# Presentation: 210009

## PRAC: Study Section Restructuring

**PRAC: Study Section Restructuring**

*Don Schneider, Division of Molecular and Cellular Mechanisms*

**Bethesda, April 19, 2007 **

**National Institutes of Health****U.S. Department of Health and Human**** ****Services**

## Topics to be considered

**Neuroscience Special Emphasis Panels (SEPs)**
**Review of nanotechnology applications**

## MDCN Assessment Issues

**Telephone reviewers**
**Senior vs. Junior reviewers**
**Workloads**
**Large size of NDGB (already above 80 again)**
**Small sizes of SEPs (scientific/clustering and efficiency issues)**

## Summary (Dec 2006)(sought approval)

**Divide NDGB into CMND (Neurodegeneration) and CMBG (Biology of Glia)**
**Form two recurring SEPs: Neuroengineering and Neuroinformatics/Imaging, with guidelines**
**Continue Neurogenetics SEP as needed**
**PRAC: approved CMND & CMBG; requested cross-cutting look at SEP issues**

## Cross-cutting Working Group

**Giorgio Ascoli, George Mason**
**Linda Brzustowicz, Rutgers**
**James Eberwine, U Penn**
**Ranu Jung, Arizona St**
**David Kennedy, MGH**
**Deborah Leckband, UIUC**
**Martha Shenton, Harvard**
**Joel Stiles, Carnegie Mellon**
**Baba Vemuri, U Florida**
**NIH staff: Linda Brady NIMH, Grace Peng NIBIB, Yuan Liu NINDS; CSR - John Bishop, George Chacko, Carole Jelsema, Chris Melchior, Richard Panniers, Don Schneider**

## March 12, 2007, Teleconference Meeting

**ZRG1 MDCN-K (50) Neurotechnology**
**ZRG1 MDCN-K (51) Neuroinformatics/imaging**
**ZRG1 MDCN-K (90) Neurogenetics**
**ZRG1 BDCN-A (90) Neuropsychiatric mechanisms ****	****	****	****	****& genetics**
**ZRG1 BDCN-A (11B) Small business**
**ZRG1 BDCN-K (10) Small business (now –E (10))**

## Premise of Neurotechnology Working Group

**Existing study sections in bioengineering (BST and SBIB) and in neuroscience (BDCN, IFCN, and MDCN) and in genetics (GGG) - not sources of applications**
**The intent  - to cluster for better review R01, R21, etc. applications (not small business) presently reviewed in SEPs**
**Options: **
**	****- continue SEPs as needed**
**	****- also post their guidelines**
**	****- close SEPs**
**	****- establish regular study section(s)**

## Working Group Recommendations

**Maintain neuroscience context**
**Form two regular study sections; three as soon as workloads merit (60-80 applications each)**
**	****- Molecular Neurogenetics study section**
**	****- Neurotechnology study section [Neuroinformatics/Imaging and Neuroengineering when possible]**

## Molecular Neurogenetics Study Section

**Molecular genetics underlying neural function**
**Epigenetic regulation of neural gene expression, including chromatin remodeling**
**Translational and transcriptional mechanisms of regulation in a neuronal context**
**Imaging and sensing of gene expression in neurons**
**Methods for delivery of genes and silencers to specific neurons**
**Analysis and refinement of neuronal phenotypes**
**Neurogenetic variation in humans and model systems**

## Molecular Neurogenetics Shared Interests

**With Gene and Drug Delivery Study Section: Gene delivery - focus development of technologies, GDD; focus application of technologies in a neuroscience-context, MNG.**
**With Genetics of Health and Disease Study Section: Genetics of brain dysfunction, complex traits - focus gene discovery using linkage analysis or association studies, GHD; focus analysis of candidate gene function or refinement of phenotypes, MNG.**

## Neurotechnology Study Section

**Application of bioengineering to the study and remodeling of the nervous system, including scaffolds for regeneration, controlled release of compounds, and device-neural tissue interfaces**
**Computational and quantitative analyses, simulation, and modeling of the nervous system especially at molecular and cellular levels**
**Informatics-based study of nervous systems, including database construction, integration, and sharing**
**Imaging-based study of nervous systems, including structural and functional magnetic resonance, PET, etc.**

## Neurotechnology Shared Interests

**With Cognitive Neuroscience study section: Magnetic resonance imaging - focus use of imaging in study of cognitive function, COG; focus application of imaging technologies for use in brain function studies, NT**
**With Biodata Management & Analysis and Modeling & Analysis of Biological Systems study sections: Development of databases, modeling, and imaging systems - focus development of technologies, BDMA or MABS; focus application of technologies for use in a neuroscience-context, NT**
**With Surgical Sciences, Biomedical Imaging & Bioengineering IRG: Computational, informatics, and imaging approaches - focus use of these approaches as in diagnosis, SBIB; focus basic molecular neuroscience, NT**
**With Biobehavioral & Behavioral Processes IRG: Magnetic resonance imaging - focus use of imaging in study of biobehavior, BBBP; focus application of imaging technologies for use in brain function studies, NT**

## Nanotechnology/Nanomedicine Activity at NIH

**Roadmap Trans-NIH Initiatives**
**	****- RM-05-010 4 Centers**
**	****- RM-06-007 4 Centers**
**PARs (03-045, 06-475, 07-270, & 07-271)**
**	****- 2003  67 applications**
**	****- 2004  154**
**	****- 2005  165**
**	****- 2006  226**
**	****- 2007  335**
**Other nano applications - 75 applications a year**
**November 9, 2006, meeting - Nano RM group + Toni Scarpa**

## Nanotechnology Working GroupMarch 7, 2007

**Barbara Baird, Cornell**
**Ashutosh Chilkoti, Duke U**
**Stephen Kowalczykowski, UC Davis**
**Stephen Quake, Stanford**
**Michael Roukes, Caltech**
**Nadrian Seeman, NYU**
**James Spudich, Stanford**
**Samuel Stupp, NWU**
**Shimon Weiss, UCLA**
**NIH staff: Eleni Kousvelari (NIDCR), Cathy Lewis (NIGMS), Peter Moy (NIBIB), Piotr Grodzinski (NCI), Jeff Schloss (NHGRI); CSR - John Bowers, George Chacko, Richard Panniers, Don Schneider, Jean Sipe**

## Nanotechnology Study Section

**Fundamental research with transformative potential in nanosystem design, synthesis, and integration**
**Development and exploratory application of nanotechnology to complex biological/medical problems/processes**
**Computational methods for nanoscale study of subcellular processes**
**Design and manufacture of nanostructures for use in cells and nanomedicine, including delivery systems and nanorobotics**
**Integration of nano-engineered systems with biological molecules and control of interfaces**
**Biointeraction and compatibility of nanosystems**

## Nanotechnology Shared Interests

**Biomaterials & Biointerfaces Study Section: Biomaterials - focus biomaterials, BMBI; focus nano scale biomaterials, NANO **
**GDD Study Section: Delivery systems - focus delivery, GDD; focus nano scale delivery, NANO**
**Instrumentation Systems & Development Study Section: Instrument systems - focus optimization of nano instrument, ISD; focus initiation of nano instrument, NANO**
**Enabling Bioanalytical & Biophysical Technologies Study Section: chemistry and enabling analytical methods - focus optimization of nanochemistry, EBT; focus initiation of nanochemistry, NANO **
**SBIB IRG: Biomedicinal engineering - focus optimization of nanomedicinal device, SBIB; focus initiation of nanomedical device, NANO**

## Summary of Working Group Activities

**Review “context” matters**
**WG on Cross-cutting Neurotechnology advises to form:**
**	****- Neurotechnology Study Section**
**	****- Molecular Neurogenetics Study Section**
**WG on Nanotechnology advises to form:**
**	****- Nanotechnology Study Section**
**Areas of shared interests have been addressed**

## PRAC: Discussion and Recommendation

**Discussants**
**Dr. Joe Martinez, UT San Antonio**
**Dr. Craig McClain, U Louisville**
**Others**