Skip to Content

FelCom - Liaisons

 

Animal Research Advisory Committee (ARAC)

Felcom Liaison

The Director NIH has delegated authority to the Deputy Director for Intramural Research (DDIR) to effect compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies regarding the humane care and use of animals in the intramural research program. Dr. Michael M. Gottesman, Deputy Director for Intramural Research (DDIR) serves as the Institutional Official for the NIH Intramural Research Program. The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Chairs constitute the Animal Research Advisory Committee (ARAC) which meets regularly and advises the DDIR on trans-NIH animal care and use issues.

Child Care Board

Felcom Liaison

The NIH Child Care Board is charged with promoting affordable, accessible, quality day care for NIH employees and advises the NIH regarding child care services and policies. The Felcom liaison provides a conduit between the board and Felcom to make sure the board is aware of issues pertaining to NIH fellows, and to keep fellows abreast of the child care situation at NIH.

Committee on SCIENTIFIC CONDUCT & ETHICS
Felcom Liaison

The Committee on Scientific Conduct and Ethics is composed of a broad spectrum of scientists from the ICs. The committee was established in September 1995 with three charges:

  • To develop and/or refine existing guidelines for the conduct of research, to develop procedures to protect both whistle blowers and scientists accused of scientific misconduct, and to develop a model for binding arbitration.
  • To develop effective mechanisms for research ethics training for the NIH scientific community, including the ethics column in The NIH Catalyst.
  • To develop a course to train principal investigators in leadership, mentoring, and handling of conflict skills.

Foundation for Advanced Education in the Sciences (FAES)

Felcom Liaison

FAES is a non-profit organization with a mission to foster and encourage scientific research and education, and to facilitate communication among scientists, by whatever means may be practical. FAES runs the Graduate Evening Program at NIH to permit members of the science and medical community to supplement laboratory training with advanced formal education. The Felcom liaison attends the two annual board meetings to report to Felcom any issues pertinent to NIH trainees and provides a conduit whereby fellows may communicate any concerns or issues through the Felcom liaison to the FAES Executive Director and/or Board.

Graduate Medical Education Committee (GMEC)

Felcom Liaison

The GMEC is made up of the Program Directors for the American Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited fellowships in the NIH Clinical Center and/or designated representatives. The GMEC meets monthly to address policy issues relevant to clinical training in accredited programs. The GMEC Felcom representative(s) attend all GMEC meetings and provide reports to FelCom detailing the content of meetings relevant to the NIH clinical fellows. The GMEC FelCom representative(s) will administer the Distinguished Clinical Teacher Award (DCTA) conferred annually. The award recognizes excellence in mentoring healthcare professionals, excellence in teaching about issues related to direct patient care and outstanding contributions to the advancement of clinical research.

Graduate Partnerships Program (GPP)

Felcom Liaison

The Graduate Partnerships Program links the NIH with universities for graduate level training of students. Through university partnerships, NIH strengthens and expands its role as a provider of excellent training for the biomedical scientists of the future. The mission of the GPP is to establish and foster graduate education partnerships with national and international universities and institutions dedicated to quality education in both basic and clinical biomedical research while providing the infrastructure and community support needed by the students in these programs. For more information concerning graduate student issues, please see the NIH Graduate Student Council homepage.

Human Subjects Research Advisory Committee (HSRAC)

Felcom Liaison 

The Human Subjects Research Advisory Committee (HSRAC) meets every other month on Friday at 3:00. The HSRAC is responsible for advising the NIH Deputy Director for Intramural Research on the policies and procedures regarding the conduct of human subjects research in the NIH Intramural Research Program. The HSRAC is comprised of the Deputy Director for Intramural Research, who is the chair, the Director of the Office for Human Subjects Research, the 14 NIH IRB Chairs, the Director of the Clinical Center, and the Chief of the Clinical Center Department of Bioethics. The FelCom representative to the HSRAC must attend all meetings and report back any issues/concerns that are relevant to fellows at NIH.

Medical Executive Committee (MEC)

Felcom Liaison

The Medical Executive Committee, comprised of the various clinical directors of the NIH intramural clinical research programs and other senior medical and administrative staff, advises the Clinical Center Director and develops policies governing standards of medical care in the Clinical Center. The Committee represents and acts for the Medical Staff and other clinical professionals in the Clinical Center, and enforces the rules and policies of the Clinical Center. The Felcom liaison attends all MEC meetings, representing the NIH fellows' interests and reports back to Felcom the content of the meeting pertinent to the NIH fellows.

National Postdoctoral Association (NPA)

Felcom Liaison

The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) is a professional association that provides a unique, national voice for postdoctoral scholars. The NPA was founded in 2003, with an ambitious agenda to enhance the quality of the postdoctoral experience. Since its founding, the NPA has assumed a leadership role in addressing the many issues confronting the postdoc community that are national in scope, requiring action beyond the local level. Key alliances are being forged at all levels, and new standards and policies proposed by NPA are being considered and adopted by federal agencies and research institutions throughout the U.S.

The NIH Liaison to the NPA serves as connection between the NIH community and the NPA. Duties include: reporting on upcoming NPA activities and events, providing information to the NPA regarding NIH postdoctoral policies, and serving as the NIH's representative to the NPA.

OUTREACH LIAISON
Felcom Liaison

The FelCom outreach liaison advocates for fellows via NIH newsletters and blogs. First, the outreach liaison promotes the scientific work being conducted by fellows in the NIH Intramural blog. The liaison writes monthly profiles featuring a postdoctoral researcher. Second, the outreach liaison promotes FelCom activities, and other topics of relevance to postdoctoral training, via bi-monthly articles in the NIH intramural newsletter, The Catalyst. The Outreach Liaison aims to promote diverse perspectives and helps support fellows to make their voices heard.

Committee on SCIENTIFIC CONDUCT & ETHICS
Felcom Liaison

The Committee on Scientific Conduct and Ethics is composed of a broad spectrum of scientists from the ICs. The committee was established in September 1995 with three charges:

  • To develop and/or refine existing guidelines for the conduct of research, to develop procedures to protect both whistle blowers and scientists accused of scientific misconduct, and to develop a model for binding arbitration.
  • To develop effective mechanisms for research ethics training for the NIH scientific community, including the ethics column in The NIH Catalyst.
  • To develop a course to train principal investigators in leadership, mentoring, and handling of conflict skills.

Postdoctoral Research Associate (PRAT) Program

Felcom Liaison

The NIGMS Postdoctoral Research Associate (PRAT) Program is a unique, postdoctoral fellowship program to pursue research in one of the laboratories of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). PRAT fellows participate in a structured training program with defined curriculum elements and are provided access to NIH's extensive resources, mentorship, career development activities and networking. PRAT fellows conduct research within the NIH Intramural Research Program but also are supported by and exposed to the extramural NIH culture through their appointment at NIGMS. Thus, the PRAT liaison brings a unique perspective to committee discussions and will serve as a connection between the NIH intramural community and NIGMS.

Recreation and Welfare Committee & Health and Wellness Council Liaison

Felcom Liaison

The Recreation and Wellness Committee advises the NIH Recreation and Wellness Association in the enrichment, enhancement, and development of the programming available to fellows to address their health and welfare. Furthermore, this committee helps promote health and service opportunities provided by R&W to the fellows and in turn to bring health and wellness concerns and ideas from the fellows to R&W. It is the mission of the R&W committee to support and promote the general health of NIH fellows.
The HWC is comprised of a diverse group of Institute and Center (IC) representatives who are committed to improving the health and well-being of NIH employees and their worksites with commitment from the organization through educational activities, events, and environmental and policy initiatives. The HWC works to create a culture of wellness at NIH by planning and sponsoring wellness activities and events, reviewing and recommending wellness policies and advocating for environmental and workplace changes. The HWC's priorities are planned based on the recommendations and feedback received from NIH employees and managers. The HWC aims to provide an organized, systematic business approach to promote health and wellness at NIH.

Scientific Conduct & Ethics

Felcom Liaison

The Committee on Scientific Conduct and Ethics is composed of a broad spectrum of scientists from the ICs. The committee was established in September 1995 with three charges:

  • To develop and/or refine existing guidelines for the conduct of research, to develop procedures to protect both whistle blowers and scientists accused of scientific misconduct, and to develop a model for binding arbitration.
  • To develop effective mechanisms for research ethics training for the NIH scientific community, including the ethics column in The NIH Catalyst.
  • To develop a course to train principal investigators in leadership, mentoring, and handling of conflict skills.

Training Directors

Felcom Liaison

Felcom's NIH Training Director's Committee representative represents the NIH postdoc community during the semi-monthly meeting of the Institute training directors. They are to report to Felcom any policies and issues that the Training Directors discuss and provide postdoctoral input to the Training Directors.

Women Scientist Advisors (WSA)

Felcom Liaison

In 1991, Dr. Bernadine Healy, Director of NIH, established a Task Force to examine the status of intramural women scientists. The Task Force, which included 15 intramural scientists and was chaired by Dr. Hynda Kleinman, issued a final report in November 1992. Among the recommendations was that each IC should have a Woman Scientist Advisor (WSA). These recommendations were unanimously approved by the Scientific Directors at their meeting of November 4, 1992.

The activities of the IC-specific WSA include holding regular meetings with the Scientific Director in order to advise him/her about issues relevant to women scientists; attending Lab/Branch Chief meetings to serve as a representative of women scientists; informing the Institute's women scientists on issues which will affect them and solicit their opinions; organize meetings for the women scientists to discuss issues of general concern or to present programs of general interest; serve on IC tenure-track, tenured scientist, or lab/branch chief search committees; attend monthly WSA committee meetings where issues of concern to all NIH women scientists are discussed. Additionally, the WSA Committee organizes and promotes a lecture series featuring NIH intramural women scientists.