By | 13 Jul 2017

Protecting NIH Funding Affects More Than Our Health

Last month, Christian Marks of Nashville, traveled to Washington, D.C. to join 300+ You’re the Cure advocates in asking Congress to protect funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

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Upon returning home, Christian submitted an excellent op-ed to The Tennessean on the issue that was published on July 12. Here’s an excerpt:

Although Congress will ultimately decide on the budget, President Trump’s proposal would fund the NIH at a 15-year low.

According to the latest federal data, the U.S. science and engineering enterprise still leads the world. We invest the most in research and development and produce the most high-impact scientific publications. China currently invests strongly in research and is predicted to surpass the U.S. in research and development spending by 2022.

A cut in NIH funding will reduce our global competitiveness. We should aspire to maintain our position as the world’s leader in research and development and our success depends on the government’s commitment to and investment in science.

As a Ph.D. candidate in molecular physiology and biophysics at Vanderbilt University, Christian is very passionate and knowledgeable about investing in research. Through her work, she has realized that federally-funded researchers often do not communicate with their members of Congress, which makes this op-ed even more meaningful. We thank Christian for being a strong science advocate!

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