148th Meeting Minutes

Minutes – September 11, 2024

The National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse convened its 148th meeting at 10:30 a.m. on September 11, 2024. This meeting was conducted both in-person and virtually. The closed portion of the meeting held on September 11th was for reviewing applications for Federal grant assistance and was open only to Council members and Federal employees. The open portion,
which was open to the public, began at 1:00 p.m. and was also videocast. The Council adjourned on September 11, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.

Council Members Present
Arpana Agrawal, Ph.D.
Kate Beebe DeVarney, Ph.D.
Deborah Chassler, MSW
Charles Chavkin, Ph.D.
Cristiane Duarte, Ph.D.
Helena Hansen, M.D., Ph.D.
Regina LaBelle, J.D.
Angela Laird, Ph.D.
Melanie Ott, M.D., Ph.D.
Mark VonZastrow, M.D., Ph.D.

Council Chair
Nora Volkow, M.D.

Executive Secretary
Susan Weiss, Ph.D.

Non-Federal Employees Present
Marcus McIlwain – NIDA Contractor

During the Open Session of Council, 199 participants joined live via videocast.

Closed Portion of the Meeting - September 11, 2025

1. Call to Order     
   This portion of the meeting was closed to the public in accordance with the determination that it was concerned with matters exempt from mandatory disclosure under sections 552b(c)(4) and 552b(c)(6), Title 5 U.S.C., and section 1009(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. §§ 1001-1014).
   
   Dr. Nora Volkow, Director, NIDA, called the meeting to order and welcomed the Council and staff. She reminded those present that the Federal Advisory Committee Act applies to Council meetings and that this portion of the meeting was closed to the public.
   
   Dr. Susan Weiss, Executive Secretary, summarized relevant NIH policies, provided detailed instructions on Council review procedures, and reminded those present about NIH confidentiality and conflict of interest policies.
2. Application Reviews     
   Drs. Aria Crump, Carlos Blanco, Elena Koustova, Iván Montoya, Rita Valentino, and Kristen Huntley, Directors of NIDA’s Office of Research Training, Diversity, and Disparities, Division of Epidemiology, Services, and Prevention Research, Office of Translational Initiatives and Program Innovations, Division of Therapeutics and Medical Consequences, Division of
   Neuroscience and Behavior, and Associate Director of the Center for the Clinical Trials Network presented their Division’s/Office’s assigned and peer-reviewed applications for consideration by the Council. For each application, Council provided unanimous en bloc concurrence with the initial scientific review. One foreign application, one administrative supplement, and five ESI MERIT nominations were presented to Council; Council concurred with program assessments. Two Special Council Review applications were presented as well. The initial review of all Trans-NIH Initiatives, 
   including NIH Common Fund, Blueprint, and BRAIN applications, as well as foreign applications and applications with a secondary assignment to NIDA, also received Council concurrence. In total, Council concurred with the initial review of 1,674 applications requesting $665.8 million in first-year direct costs.
   
   Council and staff were recused from the Council meeting during the discussion of, and voting on, individual applications from their own institutions or other applications for which there was a conflict of interest, real or apparent. Conflicts of interest statements were signed by each member of the Council. Members were not required to leave the room if an application in conflict with that member was acted upon en bloc.

Open Portion of the Meeting - September 11, 2024

1. Call to Order     
   Dr. Nora Volkow, Director, NIDA, called the open portion of the meeting to order and welcomed all attendees. She 
   reminded all in attendance that the meeting was open to the public in compliance with the Government in the Sunshine Act, was available and recorded via videocast, and indicated that any public comments submitted via email within 10 days of the meeting would be included in the minutes.
2. Consideration of the Minutes of Council
   The Minutes of the May 2024 NIDA Advisory Council were unanimously approved as written. 
   
   She then called attention to future Council meeting dates: February 4, 2025, and May 13-14, 2025, and September 9, 2025.
3. Review Operating Procedures    
   The Minutes of the February 2024 NIDA Advisory Council were unanimously approved as written.
   
   She then called attention to future Council meeting dates: September 11, 2024, February 4, 2025, and May 13-14, 2025.
4. NIDA Director’s Report (NIH Videocast @ 0:3:37) – Nora Volkow, M.D., Director, NIDA
   Dr. Volkow first updated Council on the current budget and personnel changes at NIDA. She provided a status update on the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study and HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study. Next, Dr. Volkow discussed the Population Assessment for Tobacco and Health (PATH) study and its impacts on policy. She 
   provided a summary of data on substance use and drug overdose deaths, and highlighted research on vaping cessation and medications to treat Opioid Use Disorders in various settings. She then highlighted the racial disparities in overdose deaths and introduced the Native Collective Research effort to Enhance Wellness (N CREW), a program developed in direct response to Tribal Consultations that addresses overdose, substance use, mental health, and pain. Dr. Volkow also discussed recent research regarding the use of GLP-1 Agonists to treat Opioid Use Disorder and a recent publication identifying novel mechanisms to potentially treat HIV. She concluded by acknowledging recent congressional 
   engagements and drawing attention to future meetings: the Frontiers in Addiction Research meeting and the ABCD Insights and Innovations meeting.
   
   Council thanked Dr. Volkow for her presentation and a discussion followed (NIH Videocast @
   1:01:50).
5. The NIH BRAIN Initiative: Accelerating Discovery Towards Cures (NIH Videocast @ 1:27:33) – John Ngai, Ph.D. Director, NIH BRAIN Initiative
   Dr. Ngai provided an overview and update on the status of the NIH BRAIN Initiative. He described the progress made over the past decade in funding research related to brain cell and circuit technologies, neural recording and modulation, neuroimaging technologies across scales, systems neuroscience, and human neuroscience. Dr. Ngai highlighted some of the Transformative Projects that aim to better understand the circuit basis of behavior to inform new treatments of 
   human brain disorders. He described some of the advances made thus far, including a cell atlas for the mammalian brain, improved tools to quantify complex behaviors with simultaneous recordings of brain activity, and brain computer interfaces.
   
   Following the presentation, a discussion with Council occurred (NIH Videocast @ 2:00:40).
6. Addressing SDoH in the DNB and DESPR Portfolios (NIH Videocast @ 2:08:35) – Vani Pariyadath, Ph.D. Branch Chief, Behavioral and Cognitive Science, Division ofNeuroscience and Behavior, NIDA
   Alexa Romberg, Ph.D. Deputy Branch Chief, Prevention Research Branch, Division of Epidemiology, Services, Prevention Research, NIDA
   Dr. Pariyadath and Dr. Romberg presented ways that DNB and DESPR are addressing Social Determinants of Health in their extramural research portfolios. They highlighted shared scientific interests and some of their collaborations. Both divisions use the Research Framework created by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities to help inform their research. Dr. Romberg discussed DESPRs focus on research informed by the SPECS principles that
   inform, develop, and test interventions for real-world impact. This includes sustainability, patient and stakeholder 
   engagement, equity, connecting research to practice, and scalability. Dr. Pariyadath discussed SDoH and SUD 
   neuroscience research and the goal to advance models that incorporate interactions between the brain and the broader social and physical environment. She discussed challenges in the field and current work to address this.
   
   Following the presentation, a discussion with Council occurred (NIH Videocast @ 2:32:05).
7. People with Lived or Living Experience (PWLLE) NACDA Workgroup (NIH Videocast @ 2:47:50) – Rachel Tillage, Ph.D., Health Science Policy Analyst, Office of Science Policy and Communications (OSPC), NIDA
   Dr. Tillage introduce the People with Lived or Living Experience Council Workgroup. The workgroup will be tasked with developing standards for engaging people who have lived or living experience with drug use in NIDA research. Suggestions and priorities identified by the working group will inform a webpage that summarizes NIDA’s expectations for researcher engagement of PWLLE with drug use and will be presented to the NACDA. The workgroup will comprise community members with appropriate expertise and NACDA members.
   
   Following the presentation, a discussion with Council occurred (NIH Videocast @ 2:54:20).
   
   Council voted to approve the creation of the PWLLE NACDA Workgroup.
8. Concept Clearances  (NIH Videocast @ 2:58:20)
   
   Division of Neuroscience and Behavior (DNB)
   – Cutting Edge Basic Research Awards (CEBRA) – Tristan McClure-Begley, Ph.D.
   – HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) Study – Janani Prabhakar, Ph.D.
9. Public Comments (NIH Videocast @ 3:02:00)    
   No public comments were submitted. 
10. Adjourn (NIH Videocast @ 3:02:43)       
    The 148th meeting of the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse was adjourned at 5:00 p.m.

Certification

I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are accurate and complete.

• Nora D. Volkow, M.D.
  Director, NIDA
  Chair, National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse
• Susan Weiss, Ph.D.
  Executive Secretary, National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse

Council Roster

Note: Informational materials provided to the public at the open session of the meeting may be obtained from the Executive Secretary.