NIH Toolbox Assessments Conference

On April 8 and 9, 2024, the NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research, the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) will host an in-person conference, with live videocast for remote viewing of select sessions, to highlight and share advancements and features of four affiliated measurement systems/measures: the NIH Toolbox®, the NIH Infant and Toddler Toolbox (NIH Baby Toolbox), Mobile Toolbox, and MyCog. 

The purpose of this conference is to bring together the NIH community, extramural investigators, clinicians, and other stakeholders to learn about neurological and behavioral measures and measurement systems supported through NIH funding including recent updates, improvements, and adaptations.

The conference will include:

• Perspectives from NIH leadership, current users, and early adopters on the importance of well-validated, psychometrically sound measures for use across a wide variety of research studies, clinical trials, and clinical and educational settings.
• Presentation of updates, improvements, and adaptations to NIH Toolbox® using emerging technologies to expand the reach of the measurement system to a wider range of age groups, for use in tracking change, and to monitor treatment response for neurodegenerative disease.
• Launch of several new measurement systems and measures that build off the NIH Toolbox® framework and which offer rigorous assessment of a wide range of neurological and behavioral functions in infants and toddlers; of cognition in adults via self-administration; and of detection of cognitive impairment in the primary care provider setting.
• Demonstrations of all four measurement systems and measures, including new and existing features and instruction on how to access them.
• Discussion of lessons learned, best practices, and a future vision to keep these tools dynamic and relevant for end-users from multiple disciplines.

Abstract submission

The abstract submission deadline was 11 a.m., ET on January 22, 2024.

The conference organizers will accept presentations that have been published or accepted elsewhere.

Travel awards: The organizers of the conference intend to make up to 10 travel awards to graduate students, medical students, post-doctoral fellows, medical residents/fellows, and early career investigators/clinicians* who submit abstracts (see Call for Abstracts) . Awards will cover travel (domestic travel costs only) and lodging for the conference.

*Early career investigators/clinicians refers to individuals who have completed their terminal research degree or end of post-graduate clinical training, whichever date is later, within the past 10 years and who have not previously competed successfully as PD/PI for a substantial NIH independent research award.

Registration

Register for this workshop

Agenda

Note: This agenda is in Eastern Daylight Time.

Monday, April 8 | Day One

7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Registration / Meet and Greet (Outside Main Auditorium)

8:30 – 9:00 a.m. Welcome Remarks (Main Auditorium)

• NIH Institute Directors – TBA
• Alison Cernich, PhD, Deputy Director, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

9:00 – 10:45 a.m. Keynote addresses  (Main Auditorium)

• Development and Features of the NIH Toolbox®, Richard Gershon, PhD, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
  • Introduction, Molly Wagster, PhD, National Institute on Aging
• Development and Features of the NIH Baby Toolbox, Karen Adolph, PhD, New York University
  • Introduction, Kathy Mann Koepke, PhD, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development
• Development and Features of MyCog, Michael Wolf, PhD, Northwestern University
  • Introduction, Rebecca Hommer, PhD, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• Development and Features of Mobile Toolbox, Dorene Rentz, PsyD, Mass General Research Institute
  • Introduction, Jonathan W. King, PhD, National Institute on Aging

10:45 – 11:00 a.m. Break

11:00 – 11:30 a.m. Use of NIH Toolbox and related measures in large initiative/Data Sharing Resources (Main Auditorium)

• Speaker – TBD

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch (on your own; food service option on site)

1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Sessions 1 & 2 (Balcony A, Balcony B, Main Auditorium)

• Concurrent Sessions: Presentations on Research/Focused Topics using the Measurement Systems

2:00 – 2:15 p.m. Break

2:15 – 3:15 p.m. Sessions 3 & 4 (Balcony A, Balcony B, Main Auditorium)

• Concurrent Sessions: Presentations on Research/Focused Topics using the Measurement Systems

3:15 – 3:45 p.m. Break

3:45 – 5:30 p.m. Poster Session | Ask the Experts (Atrium)

Tuesday, April 9 | Day Two

8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Registration/Meet & Greet (Outside Main Auditorium)

9:00 – 11:00 a.m. Live Demonstrations of the NIH Toolbox, NIH Baby Toolbox, Mobile Toolbox, MyCog | Ask the Experts (Conference Room E1/E2)

11:00 – 11:15 a.m. Break

What Have We Learned? (Main Auditorium)

• 11:15 – 11:35 a.m. “Lessons Learned from Developing and Implementing Measurement Systems”, Richard Gershon, PhD, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine

Future Directions (Main Auditorium)

• 11:40 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. Panel Presentation “Questions Answered/Concerns Addressed”
• 12:10 – 12:30 p.m. “DEIA – How Do We Effectively Approach Inclusion in Measurement?”, Jennifer Manly, PhD, Columbia University
• 12:30 – 12:50 p.m. “Clinically Meaningful Measures”, Shari Ling, MD, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

12:50 – 1:00 p.m. Closing Remarks (Main Auditorium)

Contact information

Please contact NIHMeasuresConf@nih.gov for questions you may have about the conference.

Reasonable Accommodation: If you need reasonable accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the meeting organizer listed under Contact information. Please make your request no later than 2 weeks before the event.

Audience

Targeting all investigators, clinicians, and industry partners with requirements for neurological and behavioral assessment.

This includes the general research community, extramural investigators, clinicians, NIH Intramural Research Program (IRP) investigators, NIH Extramural Research Program staff, NIH leadership, other federal agencies (e.g., FDA, CDC, DoD, VA).