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5 Building a Better Ecosystem for Independence
Pages 81-94

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From page 81...
... biomedical research ecosystem is not unique in the challenges facing younger investigators or in its desire to attract and retain the best and the brightest in rewarding research careers. Canada, for example, has been working to rejuvenate its biomedical research workforce in the face of declining federal research funds and increasing pressures on entry-level academic positions resulting from 1  In this report, "biomedical" refers to the full range of biological, biomedical, behavioral, and health sciences supported by the National Institutes of Health.
From page 82...
... The countries that provided input to the committee are addressing many issues similar to those experienced in the United States: • whether to allocate additional funds set aside for early-career investigators; • whether to increase the size and duration of funding for these investigators; • how to avoid unintended consequences for mid-career investigators seek ing follow-on funding; and • how to monitor success of these populations in systems under stress. The committee strongly endorsed the urgent need to solve the persistent and severe structural issues described in Chapter 2 that impact early-career investi­ ators.
From page 83...
... DP2 applicants can request up to $1.5 million in direct costs over the 5-year grant period. Although the DP2 award appears to be an excellent mechanism to support ESIs who plan innovative projects, NIH expects to make only 33 awards in 2018, depending on the availability of funds in the NIH Common Fund.3 Given that the DP2 award has successfully motivated early-career investigators to propose and conduct inno­ ative, high-risk, and im v pactful biomedical and bio-behavioral research, NIH should encourage Institutes and Centers to implement similar mechanisms, such as the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
From page 84...
... . The committee commends NIH for developing a program that artfully connects training and independence, and recommends that NIH consider expanding this program with some modifications, such as extending the length of the R00 portion of the grant beyond 3 years, ceasing funding of applicable indirect costs from the R00 portion of the grant,5 and decreasing the emphasis on the new/additional training component of the K99 proposal.
From page 85...
... Recommendation 5.3 Research institutions and the National Institutes of Health should develop mechanisms to increase the number of individuals in staff scientist positions to provide more stable, non-faculty research opportunities for the next generation of researchers. Research institutions should experiment with providing career tracks with clearly defined review and promotion processes, as well as opportunities for professional development.
From page 86...
... This flaw contributes to many of the issues discussed in this report, including the backlog of postdoctoral researchers and confusion and frustration on the part of trainees and PIs. Promotion of a staff scientist track as an attractive and viable research career choice in academia -- one with stability and professional recognition and status as well as opportunities for progressive advancement -- would provide a career path for individuals who are interested in academic research but are not interested in an academic faculty position.
From page 87...
... However, meaningful evaluation of the potential impact of staff scientist or equivalent positions will depend on the design of new programs that extend beyond NCI and can fund more than a few dozen positions. This area is well suited for funding experimental pilot projects, and NIH and universities alike should explore development of programs that provide support for original research projects conducted by staff scientists.
From page 88...
... . Establishing institution-wide and laboratory-specific diversity and inclusion plans would go a long way in encouraging research institutions and their PIs to participate actively in addressing underrepresentation in the scientific research workforce.
From page 89...
... In replacing the 2007 NIH New Investigator policy, the NGRI increases the possibility of u ­ nintended consequences from enhancing workforce diversity specifically within the biomedical research enterprise as called for by the 21st Century Cures Act. The NIH Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research program can be utilized as part of the NGRI to counterbalance these potential unintended consequences.
From page 90...
... should make the Loan Repayment Programs available to all individuals pursuing biomedical physicianscientist researcher careers, regardless of their research area or clinical specialty. NIH should increase the monetary value of loan repayment to reflect the debt burden of current medical trainees.
From page 91...
... However, NIH has not yet expanded LRP access for physician-scientists beyond the current programs for which they are eligible: clinical research, pediatric research, health disparities research, contraception and infertility research, and clinical research for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. Therefore, the committee recommends that NIH make the LRP available to all individuals pursuing biomedical physician-scientist researcher careers, regardless of their research area or clinical specialty, and that NIH increase the dollar amount of loans forgiven to reflect the debt burden of current medical trainees to incentivize talented physicians to pursue independent biomedical research careers.
From page 92...
... The PD/PI can solicit applications from eligible candidates at institutions from across the country, and selected scholars will proceed with their career development and research plan at their home institution, with a local mentor. The committee encourages NIH to continue piloting programs and institutions to not only participate actively in these programs but also develop and test their own innovative programs.
From page 93...
... Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health. NIH Physician Scientist Workforce Working Group.


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