# Presentation: 135730

## Restructuring 7 study sections in 3 CSR IRGs [BST, CB, & MDCN]Don Schneider, PhDDirector, Division of Molecular and Cellular MechanismsPeer Review Advisory CommitteeJanuary 23, 2006National Institutes of HealthDepartment of Health and Human Services

**Restructuring 7 study sections ****in 3 CSR IRGs [BST, CB, & MDCN]**Don Schneider, PhDDirector, Division of Molecular and Cellular MechanismsPeer Review Advisory CommitteeJanuary 23, 2006National Institutes of HealthDepartment of Health and Human Services

## Timely Adjustments to Changes

**Changes/Problems**
- Complications occur, e.g., shortening the cycle
- PSBR design may have been suboptimal
- Workload changes beyond the ideal of 60-80 applications a cycle
**Fixes/Solutions**
- Temporary responses may involve Special Emphasis Panels
- To form new study sections, CSR will involve working groups of active researchers and NIH staff

## Issues to be Considered

- Bioengineering Sciences and Technologies IRG [BST] – small business [SBIR] applications
- Cell Biology IRG [CB] – glycobiology applications
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental IRG [MDCN] – overpopulated NDBG & underpopulated BSCT

## BST/Bioengineering Sciences and Technologies IRG

- Chief Sally Amero
- IRG was launched January 2004 with six regular study sections each reviewing R01s and SBIRs (with technology in common, expect cross fertilization)
-  Among the relatively unique features of the study sections were that for the first time NIH organized a cluster of study sections dedicated to basic bioengineering and that all of the study sections were designed to handle regular project grant (R01) and small business grant (SBIR) applications.

## BST Regular Study Sections[splitting out SBIRs]

- The SBIRs will be split from ISD (Instrumentation Systems and Development), BMBI (Biomaterials and Biointerfaces), and GDD (Gene and Drug Delivery Systems), where each has been handling 90-150 applications a cycle.
- MI (Microscopic Imaging), MABS (Modeling and Analysis of Biological Systems), and BDMA (Biodata Management and Analysis) will attempt to keep the SBIRs in the regular meetings; however, if cycle shortening/numbers become unmanageable the SBIRs will be split out.

## New SBIR SEPs

- ZRG1 BSTZ 10 B – Delivery Systems and Nanotechnologies –SBIRs from GDD
- ZRG1 BSTG 11 B – Materials Science and Environmental Monitoring –SBIRs from BMBI
- ZRG1 BSTD 12 B – Devices and Detection Systems – SBIRs from ISD
- ZRG1 BSTF 13 B – Assays and Methods Development – SBIRs from ISD

## CB/Cell Biology IRG

- Chief Marcia Steinberg
- IRG was reorganized January 2005 with five regular study sections plus a visual sciences study section (BDPE)
- Review homes for glycobiology are an issue: reorganization favored ICI and CSF

## Glycobiology review in CB IRG

- ICI/Intercellular Interactions has multiple members expert in glycobiology and is the primary review home in CB
- At November Society for Glycobiology meeting in Boston, an ad hoc group of NIH staff and community members proposed MBPP/Membrane Biology and Protein Processing as a second review home

## Subsequent developments

- The lone glycobiologist on CSF/Cell Structure and Function resigned (for lack of applications to review)
- Present and future Society Presidents Ron Schnaar and Linda Baum endorsed MBPP as the second home
- ICI Chair Jean Schwarzbauer sees MBPP with trafficking complementing ICI with adhesion

## MDCN/Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Neuroscience IRG

- Chief Carole Jelsema
- IRG was launched in 1998 with seven regular study sections (MDCN 1-7)
- Study sections were given descriptive names in 2003, e.g., NDBG/Neurodegeneration and the Biology of Glia for MDCN-2 and BSCT/Biophysics of Synapses, Channels and Transporters for MDCN-3

## Notable Workload Changes

- NDBG has grown particularly in oxidative/mitochondrial area to about 150 applications a cycle
- BSCT has decreased to 40 or fewer applications a cycle

## MDCN Working Group(from community)

- Paul Brehm, SUNY SB
- Sandra Hewett, U Connecticut
- Harry Ischiropoulos, U Pennsylvania
- Robert Miller, Case Western Reserve U
- Patricia Sonsalla, UMDNJ
- Richard Tsien, Stanford U
- Harel Weinstein, Cornell Weill

## MDCN Working Group(from NIH)

- Chiiko Asanuma, NIMH, NIH
- Lorenzo Refolo, NINDS, NIH
- Steven Snyder, NIA, NIH
- Ex officio: Don Schneider
- 	and Carole Jelsema
- Meetings: email exchanges and
- 	December 22, 2005, teleconference call

## Proposal for NDBG

- Continue splitting out mitochondrial applications and also those on neuron death
- Rename NDGB/Neuronal Degenerative Disorders and Glial Biology
- Charter the SEP and name NOMD/Neuronal Oxidative Metabolism and Death (“nomad”)
- Anticipate about 75 applications each per cycle

## Proposal for BSCT

- To prevent reversion, need one-two approach, moving applications and reviewers both in and out
- Move out about 18 applications a cycle on channels, transporters, and receptors that lack a biophysical or quantitative component
- Move in about 32 applications a cycle on channels, transporters, and receptors that have a biophysical or quantitative component
- Rename BNS/Biophysics of Neural Systems

## Implications of BNS proposal

- BNS would have more than 50 applications a cycle
- Related MDCN study sections (NTRC, MNPS, and SYN) would lose a few applications but remain well above 50
- Proposal would make for more efficient use of reviewers, e.g., all MDCN crystallography in BNS

## Summary of proposed restructuring

- In BST, split out SBIR applications from ISD, BMBI, & GDD and form four SBIR SEPs
- In CB, retain ICI as primary locus of review for glycobiology applications and have MBPP as secondary in place of CSF
- In MDCN, split NDBG into NDGB and NOMD and restructure BSCT into BNS

## Restructuring Study Sections(discussants)

- Louise Ramm, NCRR, NIH
- Edward Pugh, U Pennsylvania
- Other members of PRAC