- Mission [1]
- The goal of NIH research is to acquire new knowledge to help prevent, detect, diagnose, and treat disease and disability,
from the rarest genetic disorder to the common cold. The NIH mission is to uncover new knowledge that will lead to better
health for everyone. NIH works toward that mission by conducting research in its own laboratories. Section 402(b)(3) 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 staff scientists. The Board reviews the research of each of the NIMH Laboratories and Branches
as well as the independent Sections every 4 years or sooner where appropriate. In FY2011 the Board reviewed several laboratories/branches
in the NIMH intramural program. At the October 2010 BSC Review, the Molecular Imaging Branch’s Section of PET Neuro-imaging
Sciences, Section on PET Radiopharmaceutical Sciences, and Section on Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; the Laboratory of Neurotoxicology’s
Section on Analytical Biochemistry; and the independent units on Affective Cognitive Neuroscience, and Genetics of Cognition
and Behavior were reviewed. At the May 2011 BSC Review, the Human Genetics Branch, the Laboratory of Molecular Pathophysiology
and Experimental Therapeutics’ Unit on Behavioral Genetics, the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Regulation’s Section
on Neural Gene Expression, and the independent Section on Pharmacology were reviewed. The Board continues to provide evaluation
and advice for the management of the research efforts of the intramural program. The Board provides to the National Advisory
Mental Health Council for review a description of its activities annually.
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