Multimedia
Funding Tomorrow's Scientific Discoveries
Radio Commentary of
President Michael A. McRobbie
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN
April 10, 2008
Introduction
Every adult who has ever grappled with a budget knows that during tough times you focus on essential expenses and minimize the nonessentials. In the coming weeks, Congress will be deliberating over budgets that support essential scientific research.
Economic Development Components
In the past decade, IU has brought more than $2 billion in federal research grants to Indiana. To date, scientific research conducted by our faculty and students has generated more than 1700 inventions, 330 patents, and 36 business start-ups. Combined with Indiana’s $13.6 billion global life sciences industry, discoveries by university researchers can help spur a new era of economic prosperity for our state.
Examples of Federally Funded Research
The majority of biomedical research conducted in this country is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Between 1998 and 2003, Congress and the Bush and Clinton Administrations doubled the budget of the NIH. This led to truly revolutionary scientific discoveries. It helped scientists complete the human genome project. It funded discovery of the only FDA approved emergency therapy to reduce disability from stroke. It funded a saliva test that detects oral cancer with 90% accuracy. At IU, it funded discovery of a diagnostic tool that can detect breast cancer from a single blood sample.
A Broken Pipeline
It is widely acknowledged that America trains the best scientists in the world. It is also widely acknowledged that university research is one of America’s strongest engines of innovation. But today our state and nation are facing a crisis of funding for basic science research. For the last five years, budgets for the NIH have been flat-lined. Next year’s proposed budget would do nothing to improve the situation.
These days there is a sense of deep concern among the leading researchers across our state and nation. A recent report titled A Broken Pipeline that was issued by a coalition of research universities notes that reduced federal budgets are slowing the course of scientific progress and impeding our nation’s ability to compete in the international arena. Moreover, lack of funding negatively impacts our ability to cultivate the next generation of researchers.
The report states that “if young investigators are lost from the pipeline, soon we won’t have the scientific brain power we need to move forward.” It continues, “when the current scientific giants retire, where will we be?”
Conclusion
There is no doubt that increased funding for biomedical research is essential to our nation’s health and competitive edge and to our state’s future prosperity.
