The Funding of Young Investigators in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (1994) / Chapter Skim
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2 Extramural Funding of Newly Independent Investigators in Biomedical Research
2 Extramural Funding of Newly Independent Investigators in Biomedical Research
Pages 21-52
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From page 21... ...
Since 1980, the federal financial commitment to health research and development has steadily increased while support for other disciplines in the natural sciences (except space research) changed little (130~.
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Of all 1989-1990 doctoral recipients, 64% were employed by educational institutions, 16% by industry, 11% by government, and 9% by nonprofit organizations (unpublished data from the National Research Council 1991 Survey of Doctorate Recipients,
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Biomedical Research 23 Table 2-1 Estimated Federal Obligations for Applied and Basic Research in Life Sciences, by Agency, [Y 1992 l l Sciences ~ Sciences lApplied as PercentBasic as Percent l Age: - y R~ch, of Total Rail of Total 1 Thor ads Applied Thousands Basic l of Dolla" Research of DoU ~Ah l Budget Budget .
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Research program project grants are funded from the same part of the agency's budget ~ On October 1, 1992, in accordance with the provision in PL 10232 entitled "ADAMHA Reorganization Act," the research programs of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration were transferred to NIH with three research institutions: the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the National Institute of Mental Health.
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These funds, although not earmarked for newly independent investigators, are sometimes used by local institutions as startup funds to establish the laboratories of these investigators. NIH terminated such a program, the NIH Biological Research Support Grant (BRSG)
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26 Young Investigators Figure 2-2 National support for health research and development, by source, 1960-1993.
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In 1971, NIH initiated its first program in which newly independent investigators were distinguished as a cohort from more seasoned investigators. The goal of the New Investigator Research Award (R23)
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1, I Extramural awards $6.63 billion Intramural research, \~ management, etc.
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In addition, funds for R29 grants are not separately budgeted by the NIH institutes; newly independent investigators compete for the same funds as their more seasoned colleagues. The burden of ensuring that new investigators are given a fair opportunity to compete for funds is on the members of the review groups or study sections at NIH that evaluate applications.
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From page 30... ...
The consequence of such practices is that a newly independent investigator has a somewhat greater likelihood of being funded through the R29 mechanism than through the RO1 mechanism. For example, in 1993, the success rate, defined as the percentage of reviewed grant applications that are funded, was about 275to for R29 applications and about 21% for R01 applications (NIH/SAES data from Robert Moore and James Tucker)
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From page 31... ...
, but it dropped to the low 20% range in 1993. The indicated rebound in success rates in 1991 must be considered in the light of other events that were occurring.
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The success rates calculated by including and excluding amended applications are different by a factor that is directly proportional to the fraction of amended applications
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The decrease in the success rate is attributed to several causes. First, a 1986 policy change within NIH increased the length of research grants.
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Two additional financial pressures exacerbated the decline in the funds available for supporting new projects and the decline in success rate (12~. First, the average size of a research grant rose steadily throughout the 1980s and into the l990s, from $100,400 in 1982 to $163,400 in 1989 and $184,800 in 1991 in current dollars (89,93,95~.
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. During their tenure as graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, they see well-established investigators with proven track records failing to renew sources of funding and outstanding younger scientists competing unsuccessfully for grants as independent investigators.
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In fact, the comparison between the success rates of new and competing renewal applications is affected by the fact that the cohort applying for renewal funds has successfully competed in at least one round of peer review, so it is a preselected group, and success rates would be expected to be higher than for new proposals. Perhaps a more accurate way to determine whether the funding crisis has presented a disadvantage to newly independent investigators is to compare the decline in this age group's success rate with that of other age groups.
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. Table 2-2 and Figure 2-7 provide data on events concurrent with changes In success rates during the period 1985-1993 (see appendix for complete data and notes about them)
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It is the newly independent investigator, at the beginning of a research career for which he or she has trained for many years, that feels the effects of the decreased success rate most severely. The committee believes that encouraging greater numbers of newly independent investigators to remain in academic science is important because this cohort represents the future of basic-science research.
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To be so encouraged, newly independent investigators must have an advantage in applying for funding. One innovative response of NIH to the decline in the success rate was the creation of the Jangles A
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of | ce" | Su~ | Apps. I Rate I ported 2,637 2,514 2,592 3,092 3,259 1 3'o5o 3,355 1 3,542 4too3 17 8 ~1 49 55 41 ~11 40 11 47 11 50 ' ~1 1 2 654 , 1 2,532 1 1 2,641 l 3~147 3~3oo 3'o9o 3402 , 1 3 592 , ~ 4,071 32.0 30.2 34.5 29.3 26.7 24.1 29.4 28.6 22.4 17.6 11.1 0.2 6.4 4.6 7.5 25.5 20.0 23.5 31.9 30.1 34.0 29.1 26.6 23.9 29.3 28.5 22.4 843 1 ~_ 1 893 1 906 871 1 1 736 1 986 1 1 1 014 1 895, 3 2 1 41 ":1 9 1 6 3 2 1 1 10 1 6 l 846 76 1 1 1 898 1 1 1 1 915 1 T877 1 73 998 T 1024 T911 1 Source: Personal communication, Robert Moore, NIH, DRG, ISB, SAKS.
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Biomedical Research 41 A9e fiscal Year 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1g92 1993 1985 1 986 1987 1988 1989 1 990 1g91 1 992 1 993 1 985 1986 1987 1 g88 1g89 1990 1g91 1992 1993 S1~55 1 Suc- No.
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From page 42... ...
~ O Through institutional support of research and development-about $6 billion in 1993 for all fields 112-academic institutions provide funds for their own researchers. Because these institutions design and negotiate startup packages, they play a critical role in the funding of newly independent investigators.
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Moreover, the research in the pharmaceutical industry is being transformed by the new technologies developed elsewhere, such as those used in gene cloning and expression, gene and protein sequencing and synthesis, production of monoclonal antibodies, cell-culture technology, x-ray crystallography and computer graphics, nuclear magnetic resonance studies, and the development of transgenic animals as models of human disease. The information-base and technology development has relied heavily on university-based research, which benefits not only U.S.
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Survey respondents indicated that their preferred solutions to the perceived impending shortage of scientists were to enhance high-school programs and to increase federal and industrial support of trainees and newly independent investigators.
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PHII^NTHROPY Philanthropic and voluntary health agencies provide support for biomedical research, often emphasizing awards for the young investigator. Because of the variety of such organizations and the varied terms, amounts, and conditions of their awards, it is difficult to determine the degree to which such support made up for the decrease in support of young investigators by NIH and NSF during the late 1980s.
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From page 46... ...
The sliding scale of research funds is based on the expectation that the scholars will attract extramural support. These awards were particularly attractive to newly independent investigators because they provided research support in the first year of independence, at a time when many young scientists have no extramural support and must therefore depend on the startup funds of their institutions.
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Howard Hughes Medical Institute The Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) , a philanthropic organization, is the second largest provider of basic biomedical research funds, after the federal government.
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In addition to funding its own investigators directly, HHMI provides funds for construction and renovation of laboratory space at its host institutions, some of which may be used by newly independent investigators. It also funds fellowships to persons enrolled in Ph.D., M.D., and postdoctoral programs.
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From page 49... ...
Table 2-3 summarizes examples of the monetary support available specifically to newly independent investigators from some VHOs. It is not a comprehensive list of organizations and is intended only to illustrate the characteristic favorable attitude by VHOs to newly independent investigators.
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50 Table 2-3 Estimated 1990 Research Funds Provided by 17 Representative Voluntary Health Organizations Young Investigators . Amount to Research Newly Funds, Independent Organization Millions of Investigators, Dollars Millions of Dollars American Cancer Society 87 37 American Diabetes Association and 9 7 Associates .
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From page 51... ...
Extramural grants are usually procured by newly independent investigators n the second year. To assist their junior faculty, many universities have developed information networks to enhance extramural grant procurement, including seminars, information packages, workshops, grant-writing assistance, and offices to monitor requests for proposals.
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From page 52... ...
indicated that the BRSG program provided valuable support for newly independent investigators. In FY 1990, more than 220 investigators who had received BRSG funds in FY 1988 and 1989 were awarded S-year FIRST awards totaling $19.6 million.
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