# 2022 Autumn Inside NIMH

## Welcome

Welcome to the latest edition of *Inside NIMH*! We publish *Inside NIMH* in conjunction with each meeting of the National Advisory Mental Health Council (NAMHC), which advises the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Director of NIMH on all policies and activities relating to the conduct and support of mental health research, research training, and other programs of the Institute. I invite you to check out the NIMH website for regular updates on timely topics, and to follow me on Twitter (@NIMH Director **).Sincerely,Joshua A. Gordon, M.D., Ph.D.Director, National Institute of Mental Health

Please let us know if you have questions or comments on this edition. If you wish to subscribe, unsubscribe, or change your e-mail address, contact the NIMH Webmaster or visit the *Inside NIMH* subscription page **.

## Director’s Updates

This summer, NIMH staff have been engaged in many efforts, including hosting virtual meetings and webinars and promoting NIMH initiatives. In this edition of *Inside NIMH*, we highlight a few Institute activities relevant to Minority Mental Health Awareness Month (July) and Suicide Prevention Month (September), as well as some key developments across NIH.

### News to Know

- White House Spotlight on Mental Health:  The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) **  is convening a series of virtual conversations on the Nation’s mental health crisis. The series explores what is needed to address the current crisis and highlights promising areas of research. On July 21, 2022,  Carlos Zarate, M.D. , Chief of the NIMH Intramural Research Programs (IRP) Section on the Neurobiology and Treatment of Mood Disorders and Chief of Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, joined OSTP staff for a conversation on “ How Science has Offered Hope for Treatment-Resistant Depression   ** .” Dr. Zarate discussed ongoing efforts to develop new medications for treatment-resistant depression, as well as the progression from fundamental research to a now-approved treatment. One research participant joined the conversation to provide a first-hand account of their experience.
- NIMH Celebrates its 2nd James Jackson Memorial Award:  In 2021, NIMH launched the  James Jackson Memorial Award , named in honor of the late Dr. James Jackson, a renowned social psychologist and member of the NAMHC. Dr. Jackson’s research on race, ethnicity, racism, health, and mental health had far-reaching impacts on the fields of disparities research and minority mental health. The 2022 award recipient is  Karen D. Lincoln, Ph.D., M.S.W., M.A. , an Associate Professor at the University of Southern California. Dr. Lincoln is a social worker and sociologist with expertise in societal and social determinants of health and well-being among Black Americans. On July 27, 2022, during Minority Mental Health Month, Dr. Lincoln gave a virtual presentation entitled “ The Making of a Black Mental Health Scholar: From Humble Beginnings to the Top 2 Percent .” The presentation covered Dr. Lincoln’s career path, including her research on Black American health and well-being across the lifespan.
- Outreach Spotlight:  Over the last few months, NIMH  shared resources  across its  social media platforms  to support community mental health education, including a new fact sheet on  helping children and adolescents cope with traumatic events  during Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD) Awareness Month (June). NIMH also hosted a  Facebook Live event  to share the latest research about the transition to menopause and the occurrence of depressive symptoms. In addition, as part of its  back-to-school awareness activities , NIMH hosted a  Facebook Live event  about the youth mental health crisis. In recognition of National Suicide Prevention Month (September), NIMH promoted  brochures ,  fact sheets , and  graphics ; highlighted the new  988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline   ** ; and, co-hosted a  Facebook Live event  with the National Institute on Drug Abuse on the intersection of suicide and substance use.
- Feelings of Detachment After Trauma May Signal Worse Mental Health Outcomes:  After a traumatic experience, some people experience persistent derealization, a type of dissociation that involves feeling detached from people, places, or objects in one’s environment. Persistent derealization may put individuals exposed to trauma at greater risk for mental illnesses and functional impairment. NIMH-supported researchers  investigated  underlying neural markers of persistent derealization using data from the  AURORA study ** , a large prospective study of post-traumatic psychiatric outcomes. The researchers found that approximately half of study participants reported symptoms of derealization 2 weeks after trauma exposure. Participants who reported derealization symptoms also showed increased activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), a region of the brain involved in emotion regulation. The researchers hypothesize that overactivation of the vmPFC region may disrupt emotion regulation processes and lead to feelings of detachment after trauma.
- Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) Updates:  On June 7, 2022, the IACC released the  2020 Summary of Advances in Autism Research ** . This publication provides short, plain language summaries of the top 20 advances as selected by the IACC in autism spectrum disorder biomedical and services research in 2020. In addition, for the first time, the IACC released an  easy-read version **  that summarizes each of the advances of the full publication in a briefer, more accessible format. On July 13–14, 2022, the IACC held a  Strategic Plan Working Group Meeting **  to discuss research, services, and policy priorities for the 2021–2022 IACC Strategic Plan, which is under development.

### Updates and Announcements from HHS and NIH

- HHS National Tour to Strengthen Mental Health    - On June 7, 2022, as part of the HHS  National Tour to Strengthen Mental Health ** , HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra  participated **  in two roundtables with high school students and parents. They discussed how social media platforms can promote unhealthy social comparisons and enable harassment. Secretary Becerra highlighted the Administration’s investments in mental health, including  plans to establish a national center of excellence on social media and mental health ** .
- NIH-wide Initiatives    - Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study®:  NIMH is a partner of the ABCD Study®, a longitudinal study that strives to enhance understanding of brain development that influences a young person’s life trajectory.  Researchers   **  from the Behavioral Research and Imaging Neurogenetics Lab at Washington University in St. Louis used ABCD data in one of the first studies to examine the association between maternal use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medications and brain development in young children. The researchers found no association between prenatal exposure to SSRIs and depression later in childhood. The findings suggest that SSRI use during pregnancy is not independently associated with elevated depression during middle childhood (~10 years of age).
  - Accelerating Medicines Partnership® Program - Schizophrenia (AMP® SCZ):  On June 6, 2022, researchers involved in the AMP SCZ program began enrolling research study participants. 18 of the 42 study sites have begun enrolling study participants, with additional sites expected to begin recruitment soon. More information can be found on the program’s  website   ** , including the goals of the program, answers to frequently asked questions regarding study participation, and information on study sites and partners.
  - *All of Us* Research Program:      - Through the  All of Us  Research Program, health data from nearly 20,000 people who have had SARS-CoV-2 are  now available **  to researchers, opening new opportunities to study COVID-19 disease prevention, progression, and recovery.
    - All of Us  issued a  new research opportunity announcement **  soliciting proposals to support outreach, community engagement, and participant enrollment and retention efforts. Awardees will join the national All of Us consortium and help the program connect with diverse communities, including those that have been historically underrepresented in biomedical research. Proposals will be accepted through May 2025.
  - Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies® (BRAIN) Initiative:   On June 21–22, 2022, NIH hosted the  8th Annual BRAIN Initiative Meeting: Open Science, New Tools   ** . The virtual meeting convened more than 2,600 participants, including federally funded scientists, staff, and leadership, as well as nonfederal organizations, researchers interested in joining the BRAIN Initiative community, members of the media, and the public. The event included plenary talks, poster sessions, and attendee-organized symposia. Meeting facilitators presented 30 awards to trainees piloting innovation in the neuroscience and neuroethics fields. In addition, winners of the  BRAIN Initiative Challenge ** , an essay and video competition for high school students to discuss the ethical implications of emerging brain research interventions and technologies, were invited to the meeting to be recognized for their achievements and to summarize their winning topics.
  - NIH Common Fund:  The  NIH Common Fund **  is  soliciting ideas **  for potential new scientific programs that may be supported in fiscal year (FY) 2025 or beyond. The Common Fund supports  bold scientific programs **  that catalyze discovery across biomedical and behavioral research. Responses are due September 30, 2022.
  - UNITE Initiative:  The NIH-wide UNITE initiative strives to reduce barriers and provide solutions to creating racial equity in the biomedical research workforce. At the June 10, 2022, Advisory Committee to the Director meeting,  UNITE **  leadership and committee members provided an  update **  on UNITE’s progress and projected activities, including forthcoming Excellence in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Research Grants. The concept for the  planned grant program ** , which was approved by the National Advisory General Medical Sciences Council, would support researchers who have demonstrated excellence in promoting DEIA in biomedical research. Grants aim to provide support for investigators’ research programs and continuing DEIA efforts.

- NIH in the Spotlight    - On June 22, 2022, HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Rachel Levine, M.D.,  visited the NIH campus ** . Admiral Levine toured the Clinical Center and met with NIH leadership to discuss the ongoing  Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) initiative   ** . As part of her visit, she provided opening remarks for a panel discussion titled “Together Towards Discovery: How Our Intersecting LGBTQIA+ Identities Impact Our NIH Work,” and concluded the day by meeting with officers of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps at NIH.

- NIH Leadership News    - On September 12, 2022, President Joseph R. Biden announced his intention to appoint  Renee Wegrzyn, Ph.D. ** , as the inaugural director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an independent entity within the NIH. Dr. Wegrzyn, a scientist with professional experience working for two of the institutions that inspired the creation of ARPA-H – the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) – will be responsible for driving the agency’s research portfolio and associated budget. The budget is expected to support a broad range of programs in order to develop capabilities to prevent, detect, and treat some of the most intractable diseases, including cancer.
  - On August 22, 2022,  **Anthony S. Fauci, M.D.** ** , announced that he will be stepping down as the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Chief of the NIAID Laboratory of Immunoregulation, and Chief Medical Advisor to President Biden after 54 years of service. Dr. Fauci has been the Director of NIAID for 38 years, overseeing an extensive research portfolio of basic and applied research to prevent, diagnose, and treat established and emerging infectious diseases. Dr. Fauci has advised seven Presidents of the United States on domestic and global health issues, including HIV/AIDS, West Nile virus, anthrax attacks, pandemic influenza, various bird influenza threats, Ebola, and, most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. Although he is leaving federal service in December 2022, Dr. Fauci plans to continue advancing science and public health and mentoring the next generation of scientific leaders.
  - On August 10, 2022, President Biden announced his intention to appoint  **Monica M. Bertagnolli, M.D.** ** , as the 16th Director—and first female Director— of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Dr. Bertagnolli is currently the Richard E. Wilson Professor of Surgery in the field of surgical oncology at Harvard Medical School, as well as a surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a member of the Gastrointestinal Cancer and Sarcoma Disease Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Throughout her career, Dr. Bertagnolli has been at the forefront of the field of clinical oncology, advancing, in particular, current understanding of the gene that promotes gastrointestinal cancer development. Her decades of clinical and leadership experience will be applied to advancing NCI initiatives, including spearheading the President’s Cancer Moonshot SM  initiative.  Doug Lowy, M.D. , had served as the Acting Director of NCI while the President searched a permanent Director, and will resume his position as NCI Deputy Director.
  - On July 14, 2022, NIH announced the appointment of  **Nina F. Schor, M.D., Ph.D.** ** , as the NIH Acting Deputy Director for Intramural Research (DDIR) in the NIH Office of the Director. As Acting DDIR, Dr. Schor will be responsible for the selection and approval of new NIH principal investigators, human subjects research protection, research integrity, technology transfer, and animal care and use for the IRP. She will also oversee efforts to train the next generation of biomedical and behavioral researchers at NIH, as well as efforts to foster a diverse and inclusive culture across the IRP. Dr. Schor will replace  Michael M. Gottesman, M.D. ** , who served as NIH DDIR for 29 years.
  - On June 23, 2022, NIH announced the retirement of  **James M. Anderson, M.D.** ** , Director of the NIH Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI). Dr. Anderson served as DPCPSI Director for almost 12 years, where he oversaw numerous NIH-wide initiatives, including high-impact  NIH Common Fund programs ** . Dr. Anderson led the development of new approaches for portfolio analysis, helped establish the NIH Office of Portfolio Analysis, and provided NIH-wide leadership in data science. On July 1, 2022,  Robert W. Eisinger, Ph.D. ** , returned to NIH to serve as the Acting Director of DPCPSI while NIH searches for a permanent Director.
  - On June 15, 2022, NIH named  **Kevin D. Williams, J.D.** ** , as Director of the NIH Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). As EDI Director, he will guide the strategic direction for NIH on DEIA matters and will serve as the NIH Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Officer. Mr. Williams has more than 20 years of experience working on EDI policies and efforts, EEO law and compliance programs, and culture change initiatives within the federal government. He replaced  **Debra C. Chew, J.D.** ** , who left NIH in September 2020.

### Budget Overview

- FY 2022 Budget:  The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 ( Public Law No. 117-103 ** ) provides funds through September 30, 2022. The law provides $2.2 billion to NIMH (amount includes  21st Century Cures Act **  funding), representing a five percent increase over the FY 2021 appropriation. NIMH anticipates awarding approximately 650 new and competing research project grants (RPGs) in FY 2022, with an estimated success rate of 24 percent as shown in the figure below. In accordance with NIH  Next Generation Research Initiative **  (NGRI) efforts, NIMH anticipates awarding grants to 96 unique early stage investigators (ESIs) and 208 unique at-risk investigators.  	 	 NIMH Applications, Awards, and Success Rates for Research Project Grants  Fiscal Year      Applications      Direct Awards      Cures Awards      Success Rate      2016      2568      587      0      23      2017      2735      571      0      21      2018      2701      589      23      23      2019      2632      638      15      25      2020      2694      590      17      23      2021      2923      642      5      22      2022 (estimated)      2834      682      10      24