Multiple Possible Actions Follow


  • Change in scientific guidelines
  • Merge study sections
  • Create new study sections
  • Redistribute areas across study sections
  • Add emerging areas of science
  • Eliminate study sections

Process Overview for Each Cluster of Study Sections

  • Cluster Formation
How? Determined by science, not management structure - 9-12 study sections in each cluster
  • External Scientific Evaluation Panel
Who? Scientifically broad, senior scientists provided with:
  • current scientific guidelines
  • sample abstracts & aims
  • data on workload trends, bibliometric output, ESI submission and success rates
Asked: How well does the scope of the study sections align with the current state of the science?
  • Internal Process Evaluation Panel
Who? NIH extramural staff with broad perspective
  • workload data
  • scoring trends
  • survey feedback from reviewers & program officers
  • site-visit information on meeting function
  • External Scientific Working Group’s report
Asked: Does the study section function in a way that supports optimal identification of high-impact science?
  • Approvals
  • CSR Advisory Council
  • NIH Office of the Director
  • Implementation by CSR
  • Test practicality of new guidelines through mock application referral
  • Reassignment of standing study section members to fit guidelines of new study sections
  • Publicize new study sections to the community
  • Monitor referral & adherence to new guidelines

Clusters Evaluated via ENQUIRE in 2022


Drug Synthesis, Discovery, Disposition, and Xenobiotics

Study Sections Evaluated (14)

  • Cancer Etiology (CE)
  • Drug Discovery for the Nervous System (DDNS)
  • Drug Discovery and Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Resistance (DDR)
  • Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology (DMP)
  • Developmental Therapeutics (DT)
  • Gene and Drug Delivery Systems (GDD)
  • Nanotechnology (NANO)
  • Synthetic and Biological Chemistry A (SBCA)
  • Synthetic and Biological Chemistry B (SBCB)
  • Systemic Injury by Environmental Exposure (SIEE)
  • Xenobiotic and Nutrient Disposition and Action (XNDA)
  • Topics in Bacterial Pathogenesis (ZRG1 AIDC (82))
  • Eukaryotic Pathogen Drug Discovery and Resistance (ZRG1 AIDC (83))
  • PAR Panel: High Throughput Screening (ZRG1 BST-F (55))

Resulting Study Sections (14)

  • Anti-Infective Resistance and Targets (AIRT)
  • Advancing Therapeutics A (ATA)
  • Advancing Therapeutics (ZRG1 MCST (81))
  • Chemical Biology & Probes (CBP)
  • Chemical Synthesis & Biosynthesis (CSB)
  • Drug and Biologic Disposition and Toxicity (DBDT)
  • Drug and Biologic Therapeutic Delivery (DBTD)
  • Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology A (DMPA)
  • Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology (DCAI (81))
  • Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology C (DMPC)
  • Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology B (DMPB)
  • Environmental Determinants of Disease (EDD)
  • Innovations in Nanosystems and Nanotechnology (INN)
  • Nucleic Acid Therapeutic Delivery (BBBT (81))

Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

Study Sections Evaluated (10)

  • Bacterial Pathogenesis (BACP)
  • Host Interactions with Bacterial Pathogens (HIBP)
  • Immunity and Host Defense (IHD)
  • Prokaryotic Cell and Molecular Biology (PCMB)
  • Pathogenic Eukaryotes (PTHE)
  • Vector Biology (VB)
  • Vaccines Against Microbial Diseases (VID)
  • Virology - A (VIRA)
  • Virology - B (VIRB)
  • Topics in Bacterial Pathogenesis (ZRG1 IIDA-B 80)

Resulting Study Sections (11)

  • Bacterial-Host Interactions (BHI)
  • Bacterial Virulence (BV)
  • Immunity and Host Defense (IHD)
  • Interspecies Microbial Interactions and Infections (IMII)
  • Molecular and Cellular Biology of Virus Infection (MCV)
  • Prokaryotic Cell and Molecular Biology (PCMB)
  • Pathogenic Eukaryotes (PTHE)
  • Transmission of Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases (TVZ)
  • Viral Dynamics and Transmission (VDT)
  • Vaccines Against Microbial Diseases (VID)
  • Viral Pathogenesis and Immunity (VPI)

Epidemiology and Population Sciences

Study Sections Evaluated (9)

  • Behavioral Genetics and Epidemiology (BGES)
  • Biostatistical Methods and Research Design (BMRD)
  • Cancer, Heart, and Sleep Epidemiology Panel A (CHSA)
  • Cancer, Heart, and Sleep Epidemiology Panel B (CHSB)
  • Clinical Research and Field Studies of Infectious Diseases (CRFS)
  • Genetics of Health and Disease (GHD)
  • Infectious Diseases, Reproductive Health, Asthma and Pulmonary Conditions (IRAP)
  • Kidney, Nutrition, Obesity and Diabetes (KNOD)
  • Neurological, Aging and Musculoskeletal Epidemiology (NAME)

Resulting Study Sections (13)

  • Aging, Injury, Musculoskeletal, and Rheumatologic Disorders (AIMR)
  • Analytics and Statistics for Population Research Panel A (ASPA)
  • Analytics and Statistics for Population Research Panel B (ASPB)
  • Cancer and Hematologic Disorders (CHD)
  • Cardiovascular and Respiratory Diseases (CRD)
  • Etiology, Diagnostic, Intervention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases (EDIT)
  • Genetics of Health and Disease (GHD)
  • Kidney, Endocrine, and Digestive Disorders (KEDD)
  • Lifestyle and Health Behaviors (LHB)
  • Neurological, Mental and Behavioral Health (NMBH)
  • Population-based Research in Infectious Disease (PRID)
  • Reproductive, Perinatal, and Pediatric Health (RPPH)
  • Social and Environmental Determinants of Health (SEDH)

Oncology

Study Sections Evaluated (10)

  • Cancer Molecular Pathobiology (CAMP)
  • Cancer Biomarkers (CBSS)
  • Cancer Immunopathology and Immunotherapy (CII)
  • Clinical Oncology (CONC)
  • Mechanisms of Cancer Therapeutics - 1 (MCT1)
  • Mechanisms of Cancer Therapeutics - 2 (MCT2)
  • Molecular Oncogenesis (MONC)
  • Tumor Cell Biology (TCB)
  • Tumor Microenvironment (TME)
  • Tumor Progression and Metastasis (TPM)

Resulting Study Sections (13)

  • Biochemical and Cellular Oncogenesis (BCO)
  • Cancer Cell Biology (CCB)
  • Cellular Immunotherapy of Cancer (CIC)
  • Clinical Oncology (CONC)
  • Gene Regulation in Cancer (GRIC)
  • Molecular Cancer Diagnosis and Classification (MCDC)
  • Mechanisms of Cancer Therapeutics A (MCTA)
  • Mechanisms of Cancer Therapeutics B (MCTB)
  • Mechanisms of Cancer Therapeutics C (MCTC)
  • Tumor Evolution, Heterogeneity and Metastasis (TEHM)
  • Tumor Host Interactions (THI)
  • Translational Immuno-oncology (TIO)
  • Therapeutic Immune Regulation (TIR)


Clusters Evaluated via ENQUIRE in 2021


Molecular and Cellular Basic Sciences

Study Sections Evaluated (16)

  • Biochemistry and Biophysics of Membranes (BBM)
  • Biophysics of Neural Systems (BPNS)
  • Cellular Signaling and Regulatory Systems (CSRS)
  • Membrane Biology and Protein Processing (MBPP)
  • Molecular Genetics A (MGA)
  • Molecular Genetics B (MGB)
  • Molecular and Integrative Signal Transduction (MIST)
  • Molecular Neuropharmacology and Signaling (MNPS)
  • Macromolecular Structure and Function A (MSFA)
  • Macromolecular Structure and Function B (MSFB)
  • Macromolecular Structure and Function C (MSFC)
  • Macromolecular Structure and Function D (MSFD)
  • Nuclear and Cytoplasmic Structure/Function and Dynamics (NCSD)
  • Neurotransporters, Receptors, and Calcium Signaling (NTRC)
  • Prokaryotic Cell and Molecular Biology (PCMB)
  • Synapses, Cytoskeleton and Trafficking (SYN)

Resulting Study Sections (12)

  • Biochemistry and Biophysics of Membranes (BBM)
  • Cell Structure and Function-1 (CSF-1)
  • Cell Structure and Function-2 (CSF-2)
  • Cellular Signaling and Regulatory Systems (CSRS)
  • Molecular Cellular Neuropharmacology (MCNP)
  • Molecular Genetics (MG)
  • Macromolecular Structure and Function A (MSFA)
  • Macromolecular Structure and Function B (MSFB)
  • Macromolecular Structure and Function C (MSFC)
  • Neuronal Communications (NC)
  • Prokaryotic Cell and Molecular Biology (PCMB)
  • Receptor Biology and Signal Transduction (RBST)


Clusters Evaluated via ENQUIRE in 2019


Healthcare Delivery/Patient Outcomes

Study Sections Evaluated (9)

  • Biomedical Computing and Health Informatics (BCHI)
  • Behavioral Medicine: Interventions and Outcomes (BMIO)
  • Community-Level Health Promotion (CLHP)
  • Clinical Management of Patients in Community-based Settings (CMPC)
  • Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (DIRH)
  • Health Disparities and Equity Promotion (HDEP)
  • Health Services Organization and Delivery (HSOD)
  • Nursing and Related Clinical Sciences (NRCS)
  • Psychosocial Risk and Disease Prevention (PRDP)

Resulting Study Sections (11)

  • Biobehavioral Medicine and Health Outcomes (BMHO)
  • Clinical Data Management and Analysis (CDMA)
  • Clinical Informatics and Digital Health (CIDH)
  • Clinical Management in General Health Care Settings (CMGC)
  • Healthcare and Health Disparities (HHD)
  • Health Promotion in Communities (HPC)
  • Health Services: Quality and Effectiveness (HSQE)
  • Interdisciplinary Clinical Care in Specialty Care Settings (ICSC)
  • Lifestyle Change and Behavioral Health (LCBH)
  • Organization and Delivery of Health Services (ODHS)
  • Science of Implementation in Health and Healthcare (SIHH)

GI, Renal, Endocrine Systems

Study Sections Evaluated (11)

  • Cellular Aspects of Diabetes and Obesity (CADO)
  • Clinical and Integrative Diabetes and Obesity (CIDO)
  • Clinical, Integrative and Molecular Gastroenterology (CIMG)
  • Gastrointestinal Mucosal Pathobiology (GMPB)
  • Hepatobiliary Pathophysiology (HBPP)
  • Integrative Nutrition and Metabolic Processes (INMP)
  • Integrative Physiology of Obesity and Diabetes (IPOD)
  • Kidney Molecular Biology and Genitourinary Organ Development (KMBD)
  • Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology (MCE)
  • Pathobiology of Kidney Disease (PBKD)
  • Urology and Urogynecology (ZRG1 DKUS 90)

Resulting Study Sections (10)

  • Basic Mechanisms of Diabetes and Metabolism (BMDM)
  • Cell Signaling and Molecular Endocrinology (CSME)
  • Digestive System Host Defense, Microbial Interactions and Immune and Inflammatory Disease (DHMI)
  • Digestive and Nutrient Physiology and Diseases (DNPD)
  • Hepatobiliary Pathophysiology (HBPP)
  • Human Studies of Diabetes and Obesity (HSDO)
  • Kidney and Urological Systems Function and Dysfunction (KUFD)
  • Nutrition and Metabolism in Health and Disease (NMHD)
  • Pathobiology of Kidney Disease (PBKD)
  • Pathophysiology of Obesity and Metabolic Disease (POMD)

Cardiac, Vascular and Hematologic Sciences

Study Sections Evaluated (10)

  • Atherosclerosis and Inflammation of the Cardiovascular System Study Section (AICS)
  • Cardiac Contractility, Hypertrophy, and Failure Study Section (CCHF)
  • Clinical and Integrative Cardiovascular Sciences Study Section (CICS)
  • Electrical Signaling, Ion Transport, and Arrhythmias Study Section (ESTA)
  • Hemostasis and Thrombosis Study Section (HT)
  • Hypertension and Microcirculation Study Section (HM)
  • Molecular and Cellular Hematology Study Section (MCH)
  • Myocardial Ischemia and Metabolism Study Section (MIM)
  • Vascular Cell and Molecular Biology Study Section (VCMB)
  • Transfusion Medicine Sep (ZRG1 VH-D 55)

Resulting Study Sections (8)

  • Atherosclerosis and Vascular Inflammation (AVI)
  • Basic Biology of Blood, Heart and Vasculature (BBHV)
  • Clinical Integrative Cardiovascular and Hematological Sciences (CCHS)
  • Hemostasis, Thrombosis, Blood Cells and Transfusion Study Section (HTBT)
  • Integrative Vascular Physiology and Pathology (IVPP)
  • Integrative Myocardial Physiology/Pathophysiology A (MPPA)
  • Integrative Myocardial Physiology/Pathophysiology B (MPPB)
  • Therapeutic Development and Preclinical Studies (TDPS)

Functional/Cognitive Neuroscience

Study Sections Evaluated (12)

  • Auditory System (AUD)
  • Biology of the Visual System (BVS)
  • Cognition and Perception (CP)
  • Chemosensory Systems (CSS)
  • Diseases and Pathophysiology of the Visual System (DPVS)
  • Neurobiology of Learning and Memory (LAM)
  • Language and Communication (LCOM)
  • Neuroendocrinology, Neuroimmunology, Rhythms and Sleep (NNRS)
  • Sensory Motor Integration (SMI)
  • Mechanisms of Sensory, Perceptual, and Cognitive Processes (SPC)
  • Somatosensory and Pain Systems (SPS)
  • Ocular Surface, Cornea, Anterior Segment Glaucoma, and Refractive Error Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1 BDCN-J 81)

Resulting Study Sections (11)

  • Auditory Systems (AUD)
  • Biology and Development of the Eye (BDE)
  • Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, Neuroimmunology, Rhythms, and Sleep (BNRS)
  • Human Complex Mental Function (HCMF)
  • Language and Communication (LCOM)
  • Learning, Memory and Decision Neuroscience (LMDN)
  • Neuroscience of Basic Visual Processes Study Section (NBVP)
  • Neuroscience of Interoception and Chemosensation (NIC)
  • Neurobiology of Pain and Itch (NPI)
  • Pathophysiology of Eye Disease 1 & 2 (PED)
  • Sensory-Motor Neuroscience (SMN)