[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 3, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14804-14805]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-8164]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
National Institutes of Health; Statement of Organization,
Functions, and Delegations of Authority
Part H, Chapter HN (National Institutes of Health) (NIH) of the
Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority for
the Department of Health and Human Services (40 FR 22859, May 27, 1975,
as amended most recently at 61 FR 3722, February 1, 1996), is amended
to reflect the reorganization of the National Center for Research
Resources (NCRR) (HNR). This reorganization streamlines the structure
of NCRR by consolidating seven extramural programs into four extramural
areas and five extramural support functions into three. Specifically,
the reorganization consists of the following: (1) Retitle the General
Clinical Research Centers Program (HNRB) to Clinical Research and
revise its functional statement; (2) retitle the Comparative Medicine
Program (HNR8) to Comparative Medicine (CM), transfer the functions of
the Biological Models and Materials Research Program (BMMRP) (HNRH) to
CM, abolish BMMRP, and revise CM's functional statement; (3) retitle
Biomedical Research Technology Program (HNRC) to Biomedical Technology
(BT), transfer the Shared Instrumentation Grant Program within the
Biomedical Research Program (BRSP) (HNRE) to BT, and revise BT's
functional statement; (4) establish Research Infrastructure (RI)
(HNRL); (5) transfer the functions of the Research Centers in Minority
Institutions Program (RCMIP) (HNRG) and Research Facilities Improvement
Program (RFIP) (HNR9) to RI, transfer the functions of the remaining
two BRSP programs (Institutional Development Award Program [IDeA] and
Science Education Program Award (SEPA) to RI; and (6) abolish the
RCMIP, RFIP, BRSP. In the Office of the Director, NCRR (HNR1) (1)
establish the Office of Extramural Activities (OEA) (HNR17); (2)
transfer the functions of the Office of Grants and Contracts Management
(OGCM) (HNR13) and the Office of Review (OR) (HNR16) to the OEA and
abolish OGCM and OR; (3) transfer the Committee Management Office
function from the immediate Office of the Director to the OEA; (4)
transfer the functions of the Office of Science and Health Reports
(OSHR) (HNR12) to the Office of Science Policy (OSP) (HNR15), revise
OSP's functional statement, and abolish OSHR; and (5) retitle the
Office of Administrative Management (HNR14) to Office of Administration
(OA) and revise its functional statement.
Section HN-B Organization and Functions is amended as follows: (1)
Under the heading National Center for Research Resources (HNR), insert
the following:
Research Infrastructure (HNRL). (1) Supports programs to improve
the representation of minority investigators who are underrepresented
in biomedical research; (2) enhances the research environment and
faculty development at minority colleges and universities that award
doctoral degrees in the health sciences; (3) provides matching grants
to improve biomedical and behavioral research facilities through
construction and renovation; (4) supports science education
opportunities for minority high school students and their teachers
interested in science careers; (5) supports K-12 science teacher
education and skills development; and (6) supports innovation and
improvement in pre-college science education and in the public's
understanding of health-related science.
(2) Under the heading General Clinical Research Centers Program
(HNRB), and Biomedical Research Technology Program (HNRC), delete the
titles and functional statements in their entirety and substitute the
following:
Comparative Medicine (HNR8). (1) Provides high quality, disease-
free animal models and specialized and research facilities for
biomedical investigators; (2) supports the development of a wide-range
of research models, particularly marine invertebrates and lower
vertebrates; (3) provides access for biomedical researchers to an array
of important biological materials, such as viruses, bacteria and fungi
as well as cell lines, genetic material, and human cells and organs;
(4) supports research activities at seven Regional Primate Centers; (5)
supports the identification and development of new and improved animal
models for the study of human diseases; (6) supports improvement of the
health and well-being of laboratory animals; (7) supports training and
career development for veterinarians; (8) provides repositories for the
storage and distribution of genetically altered animal models; and (9)
supports the breeding accessibility of scarce research animals.
[[Page 14805]]
Clinical Research (HNRB). (1) Supports a national network of
clinical research centers in academic medical hospitals for
interdisciplinary clinical research into the prevention, diagnosis and
treatment of disease, providing cost-effective, centralized access to
research facilities, specially trained research nurses and dietitians,
core laboratories, biostatisticians, and computerized database
management and analysis systems; (2) supports professional development
of junior career physicians and dentists involved in clinical research;
and (3) supports other shared resources for clinical research.
Biomedical Technology (HNRC). (1) Supports research, development
and access to sophisticated technologies at biomedical technology
resource centers; (2) provides grants for acquisition of new state-of-
the-art shared instrumentation; (3) supports special emphasis
technology development in high performance computing, molecular and
cellular structural biology technologies, biomedical engineering,
noninvasive imaging and spectroscopy, mathematical modeling and
computer simulations through grants, contacts and cooperative
agreements.
(3) Under the headings Biomedical Research Support Program (HNRE),
Research Centers in Minority Institutions Program (HNRG), Biological
Models and Materials Research Program (HNRH), and Research Facilities
Improvement Program (HNR9), delete the titles and functional statements
in their entirety.
(4) Under the heading National Center for Research Resources (HNR),
Office of the Director (HNRI), insert the following:
Office of Extramural Activities (HNR17). (1) Provides oversight and
direction for the review of grant applications and contract proposals;
(2) manages the National Advisory Research Resources Council and other
advisory and review committees; (3) provides oversight and direction
for the grant management functions of the NCRR.
(5) Under the heading Office of Administrative Management (HNR14),
delete the title and functional statement in its entirety and
substitute the following:
Office of Administration (HNR14). (1) Plans, implements, and
evaluates administrative and management services and provides support
to the programs and activities of the Center; (2) provides budgetary
support for budget formulation and execution; (3) provides personnel
management services, management analysis and advice; (4) plans and
operates the NCRR Data Systems; (5) maintains liaison with the Office
of Administration, NIH; and (6) interprets and implements new/revised
administrative policies/regulations affecting the overall mission of
the Center.
(6) Under the heading Office of Science Policy (HNR15) delete the
functional statement in its entirety and substitute the following:
Office of Science Policy (HNR15). (1) Advises the Director of the
National Center for Research Resources on policy matters, scientific
developments and other relevant issues that may affect NCRR programs
and initiatives; (2) assists in the establishment of NCRR objectives
and in the development or modification of programs to meet these
objectives; (3) evaluates the performance and impact of NCRR programs
and related PHS programs and activities; (4) acquires data and performs
analyses for use in NCRR planning and development; (5) coordinates the
presentation of the Center's plans and reports; (6) conducts the
Center's legislative liaison activities; (7) serves as a clearinghouse
and focal point for the Center's efforts to interpret the goals and
results of NCRR-supported research programs and projects and to
disseminate information to the biomedical research community, to
Congress and the Executive Branch, to other specialized groups, and to
the general public; and (8) conducts the Center's Freedom of
Information and Privacy Act activities.
(7) Under the headings Office of Science and Health Reports (HNR
12), Office of Grants and Contracts Management (HNR13), and Office of
Review (HNR16), delete the titles and functional statements in their
entirety.
Dated: March 21, 1996.
Harold Varmus,
Director, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 96-8164 Filed 4-2-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M
