The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is revising its current Strategic Directions for Research (2020-2025) document for 2026-2030. This document serves as a statement of NIA’s scientific priority areas and provides a framework for analysis of the institute’s scientific portfolio. As part of this process, NIA issued a request for information (RFI) in July, soliciting feedback from stakeholders, including researchers, patient advocates, healthcare professionals, and members of the public. FABBS responded to the RFI in September.
The RFI asked two primary questions: (1) What emerging research needs and future opportunities that reflect the next five years should be included in the Strategic Directions for Research, 2026-2030 document; and (2) What research needs and opportunities reflected in the Strategic Directions for Research, 2020-2025 document should be modified or removed because of progress over the past five years? Respondents were also invited to provide any additional input not captured in those two questions.
FABBS submitted comments commending NIA for its ongoing integration of behavioral and social science into its portfolio (as recognized by the Council of Councils in its integration report) while also making recommendations for improvement. For example, FABBS encouraged NIA to better balance its research portfolio between negative health processes (e.g., disease and disability) and positive health processes (e.g., health and wellness promotion) in order to best serve its mission. FABBS also suggested that NIA share its focus between pathological aging and normative aging, recommending a precision aging approach to better understand both processes. Additionally, FABBS supported NIA’s commitment to interdisciplinary partnerships by providing examples of research that may benefit from increased trans-institute collaboration.
FABBS will continue to monitor updates to NIA’s Strategic Directions for Research document.
[See FABBS Comments on NIA Strategic Directions for Research]
FABBS regularly weighs in on comment opportunities to ensure that the voices of our disciplines are heard. Additionally, commenting on NIH strategic plans allows FABBS to reinforce the guidance put forth by the Council of Councils in its 2022 Working Group report, “Integration of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research at the National Institutes of Health.”
