Meeting of the Novel and Exceptional Technology and Research Advisory Committee (NExTRAC)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will host the next public meeting of the Novel and Exceptional Technology and Research Advisory Committee (NExTRAC) on September 29, 2025, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM (ET). This virtual meeting will bring together leaders in biomedical research, clinical science, and public health to deliberate on how best to engage the public as partners in clinical research.

Purpose and Objectives

The upcoming meeting will focus on the Draft Report of the Engaging the Public as Partners in Clinical Research (ENGAGE) Working Group. Established by NIH in 2023, the ENGAGE Working Group was charged with developing a framework to incorporate patient and community voices into NIH-funded clinical research. Its goals include:

• Creating a unified vision for public engagement in clinical research.
• Developing a practical framework with objectives and action steps across the research lifecycle.
• Offering recommendations to NIH on how to standardize meaningful, equitable, and sustainable engagement in clinical research.

This work responds directly to the NIH Director’s priority of rebuilding trust in clinical research and ensuring that studies are relevant, feasible, and impactful for the communities they are designed to serve.

Meeting Highlights and Speakers

The agenda will include:

• Welcome and Recognition of NExTRAC Accomplishments
  Lyric Jorgenson, PhD, Associate Director for Science Policy, NIH
  Cinnamon Bloss, PhD, University of California, San Diego
• Presentation of the Draft ENGAGE Report
  Suzanne Bakken, RN, PhD, Columbia University
  Christin Veasley, Chronic Pain Research Alliance
• Deliberation on the Draft Report with NExTRAC members, followed by closing reflections from Dr. Bloss.

 Why This Meeting Matters

The draft report underscores that clinical research engagement improves recruitment and retention, increases study relevance, builds public trust, and strengthens dissemination of results. At the same time, it acknowledges persistent challenges—such as financial constraints, lack of training, and limited organizational support—that can hinder meaningful engagement.

To address these, the ENGAGE Working Group has proposed:

• Centering communities in research priorities.
• Building partnerships through trusted voices.
• Developing sustainable infrastructure and training.
• Ensuring fair compensation and recognition for community partners.

 Who Should Attend

This meeting will be of particular interest to:

• Public health professionals and epidemiologists.
• Global health security experts.
• Clinical and translational researchers.
• Patient advocacy leaders and community-based health organizations.
• Policy professionals interested in research governance and public trust in science.

By attending, participants will gain insights into the NIH’s evolving framework for research engagement and the policy directions that may shape future NIH-funded studies.

For more information about the NExTRAC meeting, including registration details and access to meeting materials, visit the NIH Office of Science Policy event page.