|
|
Carole A. Heilman, Ph.D., Director, DMID
Dr. Carole Heilman, Director of the Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (DMID), chaired the meeting. She welcomed all participants, including Dr. Gail Wertz, an ad hoc member. She reported that Dr. Penny Hitchcock has chosen to leave her position as the Chief of the DMID Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Branch and move on to new professional opportunities. Until the Division has an opportunity to recruit and select a new STD Branch Chief, Dr. Pamela McInnes will assume the responsibility of Acting Branch Chief. A search committee would be convening that afternoon to begin the process of identifying Dr. Hitchcock's replacement; Dr. Maggie So, a current Subcommittee member, is serving on this committee.
In her opening remarks, Dr. Heilman discussed recent and upcoming meetings, ongoing GAO reviews, and reports of importance to DMID. At the Tenth Annual Meeting of the NIAID International Centers for Tropical Disease Research (ICTDR) which was held in May, Dr. Fauci unveiled NIAID's new Global Health Research Plan for HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis. Dr. Heilman described the meeting as remarkably successful and lauded Dr. Stephanie James, Chief of the Parasitology and International Programs Branch, for her and her staff's efforts in this regard. She also reported on the first meeting of the Hepatitis C Cooperative Research Centers, which was also held in May, focused on microarrays, chimpanzee experiments, clinical specimens, and potential collaborations. At the Advisory Workshop on Research Tools for Hepatitis C, which was held in conjunction with the Hepatitis C Cooperative Research Centers meeting, the advisors gave enthusiastic endorsement of incorporating Hepatitis C into the AIDS Research and Reference Reagent Program; establishing a sequence database akin to those already in existence for HIV, influenza and sexually transmitted diseases; and developing and publishing requirements for optimal collection of specimens and providing repositories for storage with defined requirements for investigator access.
Dr. Heilman also noted several upcoming meetings of particular importance to DMID include a meeting on reverse genetics and influenza in July and two vaccine-safety-related meetings. The next IOM Immunization Safety Review Committee meeting, which will be held on July 16 in Boston, is focused on thimerosal and neurodevelopmental disorders. Another meeting, to be held in early September, will bring together outside experts to evaluate peer-reviewed manuscripts that focus on the problem of intussusception identified with the RotaShield rotavirus vaccine.
Dr. Heilman reported that DMID staff have been involved in several GAO reviews including those focused on Lyme disease, global surveillance, and bioterrorism. In April, the IOM released a report on the MMR vaccine and autism. This report concluded that "the evidence rejects a causal relationship at the population level between MMR and ASD." Two days following the release of this report, the House Committee on Government Reform (Rep. Dan Burton, R-IN, Chairman) held hearing titled "Autism -- Why the Increased Rates?" Issues raised at the hearing included the purported association between autism, the MMR vaccine, and the use of thimerosal in vaccines. NICHD's Director of Intramural Research, Owen Rennert, M.D., testified on behalf of NIH. Dr. Heilman indicated that the report from the workshop, "Scientific Evidence on Condom Effectiveness for Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Prevention," that was held June 12-13, 2000, `has been completed and is now at DHHS for clearance.
Dr. Heilman informed the Subcommittee that DMID recently funded two projects that together comprise a new iteration of the long-standing Mycoses Study Group, which now has at its core a new risk group: serious healthcare-associated resistant bacterial infections including those in intensive care settings. This new paradigm includes the Bacteriology and Mycology Study Group (BAMSG) and the Bacteriology and Mycology Biostatistical Unit (BAMBU). Dr. Heilman also provided the Subcommittee with a status of the development of the NIH Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE) Plan in which NIAID has been involved. This Plan is focused on further development of animal models, the evaluation of anti-TSE compounds through, and BL3 facilities enhancement. DMID is also a participant in the development of a DHHS plan to respond to any USDA request for help if a Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak occurs in the U.S. In an emergency situation, NIH could potentially provide technical assistance, support for laboratories converting to address FMD, veterinary and medical personnel, and assistance in disease surveillance. Dr. Heilman concluded her opening remarks with an overview of the new Biometry Program structure whereby both intramural and extramural activities would be combined to serve under a new Program Director.
Dr. Heilman began the next segment of the meeting by introducing Dr. Maria Giovanni, who provided an overview of NIAID's pathogen genome sequencing activities. She briefly summarized the Blue Ribbon Panel on Genomics, which was held in May, 1999, and focused her discussion on the subsequent NIAID activities that have occurred as an outgrowth of that meeting. NIAID currently supports 38 large scale sequencing projects, a significant increase over the two large sequencing projects that the Institute initially supported in 1995. She described the mechanisms used and related policies. She also discussed how rapidly sequencing data can be made available to investigators through NIAID's genomic sequencing database/web site. NIH's collaborative efforts with other relevant Federal agencies were described along with an action plan to ensure cooperation and the efficient use of funds among all the parties. Dr. Giovanni concluded her presentation by describing several relevant trans-NIH initiatives and why they are important to the genome sequencing effort. Follow-up questions from the Subcommittee members included discussion of DOE's sequencing activities and the status of the legality of patenting sequences without functional information.
The final presenter was Dr. James Hughes, Director of the National Center for Infectious Diseases at CDC. He emphasized CDC's four priorities, which include: 1) strengthening the science base for public health action; 2) establishing health care partnerships to promote prevention activities; 3) promoting healthy living at every stage of life; and 4) improving global health. He provided an overview of the organizational structure of CDC and discussed their emerging infectious diseases plan. The goals of this plan include surveillance, applied research issues, infrastructure and training, and prevention and control. He discussed several relevant examples of the types of domestic and international collaborations in which CDC has been involved that promote the goals of this plan. Follow-up questions included the issues of expanding or refocusing surveillance sites, global migration and quarantine, and providing specialty training in various scientific disciplines to cope with the expected retirement "wave" of clinical research directors.
Two concepts were presented for clearance:
NIAID International Centers for Excellence in Research (ICER) -- The goal of the ICER program is to develop a sustained research program of excellence in areas of high global infectious disease burden through partnerships with developing countries. In the initial stages, the goal is to establish core infrastructures containing high quality immunological, microbiological, biostatistical, epidemiological and clinical research capability. In addition, in-country capability in areas of high public health importance will be developed.
U.S.-Based Collaboration in Emerging Viral Disease Research -- This initiative will establish multi-disciplinary research units to develop and evaluate the scientific information and tools needed to control emerging viral diseases. These units will provide the capability to quickly address scientific questions arising from the emergence of viral pathogens, such as the flaviviruses West Nile and dengue, and from the emergence of viral-like agents, such as those prions associated with infectious neurologic diseases like TSEs in both humans and animals. An additional capacity to be developed by the units is the ability to analyze new, environmentally sound vector control tools and strategies needed to intervene in the emergence and spread of arthropod-borne infectious diseases. Furthermore, each center will include a capability to quickly undertake pilot projects in areas deemed appropriate by program staff.
Both concepts were approved unanimously.
back to top |