2014-23143. 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 (VA) gives notice under Public Law 92-463; Title 5 U.S.C. App. 2 (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 (JBL/CS SMRB) will meet from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the dates indicated below (unless otherwise listed):

Subcommittee	Date(s)	Location
Surgery	November 19, 2014	Hampton Inn.
Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences-A	November 20, 2014	Hampton Inn.
Hematology	November 21, 2014	Westin Crystal City.
Infectious Diseases-B	November 21, 2014	American Association of Airport Executives.
Cellular and Molecular Medicine	November 24, 2014	Hampton Inn.
Infectious Diseases-A	November 24, 2014	Westin Crystal City.
Endocrinology-A	December 1, 2014	Crowne Plaza Old Town.
Clinical Trials-A	December 2, 2014	Hampton Inn.
Epidemiology	December 2, 2014	*VA Central Office.
Immunology-A	December 3, 2014	Hampton Inn.
Neurobiology-C	December 3, 2014	Crowne Plaza Old Town.
Endocrinology-B	December 4, 2014	Crowne Plaza Old Town.
Nephrology	December 4, 2014	Hampton Inn.
Oncology-E	December 4, 2014	*VA Central Office (8:30 a.m. ET).
Oncology-A	December 4, 2014	*VA Central Office (12:00 p.m. ET).
Special Emphasis on Genomics	December 4, 2014	*VA Central Office.
Clinical Trials-B	December 5, 2014	*VA Central Office.
Neurobiology-A	December 5, 2014	Crowne Plaza Old Town.
Neurobiology-D	December 5, 2014	Hampton Inn.
Oncology-D	December 5, 2014	*VA Central Office (8:30 a.m. ET).
Oncology-C	December 5, 2014	*VA Central Office (12:00 p.m. ET).
Pulmonary Medicine	December 5, 2014	Crowne Plaza Old Town.
Aging and Clinical Geriatrics	December 8, 2014	*VA Central Office.
Neurobiology-R	December 8, 2014	*VA Central Office (12:00 p.m. ET).
Neurobiology-F	December 9, 2014	*VA Central Office.
Oncology-B	December 9, 2014	*VA Central Office (9:00 a.m. ET).
Cardiovascular Studies-A	December 11, 2014	Westin Crystal City.
Gastroenterology	December 11, 2014	Westin Crystal City.
Cardiovascular Studies-B	December 12, 2014	Westin Crystal City.
Gulf War Research	December 12, 2014	*VA Central Office.
Neurobiology-B	December 12, 2014	US Access Board.
Neurobiology-E	December 12, 2014	Hampton Inn.
JBL/CS SMRB	December 16, 2014	*VA Central Office (3:00 p.m. ET).
Eligibility	January 16, 2015	Hampton Inn.

The addresses of the meeting sites are:

American Association of Airport Executives, 601 Madison Street, 3rd Floor, Alexandria, VA

Crowne Plaza Old Town, 901 N. Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA

Hampton Inn, 1729 H Street NW., Washington, DC

US Access Board, 1331 F Street NW., Suite 800, Washington, DC

Westin Crystal City, 1800 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, VA

VA Central Office, 131 M Street NE., Washington, DC

*Teleconference.

The purpose of the subcommittees 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 involve a wide range of medical specialties within the general areas of biomedical, behavioral and clinical science research.

The subcommittee meetings will be closed to the public for the review, discussion, and evaluation of initial and renewal research proposals. However, the JBL/CS SMRG teleconference meeting will be open to the public. Members of the public who wish to attend the open JBL/CS SMRB teleconference may dial 1-800-767-1750, participant code 95562. Members of the public who wish to make a statement at the JBL/CS SMRB meeting must notify Dr. Alex Chiu via email at [e-mail] by December 10, 2014.

The closed subcommittee meetings involve discussion, examination, and reference to staff and consultant critiques of research proposals. Discussions will deal with scientific merit of each proposal and qualifications of personnel conducting the studies, the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Additionally, premature disclosure of research information could significantly frustrate implementation of proposed agency action regarding the research proposals. As provided by subsection 10(d) of Public Law 92-463, as amended by Public Law 94-409, closing the subcommittee meetings is in accordance with Title 5 U.S.C. 552b(c) (6) and (9)(B).

Those who would like to obtain a copy of the minutes from the closed subcommittee meetings and rosters of the subcommittee members should contact Alex Chiu, Ph.D., Manager, Merit Review Program (10P9B), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20420, at [phone] or email at [e-mail].

Dated: September 24, 2014.

Rebecca Schiller,

Advisory Committee Management Officer.