Multi-Council Working Group

The BRAIN Initiative Multi-Council Working Group (MCWG) ensures a coordinated and focused effort across NIH and includes representatives from each of the 10 Institutes and Centers (ICs) that contribute to the NIH BRAIN Initiative, with additional at-large members appointed to supplement the working group’s expertise. In addition, the working group includes ex officio members from federal partners Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA), and National Science Foundation (NSF), and one non-federal partner from the BRAIN Initiative Alliance. Several MCWG members also serve on the BRAIN Initiative Neuroethics Working Group (NEWG), a group of experts in neuroethics and neuroscience that serves to provide the NIH BRAIN Initiative with input relating to neuroethics.

The MCWG provides ongoing oversight of the long-term scientific vision of the BRAIN Initiative and regularly offers an assessment of the progress of current BRAIN projects and programs. It also serves as a forum for initial "concept clearance," the review of ideas for new initiatives before they can become funding opportunities. Importantly, the working group ensures that each of the BRAIN IC Advisory Councils is informed about BRAIN programs, awards, and progress – as the individual IC Advisory Councils will perform the formal concept clearance and secondary level of review of BRAIN Initiative applications.

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

Frank Longo, M.D., Ph.D.
(NIA representative)
Stanford University

John Maunsell, Ph.D.
(NINDS representative)
University of Chicago

Dan Merfeld, Ph.D.
(NIDCD representative)
The Ohio State University

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

Sameer Sheth, M.D., Ph.D.
(NINDS representative)
Baylor College of Medicine

    Ex Officio Members

    Alyssa Picchini Schaffer, Ph.D.
    (BRAIN Initiative Alliance representative)
    Simons Foundation

    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)

    Lt. Col. Adam Willis, 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, NINDS

    Committee Specialist

    Deborah Freaner
    Division of Extramural Activities, NINDS

     

    BRAIN Multi-Council Group Meetings

    Upcoming Meetings

    Tuesday, February 13, 2024
    The twenty-seventh meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group will be on Tuesday, February 13th, 2024. The meeting agenda(pdf, 128 KB) is now available, and the meeting will be videocast and available for live viewing and later archived.

    Tuesday, May 14, 2024
    The twenty-eighth meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group will be on Tuesday, May 14th, 2024. Videocast will be available for live viewing and later archived.

    Thursday, August 22, 2024
    The twenty-ninth meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group will be on Thursday, August 22nd, 2024. Videocast will be available for live viewing and later archived.

     

     Past Meetings

    The twenty-sixth meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group was held as an all-virtual meeting on Tuesday, August 29th, 2023. 

    The twenty-fifth meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group was held as an all-virtual meeting on Wednesday, May 24th, 2023.

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

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

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

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

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

    The nineteenth meeting of the Multi-Council Working Group was held as an all-virtual meeting on Thursday, May 20th, 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    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.

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

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

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

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

    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).

    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).

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

    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.

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

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