• Institute Update
On October 23, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) announced the creation of a new Data Science and Technology Division (DST). DST will replace NIMH’s former Office of Technology Development and Coordination (OTDC). The decision to replace OTDC with DST was made in response to increased demand for grants and contract funding in technology-related areas.
DST provides a wealth of infrastructure to NIMH researchers, including large-scale sequencing, brain and tissue banks, data archives, non-human primate resources, and shared instrumentation. DST will continue to support research into new tools, technologies and approaches for brain and behavior research and provide infrastructure to support that research. DST will provide this support by:
- Create and direct plans to advance the development of computing and scientific technology.
- Coordinate NIMH participation in Brain research through the advancement of innovative neurotechnologies® Initiative, or The BRAIN® Initiative
- Oversee NIMH efforts related to the development of scientific computing and technologies.
- Managing the NIMH Data Archive
- Manage NIMH infrastructure projects necessary to support mental health research
- Serve as the NIMH representative to all NIH committees and groups on technology development and informatics.
Two new branches have been created to support the work of DST:
- Technology Development Branch: The Technology Development Branch supports grants and contracts that develop new research tools and technologies, including NIMH’s work on the BRAIN Initiative. These tools include, but are not limited to, new optical technologies, magnetic resonance imaging technologies, cellular and molecular tools, and computational approaches to analyzing data.
- Infrastructure Branch: The Infrastructure Branch supports grants and contracts that provide infrastructure for the mental health research community. The largest infrastructure activities in the sector are NIH NeuroBioBank which provides human brain tissue for scientific research, and the NIMH Data Archive which stores human subjects data collected by NIMH grant recipients.
Greg Farber, Ph.D., who has served as director of OTDC since 2014, leads the new division. Dr. Farber will continue to lead infrastructure activities and ensure they are integrated into other NIH activities that provide infrastructure to the research community. He will also help DST navigate and respond to increasing and complex funding demands.
Dr. Farber brings extensive experience in informatics and data management policy to DST. Having led many NIH and NIMH informatics efforts, Dr. Farber has collaborated with the NIH Office of the Director, the NIH Office of Extramural Research, and the NIH Office of Data Science Strategy, working to advise on the establishment and execution of the NIH-width Data management and sharing policy . Additionally, he has made influential contributions to global data sharing in his work on behalf of the NIMH with the Wellcome Trust and the International Alliance of Funders of Mental Health Research.
For more information about daylight saving time, visit https://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/organization/dst.
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