U.S. flag
        An official website of the United States government
          Here’s how you know

      Official websites use .gov
                A
                .gov
                website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
          Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
                A lock
                  (
                  
                  )
                   or
                  https://
                   means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.Search
                Menu
    
                      Información en Español
                      Search NINDSSearch NINDS
            

            Main navigation
  

        
              Health Information
                                     Toggle Health Information Dropdown
                                Disorders
                Clinical Trials
                Patient & Caregiver Education
                Public Education
                Support Resources
                Funding
                                     Toggle Funding Dropdown
                                Find Funding Opportunities
                About Funding
                Preparing Your Application
                After You Submit
                Determining Your Funding Likelihood
                Manage Your Award
                NINDS Small Business Program
                Training & Career Development
                Current Research
                                     Toggle Current Research Dropdown
                                Coronavirus and NINDS
                Focus on Disorders
                Focus on Tools & Topics
                Research Funded by NINDS
                Research at NINDS
                Scientific Resources
                Trans-Agency Activities
                News & Events
                                     Toggle News & Events Dropdown
                                Events
                News
                Director's Messages
                About NINDS
                                     Toggle About NINDS Dropdown
                                Who We Are
                What We Do
                Job Opportunities 
 Home
                                About NINDS
                        Who We Are
                        Organization
                        Office of the Director
SHARE: Division of Extramural Activities
Image
              Dr. David Owen
David Owens, Ph.D.
Acting Director of the Division of Extramural ActivitiesThe Division of Extramural Activities (DEA) oversees the policies and procedures that govern the NINDS extramural program and harmonizes activities across the extramural divisions. DEA is also responsible for the review of a subset of applications submitted to NINDS and for the process of awarding grants and cooperative agreements by the Institute. Finally, DEA organizes and oversees the meetings and working groups of the National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council (NANDSC), which advises the Institute on policy and procedures affecting extramural research programs and provides the second level of review for all grants and cooperative agreement applications considered by the Institute for funding.

Immediate Office

The Immediate Office of the Director oversees all the Offices and Branches of the Division as well as staff that coordinate receipt and scientific referral of grant applications submitted to the Institute and publication of funding opportunities in the NIH guide. In addition, the Immediate Office oversees and coordinates several crosscutting scientific programs including the P01, the R35, the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research.

Anna Taylor, Ph.D., Acting Deputy Director & Director of the Office of Research Operations and Analysis
	Dana Brown, M.S., Executive Assistant
	Alisa Schaefer, Ph.D., Health Science Policy Analyst
	Karrah Benson, B.S., Referral Program Specialist​
	Nina Hsu, Ph.D., Program Director in Neuroethics
	Gary John Marlowe Jr., M.S., Health Science Policy Analyst
	Maureen Hambrecht, B.S., Referral Program SpecialistOrganization

The Division of Extramural Activities directs and coordinates the activities of the following NINDS entities.

**Office of Research Quality**
The Office of Research Quality, led by Dr. Shai Silberberg, promotes robust, high-quality scientific research by increasing attention to principles of good study design and transparent reporting. Meet the Office of Research Quality team.

**Office of Programs to Enhance Neuroscience Workforce Diversity (OPEN)**
OPEN, led by Dr. Michelle Jones London, represents NINDS at all levels of NIH in matters pertaining to inclusion, equity, and diversity in the extramural biomedical workforce. OPEN develops and implements individual and institutional funding opportunities while working across the NINDS, Blueprint, and BRAIN scientific portfolios to promote a diverse scientific workforce in the neurosciences. OPEN develops training opportunities and organizes conferences, workshops, symposia, and professional development activities to enhance diversity in the neuroscience workforce. Meet the Office of Programs to Enhance Neuroscience Workforce Diversity team.

**Office of Training & Workforce Development**
The Office of Training & Workforce Development, led by Dr. Stephen Korn, develops, implements, and evaluates training & career development programs and activities to promote innovative, high-quality research training and excellence in mentorship. The goal of the Office is to build and sustain a workforce composed of well-trained neuroscientists with a wide range of perspectives equipped to drive discovery. Meet the Office of Training & Workforce Development team.

**Scientific Review Branch**
The Scientific Review Branch (SRB), led by Dr. William Lyons, provides unbiased, timely and expert peer review of grant applications and contract proposals, and provides advice and assistance to the NINDS extramural programs. The SRB is responsible for the review of all NINDS research and development contracts and certain grant applications of particular interest to NINDS. This includes various applications and grant mechanisms for which NINDS is specified in the NOFO, including the trans-NIH initiatives BRAIN, HEAL, ADRD and the Blueprint Neurotherapeutics program. Meet the Scientific Review Branch team.

**Office of Research Operations and Analysis**
The Office of Research Operations and Analysis, led by Dr. Anna Taylor, was established to ensure that: (1) the research activities of the extramural divisions are based on the results of rigorous scientific analysis; (2) extramural programs, activities, and communications are responsive to the evolving needs of the research community and are consistent and compliant with NIH regulations and grants policy; and that (3) NINDS research and administrative operations (i.e. programmatic, budget, grants management, and administrative processes) are coordinated and harmonized across the extramural scientific divisions. In meeting these objectives, the OROA is comprised of the Data Modeling and Analysis Branch, the Grants Management Branch, the Research Operations Branch, and the Extramural Administration Branch. Meet the Office of Research Operations and Analysis team. About NINDS
  
    

    Who We Are
                                                              
                    
                                      Staff Directory
    
            Program Directors
    
            Advisory Council
                                                              
                    
                                      NANDSC ME/CFS Research Roadmap Working Group
    
            NANDS Council Neural Exposome Top Priorities (NEXT) Working Group
    
            NANDSC Membership Roster
    
            NANDSC Fundamental Neuroscience Working Group
    
            NANDSC Working Group for Health Disparities and Inequities in Neurological DisordersLeadership
    
            Board of Scientific Counselors
    
            Director's Corner
    
            Organization
                                                              
                    
                                      Office of the Director
                                                              
                    
                                      Division of Clinical Research
    
            Division of Extramural Activities
    
            Division of Intramural Research
    
            Division of Neuroscience
    
            Division of Translational Research
    
            Office of Scientific Management and Operations
                                                              
                    
                                      Office of Management
    
            Office of Neuroscience Communications and Engagement
    
            Office of Pain Policy and Planning
    
            Office of Science Policy and PlanningOffice of the BRAIN Director
        
  
              
        
  
              
        
  
              
    
            What We Do
                                                              
                    
                                      NINDS Mission
    
            Strategic Plans & Evaluations
                                                              
                    
                                      Strategic Plans
                                                              
                    
                                      Strategic Plan 2021-2026
    
            Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Dementias Summits
    
            Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
    
            Cerebral Palsy Research
    
            Epilepsy Research
    
            Health Disparities and Health Equity
    
            Muscular Dystrophy Coordinating Committee
    
            Parkinson’s Disease Research Planning
    
            Stroke Research Planning
    
            Tuberous Sclerosis Complex
    
            Workforce DiversityProgram Evaluations
        
  
              
    
            Workforce Diversity
                                                              
                    
                                      Diversity Policies & Resources
    
            Enhancing DiversityImpact
                                                              
                    
                                      NINDS Contributions to Approved Therapies
    
            Translational Research Success Stories
    
            Workforce Diversity Success Stories
                                                              
                    
                                      Success Stories: Ukpong Eyo
    
            Success Stories: Brielle Ferguson
    
            Success Stories: Audrey Winkelsas
    
            Success Stories: Eduardo Candelario-Jalil
    
            Success Stories: Daniel Colón-Ramos
    
            Success Stories: Julia Dallman
    
            Success Stories: Rachel Dreilinger
    
            Success Stories: Michelle Gray
    
            Success Stories: Corey Harwell
    
            Success Stories: Franck Kalume
    
            Success Stories: Zayd Khaliq
    
            Success Stories: Naomi Lee
    
            Success Stories: Joaquin N. Lugo
    
            Success Stories: Susan Marino
    
            Success Stories: Cassie S. Mitchell
    
            Success Stories: Edjah K. Nduom
    
            Success Stories: Ketema Paul
    
            Success Stories: Azizi Seixas
    
            Success Stories: Alexis Simpkins
    
            Success Stories: Catrina Sims-Robinson
    
            Success Stories: Mariana Torrente
    
            Success Stories: Tyisha WilliamsBudget & Legislation
                                                              
                    
                                      FY23 Total Appropriation
    
            FY22 Total Appropriation
    
            FY21 Total Appropriation
    
            FY20 Total Appropriation
    
            NINDS Annual Budget
                                                              
                    
                                      NINDS 2025 Congressional Budget Justification
    
            NINDS 2024 Congressional Budget Justification
    
            NINDS 2023 Congressional Budget Justification
    
            NINDS 2022 Congressional Budget Justification
    
            NINDS 2021 Congressional Budget JustificationLegislative Updates
        
  
              
    
            Scientific Review Branch
        
  
              
    
            Job Opportunities
                                                              
                    
                                      Careers at NINDS
                                                              
                    
                                      Director, Biologics Neurotherapeutic Development
    
            Health Program Specialist
    
            Health Scientist Administrator (Program Officer)
    
            Health Scientist Administrator (Program Director), Neural Environment Cluster
    
            Neurosurgery Research Fellowships
    
            Program Director, Parkinson’s Disease
    
            Program Director, Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment and Dementia (VCID)
    
            Staff Clinician, Section of Infections of the Nervous SystemNIH BRAIN Initiative® Careers
    
            NIH HEAL Initiative Careers
                                                              
                    
                                      Health Scientist Administrator, PTDP
    
            Health Scientist Administrators, NINDS/PSPP

Did you find the content you were looking for?
  Yes, I did find the content I was looking for



No, I did not find the content I was looking forPlease rate how easy it was to navigate the NINDS website
  Very easy to navigate



Easy to navigate



Neutral



Difficult to navigate



Very difficult to navigateThank you for letting us know! Any other feedback?Submit

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policyand Terms of Serviceapply.

      Last reviewed on April 08, 2024
        Contact Us
  

        
              Contact NINDS
                Visitor Information
        Related Sites
  

        
              Site Map
                National Institutes of Health
                Department of Health & Human Services
                USA.gov
        Policies
  

        
              Accessibility
                Freedom of Information Act
                Linking Policy
                Privacy Statement
                Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
Follow NINDS On Social Media
          
          National Institutes of Health (NIH)
          9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20892