Category Archives: NIH

The NIAID/NIH Funding Massacre in Two Figures

Posted on May 3, 2013 by

So NIAID–the institute of NIH that funds things like research into MRSA and carbapenem resistant bacteria, not to mention a lot of that groovy microbiome stuff–released its funding paylines. The good news is that the funding rate is higher than … Continue reading →

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Sequestration: Help For Airports, But Not Scientists

Posted on April 29, 2013 by

A while ago, I described what sequestration would mean to me as a scientist (boldface added): The other way I’ll be hit is that I’m basically on a grant with a junior, soft-money researcher. We received the scores and broke … Continue reading →

Posted in Fucking Morons, Funding, NIH | 4 Comments

Overheads, the Good and the Bad

Posted on April 15, 2013 by

It seems arguments about overheads–the additional fees that grant recipients add to the direct costs of a grant–have flared up again, with the usual dichotomy between ‘overheads are mostly profit’ and ‘overheads are absolutely reasonable.’ Proflikesubstance writes (boldface mine): But. … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, NIH | 1 Comment

The Economics of NIH Research

Posted on April 10, 2013 by

While the austerians will never be convinced that God doesn’t shed a tear every time a federal tax dollar is spent, among the Coalition of the Sane, it’s acknowledged that government spending can stimulate economic growth beyond the amount initially … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Funding, NIH | 3 Comments

A Very Important Grantsmanship Tip

Posted on March 19, 2013 by

I’m reviewing an NIH grant, and here’s how a paragraph in the middle of the page ends: And finally, the That’s it. While this is very suspenseful, it’s not especially informative. If you’re going to do this, at least make … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, NIH | 3 Comments

Indirects, Overhead, and Fringe, Oh My: The False Morality of Low Indirect Rates

Posted on March 19, 2013 by

So the Boston Globe had an article about overheads in science which has worked people into high dudgeon (never sure what low dudgeon would look like. But I digress). One issue is to what extent research agencies should be paying … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, NIH | 2 Comments

It Is Now As Hard to Get a NIH R01 Grant As It Is to Get Into Harvard

Posted on March 2, 2013 by

And you only have to get into Harvard once, not every three to five years. This is incredibly depressing: And the NHLBI: The NHLBI has established an interim payline at the 6th percentile (inclusive) for investigator initiated R01/R21 research grant … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, I For One Welcome Our Austerity Overlords, NIH | 1 Comment

What Sequestration Means to Me As a Scientist

Posted on February 26, 2013 by

For those who don’t know, on March 1, the sequester of the federal budget kicks in, which will reduce federal spending across the board by about eight percent for all non-military items (military spending is cut by about nine percent). … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, I For One Welcome Our Austerity Overlords, NIH | 2 Comments

The PhD Glut Makes the Big Time

Posted on February 21, 2013 by

Well, I guess all of that complaining about the non-existent STEM crisis finally got some attention by the Very Serious People, in this case The Atlantic. It’s worth a read, although there are lots of issues about quality of life, … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, Jobs, NIH | 6 Comments

The PhD Glut in Two Figures

Posted on February 12, 2013 by

First, the total number of NIH-funded investigators (green line is the total; data from here): Second, the funding rate per R01-type grant (R01s are the typical academic lab grant; data from here): Rub these two figures together and you get … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, NIH | 3 Comments