NCTR Strategic Plan

In support of FDA’s mission to promote and protect public health, NCTR’s Strategic Plan focuses on three strategic goals:

To accomplish its mission, NCTR has established three strategic goals. These goals ensure the conduct of innovative science vital to FDA decisions affecting public health, a commitment to outreach and collaboration to strengthen NCTR for the future, and the development and continuing education of our scientists to maintain a highly skilled regulatory science workforce.

 

Goal 1: Advance scientific approaches and tools necessary to support public health

NCTR conducts innovative research and develops and validates new tools to promote efficient regulatory processes and individualized public-health decisions. NCTR conducts a full range of product safety and translational safety studies in support of FDA’s product portfolio including foods, cosmetics, dietary supplements, human and animal drugs, tobacco and devices.  Study designs are peer-reviewed by experts from FDA, academia, and/or industry and are customized for each project. Studies integrate comprehensive toxicology assessments and include the use of emerging technologies such as nanotechnology, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, bio-imaging, and computational modeling.

 

Goal 2: Develop new and innovative outreach communications materials, methods, and processes that inform and engage NCTR’s internal and external target audiences

Increase the visibility of NCTR’s scientific research and other accomplishments, new technologies and tools, and key partnerships to a broader cross-section of the American public. NCTR will increase its use of a broad range of communication tools to include print media, publications, and visual media. A thorough Outreach and Communications Plan will be developed to inform broader audiences not only of what NCTR scientists are studying, accomplishing, and learning, but also to explain the relevance of what we do for the American public.

 

Goal 3: Modernize administrative management to support FDA/HHS science goals

NCTR’s ability to efficiently and effectively support its scientific mission depends on ensuring financial responsibility, work force expertise, and effective global outreach.  NCTR will assess financial business processes, evaluate current costs, recruit talented young scientists, conduct training, and support global-outreach programs to stay on the forefront of research in the international community.