U.S. Science: Under the Gun
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WINTER p.4 Uncle Sam: Scientist p.18 Follow the yellow brick road 09 p.12 Canary in the research lab p.26 Big science in the balance Lens U.S. science: Under the gun A PUBLICATION OF VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER WWW.MC.VANDERBILT.EDU/LENS – Cover: New competitors emerge in the race for discovery. Lens Illustration by Antonello Silverini (http://antonellosilverini.myblog.it). A New Way of Looking at Science WINTER 2009 VOLUME 7, NUMBER 1 EDITOR Bill Snyder CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lisa A. DuBois Nicole Garbarini, Ph.D. Gary Kuhlmann Leigh MacMillan, Ph.D. Bill Snyder PHOTOGRAPHY/ILLUSTRATION Neil Brake Dave Cutler Dean Dixon Paul Fetters Billy Howard Joe Howell Dana Johnson The true worth of an experimenter Tom Kochel Ken Perkins consists in his pursuing not only Anne Rayner Antonello Silverini what he seeks in his experiment, DESIGN Diana Duren but also what he did not seek. DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS – CLAUDE BERNARD Nancy Humphrey DIRECTOR OF NEW MEDIA/ELECTRONIC PUBLICATIONS Wayne Wood EDITORIAL OFFICE Office of News and Public Affairs D-3237A MCN Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville, Tennessee 37232-2390 615-322-4747 E-mail address: [email protected] www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/lens Lens is published twice a year by Vanderbilt University Medical Center in cooperation with the VUMC Office of News and Public Affairs and the Office of Research. Len s ® is a registered mark of Vanderbilt University. Our goal: to explore the frontiers of biomedical research, and the social and ethical dimensions of the revolution that is occurring in our understanding of health and disease. Through our Lens , we hope to provide for our readers – scientists and those who watch science alike – different perspectives on the course of discovery, and a greater appreciation of the technological, eco - nomic, political and social forces that guide it. © 2009 by Vanderbilt University TABLE OF Lens contents W0IN9 TER www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/lens 2 CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITY Even at this time of economic adversity, we must clearly articulate the impor - tance of biomedical research for advancing human health – and for the vitality of our nation, writes Jeff Balser, M.D., Ph.D., dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and associate vice chancellor for Health Affairs. 4 UNCLE SAM : SCIENTIST During the past century, America reached the pinnacle of science and technology, thanks in no small measure to its immigrant spirit, diversity and genius for innovation. Uncle Sam’s position of strength can no longer be taken for granted. It’s time for a new “Corps of Discovery.” page 2 Making the case for science 10 THE CASE FOR SERENDIPITY Simple curiosity about how things work can revolutionize understanding of human disease and change the world: examples from the 20th century. n u 12 CANARY IN THE RESEARCH LAB g e There are ominous signs that all is not well in biomedical science: five years of h flat NIH budgets; young scientists leaving academic research. Perhaps most t r disturbing: U.S. students consistently rank below their peers in other countries e d when it comes to mastery of math and science. n U 17 IT ’S NOT ALL ABOUT SCIENCE The United States is drifting toward “a whole series of national-scale crises,” worries Vanderbilt informatics guru Bill Stead, M.D. “I think as a society we’ve really lost our ability to do anything important.” 18 THE NEW OZ A new biomedical research metropolis in southern Singapore, dubbed a “scientific Emerald City,” is attracting scientists from around the world. While not a flood, page 12 Signs of a potential calamity it raises concerns about an American “brain drain.” 22 NEEDED : A QUANTUM LEAP Revitalizing the nation’s biomedical research enterprise will require much more than tinkering around the edges, Vanderbilt scientists say. 26 BIG SCIENCE IN THE BALANCE There is no single best way to revitalize the nation’s biomedical research enter - prise, Vanderbilt scientists argue. Whatever is undertaken, however, it is crucial to empower “the creativity of individuals.” 28 ONE STUDENT ’S STORY Q-vaughnia Hornbeck aspired to be a dentist. Then she enrolled in the School for Science and Math at Vanderbilt, and “everything changed.” The high school senior now plans to become a neuroscientist. page 18 It’s a beautiful place to work LENS/WINTER 2009 1 T S I T N E I C S : M A S E L C N U Challenge “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” and – Albert Einstein opportunity How academic medical centers can he nation’s biomedical research community is indis - putably experiencing challenging times. The budget of help reverse disturbing trends T the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the primary source of biomedical research dollars, has not increased for several years; when adjusted for inflation, NIH funding has actually declined by 13 percent over the last five years. This, combined with a decline By Jeff Balser, M.D., Ph.D. in U.S. students choosing academic research career s1 ultimately may Dean, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine have a negative impact on worldwide health and could lead to the ero - Associate Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs sion of biomedical science as a fundamental pillar of the U.S. economy. In short, we are sowing the seeds of attrition in a magnificent edifice: our nation’s biomedical research enterprise. This issue of Lens magazine examines this unprecedented challenge to our future, and explores ways that we – the research community at Vanderbilt University Medical Center with our colleagues throughout the country – can advocate responsibly and effectively for progress. Why is Vanderbilt raising its voice? We are among the fortunate academic medical centers that are seamlessly connected to a leading research university, and we have leveraged that overall strength and connectivity to invest in programs that will greatly accelerate the realization of individualized and cost- 2 LENS/WINTER 2009 L L E Y W T O I H It is our responsibility to clearly articulate N E U O J why expanding biomedical research – even T R at a time of economic adversity – will allow O P P us to leap forward. O D N A effective drug discovery, diagnostic testing economists Kevin Murphy, Ph.D., and of health and genetic information. Our E and healthcare delivery. It is therefore our Robert Topel, Ph.D., estimated that “DNA databank” now contains over G N responsibility to clearly articulate why increases in life expectancy between 1970 60,000 samples, and is among the fastest E L expanding biomedical research – even at a and 2000 “added about $3.2 trillion per growing DNA repositories worldwide. L time of economic adversity – will allow us year to national wealth, with half of these Thanks to large-scale, global investments A H to leap forward and dramatically improve gains due to progress against heart disease in biomedical informatics over the past C both our economy and the treatment and alone. ” 3 While it is difficult to determine decade, information gleaned from samples prevention of human disease, while reduc - exactly how much of this progress can be can be stripped of identifying information ing the cost of health care for our nation. attributed to medical research, it is well to protect patient privacy. This work is Here’s why. The science funded by accepted that the dramatic drop in heart laying the foundation for the identifica - NIH has a far broader economic impact disease mortality in recent decades is due tion of biomarkers that will dramatically than in the long-term improvements in to improved understanding of the role of improve the output of new diagnostics health care and quality of life; broader cholesterol, and resultant changes in and drugs, and at a fraction of the cost. even than the direct effect of dollars diet, interventional procedures and new Vanderbilt also recognizes that in invested across our campuses. Every $1 pharmaceuticals. order to maintain and grow a vibrant of NIH money spent results in about Currently there are more than 500 research enterprise, we need a renewable n $2.30 in economic output (increased goods potential drugs for complex diseases in talent pool entering our institution to u g and services) in the local and state-wide clinical trials in the United States, yet only innovate and solve big questions about e h economy, according to a June 2008 report about 50 percent of the patients enrolled health and disease. Yet the national statis - t 2 by Families US A. In fiscal year 2008, for in these trials will experience a positive tics are disturbing: U.S. students continue r e example, Vanderbilt University Medical result, and fewer than 20 new drugs make to lag behind their peers in other countrie s d Center received over $420 million in funds it to the marketplace every year. in science achievement scores, college n U from outside agencies, the majority from Why is the success rate so low? One completion rates are low, and fewer choose the NIH and other government sources. reason is that genetic variation has a huge academic research as a career. This resulted in more than $1 billion of impact on our individual responses to It becomes our challenge and opportu - new business activity that created and sup - medications. Because of this variability, nity as an institution of higher education to ported more than 7,000 jobs at wages that pharmaceutical trials must be conducted help reverse those trends by supporting greatly exceed that national average. in very large patient populations, at con - programs that provide enhanced, accelerated For the next fiscal year (2009), the siderable cost (approximately $1 billion and engaging science curricula to students national research community is calling for per drug), and over a long period of time in high school and even earlier.