# Presentation: 007650

## COPR-ACD Liaison Report June ACD Meeting Highlights of Potential Interest to the COPR

**Wendy Chaite, Esq., COPR Liaison**
**Annelise Barron, Ph.D., ACD Liaison**

**The NIH Director’s *****C*****ouncil of *****P*****ublic *****R*****epresentatives (COPR)**

## FY2008 Appropriations: Public Access Mandatory

- FY2008 Appropriations: Public Access Mandatory

- 	Among other features, the bill makes **public access to NIH-funded research information mandatory** and requires all NIH-funded investigators to submit electronic manuscripts of their scientific work to the National Library of Medicine (NLM).

## Discussion of CTSAs

- It is too early to measure the effects of the CTSAs in the clinical research arena; however, an ACD member **predicted that the CTSAs will lead to the spread of best practices.**
- The CTSA program has a committee investigating ways to **support diverse and community-based young researchers** within the program.
- The CTSA program will **emphasize the bedside-to-community aspects **of the research.

## NIH Reform Act: Reauthorization

- The **NIH Reform Act of 2006 reauthorizes NIH** for 2007 and 2008.
- It calls for **new processes for facilitating trans-NIH research.**
- It establishes a Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives** (DPCPSI),** which **oversees OPASI.**
- It creates a **Council of Councils.**
- It establishes a **Common Fund to support trans-NIH research** and calls for **a large, biennial report **on the state of biomedical and behavioral research, including the** priorities and plans of the ICs.**
- Other terms include a **public process for reorganizing NIH programs.**

## Example of Recent Trans-NIH Initiative

- National Children’s Study **involves all NIH Institutes.**
- Study receives **Office of the Director funding. **
- Nine vanguard sites have been launched, and there will be **105 sites eventually.**
- Study will **observe children from preconception to age 21.**
**Recruitment** will begin in **2008.**

## Roadmap for Medical Research Program Update—New Initiatives

- Epigenetics (5-year program)
- Human Microbiome (5-year program)
- Protein-capture and phenotyping services and tools (staged approach)
- Connectivity map to discover linkages between diseases, drugs, and genetic manipulation (pilot study)

## NIH Working Group on Women in Biomedical Careers Update

- NIH Working Group on Women in Biomedical Careers Update

- NIH cosponsored a **study by the National Academies** Committee on Women in Academic Science and Engineering.
- Report pointed to need to **help women see a career path** that allows them to reach their full intellectual potential.
- It concluded that **unintentional biases and institutional structures hinder** **access and advancement** of women in the sciences.

## NIH Working Group on Women in Biomedical Careers Update (continued)

- NIH Working Group on Women in Biomedical Careers Update *(continued)*

**Consider recommendations** from the National Academies report.
- Give attention to the **NIH intramural community** concerns.
- Consider **broader context of girls and women in science.**
- Provide **special attention** to issues of:
**Barriers**
**Minority women scientists **
**Mentoring**

## Center for Scientific Review (CSR) Improvements

- CSR has initiated **changes to improve the peer review system**, including but not limited to:
- Increasing **communication** and **transparency**
- Increasing **efficiency** and **effectiveness**
- Increasing **consistency**
- Increasing the **recruitment **of administrators

## CSR Improvements (continued)

- CSR Improvements *(continued)*

- CSR intends to:
- Improve the **alignment of Study Sections**
**Shorten the review cycle**
- Recruit and retain **high-quality reviewers** and **lessen their burden**
- Better identify significant, innovative, **high-impact research**
- Future changes under consideration include: a) **continuous receipt** of applications, b) use of reviewer **rewards**, and c) **editorial board reviews**.

## Electronic Research Administration (eRA)

- In the past year, NIH has taken large steps toward the fully **electronic submission** of research grant applications.
- About **80% **of applications are now submitted electronically.
- Systems are **performing well.** A few complex programs are still in **transition.**

## Office of Extramural Research Improved Web-Based “Facts and Figures”

- Office of Extramural Research Improved Web-Based “Facts and Figures”

- Series of **downloadable slides**
- NIH extramural funding **trends**, numbers of grant applications, **awards and success rates**, mechanisms, types of programs, etc.
- Launching **January 2008**
**Features of the improved OER reporting Web site**: enhancements to current items; one-stop shopping for reports; easier navigation; tools to customize reports; indications of most frequently visited reports; and links to other sources of information

## COPR Liaison Report to ACD

- Suggested **increased synergy and exchange** between the COPR and ACD. For example, a member of one group might join a work group from the other group.
- Encouraged **retiring liaison and new (replacement) liaison to attend a meeting of the other group together**.
- John C. Nelson, who attended the April COPR meeting, was **very impressed** by the scope and depth of the presentations, intensity of the discussions, and use of a meeting chair and procedures, such as voting (suggested for ACD).
- Dr. Zerhouni proposed that the **COPR and ACD hold a common meeting** some time in the future.