Zerhouni introduced the Roadmap project shortly after becoming director in 2002 to identify critical cross-cutting elements of the NIH research agenda that were not being addressed by any specific institute or center.

Clinical research was “undoubtedly the most difficult but most important challenge identified by the Roadmap process,” Zerhouni said.

The plan includes efforts to standardize clinical databases and patient consent forms, improve training and attract more clinical researchers and new technologies to measure symptoms like pain and quality of life that are important for understanding chronic disease.

The Roadmap proposal also introduces a plan to boost multidisciplinary collaborations and to improve research and technology related to proteins and small molecules for drug development — both of which depend on clinical research for their eventual success, Zerhouni said.

The Roadmap initiatives will be funded by a unique plan that pools resources from all NIH institutes and centers. Zerhouni said that NIH will spend $129 million on the Roadmap in FY 2004 and close to $2 billion to complete the initiatives.

Zerhouni also expressed hope that the Roadmap will encourage more partnerships between the NIH and patient and disease advocacy groups, many of whom applauded the initiatives at an early release of the Roadmap plan.

“With this new strategy for medical research, NIH is uniquely positioned to spark the changes that must be made to transform scientific knowledge into tangible benefits for people,” Zerhouni said.

To read more about the NIH Roadmap, go to here.