In both the public and private sectors there is ever-increasing awareness of the benefits of a diverse workforce. Increased diversity brings with it a more diverse array of perspectives and modes of thinking – both of which are integral to the scientific process. Simply put, an increased variety of ideas means an increased potential for solutions. While any organization would benefit from such increased potential, for NIH the benefit is critical to its mission of improving worldwide health.

An example of the importance of diverse perspectives in research appears in the June 2008 publication of the Harvard Business Review, The Athena Factor: Reversing the Brain Drain in Science, Engineering and Technology (Product No. 10094 at 5-6). When Dr. Sadaf Farooqui was a medical school student in the United Kingdom, a professor asked her to participate in research investigating the causes of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. What was known at the time was that crib death mortality rates were much lower in the South Asian communities in the UK than in the country in general. Dr. Farooqui thought, based on child-rearing practices in Pakistani families that the reason for the lower mortality rates was that these children sleep on their backs, not on their stomachs. Research shored up her hypothesis, and the results were published in the British medical journal, The Lancet. Not long thereafter, the UK initiated a national campaign to encourage caregivers to put children to sleep on their backs. In the first year of the initiative, the number of crib deaths in the UK was cut in half. This is a clear example of how one investigator’s unique skills and cultural background can make significant contributions to scientific research and policy, and yield tangible benefits to the public.

NIH has focused its diversity efforts on the following groups underrepresented in the sciences, based on available data and statistics from the National Science Foundation, and our own experiences in this area:

• Socially, culturally, or educationally disadvantaged populations
• Women at the faculty level and above
• Individuals with disabilities
• Underrepresented racial and ethnic groups
• Families with annual incomes below established low-income thresholds.

Each group faces unique challenges, and many individuals represent an amalgam of one or more groups. Because of these intricacies, we need to think “outside of the box” when continuing past efforts, and designing new approaches. For example, how do we identify persons with unique perspectives? Do we merely ask persons to check boxes on an application, or do we permit applicants to elaborate on their backgrounds? There are also more general questions that are applicable to any population, such as:

• How and why do people choose careers in science?
• What obstacles impede the progress of those pursuing a career in science?
• What is the best role NIH can play in helping create a more diverse scientific workforce?

A New Year brings not only renewed energy to continue work on ongoing projects, but also the potential to design new initiatives. In 2009 we will use our collective resources to better articulate the reasons that scientific workforce diversity is integral to NIH’s mission, how it can help to eliminate health disparities, and promote public trust and confidence in our activities. Some of this work has already begun, with sessions of the December 2008 NIH Summit: The Science of Eliminating Health Disparities dedicated to examining the nexus between eliminating health disparities and building the capacity of educational institutions to educate the next generation of research scientists at the undergraduate, graduate and post-doctorate levels. In addition, there are several NIH working groups evaluating various facets of scientific workforce diversity. In the coming months, you will learn more about these efforts.

The bottom line is that we have much work ahead of us in finding creative solutions to this issue. However, when our efforts bear fruit, as I strongly believe they will, the returns to the scientific community will be immeasurable. I look forward to the coming year and working with you in partnership to enhance opportunities for tomorrow’s scientific workforce.

- Sally Rockey, Ph.D.
Acting NIH Deputy Director for Extramural Research

Today, we are happy to announce that NIH has reached a major milestone in the transition from Grants.gov’s PureEdge-based application forms to their Adobe-based equivalents.

The transition to Adobe officially began on December 5, 2008, when NIH updated more than 500 active Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) with Adobe-based application packages and closed their PureEdge predecessors (NOT-OD-09-026). The new Adobe forms are required for submission for most receipt dates in January and beyond. Appointed members of NIH chartered study sections who utilize alternate plans for submitting R01, R21 and R34 grant applications as allowed by NIH policy should note that if they are submitting applications for these grant mechanisms after December 5, they must use the new Adobe forms. (For more details see NOT-OD-09-028).

There are still a number of active FOAs that will continue to use PureEdge packages into January 2009, including some FOAs for grant programs with early December standard receipt dates (small business and conference programs) and FOAs due to expire in January. In early 2009, the remaining active FOAs with PureEdge forms will be updated and our transition to Adobe will be complete.

The change was timed (accommodating the error correction window, application viewing window and late application policy) so that applicants submitting for the final PureEdge standard receipt dates could complete the submission process using the same form set. NIH aimed to release the new forms in enough time to provide applicants at least 4 weeks to prepare their Adobe-based applications for the next receipt dates. The January 7, 2009 receipt date for AIDS and AIDS-Related Applications will be the first NIH standard receipt date to use the Adobe-based forms.

In response to many comments and much input from the extramural community, the NIH soon will implement changes to the peer review process. The changes are centered on three priority areas: (1) engaging the best reviewers, (2) improving the quality and transparency of review, and (3) ensuring balanced and fair reviews across scientific fields and career stages. An additional aim is to reduce administrative burden.

The NIH will begin implementing changes in the Fiscal Year 2010 funding cycle.  Investigators submitting applications in January 2009 and later should be aware of the following new policies.

Shorter Applications.
Shorter applications that align with review criteria will be implemented for January 2010 receipt dates and beyond.

New Investigator and Early Stage Investigator Policy. NIH intends to support New Investigators at success rates comparable to those for established investigators submitting new applications, and Early Stage Investigators should comprise a majority of the New Investigators.  Details are posted in the NIH Guide (NOT-OD-09-013).

Policy on Resubmission (Amended) Applications.  Beginning with original new applications (i.e., never submitted) and competing renewal applications submitted for the January 25, 2009 due dates and beyond, the NIH will accept only a single amendment to the original application.  Details are posted in the NIH Guide (NOT-OD-09-003).

Scoring and Review Criteria.  When these applications are reviewed in May 2009 review meetings, five new policies will be in place: (1) a 9-point scoring system, (2) enhanced review criteria, (3) formatted reviewer critiques, (4) scoring of individual review criteria, and (5) clustering of New Investigator applications during review.  Changes to the scoring and review criteria are described in detail in the NIH Guide, NOT-OD-09-024 and NOT-OD-09-025.

For more details on the implementation timeline, including changes expected for the Fiscal Year 2011 funding cycle, see the NIH Guide (NOT-09-023). Comprehensive information on the enhancing peer review effort may be found at http://enhancing-peer-review.nih.gov/.  

Below is the updated timeline for implementation of key actions in the NIH peer review system:

In a Guide Notice released December 10, the NIH Center for Scientific Review (CSR) announced that it has updated the descriptions of its study sections that applicants often use to suggest which CSR study section(s) might best review their applications. These changes only apply to CSR’s chartered study sections, and they do not apply to other study sections organized by CSR or the other NIH Institutes or Centers.

CSR revised these study section descriptions in response to requests from study section chairs and other representatives of the scientific community who participated in recent evaluations of CSR’s review groups. These changes were designed to make CSR’s chartered study section descriptions more transparent and reflective of the types of applications actually reviewed by CSR study sections. The updated descriptions were also designed to be more user friendly for applicants—particularly new applicants.

Dr. Birnbaum is a toxicologist whose research focuses on the pharmacokinetic behavior of environmental chemicals; mechanisms of actions of toxicants, including endocrine disruption; and linking of real-world exposures to health effects. Her research expertise, extensive activity within the scientific community, and skills as an administrator and leader will be great assets in her new role directing NIEHS.

Since 1989 Dr. Birnbaum has worked at the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development. During that time she has served as a senior toxicologist in the National Center for Environmental Assessment, the Division Director for the Experimental Toxicology Division and the Human Studies Division, and Acting Associate Director for Health of the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory. 

In his announcement, Dr. Kington also thanked Samuel Wilson, M.D., for his dedicated service as Acting Director at NIEHS for over a year.

As we first mentioned in the July 2008 Extramural Nexus, the NIH Summit on the Science of Eliminating Health Disparities will take place from December 14 -18, 2008 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. Registration is free. 

Join NIH Institutes, Centers, Offices, and their many partners engaged in research on minority health and health disparities to:

• Highlight the research progress of the NIH on health issues among racial/ethnic minority and medically underserved populations
• Increase awareness and understanding of disparities in health
• Showcase best-practice models in research, capacity-building, outreach, and integrated strategies to eliminate health disparities
• Identify strengths and gaps in health disparities research
• Network and dialogue with the nation’s leading experts on minority health and health disparities

The Center for Cancer Research and the Division of Cancer Prevention at the National Cancer Institute will present the symposium Molecular Targets for Cancer Prevention, February 4 and 5, 2009 at NIH Natcher Conference Center, Bethesda, Maryland. Evidence from both preclinical and clinical studies will provide an exciting forum for timely discussion and debate on the state-of-the-science, recent advances, and opportunities for discovery. Please register for this symposium at: http://web.ncifcrf.gov/events/cancerprevention/2009/default.asp

For many months, the NIH has been explaining the new Research, Condition, and Disease Categorization (RCDC) project and how it will change the way we report on the research we fund.  RCDC is part of a wider NIH effort to enhance public accessibility to reports, data, and analyses of NIH research activities.

We recently launched a new Web site called RePORT (the Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool).  RePORT gives the public a single access point to quickly and easily find data, including information on NIH expenditures and the results of NIH-supported research.  RCDC results will show the amount NIH funded in each of the same 215 categories it has historically reported to Congress and the public.  The results will be accessible through the RePORT Web site.  Each category will provide detailed information, including for the first time a complete list of all NIH-funded projects included in that category.  

To find out more about “RCDC, NIH RePORTing and You,” please attend our open house meeting on the NIH main campus or watch the simultaneous nationwide webcast on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 from 1:30 – 3:00 pm.   During the 90-minute session, NIH staff will present the new Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool (RePORT), demonstrate RCDC, and respond to audience questions. These new tools provide access to reports, data, and analyses of NIH research activities, including information on NIH expenditures and the results of NIH-supported research.

Learn more about the webcast. Be sure to check back periodically for updates.

What is a NIH Regional Seminar? 
Held twice a year, the NIH Regional Seminars are intended to help demystify the application and review process, clarify federal regulations and policies, and highlight current areas of special interest or concern. NIH policy officials, grants management and program staff, as well as representatives from the Office for Human Research Protections and the Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, will interact with seminar participants and provide a broad array of expertise.  Optional eRA Hands-On Computer Workshops provide the latest information on interacting with NIH electronically.  

Who Attends?
This seminar is for you if you're looking for a better understanding of and the latest changes to elements of the NIH Grants Process, as well as the opportunity to network with others in their field and NIH/HHS experts.  

Where, When, & How Do I Register?
Atlanta, Georgia -
Wednesday, April 15:  eRA Hands-On Computer Workshops
Thursday, April 16 & Friday, April 17:  2-Day Regional Seminar
Registration: (Registration open now)
*Co-hosted by Georgia State University and Georgia Institute of Technology

Las Vegas, Nevada -
Wednesday, June 24:  eRA Hands-On Computer Workshops
Thursday, June 25 & Friday, June 26:  2-Day Regional Seminar
Registration:  (Registration opens late December 2008) 
*Co-ambassadors are the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the University of Nevada, Reno

Additional Information?
NIH Guide Notice
NIH Regional Seminar home page

We hope to see you there!