Funding for radiation research: past, present and future.

For more than a century, ionizing radiation has been indispensable mainly in medicine and industry. Radiation research is a multidisciplinary field that investigates radiation effects. Radiation research was very active in the mid- to late 20th century, but has then faced challenges, during which time funding has fluctuated widely. Here we review historical changes in funding situations in the field of radiation research, particularly in Canada, European Union countries, Japan, South Korea, and the US. We also provide a brief overview of the current situations in education and training in this field. A better understanding of the biological consequences of radiation exposure is becoming more important with increasing public concerns on radiation risks and other radiation literacy. Continued funding for radiation research is needed, and education and training in this field are also important.

Rothschild reversed: explaining the exceptionalism of biomedical research, 1971-1981.

The 'Rothschild reforms' of the early 1970s established a new framework for the management of government-funded science. The subsequent dismantling of the Rothschild system for biomedical research and the return of funds to the Medical Research Council (MRC) in 1981 were a notable departure from this framework and ran contrary to the direction of national science policy. The exceptionalism of these measures was justified at the time with reference to the 'particular circumstances' of biomedical research. Conventional explanations for the reversal in biomedical research include the alleged greater competence and higher authority of the MRC, together with its claimed practical difficulties. Although they contain some elements of truth, such explanations are not wholly convincing. Alternative explanations hinge on the behaviour of senior medical administrators, who closed ranks to ensure that de facto control was yielded to the MRC. This created an accountability deficit, which the two organizations jointly resolved by dismantling the system for commissioning biomedical research. The nature and working of medical elites were central to this outcome.

The P50 Research Center in Perioperative Sciences: How the investment by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences in team science has reduced postburn mortality.

Since the inception of the P50 Research Center in Injury and Peri-operative Sciences (RCIPS) funding mechanism, the National Institute of General Medical Sciences has supported a team approach to science. Many advances in critical care, particularly burns, have been driven by RCIPS teams. In fact, burns that were fatal in the early 1970s, prior to the inception of the P50 RCIPS program, are now routinely survived as a result of the P50-funded research. The advances in clinical care that led to the reduction in postburn death were made by optimizing resuscitation, incorporating early excision and grafting, bolstering acute care including support for inhalation injury, modulating the hypermetabolic response, augmenting the immune response, incorporating aerobic exercise, and developing antiscarring strategies. The work of the Burn RCIPS programs advanced our understanding of the pathophysiologic response to burn injury. As a result, the effects of a large burn on all organ systems have been studied, leading to the discovery of persistent dysfunction, elucidation of the underlying molecular mechanisms, and identification of potential therapeutic targets. Survival and subsequent patient satisfaction with quality of life have increased. In this review article, we describe the contributions of the Galveston P50 RCIPS that have changed postburn care and have considerably reduced postburn mortality.

[An approach to research in the political agendas of the health sector in Colombia between 1990 and 2010]. / Una aproximación a la investigación en las agendas políticas del sector salud en Colombia entre 1990 y 2010.

OBJECTIVE: To understand health research in Colombia in the context of governmental and legislative agendas related to the health sector between 1990 and 2010. METHODS: Official sources were used such as development plans, bills and institutional documents. RESULTS: The National Government, the Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MSPS by its acronym in Spanish) and the Colombian Congress have focused their attention on health research as a public concern at certain presidential periods due to their interest in reducing the gap between research and health needs. In the 1990s, government plans showed greater interest in formulating a Science and Technology (S&T) policy in health led by the Ministry, an entity that had directorates, commissions and committees responsible for promoting and planning health research. In Congress, some health system reform projects included initiatives to formulate a health research policy that were not approved. DISCUSSION: Health research is recognized as a fundamental tool to help solve health problems. However, said recognition by governmental and legislative actors has not been constant and the institutionality in the health sector has been precarious considering that there is no permanent interest in formulating an S&T policy in health.

OBJETIVO: Entender la investigación en salud en Colombia como parte de agendas gubernamentales y legislativas relacionadas con el sector salud entre 1990 y 2010. MÉTODOS: Se usaron fuentes documentales oficiales como planes de desarrollo, proyectos de ley y otras publicaciones institucionales. RESULTADOS: El Gobierno Nacional, el Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social (MSPS) y el Congreso colombiano han puesto la atención a la investigación en salud como un problema público en diferentes periodos presidenciales debido al interés de reducir la brecha entre la investigación y las necesidades en salud. En los planes gubernamentales durante los años noventa se presentó mayor interés en la formulación de una política de Ciencia y Tecnología (CyT) en salud liderado por el MSPS, entidad que contaba con direcciones, comisiones y comités encargados de promover y planear la investigación en salud. En el Congreso, algunos proyectos de reforma al sistema de salud incluyeron iniciativas para formular una política de investigación en salud que no fueron aprobadas. DISCUSIÓN: La investigación en salud es reconocida como fundamental para contribuir a solucionar los problemas de salud. Sin embargo, este reconocimiento no ha sido constante por parte de los actores gubernamentales y legislativos, la institucionalidad en el sector salud ha sido precaria y no hubo insistente interés por formular una política de CyT en salud.

[In process.] / Kooperation und Konkurrenz: Das schwierige Verhältnis von Kurt Mothes und Hans Stubbe und seine Auswirkungen auf die Entwicklung der Biowissenschaften in der DDR.

Two of the most important life scientists in the GDR were the botanist, plant biochemist and pharmacist Kurt MOTHES (1900-1983) and the geneticist and plant breeder Hans STUBBE (1902-1989). Both started their successful careers during the period of NS dictatorship. MOTHES was a full professor of botany at the University of K6nigsberg from 1935 to 1945. After working at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Mincheberg and at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Biology in Berlin-Dahlem, STUBBE oversaw the establishment of a Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Crop Plant Research near Vienna in 1943, which was moved to Stecklenberg in the Harz Mountains in 1945 and later to Gatersleben. While MOTHEs was being held as a Soviet prisoner of war from 1945 to 1949, STUBBE was able to set up his institute in Gatersleben in the eastern part of Germany and held influential positions at Martin Luther University in Halle (Saale) as a professor for genetics and as the founding dean of the Faculty of Agriculture. After his release from war captivity, MOTHES, with STUBBE'S support, was able to continue his research at STUBBE'S institute in Gatersleben as the head of the Department for Chemical Physiology. There MOTHES was offered espe- cially favourable conditions by East German standards which led him to turn down other job offers, like the position of professor of botany at the University of Leipzig which was vacant at the time. In addition, MOTHES was also of- fered teaching opportunities in the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of Halle, again thanks to STUBBE'S support. In 1951 STUBBE became a founding member and president of the German Academy of Agricultural Sciences at Berlin, and in 1954 MOTHEs became president of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. Both were also influential members of the German Academy of Sciences at Berlin (later the GDR's Academy of Sciences). This article investigates how their collaboration developed into an ever-increasing competitiveness which came to a head as an embroiled dispute resulting from differences in scientific and scientific policy views. In the process a battle was fought over research resources so that, what was at first an apparently personal quarrel, affected the course of research promotion at an institutional level in the area of life sciences in the GDR. Despite several attempts at mediation, old age finally forced the adversaries to put aside their differences.

History of the Tinnitus Research Consortium.

This article describes the creation and accomplishments of the Tinnitus Research Consortium (TRC), founded and supported through philanthropy and intended to enrich the field of tinnitus research. Bringing together a group of distinguished auditory researchers, most of whom were not involved in tinnitus research, over the fifteen years of its life it developed novel research approaches and recruited a number of new investigators into the field. The purpose of this special issue is to highlight some of the significant accomplishments of the investigators supported by the TRC. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Tinnitus".