Weekly Advocacy News Roundup
News
Obama Budget Seeks Big Boost for Science
Feb. 3, 2015 | Nature
President Obama’s recently released budget includes increases for scientific research, including increased funding for NIH and NSF. The budget is likely to face opposition in Congress.
- Visit the Advocacy Action Center to ask your legislators to support federally-funded biomedical research.
Alzheimer’s Costs Could Soar to $1 Trillion a Year by 2050, Report Says
Feb. 5, 2015 | The Washington Post
A new report states that Alzheimer’s costs in the U.S. could be more than $1 trillion a year by 2050. The report urges the government to meet its goals for research funding in an effort to find cures or effective treatments.
- Learn more about Alzheimer’s disease at BrainFacts.org.
Grant Letter: Funding Stable, But Uncertainty for Next Year
Jan. 30, 2015 | Times Higher Education
Funding amounts for universities and research from the Higher Education Funding Council for England will remain “essentially unchanged” for the upcoming academic year, although funding levels for the year after that remain uncertain.
- Read about the science funding process in the UK.
Meet Two New Science Spending Cardinals in Congress
Jan. 30, 2015 | Science
Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) and Rep. John Culberson (R-TX) are now overseeing appropriations for federal research funding, including for NIH and NSF. They discuss their new roles in creating the FY2016 budget. (Subscription required)
- Learn about Congressional committees that are relevant to neuroscience funding.
Articles of Interest
Many Mental Disorders Affect Same Brain Regions
Feb. 4, 2015 | LiveScience
Many vastly different mental-health disorders, ranging from schizophrenia to depression, stem from the same brain regions, according to a new study.
- Find more information about psychiatric disorders at BrainFacts.org.
Scientists Discover ‘Reset’ Button For Brain’s Biological Clock
Feb. 3, 2015 | Huffington Post
Vanderbilt scientists found that they were able to artificially stimulate mice's brains with a specific technique to change when the mice naturally woke up and went to sleep, without needing to change the light.
- Learn more about the circadian system at BrainFacts.org.
Opinion
Funding Young Scientists
Feb. 1, 2015 | Baltimore Sun
Young scientists are having trouble obtaining grant funding, and both parties in Congress are addressing these concerns in what may be an “opportunity for a real bi-partisan achievement” to improve these issues.
- Read about navigating early and mid-career stages.
Message to Congress: Restoring National Institutes of Health Funding Should Be Top Priority
Feb. 4, 2015 | Roll Call
Funding for NIH has decreased by about 25 percent since 2003, and this decline may threaten America’s role in medical discovery and the health of American citizens.
- Find more information about neuroscience funding through NIH.
There’s More to Being a Scientist Than Research
Feb. 4, 2015 | Sydney Morning Herald
As many young scientists struggle to get funding, this commentary from Australia discusses other career paths scientists can take outside of academia and research.
- Learn more about different careers in neuroscience.