Topic: Other Topics
Comments by Julian Menter
Morehouse School of Medicine
5/27/2015
Proposed Actions
(1) Biomedical research has come up with some fantastic results based mainly on high technology that is one – dimensional. It . Young scientists, especially those at have – not institutions are not usually able to avail themselves of the expensive high – tech gadgets necessary for such projects. Other not-so-expensive means that will not require so much hardware, but will depend more on innovative thinking will add to the dimension of research efforts and will be more accessible to more modest budgets.
(2) A much wider conversation is needed to make the research multi – dimensional. But that takes money. A much more aggressive approach to congress is needed for that. I believe that the most effective way to do it is to amass a large group of individuals, starting with top – level people in funding agencies Other “well – intentioned people” need to be called on, but one can’t depend on them alone.
(3) A wider diversity of people is needed to serve on study sections.
(4) Also, I take exception to the statement that the younger scientists are necessarily better equipped to deal with scientific problems. An unfortunate consequence of this type of thinking is that older people are generally more mature, and have additional insight and experience that is often cavalierly discarded as being “old fashioned”.
I think the ideas articulated by the “gang of four” are good as far as they go, but:
Biomedical research has come up with some fantastic results based mainly on high technology. But that is one – dimensional. It tends to lead to the results that we are observing. Young scientists, especially those at have – not institutions (see above) are not usually able to avail themselves of the expensive high – tech gadgets necessary for such projects.
True, a much wider conversation is needed to make the research multi – dimensional. But that takes money. A much more aggressive approach to congress is needed for that. I believe that the most effective way to do it is to amass a large group of individuals, starting with top – level people in funding agencies (dare I say “grass roots”?). The only thing that politicians seem to understand is that these are people who would vote for them (or not). Other “well – intentioned people” need to be called on, but one can’t depend on them alone.
A wider diversity of people is needed to serve on study sections. Biomedical research is multi – disciplinary, and a wider diversity would help the group to understand the same problem as viewed from different angles.
Also, I take exception to the statement that the younger scientists are necessarily better equipped to deal with scientific problems. An unfortunate consequence of this type of thinking is that older people are generally more mature, and have additional insight and experience that is often cavalierly discarded as being “old fashioned”. If we are being threatened by other countries that compete with us, than it would not be wise to neglect the very people on whose shoulders young people stood to amass their discoveries.
These comments are meant to add (and not subtract) from the ideas articulated above.