Extramural Policy and Review Activities

Receipt, Referral, and Review

NIDA received 1020 applications, including both primary and dual assignments for which the Office of Extramural Affairs (OEA) managed the programmatic referral process during this Council cycle. Of these, NIDA received the primary assignment on 712 applications.

OEA arranged and managed 18 grant review meetings in which 238 applications were evaluated. OEA's reviews included applications in chartered, standing review committees and Special Emphasis Panels (SEPs). In addition, OEA's Contracts Review Branch (CRB) arranged and managed 2 contract proposal reviews and 3 concept reviews.

NIDA's chartered committees consist of NIDA-E (Treatment Review Committee), NIDA-F (Health Services Review Committee), NIDA-L (Medications Development Committee), and NIDA-K (Training Committee). In addition to meetings of each of these committees, OEA staff held 14 Special Emphasis Panels for a variety of reasons:

Conflicts with the chartered committees
The Minority Institutions' Drug Abuse Research Development Program (MIDARP)
Center Grant Applications
Program Project Grant applications
Behavioral Science Track Award for Rapid Transition (B/START)
Cutting Edge Basic Research Awards (CEBRA)
Imaging Science Track Awards for Research Transition (I/START)
Conference Grants (R13)
1 Special Emphasis Panel that reviewed RFA submissions.

OEA managed the following RFA reviews:

• DA05-002: Enhancing State Capacity to Foster Adoption of Science-based Practices

Completed Reviews from the Contracts Review Branch since the last Council are as follows:

Non-R&D Contract Reviews

• N01DA-5-1122: Research Dissemination to the Entertainment Industry

R&D Contract Reviews

• N01DA-5-7746: Production Analysis & Distribution of Cannabis & Marijuana Cigarettes and Related Compounds

R&D Concept Reviews

• N01DA-5-8857: Clinical Data Management - Support for Clinical Trials
• N01DA-5-8855: Statistical Support - Support for Clinical Trials
• N01DA-5-5532: Data Archiving, Analyses and Management for the NSPY

Extramural Outreach

Dr. Levitin, Director, OEA, continues her work as the NIDA Research Integrity Officer and representative to the NIH on these matters. She also has agreed to serve on the NIH Director's Pioneer Award (NDPA) Evaluation Advisory Committee.

Dr. Levitin served as an evaluator for the Science Service INTEL competition to identify the best science projects from high school students throughout the United States.

Dr. Levitin joined Arnold Mills from NIDA/DESPR and a CSR representative to present a workshop at the University of Wisconsin for faculty from all of their campuses on the NIH and the review and funding process at NIH and NIDA.

Dr. Levitin continues to serve on several subcommittees of the Extramural Program Management Committee (EPMC), which is an NIH-wide committee of senior NIH staff that advises the Director, NIH on matters concerning extramural policy.

Dr. Khursheed Asghar, Chief of the Basic Sciences Review Branch in OEA, gave a talk at the NIDA Research Development Seminar held on November 18-19, 2004, entitled "Review Process for NIDA Research Grant Applications". The workshop was sponsored by the NIDA Special Populations Office and the seminar was specifically designed for new investigators.

Dr. Khursheed Asghar participated in the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, attending the NIDA mini convention, and participating in the NIDA booth, fielding questions from the visitors, introducing NIDA programs to young investigators and students, and recruiting grantees for service on NIDA review committees.

Loretta Beuchert, OEA, attended the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, attending the NIDA mini convention, and participating in the NIDA booth to provide information and materials to potential applicants.

Mr. Lyle Furr, OEA, attended the 55th AALAS National meeting October 17-21, 2004.

Mr. Richard Harrison, OEA, attended the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) Annual Conference in Anchorage, AK, November 11-14, 2005.

Dr. Rita Liu, OEA, co-organized, along with Dr. David Shurtleff, DBNBR, and Dr. Cathrine Sasek, OSPC, the NIDA Mini-convention: Frontiers in Addiction Research, which took place on October 22, 2004 at the San Diego Convention Center in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. This included 4 scientific symposia, 1 poster session for young investigators, and the Keynote speech was given by Dr. Antonello Bonci, the recipient of the 2004 Jacob P. Waletzky Memorial Award.

Dr. Rita Liu co-edited with Dr. David Shurtleff and Dr. Cathrine Sasek, a special Neuropharmacology issue entitled "Frontiers in Addiction Research: Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the NIDA". The issue, published in Neuropharmacology, Vol 47, Supplement No. 1, 2004, included 30 contributors. Most of them are NIDA senior grantees, center directors, MERIT (Method to Extend Research In Time) awardees, PECASE (Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Education) awardees or NIDA Intramural Research Scientists.

Dr. Rita Liu is working with NIMH and NINDS to co-organize a monthly seminar series in 2005 on Neuroimaging. The topics will encompass structural MRI, computational tools, DTI (diffuse tensor imaging) and tract tracing, image guided surgery, imaging developing brain, and ethics in neuroimaging. The series is meant to educate NIH staffers to this rapidly growing field.

Dr. Rita Liu attended the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) meeting as a NIDA representative for the ASCB Conversation with NIH: Strategies for New Investigators.

Staff Training and Development

The OEA Symposium Series, a forum for staff training and sharing of ideas and information, continued through the fall and winter. Topics addressed have included extramural policy updates, the Extramural Scientist Administrator Training Program, model organism training, the NIH Guide Notice on implementation of recent OHRP guidance on research involving coded private information and biological specimens, the new (2004) version of PHS 398, updated criteria for evaluating research grant applications, centralized receipt of Progress Reports beginning October 1, 2004, and special emphasis PAs.