FABBS reports on items of interest to many communities – scientists, policymakers, and the public. In our news, you will see updates on science funding and policy, articles that translate research for policy, and descriptions of the research contributions of scientists at all stages of their research careers.
Clinical Trial Definition Continues to Cause Confusion
February 12, 2020
Towards the end of January, FABBS started receiving emails from worried researchers saying their proposals to NIH had been withdrawn before review because they were not classified as clinical trials, and perception was that they should have been. As readers may recall, in October 2014, NIH expanded their definition of clinical trials to include Basic Experimental Studies involving Humans (BESH). While the enforcement of registration in grants.gov for BESH had been
read moreNIMH Strategic Plan Update, New BRAIN Initiative Director
February 12, 2020
The Advisory Council for the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) met on Tuesday, February 4. NIMH is currently in the process of updating their strategic plan. A request for feedback went out to the community on December 2, 2019 with comments due on January 1, 2020. NIMH then provided an two additional weeks to comment, pushing back their timeline to present their revisions to Council to their next meeting on May 19th, 2020.
Dr. Gordon, NIMH Director, explained
read moreFABBS Responds to OSTP RFI on Research Environments
January 29, 2020
FABBS submitted comments in response to a request from the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) on the American research environment. FABBS articulated the importance of and encouraged reliable federal funding for science agencies, filling key leadership positions, and recommended reinstating a key committee on human subjects.
FABBS President-elect Philip Rubin, who previously served as both Principal Assistant Director for Science
read moreAttention to Oral Language Skills Key to Literacy
January 29, 2020
Oral language enables children to read, yet most children struggling with speaking and listening are never diagnosed and therefore do not get the help they need, according to a new paper published in Policy Insights for the Behavioral and Brain Sciences.
Research shows that between 7 and 9 percent of young children have developmental language disorder, or DLD–“a significant impairment” in the ability to speak and understand language, authors Suzanne M. Adlof and
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