[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 216 (Thursday, November 7, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66992-66993]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-26637]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Joint Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development and Clinical 
Science Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review 
Board; Notice of Meetings

    The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) gives notice under the 
Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, that the panels of the 
Joint Biomedical Laboratory Research and Development and Clinical 
Science Research and Development Services Scientific Merit Review Board 
will meet from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the dates indicated below:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Panel                                      Date(s)                             Location
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Neurobiology-C.........................  November 18, 2013...........................  Sheraton Crystal City
                                                                                        Hotel.
Surgery................................  November 21, 2013...........................  Sheraton Crystal City
                                                                                        Hotel.
Hematology.............................  November 22, 2013...........................  *VA Central Office.
Infectious Diseases-A..................  November 22, 2013...........................  *VA Central Office.
Neurobiology-A.........................  November 22, 2013...........................  Sheraton Crystal City
                                                                                        Hotel.
Cellular and Molecular Medicine........  November 25, 2013...........................  *VA Central Office.
Neurobiology-F.........................  November 26, 2013...........................  *VA Central Office (12:00
                                                                                        p.m. ET).
Immunology-A...........................  December 3, 2013............................  Hotel Palomar Washington,
                                                                                        DC.
Infectious Diseases-B..................  December 3, 2013............................  Hotel Palomar Washington,
                                                                                        DC.
Nephrology.............................  December 3, 2013............................  Sheraton Crystal City
                                                                                        Hotel.
Endocrinology-B........................  December 4, 2013............................  The Ritz-Carlton,
                                                                                        Pentagon City.
Epidemiology...........................  December 4, 2013............................  *VA Central Office.
Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences-A/ December 4, 2013............................  The Ritz-Carlton,
 B.                                                                                     Pentagon City.
Neurobiology-B.........................  December 5, 2013............................  Sheraton Crystal City
                                                                                        Hotel.
Oncology-A.............................  December 5-6, 2013..........................  Sheraton Crystal City
                                                                                        Hotel.
Clinical Application of Genetics.......  December 5, 2013............................  *VA Central Office.
Neurobiology-E.........................  December 6, 2013............................  Hotel Palomar Washington,
                                                                                        DC.
Pulmonary Medicine.....................  December 6, 2013............................  Sheraton Crystal City
                                                                                        Hotel.
Aging and Clinical Geriatrics..........  December 9, 2013............................  *VA Central Office.

[[Page 66993]]

 
Endocrinology-A........................  December 9, 2013............................  The Ritz-Carlton,
                                                                                        Pentagon City.
Cardiovascular Studies.................  December 9, 2013............................  Sheraton Crystal City
                                                                                        Hotel.
Clinical Trials-A......................  December 11, 2013...........................  Hotel Palomar Washington,
                                                                                        DC.
Clinical Trials-B......................  December 12, 2013...........................  *VA Central Office.
Gastroenterology.......................  December 12, 2013...........................  The Ritz-Carlton,
                                                                                        Pentagon City.
Neurobiology-D.........................  December 12, 2013...........................  Hotel Palomar Washington,
                                                                                        DC.
Eligibility............................  January 17, 2014............................  The Ritz-Carlton,
                                                                                        Pentagon City.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Teleconference.

    The addresses of the meeting sites are:

Hotel Palomar Washington DC, 2121 P Street, NW., Washington, DC
Sheraton Crystal City Hotel, 1800 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, 
VA
The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City, 1250 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA
VA Central Office, 131 M Street, NE., Washington, DC

    The purpose of the Board is to provide advice on the scientific 
quality, budget, safety, and mission relevance of investigator-
initiated research proposals submitted for VA merit review 
consideration. Proposals submitted for review by the Board involve a 
wide range of medical specialties within the general areas of 
biomedical, behavioral, and clinical science research.
    The panel meetings will be open to the public for approximately 
one-half hour at the start of each meeting to discuss the general 
status of the program. The remaining portion of each panel meeting will 
be closed to the public for the review, discussion, and evaluation of 
initial and renewal research proposals. Because some of the meetings 
are being held in a government building, a photo I.D. must be presented 
at the Guard's Desk as a part of the clearance process. Therefore, you 
should allow an additional 15 minutes before the meeting begins.
    The closed portion of each meeting involves discussion, 
examination, and reference to staff and consultant critiques of 
research proposals. During this portion of each meeting, discussions 
will deal with scientific merit of each proposal and qualifications of 
personnel conducting the studies, the disclosure of which would 
constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy, as well 
as research information, the premature disclosure of which could 
significantly frustrate implementation of proposed agency action 
regarding such research proposals. As provided by subsection 10(d) of 
Public Law 92-463, as amended, closing portions of these panel meetings 
is in accordance with title 5 U.S.C., 552b(c)(6) and (9)(B).
    Those who plan to attend the general session or would like to 
obtain a copy of the minutes from the panel meetings and rosters of the 
members of the panels should contact Alex Chiu, Ph.D., Manager, Merit 
Review Program (10P9B), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont 
Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420, at (202) 443-5672 or by email at 
[email protected].

    By Direction of the Secretary.

    Dated: November 1, 2013.
William F. Russo,
Deputy Director, Regulation Policy and Management, Office of the 
General Counsel, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2013-26637 Filed 11-6-13; 8:45 am]
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