Venture Funding for Frontier Science

Return to main article:

The National Institutes of Health's "roadmap for medical research," created in 2004, aims to remove roadblocks to discovery and to "transform the way biomedical research is conducted." One way to do that is to support "high-risk research" through a sort of venture financing, both for "pioneers" (scientists of "exceptional creativity who propose pioneering--and possibly transforming--approaches to major challenges in biomedical and behavioral research") and for "new innovators" (promising younger investigators whose "exceptionally innovative" ideas many not yet meet the hurdle for traditional, peer-reviewed grants).

The 2008 awards, announced last fall, included pioneer funding (up to $500,000 annually for five years) for 16 scientists and new-innovator support (up to $300,000 annually for five years) for 31 more. Nine of the 47 scientists are currently affiliated with Harvard. The neuroscience queries being pursued by Charles Lieber, Hongkun Park, and Aravinthan Samuel are described in depth in the accompanying article. Other pioneer recipients are professor of microbiology and molecular genetics Ann Hochschild, who is studying prions, and Knowles professor of molecular and cellular biology Tom Maniatis, who is using stem-cell-derived neurons to study amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The new-innovator scientists are assistant professor of cell biology Samara Reck-Peterson, who is exploring the movement of chromosomes during cell division, and other cellular structures; assistant professor of biological chemistry and molecular pharmacology William Shih, who is using nuclear magnetic resonance to probe the structure of membrane proteins; assistant professor of pathology Amy Wagers, who is examining the aging and rejuvenation of stem cells; and instructor in medicine Sean Wu, who focuses on cell-based regeneration of functioning organs. Together, their work (summarized at https://nihroadmap.nih.gov) is a snapshot of research at the frontiers of contemporary biomedical science.

 

Click here for the May-June 2009 issue table of contents

Most popular

See Their Faces

Confronting “some of the most challenging images in the history of photography”

In Federal Court, Harvard and the Government Have Friends

A look at the amicus curiae briefs in Harvard’s funding case

House Committee Subpoenas Harvard Over Tuition Costs

The University must turn over all requested materials related to tuition and financial aid by mid-July. 

Explore More From Current Issue

Your Guide to Summer 2025 Along Boston Harbor

Enjoying the Boston Harbor’s Renaissance This Summer

Filmmaker John Armstrong’s Adventure Documentaries

Filmmaker John Armstrong’s “outdoor adventures” find the human spirit.

How Harvard Students Handle Political Disagreements

The Undergraduate asks if intellectualism is really on life support.