| T H E N I H C A T A L Y S T | M A R C H – A P R I L 2006 |
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| FROM THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR INTRAMURAL RESEARCH |
FIRST
STEPS TO AN INTRAMURAL
ROADMAP
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| MICHAEL GOTTESMAN |
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| ELIAS ZERHOUNI |
Because the intramural
program provides an ideal environment for the conduct of high-risk, high-impact
research, it makes sense to think about ways in which intramural scientists
can work together to attack problems that cannot easily be solved elsewhere.
This perspective is the heart of the NIH Roadmap.
Nonetheless, we have heard talk from many an intramural
scientist that our intramural research program has been less involved in the
current NIH Roadmap initiative than seems warranted. And they wonder why.
Although several Roadmap projects do involve the intramural
program —including the imaging
probe development center, the high-throughput
chemical library screening facilities, the RAID
expansion program for preclinical drug development, enhancement of the Clinical
Research Training Program, and interdisciplinary training activities—most
of the Roadmap activities, in fact, have been focused on extramural scientists.
The goals of the original NIH Roadmap were to identify specific
science areas that needed support in order to accelerate progress in generating
new tools for basic laboratory investigation, clinical research, and training.
These specific programs were developed after substantial input from both extramural
and intramural scientists and were intended to provide broad-based support for
research activities that would enhance research programs in all of our Institutes
and Centers.
Initially, we encouraged the intramural program to think
of ways to complement some of the Roadmap activities, and many of our scientists
have taken up the challenge to develop new highways and byways to accomplish
goals similar to those defined in the original Roadmap.
It is time now to expand these explorations to create new
scientific frontiers.
In thinking about how an intramural Roadmap can best contribute
to the overall biomedical research effort, it is clear that we must take full
advantage of the resources and talent we have and forge entirely new directions
that can revolutionize research and clinical applications.
—Michael
Gottesman
Deputy
Director for Intramural Research
—Elias
Zerhouni
Director,
NIH
| CAST
CALL |
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In
response to Michael Gottesman's editorial in the January-February 2006
NIH Catalyst, "Finding
Ways to Cast a Wider Net" : To
the Editor, A grass-roots organization of tenure-track and tenured faculty
is forming as a trans-NIH initiative with the endorsement of the DDIR
to aid in the recruitment of new faculty to NIH. The Recruitment Group will work together with search committees
after a candidate has been identified. Volunteers will meet informally
to address a candidate's specific scientific or personal issues, and discuss
the unique benefits of research at NIH. The idea is to provide a personal and friendly introduction
to NIH and match job candidates with similar faculty who are thriving
in intramural NIH. We also plan to create a website to provide information
about housing, schools, and other aspects of life at NIH specifically
directed at the questions frequently asked by job applicants. At the moment we are looking for two types of volunteers:
1) those who'd like to be on the executive committee and help develop
the idea and manage it and 2) those who would prefer not to be on the
committee but would rather serve as a faculty contact willing to talk
to and meet with top candidates to tell them about your experiences. If you are interested in either capacity in helping in the
future recruitment of outstanding faculty candidates to NIH, please contact:
Julie
Segre, 301-402-2314 or Mike Lenardo, 301-496-6754. |