By Sonia Hall Francis Collins will continue as director of the National Institutes of Health during part of the Trump administration. Just like all of President Obama’s nominees that cleared the U.S. Senate confirmation process, Collins tendered his resignation as NIH director effective noon on Friday, Jan. 20. However, the announcement that Donald Trump asked … Read more
By Kelsey Hampton Intense competition for a limited amount of federal funding has long been a reality for biomedical researchers. In a post on the Open Mike blog, Michael Lauer, deputy director for extramural research at the National Institutes of Health, and his team examined the pool of research project grant applicants to determine what … Read more
By Elizabeth Moses Recent political events in the U.S. and the U.K. have cast significant doubt on the future of international research collaborations. The decision in the U.K. to exit the European Union has generated uncertainty about the future of the U.K.’s international research partnerships. In the U.S., some scientists have expressed concern that president-elect … Read more
By Elizabeth Moses Underrepresentation of minority groups in the biomedical research workforce, and faculty in particular, has limited the competitiveness and productivity of the research enterprise. While the lack of diversity of medical school faculty has often been blamed on a lack of available talent in the underrepresented-minority pool, a new paper suggests there is … Read more
By Judith Kimble Henry Vilas Professor of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) As true at many institutions throughout the country, biomedical researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have become deeply concerned about the systemic flaws threatening U.S. biomedical research. Yet they were not in agreement with some of the … Read more
Contributed by Jessica Polka, Ph.D. Any biologist who’s been to a scientific conference knows that sharing our work before formal publication accelerates the pace of research. By giving talks or poster presentations, we can find new collaborators, receive constructive feedback and gain recognition that can help secure a future job. And the benefits are not … Read more
An RBR Writing Program post by Eve Granatosky The National Institutes of Health is the largest funder of basic biomedical research; however, hypercompetition for NIH funds has led many scientists to pursue private, philanthropic sources to fund their research. While new initiatives like the Chan-Zuckerberg Biohub garner media attention, more established foundations like the American … Read more
Bruce Alberts Bruce Alberts, one of the founders of Rescuing Biomedical Research, was awarded the 2016 Lasker-Koshland Special Achievement Award in Medical Science. This prestigious award is given every two years, and Alberts earned the award due to his “fundamental discoveries in DNA replication and protein biochemistry; for visionary leadership in directing national and international … Read more
By Swagata Basu Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health is slated to step down from his role after 7 years. The absence of a Senate-confirmed NIH director, responsible for managing all NIH programs and activities and setting agency policies, could have serious policy implications for the research enterprise, especially at a time … Read more
The American biomedical research enterprise is an engine of innovation and economic growth. Over the past 70 years, this research engine has led to unparalleled improvements in human health and trained some of the best scientists in the world. To ensure continued successes in American biomedical research, Rescuing Biomedical Research is committed to preserving the … Read more