Research Success Stories
During 2010 UMR and other NIH advocates will continue to collect and publish a series of reports that tell the good news about how American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding is contributing to leaps in scientific progress.
A few areas we’re looking at include the following:
“Transforming Scientific Research One Challenge Grant at a Time”
With at least a $200 million commitment in the form of Challenge Grants, the 2009 Recovery and Reinvestment Act has the power to transform the NIH and this country’s scientific research programs.
Focusing on knowledge gaps, new technologies, and new methodologies, an oversubscribed group – tens of thousands of applicants have proposed revolutionary ideas that promise to change the way we think of science and discovery.
Instead of moving existing ideas forward and building the foundation for future research, these grants are being awarded to scientists who are designing new research.
We seek to examine the unbelievable response from scientists and research institutions around the country to the Challenge Grants, and highlight some grant applications that have the power to transform scientific research.
“Building the Bridge to the Scientific Discovery of Tomorrow”
Times are tough for college students looking for good internships to put on their resume this summer. After all, we are in the midst of the highest unemployment rate in a generation and companies have plenty of more qualified job seekers from which to choose.
But thanks to the 2009 Recovery Act, there are 4000 high school and college students working alongside NIH-funded researchers at biomedical laboratories across the United States.
Through this program, the country is encouraging students to seriously pursue research careers in health-related sciences and helping develop the scientists of tomorrow.
This story will examine some of the interns’ experiences and focus on how this funding is building the bridge to tomorrow’s scientists – and the breakthrough improvements in health and the human condition may come from them.
“Kick-Starting Grand Scientific Ideas”
Under the 2009 Recovery Act, the NIH has established a new program set to spur biomedical and bio-behavioral research endeavors.
Called the “GO” grants program, it will support projects that address large, specific biomedical and bio-behavioral research that will benefit from significant 2-year funds without the expectation of continued NIH funding beyond two years.
This research will have high short-term impact, and a high likelihood of enabling growth and investment in biomedical research and development, public health, and health care delivery.
This story will examine the large variety of current projects and the unbelievable creativity that is going in to these projects and explore the use of stimulus money in getting these projects under way.
“A Foundation for Research Capacity”
One of the purposes of the 2009 Recovery Act was to spur economic development and job creation in the United States. This has bled over to the field of scientific research.
Under the Recovery Act, the NCRR will administer $1 billion for construction, repair and renovation of research facilities. In addition to creating new jobs and economic development across the country, this funding will add new research capacity to explore the most important discoveries of the next century.
This story will examine the on-the-ground development of research facilities across the country and highlight some of the scientific research made possible by the new and updated facilities.
“Top 10 Across NIH”
With the wealth of new grants available, proposals that were once “stuck” in the NIH pipeline will now be pursued. And some of these will be true game-changers for the human condition.
We are seeking to chronicle some of the most exciting ARRA life sciences projects as seen by the scientific community both inside and out of NIH.
Do You Have a Success Story to Share?
If you have a good story to tell about the use of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act NIH funds, email us at unitedformedicalresearch (at) gmail (dot) com and a UMR member will contact you soon.
