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Evaluating Panel Quality in Review (ENQUIRE)

Science changes rapidly. Making sure that study sections change with the science is an ongoing challenge. CSR ENQUIRE integrates data and input from multiple stakeholders to determine whether changes in study section focus or scope are needed to facilitate the identification of high impact science, with special consideration of emerging science.

  • Clusters of study sections are formed based on scientific topics (instead of CSR managerial units) for review via ENQUIRE
  • Systematic, data-driven, continuous process – ~20% of CSR study sections are evaluated each year, every study section evaluated every 5 years
  • Stakeholder input and involvement – external scientific community, extramural programs at NIH, CSR staff
  • Iterative approach - continuous refinement of the process based on experience
  • Critical to success – matching referral of applications and reviewer expertise to redefined scientific scope of study sections

Multiple Possible Actions Follow

  • Change in scientific guidelines
  • Merge study sections
  • Create new study sections
  • Redistribute areas across study sections
  • Add emerging areas of science
  • Eliminate study sections

Process Overview for Each Cluster of Study Sections

  • Cluster Formation
How? Determined by science, not management structure - 9-12 study sections in each cluster
  • External Scientific Evaluation Panel
Who? Scientifically broad, senior scientists provided with:
  • current scientific guidelines
  • sample abstracts & aims
  • data on workload trends, bibliometric output, ESI submission and success rates
Asked: How well does the scope of the study sections align with the current state of the science?
  • Internal Process Evaluation Panel
Who? NIH extramural staff with broad perspective
  • workload data
  • scoring trends
  • survey feedback from reviewers & program officers
  • site-visit information on meeting function
  • External Scientific Working Group’s report
Asked: Does the study section function in a way that supports optimal identification of high-impact science?
  • Approvals
  • Office of Extramural Research
  • CSR Advisory Council
  • NIH Office of the Director
  • Implementation by CSR
  • Test practicality of new guidelines through mock application referral
  • Reassignment of standing study section members to fit guidelines of new study sections
  • Publicize new study sections to the community
  • Monitor referral & adherence to new guidelines

Clusters Evaluated via ENQUIRE in 2019

Healthcare Delivery/Patient Outcomes

Study Sections Evaluated (9)

  • Behavioral Medicine: Interventions and Outcomes (BMIO)
  • Biomedical Computing and Health Informatics (BCHI)
  • Community-Level Health Promotion (CLHP)
  • Clinical Management of Patients in Community-based Settings (CMPC)
  • Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (DIRH)
  • Health Disparities and Equity Promotion (HDEP)
  • Health Services Organization and Delivery (HSOD)
  • Nursing and Related Clinical Sciences (NRCS)
  • Psychosocial Risk and Disease Prevention (PRDP)

Study Sections Formed (11)

  • Biobehavioral Medicine and Health Outcomes (BMHO)
  • Clinical Data Management and Analysis (CDMA)
  • Clinical Informatics and Digital Health (CIDH)
  • Clinical Management in General Health Care Settings (CMGC)
  • Healthcare and Health Disparities (HHD)
  • Health Promotion in Communities (HPC)
  • Health Services: Quality and Effectiveness (HSQE)
  • Interdisciplinary Clinical Care in Specialty Care Settings (ICSC)
  • Science of Implementation in Health and Healthcare (SIHH)
  • Lifestyle Change and Behavioral Health (LCBH)
  • Organization and Delivery of Health Services (ODHS)
What topics are covered in the new study sections?

GI, Renal, Endocrine Systems

Study Sections Evaluated (11)

  • Kidney Molecular Biology and Genitourinary Organ Development (KMBD)
  • Pathobiology of Kidney Disease (PBKD)
  • Urology and Urogynecology (ZRG1 DKUS 90)
  • Clinical, Integrative and Molecular Gastroenterology (CIMG)
  • Gastrointestinal Mucosal Pathobiology (GMPB)
  • Hepatobiliary Pathophysiology (HBPP)
  • Cellular Aspects of Diabetes and Obesity (CADO)
  • Clinical and Integrative Diabetes and Obesity (CIDO)
  • Integrative Physiology of Obesity and Diabetes (IPOD)
  • Integrative Nutrition and Metabolic Processes (INMP)
  • Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology (MCE)

Study Sections Formed (10)

  • Kidney and Urological Systems Function and Dysfunction (KUFD)
  • Pathobiology of Kidney Disease (PBKD)
  • Hepatobiliary Pathophysiology (HBPP)
  • Digestive System Host Defense, Microbial Interactions and Immune and Inflammatory Disease (DHMI)
  • Digestive and Nutrient Physiology and Diseases (DNPD)
  • Basic Mechanisms of Diabetes and Metabolism (BMDM)
  • Pathophysiology of Obesity and Metabolic Disease (POMD)
  • Human Studies of Diabetes and Obesity (HSDO)
  • Nutrition and Metabolism in Health and Disease (NMHD)
  • Cell Signaling and Molecular Endocrinology (CSME)
What topics are covered in the new study sections?

Cardiac, Vascular and Hematologic Sciences

Study Sections Evaluated (10)

  • Atherosclerosis and Inflammation of the Cardiovascular System Study Section (AICS)
  • Cardiac Contractility, Hypertrophy, and Failure Study Section (CCHF)
  • Clinical and Integrative Cardiovascular Sciences Study Section (CICS)
  • Electrical Signaling, Ion Transport, and Arrhythmias Study Section (ESTA)
  • Hemostasis and Thrombosis Study Section (HT)
  • Hypertension and Microcirculation Study Section (HM)
  • Molecular and Cellular Hematology Study Section (MCH)
  • Myocardial Ischemia and Metabolism Study Section (MIM)
  • Vascular Cell and Molecular Biology Study Section (VCMB)
  • Transfusion Medicine Sep (ZRG1 VH-D 55)

Study Sections Formed (8)

  • Basic Biology of Blood, Heart and Vasculature (BBHV)
  • Integrative Vascular Physiology and Pathology (IVPP)
  • Atherosclerosis and Vascular Inflammation (AVI)
  • Hemostasis, Thrombosis, Blood Cells and Transfusion Study Section (HTBT)
  • Integrative Myocardial Physiology/Pathophysiology A (MPPA)
  • Integrative Myocardial Physiology/Pathophysiology B (MPPB)
  • Therapeutic Development and Preclinical Studies (TDPS)
  • Clinical Integrative Cardiovascular and Hematological Sciences (CCHS)
What topics are covered in the new study sections?

Functional/Cognitive Neuroscience

Study Sections Evaluated (12)

  • Neuroendocrinology, Neuroimmunology, Rhythms and Sleep (NNRS)
  • Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (LAM)
  • Language and Communication (LCOM)
  • Somatosensory and Pain Systems (SPS)
  • Sensory Motor Integration (SMI)
  • Ocular Surface, Cornea, Anterior Segment Glaucoma, and Refractive Error Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1 BDCN-J 81)
  • Cognition and Perception (CP)
  • Mechanisms of Sensory, Perceptual, and Cognitive Processes (SPC)
  • Auditory System (AUD)
  • Biology of the Visual System (BVS)
  • Diseases and Pathophysiology of the Visual System (DPVS)
  • Chemosensory Systems (CSS)

Study Sections Formed (11)

  • Auditory Systems (AUD)
  • Neuroscience of Basic Visual Processes Study Section (NBVP)
  • Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, Neuroimmunology, Rhythms, and Sleep (BNRS)
  • Biology and Development of the Eye (BDE)
  • Neuroscience of Interoception and Chemosensation (NIC)
  • Human Complex Mental Function (HCMF)
  • Language and Communication (LCOM)
  • Learning, Memory and Decision Neuroscience (LMDN)
  • Neurobiology of Pain and Itch (NPI)
  • Pathophysiology of Eye Disease 1 & 2 (PED)
  • Sensory-Motor Neuroscience (SMN)
What topics are covered in the new study sections?