Multi-Council Working Group

The BRAIN Multi-Council Working Group ensures a coordinated and focused effort across NIH. The working group includes representatives from each of the 10 Institutes and Centers that contribute to the NIH BRAIN Initiative (who may also serve as a liaison to an Advisory Council), with additional at-large members appointed to supplement the working group’s expertise. In addition, the working group includes ex officio members from DARPA, FDA, IARPA, and NSF – who comprise NIH’s federal partners involved in The BRAIN Initiative^®.

The Multi-Council Working Group provides ongoing oversight of the long-term scientific vision of The BRAIN Initiative^®, as endorsed by the ACD, in the context of the evolving neuroscience landscape. It also serves as a forum for initial “concept clearance,” the review of ideas for new initiatives before they become funding announcements. In addition, the working group ensures that each of the BRAIN IC Advisory Councils is informed about BRAIN initiatives, awards, and progress – a critical point as the individual IC Advisory Councils will perform the formal concept clearance and the second level of review of BRAIN Initiative applications. Finally, the working group regularly offers an assessment of the progress of current projects and programs supported by The BRAIN Initiative^®.

Working Group Member List

Chair

• John Ngai, Ph.D.
  Director, NIH BRAIN Initiative

Members

• Ted Abel, Ph.D. (NIMH representative)
  University of Iowa

• Hugo Bellen, D.V.M., Ph.D. (NICHD representative)
  Baylor College of Medicine

• Todd Braver, Ph.D. (NCCIH representative)
  Washington University
   
• Karl Deisseroth, M.D./Ph.D. (NIDA representative)
  Stanford University
   
• Kafui Dzirasa, M.D./Ph.D. (at large member)
  Duke University
   
• James Eberwine, Ph.D. (NIAAA representative)
  University of Pennsylvania

• Jennifer French, MBA (at large member)
  Neurotech Network
   
• David Holtzman, M.D. (NIA representative)
  Washington University School of Medicine
   
• John Maunsell, Ph.D. (NINDS representative)
  University of Chicago
   
• Tirin Moore, Ph.D. (NEI representative)
  Stanford University
   
• Mala Murthy, Ph.D. (at large member)
  Princeton University
   
• Bruce Rosen, M.D., Ph.D. (NIBIB representative)
  Massachusetts General Hospital 

• Bryan Roth, M.D., Ph.D. (NIMH representative)
  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

• Dan Sanes, Ph.D. (NIDCD representative)
  New York University

• Elba Serrano, Ph.D. (at large member)
  New Mexico State University
   
• Sameer Sheth, M.D./Ph.D. (NINDS representative)
  Baylor College of Medicine

Ex Officio Members

• Amy Bernard, Ph.D.
  The Kavli Foundation (BRAIN Initiative Alliance representative)
   
• Michelle Elekonich, Ph.D.
  National Science Foundation (NSF)
   

• David McMullen, M.D.
  US Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

• Robert Rahmer
  Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA)
   
• Gopal Sarma, M.D., Ph.D.
  Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

Designated Federal Official

• Susan Weiss, Ph.D.
  Director, Division of Extramural Research, NIDA

Science Committee Specialist

• Kristin Dupre, Ph.D.
  Office of Neuroscience Communications and Engagement, Office of the Director, NINDS

Committee Specialist

• Deborah Freaner
  Division of Extramural Activities, NINDS

BRAIN Multi-Council Group Meetings 

Upcoming Meetings 

The twenty-fifth meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group will be on Wednesday, May 24^th, 2023. Videocast will be available for live viewing and later archived.

The twenty-sixth meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group will be on Tuesday, August 29^th, 2023. Videocast will be available for live viewing and later archived.

The twenty-seventh meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group will be on Tuesday, February 13^th, 2024. Videocast will be available for live viewing and later archived.

Previous Meetings 

The twenty-fourth meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group was held as an all-virtual meeting on Wednesday, January 25^th, 2023.

• Twenty-fourth meeting agenda (PDF, 176KB)
• Twenty-fourth meeting summary (PDF, 146KB)
• Twenty-fourth meeting videocast link of the open session 

The twenty-third meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group was held as an all-virtual meeting on Wednesday, August 24^th, 2022.

• Twenty-third meeting agenda (PDF, 129KB)
• Twenty-third meeting summary (PDF, 201KB)
• Twenty-third meeting videocast link of the open session

See below for additional previous meeting information.

Additional Previous Meetings

The twenty-second meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group was held as an all-virtual meeting on Monday, May 16^th, 2022.

• Twenty-second meeting agenda (PDF, 129KB)
• Twenty-second meeting summary (PDF, 145KB)
• Twenty-second meeting videocast link of the open session

The twenty-first meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group was held as an all-virtual meeting on Tuesday, January 25^th, 2022.

• Twenty-first meeting agenda (PDF, 129KB)
• Twenty-first meeting summary (PDF, 198KB)
• Twenty-first meeting videocast link of the open session

The twentieth meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group was held as an all-virtual meeting on Friday, August 20^th, 2021.

• Twentieth meeting agenda (PDF, 130KB)
• Twentieth meeting summary (PDF, 145KB)
• Twentieth meeting videocast link of the open session

The nineteenth meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group was held as an all-virtual meeting on Thursday, May 20^th, 2021. At that meeting, an analysis of BRAIN Initiative investigator demographics (PDF, 983KB) spanning fiscal years 2014 through 2020 was presented, along with the new Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives.

• Nineteenth meeting agenda (PDF, 132KB)
• Nineteenth meeting summary (PDF, 152KB)
• Nineteenth meeting videocast link of the open session

The eighteenth meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group was held as an all-virtual meeting on Wednesday, January 27^th, 2021.

• Eighteenth meeting agenda (PDF, 133KB)
• Eighteenth meeting summary (PDF, 152KB)
• Eighteenth meeting videocast link of the open session

The seventeenth meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group was held as an all-virtual meeting on Friday, August 21, 2020.

• Seventeenth meeting agenda (PDF, 130KB)
• Seventeenth meeting summary (PDF, 116KB)
• Seventeenth meeting videocast link of the open session

The sixteenth meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group was held as an all-virtual meeting on Friday, May 22, 2020.

• Sixteenth meeting agenda (PDF, 128KB)
• Sixteenth meeting summary (PDF, 146KB)
• Sixteenth meeting videocast link of the open session

The fifteenth meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group was held on Friday, January 31^st, 2020, at 6700 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD.

• Fifteenth meeting agenda (PDF, 130KB)
• Fifteenth meeting summary (PDF, 146KB)
• Fifteenth meeting videocast link of the open session 

The fourteenth meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group was held on Tuesday, August 20^th, 2019, at 6001 Executive Boulevard, Rockville, MD.

• Fourteenth meeting agenda (PDF, 130KB)
• Fourteenth meeting summary (PDF, 85KB)
• Fourteenth meeting videocast link of the open session 

The thirteenth meeting of the Multi-Council Working group was held on Thursday, May 16th, 2019, at 6001 Executive Boulevard, Rockville, MD. 

• Thirteenth meeting agenda (PDF, 136KB)
• Thirteenth meeting summary (PDF, 115KB)
• Thirteenth meeting open session video

The twelfth meeting of the Multi-Council Working group was held on Tuesday, February 12th, 2019, at the Bethesda Marriott in Bethesda, MD. 

• Twelfth meeting agenda (PDF, 130KB)
• Twelfth meeting summary (PDF, 100KB)
• Twelfth meeting open session video

The eleventh meeting of the Multi-Council Working group was held on Tuesday, August 14th, 2018, at the Porter Neuroscience Building on the NIH campus. 

• Eleventh meeting agenda (PDF, 140KB)
• Eleventh meeting open session video

The tenth meeting of the Multi-Council Working group was held on Wednesday, May 30th, 2018, at 6001 Executive Boulevard, Rockville, MD. 

• Tenth meeting agenda (PDF, 740KB)
• Tenth meeting open session video

The ninth meeting (PDF, 602KB) of the Multi-Council Working Group was held on Tuesday, January 30th, 2018, as a WebEx virtual meeting. 

• Ninth meeting summary (PDF, 40KB) 
• Update of BRAIN Initiative slide deck (PDF, 1920KB)

The eighth meeting (PDF, 588KB) of the Multi-Council Working Group was held on Thursday, August 17th, 2017, in Building 50 on NIH campus.

• Eighth meeting summary (PDF, 378KB)
• Eighth meeting open session video 

The seventh meeting (PDF, 711KB) of the Multi-Council Working Group was held on Tuesday, May 16th, 2017, as a WebEx teleconference. 

• Seventh meeting summary (PDF, 472KB)
• Seventh meeting open session video 

The sixth meeting (PDF, 458KB)  of the Multi-Council Working Group occurred on Wednesday, February 15th, 2017, at the NIH Porter Neuroscience Research Center (35 Convent Dr., Bethesda, MD 20892). 

• Sixth meeting summary (PDF, 458KB)
• Sixth meeting highlights 
• Sixth meeting videocast  

The fifth meeting (PDF, 602KB) of the Multi-Council Working Group occurred on Tuesday, August 2nd, 2016, at the Hilton Garden Inn Washington DC-Downtown (815 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20005).

• Fifth meeting summary
• Fifth meeting videocast 

The fourth meeting (PDF, 391KB) of the Multi-Council Working Group was held on Monday, February 8th, 2016, at 6001 Executive Boulevard, Rockville, MD. 

• Fourth meeting summary
• Fourth meeting videocast 

The third meeting (PDF, 359KB) of the Multi-Council Working Group occurred on Wednesday, July 30th, 2015, at 5635 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, Rooms 508/509. 

• Third meeting summary
• Third meeting videocast 

The second meeting (PDF, 368KB) of the Multi-Council Working Group occurred on Wednesday, March 4th, 2015, on the NIH Campus. 

• Second meeting summary 
• Second meeting videocast

The first meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group occurred Monday, August 25, 2014, on the NIH Campus. 

• First meeting summary 
• First meeting videocast