Convergence Facilitating Transdisciplinary Integration of Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Engineering, and Beyond (2014) / Chapter Skim
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By merging these diverse areas of expertise in a network of partnerships, convergence stimulates innovation from basic science discovery to translational application. It provides fertile ground for new collaborations that engage stakeholders and partners not only from academia, but also from national laboratories, industry, clinical settings, and funding bodies.
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This workshop and the development of the present report were supported by a diverse array of sponsors who reflect the broad audience interested in discussing and understanding the challenges to implementing convergence effectively.2 2 The project was supported by the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Science Fund of the National Academy of Sciences, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the Kavli Foundation, Research Corporation for Science Advancement, the National Science Foundation through grant PHY-1353249, the National Institutes of Health through award HHSN263201200074I/
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To accomplish this goal, for ex ample, might require the following: • NA sequencing technology to obtain genetic information on microbes D present in the body • ife and chemical sciences experiments to further characterize the mi L crobes detected • athematical and computational tools to analyze the data generated, com M pare sequences, and identify potential genes associated with the disease of interest • ublic health studies to better understand the role of microbes in the par P ticular disease state • ngineering and synthetic biology expertise to design a microbe with al E tered gene expression • aterials science knowledge to encapsulate the engineered microbe into a M delivery system such as an ingestible pill • linical trials and regulatory agency partnerships to approve the pill for hu C man use • ndustry partners to scale up manufacturing and production I • ocial and behavioral interventions to target the new treatment to the popu S lations who would benefit from it HHSN26300047, TO#47, the William R Kenan, Jr.
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Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology • Janelia Farm Research Campus, Howard Hughes Medical Institute • Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Biology, Princeton University • California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3) , University of California Santa Cruz, Berkeley, and San Francisco • Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University • Raymond and Beverly Sackler Institute for Biological, Physical and Engineering Sciences, Yale University • USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, University of Southern California (announced 2014)
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convergent research or associated with The traditional practices and convergence institutes. Addressing norms in hiring of faculty faculty members and in making tenure Differences in faculty development decisions should be revised to research and service and promotion take into account more fully the expectations among needs values inherent in IDR activities.
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versa in order to provide Creating a solid foundation for education Institutions should support undertaking convergence. and training interdisciplinary education programs and training for students, Opportunities are needed postdoctoral scholars, to effectively fill in gaps researchers, and faculty by in training and expertise providing such mechanisms or to learn fundamentals as undergraduate research of a new area to foster opportunities, faculty team- a common language teaching credit, and IDR and understanding.
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The policies and procedures that universities use to translate technology can be better understood and improved. Because convergence relies on integrating expertise from multiple fields and multiple partners, an open and inclusive culture, a common set of concepts and metrics, and a shared set of institutional and research goals are needed to support this close collaboration.
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Strategies and examples drawn from the committee's data gathering include • organizing around a common theme, problem, or scientific challenge; • implementing management structures tailored to the challenges to convergence in each institution; • fostering opportunities to interact formally and informally; • changing existing faculty structures and reward systems; • working with and across existing departments; • embedding support for convergence in the promotion and tenure process; • designing facilities and workspaces for convergent research; • designing education and training programs that foster convergence; • establishing partnership arrangements across institutions; and • exploring sources of funding within and beyond government agencies. No single template can be followed in establishing convergence efforts and nurturing their success.
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. TABLE S-3 Ideas for Fostering Convergence with a Steady State Budget • Encourage social events such as coffee and pizza to foster presentations and discussions of convergent research.
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TABLE S-4 Summary of Recommendations Actors Actions Desired Outcomes National • Foster coordination on • Innovation and economic vision-setting convergence growth body • Build public and • A national infrastructure that professional awareness of can solve emerging problems convergence as a catalyst which transcend traditional of new scientific and boundaries technical knowledge and applications Funder of • Identify problems that • Expanded mechanisms for science and would benefit from funding convergent research technology convergence approaches innovation • Collaborative proposal review • Address barriers to across funding organizations effective convergence, when needed both within and across institutions
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SUMMARY 11 TABLE S-4 Continued Actors Actions Desired Outcomes Academic • Address barriers to • Recruitment practices, costleader effective convergence recovery models, and research partnerships, both within support policies that facilitate and across institutions convergence, including catalytic seed funding • Develop policies, practices, and guidelines to support • Promotion and tenure policies and evaluate convergent that recognize the importance and disciplinary research of convergence and have equally unique evaluation criteria for those faculty • Utilize the expertise of economic, social, and • Evidence-based practices behavioral sciences, for facilitating convergence as well as program effectively management and strategic planning fields when • More convergence efforts, planning an initiative partnerships, synergies, and collaborations, particularly at small universities and institutions that serve traditionally underrepresented groups • Develop partnerships, • Evidence-based practices Government synergies and for facilitating convergence laboratory collaborations with effectively colleagues across institutions • New products and services derived from convergent • Facilitate efficient transfer research of technologies derived from convergence research Industry, • Address barriers to • Expanded mechanisms for medical, or effective convergence funding convergent research regulatory partnerships across stakeholder institutions • New products and services derived from convergent • Facilitate efficient transfer research of technologies derived from convergence research
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3. nstitutions should review their administrative structures, I faculty recruitment and promotion practices, cost recovery models, and research support policies to identify and reduce roadblocks to the formation of inter- and intrainstitutional partnerships that facilitate convergence.
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. The BRAIN initiative, announced by President Obama in 2013 and initially supported by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Kavli Foundation, Allen Institute for Brain Science, and Salk Institute for Biological Studies is a grand challenge effort to improve understanding of dynamic brain processes.
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Moreover, many of the obstacles to effective convergence involve interpersonal interactions, and the translation of advances enabled by convergence into societal benefits involves economic, social, and behavioral dimensions. A focus on convergence would draw attention to resources available in areas such as the study of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary success, the process of team science, and the evaluation of collaborative research.
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Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration; foster networks of convergence centers and practitioners in academic, industrial, and clinical settings; and engage the imagination of future scientists and innovators. Convergence, which brings together knowledge and tools from life sciences, physical sciences, medicine, engineering, and beyond to stimulate innovative research and address compelling technical and societal challenges, has a scope that is diverse and multisectorial.
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