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April 2024 COSSA Headlines: Behavioral and Social Science Priorities and Programs at the National Institutes of Health

The 2024 Headlines series continues with a discussion about the research and data activities within the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research at the National Institutes of Health. Presenter Dr. Jane M. Simoni, Ph.D. Associate Director for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, NIH & Director, Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) Jane M. Simoni, Ph.D., is the Associate Director for Behavioral and Social Sciences Research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Director of the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR). Dr. Simoni joined NIH on July 30, 2023, to lead OBSSR’s efforts…

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COSSA Remembers Dr. Norman B. Anderson

COSSA mourns the passing of Norman B. Anderson, PhD, who died unexpectedly on March 1. Dr. Anderson, a clinical psychologist renowned for his research on racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic health disparities, has left an indelible mark on the social and behavioral science community through this leadership, scholarship, and wisdom. Among his many leadership posts, Dr. Anderson served as the inaugural Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) from 1995 to 2000. In this role, he championed the inclusion and integration of the social and behavioral sciences across the NIH, laying the…

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Mental Health Director Dr. Joshua Gordon Departs from NIMH

On February 29, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli announced the departure of Director Dr. Joshua Gordon from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). As previously reported by COSSA, Director Gordon joined NIMH in August 2016 after previously serving as an associate professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University and as a research psychiatrist at New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYSPI). Dr. Gordon will return to Columbia as the Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and Psychiatrist-in-Chief of the New York-Presbyterian Hospital campus at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He…

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Science Committee Discuss Federal Agency Research Security Measures

On February 15, Congress held a Full Committee hearing on “Examining Federal Science Agency Actions to Secure the U.S. Science and Technology Enterprise,” which addressed the balance between protecting the university research community from foreign interference while finding ways to ensure an environment free from bias and discrimination. The session brought together high-ranking officials and experts including Arati Prabhakar, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Dr. Rebecca Keiser, Chief of Research Security Strategy and Policy (NSF), Geri Richmond, Under Secretary for Science and Innovation (DOE), and Dr. Michael Lauer, Deputy Director for Extramural Research (NIH)….

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Nominations Open for Distinguished Lecturer at the 17th Matilda White Riley Honors

The Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is accepting nominations for an outstanding social-behavioral scientist as candidates for Distinguished Lecturer at the 17th Matilda White Riley Honors. The Matilda White Riley Honors are an annual event recognizing transformative work in the fields of social and behavioral science along with early-career researchers. Nominees should have a research career that has “advanced behavioral and social scientific knowledge in areas within NIH’s mission and that expands upon Dr. White Riley’s work.” Nominees need not have NIH funding. More information is available on the OBSSR website. Nominee information should…

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Lawmakers Author a Congressional Letter Addressing Foreign Influence in U.S. Research

In a notable move addressing concerns over foreign influence in federally funded research, U.S. lawmakers, including Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28) and Ranking Member Rep. Jamie Raskin (MD-08), have urged the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to scrutinize the impartiality of current investigations. This request, highlighted in a detailed letter, emphasizes the need for adopting a bias-free and nondiscriminatory attitude towards investment from foreign institutions. The spotlight falls on agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which have been actively investigating researchers with alleged foreign ties. The lawmakers’ request to the GAO includes critical questions about due…

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OBSSR Opens Applications for Firearm Injury and Mortality Prevention Research

The Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research (OBSSR) within the National Institute of Health (NIH) is currently accepting proposals for the Career Enhancement Award to Advance Research on Firearm Injury and Mortality Prevention grant program. Applications should focus on firearm injury and mortality prevention research with topics in areas such as accidental injury, intimate partner/dating violence, youth violence, and more. Applications are due March 15.

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OBSSR Hosts Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Festival

On December 5, the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) held their annual Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Festival. The festival highlighted various research areas supported by the office and the full agenda can be found here. In her opening remarks, newly appointed OBBSR Director Jane Simoni identified the office’s scientific interests for 2024, including theory-informed research on behavior change and mechanisms of impact, social connection and health, multi-level research, health communication science, and the integration of BSSR into biomedical research (see previous COSSA coverage). The recording of the festival is expected to be published here within…

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Biden Administration Appoints New NCI Director

On November 17, the Biden Administration announced intent to appoint Dr. W. Kimryn Rathmell as Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The position was previously held by Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, the recently confirmed Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (see previous COSSA coverage). Dr. Rathmell currently serves as the Physician-in-Chief and Chair of the Department of Medicine at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She received her PhD in biophysics and her M.D. from Stanford University following a Bachelor of Science in biology and chemistry from the University of Iowa. Dr. Rathmell also served as an internal medicine resident, fellow…

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White House Announces Initiative on Women’s Health Research

On November 13, the White House and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden announced a new initiative to advance women’s health research, recognizing gaps in funding for this research as a barrier to accessible healthcare for women. The Initiative on Women’s Health Research will be led by Dr. Biden and newly appointed Chair Dr. Carolyn Mazure, a previous National Institutes of Health (NIH) fellow and researcher at Yale University. Dr. Biden highlighted the importance of the new initiative, stating that “there’s just not enough research yet on how to best manage and treat even common women’s health conditions
Our new White House Initiative on…

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House Unveils Potential Stopgap Measure and Continues Appropriations Process

On November 11, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) unveiled a potential stopgap funding deal that would extend the current continuing resolution (CR) beyond the current November 17 deadline. The Speaker’s proposal includes “tiered deadlines;” some bills would be extended to mid-January and others to early February (see previous COSSA coverage). Under the draft bill, agencies within the Military Construction-VA, Agriculture, Energy-Water and Transportation-HUD bills would receive an extension to January 19 while all remaining bills – including those that fund the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health – would be extended to February 2. The bill would also include a…

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OBSSR Launches Two Funding Opportunities focused on Intimate Partner Violence Research

On October 4, the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) announced two Implementing a Maternal Health and Pregnancy Outcomes Visions for Everyone (IMPROVE) initiative funding opportunities focused on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) research. NIH launched the IMPROVE initiative in 2019 to support research that aims to minimize preventable causes of maternal mortality and improve maternal health outcomes. Within this initiative, the Career Enhancement Award to Advance the Study of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in the Context of Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Research invites experienced researchers in maternal morbidity and mortality to enhance their skills and knowledge in…

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National Academies Hosting Workshop Encouraging Greater Science Accessibility

On November 30 through December 1, the National Academies of of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will be hosting a public workshop aiming to provide crucial insights and recommendations to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This two-day event is set to address topics surrounding scholarly publications and key focus areas of the workshop include promoting equity in publication, enhancing accessibility, addressing publication and increasing transparency of research. The National Academies invites all interested parties to participate and contribute to this vital conversation. For more information and to register,…

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NIMH Launches New Podcast Series to Commemorate its 75th Anniversary

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in celebration of its 75th anniversary, announced the inauguration of their new podcast series, “Mental Health Matters”. This series aims to dive deep into the narrative journeys of key figures making strides in mental health research while also spotlighting the experiences of individuals navigating life with mental health challenges. Episode one is titled, “Understanding and Preventing Youth Suicide.” The episode features a compelling conversation between NIMH’s Director, Dr. Joshua A. Gordon, and Dr. Arielle Sheftall, an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of…

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Analysis of the Senate FY 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill

On July 27, the Senate Appropriations Committee successfully completed work on all 12 of its annual appropriations bills, a feat that has not been accomplished in five years. Among the bills included in the final markup session was the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education (LHHS) Appropriations Bill. The Senate LHHS bill contains annual funding proposals for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Education (ED), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), among other federal departments and agencies. As previously reported, the Senate appropriations…

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AAAS Hosts Federal Agencies to Discuss Public Access Policies

On July 17, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) hosted federal agencies alongside the National Science Foundation (NSF) for a discussion, How can public access advance equity and learning? During the first half of the webinar, officials from NSF, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) discussed their implementation strategies for public access. During the panel and audience Q&A session, AAAS invited professors and PhD candidates to discuss the effect of public access on universities and students. In accordance with…

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Budget Season in Full Swing

Lawmakers returned this week from its two-week spring recess and immediately turned their attention to the budget; specifically, what to do about the approaching debt ceiling and whether or at what level to cap spending on discretionary programs for fiscal year (FY) 2024 (see previous coverage). While fights continue on these higher-level negotiations, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees will be meeting this week to discuss the FY 2024 budget proposals for several federal science agencies. The Senate Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Subcommittee is holding a hearing on April 18 featuring leadership from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and NASA;…

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Nominations Open for 2023 James S. Jackson Memorial Award

The National Institute of Mental Health at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking nominations for the 2023 James S. Jackson Memorial Award. This award, named in memoriam for previous University of Michigan Professor of Psychology and former COSSA president James S. Jackson, honors an outstanding researcher with demonstrated exceptional individual achievement and leadership in mental health disparities research.  Award recipients will also have shown excellence in mentorship, influence, and defined support of trainees. Nominations will be accepted through May 10, 2023. Read more information about the award’s criteria, application, and selection process here.

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118th Congress: Profile of the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations Subcommittee

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) is an important committee to the research community in that it is responsible for securing appropriations and drafting legislation for the Department of Education (ED), Department of Labor (DOL), and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which includes the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The LHHS Subcommittee is one of the most sought-after committee appointments in the Senate due to the wide scope of agencies and priorities under the Subcommittee’s jurisdiction. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman, Patty Murray (D-WA), and Ranking Member Susan Collins (R-ME)…

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118th Congress: Profile of the House Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations Subcommittee

As its name suggests, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) is responsible for crafting funding legislation for the Departments of Education (ED), Health and Human Services (HHS), including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Labor (DOL), as well as other independent agencies like the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Council on Disability. The LHHS Subcommittee is one of the most sought-after appointments in the House. In recent weeks, Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), Chair of the full House Appropriations Committee, announced Republican subcommittee appointments. Rep. Robert Aderholt…

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