Interagency Modeling and Analysis Group (IMAG)

Grace C.Y. Peng

Grace Peng

Ph.D.

Program Director

301-496-9178

penggr@mail.nih.gov

The purpose of the IMAG is to provide an open forum for communication among government representatives to share updates on individual programs from the various IMAG agencies, and to plan trans-agency activities that will have a broad impact on the communities served by the IMAG.

Background

In April 2003, the Interagency Modeling and Analysis Group (IMAG) was formed; starting from a working group comprised of program staff from nine Institutes of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and three directorates of the National Science Foundation (NSF). IMAG now represents over 100 program staff from multiple government agencies in the United States and Canada.

Since its creation, this group has convened monthly through virtual meetings and at various locations of the IMAG participants. All IMAG participants are involved in managing research programs in biomedical, biological and behavioral systems that require the development of new and novel modeling and analysis methods.

The Multiscale Modeling (MSM) Consortium

In 2003, the IMAG recognized that the modeling community was on the forefront of thinking across the biological continuum, rather than just focusing at one scale or level of resolution. In addition, the IMAG identified a strong desire among modelers to form multi-disciplinary partnerships across varied research communities. This led to the development in 2004 of the Interagency Opportunities in Multiscale Modeling in Biomedical, Biological, and Behavioral Systems Solicitation. The 24 awardees from this solicitation subsequently formed the MultiScale Modeling (MSM) Consortium in 2006. The MSM Consortium has now grown to include over 100 projects relevant to multiscale modeling.

View all MSM Consortium Activities on the IMAG wiki.

People in silhouette getting help across a chasm with text Interagency Modeling and Analysis Group Lessons from the past that guide the future

MSM Consortium Meeting 2023

Agenda and presentations from the 2023 meeting are available on the IMAG wiki. Peruse photos from the meeting here.

Announcements

NIH to Inject Healthy Bolus of Data to Sustain the Future of AI for Medical Discoveries October 1, 2021 in SIAM News
Multiscale Modeling and Viral Pandemic Working Group published perspective paper Mar. 12, 2021 in Science.
Review article published Feb. 18, 2020 in the Archives of Computational Methods in Engineering.
Meeting perspective paper published Nov. 25, 1019 in NPJ Digital Medicine based on the Oct. 24, 2019 ML-MSM meeting.
Tromberg Touts Computational Modeling at Meeting NIH Record, May 3, 2019
Winners of the 2019 Next Top Model Video Competition announced March 13, 2019.

Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcements (NOFO)

NOT-MD-20-025

Simulation Modeling and Systems Science to Address Health Disparities

RFA-CA-20-043

Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET) Incubator Program for New Cancer Sites (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-075

Enabling Technologies to Accelerate Development of Oral Biodevices (R41/R42 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-076

Enabling Technologies to Accelerate Development of Oral Biodevices (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-021

Advancing Imaging, Device Production, and Clinical Capabilities in Digital Dentistry (R41/R42 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-022

Advancing Imaging, Device Production, and Clinical Capabilities in Digital Dentistry (R43/R44 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

PA-19-065

Medical Simulators for Practicing Patient Care Providers Skill Acquisition, Outcomes Assessment and Technology Development (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

NSF 20-575

Joint DMS/NIGMS Initiative to Support Research at the Interface of the Biological and Mathematical Sciences (DMS/NIGMS)

IMAG Wiki

Our wiki page contains information relevant to the IMAG (Interagency Modeling and Analysis Group) and the MSM (Multi-scale Modeling Consortium) To join contact Dr. Grace Peng.

MSM Working Groups

All researchers are welcome to join individual Multiscale Modeling Consortium Working Groups by contacting the Working Group Leads listed on each group page.

man looking at data models on computer screen

NIBIB Supported Projects

Project Details

Models to predict protein biomaterial performance
David Kaplan, Tufts University Medford

Multiscale Modeling of Wound Healing
Jason Haugh, North Carolina State University Raleigh

Microconnectomics of neocortex: a multiscale computer model
William Lytton, Suny Downstate Medical Center

Predictive Multiscale Modeling of Microbial Consortia Biofilms
Ross Carlson, Montana State University - Bozeman

Multiscale Modeling of Facet Capsule Mechanobiology
Victor Barocas, University of Minnesota

IMAG Roundtable discussion of current IMAG initiatives. IMAG members from left, Zhilan Feng, NSF; Ilana Goldberg, NHLBI; Emrin Horgusluoglu, NCCIH; Fred Leve, Air Force Office of Scientific Research; Virginia Pasour, Army Research Laboratory; Stephanie George, NSF; Elena Sizikova, FDA; Bruce Lee, CUNY (MSM co-organizer); and Grace Peng, NIBIB.

MSM Consortium Meeting 2023

See our photogallery from the 2023 IMAG MSM Consortium meeting

MSM Consortium Meeting March 2019

See our photogallery from the 2019 IMAG meeting

illustration of two profiles and overlay of scientific notation

MSM Consortium Meeting October 2019

Find link to publications from October 2019 meeting

View All News

Clinical study suggests measuring uterine muscle activity could inform strategies for safer and faster childbirth

Science Highlights

November 2, 2023

A heat map of a pregnant person’s abdomen, showing uterine muscle activity in hotter colors

Artificially causing – or inducing – labor is becoming increasingly common, yet this practice comes with risks and its level of success is difficult to foresee. But now, new research may offer a way to help predict outcomes and improve the process.

IMAG marks 20th anniversary

NIBIB in the News

August 4, 2023

The Interagency Modeling and Analysis Group (IMAG) celebrated its 20th year during the two-day annual IMAG Multiscale Modeling Consortium meeting in late June at the Natcher Conference Center and via virtual attendance. Source: NIH Record.

Breaking the speed limit to glimpse brain functions

Science Highlights

February 13, 2023

Scientists at Duke University supported with funds from NIBIB have developed an ultra-fast photoacoustic imaging system capable of visualizing functional and molecular changes in the brain related to major brain disorders.

Advancing artificial intelligence at NIH to improve medicine

NIBIB in the News

September 25, 2022

NIBIB's Grace Peng provides an overview of the new NIH Bridge2AI program in an interview with Mimi Geerges. Source: Government Matters

Smartwatch data used to predict clinical test results

Science Highlights

November 30, 2021

NIH-funded researchers are investigating how to use smartwatches to predict clinical test results, which could potentially serve as an early warning signal for underlying health issues.

View All Events

2023 Synthetic Biology Consortium Meeting

November 2, 2023 - November 3, 2023

The Synthetic Biology Consortium was formed as a place for researchers and stake holders interested in the synthetic biology field to interact and share ideas with each other, as well as to facilitate bringing synthetic biology researchers to the NIH.

NIBIB National Technology Centers Webinar Series: Optical Imaging, Spectroscopy, and Their AI Applications

August 14, 2023 - August 14, 2023

The third installment of the NIBIB National Technology Centers (NCBIB) Webinar Series showcases four centers specializing in optical imaging and spectroscopy methods and applications of Artificial Intelligence applications in biomedical research and clinical translation.

2023 IMAG Multiscale Modeling Consortium meeting

June 28, 2023 - June 29, 2023

Come to Washington, D.C., for the return to our in-person IMAG Multiscale Modeling Consortium (MSM) meeting!

20th Anniversary IMAG Multiscale Modeling (MSM) Meeting: MSM Consortium-Lessons from the past to guide the future

June 28, 2023 - June 29, 2023

The Interagency Modeling and Analysis Group (IMAG) organizes this consortium meeting annually to discuss important and focused issues concerning multiscale modeling (MSM) with the goals: to stimulate new Consortium activity and create a collaborative discussion environment for all participants of the MSM Consortium as well as non-MSM attendees from the research community. In this 2-day meeting, the first day would focus on “Evolution and Success of the IMAG/MSM,” what IMAG/MSM has accomplished in its 20-year history and what lessons can be gleaned from them, and would also feature an Early-career Investigator Forum. The second day would focus on “The Future of Multi-Scale Modeling,” including how to increase justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI), synergize with other major initiatives, and how to grow the field of MSM in general. Early-career investigators will be an important aspect of both days as they will serve as bridges between the past, present, and future. The meeting will feature multiple speakers, including original awardees of the Consortium, and include scientific sessions, panel discussions, and small working group activities to grow and enhance the community of multiscale modelers.

Virtual 2022 NIH Synthetic Biology Consortium Meeting: Control Theory and Synthetic Biology

December 14, 2022 - December 14, 2022

The 2022 meeting of the NIH Synthetic Biology Consortium was held on December 14 from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM EST. The theme was Control Theory and Synthetic Biology.