Representatives of Europe's national medical research councils are planning to discuss next week the possibility of letting US scientists apply for European research funding, in the same way that European researchers can receive funding from the US National Institutes of Health.
Liselotte Hjgaard, chair of the standing committee of the European Medical Research Councils (EMRC) told The Scientist that during the organization's annual meeting in Stockholm next week, members would discuss a potential white paper on clinical trials in Europe.
One item that might make it into that white paper is the idea of levelling the playing field for US researchers in terms of EU funding, she said. "In my personal opinion the current situation is utterly unfair. I know that I have personally applied for NIH funding [in the past] and have really appreciated it."
Under current arrangements, researchers from outside the US can apply for NIH funding. The NIH website lists 188 grants made in 2007 to researchers based outside of the US, some for close to $1 million.
Researchers based outside of Europe, however, cannot apply for EU funding. At the newly established European Research Council, for example, "funds are open to any scientists (of any nationality) based in the EU," European Commission spokesperson Antonia Mochan said in an Email.
Hjgaard, head of the department of clinical physiology and nuclear medicine at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, was careful to say she couldn't predict the outcome of the debate, which would involve representatives from agencies such as the UK's Medical Research Council, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) in Germany, and INSERM in France among others.
"It's only one small item on a long agenda," she said. "I will ask my fellow medical research council representatives whether it is of their concern also." Denmark is already discussing changing its national law to allow people from outside Europe to apply for research grants, she said.
The Scientist contacted the British, French and German medical research councils for comment. Mark Palmer from the UK's MRC declined to comment until the issue had been discussed by the board; representatives of INSERM and DFG did not return calls by deadline.
Mochan said that EU research commissioner Janez Potocnik and NIH director Elias Zerhouni had discussed the matter informally, but that the European Commission had nothing further to add at this time.
The EMRC was established in 1971. Part of its role is to develop European scientific strategies and stimulate collaboration in emerging and interdisciplinary research areas.
Stephen Pincock
mail@the-scientist.com
Do you think it is a good or bad idea to allow US researchers to apply for European funding? Let us know here.
Links within this article
European Medical Research Councils
http://www.esf.org/research-areas/medical-sciences/about/standing-committee.html
Liselotte Hjgaard
http://www.rigshospitalet.dk/rh.nsf
NIH Grants Policy Statement
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/nihgps/part_iii_5.htm
NIH grants to foreign researchers, 2007
http://silk.nih.gov/public/cbz2zoz.@www.fy2007.foreign.csv
A. Scott, "ERC launched today," The Scientist, February 27, 2007.
http://www.the-scientist.com/news/display/52908/
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[Comment posted 2007-04-29 04:28:57]
We should mix good business with exciting good science globally (USA, Europe, Australia, Africa & Asia)". We should also mix and share grant funding globally. US scientists should get EU funding. US scientists should also get grants from Asia and vice versa. US scientists will share their R & D globally and finding synergy.
A biotech pow-wow will be held in Boston on May 4-5, 2007 (Prior to Bio-2007). > 30 CEO & international chiefs (from India, China, Australia, Germany, France, Africa, Taiwan & USA etc) will discuss this issue, visit www.pauling.us, registration fee is $0).
This pow-wow will allow interested parties from around the world the chance to meet, learn, discuss how to share future funding and science discovery globally.
Richard Shamon PhD
www.studentvision.org
[Comment posted 2007-04-23 16:58:12]
Just as Liselotte Hojgaard quoted her personal case (having applied for US funds from EU), this columnist could quote episodes from his experience, from a complementary viewpoint.
Germany has long established the "Senior Distinguished American Scientist Award", in recognition of the US "Marshall Plan". Thus, NASA's application of a paradigm-shift of Neural Networks was quickly followed by awarding the "Alexander von Humboldt Prize" (on German money) to AJP.
Likewise, very recently, the "European Inaugural of International PostGenetics Society" in Hungary resulted in awarding to AJP an "European Union Visiting Professorship" - since small new member countries of the EU are unlikely to be able to compete in "Modern Genetics" with established giants such as the UK, Germany, The Netherlands, etc. thus the newly ascended member countries of the EU would like to directly plunge into the "PostModern era of Genetics" (PostGenetics).
However, given their meager resources and formidable transitional challenges, apparently none of them can stand alone - they need their US-based researchers to "pitch in" with the EU for the accomplishment of full collective success in PostGenetics.
The above is quite similar to global cooperation in stem cell research, where notable US-based researches turned to their UK roots to accomplish difficult goals of a paradigm-shift.
Comment appeared in LINK featuring news by "The Scientist"
Andras J. Pellionisz, 21th of April, 2007
[Comment posted 2007-04-22 00:45:09]
California passed a small funding law named after my son, called the Roman Reed Spinal Cord Injury Research Act, which has funded roughly $11 million in research grants, which in turn attracted approximately $39 million in matching grants from the NIH.
But the need is so great. I do hope Europe will extend hospitality to American scientists, and that our various countries can work together toward the goals we all share.
For me, the "moon walk" of our time is to cure chronic disease and disability, and the famous "giant leap for all mankind" might be one small step out of a wheelchair.
Thank you,
Don C. Reed
www.stemcellbattles.com
[Comment posted 2007-04-20 09:05:34]
However, I have to agree with previous comments noticing the higher development of US science in comparison to its European counterpart. Please be aware that "Europe" is much more than UK, Germany or France. Today the European Union is formed by 27 member states, and many of these countries desperately need every euro of available funding. Money should flow from overdeveloped countries to underdeveloped ones, not the other way round.
Nevertheless (or precisely for these reasons), collaborations between US and EU scientists must be promoted at all levels.
[Comment posted 2007-04-19 20:44:11]
[Comment posted 2007-04-19 18:26:30]
[Comment posted 2007-04-19 16:39:29]
EU scientist have had to wait a long time to have research well funded. First lets tend to our own scientist and grow the industry for the future. By funding US scientist will lead to spin off companies that stay in the US. We need that sort of investment to stay in the EU for now.
Tom Crean
Boston
[Comment posted 2007-04-19 16:24:28]
[Comment posted 2007-04-19 16:11:20]
[Comment posted 2007-04-19 15:48:56]