E8-25451. Joint Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development and Clinical Science Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review Board; Notice of Meetings

The Department of Veterans Affairs gives notice under the Public Law 92-463 (Federal Advisory Committee Act) that the subcommittees of the Joint Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development and Clinical Science Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review Board will meet from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. as indicated below:

Subcommittee for	Date(s)	Location
Surgery	November 10, 2008	Embassy Suites—Chevy Chase.
Mental Hlth & Behav Sci-B	November 13, 2008	DoubleTree Hotel.
Immunology	November 14, 2008	Embassy Suites—Chevy Chase.
Hematology	November 14, 2008	Embassy Suites—Chevy Chase.
Cardiovascular Studies	November 17, 2008	Embassy Suites—Crystal City.
Cellular & Molecular Medicine	November 19, 2008	* VA Central Office.
Gastroenterology	November 20, 2008	The Westin Washington DC.
Respiration	November 21, 2008	The Westin Washington DC.
Mental Hlth & Behav Sci-A	November 24, 2008	St. Gregory Luxury Hotel & Suites.
Neurobiology-D	November 25, 2008	St. Gregory Luxury Hotel & Suites.
Endocrinology-B	December 1, 2008	St. Gregory Luxury Hotel & Suites.
Infectious Diseases-A	December 2, 2008	Embassy Suites—Chevy Chase.
Infectious Diseases-B	December 3, 2008	The Westin Washington DC.
Oncology	December 4-5, 2008	DoubleTree Hotel.
Neurobiology-A	December 5, 2008	* VA Central Office.
Nephrology	December 5, 2008	The Westin Washington DC.
Epidemiology	December 5, 2008	* VA Central Office.
Endocrinology-A	December 8, 2008	The Westin Washington DC.
Neurobiology-E	December 8, 2008	The Westin Washington DC.
Clinical Research Program	December 9, 2008	Embassy Suites—Crystal City.
Neurobiology-C	December 11-12, 2008	DoubleTree Hotel.
The addresses of the hotels and VA Central Office are:
DoubleTree Hotel, 1515 Rhode Island Avenue, NW., Washington, DC.
Embassy Suites—Chevy Chase Pavilion, 4300 Military Road, NW., Washington, DC.
Embassy Suites—Crystal City, 1300 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA.
St. Gregory Hotel, 2033 M Street, NW., Washington, DC.
VA Central Office, 1722 Eye Street, NW., Washington, DC.
The Westin Washington DC City Center Hotel, 1400 M Street, NW., Washington, DC.
* Teleconference.

The purpose of the Merit Review Board is to provide advice on the scientific quality, budget, safety and mission relevance of investigator-initiated research proposals submitted for VA merit review consideration. Proposals submitted for review by the Board involve a wide range of medical specialties within the general areas of biomedical, behavioral and clinical science research.

The subcommittee meetings will be open to the public for approximately one hour at the start of each meeting to discuss the general status of the program. The remaining portion of each subcommittee meeting will be closed to the public for the review, discussion, and evaluation of initial and renewal projects.

The closed portion of each meeting involves discussion, examination, reference to staff and consultant critiques of research protocols. During this portion of each subcommittee meeting, discussion and recommendations will deal with qualifications of personnel conducting the studies, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, as well as research information, the premature disclosure of which could significantly frustrate implementation of proposed agency action regarding such research projects.

As provided by subsection 10(d) of Public Law 92-463, as amended, closing portions of these subcommittee meetings is in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552b(c)(6) and (9)(B). Those who plan to attend or would like to obtain a copy of minutes of the subcommittee meetings and rosters of the members of the subcommittees should contact LeRoy G. Frey, PhD, Chief, Program Review (121F), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420 at [phone].

Dated: October 20, 2008.

By direction of the Secretary.

E. Philip Riggin,

Committee Management Officer.