Barbara Alving, the director of the National Center for Research Resources at NIH, is resigning from her post effective at the end of September. Alving became acting director of the center in March 2005 and has been director since April 2007. Alving tells ScienceInsider that she is leaving because she has attained her "major goals," including the creation of the Clinical and Translational Science Awards. As of the first of October, the NCRR programs are supposed to be redistributed to other NIH institutes and centers to make way for the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. However, ScienceInsider points out that Congress isn't expected to have a 2012 budget ready by then, and a continuing resolution would have to specifically dismantle NCRR and establish NCATS. "I actually think that NCRR is going to continue on for an indefinite period of time," Alving says.
"To date, no one in the legislative branch has been publicly enthusiastic about Collins' proposed changes, which remain in limbo under a cloud of voiced concerns. Stay tuned," adds Writedit at Medical Writing, Editing & Grantsmanship.
NCRR Deputy Director Louise Ramm will be acting director of NCRR upon Alving's departure.