Reinvigorating Medical Research
Our nation’s medical and health research enterprise is a national treasure, but it faces challenges, such as a lack of high-level coordination and structural issues that include a flagging workforce and fragmented funding. A new landmark report released Tuesday by the National Academy of Medicine, the State of the U.S. Biomedical and Health Research Enterprise: Strategies for a Healthier America, offers an opportunity to reinvigorate our research enterprise, leading to a higher level of excellence and healthier lives across the country. The committee that produced this report was chaired by Research!America board member E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, and includes our President and CEO Mary Woolley, and Research!America board members Kafui Dzirasa, MD, PhD; Sudip Parikh, PhD; Keith Yamamoto, PhD; and Elias Zerhouni, MD. The report lays out five national priorities that, taken together, will maintain our global leadership in biomedical research. We encourage you to read the report and view the presentation for this roadmap that lays out a path for sustained progress.
Advocacy Now: Last week, President Biden signed the continuing resolution passed by Congress, extending fiscal year 2024 funding through Dec. 20. With Congress out of session and elected officials focused on the campaign trail, now is the perfect time to engage with candidates running for office. As a research advocate, you can play a critical role in educating candidates on the importance of medical, health, and scientific research in the U.S. To support your efforts, Research!America has developed a comprehensive Candidate Engagement Toolkit, complete with sample social media posts and questions to ask at town halls or other events. You can find even more resources on our 2024 election webpage!
Scientific Management Review Board: At the request of Congress, the NIH has re-constituted the Scientific Management Review Board, an advisory body established as part of NIH’s 2006 reauthorization. The Board is charged with evaluating the structure and operations of NIH to assist the Secretary of HHS and the Director of NIH in determining whether and in what manner to make changes to the Institutes. While it is unclear how the Board’s reconstitution will affect congressional actions going forward, we applaud this important development.
Post-Election Outcomes: On the heels of the election, we are hosting a briefing on Nov. 13 at 10:30 a.m. at the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1200 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC, to discuss the outcome of the presidential and congressional elections, including how the results may impact medical and scientific research moving forward. The discussion will begin at 11 a.m. followed by a networking reception from 12:15 p.m.-1 p.m. Stay tuned for more details, including registration.
Calling All Early Career Scientists: The Civic Engagement Microgrant program is launching its seventh year of supporting graduate student-led STEM groups by funding grants focused on building dialogue with public officials and local community members. The application portal opens on Monday, Oct. 7. The 2024-2025 microgrants are generously funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. We are also excited to announce a new category of microgrants, which we will release next week. Stay tuned!
President Jimmy Carter’s Global Health Legacy: We encourage you to check out the latest issue of The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene featuring former President Jimmy Carter on the cover and reviewing his contributions to global health. President Carter celebrated his 100th birthday on Oct. 1, a milestone that represents a perfect opportunity to celebrate his accomplishments, including his work once he left office to improve access to health services around the world and to eradicate the guinea worm.
NCATS Discussion: Join us for a Research!America alliance discussion with Dr. Joni Rutter, Director of the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) at the NIH, on Oct. 15 at 11 a.m. ET. Dr. Rutter will share NCATS’s latest priorities, exciting advances in the field, and her vision for turning promising research discoveries into real-world applications that improve health outcomes. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with a leader driving the science of translation to produce real-world health solutions. Register here.
ICYMI: Don’t miss watching this week’s alliance discussion with Jason Owen-Smith, co-founder and executive director of the Institute for Research on Innovation and Science (IRIS), at the University of Michigan. It was an interesting discussion on taking data from individual research universities and pulling it all together to create a national resource.
Learn About BARDA: If you are part of Research!America Alliance member organization, please join us on Oct. 30 at noon ET for an off-the-record conversation with the director of BARDA, Dr. Gary Disbrow. Dr. Disbrow will shed light on the evolving biodefense landscape and how BARDA balances priorities in the infectious disease and antimicrobial resistance arenas with the need for countermeasures against chemical, radiological, and nuclear threats. If you are with a Research!America alliance member organization, email Jacqueline Lagoy for the registration link.
NOTE: Sheila Murphy, Research!America’s Vice President of Advocacy Programs and Initiatives, is our guest author this week.