Office of the Scientific Director: Summary Statement

This is the first full year of operation of this office in the new reorganization of NIEHS. Much time has been devoted to: (1) recruiting leaders of new programs (Behavorial Toxicology, Pulmonary Function and Toxicology) or new leaders of existing programs (Biophysics, Pharmacokinetics); (2) developing plans for new programs and expansion of present programs between now and occupancy of the new building; (3) logistics of interim period between now and occupancy of the new building -especially fitting new programs and people into increasingly inadequate facilities; (4) maintaining liaison activities with other groups active in overlapping research areas at NIH and other governmental agencies; (5) developing plans for review of programs by the Board of Scientific Counselors; (6) developing plans for maintaining awareness of intramural programs, contract programs, energyrelated research, extramural programs; (7) developing proposals for new NIEHS initiatives in mutagenesis testing and toxicology bioassay programs with NCI, and for support of centers in marine and aquatic biomedicine and further development of our intramural programs in this area here, in Maine and in Florida; and (8) development of plans to add more support to the Scientific Director's Office. Accomplishments include the recruitment of Dr. Clifford L. Mitchell to head the Behavorial and Neurological Toxicology Laboratory and the subsequent staffing of that group with interdisciplinary expertise; the recruitment of Dr. Paul Nettesheim to be Chief of the new Laboratory of Pulmonary Function and Toxicology and the planning for the staffing of that unit over the next 2-3 years; the recruitment of Dr. Colin Chignell to be Chief of the Laboratory of Environmental Biophysics and the planning for establishment of a new program applying sophisticated biophysical techniques to studies of chemical effects, in addition to the present programs in the laboratory. The Board of Scientific Counselors met twice during the year to review intramural programs. Two of the larger laboratories presented their programs to the Counselors-Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Laboratory of Environmental Mutagenesis. The Counselors will be reviewing each of the intramural laboratories at least once every 3 years and sometimes more often. The Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology has now been reviewed twice since its establishment in 1972 (1974 and 1977). In the next year, the Laboratories of Pharmacology and Biometry will be reviewed. The practice of supplementing the Board of Scientific Counselors with ad hoc reviewers in research areas not represented by Board members will be continued as this results in in-depth reviews of all program areas most efficiently.