April 2023
Urge Congress to Support Neuroscience Research in FY2024
Your story, as a constituent, is incredibly powerful on Capitol Hill. Join your fellow NeuroAdvocates in urging Congress to support neuroscience priorities and increase research funding for Fiscal Year 2024. Send your Representative and Senators a message via SfN’s Advocacy Action Center and personalize it by including why robust federal funding is critical to your research and necessary to advance our understanding of the brain.
Animal Harassment Testimony Survey for NIH to Support Researchers Under Attack
The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) continues its efforts to protect and support researchers who come under attack from animal rights activists. SfN’s Committee on Animals in Research (CAR) as well as NIH officials are engaged in a shared effort to shift the current institutional culture to be more supportive/protective of researchers working with animal models, particularly nonhuman primates. Please complete this anonymous animal in research harassment testimony survey which will help SfN move forward in this effort and share with other researchers who would be interested in contributing as well.
NeuroPolicy Paper Competition
Current ECPA, Lauren Wagner and editor-in-chief of the award-winning neuroscience education and outreach nonprofit, Knowing Neurons is holding a NeuroPolicy Paper Competition, held in collaboration with the Union of Concerned Scientists. Early-career neuroscientists are invited to submit short-form policy papers that advocate for policies related to neuroscience and hone their policy writing skills while developing actionable ideas. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about and practice science policy, get published, and engage in neuroscience advocacy. The winner and runner-up will receive cash prizes and be invited to appear on the Knowing Neurons podcast. Submissions will be accepted through July 1st.
NIH’s Role in Sustaining the U.S. Economy
United for Medical Research (UMR) has released an updated report detailing the national- and state-level impact of NIH research funding in FY2022. The report shows in FY2022, the $36.68 billion awarded to researchers in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia supported 568,585 jobs and $96.84 billion in economic activity – or $2.64 of economic activity for every $1 of research funding. Researchers in every state receive NIH funding and every state benefits from the jobs and economic activity that result. To learn more, visit UMR’s report toolkit to access state-specific fact sheets and social media graphics.
Animal Research Activism Report Released
The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), Americans for Medical Progress (AMP), the National Association for Biomedical Research (NABR), and the Foundation for Biomedical Research (FBR) have released a new report recommending strategies and tactics to mitigate animal rights activism. The report, Animal Research Activism: Update and Recommendations to Promote Communication, Transparency, and Public Outreach About Animal Research, is designed to educate the animal research community about the evolving threat of animal rights activism and encourage stakeholders to improve communication and outreach efforts. This report provides broad recommendations for the research community to use to mitigate and protect against animal activists’ campaigns.
ARPA-H Issues First Funding Opportunity
ARPA-H has opened its first Agency-wide Open Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), seeking funding proposals for research aiming to improve health outcomes across patient populations, communities, diseases, and health conditions. The BAA calls for proposals to outline breakthrough research and technological advancements. Proposals should investigate unconventional approaches, and challenge accepted assumptions to enable leaps forward in science, technology, systems, or related capabilities. ARPA-H is further interested in research that enables quantitative measurements of health outcomes, human-centered design for health innovations, participatory research, and advances in Ethical, Legal, and Societal Implications (ELSI) topics.
SfN Advocacy Resources
- Introduce yourself to the new Congress via the Advocacy Action Center.
- Watch the Neuroscientist’s Guide to Advocacy series to understand the tools you need to help advance the field.
- Learn how to engage your members of Congress and effectively advocate for science with SfN's Advocacy Best Practices.
- Get involved in global advocacy.
- Talk to the public about the importance of animal research.
- Reach out to advocacy@sfn.org for assistance in preparing for your next advocacy effort at home or on Capitol Hill.
