National Advisory Council Agenda

153rd Meeting of the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse

Hybrid Meeting: Tuesday, May 5, 2026

Closed Session

This meeting is closed to the public in accordance with the provisions set forth in section 552b{c}(4) and 552b{c}(6), Title 5, U.S. Code and section 10(d) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 U.S.
C. Appendix 2).

TimePresentation
10:30 a.m.Call to Order
Nora Volkow, M.D.
Director, NIDA

Review of Policy and Procedures
Susan Weiss, Ph.D.
Executive Secretary
National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse
Director, Division of Extramural Research, NIDA
10:45 a.m.

Council Review of Grant Applications
Nora Volkow, M.D., Director, NIDA

Office of Research Training and Career Development (ORTCD)
Wilson Compton, M.D., M.P.E. 
Deputy Director, NIDA

Division of Therapeutics and Medical Consequences (DTMC)
Iván Montoya, M.D., M.P.H.
Director

Division of Neuroscience and Behavior (DNB)
Tristan McClure-Begley, Ph.D.
Acting Director

Division of Epidemiology, Services, and Prevention Research (DESPR)
Carlos Blanco, M.D., Ph.D.
Director

11:45 a.m.Board of Scientific Counselors (BSC) Update
Lorenzo Leggio, M.D., Ph.D.
Clinical Director, IRP
Rodrigo España, Ph.D.
BSC Acting Chair
12:15 p.m.Break

Videocast:
Members of the public who may wish to express views regarding any items discussed during this meeting may do so by writing Gillian Acca, within ten days of the meeting. Any written statements by members of the public will receive careful consideration.

Join the Videocast.

Open to the Public

TimePresentation
1:30 p.m.Welcome and Opening Remarks
Nora Volkow, M.D.
Director, NIDA
1:45 p.m.Director's Report
Nora Volkow, M.D.
Director, NIDA
2:15 p.m.Discussion
Council Members
2:45 p.m.Break
3:00 p.m.NIDA 2027-2031 Strategic Plan Update
Daniel Stimson, J.D., Ph.D.
Health Science Policy Analyst, Office of Scientific Planning and Coordination (OSPC)
3:30 p.m.Division of Neuroscience and Behavior (DNB) Prospectus 2026 and Beyond: Evolving Core Topics to Bridge Mechanistic Gaps
Tristan McClure-Begley, Ph.D.
Acting Director, DNB
4:00 p.m.

Concept Clearances

Division of Neuroscience and Behavior (DNB)

  • NIH Blueprint Initiative: Tools for Germline Gene Editing in the Nervous System – Jonathan Pollock, Ph.D., Branch Chief, Genetics, Epigenetics, and Developmental Neuroscience Branch
  • NIDA Core Center for Transformative Science Program – Tristan McClure-Begley, Ph.D., Acting Director, DNB

Division of Epidemiology, Services and Prevention Research

  • Intervention Research to Improve Native American Health – Sarah Vidal, Ph.D., Health Science Administrator, DESPR
4:15 p.m.Public Comments
4:30 p.m.Adjourn