We support research on a wide range of common, chronic, and costly health problems affecting many millions of Americans. Through research, we can anticipate major victories in understanding, treating, and preventing endocrine and metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity, digestive diseases such as hepatitis and inflammatory bowel disease, kidney and urologic diseases such as kidney failure and prostate enlargement, and blood diseases such as the anemias.
Thank you for allowing me to share a few highlights of our research activities.
Griffin P. Rodgers, M.D., M.A.C.P.
Director
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
National Institutes of Health
Features
FY 2009 Budget Request
On March 5, NIH Director Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni presented the President’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Budget Request for NIH to the House Subcommittee on Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations. The total requested for NIH was $29,465,000,000, equal to the 2008 appropriation. The budget request of $1,858,487,000 for NIDDK includes an increase of $1,803,000 over the FY 2008 appropriated level of $1,856,684,000, as well as $150,000,000 in specific funding for research on type 1 diabetes.
My written testimony for NIDDK:
http://www2.niddk.nih.gov/AboutNIDDK/BudgetAndLegislativeInformation/BudgetRequest2009_March_5_2008_House.htm
Dr. Zerhouni’s written testimony for NIH:
http://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov/ui/NIH%20DirectorTestimony%20(House).pdf
Read more about the NIH Budget Request:
http://officeofbudget.od.nih.gov
On-the-Road
Last summer I paid courtesy visits to members of the Senate and House Labor-HHS-Education appropriations subcommittees to tell them about NIDDK activities. Encouraged by those efforts, this spring I will be visiting with members of Senate and House authorizing committees for NIH.
In addition, I have had the pleasure of speaking at community events to highlight the research challenges and opportunities in chronic disease and the twin epidemics of obesity and diabetes. These diseases are two of the most significant health crises of our time. Despite important progress, diabetes remains a serious, common, chronic, and costly disease causing tremendous suffering, disability and death. Obesity contributes to many health problems, including diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, arthritis, liver disease and cancer.
Advances and Emerging Opportunities
The Institute’s Office of Scientific Program and Policy Analysis published NIDDK Recent Advances and Emerging Opportunities. An annual compendium of research advances by NIDDK-funded scientists, the report also describes technologies that made achievements possible and features patients affected by diseases under NIDDK’s research mission.
NIDDK Recent Advances and Emerging Opportunities:
www2.niddk.nih.gov/AboutNIDDK/ResearchAndPlanning/Advances/Advance_2008.htm
NIDDK News
Funding Opportunities
www2.niddk.nih.gov/Funding/FundingOpportunities
Grants and Contracts Notices
www2.niddk.nih.gov/Funding/FundingOpportunities/Notices
Upcoming Meetings and Workshops
www3.niddk.nih.gov/fund/other/conferences.shtml
People: Coming and Going
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Robert A. Star, M.D., as director of NIDDK’s Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases. Dr. Star is responsible for setting scientific priorities and managing division resources and for advising me on scientific issues. He already has been actively engaged in discussions with national leaders of professional and patient advocacy groups and with other senior leaders at NIDDK and NIH.
NIH News Release: www.nih.gov/news/health/mar2008/niddk-04.htm
Dr. Zerhouni named Josephine P. Briggs, M.D., director of NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Dr. Briggs directed NIDDK’s Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases from 1997 to 2006, before moving to the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Bethesda.
NIH News Release: www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2008/nccam-24.htm
NIH Record Story: nihrecord.od.nih.gov/newsletters/2008/02_22_2008/story3.htm
Also in our Division of Kidney, Urologic, and Hematologic Diseases, we welcome Deborah K. Hoshizaki, Ph.D., director of programs for kidney and urogenital development and kidney regeneration and repair. Her expertise includes genetic and developmental biology. Before joining NIDDK, Dr. Hoshizaki was associate professor in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nevada. She received her doctorate at the University of California at Berkley and was a postdoctoral fellow at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the American Cancer Society. The Division said goodbye to Christine Maric, Ph.D., who had led the Division’s renal pathophysiology and acute kidney injury programs for the past year. She accepted a faculty position at the University of Mississippi at Jackson. We wish her well.
Please welcome two new members of our administrative and technical teams. Lisa Mascone, NIDDK’s new deputy executive officer, works closely with our associate director for management on all phases of administrative management. Prior to joining NIDDK, Ms. Mascone was an administrative resource center manager at NIH’s National Cancer Institute for 8 years and an administrative officer at NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for 10 years. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland College Park. Max Niakani is NIDDK’s new deputy chief information officer and deputy director, Computer Technology Branch. Mr. Niakani has more than 20 years of experience in information technology and has held positions as assistant vice president at the Utility Systems and as senior IT manager at Sallie Mae. He holds a B.S. in mathematics and electrical engineering from Syracuse University.
News Releases
National Kidney Month Statement
www.nih.gov/news/health/mar2008/niddk-21.htm
NIDDK Releases New Awareness & Prevention Series for Community Health Events
www.nih.gov/news/health/feb2008/niddk-29a.htm
NIDDK Publishes Resources about Bladder Problems
www.nih.gov/news/health/feb2008/niddk-29.htm
NIDDK Welcomes Four New Members to Advisory Council
www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2008/niddk-28.htm
NIH News
Peer Review Study Comment Period Ends
On Feb. 28, the NIH Advisory Committee to the Director presented its final draft of the NIH 2007-2008 Peer Review Self-Study to NIH Director Dr. Elias A. Zerhouni. The final draft--based on recommendations of the Committee’s Working Group on Peer Review--identifies the most significant challenges facing the NIH peer review system and recommends corrective actions. Public comment on the final draft ended Monday, March 17. NIH expects to announce implementation plans later this year.
Enhancing Peer Review at NIH: http://enhancing-peer-review.nih.gov
NIH Revises Policy on Public Access to Research Results
On Jan. 11, NIH issued a revised Public Access Policy to comply with a congressional mandate that NIH-supported scientists submit published papers to PubMed Central, a public database maintained by NIH’s National Library of Medicine. The NIH policy applies to all peer-reviewed journal articles accepted for publication on or after April 7, 2008. Beginning May 25, 2008, all NIH applications, proposals, and progress reports must include the PubMed Central reference number in citations for published papers that resulted from NIH funding.
Notice of Revised Policy: grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-08-033.html
NIH Public Access Policy: http://publicaccess.nih.gov
PubMed Central: www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov
Roadmap for Medical Research Initiatives
NIH plans annual solicitations for new and amended Roadmap initiative. The expectation is that NIH will invest $30 million to $50 million a year from the currently projected Roadmap budget for three to eight new 5-year initiatives and, rarely, 10-year initiatives. The actual number approved each year will depend on the proposals.
Planning and Selection of Roadmap Initiatives: nihroadmap.nih.gov/programselection2008.asp
Applications for NIH’s New Innovator Award were due March 31, 2008. The award supports exceptionally creative scientists who take highly innovative approaches to major challenges in biomedical or behavioral research. The Award provides $1.5 million in direct costs over 5 years. Investigators who have not received an NIH regular research (R01) or similar grant are eligible.
New Innovator Award: grants.nih.gov/grants/new_investigators/innovator_award
Council of Public Representatives
The next meeting of the NIH Director’s Council of Public Representatives is Friday, April 18, 2008. The Council advises Dr. Zerhouni about public participation in NIH activities, outreach efforts, and other matters of public interest. Members from across the country are identified through an open application process and serve 3-year terms on average.
Council of Public Representatives: http://copr.nih.gov
News Releases
NIH Outlines Next Steps to Address Safety Concerns about Boston-area Laboratory
www.nih.gov/news/health/mar2008/od-06.htm
NIH Receives Gates Foundation Grant to Investigate Role of Iron Supplements in Malaria
www.nih.gov/news/health/mar2008/nichd-05.htm
NICHD Renamed for Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Advocate for Institute’s Founding
www.nih.gov/news/health/mar2008/nichd-03.htm
NHLBI Issues First U.S. von Willebrand Disease Clinical Practice Guidelines
www.nih.gov/news/health/feb2008/nhlbi-29.htm
NIH Scientists Detect Fatal Copper Disorder at Birth:
Early Treatment Extends Survival
www.nih.gov/news/health/feb2008/nichd-06.htm
Plan Expedites Alternatives to Animal Testing
www.nih.gov/news/health/feb2008/niehs-05.htm
Panel Finds Hydroxyurea Treatment is Underutilized for Sickle Cell Diseases: Improved Access to Care and Education about the Treatment are Deemed Priorities
www.nih.gov/news/health/feb2008/od-27.htm
Stress Hormone Impacts Memory, Learning in Diabetic Rodents
www.nih.gov/news/health/feb2008/nia-17.htm
For Safety, NHLBI Changes Intensive Blood Sugar Treatment Strategy in Clinical Trial of Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
www.nih.gov/news/health/feb2008/nhlbi-06.htm
NIH Director Welcomes Five New Members to the Advisory Committee to the Director
www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2008/od-31.htm
Gene Variant Found Associated with Fetal Hemoglobin Levels Linked to Moderated Symptoms of Beta-thalassemia www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2008/nia-30a.htm
Diuretics Most Effective Blood Pressure Medication for People with Metabolic Syndrome
www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2008/nhlbi-28.htm
NIH Announces New Initiative in Epigenomics
www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2008/od-22.htm
International Effort Finds New Genetic Variants Associated with Lipid Levels, Risk for Coronary Artery Disease
www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2008/nia-13.htm
Researchers Discover New Biomarker for Predicting Liver Cancer Spread and Survival
www.nih.gov/news/pr/jan2008/nci-07a.htm
