The Fellows Editorial Board (FEB) was created in the spring of 2002 to meet the scientific editorial demands of post-doctoral and clinical fellows in the NCI Center for Cancer Research. FEB has recently expanded to include fellows from the entire NIH.
The objectives of FEB are twofold: to provide scientific editing services for NIH fellows and training and editorial experience to board members. Editorial board members edit submitted manuscripts, grant proposals, abstracts, and other scientific documents for grammar, structure, and style, but do not comment on scientific merit. All activity is confidential.
Who can join FEB?
FEB is an all-volunteer organization of postdoctoral and clinical fellows, professional science writers and editors, and scientists trained in editing. FEB now accepts members from all NIH institutions. Editorial experience is not required—FEB will train.
What is the editorial process?
The senior editor solicits three FEB members to serve as primary editors for each submission. All board members review the submission, and during the weekly meeting (videoconferenced to Frederick and Research Triangle Park), three primary editors lead the discussion of that manuscript. The editors’ comments are compiled into an electronic report and a hard copy, which are returned to the author within 10 business days.
Who can submit documents to FEB?
All NIH fellows can submit their scientific documents to FEB.
What has FEB accomplished so far?
FEB has edited more than 125 documents for fellows. FEB-edited manuscripts have been published in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals including Molecular and Cellular Biology, Cancer Research, Oncogene, The Journal of Biological Chemistry, Molecular Cell, and Neuroscience Research. FEB has also organized three workshops in its "Become Your Own Best Editor" series to help fellows improve their scientific writing. FEB is planning two workshops, English as a Second Language and Scientific Editing as a Career.
For
more info: check out the FEB
website for
submission instructions and membership applications, or send e-mail to
the FEB editors. 
Reminder to PIs Doing Animal Research
Animal research at NIH involving the use of recombinant DNA or human pathogens cannot proceed without prior approval from the NIH Institutional Biosafety Committee (NIH IBC). Principal investigators are responsible for ensuring that complete and accurate registration documents (form 2960 for recombinant DNA and form HPRD for human pathogens) are submitted to the IBC—together with the relevant animal study proposal (ASP) attached. The NIH IBC meets on the first Wednesday of each month. Review of registration documents proceeds concurrently with Animal Care and Use Committee review of ASPs to expedite the entire review process.
Questions regarding
the NIH IBC review process may be referred to Martin
Sanders, the executive secretary, at 301-496-2960 or by e-mail.
The Radiation Safety Committee (RSC) has created a comprehensive website that houses all the forms and documents needed to submit a clinical protocol to the RSC, apply to become a clinical authorized user, or apply to the Radioactive Drug Research Committee. Also on site are RSC policies, members, and meeting dates—and dosimetry tables. The website was the dream of NCI’s Lance Liotta, RSC chair for more than 11 years before handing the role to NIDDK’s Ira Levin. For more information, contact Victor Voegtli (who planned and constructed the website) at 301-496-5774 or Lisa Coronado 301-496-2253.
The
website is accessible
outside as well as within the NIH computer system.