NIH
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair McMorris Rodgers Releases Framework for NIH Reform
Earlier this month, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), in partnership with the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) Chair Robert Aderholt (R-AL), released a framework outlining potential reforms for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). A one-pager on the framework can be found here as well as an opinion piece written by Chairs McMorris Rodgers and Aderholt. Chair McMorris Rodgers has also announced her intent to not seek re-election this November. The framework comes after a series of recommendations, including Senator Bill Cassidy’s (R-LA) white paper on NIH reform released in May (see previous COSSA coverage) and…
NIH Issues RFI on Draft Public Access Policy
On June 18, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a request for information (RFI) to obtain public comments on the NIH Draft Public Access Policy. The RFI is also seeking feedback on two supplemental draft guidance documents pertaining to government use license and rights, and costs for publications. The draft NIH policy responds to the August 2022 memorandum issued by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announcing new requirements for federal agencies to make peer-reviewed publications resulting from federal funding freely available to the public immediately following publication. NIH previously sought input into the development of their policy in February 2023….
Senate LHHS Subcommittee Holds NIH FY 2025 Budget Hearing
On May 23, the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee held a budget hearing on the National institutes of Health (NIH) fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget request. Witnesses included NIH Director Monica Bertagnolli as well as directors of the following NIH institutes and centers: National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institute on Aging (NIA), and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The hearing focused on advancements in medical research and treatment on topics such as Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health,…
NIMH Releases RFI on Improving Research Frameworks on Studying Racism on Brain and Behavioral Health
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) released a request for information (RFI) seeking input on ways to improve research frameworks on studying racism on brain and behavioral health. The RFI seeks input on identifying and addressing gaps in the impact of structural racism on brain, cognitive, and behavioral function, and the role of structural and systemic racism on the conduct of brain and behavioral health research. Comments will be accepted through June 14, 2024. Submissions can be made here.
NIH Releases Strategic Plan on Research on Health of Women
The National Institutes of Health (NIH), in partnership with the Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) housed within the agency, has released a NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for the Research on the Health of Women. The strategic plan outlines five goals, including: Further, the report underscores the importance of utilizing behavioral and social sciences research (BSSR) when addressing women’s health by affirming that “continued and expanded support for BSSR can enhance understanding of factors that influence the health of women and can facilitate the development of actionable interventions that address health disparities and advance equity for women.” More information about the…
Senate HELP Ranking Member Cassidy Releases White Paper on Recommendations to Improve the NIH
On May 9, Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, released a white paper titled NIH in the 21 Century: Ensuring Transparency and American Biomedical Leadership. The white paper was released following the collection of comments from a request for information (RFI) from Cassidy’s office on reforming the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (see previous COSSA coverage). In the white paper, Cassidy underscored the importance of NIH-funded research, citing that “every dollar NIH spends on research generates $2.46 in economic activity” and the “FY 23 investments provided support for over 400,000 jobs and generated…
NIH Releases RFI on the Development of the FY 2026-2030 Strategic Plan for Sexual & Gender Minority Health Research
On May 9, the Sexual & Gender Minority Research Office (SGMRO) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a request for information (RFI). The RFI invites feedback from the community on the development of the Fiscal Years 2026-2030 NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Sexual and Gender Minority Health Research. The plan will describe future directions in sexual and gender minority health and research to optimize NIH’s research investments. Comments must be received by June 26, 2024. All responses should be submitted here.
NIMH Workshop: Discrimination as a Social Determinant of Mental Health Disparities
On June 6, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), within the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will be hosting a one-day workshop with expert investigators, NIH staff, and the public to discuss the science of discrimination and mental health disparities, and to identify research gaps and opportunities in mental health disparities research. Register to attend here.
NIAID Accepting Comments on New Strategic Plan
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), within the National Institutes of Health, is accepting public feedback on proposed updates to its Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan would prioritize five key research topics in biomedical research, but NIAID also invites comments and suggestions on other themes: diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA); Women’s Health; health disparities; research inclusivity; global health; infrastructure and research facilities; data science and sharing; and workforce training. Responses are due to NIAIDStrategicPlanRFI@niaid.nih.gov in Word or PDF form by May 27. A full listing of the Request for Information can be found here.
Request for Information on Mental Health Determinants and Disparities
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), within the National Institutes of Health, has issued a request for information (RFI) titled “Moving beyond individual-level determinants of mental health to address mental health disparities.” NIMH specifically wants to address gaps in knowledge on (a) the determinants of mental health disparities from social, systemic, and structural levels and (b) the development of culturally responsive, multilevel interventions to address such disparities. Submissions must be made electronically by May 30. A full listing of the RFI can be found here.
Registration is Open for the 17th Matilda White Riley Honors
Registration is officially open for the 17th Matilda White Riley Behavioral and Social Sciences Honors. The event recognizes both emerging scientists and leaders in the field whose research reflects Dr. Matilda White Riley’s vision of research excellence in health-related behavioral and social sciences. Matilda White Riley was a celebrated scientist and member of the National Academy of Sciences whose work and leadership left a lasting impact on behavioral and social sciences across the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and beyond. Registration for the event is required and the Distinguished Lecturer will be Dr. Bernice Pescosolido, Distinguished Professor of Sociology at Indiana University….
REGISTER NOW: Headlines Webinars continue April 23
COSSA’s 2024 Headlines Webinar series will continue to feature discussions with leaders of federal science agencies, providing opportunities for the social and behavioral science community to learn about agency research programs, funding opportunities, and priorities. Upcoming Webinars: Did you miss March’s webinar? You can watch the recording now to catch up on our discussion about the research and education programs and priorities of the STEM Education Directorate at the National Science Foundation with Dr. James L. Moore III. Headlines is a webinar series available to COSSA member organizations.
REGISTER NOW: Headlines Webinars continue April 23
COSSA’s 2024 Headlines Webinar series will continue to feature discussions with leaders of federal science agencies, providing opportunities for the social and behavioral science community to learn about agency research programs, funding opportunities, and priorities. Upcoming Webinars: Did you miss March’s webinar? You can watch the recording now to catch up on our discussion about the research and education programs and priorities of the STEM Education Directorate at the National Science Foundation with Dr. James L. Moore III. Headlines is a webinar series available to COSSA member organizations.
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…
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…
Headlines Webinars continue March 27
COSSA’s 2024 Headlines Webinar series will continue to feature discussions with leaders of federal science agencies, providing opportunities for the social and behavioral science community to learn about agency research programs, funding opportunities, and priorities. Upcoming Webinars: Did you miss February’s webinar? You can watch the recording now to catch up on our discussion about the research and data activities within the National Institute of Justice and Bureau of Justice Statistics. Headlines is a webinar series available to COSSA member organizations.
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…
OPPORTUNITY: FY 2025 Funding Request for NIH
COSSA, a member of the steering committee of the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research, has signed on in support of a funding request of “at least $51.303 billion” for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in fiscal year (FY) 2025. The request would represent a $3.579 billion or 7.5% increase over the level included in the Senate bill for FY 2024. Other organizations wishing to lend their support to the NIH funding request for FY 2025 are encouraged to sign-on by March 1.
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…
NIH Requests Comments on Strategic Plan for Data Science
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has issued a request for information (RFI) on their draft Strategic Plan for Data Science. As previously reported by COSSA, the NIH Strategic Plan for Data Science was initially released in 2018. The plan is intended to address advances in data collection, including the increase in quantity and diversity within data, and support data science as a tool for understanding health sciences. In the draft, NIH outlines five goals, including aims to improve NIH policy for data collection, maximize data for research, expand opportunities in data collection services, including artificial intelligence (AI), support a federal biomedical research data…