The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research (OBSSR) recently released its 2025-2029 strategic plan. In a related blog, OBSSR Director Dr. Jane Simoni stated that the plan “reflects a systematic 3-year planning process of assessing accomplishments, evaluating future directions, and collecting input from the research community, NIH staff, and federal and community partners. The new plan reflects the changing nature and increasing urgency of integrating BSSR in overall health research.”
The revised plan adds health equity as a cross-cutting theme and introduces a new “vision:” “the synergistic integration of behavioral and social sciences into health research, leading to accelerated scientific discoveries, effective health interventions, and equitable health outcomes.” Three research priorities are also identified:
- Coordinating and promoting collaborative science
- Encouraging innovative scientific investigation
- Committing to implementation, dissemination, and equitable impact of research and its relevance for policy consideration.
It is worth noting that the plan reiterates OBSSR’s support for large-scale, longitudinal, and observational studies.
On December 16, PAA President Jennifer Glass will be meeting with various NIH officials, including OBSSR Director Simoni. Among other topics, PAA leaders will discuss with Dr. Simoni how PAA can work with the Office most effectively to fulfill the plan’s objectives and advance the population sciences.
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