APS Meeting with National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Director
On October 2, 2012 the APS President Sue Barman, Science Policy Chair John Chatham, and members of the Science Policy Committee met with leadership at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), including Director Dr. Gary Gibbons. Prior to the meeting the committee submitted a list of discussion questions to NHLBI. The following are the responses.
NIH Update at EB 2012
Officials from several National Institutes of Health (NIH) ICDs will provide an update on research programs and policies at EB 2012 in San Diego. The session entitled “National Institutes of Health: Programs and Policies Update from Institutes” will take place from 2–4 PM on Tuesday, April 24 in Room 1A of the San Diego Convention Center.
Science Board Revisits NSF Merit Review Criteria
On January 10, 2012, the National Science Board (NSF) released recommendations on the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Merit Review Criteria. The Board made no changes to the criteria themselves but told NSF to provide definitions articulating the essential elements of the criteria.
National Science Foundation’s Merit Review Criteria: Review and Revisions
The National Science Board's full report of recommendations on the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Merit Review Criteria.(PDF)
APS Urges Public-Private Partnership on Public Access
On January 11, 2012, APS submitted comments to a Request for Information from the Office of Science and Technology Policy concerning public access to peer-reviewed scholarly publications resulting from federally-funded research. In its comments, APS recommended that federal agencies “work in a collaborative manner with all stakeholders to develop an approach [to public access] that balances competing interests, ensures the rights of copyright owners, and provides for continued growth an innovation in scientific communication.”
NIH Creates NCATS, Dissolves NCRR, Reorganizes NIGMS
NIH has established a new National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. Click for details of the new Center and the new homes of programs previously housed in the National Center for Research Resources.
APS Leadership Meets with NIH Officials
On October 19, 2011, APS President Joey Granger, President-elect Sue Barman, Past President Peter Wagner and Science Policy Chair John Chatham met with officials at the NIH to discuss several issues of concern to APS members.
APS Comments on Proposed Revisions to Human Subjects Protections
The APS responded to an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking issued by the Department of Health and Human Services entitled Human Subjects Research Protections: Enhancing Protections for Research Subjects and Reducing Burden, Delay, and Ambiguity for Investigators.
APS Comments on Biomedical Workforce
In response to a request for information from the National Institutes of Health, APS submitted comments to the working group of the Advisory Committee to the Director that is examining the future of the biomedical workforce. (PDF)
APS Comments on Managing NIH Resources
In response to a request for input from the NIH on how best to manage resources in fiscally challenging times, the APS submitted a response recommending that the NIH consider the long term consequences of any changes to funding policy and focus on maintaining success rates at a level of at least 30%. APS also recommended using a diversity of approaches to alleviating the funding crunch, and continuing to prioritize funding for early stage investigators. (PDF)
APS Leadership Meets with NIH Officials
APS leadership and Executive Director Marty Frank met with officials at the National Institutes of Health to discuss APS priorities.
NIH Board Approves Plan to Create New Center
On December 7, 2010 the NIH Scientific Management Review Board voted to recommend the creation of a new Center to focus on translational research.
APS Comments on Purposed Changes at NIH
The APS has sent a letter to Director Collins outlining our concerns regarding elimination of National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) so that the National Center for Advancing Translational Science (NCATS) can be created. (PDF)
Federal Research Grants and Administrative Burden
A survey conducted by the Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) explores the amount of administrative burden experienced by faculty who receive federal research grants.