Weekly Advocacy News Roundup
News
House Bill Would Give NIH $1.1 Billion More in 2016
June 16, 2015 | Science Insider
The newly released House version of the Labor Health and Human Services bill, which funds NIH, would provide the agency with a $1.1B increase to $31.2B in funding, while the BRAIN Initiative would get $95M increase for a total of $150M. These increases come at the expense of or elimination of other agencies in the bill.
- Join the advocacy network to stay informed and take action on issues that affect neuroscience research at SfN.org.
French Scientists Welcome New Research Minister
June 17, 2015 | Nature News
France has named a new minister of state for higher education and research, Thierry Mandon. Scientists welcomed the appointment, as Mandon has “some political weight and knows the subject.”
- Find information about global advocacy programs at SfN.org.
U.S. Will Call All Chimps ‘Endangered’
June 12, 2015 | The New York Times
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service announced that all chimpanzees, including those used in research, will be designated as endangered animals.
- Read about the use of animals in research at SfN.org.
Articles of Interest
Blood Chemical Predicts Brain Decline
June 16, 2015 | BBC
Scientists have discovered a chemical in blood that indicates whether people will have declining brain function.
- Learn more about the aging brain at BrainFacts.org.
Why Some Teen Brains May Be Hardwired to Make Risky Choices
June 17, 2015 | NPR Health Shots
Individual differences in the brain's working memory could help explain why some teens are especially impulsive about sex. Having engaged parents helps reduce the risk.
- Read more about brain development at BrainFacts.org.
Opinion
Risky Business
June 17, 2015 | Nature Editorial
Funding agencies should empower committees making funding decisions to accept some risk in supporting bold research, and to back researchers up when some of those risks do not pay off.
- Access science funding advocacy tools at SfN.org.
