2010-23609. 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 panels 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. on the dates indicated below:

Panel	Date(s)	Location
Infectious Diseases-A	November 16, 2010	*VA Central Office
Hematology	November 18, 2010	*VA Central Office
Infectious Diseases-B	November 19, 2010	Crowne Plaza
Neurobiology-A	November 19, 2010	Crowne Plaza
Neurobiology-D	November 19, 2010	Crowne Plaza
Pulmonary Medicine	November 19, 2010	Crowne Plaza
Endocrinology-B	November 22, 2010	*VA Central Office
Surgery	November 22, 2010	The Hotel George
Cellular & Molecular Medicine	November 22, 2010	Crowne Plaza
Mental Hlth & Behav Sci-B	November 22, 2010	Crowne Plaza
Endocrinology-A	November 23, 2010	The Hotel George
Immunology-A	December 1, 2010	Crowne Plaza
Epidemiology	December 1, 2010	*VA Central Office
Neurobiology-E	December 1, 2010	Crowne Plaza
Gastroenterology	December 2, 2010	Crowne Plaza
Nephrology	December 2, 2010	Crowne Plaza
Neurobiology-C	December 2-3, 2010	Crowne Plaza
Oncology	December 2-3, 2010	Crowne Plaza
Cardiovascular Studies	December 3, 2010	Crowne Plaza
Clinical Research Program	December 3, 2010	*VA Central Office
Mental Hlth & Behav Sci-A	December 3, 2010	Crowne Plaza
The addresses of the hotels and VA Central Office are: Crowne Plaza Washington DC/Silver Spring, 8777 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring, MD. The Hotel George, 15 E Street, NW., Washington, DC.
*VA Central Office, 1722 Eye 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 panel 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 panel meeting will be closed to the public for the review, discussion, and evaluation of initial and renewal research proposals.

The closed portion of each meeting involves discussion, examination, reference to staff and consultant critiques of research proposals. During this portion of each 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 proposals.

As provided by subsection 10(d) of Public Law 92-463, as amended, closing portions of these panel 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 panel meetings and rosters of the members of the panels should contact LeRoy G. Frey, Ph.D., Chief, Program Review (121F), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20420, at [phone] or [e-mail].

Dated: September 16, 2010.

By Direction of the Secretary.

Vivian Drake,

Acting Committee Management Officer.