Announcements

VisitNIH updates

Mandatory Pre-Registration for Non-U.S. Persons
All non-U.S. person visitors (i.e., individuals who are not U.S. citizens or Green Card holders) must complete pre-registration before visiting the following NIH locations:

• Bethesda Main Campus 
• 5601 Fishers Lane 
• Biomedical Research Center at Baltimore-Bayview 
• Shady Grove 

New Date for Pre-Registration – March 31
Beginning March 31, any non-U.S. person visitor who has not completed the VisitNIH pre-registration process - or has not been approved — will not be granted access to the aforementioned NIH facilities. This is a change from previous guidance, and there will be no exceptions. 

 Recommended Pre-Registration Timeline

• For Non-U.S. Persons: Complete pre-registration at least 30 days in advance to allow sufficient time for vetting and verification. Pre-registration cannot be completed more than 60 days in advance. 
• For U.S. Persons: Pre-registration is encouraged but not required. U.S. persons can register up to one day before their visit for expedited access. 

New Date for Escort Requirement – April 28
Beginning April 28, all non-U.S. person visitors to the aforementioned NIH facilities will require an NIH escort. Additional training and resources on escort procedures will be provided in the coming weeks. 

Complete the Required LMS Training: 

• Before accessing the VisitNIH Pre-Registration Portal, NIH staff must complete a 20-minute self-paced LMS training. 
• Please allow up to 24 hours after completing the training for access to be granted. 

For additional resources about the VisitNIH pre-registration process, including the VisitNIH Pre-Registration Portal Guide and the Host and Requestor Toolkit, visit the VisitNIH Intranet site.

Additional information about VisitNIH can be found on security.nih.gov. 

Continuing Medical Education (CME) Credits

Attention clinical staff: Need CME credits? The NIH has many opportunities to earn them.

Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits are a form of ongoing professional development for medical professionals, such as doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers. These credits are earned through participating in educational activities that enhance their knowledge and skills in medicine and healthcare. The goal of CME is to ensure that healthcare professionals stay current with the latest medical advancements, treatment protocols, technologies, and best practices, ultimately improving patient care. 

The following NIH lectures offer CME:

• Clinical Center Grand Rounds (1 credit)
• Clinical Neuroscience Grand Rounds (1 credit)
• Demystifying Medicine (2 credits)
• EXCEL Lecture Series (1 credit) (NIH only)
• Principles of Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology Lecture Series (1 credit)
• Wednesday Afternoon Lecture Series (1 credit)

Hot Tip: To find upcoming CME lectures, link to https://calendar.nih.gov/search, click on the basic search button (to change it to advanced search), and then choose CME from the Event Category pull-down menu.

NIH Virtual and Augmented Reality Interest Group (VARIG)

The NIH Virtual and Augmented Reality Interest Group (VARIG) is looking to build a community of people interested in the potential of virtual and mixed reality for medical research and clinical applications. All NIH employees are welcome, no experience needed. On-campus meetings are starting soon.

If you are interested, visit the VARIG web page or email John Ostuni (john.ostuni@nih.gov).

Office of Clinical Research Education and Collaboration Outreach (OCRECO)

The Office of Clinical Research Education and Collaboration Outreach (OCRECO), in the Office of Intramural Research (OIR), offers four exciting clinical research education programs to the entire NIH community including staff, trainees, and contractors:

• Introduction to the Principles and Practice of Clinical Research (IPPCR)
• Principles of Clinical Pharmacology
• Ethical and Regulatory Aspects of Clinical Research (Asynchronous/Online)
• Clinical Research Curriculum Certificate (NIH only)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Strategic Plan for the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Health, Human Services, and Public Health

Over the past 50 years, the U.S. has undergone a profound change in the way individuals interact with digital technologies. Artificial Intelligence holds tremendous promise and potential risk for health and human services. While AI has existed in some form since the mid-20th century, it has become ubiquitous in recent years. New and emerging technologies are making it even more possible to predict diseases before symptoms appear, identify new drug targets with the potential to transform the standard of care, and more effectively match human services to people who need them the most. Given the trajectory of this technology, the potential for AI to fundamentally change health and human services will become even greater. Click here to see the full plan.

How to Properly Close a Lab

The Division of Occupational Health and Safety (DOHS) and Division of Radiation Safety (DRS) have offered guidance for laboratories and spaces on how to properly close a lab and handle biological research registrations in the event they need to be transferred or deactivated.

Questions pertaining to this topic for persons located at NCI Frederick or NIEHS in North Carolina should be directed to NCI Frederick (301-846-1451) and NIEHS Health and Safety (984-287-3400), respectively.

Safety requirements include the following: 

• Contact appropriate IC Safety Specialist for assistance with biological and chemical materials and initiate the Lab Clearance request in myCority. The IC Safety Specialist can assist with myCority if needed. Please provide a point of contact for coordination, especially if the lab manager or PI would not be available. 
• If the laboratory uses radioactive materials and/or has a posted room where radioactive materials may be used/stored, contact an IC Area Health Physicist. 
• Each PI, or a delegate, is responsible for ensuring all waste, biological hazards, chemical hazards and physical hazards have been secured. Contact the Division of Environmental Protection (DEP) to initiate the removal or disposal of chemicals and all lab waste. For lab clean out questions or logistics, there are processes in place that DEP can use to support you. This is best handled case by case, for assistance please call the Division.
• If the lab is involved in active care of animals, contact the Office of Animal Care and Use (OACU) for further guidance.
• All biological registrations must be transferred or deactivated. This can be done in ERS (except NIEHS and NCI Frederick); video guidance is available via SharePoint.

If there are questions that are not addressed ihere, such as transferring biological registrations to an active PI, please reach out to DOHS.