Vacancies have been exhausted by NIH advisory boards that make final recommendations on research funding at universities and medical centers. No new members were added to these councils last year, which led to a loss of members after their mandates expired and some resigned. Most of the 25 councils are now operating with less than half their full membership, according to an analysis of annual reports filed in late December with a federal database. These gaps have created a lack of professional expertise needed to make informed grant decisions. Some boards threaten to violate federal laws on their composition and operation. The loss of several longtime staff at NIH's Office of Committee Management, including its director Claire Harris, who retired, is likely contributing to the problem.