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February 27, 2024
Director's Voice Blog
The Role of BSSR in Addressing Health Disparities
As we commemorate Black History Month, it is imperative to acknowledge the pernicious and persistent health disparities affecting Black or African Americans in the United States. These profound health inequities demand our attention, reflection, and, most importantly, our concerted efforts to address the root causes. As OBSSR Director, I am deeply committed to leveraging the power of behavioral and social sciences to foster greater health for all and dismantle the barriers that disproportionately impact African Americans.
Behavioral and Social Sciences Research Spotlights
Deep Neural Network algorithm successfully predicts incident cardiovascular disease in non-Hispanic Black adults, indicating significance of social determinants of health
Non-Hispanic Black men experience the highest rate of cardiovascular disease (CVD) across all ages when compared to other ethnic and racial groups. Utilizing data collected via the Jackson Heart Study (JHS), researchers supported by NHLBI and NIMHD evaluated standard/biobehavioral risk factors and social determinants of health (SDOH) as features in a complex deep neural network model for CVD risk prediction. They achieved this by utilizing 3 modeling algorithms for 10-year cardiovascular disease predictions among JHS patients and interpreting insights from these models using Shapely Additive Explanation (SHAP) values to compare against input features, to understand the extent of feature importance; features included all standard/biobehavioral, psychosocial/socioeconomic, and environmental factors.
Black-White residential segregation and cardiovascular mortality rates
Based on prior research that indicates robust associations between racial segregation and increased risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) among Black Americans, a team of researchers, one of whom was supported by NHLBI, utilized county-level data on CVD deaths among non-Hispanic (NH) Black and NH White adults aged 25 years and above to investigate associations between racial CVD mortality rate disparities and racial residential segregation.
News and Events
Save the Date: 2024 NIH OBSSR Director’s Webinar Series
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. | Online
Event Overview:
Presenter: Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Ph.D., Brigham Young University
Presentation topic: Social Connection
Julianne Holt-Lunstad is a professor of psychology and neuroscience and director of the Social Connection & Health Lab at Brigham Young University. She is also the founding scientific chair and board member for the U.S. Foundation for Social Connection and the Global Initiative on Loneliness and Connection. Dr. Holt-Lunstad is an international scientific expert whose research focuses on the individual and population health effects, biological mechanisms, and effective strategies to mitigate risk and promote protection associated with social connection.
Registration information coming soon!
Out Now: Report on Research on Women’s Health for Fiscal Years 2021-2022
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently published the Report of the Advisory Committee on Research on Women’s Health: Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) and NIH Support for Research on Women's Health (Biennial Report). The report outlines NIH-wide programs and achievements aligned with ORWH’s core mission, highlighting initiatives supporting women’s health, such as studies on state-level maternal mortality policies and group-based social affiliation interventions to increase physical activity.
Registration for the 10th Annual BRAIN Initiative Conference is now open
The BRAIN Initiative® Conference will be held on June 17-18, 2024 in Rockville, MD and virtually. This meeting is open to the public and will explore exciting scientific developments and potential new directions, and identify areas for collaboration and research coordination. It will include an early career researcher networking event as well as plenary talks, posters, and symposia sessions.
Contract Renewed! Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study Series
The Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study is a collaborative initiative between the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This ongoing longitudinal cohort study focuses on examining tobacco use behavior, attitudes, beliefs, and associated health outcomes. Recently, the PATH Study has renewed its contract, providing researchers with valuable opportunities to leverage the study data for advancing knowledge about tobacco and health. Since 2017, the study has successfully conducted seven waves of data collection. Wave 8 data collection is in progress, and the renewed contract ensures support for at least four additional waves of primary data collection, as well as other special data collections.
Apply Now: Systems Science/Data Science Training to Advance Community Health Research
The application for the Modelers and Storytellers: Transdisciplinary Training to Advance Community Health Intervention Research is now open! This is a no-cost, two-week virtual training to prepare predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees and early career researchers to apply systems and/or data science methods to community-engaged health disparities research. The priority deadline for applications is Monday, March 11 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
The Modelers and Storytellers Transdisciplinary Training is a summer research education program funded by the National Institutes of Health. The live training will be held via Zoom from Monday, June 17 - Tuesday, July 2, 2024.
Recently Published Funding Opportunities
NIH Blueprint and BRAIN Initiative Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience (D-SPAN) Award (F99/K00 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
Funding Opportunity Number (FON):
RFA-NS-24-030
Key Dates
Letter of Intent Due Date: 30 days prior to application due date
Open Date (Earliest Submission Date): March 15, 2024
Expiration Date: October 07, 2026
Purpose
The purpose of the NIH Blueprint and BRAIN Initiative Diversity Specialized Predoctoral to Postdoctoral Advancement in Neuroscience (D-SPAN) Award (F99/K00) is to support mentored research training for graduate students from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups that are underrepresented in neuroscience research, who have demonstrated potential and interest in pursuing careers as independent neuroscience researchers, and then to facilitate their successful transition to postdoctoral positions. The F99/K00 award will provide up to 6 years of support across pre- and postdoctoral research in two phases. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the Program Official prior to initiating plans for application submission. Additional resources and answers to frequently asked questions can also be found here:
https://neuroscienceblueprint.nih.gov/training/nih-blueprint-d-span-award-f99k00 .
Clinical Sites for the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network - 3 (UG1 Clinical Trial Required)
Funding Opportunity Number (FON) Number:
RFA-OD-24-008
Key Dates
Open Date (Earliest Submission Date): March 15, 2024
Expiration Date: April 16, 2024
Purpose
The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity, issued by the Office of the Director (OD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), is to invite applications from entities/institutions in Institutional Development Award (IDeA)-eligible states to participate in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network (ECHO ISPCTN) as a clinical site. This NOFO runs in parallel with companion NOFO ( RFA-OD-24-009 ) that will solicit applications for a Data Coordinating and Operations Center (DCOC) within the IDeA states. The DCOC and the Clinical Sites together will form the ECHO ISPCTN, a research network that will conduct pediatric multicenter clinical trials as part of the ECHO Program and engage in team science to implement solution-oriented research.
Data Coordinating and Operations Center for the ECHO IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network - 3 (U24 Clinical Trial Required—Infrastructure)
Funding Opportunity Number (FON) Number:
RFA-OD-24-009
Key Dates
Open Date (Earliest Submission Date): March 15, 2024
Expiration Date: April 16, 2024
Purpose
The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), issued by the Office of the Director (OD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), is to invite applications from entities/institutions in Institutional Development Award (IDeA) eligible states to participate in Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network (ISPCTN) as the Data Coordinating and Operations Center (DCOC). This NOFO runs in parallel with companion NOFO ( RFA-OD-24-008 ) that will solicit applications for clinical sites within IDeA states. The DCOC and the Clinical Sites together will form the ECHO ISPCTN, a research network that will conduct pediatric multicenter clinical trials as part of the ECHO Program and engage in team science to implement solution-oriented research.
Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) Exploratory/Developmental Research Grant (R21 Clinical Trial Optional)
NOFO Number
PAR-23-294
Key Dates
Open Date (Earliest Submission Date): January 19, 2024
Expiration Date: November 19, 2026
Purpose
The purpose is to study the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of human genetic or genomic research. Applications may propose studies using either single or mixed methods, that break new ground, extend previous discoveries in new directions, or develop preliminary data in preparation for larger studies. Approaches may include but are not limited to empirical qualitative and quantitative methods, and conceptual, legal, and normative analyses. Applied research designed to address ELSI issues in genetics and genomics will also be considered responsive. Direct engagement with communities and other stakeholders is encouraged, but not required.