BECON MEETING MINUTES

BECON MEETING – June 18, 2003

Public Minutes

The NIH Bioengineering Consortium (BECON) met on Wednesday, June 18, 2003, from 3 to 4:45 PM in Room 151 of Building 1 on the NIH Main Campus in Bethesda, Maryland. The following text provides the minutes for this meeting.

BECON 2003 Status – The BECON 2003 Symposium on “Catalyzing Team Science” is scheduled for June 23-24 at the Natcher Center in Bethesda, Maryland. The NIH Chair reported that plans are complete for the meeting.

Third BRP Grantee Meeting – Preparations are complete for the Third BRP Grantee Meeting which is scheduled for June 24-25 at the Bethesda Marriott Hotel (Pooks Hill) in Bethesda, Maryland. The meeting begins at 2 PM on June 24 – about 2 hours after the BECON 2003 Symposium ends. The final agenda for the meeting and a list of five-minute presentations by the grantees were distributed.

BRP Solicitation Revision .- A one-page summary of possible revisions to the current BRP solicitation (PAR-03-032) was distributed and discussed. The current announcement ends with the August 22, 2003, application receipt date. The possible revisions were developed by a BECON subcommittee charged with reviewing and revising, if necessary, the solicitation.

Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Solicitation – Money was allocated from the NIH Director’s Discretionary Fund to support trans-NIH research programs involving nanoscience and nanotechnology. This effort will be coordinated through the BECON which has served as a focal point for NIH nanoscience and nanotechnology activities.

BECON members were reminded of the following:

1. The BECON 2003 Symposium on “Catalyzing Team Science” is scheduled for June 23-24 at the Natcher Conference Center. Detailed information is available on the SYMPOSIUM page of the BECON Web site.

1. The Third BRP Grantee Meeting is scheduled for June 24-25 at the Bethesda Marriott (Pooks Hill) Hotel in Bethesda. About l00 BRP grantees will be attending.

Next BECON Meeting – The next BECON meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 16, from 3 to 5 PM in Room 151 of Building l on the NIH Main Campus. A preliminary agenda will be available about a week before the meeting.