[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 102 (Tuesday, May 27, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Page 30412]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-11799]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research 
Announces Plans To Develop Its Strategic Plan for 2009-2013 and Invites 
Public Comments

AGENCY: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), 
National Institutes of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human 
Services (HHS).

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The NIDCR is developing a new strategic plan to guide the 
Institute's research efforts over the next five years (2009-2013). 
NIDCR is inviting public comments and input for the development of the 
plan via its Web site http://www.nidcr.nih.gov, by mail or fax to the 
addresses below.

ADDRESSES: National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, 
Office of the Director, 31 Center Drive, Building 31 Room 2C39, MSC 
2290 Bethesda, MD 20892.
    FAX: 301-402-2185.
    E-mail: http://www.nidcr.nih.gov/NewsAndFeatures/Announcements/StrategicPlanInput.htm.

DATES: Comments should be submitted via e-mail on or before June 20, 
2008.
    Background: NIDCR is the lead federal agency for research and 
research training on oral, dental and craniofacial diseases and 
disorders. NIDCR has a distinguished record of nearly 60 years of 
supporting research to advance the oral health of the nation. Achieving 
NIDCR's vision of advancing the oral health and well-being for all 
requires having a comprehensive strategic plan that identifies the most 
promising opportunities for investment, delineates the Institute's 
priorities, and that reflects the advice of the research community and 
the public at large. NIDCR achieves its mission to improve oral, dental 
and craniofacial health through research, research training and the 
dissemination of health information.

Request for Comments

    The NIDCR seeks input to the following questions to inform the 
strategic plan:
    1. Looking forward, should NIDCR increase its use of targeted 
research to ensure that key research areas with promise are addressed? 
If so, what priority areas would you recommend that NIDCR pursue? 
Targeted research is research solicited by the Institute via 
initiatives, RFAs or RFPs.
    2. In your view, what are the truly ``transformative'' areas that 
could have the greatest benefit for advancing dental research?
    3. What can be done to augment and accelerate the role and 
significance of dental and craniofacial research in the growing 
framework of translational research?
    4. What should be NIDCR's position on funding ``high risk/high 
reward research''? What in your view constitutes ``high risk/high 
reward''?
    5. In realistic terms, what can--and should--NIDCR do to expand and 
enhance the ``pipeline'' for new dental and craniofacial researchers?
    6. Please provide any additional input that you think would be 
useful to NIDCR in developing its 2009--2013 Strategic Plan.
    Individuals submitting public comments are asked to include 
relevant contact information [name, affiliation (if any), e-mail-
address and phone]. This information may be disclosed to NIDCR senior 
staff serving on the strategic plan steering committee and to 
contractors working on behalf of NIDCR. Submission of this information 
is voluntary. However, the information you provide will help to 
categorize responses by scientific area of expertise, organizational 
entity or professional affiliation. Collection of this information is 
authorized under 42 U.S.C. 203, 241, 2891-1 and 44 U.S.C. 3101 and 
Sections 301 and 493 of the Public Health Service Act regarding the 
establishment of the National Institutes of Health, its general 
authority to conduct and fund research and to provide training 
assistance, and its general authority to maintain records in connection 
with its other functions.

    Dated: May 17, 2008.
Lawrence A. Tabak,
Director, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, 
National Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. E8-11799 Filed 5-23-08; 8:45 am]
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