This is a brief summary of the September 9,
2008, meeting of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council
(NHLBAC). It will be replaced by the full minutes of the meeting when
they become available.
[To Top]
OPENING REMARKS AND REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR
Dr. Elizabeth Nabel, Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood
Institute (NHLBI), welcomed members to the 231st meeting of the National
Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council (NHLBAC). Because the September
Council meeting is brief, most members participated via video-conference
or telephone.
Dr. Nabel announced that Dr. Keith Hoots will join the Institute in
January as Senior Advisor to the Director in the
Division of Blood Diseases and Resources. Dr. Hoots is expected
to assume leadership of the Division as time goes on.
Dr. Hoots
is
currently Professor of Pediatrics and Division Head, Pediatric
Hematology, The University of Texas Medical School at Houston; Section
Head, Pediatric
Hematology, The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center;
and
Medical Director, Gulf State Hemophilia and Thrombophilia Treatment
Center. Dr. Hoots is a past president of the Hemophilia Research
Society of North America.
The Institute recently reviewed its global health program in light
of the major impact of chronic disease worldwide. In response to the
recommendations of an Advisory Group convened by Dr.
Nabel, the
Institute has embarked
on
several
activities:
- Requesting that the Institute of Medicine update its report on the epidemiology
of cardiovascular disease worldwide.
- Partnering with the Fogarty International Center at the NIH, together with
other Institutes/Centers, to support bilateral training programs.
- Looking into a role for the Institute in programs that target chronic cardiovascular
and pulmonary diseases in developing countries, focusing on training,
surveillance, risk assessment, and primary prevention.
[To Top]
Budget Report
Dr. Nabel reported that the Institute's payline for traditional research
project grants (R01s)
is
at the 16th percentile as we approach the end of FY 2008; at the 26th
percentile for new investigators' R01s (if
expedited
administrative review
resolves
summary statement comments);
and at the
21st percentile
for first-time renewal R01 applications from new investigators. This year,
the Institute was able to fund program project grants with
a composite priority score of 150 or better (subprojects with a score
of 170 or better); career development grants with a score of 165 or better;
and training grants with a score of 172 or better. Furthermore, in
keeping with its efforts to support new investigators, the Institute
was able to fund fellowship grants to the 40th percentile. Dr. Nabel
noted that the Institute's funding scores have remained fairly stable
over the last 3 to 4 years.
In FY 2008, the NIH received a $150 million supplement from Congress,
of which the NHLBI share was $15.5 million. The NHLBI used 56 percent
of its share to fund competing research project grants (RPGs) and was
able to fund, in percentile order, 13 original (unamended) grant
applications with percentile
scores outside the regular
payline.
[To Top]
Policy Issues related to Amended
Applications and Early-stage Investigators
Dr. Nabel reported on two policy issues recently reviewed at the NIH.
She welcomed feedback from Council.
- Amended Applications: After review of recommendations
from the recent NIH-led study of its peer review system, the NIH has
decided to
consider phasing out second amendments (A2s) to competing RPG applications.
- Early-stage Investigators: The NIH is discussing how
to focus support more effectively toward early-stage investigators,
having found that a substantial portion of the new investigators it
has recently supported (i.e., those who met the NIH criteria
for
"new investigators") were not
early-stage investigators, but rather experienced researchers established
in other fields of science. Under consideration is establishing policy
to maintain equal success rates for both groups—early-stage
and established investigators.
Council members offered opinions and suggestions regarding both issues.
|