Notice of NIH's Creation of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences and Anticipated Implementation Plan


Notice Number: NOT-OD-12-027

Key Dates

Release Date: January 6, 2012

Related Notices

NOT-OD-12-026: Notice of NIH Plans to Transfer All Programs, Awards, and Applications Associated with the National Center for Research Resources to Other Institutes and Centers

Issued by

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Purpose

This Notice is to inform the NIH community of changes underway to facilitate creation of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)

Background

In a move to re-engineer the process of translating scientific discoveries into new drugs, diagnostics, and devices, the National Institutes of Health has established the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. The action was made possible by Congress approval of a fiscal year 2012 spending bill and the President’s signing of the bill (Public Law 112-74), which includes the establishment of NCATS. Working closely with partners in the regulatory, academic, nonprofit, and private sectors, NCATS will strive to identify and overcome hurdles that slow the development of effective treatments and cures.

Implementation

A listing of programs to be administered by NCATS will be available at http://www.nih.gov/about/director/ncats/index.htm.

NIH is beginning the transfer of awards and pending applications moving to NCATS by assigning staff to applications and awards, setting up an Advisory Council to conduct the second-level of peer review, and issuing awards. Affected institutions and Project Directors/Principal Investigators will receive a series of e-mails over the next few months with information about the status of each award/application. Information about former NCRR programs moving into other NIH Institutes and Centers is available in Guide Notice NOT-OD-12-026.

Inquiries

Assignments of new contact people for transferring applications and awards to NCATS will be completed over the next few weeks, with notifications sent in upcoming emails from the eRA Commons. As with all NIH awards, the most up-to-date information on each award/application and its NIH contact points in the eRA Commons.

Please direct all other inquiries to: NCRRtransition@mail.nih.gov