Bioscience Briefing
For info about biomedical funding, animal research and other bioscience issues, click here.
Science Policy Announcements
For the latest news from the APS Science Policy click here.
Resource Book Now Available
Click here for more info on The APS Resource Book for the Design of Animal Exercise Protocols.
APS Science Policy Update
November 5, 2008
In this issue:
- Election results
- Newsweek on translational research
- NIH Extramural Nexus
- FASEB’s latest Breakthrough in Bioscience
Election results
With a new Administration and Congress on the way to Washington, DC, the scientific community has begun to consider the impact that the elections will have on science.
To learn more about President-elect Barack Obama’s stated positions, see the fact sheet from his campaign website. The document covers a wide range of issues from biomedical research to STEM education, space and energy policy. In the coming days, President-elect Obama will put together his transition team and White House staff and we will learn more about who the players in the next Administration will be.
There were also significant changes in the makeup of Congress. In the Senate, the Democrats gained 5 seats for a total of 56 (including two Independent Senators who caucus with the Democrats). Republicans retained 41 seats, and three elections have not yet been called (Minnesota, Alaska and Oregon). Despite the gains for the Democrats, they failed to reach the 60 vote threshold needed for a filibuster-proof majority. In the House of Representatives, with eight races still undecided, it appears that Democrats picked up 19 seats for a total of 253. Republicans lost 19 seats and currently hold 174. While the results indicate that the Democrats will be in a position to advance their agenda in the next Congress, we will know more when committee appointments are made in the late winter or early spring.
Several articles have already appeared speculating about the effect the elections will have on science.
Science: http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2008/1105/1
Nature: http://www.nature.com/news/2008/081105/full/news.2008.1209.html
The Scientist: http://www.the-scientist.com/blog/display/55167/
Newsweek on translational research
In this column, Newsweek Editor Sharon Begley writes about the need to facilitate translation of basic research discoveries into treatments and cures, perhaps even creating a “Center for Cures” at the NIH. This is not a new idea, but it may be one that is gaining support as we move into a new political era.
NIH Extramural Nexus
The October issue of the NIH Extramural Nexus is now available.
FASEB Breakthroughs in Bioscience
FASEB has released a new issue in their series Breakthroughs in Bioscience. The topic is neural prosthetics, and you can view an electronic version here.
Back to Updates