Editor's Note

Lisa Cadmus-Bertram, PhD; Editor, Outlook

What role do professional societies play in your work and career? Do you know how SBM operates and how all our programs and initiatives fit together? In this issue of Outlook, we celebrate the amazing breadth of research, advocacy, networking, and career development that SBM supports. Whether you are new to SBM or have been with us for many years, you’ll learn something new in the Membership Council’s piece explaining how SBM works, where to find our bylaws, strategic plan, Volunteer Impact Hub, organization chart, councils and committees, and minutes repository. In this era of changing funding priorities and review processes, the member-to-member learning that happens within the SBM community is more valuable than ever. When we share themes from the feedback we’re hearing from our grant reviewers, we help our colleagues to understand how they can best position their own grants, improving the success of our efforts as a whole. When we work together to pull this information together, we can help each other even more. A wonderful example is provided by Libby Benson, Danielle Ostendorf, and Michele L. Patel, who have collected responses from SBM members who have submitted NIH grants involving the Multiphase Optimization Strategy. Do reviewers now understand this methodology? What critiques do they tend to give about it? How can investigators respond effectively? This piece summarizes these answers to benefit those at SBM who are planning or considering future MOST submissions. In future issues of Outlook, keep an eye out for more content relevant to NIH and other funders to help you stay on top of opportunities and changes.