Weekly Advocacy News Roundup
News
NIH Sets New Postdoc Stipend Levels
August 9, 2016 | Science Insider
In response to new government rules about overtime pay in the United States, NIH announced new postdoc stipend levels which will go into effect on December 1, 2016. The stipend level for NRSA-funded postdocs will increase from $43,692 to $47, 484.
- Learn about neuroscience funding through NIH at SfN.org.
What Do Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton Think About Science? Researchers Want to Know
August 10, 2016 | Time
Several scientific organizations called on presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump to debate and address key science-related policy issues before the presidential election in November. The organizations assembled a list of twenty topics they would like the candidates to discuss.
- Join the Advocacy Network to stay informed on issues related to neuroscience research at SfN.org.
Obama Administration To Shift $81 Million To Fight Zika
August 11, 2016 | The Washington Post
Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell announced that money will be reallocated to fight the Zika virus. Of note, $34 million will be shifted away from other programs at NIH. The move comes as Congress remains deadlocked over emergency supplemental Zika funding.
- Learn more about how scientists are studying Zika at BrainFacts.org.
Young Researchers’ Funding Struggles Magnified in the Arab World
August 8, 2016 | Al-Fanar Media
Many Arab nations are facing issues related to lack of science funding, especially for younger scientists. In an effort to support research and seek increase research funding, many universities have started to shift their focus to research, reinstate the tenure system, and shift university budgets towards research.
- Find science funding resources at SfN.org.
Articles of Interest
New Technique Sees Brain Gene Activity in Living Color
August 11, 2016 | PBS
A new method allows researchers to visualize where genes are being turned on or off in living brains. Brain epigenetics, in which genes are turned on or off in certain areas, has become an important line of research in to understanding many diseases, including Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, and others, and this technique would allow scientists a new way to visualize gene patterns.
- Read more about epigenetics at BrainFacts.org.
The Incredible Brain of Simone Biles
August 7, 2016 | The Huffington Post
Neuroscientists are starting to understand how the nervous system allows people to move, and may someday reveal how elite athletes, like gymnasts, are able to perform complex movement sequences. While it is a difficult question to investigate, scientists suggest that the wiring of the motor system may be involved.
- Find more information about the motor system at BrainFacts.org
U.S. Grants for Zebrafish Studies on the Rise
August 9, 2016 | Nature News
Analysis of grants from NIH shows that grants for studies using zebrafish are increasing more than some other model organisms, including fruit flies, nematode worms, and frogs. The analysis also showed that about 50% of funded grants were for mouse studies.
- Learn about the importance of animals in research at BrainFacts.org.
Opinion
Imprecise Research Threatens Precision Medicine
August 11, 2016 | Stat News
Precision medicine aims to move away from the “one-size-fits-all” approach in treating patients, and this op-ed discusses three key points that are vital for its success. Scientists need to focus on testing biological theories, determine the accuracy of tests to identify targeted treatments, and coordinate between investigators in order for precision medicine to be an effective approach.
- Watch webinars on scientific rigor and reproducibility at Neuronline.
MIT Challenges The New York Times Over Book on Famous Brain Patient
August 10, 2016 | Scientific American
Many neuroscientists are raising questions about a recent book excerpt about Patient H.M. that was recently published in The New York Times. The scientists are claiming the book contains many important errors, misinterpretations of scientific disputes, and unfair characterizations of the MIT neuroscientist who worked with Patient H.M.
- Find information about Patient H.M. at BrainFacts.org.
