Restructuring of Study Sections in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Neuroscience Don Schneider,

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Restructuring of Study Sections in
Molecular, Cellular and Developmental
NeuroscienceDon Schneider, PhDDiscussants Drs.
Leinwand, Pugh, McClainPeer Review Advisory
CommitteeDecember 4, 2006National
Institutes of HealthDepartment of Health and
Human Services
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Study Section Organization

• Core Values of Peer Review
• Fair, expert, timely
• Free from influence/conflict
• Organizational Approach
• Integrated Review Groups (IRGs)
• Good size work unit
• Cluster related science

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Five Year AssessmentsWorking Groups

• Full cycle of assessments completed 2001
• Second cycle started with Neuroscience IRGs
• Other IRGs will follow in order of
  reorganization, AIDS and Behavioral/Social
  Science IRGs, then HEME (2003) and ending with
  BCMB and CB (2005)
• Working Groups meet by email, telephone/video
  conference, asynchronous electronic discussion,
  or face-to-face
• Results are presented to PRAC (a Federal Advisory
  Committee Act requirement)

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CSR IRG Review

• Initiated February 2006, one IRG a month
• Review sequence determined by
• Known/emerging issues
• Scientifically related areas
• For local matter, such as overload in one study
  section, CSR develops plan of action
• For substantial matter, e.g., formation of new
  study section, a Working Group is formed, and the
  issue is presented and discussed at PRAC

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Principles

• Be guided by Core Values of NIH peer review
  (fair, expert, and timely peer review free from
  influence/conflict)
• Monitor study sections continuously (rosters,
  meetings, and summary statements)
• Change study sections as the science changes
  (involve all stakeholders)

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MDCN Pre-Working Group(December 2005)

• Paul Brehm, SUNY SB
• Sandra Hewett, U Connecticut
• Harry Ischiropoulos, U Pennsylvania
• Robert Miller, Case Western Reserve U
• Patricia Sonsalla, UMDNJ
• Richard Tsien, Stanford U
• Harel Weinstein, Cornell Weill

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PRAC (January 2006)

• Restructure Biophysics of Synapses, Channels and
  Transporters (BSCT) as Biophysics of Neural
  Systems (BPNS)
• Divide Neurodegeneration and the Biology of Glia
  (NDBG) into Neurodegeneration and Glial Biology
  (NDGB) and Neural Oxidative Metabolism and Death
  (NOMD)
• BPNS, NDGB, NOMD first met June 2006

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Assessment of MDCN IRG

• Pre-Working Group December 2005 PRAC January
  2006
• CSR internal review September 25, 2006
• Working Group June 2005 October 2006
  (comments from reviewers over four cycles)
• Working Group telephone conference November 9,
  2006

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MDCN Working Group(roster November 2006)

• Nancy Bonini, U Penn
• Iain Campbell, U Sydney
• Gino Cortopassi, UC Davis
• David Friel, CWRU
• Vittorio Gallo, CNMC, Wash DC
• Alex Kolodkin, JHU
• Patricia Reggio, UNC Greensboro
• Jose Rizo-Rey, UTSW

• David Rottenberg, U Minn
• William Shain, Wadsworth
• Claudio Soto, UTMB
• Harel Weinstein, Cornell Weill
• NIH Chiiko Asanuma, Linda Brady, Yuan Liu, Larry
  Refolo, Steve Snyder, Carole Jelsema, Don
  Schneider

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Working GroupTelephone Conference

• Draft report, issues, options, and master lists
  of applications provided in advance of call
• Feedback from WG with names removed collated and
  returned to WG in advance of call
• Discussion by teleconference November 9, 2006
• Development of written recommendations by email

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MDCN Assessment Issues

• Telephone reviewers
• Senior vs. Junior reviewers
• Workloads
• Large size of NDGB (already above 80 again)
• Small sizes of SEPs (scientific/clustering and
  efficiency issues)

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Consensus view of WG on restructuring of study
sections

• Split NDGB along degenerative and glial lines
• Develop guidelines for two standing SEPs in
  neuroengineering and in neuroinformatics/imaging
• Continue neurogenetics SEP as needed wait and
  see about guidelines

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Possible Guidelines Cellular and Molecular
Biology of Neurodegeneration CMND

• Molecular characterization of abnormal protein
  processing
• Molecular mechanisms underlying triple repeat
  neurodegenerative disorders
• Molecular mechanisms for developing
  neuroprotection
• Molecular analysis of gene products involved in
  neurodegeneration/protection, including ApoE

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Possible GuidelinesCellular and Molecular
Biology of Glia CMBG

• Biology of glial cells
• Neuroglial interactions
• Glial response to injury or infection
• Neuroimmune function
• Metabolic disorders of glial cells

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Possible GuidelinesNeuroengineering SEPZRG1
MDCN-K(50)

• Neural multi-electrode array construction
• Optimization of electrode/neural prosthesis
  biocompatibility
• Microfluidic-based neural tissue culture
  platforms
• Promotion of axon regrowth over engineered
  surfaces

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Possible GuidelinesNeuroinformatics/Imaging
SEPZRG1 MDCN-K(51)

• Neurodatabase construction and sharing
• Modeling of neural circuitry
• Brain structure atlas creation
• Registration of multi-modality brain images
• Computational analysis of neurobiological data

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MDCN SEPs share interests outside of IRG

• Bioengineering Sciences and Technologies basic
  bioengineering or emerging approach vs. nervous
  system
• Surgical Sciences, Biomedical Imaging and
  Bioengineering biomedical engineering or
  emerging approach vs. nervous system
• Brain Disorders and Clinical Neuroscience whole
  organ, translational, or clinical vs. cellular or
  molecular
• Genes, Genomes and Genetics basic genetics or
  emerging approach vs. nervous system

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Summary(seeking approval)

• Divide NDGB into CMND (Neurodegeneration) and
  CMBG (Glia)
• Form two recurring SEPs Neuroengineering and
  Neuroinformatics/Imaging
• Continue Neurogenetics SEP as needed wait and
  see about guidelines

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DISCUSSANTS

• Dr. Leslie Leinwand
• Dr. Edward Pugh
• Dr. Craig McClain
• PRAC