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Recent results suggests that glycans play critical roles in human physiology and pathology. Understanding glycan protein interactions may lead to next generation of drugs. But limited research is being funded on understanding structure - function relationships on glycans. Likewise, we are training very few researchers in the glycosciences. More programs are needed to impart glycoscience knowledge at the undergraduate,... more »

Survival has improved but neurobehavioral disabilty remains a common complication with adverse impacts on quality of life, educational and occupational attainments, and resource utilization. There is increasing evidence that brain development is abnormal, and leads to a rrisk of peri-operative brain injury. Studies are needed to; 1. Further define the prevalence and spectrum of neurobehavioral disability. 2, Understand... more »

There needs to be better oversight and transparency for diversity in our research portfolio to include a steady pipeline of young investigators and to facilitate the entry of pediatricians into the research work force. Specifically, workforce diversity should be considered in addition to scientific merit in determining funding priorities.

Study patient-provider communication of asthma self-management requirements to see where gaps in communication may contribute to suboptimal self-management decisions. Examine patients’ decision-making in the home management of asymptomatic and acute. Compare different approaches to the delivery of asthma self-management education and best practices for supporting the patient as they gain competency in this area.

We need to improve the understanding of the molecular and physiological bases of paracrine signaling of heart, and use the knowledge gained to develop improved, effective approaches to diagnose, treat, and prevent cardiac disorders.

Many pharma companies are developing inhaled antibiotics for patients with bronchiectasis, recognizing the increasing market (over 110,000 patients in the US). These drugs cost thousands of dollars per year and will be heavily marketed and heavily used, as there are limited options for these patients. It is unknown if rotating oral antibiotics (cost is a fraction of the inhaled ABx) would yield similar results.  A Cochrane... more »

What are the behavioral factors that predispose to excessive weight gain and development of obesity? And, which intervention strategies can effectively prevent excessive weight gain and obesity? NHLBI, other NIH institutes and the society at-large have invested heavily in research and clinical practice aimed at treatment of obesity (i.e, weight loss in those who are already overweight). However, much less research... more »

There is a need for a predictable, steady expansion of funding of NIH. The repetitive booms and busts in research funding are a primary source of the current instability of the biomedical research and training systems. Funding goals should not be simply “more”, or another “doubling”, but instead a trajectory of steady expansion of research funding that can be sustained over the medium-to-long term.

There is a need to develop an artificial and functional hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) niche that allows for the expansion of repopulating HSCs.

The development of personalized medicine and the increasing amount of information extracted from individual and patients throughout their life is expected to growth significantly. Multiple types of physiological sensors are currently embedded in everyday-life objects and yet their clinical value and their potential to improve health care is not well defined. It seems fundamental that the NIH develops a core research group/... more »

Greater understanding of the incidence, associated mortality, and unique characteristics of bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and thoracic aortic disease are needed. An increase in autopsies would be an important source in advancing understanding.

Can novel therapeutics including cell-based therapy be tested in patients with severe acute lung injury (P/F <200) and shock (need for vasopressors) since these are the patients with the highest mortality (> 30%) based on NHLBI ARDS Network data?

The pathobiology of restenosis is intimal hyperplasia, a specific form of wound healing. This response to physical injury is essential to prevent hemorrhage and thus has evolved to be highly sensitive, intense, resilient and redundant. It involves a complex interplay between blood elements, endothelial integrity, leukocytes, macrophages, fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells. Modifying this multipronged response has proven... more »

How do we address health disparities especially in our most vulnerable populations, including children?

Blood is not continuously sterile. Data from dental studies, blood donors, and random blood cultures document that "normal" human blood often harbors microbes. Sepsis only occurs when immunological regulatory systems fail. Growing evidence link subclinical, potentially transient bacteremia to cardiovascular and other diseases. Could many of the diseases associated with inflammatory markers represent either continuous... more »