NEI Strategic Planning 2011

Overview

The National Eye institute (NEI) was one of the first institutes or centers within the National Institutes of Health to develop a strategic plan to prioritize scientific goals and guide its grant-making decisions. Since the late 1970s, the National Plan for Vision Research has been revised approximately every five to seven years under the auspices of the National Advisory Eye Council (NAEC). The last plan was completed in 2004, and it is again time to examine the accomplishments of the past five years and set new goals for the future.

The NAEC recommended that the NEI develop a planning process that includes an overarching framework to guide the planning process, convene expert panels dedicated to specific areas of vision research, develop an ongoing process to identify new opportunities, and consider the increased use of targeted initiatives to implement planning recommendations.

The NEI continues its tradition of planning with the following objectives:

• Develop a living, working plan using an inclusive, transparent, and participatory process.
• Identify priorities based on core principles:
• Investigator-initiated research represents the main engine for scientific discovery.
• NEI plays the essential role in providing infrastructure, outlining long-term goals, and identifying and addressing emerging opportunities.

The planning process will:

• Identify scientific directions for which NEI is well positioned to make major contributions.
• Ensure an inclusive process with grantees and other constituencies having an active role.
• Provide a process for ongoing implementation and evaluation.
• Evaluate the role of NEI operational policies.

Implementation

In accord with the recommendations of the NAEC, the NEI has embarked on a new series of planning activities as described below.

1. FRAMEWORK for VISION RESEARCH

Develop an overarching framework of goals and concepts that are common to most or all areas of biomedical research that are described in the context of vision research. A draft of the framework will be posted on the web, and the vision research community will be invited to comment. This “living document” will be provided to each of the program panels as a reference to help the panel members focus on the needs and opportunities of their specific programs rather than the global concepts described in the framework. New general concepts that arise from panel meetings may also yield important information that, in turn, shapes the framework.

2. INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM PANEL MEETINGS

Convene panel meetings of leaders in vision research that will prepare specific reports identifying short-term (one to five year) challenges, objectives, strategies, and opportunities in vision research.

• Panels will meet in Ft. Lauderdale, FL in April/May 2011.
• Program Directors and extramural chairs will select panel membership and manage the panel meetings.
• Each panel will be charged with documenting recent accomplishments and develop major program themes and opportunities in the context of these accomplishments (e.g. GWAS studies identified the importance of CFH in AMD which has uncovered new questions about the role of immunity and inflammation).
• Panel meeting reports and recommendations will be published on the web and in hard copy.

3. CONTINUOUS PLANNING: NEI Workshops

• The rapid acquisition of new knowledge, tools, technology, and approaches indicates the value of an ongoing planning process.
• The NEI will organize workshops to address emerging scientific needs and opportunities.
• Workshop reports will be linked to prior program panel reports (on the web) to make “the plan” a unified document.
• All areas of vision research are appropriate for workshop consideration. Preference will be given to unexplored ideas and multidisciplinary topics that may have wide applicability across several NEI programmatic areas.
• Input for topic development will be provided by NEI staff, NAEC members, and the ARVO trustees. Any scientist, foundation, or other interested individual may submit suggestions for workshops by contacting an appropriate NEI program director, an ARVO trustee, or an NAEC member.
• Workshop topics will be developed by NEI staff and presented to NAEC for concept clearance.
• Workshops will be chaired by one or two individuals who will work with OPPA staff to generate a final report that may include specific recommendations to the NEI.