BSSD Response to the Committee of Visitors June 2008 review report

1. BSSD Response to the Committee of Visitors June 2008 review report • The COV was charged to assess the processes used to: • solicit, review, and recommend proposal funding actions • manage ongoing research programs • respond to the recommendations of the 2005 COV • June 8-11, 2008 review • Peg Riley chaired a committee of 22 members • FY2005-FY2007 activities • Review findings presented at September 2008 BERAC meeting • BSSD response posted on website

2. BSSD Response to June 2008 COV—general division issues • The COV recommends continued good program management and documentation. • Increased staffing • Increased travel funds • Increased efficiency—best business practices and best use of program manager expertise

3. BSSD Response to June 2008 COV—general division issues (cont.) • The COV recommends scientific advisory committees for specific program elements • No new program advisory committees • Large program elements will continue to have their own SACs • BSSD will continue to seek input from the scientific community for decision making • BER-organized workshops • Participation in meetings organized by other agencies • Participation in scientific and topical meetings

4. BSSD Response to June 2008 COV—general division issues (cont.) • COV recommendations for levels of funding • Out of scope to advise on budget allocations • BER will continue to develop budget requests that address programmatic priorities for mission needs

5. BSSD Response to June 2008 COV—Genomics: GTL • The COV recommends pre-proposal decision process transparency • Improved documentation beginning in FY2009 • The COV urges continued broad mix of high to low risk and small to large research projects in the GTL portfolio • Continue current strategy • The COV recommends improved documentation of National Lab funding and review • Improved documentation beginning in FY2009 with SFA process

6. BSSD Response to June 2008 COV—GTL Bioenergy Research Centers • The COV recommends vigorous, pro-active oversight and management of the BRCs • Continue strong oversight mechanisms • Initial Lehman review • Biweekly conference calls • Yearly progress reviews • Each BRC has its own Scientific Advisory Committee • The COV recommends strong coordination between BRCs and the DOE-JGI • Continue improving communication and coordination of BRC sequencing requests

7. BSSD Response to June 2008 COV—GTL Computational Biology • The COV recommends development of computational biology activities independent of high performance supercomputing • Continued focus on GTL program priority needs • Knowledgebase development • Bioinformatics • Communication with GTL research community • Continue to coordinate activities with the Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research as appropriate (e.g. multiscale modeling)

8. BSSD Response to June 2008 COV—Structural Biology • The COV recommends continued leadership and partnership in development of next-generation structural biology facilities (e.g. NSLS II) • NSLS II Workshop co-sponsored with NIH • The COV recommends increased attention to technology transfer and development of detectors • DOE-BER and NIH will assess the status of the U.S. pixel array detector project

9. BSSD Response to June 2008 COV—Structural Biology (cont.) • The COV recommends greater exploration of the role of ORNL/SNS for structural biology • BER will initiate multi-agency discussion for developing the life science capabilities at the SNS • BER will work with ORNL to define the priorities for new biological experimental stations at the SNS • The COV recommends broad mandate for structural biology rather than program specific (I.e., GTL-focused) • BER will continue to address mission priorities in bioenergy, environmental remediation, and carbon sequestration, while contributing to the support of the full range of life science applications of these facilities.

10. BSSD Response to June 2008 COV—Radiochemistry and Instrumentation • The COV recommends application of imaging technologies for the study of plant and microbial systems • BER held a community workshop to align the Radiochemistry and Radionuclide Imaging Instrumentation research with DOE mission needs • The COV recommends refocusing the radiochemistry and radio-instrumentation program over a broad range of potential applications, including medical ones, to avoid direct overlap with NIH missions. • Beginning in FY2009, the program is reconfigured to reflect BER’s energy and environmental missions, distinct from the NIH focus on developing disease diagnostics and medical therapeutics.

11. BSSD Response to June 2008 COV—Artificial Retina • The COV questioned the decision to terminate the Artificial Retina program after FY2010. • BER takes great pride in knowing that we have provided the fundamental science needed to launch the artificial retina project. The goal of the project was not to actually complete the device for commercialization, but rather to generate the scientific knowledge and proof-of-concept for developing this type of advanced sensor-based instrumentation using hard-soft interfaces and novel materials. DOE policy presumes that the private sector will take advantage of the BER investments and complete the development of a commercial product.

12. BSSD Response to June 2008 COV—Carbon Sequestration • The COV recommends continuing joint USDA-DOE program and including focus on response of bioenergy crops to climate change. • The joint USDA-DOE Plant Feedstock Genomics for Bioenergy program has already initiated placing a greater program emphasis on using genomics to understand bioenergy crop response to nutrient and water use, two key impacts expected from climate change predictions.

13. BSSD Response to June 2008 COV—Low Dose Radiation Research • The COV recommends increased emphasis on high-risk, exploratory pilot projects • Low Dose Program solicitations already ask for high risk / high payoff research applications. More emphasis will be placed on choosing these types of projects in the programmatic reviews, awarding one or two-year pilot studies. • Low Dose SFA involvement

14. BSSD Response to June 2008 COV—ELSI • The COV recommends scientific advisory committee input to help develop solicitations • BER will continue to hold workshops to explore the range of potential ELSI topics and to define the high impact activities that ELSI can support in BER mission relevant topics. • BER will actively seek to include new and diverse participants with broad scientific backgrounds in these workshops and in the ELSI program.

15. BSSD Response to June 2008 COV—Joint Genome Institute • The COV recommends continuation of the Community Sequencing Program and improved merit review of CSP proposals • BER agrees • The COV recommends that the JGI consider large-scale transformative sequencing projects • Response pending outcome of JGI Science and Operations Review • The COV recommends more active management of the JGI by BER program staff • Response pending outcome of JGI Science and Operations Review • The COV recommends greater emphasis on informatics • Response pending outcome of JGI Science and Operations Review