arch, into a series of proximodistal expression domains along the arch, and pairs of Dlx genes act in combination to confer patterning information for craniofacial structures such as the jaw. Members of the Dlx family have been associated with several disorders affecting craniofacial structures such as oral clefts, trichodentoosseous syndrome, Rieger syndrome, and other anomalies. The research, conducted by Drs. M. J. Depew and J. L. R. Rubenstein at the University of California, San Francisco and Dr. T. Lufkin at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, appeared in Science.

Gene Expressing Profiling Can Predict Success of Anti-Angiogenic Compounds
DNA microarrays are rapidly becoming an essential tool in genomic research, and particularly in cancer research, since malignancy is fundamentally a genetic disease. One application of this technology is to predict the therapeutic effectiveness of anti-neoplastic agents. NIDCR-supported investigators at the University of Chicago used gene expression profiling to predict the anti-angiogenic activity of a combination of several inhibitors used to inhibit angiogenesis. Angiogenesis, the growth of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, is one of the essential requirements for tumor formation. The investigators treated human endothelial cells with six known inhibitors of angiogenesis and used microarray technologies to obtain gene expression profiling. The results showed divergent patterns of gene expression after treatment with these agents, suggesting synergistic mechanisms of action. These findings may help guide clinical trials using these agents to obtain maximum effectiveness.
The research, conducted by Drs. E. I. Cline, S. Bicciato, C. DiBello, and M. W. Lingen, appeared in Cancer Research.

Aa Fibrils May Be Target for Interventions
Adherence of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) to solid surfaces is mediated by the tight-adherence (tad) gene locus, which consists of 14 genes. Scientists know that all but two of these genes are required for the production of long fibrils on the surface of the organism. To determine whether these fibrils are associated with colonization of oral tissues and disease production, investigators tested wild type and tad mutant strains in a rat model of periodontal disease. To mimic the natural route of infection, rats were inoculated orally by adding bacteria directly to their food for eight days. The investigators found that wild-type Aa colonize and persist for at least 12 weeks in the oral cavity, elicit a humoral immune response, and cause significant oral bone loss. In contrast, mutant bacteria failed to colonize and rats fed this mutant microbe exhibited neither bone loss nor an immune response to the organisms. These results demonstrate the critical importance of the tad locus in the colonization and pathogenesis of Aa and provide evidence that Aa fibrils may provide an excellent target for interventions. Drs. H. C. Schreiner, K. Sinatra, J. B. Kaplan, D. Furgang, S. C. Kachlany, P. J. Planet, B. A. Perez, D. H. Figurski, and D. H. Fine from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons conducted the research, which was supported in part by an NIDCR grant. The research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Fluoride Exposure and Dietary Intake Influence Dental Caries in the Primary Dentition
Using longitudinal data collected through the Iowa Fluoride Study, researchers looked at fluoride exposure and dietary intake in children ages 6 weeks through 4 years. They found that out of 291 children who had a dental examination at age 5, 23 percent had a decayed or filled surface. Other major findings were: 1) reduced dental caries experience in the primary dentition was related to larger amounts of water consumption after 24 months, and especially after 36 months; 2) larger amounts of non-water beverage consumption (soda pop, sport drink, juice, juice drink and milk, excluding infant formula) very early in life (6 weeks to 12 months of age) was associated with increased risk for dental caries; 3) more frequent tooth brushing at 36-48 months of age was associated with a reduced risk for dental caries, and 4) increased milk consumption quantities at 24-36 months of age was related to reduced risk for dental caries. Drs. S. M. Levy, J. J. Warren, B. Broffitt, S. L. Hillis, and M. J. Kanellis at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry conducted the study. The findings are in press in Caries Research.

National Oral Health Conference
During the National Oral Health Conference held in Milwaukee in April, NIDCR staff and grantees gave presentations on: Children’s Oral Health: International Collaborative Perspectives for a Research Agenda; an update on Federal activities in connection with achieving Healthy People 2010 oral health objectives; disparities in untreated decay among U.S. adults; the National Fluoride Database and Intake Assessment Study; and health disparities research.

American Association for Dental Research
During the AADR meeting in San Antonio, TX in March, NIDCR staff sponsored symposia on the following topics:

Clinical Research Opportunities for Dental Educators and Researchers
This symposium focused on issues related to the development and conduct of clinical trials such as organizational management, statistical design, and ethical and regulatory concerns. Staff also described the different components of the NIDCR clinical trials program. Over 200 people attended the symposium.

Community-Based Participatory Research: An Essential Approach for Reducing Oral Health Disparities
This symposium provided oral health scientists with an understanding of community-based participatory research and ways to promote active involvement of communities in all phases of research. Presenters included Dr. Ruth Nowjack-Raymer, NIDCR, and two directors of Centers for Research to Reduce Oral Health Disparities--Dr. Jane Weintraub, University of California, San Francisco and Dr. Amid Ismail, University of Michigan--who provided pragmatic examples of their centers’ experiences in working with a variety of communities and lessons learned during this first year of funding. Other speakers included Ms. Lucille Smith, director of the Voices of Detroit Initiative, who discussed participation in research from the perspective of minority communities; Dr. Kelli McCormack-Brown, University of South Florida, who delineated approaches to creating sound research proposals using community-based participatory research; and Dr. Richard Lichtenstein, University of Michigan, who gave the keynote presentation on the theory and practice of community-based participatory research. An international journal has expressed interest in publishing the proceedings of the symposium as a special issue.

State Models for Oral Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Researchers from the five states (Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan) who received NIDCR funding to complete a needs assessment of oral cancer in their states provided an overview of the project and preliminary findings.

Essentials of Grant Writing Workshop
This workshop emphasized principals and fundamentals that are essential to the preparation of the template or master plan for a NIDCR/NIH application. The workshop was designed for beginning and experienced proposal writers.

In addition, NIDCR staff discussed new funding mechanisms to implement research in dental schools and held meetings with NRSA (T32 and T35) and Dentist Scientist Award (K16) Research Training Program Directors and Associate Deans for Research. NIDCR also exhibited at the AADR meeting and offered a “consultation booth” for the extramural community to consult with staff about such topics as research, requests for applications or program announcements, and NIDCR research training and career development opportunities and infrastructure and curriculum development activities. A web-linked CDROM for recruitment was beta-tested at the booth.

International Workshop on Sjogren’s Syndrome
NIDCR cosponsored an International Workshop on Sjogrens Syndrome to develop consensus outcome measures for clinical research on the disorder. The workshop, held in Bethesda on April 10-11, also was sponsored by the Sjogren’s Syndrome Foundation, the National Eye Institute, the Office of Research on Women’s Health, and private industry.

Meeting of Centers for Research to Reduce Oral Health Disparities
The second annual meeting of the Centers for Research to Reduce Oral Health Disparities was held at NIH on April 7-8. The opening session included remarks by Dr. John Ruffin, Director, National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, and Dr. Lawrence Tabak, NIDCR Director. The center directors presented updates on progress their centers have made over the past year as well as plans for the next year. In addition, the center directors, principal investigators, and administrative staff discussed lessons learned regarding working with communities and community-based organizations; recruitment and retention of subjects; development of manuals of procedures; common methodologies for oral health status; social and environmental determinants of health; quality of life; and serving as national resources for health disparities research. Representatives from other NIH Institutes and Centers, the IADR/AADR, National Dental Association, American Dental Association, American Dental Education Association, Indian Health Service, Health Resources Services Administration, National Center for Health Statistics, and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services also attended the meeting.

SBIR/STTR Meetings

NIDCR staff attended an SBIR/STTR meeting convened through congressional mandate by the National Research Council/National Academy of Sciences to conduct “a comprehensive evaluation of the SBIR Program.” Staff also attended the NIH-wide SBIR Technical Assistance Program (TAP) in March and the SBIR Biomedical Forum organized by the National Cancer Institute. The focus of these meetings was to actively support congressional goals of the SBIR/STTR programs by providing opportunities to promote private sector commercialization of innovations derived from Federal R&D; to foster its translation to marketplace by bringing together a forum of technology entrepreneurs in all disciplines of science, potential investors and vendors; to provide an institutional assessment of policies and practices; and to conduct a trans-institutional evaluation of the SBIR/STTR programs and performance using multiple analytical approaches.

Upcoming International Association for Dental Research (IADR) Meeting
At the upcoming IADR meeting in Goteborg, Sweden, NIDCR will sponsor two hands-on workshops, both on June 27. The first is entitled “Clinical Research Opportunities for Dental Researchers in the International Setting;” the second is on “Ethical Issues in International Collaborative Research.” NIDCR also will have a booth in the exhibit hall to disseminate information about research priorities and funding opportunities. NIDCR staff participates as members of various IADR committees, including Nominations, Regional Development, and Tobacco.

Plans also are proceeding for the Second International Women’s Leadership Conference in Dental Education Research and Service, to be held June 20-23 as a satellite to the IADR annual session. Dr. Lois K. Cohen, associate director for international health, will give a presentation on “Women Leading Change: The Case for Oral Health.”

Meeting of WHO Collaborating Centers in Oral Health
Staff from the NIDCR Office of International Health will participate in a meeting of the World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centers in Oral Health, June 24, in Goteborg. NIDCR is the WHO Collaborating Center for International Collaboration in Dental and Craniofacial Research.

2003 David Barmes Global Health Lecture
Dr. Bruce Alberts, President of the National Academies of Science, will be the 2003 David Barmes Global Health Lecturer. The annual lecture, cosponsored by the NIDCR and the Fogarty International Center, will be held November 3 in the Masur Auditorium on the NIH campus.

Other Meetings Attended by NIDCR Staff:
American Association of Public Health Dentists
American Dental Association’s Committee on International Programs and Development
Boston University School of Dental Medicine Student Science Day
CDC Conference on Public Health Implications of Periodontal Infections in Adults
Diabetes Mellitus Interagency Coordinating Committee
Keystone Symposium: Functional Genomics: Global Analysis of Complex Biological Systems
Interagency Working Group on Community-Based Participatory Research
NIH Behavioral and Social Science Coordinating Committee
Northwest/Alaska Center to Reduce Oral Health Disparities Workshop on “Opportunities in Health Sciences for Underrepresented Students, held at Heritage College
Planning meetings for the 11th Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) Investigators’ Workshop
R25 Advisory Board meeting at the University of Connecticut Health Center School of Dental Medicine
7th International Conference on Malignancies in AIDS and Other Immunodeficiencies
Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco
Standards Committee on Dental Informatics of the American Dental Association
Tri-Service Dental Educators Conference
Trans-NIH Committee on Genetic, Behavioral and Environmental Interactions
29th Annual Meeting of the Society for Biomaterials
Women’s HIV Interagency Study (WIHS) semi-annual meeting
Workshop to Develop a Research Agenda for Health Status Assessment and Survey Measures

Initiatives
The comprehensive T32 program announcement will expire in FY03; a one-cycle hiatus will occur before the announcement is reissued. The hiatus will allow NIDCR to complete the full three-year announcement period by September 10, 2003 and to review the portfolio balance, characteristics of filled positions, and program processes and outcomes. The program will be re-announced in late FY04, for review in FY 05.

Visits to Dental Schools
Over the past few months, Dr. Sharon Gordon, special assistant for Research Training, Career Development and Education, visited the following schools and presented information on research training opportunities: the University of California, Los Angeles School of Dentistry; the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry; the University of Colorado School of Dentistry; and the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine. Presentations on preparation for dental school, including research-related activities, also were made to pre-dental and pre-health groups during the AADR meeting, as well as to students at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore.

Trainee Highlights

Intramural
Ten dental students from around the country have been selected to receive the NIDCR Summer Dental Student Award. The students are from the Baylor College of Dentistry; Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery; Harvard School of Dental Medicine; Louisiana State University Health Science Center, School of Dentistry; the Medical University of South Carolina, College of Dental Medicine; Marquette University School of Dentistry; Meharry Medical College, School of Dentistry; and the University of Michigan School of Dentistry.

Dr. Songtao Shi (whose research is highlighted on page 7) has been nominated for tenure track approval. Dr. Shi works in the NIDCR Craniofacial Skeletal Diseases Branch.

Extramural
The number of extramural loan repayment program applications is approximately double this year. It is expected that twice the number will be awarded this year compared to the previous year.

Ms. Jessica Ibarra, a first year dental student at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) Dental School, won first place in the junior category of the AADR/Warner Lambert Hatton Competition at the AADR meeting in San Antonio. She also received first place for her research project in the basic science category for pre-dental students at the 2003 Dental Science Symposium, UTHSCSA School of Dentistry, San Antonio Chapter of the AADR. Twenty percent of Hatton competitors were NIDCR-supported.

National Research Council Report
Staff continues to work with the Institute of Medicine to provide input into the National Research Council report on “Monitoring the Changing Needs for Biomedical, Behavioral, and Clinical Research Personnel.”

Requests for Applications (RFAs)

Planning Awards for Improvement of Research Infrastructure in U.S. Dental Schools (R24)
Thirty-five applications received in response to this RFA were reviewed on April 10-11. Results will be presented to Council; it is expected that awards will be issued in July.

Enhancing Research Infrastructure and Capacity Building for U.S. Dental Institutions (U24)
This RFA will be released in late June or early July. The application receipt date will be April 2004.

Research Infrastructure and Capacity Building for Minority Dental Institutions to Reduce Oral Health Disparities (U24)
A supplemental application for Phase II of this program is due on August 1, covering the two-year Implementation Phase of the initiative. Two institutions, University of Puerto Rico School of Dentistry and Meharry Medical College of Dentistry, currently are funded through this award. NIDCR will conduct an interim Peer Review of the Phase II supplemental application August 20. Award of Phase II funds will be contingent on successful outcome of the interim Peer Review.

Program Announcements

Oral Health Research Curriculum Grants
Seven applications were received in response to this PAR. The applications will be reviewed August 19 and presented to Council in September.

Requests for Applications (RFAs)

Recently issued RFAs:
Clinical Genetics of Craniofacial and Oral Disorders

Oral Mucosa and HIV Infection

Cranberry: Urinary Tract Infection and other Conditions

Molecular Anatomy of Head and Neck Cancer: A Genomic/Proteomic Approach

Specialized Centers for Oral, Dental and Craniofacial Research

Periodontal Diseases: Microbial and Host Genomics/Proteomics

Previously issued RFAs: 
Restoration of Orofacial Tissues: A Biomimetic/Tissue Engineering Approach
The review of applications received in response to this RFA was completed April 8-9.

Pathobiology of Temporomandibular Joint Disorders
The review of applications received in response to this RFA was completed April 2.

Program Announcements (PAs)
Recently issued PAs: 
Innovation Grant Program: Approaches in HIV Vaccine Research

Innovations in Biomedical Computational Science and Technology

NIH Small Research Grant Program (RO3)

NIH Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant Award (R21)
 

Previously issued PAs:
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in Biology and Medicine
This PA was issued as an initiative of the trans-NIH Bioengineering Consortium (BECON). It aims to enhance nanoscience and nanotechnology research approaches that have the potential to make valuable contributions to biology and medicine. About 70 applications were received. The Center of Scientific Review has convened a special study section for the review of these applications.

Updates to Oral Pathogens Sequence Database
During the AADR meeting in San Antonio, NIDCR staff attended a meeting of the sequencing project principal investigators and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) staff. The PIs reviewed the progress of their sequencing projects and described highlights of their findings. LANL staff presented updates to the NIDCR-funded Oral Pathogens Sequence Database. Currently, the DNA sequences of Porphyromonas gingivalis and Streptococcus mutans have been completed and are being continuously annotated. The sequences of Treponema denticola, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans are in the final stages of annotation and will be released soon. Approximately 97 percent of the Candida albicans genome has been sequenced and posted on the web. Other microorganisms being sequenced include: Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus gordonii, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus sobrinus, Bacteroides forsythus, Prevotella intermedia, and Actinomyces naeslundii. These sequences are proving useful for identifying new virulence factors, finding species-specific genes, and predicting new targets for interventions. The attendees discussed the distribution of clone sets and development of protein expression libraries.

Previously Issued RFAs:
Translational Research in Dental Practice-Based Tobacco Control
Thirty applications were received in response to this RFA, jointly issued by NIDCR and the National Institute of Drug Abuse. The RFA encourages research on key processes influencing translation of effective tobacco prevention/cessation strategies into clinical dental practice, as well as intervention research to test and improve tobacco control measures within dental educational and private practice settings. The applications will be reviewed June 11. A September 2003 award date is anticipated.

Broad Agency Announcement:
NIDCR International Patient Registry and Repository for Temporomandibular Muscle and Joint Disorders (TMJDs) Natural History
Two applications were received in response to this BAA.

Study of the Impact and Cost of Dental Sealants in Young Child Populations
This study was designed to assess how dental insurance coverage affects the use of pit and fissure (dental) sealants and to quantify the effect of sealants on dental caries experience and the cost of oral health care in child populations. Longitudinal data have been collected on program enrollment and use of dental care services for approximately two million children representing a wide range of socioeconomic status, from Medicaid eligible children to privately insured children. Analyses to date indicate that the nature of the insurance coverage greatly affects access to dental care, especially for the lowest SES group of children; that once children obtain access to dental care, insurance coverage for dental sealants also affects use of dental sealants. It is also evident that there is a significant reduction in risk for future dental caries following placement of dental sealants.

National Fluoride Database and Intake Assessment Study
Progress continues on this collaborative project of the Nutrition Coordinating Center (NCC) at the University of Minnesota and the Nutrient Data Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The project will integrate the national database of nutrient values for foods and beverages, including fluoride, and a software-based system for assessing dietary and non-dietary sources of fluoride intake in individuals based on the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDS-R) software package. The sampling and analysis of beverages and foods targeted as important contributors of dietary fluoride for the USDA National Fluoride Database is near completion. Data analysis and compilation will be completed in 2003 for incorporation into the nutrient intake assessment software under development at the NCC and as part of the USDA National Nutrient Databank. The National Fluoride Database will be released in 2004 on NDL’s website.
 
Data Safety and Monitoring Boards
DPHPS staff continues to monitor activities and participate in Data Safety and Monitoring Board (DSMB) meetings. The following meetings were recently held:
Velopharyngeal Function for Speech after Palatal Surgery—RO1010437; PI: William Williams
Low-Dose Doxycycline Effects on Osteopenic Bone Loss—RO1012872; PI: Jeffrey Payne
Functional Outcomes of Cleft Lip Surgery—RO1013814; PI: Carroll-Ann Trotman
Trials to Enhance Elders Teeth (TEETH)—RO1012215; PI Asuman Kiyak

NHANES IV
The first release of NHANES IV oral health data is now scheduled for late summer. The release will include data from 1999-2000. NIDCR, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is planning a special journal issue and a number of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWRs) to highlight new data.

Publications
DPHPS staff recently published the following papers:

Canto MT, Drury TF, Horowitz AM. Oral Cancer Examinations Among US Hispanics: 1998. Journal of Cancer Education, 2003; 18:43-7.

Shenkin JD, Horowitz AM, Drury TF, Kanellis M. Attitudes of pediatric dentists towards tobacco intervention for children and adolescents: a pilot study. Pediatric Dentistry, 2003; 25:53-60.

Hyman JJ, Reid BC. Epidemiologic risk factors for periodontal attachment loss among adults in the United States. Journal of Clinical Periodontology 2003; 30 (3): 230-7.

Publications
Intramural scientists recently published a number of papers:

Shihui Lui, Hannah Aaronson, David J. Mitola, Stephen H. Leppla and Thomas H. Bugge. Potent antitumor activity of a urokinase-activated engineered anthrax toxin. 2003, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 100: 657-662

Simon D. Tran, Stanley R. Pillemer, Amalia Dutra, A. John Barrett, Michael Brownstein, Sharon Key, Evgenia Pak, Rose Anne Leakan, Albert Kingman, Kenneth Yamada, Bruce J. Baum and Eva Mezey. Differentiation of human bone marrow-derived cells into buccal epithelial cells in vivo: a molecular analytical study. 2003. The Lancet 361: 1084-1088

Silvia Montaner, Akrit Sodhi, Alfredo Molinolo, Thomas H. Bugge, Earl T. Sawai, Yunsheng He, Yi Li, Patricio E. Ray and J. Silvio Gutkind. 2003. Endothelial infection with KSHV genes in vivo reveals that vGPCR initiates Kaposi’s sarcomagenesis and can promote the tumorigenic potential of viral latent genes. Cancer Cell 3:23-26

Renovations Continue
Renovation of DIR laboratories and administrative space continues. On the fourth floor, Phase 1 renovations of the Craniofacial Developmental Biology and Regeneration Branch began this winter. The new, state-of-the-art vivarium nears completion and is slated to start receiving animals late this summer. Designs and plans for the fifth floor north laboratories, third floor east laboratories, and first floor north are currently being prepared. Plans for administrative offices on the fifth floor south are under way. Laboratories are being designed for an incoming Clinical Director; 1500 square feet of laboratory space in Building 10, fifth floor north, has been allocated for this purpose. Office space in the northern fifth floor wing of the new Clinical Research Center has been designated for the Clinical Director. Occupancy is expected in the spring of 2004.

Program Announcement Update
NIDCR has updated and reissued a Program Announcement for the International Collaborative Oral Health Research Planning Grant (PAR-03-059):
The most significant change is an increase in the funding level to $100,000 per year for two years.

Global Health Research Initiative Program for New Foreign Investigators
NIDCR will participate in the Global Health Research Initiative Program for New Foreign Investigators (GRIP), a program developed by the Fogarty International Center to promote productive re-entry of NIH intramurally trained foreign investigators into their home countries.

Orientation to NIDCR’s International Programs
Staff from the Office of International Health discussed NIDCR’s international programs with visitors from Jordan, Sierra Leone and Panama, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the International Dental Manufacturers Association, the Friends of the NIDCR, the World Bank, and the Global Forum for Health Research. An overview also was provided to NIDCR dental public health residents, NIDCR intramural visiting scientists, and dental students from the University of Michigan.

On April 1, staff met with Dr. Jacques Veronneau, a dental researcher who works for the Quebec provincial government. Dr. Veronneau is conducting research on the prevention of early childhood caries.

International Workshops to be Held
Staff has begun work with committees planning international workshops to be held in 2004 on the topics of HIV/AIDS and oral health, women’s health, and dental health statistics.

Patient Advocates Forum
NIDCR hosted its fourth annual Patient Advocates Forum on May 5 on the NIH campus. The conference welcomed 18 patient advocates representing 17 voluntary health organizations with a shared interest in the oral health effects of their respective disorders and conditions. Among the activities on the day’s agenda was an interactive discussion of the draft NIDCR Strategic Plan. Meeting participants came prepared to discuss the plan and provided input from the public perspective.

NIDCR staff presentations detailing ongoing and planned clinical programs that are trans-NIH in nature were of particular interest to the group, since virtually all of the disorders represented cross Institute lines. Attendees also explored the redesigned NIDCR website, toured the NIH campus and Clinical Center, and met with NIDCR Dental Clinic staff to discuss projects under way in disease areas relevant to the group.

Affirmative Action Plan (AAP) Update
The NIDCR Office of Diversity Management conducted a comparison of NIDCR workforce profiles from 1995-2002 to review the overall progress of NIDCR in improving the representation of underrepresented EEO groups since the implementation of the NIH pilot AAP process. The comparison shows that NIDCR has eliminated severe underrepresentation of African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and women across all of the AAP employment categories. The review also indicated that future outreach and recruitment efforts would be enhanced by a renewed focus on retention and career development of current staff. The review summary was presented to NIDCR senior staff on February 28.

The NIH Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity Management has advised all NIH Institutes and Centers that affirmative action goals for minorities and women should not be established for FY 2003 due to a delay in receiving comparable labor force data from the 2000 Census. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission also has issued a new draft management directive on the Federal EEO Program that mirrors the pilot NIH AAP process. The draft should be finalized by the end of FY 2003.

Recruitment and Education Outreach
The NIDCR continued its support of our Adopt-a-School--the Wilson High School Sci-Ma/Tech Academy--through several venues:

NIDCR will sponsor the participation of an African American student in the 2003 National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine, to be held at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. in July 2003

On February 4, NIDCR scientific and administrative staff hosted three students on Groundhog Job Shadow Day. In addition to shadowing staff, the students participated in a luncheon meeting with students and scientists from NIAMS. Dr. Dushanka Kleinman, NIDCR Deputy Director, talked to the students about health disparities and opportunities for oral health research as they make future academic career plans. Ms. Sharrell Butler, NIDCR diversity program manager, gave a presentation on research training opportunities available for students at NIDCR and NIH.

Dr. Robert Selwitz, chief, Health Policy, Analysis and Development Branch, DPHPS, gave a presentation to the Wilson High School Sci/Ma/Tech Academy students at a brown bag seminar held on May 7. Dr. Selwitz discussed diabetes and oral health from both a research and personal perspective. He included a demonstration on how to use the Accu-Chek Complete to monitor blood sugar levels. His presentation was well received and stimulated much discussion with the students and teachers.

Ms. Butler exhibited at the Annual National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (AFEO) conference April 8-13 in Washington, D.C. to recruit for employment and training opportunities.

NIDCR supported the NIH Office of the Director education outreach effort by providing materials on training and employment opportunities for the Congressman Albert R. Wynn 11th Annual Job Fair in Price George’s County, MD on May 5.

NIDCR supported the NIH Project Out of the Box initiative and provided curriculum supplements, health education materials and toothbrush kits to grade school students in Hawaii, Southeast Washington, D.C. and to students on Native American and Alaskan reservations.

Ms. Butler served as a recruiter for the Federal Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) and interviewed 45 students with disabilities for inclusion in the WRP 2003 database. The database has been distributed to Federal and private sector businesses as a resource for both summer and permanent employment opportunities. The NIDCR Office of Diversity Management will access the database for potential candidates as job vacancies and student internships become available.

Staff from the Office of Diversity Management served on the planning committees for the NIH Special Emphasis Observances for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Celebration and African American History Month in January and February 2003.

On March 10, Dr. Mostafa Nokta joined the NIDCR as the new director for the AIDS and Oral Manifestations of Immunosuppression Program, DBTS. He came to the NIDCR from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston where he served on the faculty of the Division of Infectious Diseases. Dr. Nokta is a viral immunologist. Most of his professional career has focused on HIV/AIDS and HIV-related opportunistic infections. He has served on the Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group for the past 10 years.

In May, Dr. John Kusiak joined the NIDCR as the director of the Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology Program, DBTS. Previously he was a research chemist in the Molecular Neurobiology Unit of the Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Institute on Aging. Dr. Kusiak’s background is in the application of molecular and cellular biological approaches to the identification of signaling cascades and mechanisms of cell death in neuronal culture models, including those of Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Lois Cohen, associate director for International Health, received the American Association of Public Health Dentistry’s (AAPHD) highest award—the Distinguished Service Award—for her contributions in the socio-dental sciences and public health. The award was presented during the AAPHD Awards Luncheon on April 28 during the National Oral Health Conference in Milwaukee.

Dr. Margo Adesanya, program director of the Clinical Trials and Patient- Oriented Research Program, DPHPS, recently received an honorable mention in the AAPHD Leverett Graduate Student Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dental Public Health competition. She received the award for her study entitled, “Assessment of Contributory Factors for Tooth Loss in the U.S. Elderly Population.”

NIDCR was well represented among the recipients of the NIH Plain Language Awards for 2002. An Outstanding award (the highest level; only 11 given at NIH) went to Patricia Sheridan, Public Information and Liaison Branch, and NOHIC for the educational kit on oral complications of cancer treatments. Three Excellent awards (second level: 29 given at NIH) also went to NIDCR: Mary Daum and Karen Jackler (Public Information and Liaison Branch) and Ruth Mattingly (contractor) won for a spit tobacco website; Alice Horowitz, Maria Canto and Wendy Child (DPHPS) won for a journal article about oral cancer detection and prevention; and Lois Cohen and Kevin Hardwick (Office of International Health) and Mona Kanin (contractor) won for the video, “Science Knows No Country.” The NIH Plain Language Awards were presented at a ceremony held on April 23; Cokie Roberts was the keynote speaker.

Dr. Richard Mowery received the NIH Excellence in Leadership Award at the Grants Management Awards Ceremony on June 6. The Excellence in Leadership Award is given to individuals who encourage teamwork and foster cooperation on issues faced by changes in NIH grants stewardship. Dr. Mowery was recognized for his dedicated efforts as a principal member of the NIH Proactive Site Visit Team during 2002. His visit reports contributed to the development of a compendium that summarizes NIH and institutional observations and provides “Examples of Compliance in Action.” This document provides the broader biomedical research community with an educational tool to promote awareness of and compliance with NIH policies. Dr. Mowery contributed significantly to the success of the NIH Compliance and Oversight Program.

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