Working Group Members

The High-Risk, High-Reward Research working group is a trans-NIH team that oversees the development, administration, communication, and assessment of the program.

Chair

The chair leads the working group and has the authority to approve major activities and funding actions.

  • Robert W. Eisinger, Ph.D.
    Acting Director
    Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives
    Office of the Director
    National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Common Fund Leadership Team

The Common Fund team coordinates working group activities and is responsible for day-to-day leadership and program management.

Acting Director:

  • Douglas Sheeley, ScD
    Acting Director, Office of Strategic Coordination
    Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives
    Office of the Director
    National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Operations & Grants Management:

  • Michael Morse
    Grants Management Advisor
    Office of Strategic Coordination
    Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives
    Office of the Director
    National Institutes of Health (NIH)
     
  • Ellie Murcia, M.Ed.
    Business Operations and Analysis Contact
    Office of Strategic Coordination
    Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives
    Office of the Director
    National Institutes of Health (NIH)

 

Program:

HRHR Program; New Innovator Award, Pioneer Award; Transformative Research Award

  • Patricia Labosky, PhD
    Program Leader
    Office of Strategic Coordination
    Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives
    Office of the Director
    National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Early Independence Award

  • Becky Miller, PhD
    Program Officer
    Office of Strategic Coordination
    Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives
    Office of the Director
    National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Scientific Review Officers

Scientific Review Officers oversee the review process and are responsible for ensuring that each application receives an objective and fair initial peer review, and that all applicable laws, regulations, and policies are followed.

Pioneer Award:

  • James Mack, PhD
    Scientific Review Officer
    Division of Basic and Integrative Biological Sciences
    Center for Scientific Review (CSR)

Transformative Research Award:

  • James Li, PhD
    Scientific Review Officer
    Bioengineering Sciences and Technologies Integrated Review Group
    Division of Basic and Integrative Biological Sciences
    Center for Scientific Review (CSR)
     
  • Sarita Sastry, Ph.D. 
    Scientific Review Officer
    Division of Basic and Integrative Biological Sciences
    Center for Scientific Review (CSR)

Early Independence Award:

  • Suzanne Ryan, PhD
    Scientific Review Officer
    Population Sciences and Epidemiology Integrated Review Group
    Division of AIDS, Behavior and Population Sciences
    Center for Scientific Review (CSR)
     

New Innovator Award:

  • Eugene Carstea, PhD
    IRG Chief
    Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences Integrated Review Group
    Division of Translational and Clinical Sciences
    Center for Scientific Review (CSR)
     
  • Xinrui Li, PhD
    Scientific Review Officer  
    Immunology and Infectious Diseases B Branch 
    Division of Physiological and Pathological Sciences 
    Center for Scientific Review (CSR)
     
  • Alok Mulky, PhD
    Scientific Review Officer  
    Immunology and Infectious Diseases B Branch 
    Division of Physiological and Pathological Sciences 
    Center for Scientific Review (CSR)
  • Stefania Senger, PhD 
    Scientific Review Officer
    Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences Integrated Review Group
    Division of Translational and Clinical Sciences
    Center for Scientific Review (CSR)

 

NIH Institute/Center Members

Working group members are staff from multiple NIH institutes and centers. They are the liaisons between the program and their institute or center and are tasked with formulating policies and procedures and assisting in the administration of the program. Nearly every funding NIH institute and center has a representative on the working group.

  • Kristin Abraham, PhD
    Senior Advisor
    Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases
    National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
     
  • Hugh Auchincloss, MD
    Deputy Director
    National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
     
  • Alexey Belkin, PhD
    Program Director
    National Institute of Arthritis and
    Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
     
  • Geetha Bansal, PhD
    Program Officer
    Fogarty International Center (FIC)
     
  • Sangeeta Bhargava, PhD
    Program Director
    Collaborative Clinical Research Program
    Division of Extramural Science Programs
    National Eye Institute (NEI)
     
  • Jennifer Collins, MR
    Health Specialist
    Exposure, Response, and Technology Branch
    Division of Extramural Research and Training
    National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
     
  • Christine Colvis, PhD
    Program Director
    National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
     
  • Bill Duval, PhD
    Deputy Director
    Division of Extramural Science Programs
    National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR)
     
  • Emmeline Edwards, PhD 
    Director, Division of Extramural Research
    National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
     
  • Zeynep Erim, PhD
    Acting Director, Division of Interdisciplinary Training
    National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)
     
  • Rene Etcheberrigaray, MD
    Senior Scientific Advisor to the Director of Extramural Activities
    National Institute on Aging (NIA)

  • Nancy Freeman, PhD
    Program Officer
    Division of Scientific Programs
    National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
     
  • Dana Greene-Schloesser, PhD
    Health Scientist Administrator
    Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research
    Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives
    Office of the Director (OD)
    National Institutes of Health (NIH)
     
  • Gabriel Hidalgo
    Deputy Director
    Grants Management Branch
    National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
     
  • Raymond Jacobson, PhD
    IRG Chief
    Biological Chemistry and Macromolecular Biophysics Integrated Review Group
    Center for Scientific Review (CSR)
     
  • Susan Koester, PhD
    Deputy Division Director
    Division of Neuroscience and Basic Behavioral Science
    National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

     

 

  • Roger Little, PhD
    Deputy Division Director
    Division of Basic Neuroscience and Behavioral Research
    National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
     
  • Brett Miller, PhD
    Program Director
    Reading, Writing, & Related Learning Disabilities Research Program
    Child Development & Behavior Branch
    Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
     
  • David Miller, PhD
    Program Director
    Division of Cancer Biology
    National Cancer Institute (NCI)
                                                                                              
  • Imoh Okon, PhD
    Scientific Review Officer
    Cardiovascular and Respiratory Sciences Integrated Review Group
    Division of Translational and Clinical Sciences
    Center for Scientific Review (CSR)
     
  • Richard C. Palmer, DrPH, JD
    Deputy Director for Extramural Programs
    Acting Director for Extramural Programs
    National Library of Medicine (NLM)

  • Mike Pazin, PhD
    Program Director
    Functional Genomics
    National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
     
  • Steven Pittenger, PhD
    Program Officer
    Drug Development Partnership Programs
    National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
     
  • Diana (Dede) Rutberg, MBA
    Chief Grants Management Officer
    Division of Extramural Activities
    National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
     
  • Michael Sakalian, PhD
    Program Director
    Biophysics Branch
    National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
     
  • John Satterlee, PhD (Alternate)
    Program Director
    Division of Basic Neuroscience and Behavioral Research
    National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
     
  • Carol Shreffler, PhD
    Health Science Administrator
    Division of Extramural Research and Training
    National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
     
  • Lillian Shum, PhD
    Director, Division of Extramural Research
    National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
     
  • Barbara C. Sorkin, PhD 
    Office of Dietary Supplements
    Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives
    Office of the Director
    National Institutes of Health (NIH)
     
  • RV Srinivas, PhD
    Chief of the Extramural Project Review Branch
    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
     
  • Nathaniel Stinson, Jr., PhD, MD
    Acting Director, Office of Scientific Programs
    National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
     
  • William Tyler, PhD  
    Program Director
    Neural Environment 
    National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

  • Stephanie Johnson Webb, PhD
    Scientific Review Officer
    Division of Extramural Research Activities
    National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

This page last reviewed on May 22, 2023