Perspectives of PHS Funding Agencies: Session Introduction

Abstract

T oday we’re going to learn about the organizations that support our science. I’m honored and grateful that to­ day’s speakers took time away from their research, their students, their offices and their patients to travel to Bethesda to be part of this meeting. This morning’s session will be about the policies and philosophy of the Public Health Service organiza­ tions that support biomedical research. I’m going to introduce all the speakers in the order in which they will speak. First we will hear from my professional home, NIH, where Dr. Sally Rockey is Deputy Director for Extramural Research. She was recently confirmed in this position after serving as Act­ ing Deputy Director—congratulations, Sally. Dr. Rockey re­ ceived her PhD in entomology from the Ohio State University in 1985. She went to work for the USDA and quickly rose through the ranks to become Deputy Administrator for the Competitive Research Grants and Awards Management Unit in the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Ser­ vice, and then she became Chief Information Offi cer. It is also my pleasure to welcome Dr. Tanja Popovic, Dep­ uty Associate Director for Science at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where she previously served as Associate Director for Science and as Chief Science Offi ­ cer. She joined CDC as a Fulbright fellow in 1989. Since then she has served as the Chief of the Diphtheria Reference Unit, Chief of the Epidemiological Investigations Anthrax Labora­ tory, and Co-Director of the WHO Collaborating Center for Prevention and Control of Bacterial Meningitis. She has been a WHO consultant for bacterial meningitis and diphtheria in Russia and throughout Africa. She led the CDC laboratory during the 2000 anthrax events. Dr. Popovic is the CDC Insti­ tutional Official for both human and animal research subjects. She has many more awards and credentials, too many to list. And fi nally, we will hear from Dr. David Jacobson-Kram, who received his PhD in embryology from the University of Connecticut in 1976. He served as a senior staff fellow at the National Institute on Aging, on the faculty of the George Wash­ ington University School of Medicine, and at Johns Hopkins University Oncology Center. He has also served the Environ­ mental Protection Agency as a geneticist in the Offi ce of Toxic Substances and as acting Branch Chief in their Office of Re­ search and Development. Then Dr. Jacobsen-Kram entered the private sector, serving as Director of the Genetic Toxicology Division of Microbiological Associates. Microbiological As­ sociates changed its name to BioReliance and David’s respon­ sibilities expanded to include oversight of the Mammalian Toxicology Program and the Laboratory Animal Health Pro­ gram. He also served as Vice President of the Toxicology and Laboratory Animal Health Division. Dr. Jacobson-Kram is now Associate Director of Pharmacology and Toxicology at the FDA Office of New Drugs. We’re very lucky to have David here with us today—I understand he had a tremendous fall this weekend so don’t hug him or shake his hand too vigorously.