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Abstract:
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NIH peer review reflects these fundamental values: merit-based competition, fairness and transparency, expert evaluation, and efficiency. CSR, which reviews approximately 75% of NIH grant applications, continually evaluates peer review processes and outcomes. Recent efforts have focused on defining optimal topical boundaries for study sections, on combating bias, and on review integrity. The Evaluating Panel Quality in Review (ENQUIRE) process is a major effort to evaluate scientific scope of study sections and ensure that the review process functions well and consistently. ENQUIRE entails a rigorous evaluation of study sections within broad fields of science with input from external stakeholders to determine the best grouping of topics to allow an appropriate level of competition and with consideration of emerging areas. A second stage engages internal stakeholders and focuses on review process. Other steps CSR and NIH have taken to protect the review process includes training to combat implicit bias, a study of the effect of anonymizing grant applications, and steps to address breaches of integrity. Those efforts and related data will be discussed.
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