FYI from the NHLBI Index
January 2008: Vol. 8, Issue 3
Summaries of Meetings
and Announcements of Upcoming Events
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council's September and October Meetings
Upcoming NHLBI Workshops and Working Groups
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council's September and October Meetings
September 12, 2007
Dr. Nabel welcomed Council members to the 227th meeting, which was held entirely via teleconference. The Council concurred on the award of 116 competing research project grants for a total cost of $69.5 million.
October 30, 2007
Dr. Nabel announced three new Council nominees (final clearance of nominations expected soon): Dr. Andrew Marks, Columbia University; Dr. C. Noel Bairey Merz, Cedar-Sinai Medical Center; and Dr. Marlene Rabinovitch, Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr. Nabel welcomed representatives of NHLBI Advisory Committees: Dr. Gary Owens and Dr. Ivor Benjamin, representing the NHLBI Board of Scientific Counselors; Dr. F. Daniel Armstrong, Chair of the Sickle Cell Disease Advisory Committee; Dr. Phyllis Zee, Chair of the Sleep Disorders Research Advisory Board; Dr. Louis Dell'Italia, representing the Heart, Lung, and Blood Program Project Review Committee; and Dr. David Guidot, representing the NHLBI Institutional Training Mechanism Review Committee.
Dr. Nabel recognized three Council members who are retiring: Dr. Roberto Bolli, Dr. Richard Boucher, and Dr. Robert Lemanske.
Dr. Nabel announced that Dr. Marvin Konstam will join the Institute (effective January 1, 2008) as Senior Advisor to the Director for Cardiovascular Diseases. He is currently the Chief of Cardiology at Tufts-New England Medical Center and Professor of Medicine and Professor of Radiology at Tufts University School of Medicine.
The NHLBI Strategic Plan �\ a full scientific version, as well as a summary brochure for public audiences �\ has been printed and will soon be distributed to participants in the planning process, scientific groups, professional organizations, public interest groups, and the Congress.
The NHLBI continues to maintain its commitment to new investigators and those in the early stages of their research careers. To this end, in Fiscal Year (FY) 2007, the Institute awarded 182 Research Project Grants (R01 mechanism) to new investigators; 7 first-time R01 renewals to new investigators; 1 NIH Director's New Innovator Award; 18 NIH High Priority, Short-Term Project Awards (Bridge Awards; R56 mechanism); and 24 NIH Pathway to Independence Awards (K99/R00 mechanism).
Dr. Lawrence Tabak, Director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research and Co-Chair of two NIH Working Groups on Peer Review, summarized recent NIH-led efforts, conducted in partnership with the scientific community, to study the NIH peer review system and determine ways to enhance it.
Suggestions that emerged from the study include improving review criteria, incorporating new models of review, enhancing the quality of review and reviewers, modifying review mechanics and improving feedback to applicants, modifying approaches for scoring applications, and improving other aspects of the system used to support research. Council members offered additional suggestions for improving the peer review system. Dr. Clare Waterman, Senior Investigator, Cell Biology and Physiology Center, NHLBI Intramural Program, discussed both her research related to cell migration and the technology used to detect and track molecules involved in cell migration.
NHLBI staff presented 11 new initiatives and 5 renewals, all of which had been reviewed in September by the Board of External Experts. The Council was mostly supportive of the initiatives presented, but made a number of specific recommendations for consideration prior to their release.
Full minutes of Council meetings and summaries of the initiatives are available.
Upcoming NHLBI Workshops and Working Groups
No Workshops or Working Groups Are Scheduled for the Period of January through April 2008
Upcoming 2008 Events
American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association: Sixth Annual Conference on Cytokines and Inflammation
Date: January 28-29
Location: Orlando, FL
Sarcoidosis of the Midlands of South Carolina: First Winter Retreat
Date: February 2
Location: Columbia, SC
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council 229th Meeting
Date: February 13
Location: Bethesda, MD
Molecular Mechanisms in Lymphatic Function and Disease
Date: March 2-7
Location: Ventura, CA
American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association: Tenth International Workshop on Autoantibodies and Autoimmunity
Date: March 6-8
Location: Guadalajara, Mexico
Daniella Maria Arturi Foundation: Ninth Annual International Diamond Blackfan Anemia Consensus Conference
Date: March 8-10
Location: New York, NY
LAM Foundation: Lymphangioleiomyomatosis International Research Conference
Date: April 4-6
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Adult Congenital Heart Association: Fifth National Conference
Date: May 1-4
Location: Philadelphi, PA
American Society of Hypertension: 23rd Annual Meeting
Date: May 14-17
Location: New Orleans, LA
American Thoracic Society: 2008 International Conference
Date: May 16-21
Location: Toronto, Canada
Mended Hearts: Annual Convention
Date: May 24-28
Location: Hartford, CT
Barth Syndrome Foundation: 4th International Scientific and Medical Conference
Date: July 24-25
Location: Clearwater, FL
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