SfN APPLAUDS PRESIDENT OBAMA FOR INVESTMENT IN BRAIN SCIENCE
Washington, DC – The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) applauds President Obama for today’s announcement of a new cross-agency focus and federal investment in brain research, including a new initiative at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). SfN President Larry Swanson attended the White House announcement, and issued the following statement:
“The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is encouraged and appreciative that the Obama Administration recognizes brain science as one of the great scientific challenges of our time. Today’s announcement and first investment will enable the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other federal agencies to develop initial tools and conduct further planning that will help accelerate fundamental discoveries and improve the health and quality of life for more than 1 billion people worldwide estimated to be suffering from the more than 1,000 brain diseases and disorders.
“The time is right for this focus—thanks to decades of global investment and path breaking research, the neuroscience field is poised to make revolutionary advances. The coming years will be a period of breakthrough discovery in brain science. New tools, technologies and animal models developed through a robust NIH B.R.A.I.N. project will help scientists make profound discoveries and understand relationships between genes, individual brain cells, circuits of cells, behavior, and disease.
“As with previous major scientific achievements like the Human Genome Project, realizing great future potential means today’s critical seed funds must be backed by sustained, robust investment in the scientific enterprise in the coming decade. This includes consistently increasing funding for NIH and the National Science Foundation, where investments across all the sciences are essential to decipher the mysteries of the brain and apply new advances. Moreover, funding for biomedical research is an economic investment that can help mitigate the huge financial burden of disease. It will encourage and inspire today’s scientists as well as the next generation, and will help the US fulfill its leadership role in today’s increasingly interrelated global bioeconomy, as brain research is a global cooperative endeavor.
“SfN thanks President Obama for this important investment, and for directing the nation’s attention to make brain research a top priority. The NIH Advisory Group members announced today are among the neuroscience field’s leaders and SfN looks forward to working with them, federal agencies, and the neuroscience community to advance science and improve health.”
The Society for Neuroscience is an organization of nearly 42,000 basic scientists and clinicians who study the brain and nervous system. More information about brain science, brain development and functions, and brain disease and disorders can be found on BrainFacts.org.
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