Advisory committees carry out critical tasks to further an organization’s mission, and the National Advisory Allergy and Infectious Diseases Council (“Council”) is no exception. This NIAID committee—one of NIH’s roughly 150 chartered advisory committees—advises, assists, consults with, and makes recommendations to the HHS Secretary, NIH Director, and NIAID Director on issues pertaining to the Institute’s activities and related policies.
As part of its operating procedures, Council not only reviews and approves NIAID research concepts but is also tasked with providing final review of all NIAID research and training grants as well as career development awards. Council also addresses requests for support that legally require the committee’s recommendations.
| The most recent meeting of NIAID’s Advisory Council took place on September 9, 2024. We will recap the meeting, including remarks from NIAID Director Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo and NIAID Vaccine Research Center Director Dr. Ted Pierson, in the next issue of this newsletter. |
The People Serving on Council
The NIAID Advisory Council is comprised of a total of 18 voting members. Of those, 12 are considered experts in health and science, contributing technical expertise and an understanding of the needs of research communities of academia and industry. The remaining six are lay members, who impart a perspective of people and communities affected by diseases in the NIAID research mission. Together, these 18 individuals embody a diverse perspective on science, health, and the human impact of disease.
Six non-voting, ex officio members are also on the Council. Each holds a position at a particular federal agency or department and provides expertise from the perspective of their department. Although they provide advice and input, they cannot vote.
Truly, being part of the NIAID Advisory Council is testimony to an individual’s professional expertise and accomplishments. NIAID seeks Council’s advice before changing policies for training, health information dissemination, administration, budget, and other areas. Many actions cannot proceed without Council approval (e.g., select pay, foreign awards).
Each Council member also belongs to one of the three Council subcommittees corresponding with NIAID’s extramural divisions—the Division of AIDS, Division of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, and Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation. The subcommittees advise our program divisions on their effectiveness in meeting Institute goals and the needs of the scientific fields they support, including concept review for future initiatives. Note that the DAIDS subcommittee meets concurrently with the AIDS Research Advisory Committee; they are separate entities but often act collectively at NIAID Council meetings.
While much of Council’s work is carried out in these separate subcommittees, major policy matters are typically discussed by the full Council.
In addition, three members of Council are selected to represent the committee for the expedited second-level review—a core charge that entails an early, expedited review of meritorious applications that do not have any unresolved issues. This expedited second-level review occurs electronically 8 weeks before a Council meeting.
Council meetings take place three times a year—in January, June, and September. Meeting activities are driven partly by the budget and appropriation cycle; for instance, discussions in September reflect NIAID’s anticipated level of funding at the beginning of the fiscal year. A portion of these meetings is open to the public and streamed online; during closed sessions, the Council carries out tasks like reviewing grant applications in which confidential information is discussed. (You can search for past and upcoming Advisory Council meetings on NIH VideoCast.)
The Selection Process
Council members are selected for their scientific expertise, interest, and knowledge of the Institute’s mission and goals. Typically, each division within NIAID proposes candidates based on scientific need with consideration for levels of experience and expertise. The identification and selection process involves extensive research and planning including gathering information on candidates from varied sources. Individuals also have the option to self-nominate as candidates.
NIAID program officers and others supporting the selection process review applicant and grant recipient files as well as curriculum vitae and publications of investigators; review NIH’s enterprise-wide database system and other databases for potential nominees with specific expertise; review scientific journals and relevant publications; attend professional meetings to identify potential candidates; and consult with other eminent investigators.
NIAID’s Office of Committee Management (OCM) is tasked with reviewing these nominations as a whole to ensure the group meets certain statutory requirements along with scientific needs. For instance, under the Public Health Services Act, the NIAID Advisory Council must include at least two members who are experts in behavioral and social sciences or public health. Within the public category, the following disciplines must be represented: public policy, health policy, law, economics, and management.
OCM also ensures diversification across gender, race, ethnicity, and geographic balance across HHS’ 10 regions. In addition, as part of the vetting process, OCM checks whether potential candidates are currently serving on another NIH committee; whether another member from the same institution serves on the committee; whether there is evidence of foreign activity; or if NIH nominates the same individual too often.
OCM then uses that information to build a slate—a series of documents that lay out the overall list of candidates along with detailed background information on each candidate. This package is sent to the Office of Federal Advisory Committee Policy, which is tasked with reviewing the package and sending it for NIH approval, after which it is sent to HHS for final approval.
Approximately 25 percent of Council members rotate off each year. Those who replace them are appointed by the HHS Secretary, following review and approval of the slate described above.
Council members are appointed for 4 years, with an option to extend their term by 180 days if their successor has not been appointed. They become Special Government Employees and as such are subject to the same standards of ethics conduct as regular employees of the Executive Branch. While a member can be reappointed to the same committee, they must have a 2-year break in service and not run into any other policy issues of either concurrent or excessive service. NIH provides remuneration to its committee members for these services during the days they participate in meetings.
Read about NIH Advisory Committees and view the list of current NIAID Council Members.