Discusses opportunities open to orthopaedic researchers

On March 20, 2009, Stephen Katz, MD, PhD, director of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS); Robert Carter, MD, NIAMS deputy director; and other NIAMS senior leadership met with members of the AAOS Board of Directors and Research Development Committee as part of the AAOS 2009 Research Capitol Hill Days.

The annual meeting with Dr. Katz affords an opportunity to discuss AAOS advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill. This year, the group focused on the funding included in the recently enacted American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) and subsequent research grant opportunities.

The NIAMS allocation of the ARRA funding will be distributed by extending the paylines of R03 and R21 grants, identifying R01 applicants that may benefit from a 2-year award, and supplementing currently funded awards. In addition, the NIH has designated at least $200 million in fiscal year 2009–2010 for a new initiative—the NIH Challenge Grants in Health and Science Research (RC1). These grants will support research that focuses on health research challenges in biomedical and behavioral research and will benefit from 2-year jumpstart funding.

An overview of the ARRA and its effect on the NIH and NIAMS, including an overview letter from Dr. Katz, is available online at www.niams.nih.gov/recovery

Kudos to the Academy
Dr. Katz expressed support and appreciation of AAOS research advocacy efforts, with specific praise for the patient connection in Research Capitol Hill Days. He encouraged the AAOS to continue to include patients in its outreach efforts, noting that patient testimonies lend a unique voice to the advocacy process and leave a lasting impression on Capitol Hill.

Finally, in an effort to broaden connections with the NIH, the AAOS research delegation met briefly with Lawrence Tabak, DDS, PhD, director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, to discuss potential future collaborations.

The AAOS delegation included Joseph D. Zuckerman, MD, president; John J. Callaghan, MD, first vice president; Kristy L. Weber, MD, chair of the Council on Research, Quality Assessment, and Technology; Gunnar B.J. Andersson, MD, PhD, chair of the Orthopaedic Research Society advocacy committee; and members of the AAOS Research Development Committee—Denis R. Clohisy, MD, chair; Samuel B. Adams Jr., MD; Michael T. Archdeacon, MD, MSE; Constance R. Chu, MD; Francis Young-In Lee, MD, PhD; Paul A. Manner, MD, FRCSC; Rocky Tuan, PhD; and Terri A. Zachos, DVM, PhD.

Christy M.P. Gilmour is manager of medical research in the AAOS office of government relations and can be reached at gilmour@aaos.org

Erin L. Ransford is research coordinator for the AAOS office of government relations and can be reached at ransford@aaos.org

Recovery Act funds now available
A total of $1.5 billion in grants funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act are now available through the National Institutes of Health. The grants will fund scientific research, construction, and improvement of research facilities, and the purchase of scientific equipment.

Read more online at http://grants.nih.gov/recovery