Transcript Systems Science At NIH - Arizona State University

Systems Science and Health at
NIHScience
and Beyond:
Areas of
Systems
Developments
Interest
and
Funding
at the National Institutes of
Opportunities
Health
Patricia L. Mabry, Ph.D.
Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research
(OBSSR)
National Institutes of Health
American Control Conference
St. Louis, MO
June 11, 2009
About NIH & OBSSR
• The National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• is the the steward of medical and behavioral research for the Nation
(http://www.nih.gov/)
• is an agency of the U.S. federal government within the Department of
Health and Human Services.
• Annual budgets: NIH $30B; NSF $6.5B; DoD $515B
• 27 Institutes and Centers (ICs) comprise NIH - each covering a specific
domain of research, which is conducted both at NIH (intramural) and at
grantee universities (extramural). See a directory of the ICs at
http://www.nih.gov/icd/index.html
• The Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR)
stimulates behavioral and social sciences research across the ICs.
(http://obssr.od.nih.gov/index.aspx)
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The Complex Problem Space of Human Health
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“Systems Science” terminology at NIH
Systems Science approaches appreciate the complexity,
context, dynamic nature, and emergent phenomena
associated with the problem under study


SS methodologies include

Computational/mathematical modeling

Agent-based modeling
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Dynamic modeling

Network Analysis
Related Terms:

Complexity science

Complex adaptive systems

Non-linear dynamics
Why is NIH embracing Systems Science?
• Other approaches alone have not solved intractable health
problems
• Health problems are embedded in dynamically complex systems
• Need to make best use of limited resources, evaluate trade offs
• Computers have the computational power to do what humans
cannot
• keep track of large numbers of variables
• including their synergistic, cumulative and compounding
effects, and
• delayed effects/changes over time
• System science methodologies used successfully in other fields
– tried & true
What are the benefits of systems science to NIH?



Heuristic: to better understand problems (e.g., underlying
dynamics)
Hypothesis Generation: new hypotheses and/or narrow
the list of existing hypotheses prior to empirical studies
Knowledge Synthesis: synthesize existing knowledge for
meaningful interpretation

Expose Gaps in Knowledge about a problem

Forecasting to aid in preparing for the future

Intervention Testing in a virtual environment: saves
time and money; can do things that are impossible or
unethical in the real world; and exposes unintended
consequences.
Current SS at NIH

Interest in systems science (SS) is growing rapidly at NIH

Systems biology is further along than SS in the behavioral
and social sciences.

SS is being used to study infectious disease transmission
(e.g., HIV, flu, smallpox, SARS).

Less SS is being done in chronic disease/behavioral and
social determinants of health – these areas are ripe for SS

Any area of health and disease is applicable for NIH
funding
Potential Areas of Modeling for NIH
• Pandemic flu
• Tobacco use/substance abuse/addiction
• Obesity
• Health disparities/inequalities
• Social determinants of health
• Chronic disease – cardiovascular, cancer, diabetes
• Health care delivery
• Stress, mental illness
• Demography and population health
Potential Areas of Modeling for NIH
• Gene x environment interaction
• Life course questions
• Intergenerational transmission
• Linking physiological processes and social
environment – e.g., biology of stress, place effects
on health, poverty and health
Current and Future Systems Science Activities
NIH & CDC

Videocast 2007 Symposia Series on Systems Science and Health
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Institute for Systems Science and Health – May 2009 - annually
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Recognition of need for “cross fertilization” to encourage
collaboration – Society for the Study of Human Development (SSHD)
Oct 18-20 Ann Arbor, MI. SPB10- D.C. Metro area

Use the conference grant mechanism (R13/U13) to establish
connections across fields

Stay tuned to the BSSR Systems Science Listserv for future
opportunities to connect and collaborate
Grant Funded Systems Science and BSSR at NIH
Joshua Epstein, Director’s Pioneer Award, NIGMS, OBSSR,
2008. Project Title: Behavioral Epidemiology: Applications of AgentBased Modeling to Infectious Disease.
David Lounsbury, R03, NIDA, 2008. Project Title: Dynamics Modeling
as a Tool for Disseminating the PHS Tobacco Treatment Guideline
David T. Levy, U01, NCI, 2002-2010. CISNET. Project Title: A Simulation
of Tobacco Policy, Smoking and Lung Cancer.
Linda Collins & Daniel Rivera, R21, 2007-2010. NIH Roadmap.
Dynamical System /Related Engineering Approach /Improving
Behavioral Intervention
Daniel Rivera, K25, NIDA, OBSSR. Control Engineering Approaches to
Adaptive Interventions in Drug Abuse Prevention.
Keith Warren, R21, NIDA Maintenance and correlates of cooperative
behavior in therapeutic communities
Joseph Eisenberg, R01, NIAID, Environmental change and diarrheal
disease
John Morgenstern, U13, NIAAA, Transdisciplinary Approaches to
Mechanisms of Behavior Change in Alcohol: Facilitating Research
Across Disciplines and Institutions.
Grant Funded Systems Science and BSSR at NIH
PAR-08-224 – (R21) Using Systems Science Methodologies to Protect
and Improve Population Health. Awards pending.
RFA-HD-08-023 (R01), Innovative Computational and Statistical
Methodologies for the Design and Analysis of Multilevel Studies on
Childhood Obesity (R01). Awards pending.
CISNET - Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network.
Modeling to guide public health research and priorities. NCI. CISNET
II, funded under RFA-CA-05-018, is focused on the application of
already developed models to study the population impact of existing
or emerging cancer control interventions. http://cisnet.cancer.gov
MIDAS – Modeling Infectious Disease Agents Study
IMAG – Interagency Modeling and Analysis Group
http://www.nibib.nih.gov/Research/MultiScaleModeling/IMAG
PAR-08-023 Predictive Multiscale Models of the Physiome. Open
through 2010. Simulate a physiological system at more than one
biological scale, including behavioral and population levels.
Funding Mechanisms at NIH
NIH has a variety of mechanisms to address most any stage
of the scientific development cycle:

R03 – small grant, in general $100K for two years

R21 - $275K Direct cost for a two year period

R01 – up to $500K per year for up to 5 years
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R13/U13 – conference grant
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Training and career development awards are also
encouraged

Refer to www.nih.gov for detailed funding info – I can send
a resource page to you
Open Funding Opportunity Announcements at
NIH in Systems Science

PAR-08-224 Using Systems Science Methodologies to Protect and
Improve Population Health (R21).

PAR-08-212, -213, -214 Methodology and Measurement in the
Behavioral and Social Sciences (R01, R21, R03).

RFA-07-079, -080 Behavioral and Social Science Research on
Understanding and Reducing Health Disparities (R01, R21)

PAR-08-023 Predictive Multiscale Models of the Physiome in
Health and Disease (R01).
**To stay apprised of new Funding Opportunity Announcements, join
the Behavioral and Social Science-Systems Science Listserv.
Send email to Patty Mabry [email protected] to join.
Other Relevant Funding Opportunity
Announcements
Geographic and Contextual Influences on Energy BalanceRelated Health Behaviors


R01 http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-192.html
R21 http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-08-193.html
Mechanisms of Behavior Change Initiation (MOBCI) for
Drinking Behavior Solicitation Number: NIAAA-09-07 **expired**

**To stay apprised of new Funding Opportunity Announcements, join the
Behavioral and Social Science-Systems Science Listserv. Send email
to Patty Mabry [email protected] to join.
NIH Roadmap for Medical Research
http://nihroadmap.nih.gov
The NIH Roadmap is a trans-NIH initiative funded through the Common Fund –
ALL Institutes and Centers (ICs) participate.
Initiatives funded through the Roadmap/Common Fund fit into one or more of
these major themes and address specific roadblocks or gaps to:

Foster high-risk/high-reward research

Enable the development of transformative tools and methodologies

Fill fundamental knowledge gaps

Change academic culture to foster collaboration
Director’s Pioneer Award http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/pioneer Announced Oct
New Innovator Award http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/newinnovator Announced Oct
Science of Behavior Change
Other initiatives
NIH Biomedical Information Science and Technology Initiative
(BISTI).

An initiative to enhance the application of computer science to
problems in biology and medicine
http://www.bisti.nih.gov/bistic2.cfm
NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research
http://www.neuroscienceblueprint.nih.gov/
Comparative Effectiveness - $400M ARRA funds. CER definition: a
rigorous evaluation of the impact of different options that are
available for treating a given medical condition for a particular set of
patients.
Advice for Getting NIH Funding

Identify a research question or area for which your skills are
needed.

Identify collaborators with the content expertise, NIH track
record of success

Identify pertinent FOAs
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Identify one or more IC’s who might be interested

Develop a concept paper

Talk to Program Staff (Scientific Contacts)

Prepare application well before deadline – send draft out for
feedback.
END
Patty Mabry, Ph.D.
OBSSR
[email protected]