[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 3, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14804-14805]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-8164]



-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service


National Institutes of Health; Statement of Organization, 
Functions, and Delegations of Authority

    Part H, Chapter HN (National Institutes of Health) (NIH) of the 
Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority for 
the Department of Health and Human Services (40 FR 22859, May 27, 1975, 
as amended most recently at 61 FR 3722, February 1, 1996), is amended 
to reflect the reorganization of the National Center for Research 
Resources (NCRR) (HNR). This reorganization streamlines the structure 
of NCRR by consolidating seven extramural programs into four extramural 
areas and five extramural support functions into three. Specifically, 
the reorganization consists of the following: (1) Retitle the General 
Clinical Research Centers Program (HNRB) to Clinical Research and 
revise its functional statement; (2) retitle the Comparative Medicine 
Program (HNR8) to Comparative Medicine (CM), transfer the functions of 
the Biological Models and Materials Research Program (BMMRP) (HNRH) to 
CM, abolish BMMRP, and revise CM's functional statement; (3) retitle 
Biomedical Research Technology Program (HNRC) to Biomedical Technology 
(BT), transfer the Shared Instrumentation Grant Program within the 
Biomedical Research Program (BRSP) (HNRE) to BT, and revise BT's 
functional statement; (4) establish Research Infrastructure (RI) 
(HNRL); (5) transfer the functions of the Research Centers in Minority 
Institutions Program (RCMIP) (HNRG) and Research Facilities Improvement 
Program (RFIP) (HNR9) to RI, transfer the functions of the remaining 
two BRSP programs (Institutional Development Award Program [IDeA] and 
Science Education Program Award (SEPA) to RI; and (6) abolish the 
RCMIP, RFIP, BRSP. In the Office of the Director, NCRR (HNR1) (1) 
establish the Office of Extramural Activities (OEA) (HNR17); (2) 
transfer the functions of the Office of Grants and Contracts Management 
(OGCM) (HNR13) and the Office of Review (OR) (HNR16) to the OEA and 
abolish OGCM and OR; (3) transfer the Committee Management Office 
function from the immediate Office of the Director to the OEA; (4) 
transfer the functions of the Office of Science and Health Reports 
(OSHR) (HNR12) to the Office of Science Policy (OSP) (HNR15), revise 
OSP's functional statement, and abolish OSHR; and (5) retitle the 
Office of Administrative Management (HNR14) to Office of Administration 
(OA) and revise its functional statement.
    Section HN-B Organization and Functions is amended as follows: (1) 
Under the heading National Center for Research Resources (HNR), insert 
the following:
    Research Infrastructure (HNRL). (1) Supports programs to improve 
the representation of minority investigators who are underrepresented 
in biomedical research; (2) enhances the research environment and 
faculty development at minority colleges and universities that award 
doctoral degrees in the health sciences; (3) provides matching grants 
to improve biomedical and behavioral research facilities through 
construction and renovation; (4) supports science education 
opportunities for minority high school students and their teachers 
interested in science careers; (5) supports K-12 science teacher 
education and skills development; and (6) supports innovation and 
improvement in pre-college science education and in the public's 
understanding of health-related science.
    (2) Under the heading General Clinical Research Centers Program 
(HNRB), and Biomedical Research Technology Program (HNRC), delete the 
titles and functional statements in their entirety and substitute the 
following:
    Comparative Medicine (HNR8). (1) Provides high quality, disease-
free animal models and specialized and research facilities for 
biomedical investigators; (2) supports the development of a wide-range 
of research models, particularly marine invertebrates and lower 
vertebrates; (3) provides access for biomedical researchers to an array 
of important biological materials, such as viruses, bacteria and fungi 
as well as cell lines, genetic material, and human cells and organs; 
(4) supports research activities at seven Regional Primate Centers; (5) 
supports the identification and development of new and improved animal 
models for the study of human diseases; (6) supports improvement of the 
health and well-being of laboratory animals; (7) supports training and 
career development for veterinarians; (8) provides repositories for the 
storage and distribution of genetically altered animal models; and (9) 
supports the breeding accessibility of scarce research animals.

[[Page 14805]]

    Clinical Research (HNRB). (1) Supports a national network of 
clinical research centers in academic medical hospitals for 
interdisciplinary clinical research into the prevention, diagnosis and 
treatment of disease, providing cost-effective, centralized access to 
research facilities, specially trained research nurses and dietitians, 
core laboratories, biostatisticians, and computerized database 
management and analysis systems; (2) supports professional development 
of junior career physicians and dentists involved in clinical research; 
and (3) supports other shared resources for clinical research.
    Biomedical Technology (HNRC). (1) Supports research, development 
and access to sophisticated technologies at biomedical technology 
resource centers; (2) provides grants for acquisition of new state-of-
the-art shared instrumentation; (3) supports special emphasis 
technology development in high performance computing, molecular and 
cellular structural biology technologies, biomedical engineering, 
noninvasive imaging and spectroscopy, mathematical modeling and 
computer simulations through grants, contacts and cooperative 
agreements.
    (3) Under the headings Biomedical Research Support Program (HNRE), 
Research Centers in Minority Institutions Program (HNRG), Biological 
Models and Materials Research Program (HNRH), and Research Facilities 
Improvement Program (HNR9), delete the titles and functional statements 
in their entirety.
    (4) Under the heading National Center for Research Resources (HNR), 
Office of the Director (HNRI), insert the following:
    Office of Extramural Activities (HNR17). (1) Provides oversight and 
direction for the review of grant applications and contract proposals; 
(2) manages the National Advisory Research Resources Council and other 
advisory and review committees; (3) provides oversight and direction 
for the grant management functions of the NCRR.
    (5) Under the heading Office of Administrative Management (HNR14), 
delete the title and functional statement in its entirety and 
substitute the following:
    Office of Administration (HNR14). (1) Plans, implements, and 
evaluates administrative and management services and provides support 
to the programs and activities of the Center; (2) provides budgetary 
support for budget formulation and execution; (3) provides personnel 
management services, management analysis and advice; (4) plans and 
operates the NCRR Data Systems; (5) maintains liaison with the Office 
of Administration, NIH; and (6) interprets and implements new/revised 
administrative policies/regulations affecting the overall mission of 
the Center.
    (6) Under the heading Office of Science Policy (HNR15) delete the 
functional statement in its entirety and substitute the following:
    Office of Science Policy (HNR15). (1) Advises the Director of the 
National Center for Research Resources on policy matters, scientific 
developments and other relevant issues that may affect NCRR programs 
and initiatives; (2) assists in the establishment of NCRR objectives 
and in the development or modification of programs to meet these 
objectives; (3) evaluates the performance and impact of NCRR programs 
and related PHS programs and activities; (4) acquires data and performs 
analyses for use in NCRR planning and development; (5) coordinates the 
presentation of the Center's plans and reports; (6) conducts the 
Center's legislative liaison activities; (7) serves as a clearinghouse 
and focal point for the Center's efforts to interpret the goals and 
results of NCRR-supported research programs and projects and to 
disseminate information to the biomedical research community, to 
Congress and the Executive Branch, to other specialized groups, and to 
the general public; and (8) conducts the Center's Freedom of 
Information and Privacy Act activities.
    (7) Under the headings Office of Science and Health Reports (HNR 
12), Office of Grants and Contracts Management (HNR13), and Office of 
Review (HNR16), delete the titles and functional statements in their 
entirety.

    Dated: March 21, 1996.
Harold Varmus,
Director, National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 96-8164 Filed 4-2-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M