IC Directors' Meeting Highlights

Discussion Items

Strategic Plan for Doubling the NIH Cancer Research Budget

The President’s Budget for FY2010 includes an 8-year commitment to double cancer research funding. In order carry out this commitment, a trans-NIH effort is underway to develop a strategic plan which demonstrates NIH’s cancer research efforts supported by 24 ICs, OD, and the Common Fund. All ICs have actively participated in this planning process and a draft Strategic Plan will soon be available for comment by the ICs with final submission to the NIH Director at the end of June.

ARRA update

Dr. Tabak updated the IC Directors on the status of review for Challenge, GO, and P30 Grants. In anticipation of the end-of-year push to get grants awarded, ICs are being asked to help streamline the ARRA review process by prioritizing Challenge and GO applications for OD funding consideration.

Administrative Supplements for Summer Research Experience will be supporting mentors in all 50 States, including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico and will support approximately 5100 summer positions over FY2009 and 2010. The NIMH Autism Spectrum Disorders funding announcements have been well received and underwent a smooth the first level review using an editorial board model. Status on other OD and IC ARRA efforts were discussed and it was acknowledged that OD ARRA funds are also being used to balance efforts and fill gaps in research priorities.

With receipt of a large number of Challenge Grant applications, there exists a strong possibility that PIs of unfunded applications may turn these applications into subsequent R01 submissions, thereby placing continued high demand on the NIH peer-review system. Dr. Tabak reported on some strategies under consideration for managing the anticipated increase in application submissions.

Processes for tracking and monitoring ARRA spending are well-underway across the federal government. The NIH Research Online Reporting Tool (RePORT) is publicly available and now provides detailed information on ARRA-funded NIH Awards.

Penny Wung Burgoon