Basic Science, Big Impact
The case for NIH funding, the type of research NIH funds and why institutions can't fund their own research
Happy Sunday evening friends!
Since I last posted I’ve gotten a lot of questions that I wanted to start tackling here. In case you don’t follow me elsewhere I have more than 50,000 followers across a few different platforms (mostly Instagram and Threads) which means I get LOTS of dms and comments. Some are not so great, but I do get some sincere questions that I always try to tackle.
These questions were in response to my last post here, that covers the news that broke Friday about NIH’s plan to cut the indirect amount. You can read that post to learn more.
What kind of research does the National Institutes of Health (NIH) fund?
The NIH funds different kinds of research - basic, translational and clinical.
Basic research is essential for scientists to understand how things work at a fundamental level, with the hope that this knowledge will eventually improve human health.
Translational research builds on basic research to explore how those discoveries can be applied to human health. It can also involve scientists studying how clinical trial results can be applied in medical practice.
Clinical research involves testing treatments, preventions, or technologies in humans to determine if they are safe and effective.
Note: the term applied research can often be used to represent both translational and clinical research.
I like to think of this system like building a house. Basic research is the foundation. It is only once you have a solid foundation that you can build the rest of the house. Translational and clinical research are the walls and the roof that are built on that foundation. Without a strong foundation, the house will crumble. Likewise, without basic research, translational and clinical science will eventually fall apart.
For example, NIH helped fund basic research on how the immune system worked. This foundation was needed before these discoveries could be made:
Biologics to treat autoimmune disease.
Cancer immunotherapies
Vaccines
Organ transplants
Treatment for SCID (also known a bubble boy disease)
Without that basic immune system knowledge we wouldn’t have these options that save and improve lives.
Here is also an important quote from this source that highlights the impact of NIH funded basic research…
“A recent analysis of NIH funding showed that NIH contributed to published research associated with every one of the 210 new drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration from 2010 to 2016; 90% of that research was basic…”
How much basic research does NIH fund? Who else funds basic research?
About 51% of the research NIH funds is considered basic research. The rest is translational or clinical.
If you look at nationwide data you will find that the federal government funds the most basic research (note: this include NIH, NSF and other federal agencies), closely followed by business, while other sources make up a much smaller amount.
So while there are other sources of funding for basic research, the NIH funds a massive amount of this work. Losing any of this basic research support will hinder both short term and long term scientific progress, our global standing as a scientific leader, and will impact the economy and jobs (for more go here).
Why can’t research institutions fund their own research like pharmaceutical companies?
Pharmaceutical companies are more focused on developing translational and clinical research into a product they can bring to commercial use. The figure above illustrates this. Business funds the largest amount of applied and development research. The profits then cover the cost of their research.
Note: this isn’t a topic for this newsletter but there are oversights in place to ensure safety and efficacy of these products before they get to market. Just because they make money off of their product does not mean their work isn’t accurate or valuable. I was very glad they exist when I needed antibiotics recently!
This self-funded system cannot work at research institutions because the majority of their work is not close to producing a commercial product (it is basic or translational research). It can take decades to build a solid foundation, which means there isn’t a way for the research institutions to make profit to support their current efforts. We rely of funding, the large majority of which comes from the federal government.
Take Home
For the scientific enterprise to survive, research institutions need federal funding. This benefits you through the development of medical advances as mentioned above and here. I am also working to highlight more of these benefits so stay tuned.
It also plays a significant role in the economy of all 50 states. The proposed cut to the indirect rate will lead to loss of jobs at many different levels - not just scientists. These indirect funds help employ support staff at many levels. Combined this means it will hurt your state's economy, the job market and therefore your wallet. You can look up how NIH funding impacts your state here.
If you care about this issue please consider calling your representatives. I helped 5 calls get a script loaded about this issue and you can also find one I wrote here.
When I was in grad school my aunt came to visit me, and I wanted to show her around campus and my lab. We walked into lab, where my advisor was sitting at the low bench where the dissecting scopes were for sorting flies, and my aunt said, "imagine being able to make a living studying these things." Right in front of my advisor. I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me. That prompted me to try to have something in my back pocket to pull out for occasions like that (not that I ever got anywhere trying to explain anything scientific to the aunt). I wanted an example of something that came out of basic research and informed applied research. My favorite example is Toll in drosophila development and Toll-like Receptors in immunity.