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'Head, Hands, Heart in Science'
Long-Time Grantee Ehrenfeld To Head DRG

By Carla Garnett

When Dr. Elvera "Ellie" Ehrenfeld accepted the helm of NIH's Division of Research Grants last May, she completed a cycle, of sorts: She has held virtually every other NIH-related position -- grantee, study section chair, scientific counsellor, and advisory board member -- a person can hold, and still not be considered an NIH employee. That all changed Sept. 1 as she became an NIH "insider," taking the reins of DRG.

"Several colleagues, both at NIH and within the extramural community, pointed out to me the opening at DRG, and suggested that I apply," she said, recalling how she found out about the job. "Many people were aware of my long-term commitment to peer review and my belief that our system of evaluating research grants from independent investigators is the strength of the U.S. system."

Ehrenfeld said that continuing the nation's stellar tradition in science will depend largely on its willingness and ability to invest in the next generation. That's where DRG can lead the way.

"To maintain and develop this country's leadership and contributions to the world's research enterprise requires -- as the most fundamental first steps -- that we train our young people, allow them a chance to do their science, evaluate and identify the best quality and most important programs, and adjust our funding priorities to accommodate a balanced and carefully thought-out mission," she noted. "Each of these steps is essential. The DRG plays an important part in this overall process, and I am very excited to serve as the director of that component."

For the first 4 months at her new post, Ehrenfeld will spend about 25 percent of her worktime at DRG, using the other 75 percent to conclude research projects at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), where in addition to maintaining a lab, she has held the positions of professor of molecular biology and biochemistry and dean of the school of biological sciences since 1992. On Jan. 1, she'll assume full-time duties at the NIH division that generates the lion's share of NIH grant application review policies and procedures and serves as the nucleus for all PHS applications for research and research training support, and referrals. In addition, DRG, which celebrated its 50th anniversary this summer, provides scientific review of most NIH research grants and fellowships.

Although the division's original charge will remain constant, Ehrenfeld foresees significant changes in the coming months to NIH's traditional model of peer review.

"To accomplish the missions of the extramural programs of the NIH," she explained, "we must identify and provide support to the best possible science, while maintaining a sufficient diversity of ideas and people to ensure that new directions and areas continue to emerge and develop for the future. And we must do this as quickly and efficiently as possible.

"Over the years," she continued, "DRG has benefitted from efforts to continuously improve its activities, and I will certainly maintain this tradition. Some of the refinements I envision are procedural -- those needed to improve the speed and efficiency of the process. Others are more fundamental, and will require consideration of broad scientific issues to ensure that the review process tracks the rapidly moving directions of biomedical research."

Acknowledging that such issues are too large and fluid for DRG to tackle alone, Ehrenfeld said her approach to DRG's evolution will be simple: first, start a dialogue within the research communities inside and outside NIH walls, and then listen.

"One of my most important initial efforts will be to engage both the staff of the NIH institutes, [centers] and divisions and the extramural scientific community in discussions and decision-making so that we can work together to maintain a top quality research enterprise in the U.S.," she said. "There are some structures already in place to stimulate communication and acquire broad input, such as the recently established peer review oversight group and the DRG advisory committee, and several recent reports from a number of task forces contribute valuable insights. I also intend to seek more extensive feedback and to develop additional mechanisms, as needed, to ensure that the entire spectrum of research activities -- from behavioral science to molecular biology to clinical research, from microbial pathogenesis to human brain function -- is well served."

A cum laude graduate in chemistry from Brandeis University who received her Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Florida, Ehrenfeld spent much of her early career on the East Coast as a professor of cell biology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine until heading west in 1974. That year, she became an associate professor in the microbiology and biochemistry departments at the University of Utah College of Medicine in Salt Lake City, where she rose to the position of professor and director of the interdepartmental graduate program in molecular biology. In 1992, she began her posts at UC Irvine.

Ehrenfeld's association with NIH began in 1972 when she served on NIGMS's microbiology training committee. Over the years since then she has been a member of NIH's experimental virology study section (1975-1979), served on NIAID's board of scientific counsellors (1975-1979), chaired NIH's genetic basis of disease review committee study section (1988-1990), and been appointed to the National Institute of General Medical Sciences Council (1993-1996). She has been principal investigator on two continuous NIH research grants for the last 22 years.

Ehrenfeld said her lab at UCI will continue its work for up to a year, allowing her students and postdocs to bring their projects to completion and to move to their next positions. During this time, which she compares to a sabbatical, she will be able to devote her attention full-time to getting started at DRG, while maintaining her scientific role in her research program by email, fax and occasional visits. In a year or so, she'll bring a small laboratory group to NIH to continue her work in molecular virology in NIAID's intramural program.

"As I enter this new stage of my professional career," she concluded, "I am excited to take on some new kinds of responsibilities and to serve the scientific community and research enterprise. It is important for me, however, to keep my head, hands and heart in the practice of science."