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HHS - 808 - Board of Scientific Counselors, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - Authorized by Law

GENERAL INFORMATION

Committee Name	Board of Scientific Counselors, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism	Agency Name	Department of Health and Human Services
Fiscal Year	2025	Committee Number	808
Original Establishment Date	1/28/1987	Committee Status	Chartered
Actual Termination Date		Committee URL	https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/research/niaaa-intram...
Actual Merged Date		Presidential Appointments*	No
New Committee This FY	No	Max Number of Members*	10
Terminated This FY	No	Designated Fed Officer Position Title*	Scientific Director
Merged This FY		Designated Federal Officer Prefix
Current Charter Date	1/28/1987	Designated Federal Officer First Name*	David
Date Of Renewal Charter		Designated Federal Officer Middle Name
Projected Termination Date		Designated Federal Officer Last Name*	Lovinger
Exempt From Renewal*	Yes	Designated Federal Officer Suffix	Ph.D.
Specific Termination Authority		Designated Federal Officer Phone*	(301) 443-2445
Establishment Authority*	Authorized by Law	Designated Federal Officer Fax*	(301) 480-8035
Specific Establishment Authority*	42 U.S.C. 282(b)(16)	Designated Federal Officer Email*	lovindav@mail.nih.gov
Effective Date Of Authority*	11/20/1985
Exempt From EO 13875 Discretionary Cmte	Not Applicable
Committee Type*	Continuing
Presidential*	No
Committee Function*	Other Committee

RECOMMENDATION/JUSTIFICATIONS

Agency Recommendation*	Continue
Legislation to Terminate Required	Not Applicable
Legislation Status	Not Applicable
How does cmte accomplish its purpose?*	Section 402(b)(9) of the Public Health Service Act states that “the Director, NIH shall assure that research at the National Institutes of Health is subject to review in accordance with section 492.” Section 492(b) states that the “Director of NIH shall establish procedures for periodic technical and scientific peer review of research at the National Institutes of Health. The mission of the Board of Scientific Counselors is to assess the quality of the Institute’s intramural research programs and to evaluate the productivity and performance of intramural scientists and shall also, as requested by the Director, NIH, undertake peer review of extramural funding applications as required by section 492 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended.” The Board is composed of scientific and technical experts. The Board of Scientific Counselors, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism continues to provide indispensable evaluation and advisory functions in the science management of the intramural research programs. Each major program area of the Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research is reviewed at least once every four years. Besides the formal meetings for peer review of each laboratory, the chair and individual Board members are frequently consulted for advice on staff appointments and program developments.
How is membership balanced?*	The Board consist of 10 members, approximately, including the Chair, appointed by the Director, NIH, from authorities knowledgeable in the fields of basic and clinical sciences related to the research activities of the Institute. The advisory role of the Board is scientific and substantive. The Board will review and evaluate the intramural program and the work of tenured; tenure track; and staff scientists and physcians.
How frequent & relevant are cmte mtgs?*	This Board met once on September 3-4, 2024. The Board holds one meeting each year for the peer review of intramural laboratories on a rotating basis as required by the PHS Act. During this reporting period, on September 3-4, 2024, the Board reviewed employees in the Laboratory of Cardiovascular Physiology and Tissue Injury (LCPTI); Section on Neural Circuits (SNC); Laboratory of Neurogenetics (LNG); and Laboratory of Liver Diseases (LLD). The Board issues a written evaluation on each scientist reviewed. The Board Chair provides to the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism an oral report of the review and the Board's recommendations.
Why advice can't be obtained elsewhere?*	This Board is composed of recognized biomedical and/or behavioral research authorities from outside the NIH in order to secure unbiased and objective evaluation of intramural research programs. Their recommendations are invaluable because the complex nature of research in each laboratory requires a unique balance and breadth of expertise not available from the NIH staff or from other established resources.
Why close or partially close meetings?	The meeting of the Board of Scientific Counselors, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, was closed for the review, discussion, and evaluation of individual programs and projects conducted by the Institute, including consideration of personnel qualifications and performance, the competence of individual investigators, and other personal information. Section 552b(c)(6) of the Government in the Sunshine Act permits the closing of meetings where discussion could reveal personal information, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.
Recommendation Remarks	Committee Function: Other - Scientific and Technical Peer Review. Reports: This committee did not produce any public reports. Members Rotating Off/Vacancies/On-Boarding: Three members rotated off (Drs. Kathleen Grant, Patricia Janak, and Gyongyi Szabo) and one member left the committee (Dr. Damin Fair). There is 1 vacancy. Four members were on-boarded (Drs. Wen-Xing Ding, Alejandro (Alex) Dopico, Christina Gremel, and Marta Pepino De Gruev). Members: Dr. Danny Winder was reassigned as Chair during this fiscal year and Gyongyi Szabo returned to a regular member for the remainder of her term. Dr. Damin Fair left the committee on March 24, 2025, that is why his term of service end date is different than what was reported on the FY24 ACR Report. Based on the assignment of responsibilities within the Institute, the role of committee designated federal officer and committee decision maker are held by the same individual.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

Outcome Improvement To Health Or Safety*	Yes	Action Reorganize Priorities*	Yes
Outcome Trust In Government	No	Action Reallocate Resources	Yes
Outcome Major Policy Changes	No	Action Issued New Regulations	No
Outcome Advance In Scientific Research	Yes	Action Proposed Legislation	No
Outcome Effective Grant Making	No	Action Approved Grants Or Other Payments	No
Outcome Improved Service Delivery	No	Action Other	No
Outcome Increased Customer Satisfaction	No	Action Comment	Personnel changes were made including promotions and changes in status, and decisions on nominations for tenure were based on the Board's recommendations.
Outcome Implement Laws/Reg Requirements	No	Grants Review*	No
Outcome Other	No	Number Of Grants Reviewed	0
Outcome Comment	N/A	Number Of Grants Recommended	0
Cost Savings*	Unable to Determine	Dollar Value Of Grants Recommended	$0.00
Cost Savings Comment	NIH/NIAAA supported basic and clinical research accomplishments often take many years to unfold into new diagnostic tests and new ways to treat and prevent diseases.	Grants Review Comment	Although grant reviews are included in the duties of this Board, there were no grant reviews performed during this fiscal year.
Number Of Recommendations*	103	Access Contact Designated Fed. Officer*	Yes
Number Of Recommendations Comment	Four recommendations were made in FY24.	Access Agency Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented*	100.00%	Access Committee Website	Yes
% of Recs Fully Implemented Comment	Recommendations of the BSC are implemented by the IC Scientific Director within the time frames agreed upon by the Scientific Director and the Board.	Access GSA FACA Website	Yes
% of Recs Partially Implemented*	100.00%	Access Publications	No
% of Recs Partially Implemented Comment	All recommendations by the BSC will be fully implemented although the length of time will vary for each scientist. For example, a tenure track scientist, who is not recommended for tenure at NIH will be extended 6 months to 1 year before termination is final. This gives the scientist an opportunity to complete projects and search for a new position outside of the intramural program. Thus, the recommendations of the BSC are partially implemented in the first few months after the review, and fully completed at later date.	Access Other	Yes
Agency Feedback*	Yes	Access Comment	Contact the Designated Federal Officer.
Agency Feedback Comment*	Information resulting from closed Board of Scientific Counselors meetings is subject to the Freedom of Information Act. The public can view information on NIH Intramural Research Reports found on the NIH Intramural Research Sourcebook website located at https://oir.nih.gov/sourcebook/intramural-research-communications-resources/annual-reports-bibliographies/.	Narrative Description*	NIH’s mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability. NIH works toward that mission by conducting research in its own laboratories. The mission of the Board of Scientific Counselors is to assess the quality of the Institute’s intramural research programs and to evaluate the productivity and performance of intramural scientists in accordance with Section 492(b) of the PHS Act, as amended and shall also, as requested by the Director, NIH, undertake peer review of extramural funding applications as required by section 492(a) of the Public Health Service Act, as amended.

COSTS

1. Payments to Non-Federal Members*		1. Est Paymnts to Non-Fed Membrs Nxt FY*
2. Payments to Federal Members*		2. Est. Payments to Fed Members Next FY*
3. Payments to Federal Staff*		3. Estimated Payments to Federal Staff*
4. Payments to Consultants*		4. Est. Payments to Consultants Next FY*
5. Travel Reimb. For Non-Federal Membrs*		5. Est Travel Reimb Non-Fed Membr nxtFY*
6. Travel Reimb. For Federal Members*		6. Est Travel Reimb For Fed Members*
7. Travel Reimb. For Federal Staff*		7. Est. Travel Reimb to Fed Staf Nxt FY*
8. Travel Reimb. For Consultants*		8. Est Travel Reimb to Consltnts Nxt FY*
10. Other Costs		10. Est. Other Costs Next FY*
11. Total Costs	$0.00	11. Est. Total Next FY*	$0.00
Date Cost Last Modified	3/14/2025 9:20 AM	Est. Fed Staff Support Next FY*
Federal Staff Support (FTE)*		Est Cost Remarks
Cost Remarks

Interest Areas

Category Area Government Federal Government Health Public Health Medicine Health and Health Research

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