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Intemational Services
                  

      September 2002

 

         IC International Representatives Meeting

          September 17, 2002 

 

                                                       Summary  

 

Introductions of guests and new members:  Dr. Gerald Keusch, FIC Director who chaired the meeting, introduced the guest speakers, Dr. Norman Neureiter, Special Adviser to the Secretary of State on Science and Technology; Dr. Philip Chen, Senior Advisor to the Deputy Director for Intramural Research; RADM Richard Walling, Office of Global Health Affairs, Office of the Secretary; and Mr. Ross Cox, Office of Global Health, CDC.  He welcomed Dr. Danuta Krotoski, who attended for NICHD, and Dr. John Reed, who represented NIAID.  Dr. William Steiger, Special Advisor to the Secretary, joined later in the discussions.

 

NIH Involvement in International S&T Cooperation and its Relevance to U.S. Foreign Policy:

Dr. Norman Neureiter began his presentation noting that his position of Special Adviser for Science and Technology was created in response a recommendation from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).  An Academy report outlined the 16 stated goals of U.S. foreign policy, and pointed out that 13 of them involved science, technology, or health.  The NAS report stated that the State Department was not adequately staffed or funded to deal with current S&T issues and to consider them appropriately as part of the foreign policy process.  Dr. Neureiter was asked to help State improve in this regard.  Dr. Neureiter stated that the purpose of his visit was to think about how the State Department relates to the NIH biomedical community and how the partnership between the agencies could be strengthened.

Specific countries mentioned:

Pakistan:  President Busch and President Musharraf of Pakistan recently renewed the dialogue between the science communities of the two countries to build and strengthen cooperative relationships.  Dr. Naim, Director of the National Research Council, visited the U.S. and met with agency officials to explore opportunities for collaboration and to build new relationships.  There is a history of productive cooperative efforts, one of them the Special Foreign Currency Program (funded by State) that supported a large research program in Pakistan.  He noted that one of the most successful programs in the agricultural sciences led to the development of new varieties of rice that has fed the population for the last twenty years.  Dr. Neureiter is working with USAID to use some of the funds they received in support of the President’s new initiatives in the S&T field in Pakistan, for either for a workshop, a planning meeting, or to help develop new agreements.  In the interim, he is trying to identify interest in the U.S. research community for new collaborations.  He sees a great need for capacity building and training.  FIC is working with the ICs, and when appropriate with Dr. Zerhouni, to inform and guide the discussions.

Japan:  Dr. Neureiter identified Japan as an important U.S. partner in Asia, and noted that Dr. Marburger, Science Advisor to the President, will chair a bilateral meeting within the next few months.  He discussed longstanding NIH-Japan efforts, and particularly the U.S.-Japan Medical Sciences Program as a model for cooperation.  He invited Dr. Keusch and the IC reps to consider new ways to take full advantage of the capabilities of both partners to respond to the current medical and biomedical challenges. 

  S&T at U.S. Embassies and at Main State

Dr. Neureiter described the Department’s efforts to bring on board detailees from technical agencies to spend 1-2 years in different S&T offices within Main State in order to expand the technical base.  He also referred to a short-term program to which 5 or 6 government agencies currently subscribe, that details scientists for 1-3 months visits in response to specific requests from U.S. embassies around the world.  This year, about 30 people from 5 different agencies will be assigned to embassies abroad, in response to requests from agencies for specific skill sets.  He noted that housing is provided by the embassies, however, travel and salary is the responsibility of the host institution. 

Dr. Neureiter concluded his presentation by emphasizing that the State Department would welcome candidates from the NIH community, and noted that this would proof there is demonstrable benefit from having science capability in our embassies abroad and in the Department. 

Q&A:

To the question of how the State Department felt about informal agreements between NIH institutes and foreign agencies that evolve from scientist-to-scientists collaborations, Dr. Neureiter responded that at times, mostly for political reasons or sometimes because it enables funding in another country, it is beneficial to sign formal agreements.  This is often in the case of a deliverable resulting from a presidential visit.  He noted that it was the responsibility of the Department to assure that these bilateral agreements are doing good things and not just do things to satisfy the agreement.  He recognized that in the case of Pakistan, it is a politically driven initiative that is intended to rebuild stability in that part of the world, but he declared that it is essential to use good science to make this initiative a reality.  He noted that such agreements should not be dismissed since they may provide the basis for an agency to obtain Government support. 

To the question of which embassies required specific project skills, Dr. Neureiter responded all embassies are periodically polled to assure that assignments are made in response to a particular request.  He promised to provide information on requests for NIH and CDC expertise to FIC for distribution to the ICs. 

In reference to Pakistan, Dr. Keusch remarked that FIC looked at Pakistan and the political realities in the region to determine what opportunities there were from a diplomatic point of view.  FIC has examined the small portfolio of NIH grants with Pakistani institutions as well as three FIC training programs that are currently active in Pakistan to evaluate if there was opportunity to enhance the activities with Pakistan, along the lines of the MECC and the NCI program with Northern Ireland, Ireland and UK and the U.S.  Dr. Keusch remarked that NIH has strong and expanding investments in India, despite several suspensions of activities due to sanctions.  However, there is little activity with Pakistan, particularly after USAID withdrew its support.  Dr. Neureiter added that sanctions against India have been lifted and that the current Administration is placing a high priority on its relationship with India and that State has $1.4 million per year to support workshops and other activities. 

Dr. Keusch inquired if there is opportunity for new activities in the region beyond India and Pakistan, into the neighboring countries of Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. 

Dr. Neureiter responded that State is in the process of signing an agreement with Bangladesh that will focus on the arsenic problem, which affects 70 million people in the country.  Dr. Keusch proposed to meet with the IC reps to explore institute interests in collaborating with Pakistan.  He also announced that USAID will invite agencies, including CDC, to meet in early January in Islamabad to discuss the possibility of future science collaborations.  Mr. Ross Cox interjected that CDC has currently two staff members assigned to WHO offices in Pakistan to assist with immunizations issues, mainly polio.  He also noted that over the past year, CDC has sent staff to Afghanistan to work primarily through UNICEF, and currently has seven staff members assigned to the WHO office in New Delhi and three more working in global AIDS and TB, as well as one person at the ICDDR in Bangladesh and two in Nepal. 

Dr. Neureiter applauded the group’s willingness to come together on a regular basis to discuss the international activities of their institutions and examine any foreign policy impact.  Dr. Keusch extended an invitation to Dr. Neureiter to join the bi-monthly meetings on a regular basis.

 Report of Visit to Uruguay and Argenti na

Dr. Luis Salicrup, FIC Program Officer for the Americas and the Caribbean, reported on his recent visit to Argentina and Uruguay in response to FIC/NIH and HHS interest in promoting greater collaboration in the health area and in response to the economic crisis.  Prior to the visit, FIC had met with senior visiting scientists from Argentina to hear their views and recommendations on potential areas of collaboration.  In discussions with officials at the 15 institutions recommended by the group and officials from the Ministry of Health and the Council of Science and Technology, the most urgent request was opportunities for training of their senior scientists, the need for equipment, reagents and access to scientific journals, as well as funding for participation in symposia and workshops, particularly for grant writing.  In order to implement the NIH strategy, FIC will need to work with OIR and other NIH ICs to determine the most feasible mechanisms for facilitating the immediate collaboration with Argentina.  Dr. Salicrup shared a list of activities that are being planned, or currently underway, to begin implementing the strategy:

 

1)      At FIC’s request, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has agreed to allow Argentineans to compete in the NIH-PAHO Pan American Fellowships Program.  Final selection of 2003 fellows will occur this fall.

 

2)      In light of Argentina’s financial crisis, FIC opened eligibility to the Global Health Research Initiative Program (GRIP) re-entry grants to Argentinean scientists.  FIC will continue along this line in the next competition of the program.  The GRIP provides $50,000 for partial salaries and research projects to promote re-entry of NIH-trained foreign scientists into their home countries.  This program is part of a broader NIH effort to enhance research infrastructure in developing countries, to stimulate research on a broad array of high priority health issues in these countries, and to advance NIH efforts to address health issues of global importance. 

 

3)      FIC will provide travel awards to a group of Argentinean senior and junior researchers to enable them to participate in the 2nd Pan American Symposium on Molecular Genetics Research to be held in Brazil from October 22-25, 2002.

 

4)       FIC and OIR has been working with those Argentinean intramural scientists on the NIH Argentina Task Force, on identifying the most feasible ways to enhance collaboration between NIH labs and specific labs in Argentina. In that regard, enclosed is a partial list of NIH laboratories that are willing to participate in collaborative activities with research centers in Argentina. We would like to give priority to those universities and research centers that I visited in the cities of Mendoza, Cordoba and Buenos Aires included those recommended by the NIH Task Force and CONICET. These collaborations may include training of post-doctoral fellows; short-term visits (six months or less) of senior Argentinean scientists to NIH intramural labs, loan and donation of equipment and reagents; and services.

 

 

On Uruguay, while there has not been a history of collaboration with NIH and research institutions in Uruguay, there is great enthusiasm to initiate partnerships.  In a first ever meeting in Uruguay of the Ministry of Health, the Council of Science and Technology, and research centers, it was decided to send qualified postdocs from Uruguay to NIH for training, and to use funds from an emergency IMF loan to support research activities.  FIC also opened the Global Research Initiative Program for New Foreign Investigators (GRIP) re-entry program to visiting fellows from Uruguay in response to the crisis and will make one award to a Uruguayan scientist in its first round.  Dr. Keusch will meet with the Intramural Office to discuss follow up actions.

 IC Survey on a New Middl e East Initiative

Dr. Keusch invited Dr. Steiger to comment on the Secretary’s request to explore NIH interest in developing a new initiative for expanding cooperation in the Middle East region.  Dr. Steiger noted the Secretary’s great interest in international research and his particular enthusiasm for the Middle East Cancer Consortium (MECC), for which he serves ex officio as chairman.  MECC, organized by NCI, has been very successful in building collaborative relationships between researchers from Israel, Cyprus, Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority.  The idea for a new initiative evolved from discussions the Secretary had with Ministers from the region at the MECC Board meeting, when they expressed an interest to expand the collaborative efforts beyond cancer.  Dr. Keusch reported that several ICs had identified areas of interest and that FIC had discussions with NCI regarding their new programs in tobacco research.  He suggested that FIC meet with the ICs and the Office of Global Health to work out the details.  Dr. Steiger proposed that RADM Richard Walling, who has the lead for the Middle East region in OGHA, work with NIH to develop a list of priorities that the Secretary can present to the ministers sometime in early 2003. 

  NIH Visa Issue s

Dr. Philip Chen, Acting Chief for the International Services Branch, spoke briefly on the changes following the September 11 event that affect the visa process for the more than 2500 international postdocs and research fellows working in NIH labs.  He noted that INS will soon implement the new Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) that will track international students and exchange visitors.  He also remarked that the visa process will be more time consuming.  A copy of his presentation is attached.

Dr. Luis Salicrup noted that Cuba was on the list of countries terrorist countries for which no visas were issued and asked how this will affect activities sponsored by PAHO in Cuba.  Dr. Bill Steiger, speaking for the Department, stated that following consultations with the Department of State and the White House, current policy does not allow HHS employees to travel to Cuba for any purpose, including for conferences sponsored by PAHO. 

  Report on Upcoming China Meeting

Dr. Bridbord, Director of the Division of International Training and Research, announced a major meeting on HIV/AIDS organized by FIC, OAR, NIAID, NIMH and NIDA in Beijing, November 1-3.  The purpose of the meeting is to bring together the NIH and other U.S. government supported research and training programs in HIV/AIDS in China, with the goal to increase research collaboration and help build research capacity in China.  Invited are representatives of FIC’s AIDS International Training Research Program, key U.S. collaborators of NIH supported HIV/AIDS research programs, as well as former trainees under the FIC programs who have returned to China.

 

Next Meeting:  November 12.

 

 

Attendance:

Dr. Gerald Keusch, Director, FIC; Ms. Minnie Rojo, Director, Division of International Relations, FIC; Ms. Chris Keenan, Executive Secretary, FIC; IC Reps: Dr. Zakir Bengali, CSR; Ms. Karen Kun, NCCAM; Dr. James McKearney, NCI; Dr. Ruth Hegyeli, NHLBI; Ms. Marta Campbell, NIA; Ms. Peggy Murray, NIAAA; Dr. Danuta Krotoski, NICHD; Mr. Frank Holloman for NIDCD; Dr. Lois Cohen and Dr. Kevin Hardwick, NIDCR; Dr. Charles Edmonds for NIGMS; Dr. Juan Ramos, Dr. David Lozovsky, and Dr. Donna Mayo, NIMH; Ms. Patricia Turner and Dr. Yuan Liu, NINDS; Ms. Julia Royall, NLM; Dr. Mary Frances Picciano, ODS; and FIC staff Ms. Nalini Anand, Mr. Kevin Bialy,Dr. Ken Bridbord, Ms. Jennifer Cabe, Mr. George Herrfurth, Dr. Karen Hofman, Dr. Allen Holt, Dr. Flora Katz, Dr. Linda Kupfer, Dr. James Lavery, Ms. Judy Levin, Ms. Sonja Madera, Mr. Michael McDowell, Dr. Kathy Michels, Dr. Rachel Nugent, Mr. Mark Pineda, Dr. Joshua Rosenthal, Dr. Barbara Sina, Ms. Marcia Smith, and Ms. Natalie Tomitch.