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Toward a sustainable biomedical research enterprise: Finding consensus and implementing recommendations.

ABSTRACT: The US research enterprise is under significant strain due to stagnant funding, an expanding workforce, and complex regulations that increase costs and slow the pace of research. In response, a number of groups have analyzed the problems and offered recommendations for resolving these issues. However, many of these recommendations lacked follow-up implementation, allowing the damage of stagnant funding and outdated policies to persist. Here, we analyze nine reports published since the beginning of 2012 and consolidate over 250 suggestions into eight consensus recommendations made by the majority of the reports. We then propose how to implement these consensus recommendations, and we identify critical issues, such as improving workforce diversity and stakeholder interactions, on which the community has yet to achieve consensus.

SUBMITTER: Pickett CL

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4568264 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Toward a sustainable biomedical research enterprise: Finding consensus and implementing recommendations.

Pickett Christopher L CL Corb Benjamin W BW Matthews C Robert CR Sundquist Wesley I WI Berg Jeremy M JM

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 20150720 35

The US research enterprise is under significant strain due to stagnant funding, an expanding workforce, and complex regulations that increase costs and slow the pace of research. In response, a number of groups have analyzed the problems and offered recommendations for resolving these issues. However, many of these recommendations lacked follow-up implementation, allowing the damage of stagnant funding and outdated policies to persist. Here, we analyze nine reports published since the beginning ...[more]

PMID: 26195768

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Project description:The Global Horizon Scanning Project (GHSP) is an innovative initiative that aims to identify important global environmental quality research needs. Here we report 20 key research questions from Latin America (LA). Members of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) LA and other scientists from LA were asked to submit research questions that would represent priority needs to address in the region. One hundred questions were received, then partitioned among categories, examined, and some rearranged during a workshop in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Twenty priority research questions were subsequently identified. These research questions included developing, improving, and harmonizing across LA countries methods for 1) identifying contaminants and degradation products in complex matrices (including biota); 2) advancing prediction of contaminant risks and effects in ecosystems, addressing lab-to-field extrapolation challenges, and understanding complexities of multiple stressors (including chemicals and climate change); and 3) improving management and regulatory tools toward achieving sustainable development. Whereas environmental contaminants frequently identified in these key questions were pesticides, pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors or modulators, plastics, and nanomaterials, commonly identified environmental challenges were related to agriculture, urban effluents, solid wastes, pulp and paper mills, and natural extraction activities. Several interesting research topics included assessing and preventing pollution impacts on conservation protected areas, integrating environment and health assessments, and developing strategies for identification, substitution, and design of less hazardous chemicals (e.g., green chemistry). Finally, a recurrent research need included developing an understanding of differential sensitivity of regional species and ecosystems to environmental contaminants and other stressors. Addressing these critical questions will support development of long-term strategic research efforts to advance more sustainable environmental quality and protect public health and the environment in LA. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018;14:344-357. © 2018 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Project description:BackgroundThe further development of research capacity in low- and middle-income countries is critical to the delivery of evidence-based healthcare, the design of sound health policy and effective resource allocation. Research capacity is also critical for the retention of highly skilled faculty and staff and for institutional internationalization.ObjectivesWe summarize the accomplishments, challenges and legacy of a five-year program to train biomedical researchers entitled "Enhanced Advanced Biomedical Research Training for Mozambique (EABRTM)".MethodsA program conducted from 2015-2021 built upon the Medical Education Partnership Initiative to develop research capacity at Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) and allied institutions. The project included design and implementation of postgraduate training programs and bolstered physical and human research infrastructure.FindingsThe program supported development and implementation of UEM's first doctoral (Bioscience and Public Health) and master (Biosciences) programs with 31 and 23 students enrolled to date, respectively. Three master programs were established at Lúrio University from which 176/202 (87.1%) and 107/202 (53.0%) students obtained a Postgraduate Diploma or master's degree, respectively. Scholarships were awarded to 39 biomedical researchers; 13 completed master degrees, one completed a PhD and five remain in doctoral studies. Thirteen administrative staff and four biomedical researchers were trained in research administration and in biostatistics, respectively. A total of 119 courses and seminars benefited 2,142 participants. Thirty-five manuscripts have been published to date in peer-reviewed international journals of which 77% are first-authored by Mozambicans and 44% last-authored by Africans. Sustainability was achieved through 59 research projects awarded by international agencies, totaling $16,363,656.42 and funds ($ 7,319,366.11) secured through 2025.ConclusionsThe EABRTM program substantially increased research and mentorship capacity and trained a new generation of biostatisticians and research administrators. These programmatic outcomes significantly increased the confidence of early stage Mozambican researchers in their ability to successfully pursue their career goals.

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Toward a sustainable biomedical research enterprise: Finding consensus and implementing recommendations.

Publications

Toward a sustainable biomedical research enterprise: Finding consensus and implementing recommendations.

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