Meeting of NIST Visiting Committee on Advanced Techn

Theme: NIST’s Roles in Innovation and NIST’s Strategic Session III: NIST’s Strategic Plan 

“Update on Biosciences Strategic Plann

Update on Biosciences Strategic Plann

Activities Activities”
 

October 29, 2008 

VCAT Oct 2008 
Key Questions for VCAT Key Questions for VCAT

 Are we addressing the right technology sectors, societal ne

NIST needs? 

 Is NIST missing other opportunities?  Is NIST using the right metrics to evaluate program perform

 Are there other metrics that NIST should use? 

VCAT Oct 2008 
Outline Outline
 

 Update on Strategic Planning Process 

 Preliminary Findings of Meeting  Path Forward 

VCAT Oct 2008 
VCAT Oct 2008

At last 

meeti g -

June 10, 2008 Briefing to VCAT
 

“Strategic Planning for Biosciences at NIST 

and the 

Role of the October 2008 Biosciences Conferenc

n Outline for Briefin Outline for Briefing

•	 NIST’s Growing Role in the Biosciences 

•	 Current Portfolio of Activities in Bioscience and Health and Need for Mo

Effective NIST-wide Planning 

•	 Short Term Plans for Biosciences Program Growth 

– FY07 Budget Increase – FY09 Request – Future Plans 

•	 Developing a Strategic Plan for Longer-Term Biosciences Program Grow

– Current and Near-term Activities – October 2008 Conference – Outline for Strategic Plan – Vetting Draft Plan with Stakeholder Community 
Need for Strategic Plan for NIST Bioscience A

Need for Strategic Plan for NIST Bioscience A

	 Biology and biotechnology-based applications are having a grow

on multiple sectors of the (energy, national security, the environmmanufacturing, food and nutrition and healthcare, etc.) 

 Current NIST programs (totaling $54.2 million in FY08) are not e

address the growing number of measurement needs. 

 Current programs are spread across NIST, and are not fully coor

leading to gaps in coverage of need and some duplication of effo

–	 Bulk of current NIST programs focused on Healthcare specifically m

and standards supporting diagnostics (including imaging), drug and development, and medical devices 

	 The development of a NIST level Strategic Plan for NIST’s growt

to: 

–	 Ensure existing resources are optimally targeted 

–	 Provide a basis for coordinated expansion of bio-related programs 

–	 Identify opportunities for partnerships and expanded outreach 

	 This strategic planning process was initiated in 2007 as a top-lev

wide effort with input solicited from both external and internal sou

VCAT Oct 2008 
Breakout of Current NIST Bioprogram

Breakout of Current NIST Bioprogram

By Research Focus By OU
 

Investment Category 

Operating Unit 

VCAT Oct 2008 
NIST Biosciences Strategic Plan Development P

NIST Biosciences Strategic Plan Development P

Current Activities 

– Summarized relevant input from past needs assessments 

– Updated inventory of current NIST activities in the biosciences – currently quality 

assuring
 

– Convened October 2008 Conference to identify measurement, standards, and 

technological needs to inform and guide research and biosciences program growth at NIST
 

– Summarizing needs identified during just concluded October 2008 Conference 

Planned Activities 

– Perform gap analysis – Develop implementation plan with timelines for addressing identified gaps 

– Develop and implement longer-term plan for continuing to assess and validate 

needs
 

NIST 

Strategic Plan 

for 

Biosciences 

Program 

Growth 

VCAT Oct 2008 
Past Outreach and Assessment Of Nee

Past Outreach and Assessment Of Nee

	 Over the past 5 years NIST has participated in or hosted a number of co

workshops to identify measurement and standards needs. Examples inc

–	 "Development of Biologic Drugs: Scientific Issues in Assessing the Simi

on Protein Products”, Conference cosponsored by FDA, NIST, and the New 

of Science, December 12-14, 2005, Brooklyn, NY. 

–	 National Biofuels Action Plan Workshop, November 28-29, 2006 Washingto

–	 Strategy for Health Care through Bio and Information Standards and Tec

Conference held September 24-25, 2007 

–	 Council on Ionizing Radiation Measurements and Standards (CIRMS) me

22 – 24, 2007, Brachytherapy Subcommittee of the AAPM meeting, July 27, 20

–	 NIST/NOAA Aquaculture Workshop: Overcoming Technical Barriers to th

of Competitive Marine Aquaculture in the United States, February 12-13, 2

FL 

	 The USMS identified need for better biological measurements in 9 of the 

Examples of key areas of need include clinical diagnostics (medical imaglaboratory medicine), biocompatibility of nanomaterials in the body, biolodetection and biosurveillance 

	 Many of the needs identified were near term in focus and targeted at the 

specific groups at NIST. 

	 Wanted to conduct a forward looking external assessment of measureme

across a broad spectrum of bioscience applications 

VCAT Oct 2008 
International Conference: International Conference: October 20 October 20-22, 20

22, 20

“Accelerating Innovation in 21st Century Biosciences: Ide

Accelerating Innovation in 21st Century Biosciences: Ide

Measurement, Standards, and Technological Challe

Measurement, Standards, and Technological Challe

Objective: 	 To identify and prioritize measurement, standards and technology barriers to realiz

economic and broad societal benefit from new discoveries in the following focus a

– Medicine improving health through measurement of complex biol

– Energy obtaining sustainable energy from biological sources 

– Manufacturing obtaining higher quality products through better bioproc– Agriculture increasing yield, quality, & safety in the world’s food sup

– Environment understanding our planet through linking molecules to e

Expected Outcome: 

A listing of measurement, standards, and technology needs to inform and guide reand the measurement and standards community worldwide 

Format:  Plenary Symposium with lectures from visionary bioscience thought-leaders di

trends and measurement, standards and technology needs in the Conference focu

 Workshop to identify & prioritize measurement and standards challenges impedi

the five focus areas plus a parallel “Hot Topics” session to capture broader needs 

biosciences 

Participants: 	 National and international experts from industry, academia, and 

government focused on the broad spectrum of measurement and standards needs in the biosciences 
Output of Technical Breakout Session

Output of Technical Breakout Session

AGRICULTURE: Increasing yield, quality, and safety in the world’s food supply 

15 Panelists (3 Academic, 3 Industry, 8 Government, 1 International) 

Critical Barriers Need improved methods for Sampling
 

Lack of adequate analytical technologies
 

–Multiplex platforms 

Lack of real-time measurements
 

Need improved bioinformatics tools and infrastructure
 ENERGY: Obtaining sustainable energy from biological sources 

16 Panelists (2 Academic, 6 industry, 7 Government, 1 International) 

Critical Barriers Need improved analytical measurement techniques 

–Field ready 

Better Thermochemical, and thermophysical data
 

Performance standards
 Standards to document environmental impact (GHG emissions, sustainability, etc.)
 ENVIRONMENT: Understanding our planet through linking molecules to ecosystem

17 Panelists (2 Academic, 1 Industry, 11 Government, 3 International) 

Critical Barriers Lack of systems interoperability
 

Lack of appropriate diagnostics
 

–Sampling and processing, and systems level measurements 

Lack of common definitions 

VCAT Oct 2008 
Output of Technical Breakout Session

Output of Technical Breakout Session

MANUFACTURING: Obtaining higher quality products through better bioprocess m

17 Panelists (2 Academic, 10 Industry, 5 Government) 

Critical Barriers Improved Process/Platform Measurements for Cell-based manufacturing 

–Genotypic drift
 

–Glycosylation
 –In line measurements (pH, O2, etc.)
 –Systems biology-based predictive tools
 

Improved tools and standards for characterization of raw materials Improved tools and processes for product quality measurements 

–Assessing potency, purification generated modifications, etc. 

MEDICINE > > > Improving health through measurement of complex biological sig

24 Panelists (9 Academic, 11 Industry, 4 Government) 

Critical Barriers Dynamic Measures over time Improved methods and procedures for sample processing, storage, and handling 

High throughput multiplex measurement systems 

Standardization across diagnostic platforms and systems 

VCAT Oct 2008 
“Hot Topics Hot Topics”Session Session

Addressing Unrecognized, Overlooked, Underestimated and IgMeasurement Needs in: 

– Stem Cell Therapies – Bioremediation – Emerging Microbiological Threats – Gene Therapy – Antibiotic and Antiviral Drug Resistance – Transgenic Plants and Animals as Biopharmaceutical Sources 

– Synthetic Biology – Marine vs Terrestrial Bioenergy 

Biomedical Topics • Keith Yamamoto – University of California San Francisco and NA• Kathy Hudson – John Hopkins University • Ann Reid – National Academy of Science • Renee Reijo-Pera – Stanford University School of Medicine Non-Medical Topics • Gregory Petsko – Brandeis University • George Pierce – Georgia State University • Feng Chen – UMBI, Center of Marine Biotechnology • Robert Wall – U.S. Department of Agriculture • Joseph Spence – U.S. Department of Agriculture 

VCAT Oct 2008 
Crosscutting Needs Crosscutting Needs
 

 Better methodologies and practices for sample handling 

 More robust protein measurements  High throughput multiplexed measurements  Improved tools and standards for bioinformatics 

–	 Data collection, analysis, modeling, archiving, etc. 

	 Improved tools and methods to ensure confidence in data 

comparability across multiple platforms 

– Whether medical imaging, clinical assays, environmental sen

VCAT Oct 2008 
Needs Identified by the Conference Provide Validatio

Current NIST Plans Biosciences Program
 

• FY07 Budget Increase Calibration and IT standards for MRI, CT, PET a

cellular imaging 

• FY09 Budget Request Technology and standards for individual and mu

measurements of biochemical health status ma

• Under Discussion Support for development of advanced tools for v

structural and biochemical changes associated 

FY07 

+ $3M 

FY09 

+ $10M 

Under 

Medical Imaging 

3⁄43⁄4

Standards for MRI contrast agents Phantoms for PET/CT 

3⁄4 Standards 

enhanced data comfeature ex

Cellular and Biomolecular Measurements 

3⁄4 Standards and techniques 

to enable quantitative fluorescence microscopy and cellular imaging. 

3⁄4 Quantifiable 

measurements of individual biomolecules and biomarkers 

3⁄4 Development of 

multiplexed measurement platforms 

3⁄4 Technolo

standards protein m

3⁄4 structure 

analysis, 

3⁄4 manufact

monitorin

Computational Tools 

3⁄4 Software validation for 

image analysis and extraction 

3⁄4 Uncertainty analysis 

3⁄4 Collection and exchange of d3⁄4 Validation of modeling tools 
Key Conference Outcomes and Opportun

Key Conference Outcomes and Opportu

	 Generated input on key measurement and standards challenges 

–	 Important to follow up further flesh out with the relevant indus

–	 Need to assess how NIST can best use existing resources a

new resources to have the most impact 

	 Provided an opportunity to introduce a broad section of the biosc

community to NIST
 

–	 Many were unaware of or had a limited view of the role of NIS

–	 Need to follow up and continue to build trust and recognition 

the biosciences community 

–	 To address challenges effectively we need to identify opportu

partnerships 

	 Provides the opportunity to educate policy makers on the importa

magnitude of the measurements and standards challenges facing biosciences community 

	 Will serve as the cornerstone of an international effort to address 

measurements and standards needs of the biosciences commun

–	 Significant international attendence – NMI leadership from: A

Canada, Brazil, EC, UK, Netherlands, Japan, China, Korea, aGermany, and the executive secretary of CIPM 

VCAT Oct 2008 
Timeline for Post Timeline for Post-Conference Activities Conference Activities

 Complete Executive Summary 

 Complete first draft of Strategic Plan and share 

draft with stakeholders 

 Complete draft Conference Report  Complete final Conference Report  Commence meetings with bioscience industry leaders 

and OA stakeholders to discuss: 

– current NIST activities in the biosciences 

– draft plan for NIST biosciences program growth 

– measurement and standards needs not being addressed – Opportunities for partnership 

 Complete Strategic Plan version.1 

D

Marc
Key Questions Key Questions

 Are we addressing the right technology sectors, societal ne

NIST needs? 

 Is NIST missing other opportunities?  Is NIST using the right metrics to evaluate program perform

 Are there other metrics that NIST should use? 

VCAT Oct 2008