2007 ORAU Annual Report - Oak Ridge Associated Universities

Photo courtesy of the National Cancer Institute.
ORAU-Led Review
Evaluates Pennsylvania’s
Return on Investment into
Health Research
The Pennsylvania Department of Health relies on
ORAU’s established peer-review process to evaluate its
return on investment resulting from health research
grants awarded through the Commonwealth Universal
Research Enhancement (CURE) Program. CURE, which
was established as part of the Pennsylvania Master
Tobacco Settlement Act, uses tobacco monies to fund a
variety of health research projects.
During 2007, ORAU convened five panels of experts
in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Pa., to conduct interim
reviews of research into neurodegenerative diseases
and tobacco use and cessation. Seventeen reviewers
recruited by ORAU evaluated information provided
by the principal investigators, including on-site
presentations, to assess the research progress to date
and the value of the investment as well as to identify any
needed improvements.
ORAU also managed the review for 172 completed
research grants to appraise the success toward
achieving the stated research goals and objectives. The
final summary report includes recommendations for
improvements in future and ongoing research while
also demonstrating the positive return on Pennsylvania’s
outlays for health research. The results are incorporated
in the annual report to the Pennsylvania legislature
on the progress of grants funded by the Tobacco
Settlement Act.
ORISE Leads Review for Hydrogen Fuel Research Proposals
DOE increased the intensity and scope of its four-year-old Basic Research for Hydrogen Fuel Initiatives
program, calling for research proposals that will result in a comprehensive understanding of the physical
and chemical processes that lead to the extraction of hydrogen from its natural environments, the storage
and distribution of hydrogen, and efficient energy conversion, all in a safe as well as economically and
environmentally sustainable manner. DOE turned to ORISE to coordinate the review of the more than 200
proposals received. A team of over 100 experts from leading universities, national laboratories, and private
industry evaluated the scientific merit of the proposed projects using ORISE’s unique PeerNet database
system. As a result of the review, which took place in Rockville, Md., DOE announced $11.2 million in research
grants. DOE expects that these fundamental research programs will lead to discoveries and breakthroughs
that ultimately result in hydrogen becoming a fuel of the future.
Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Company.
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