Accomplishing all of its
agreed-upon strategic objectives, NHGRI recently reexamined the
program’s future research goals and associated organizational
capabilities. From July 2001 through November 2002, NHGRI officials
conducted a series of workshops and solicited advice from national and
international experts to (1) review the U.S. program’s past scientific
successes, (2) define new strategic research goals and areas of
emphasis, and (3) identify the scientific and research capability
needed to achieve these goals. Program officials and scientists
participating in the planning workshops discussed such topics as how
skills critical to achieving previous goals may change during the
coming years; how NIH should acquire, develop, and shape these skills
within universities and NIH research programs; and whether NHGRI will
need additional managers with similar scientific and medical skills to
oversee research activities. According to NHGRI officials, workshop
participants called for an even greater reliance in the future on
scientists with computational and clinical medical skills. The
program’s April 2003 strategic plan includes ambitious goals for
translating the wealth of existing genetic information and technology
into medical applications that will significantly improve human health
care and calls for an increased number of scientists with such skills.