Members Take Action

Bill Leinweber The American Academy of Physician Assistants is the only national professional association that represents all PAs across all medical and surgical specialties in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the armed forces and the federal services. AAPA provides comprehensive support and advocacy for physician assistants so that they may, in turn, provide patients with increased access to quality, cost-effective health care.

Physician assistants are a cadre of highly trained professionals who extend the work of physicians in every field of medicine. The AAPA represents the more than

74,000 certified PAs in the United States.

The PA profession was created in the late 1960s during expansion of the U.S. health care system.

In 2008 the late Paul G. Rogers, Research!America chair emeritus and former member of Congress, received honorary membership in the Academy in part for his support of the Comprehensive Health Manpower Training Act of 1971 that helped grow the PA profession.

The recently passed health care reform legislation will again expand access of care.

"An already strained system will become even more strained," said Bill Leinweber, executive vice president and chief executive officer. "PAs are called out in the reform legislation and will be critical for filling the gaps."

In March, AAPA presented a summit to solidify the PA research agenda. Research!America President Mary Woolley moderated a panel.

"There is very little systemic research about the work of PAs," Leinweber said. "It is broadly accepted that PAs are critical to health outcomes, but we need more research about the value, including economic value."

For more about the Academy and its upcoming Annual Conference in Atlanta, visit www.aapa.org.

Elsevier

As the world's leading publisher of science and health information, Elsevier serves more than 30 million scientists, students and health and information professionals worldwide.

Elsevier's work is centered on the mission of advancing science and health-helping the scientific community to make discoveries, improve health and save lives.

"We do that by working with a global network of scientists, authors, editors and reviewers to turn research results into quality, usable scientific information," said David A. Ruth, senior vice president of global corporate relations. "Through the journals we publish, the work of researchers is peer-reviewed; published, protected and preserved; and disseminated to science and health communities worldwide."

Elsevier combines quality information with cutting-edge technology to make researchers, clinicians and other users more productive, helping them spend less time finding information and more time using it to produce better outcomes for patients and for science.

Innovation and investment have made quality scientific information available to more users than ever before.

"We've worked to extend the benefits of research information to new audiences and communities, supporting programs such as Research4Life that make journal articles available to researchers and clinicians in countries that could not otherwise have afforded it," Ruth said. "We see firsthand the power and potential of public and private investment in research to produce breakthroughs in both knowledge and practice."

Learn more at www.elsevier.com.

Salk Institute for Biological Studies
The Salk Institute for Biological Studies was established in 1960 by Jonas Salk, MD, the developer of the polio vaccine. His goal was to establish an institute that would explore questions about the basic principles of life. He wanted to make it possible for biologists and others to work together in a collaborative environment that would encourage them to consider the wider implications of their discoveries for the future of humanity.
From its beginning the Salk Institute has focused on three broad areas of basic biological research: neuroscience, genetics and cell biology, and plant science. In addition, stem cell research, aging and metabolism, cancer, and vision research are increasingly important areas of discovery at the San Diego-based institute.
"The main thing that makes Salk a very special place is its collaborative atmosphere," said Marsha A. Chandler, PhD, executive vice president and chief operating officer. "There are no departments, and the lack of silos is something people really treasure."
Both public and private investments in research are critically important to Salk's work. The institute receives more than half of its funding from the government, and another 35% comes from philanthropists including foundations and individual donors.
"Private philanthropy is so important in the sense that it allows us to take on very high-risk work," Chandler said. "Our donors understand and value that about the Salk culture."
To advocate for more investment in research, Salk relies on Washington-based organizations including Research!America and the Association of Independent Research Institutes. But Salk researchers are involved in ongoing advocacy, including educating the public about science and Salk's work.
"An informed public is the one that will be much more appreciative of the work that Salk does," Chandler said.
Later this month the March of Dimes, a key Salk supporter, will be honored at Research!America's 14th Annual Advocacy Awards. The March of Dimes provided initial funds for Salk's first buildings. The close relationship continues, and March of Dimes President Jennifer L. Howse, PhD, is on Salk's Board of Trustees.
For more information, visit www.salk.edu.

Chicago Council on Science & Technology

The Chicago Council on Science and Technology (C²ST) seeks to be the preeminent regional consortium for science and technology-related education and policy and a prominent voice nationally. C²ST advocates for regional science policy and is among the nation's leading sources of information on policy issues of science and technology.

C²ST, a nonprofit membership organization established in 2006, works to link to a network of individuals and heighten the awareness of science and technology in the greater Chicago community.

"Our rich agenda includes basic and applied science and technology from areas spanning bioscience and engineering," said Alan Schriesheim, PhD, co-founder and president. "Specifically, National Institutes of Health funding is vital for producing the advanced research and development that we highlight."

The council's advocacy strategy includes delivering relevant science and technology programs to wide audiences. One such program is its upcoming Women in Science Symposium-Chicago 2010, to be presented April 17 in partnership with Association for Women in Science-Chicago Area Chapter.

Research!America board member Mary J.C. Hendrix, PhD, of Children's Memorial Research Center in Chicago, is on the steering committee for this event.

Women scientists at the academic, industry and government levels will attend and be able to better recognize the number and diversity of their counterparts. The symposium aims to create a sense of solidarity among women in science across disciplines and broaden the spectrum of opportunities for women scientists in Chicago.

For more information, including videos of past C²ST programs, visit www.c2st.org.

The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison is at the vanguard of a new paradigm uniting public health and medicine. With this new model, it addresses the evolving health care needs of Wisconsin and beyond while building on its innovative tradition of more than 100 years of educating health professionals and expanding boundaries of science through research.

The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health emphasizes translational research that not only improves patient care but also addresses critical public health challenges with regional, national and global impact. Given the complexity of many of these issues, the school is developing research facilities with emphasis on interdisciplinary research focuses rather than organizing along traditional disciplinary lines.

A two-year Master of Science in Biotechnology program, begun in 2002, is an example of the school's commitment to innovative translational programs. This unique training program focuses on development of leadership skills and expertise in many aspects of biotechnology including science, business, ethics and law.

"The curriculum emphasizes the development of intellectual property from discovery to commercialization," said Richard Moss, PhD, senior associate dean for research, biotechnology and graduate studies. "Graduates of the program earn a degree that is both conceptually rich and also has a great deal of practical applicability."

The more than 100 graduates of the program so far have done very well, even in the economic downturn, and several are in leadership positions at biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, he said.

Moss said the program is an expression of the school's broad-based emphasis on translation of research into improved public health and welfare. It's also held up as an exemplar of the Wisconsin idea: the influence of the university extends to the boundaries of the state and beyond.

The program's collaborative curriculum is taught by University of Wisconsin faculty members and local and national leaders in the biotech field.

See www.med.wisc.edu for more.

Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen)

The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), a nonprofit organization, is focused on developing earlier diagnoses and smarter treatments. Translational genomics research employs innovative advances arising from the Human Genome Project by applying them to the development of diagnostics, prognostics and therapies for cancer, neurological disorders, infectious disease, metabolic and other complex diseases. TGen's research is based on personalized medicine, and the institute plans to accomplish its goals through robust and disease-focused research.

TGen partners with others in academic and scientific communities in Arizona and beyond to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the translational research process. Recent highlights include work related to brain tumors, pancreatic cancer, H1N1 (swine flu), DNA identification (forensics) and clinical trials for various types of cancer.

"The foundation for successful biomedical research organizations rests on the ability to attract and retain scientific talent around a core mission," said Tess Burleson, chief operating officer.

While National Institutes of Health funding is key, many new scientists are not able to immediately secure such funding. Other funding sources, such as TGen, are critical to provide first awards scientists need to eventually obtain NIH funding.

"Quite simply, without the various sources of funding, research could not happen," Burleson said. "No money, no mission."

This month, TGen and the Van Andel Research Institute in Grand Rapids, MI, will finalize a strategic alliance enabling both institutes to maximize their worldwide contributions to science and health and accelerate their mutual goal of quickly moving research discoveries from laboratories to patient care.

To learn more, visit www.tgen.org.

FasterCures

FasterCures is dedicated to saving lives by saving time. Its mission is to identify and implement global solutions to accelerate the process of discovery and clinical development of new therapies for the treatment of deadly and debilitating diseases.

FasterCures, the Washington, DC-based center of the Milken Institute, is committed to breaking down the barriers that exist across the research continuum-from basic research to drug development- to clear the path to faster medical progress.

"For all the human and financial capital flowing through our medical research system, there remains a formidable list of diseases for which there are no cures or meaningful treatment options," said Margaret Anderson, chief operating officer. "No one can do this work alone. Expediting cures requires collaboration. FasterCures catalyzes systemic change through programs that bring together key forces in the fight against disease."

One such program is the Partnering for Cures conference, December 1-3 in New York.

"This first-of-its-kind event will unite the power of giving, the passion of medical research foundations and the expertise of the biopharmaceutical industry," Anderson said. "This meeting will feature some of the most forward-thinking leaders in medical research, a robust program agenda and broad networking opportunities."

Partnering for Cures is designed to forge strategic cross-sector relationships that will lead to collaborative efforts necessary for the commercialization of new therapies. Visit www.partneringforcures.org to view the latest program and register to participate.

Food Allergy Initiative

The Food Allergy Initiative (FAI) was founded in 1998 by concerned parents and grandparents. Its goal is to fund research that seeks a cure, to improve diagnosis and treatment, and to keep patients safe through education and advocacy. In 2009, FAI merged with The Food Allergy Project, creating the largest private source of funding for food allergy research in the United States.

The major strategic goal for the Food Allergy Initiative is to accelerate the pace of food allergy research by funding promising studies worldwide and by ensuring increased federal investment in the field. Over 11 years, FAI has worked to increase the government's investment to $17 million per year.

"By harnessing the enthusiasm and commitment of volunteers nationwide, we can get that number to $50 million," said Robert Pacenza, executive director. FAI is taking steps toward that goal, including a recently opened Washington, DC, office, a newly hired director of public affairs and a national advocacy steering committee.

After a 2007 National Institutes of Health expert panel report provided a roadmap for food allergy research, FAI and others joined forces to support research to meet the report's objectives.

"For example, to attract talented young investigators to the field, FAI funds an annual award presented by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology," Pacenza said.

Current research funded by FAI includes the development of an oral immunotherapy for peanut allergy and a Chinese herbal therapy for multiple food allergies that could be available as early as 2010.

"Any or all of these-among others- could hold the key to a cure," Pacenza said.

Learn more at www.faiusa.org.

Foundation for Biomedical Research

The mission of the Foundation for Biomedical Research is to educate the public about the essential role of humane animal research in the quest for medical advancements, treatments and cures for both humans and animals.

For nearly 30 years the Foundation for Biomedical Research has been working diligently to educate the public about the importance of animal research. Its basic strategy is to help people who have been affected by disease, which is virtually everyone, understand how animal research is directly related to their own lives.

"Nearly every medicine and treatment in use today has roots in animal research; our lives would be drastically different without it," said Frankie Trull, FBR president.

FBR commissions public opinion polls and has found a precipitous drop in public support of animal research, from 64% in 2004 to 54% in 2008. In response, FBR recently launched ResearchSaves, a campaign to explain why animal research is an essential step in finding new treatments and cures for disease.

"ResearchSaves corrects misconceptions about biomedical research and stresses that animal research is important, humane and necessary to save lives," Trull said.

The campaign includes a robust media strategy to reach as many Americans as possible, including national TV and radio spots, billboards in select markets, social media outreach through Twitter and Facebook, and ResearchSaves, a quarterly magazine that highlights the latest medical breakthroughs with foundations in animal research.

For more information or to make a donation, visit researchsaves.org.

Howard University College of Dentistry

The Howard University College of Dentistry's strategic plan has a research goal to become a repository of research data for its African-American and Hispanic patients and to perform clinical research, translational research and clinical trials with these patients as a service to our community.

One focus of the Howard University College of Dentistry is to eliminate oral health disparities. There are also several ongoing research studies related to oral cancer outcomes.

"Our research is geared toward identifying some of the areas where the largest oral health care disparities occur, particularly with African Americans, and then working toward eliminating those disparities," said Leo E. Rouse, DDS, FACD, dean of the College.

The College also promotes dental research to students. "We strive to promote the possibility of choosing a career in dental research as part of our pipeline program for underserved minority and underprivileged students in elementary school, high school and college," Rouse said. "This same energy ensures that a pipeline of minority researchers also applies to our dental, dental hygiene students, and junior and mid-career faculty."

The College has been a loyal Research!America member since 1997. "Research!America publications help bring an increased awareness of the health disparities that exist in our country and are a particularly heavy burden in our underserved African-American communities, not just in oral health but other diseases as well," Rouse said. "By making people aware, we can make them understand how important it is for them to be involved in research so we can address some of our most intractable health problems."

For more information, see www.dentistry.howard.edu.

The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber

The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber is the voice of business and the visionary organization in Oklahoma City. Its goals are to create a business climate that attracts new businesses and enhances growth and expansion opportunities for existing businesses, create a community with an irresistible quality of life and create value-added membership opportunities and benefits.

Local chambers of commerce are joining Research!America to contribute to the national dialogue about the need to increase our nation's investment in research. One such member is the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber.

"We are just now starting to tap into the resources that Research!America provides," said Josh O'Brien, senior business development manager for biosciences in the Chamber's economic development division. "Much of our research focus to date has been at the state level, but we are starting to work more with our federal delegation to increase support. We also work with our research partners to assist in targeted, individual efforts."

One of those efforts began about four years ago when the Chamber funded a regional strategic plan for biosciences with Battelle Technology Partnership Practice. One of the biggest successes from this plan was the Economic Development Generating Excellence project, a state endowment for research and commercialization.

Another important research resource the Chamber supports is the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology. This state agency awards grants for applied research, health research and plant science research, O'Brien said.

"Oklahoma has made a lot of progress in federal research program through the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR)," O'Brien said. "We know we need more scientists and funding to achieve our goals and become a bigger player."

See http://www.okcchamber.com/ for more information.

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is the leading organization in the United States devoted to curing and controlling cystic fibrosis (CF), a life-threatening genetic disease.

In the past five years, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and its subsidiaries have invested more than $660 million in medical programs dedicated to advancing life-sustaining treatments and a cure for cystic fibrosis, said Mary B. Dwight, vice president for government affairs. This extraordinary investment has been possible because of the unparalleled support of volunteers and donors nationwide - particularly during GREAT STRIDES, the Foundation's premier national fundraising event.

"Each year, tens of thousands of people demonstrate their commitment to finding a cure or control for CF by raising vital funds for research," Dwight said. In 2008, the GREAT STRIDES walk raised $36.5 million to support critical research and care programs.

When the Foundation was founded 50 years ago, children with CF were not expected to live long enough to attend elementary school. Now, due in large part to the Foundation's focus on innovative research and comprehensive care, the predicted median survival age for people with this disease is more than 37 years.

"We still lose lives to this disease every day," Dwight said. "But we imagine the day when the disease is wiped out entirely. Because of the Foundation's emphasis on developing promising new therapies for CF, we are moving closer to having the ability to treat the basic genetic defect that causes CF and the tremendous impact that will have on life expectancy."

The Foundation is a founding Research!America member. See http://www.cff.org/ for more information.

Pennsylvania Society for Biomedical Research

The Pennsylvania Society for Biomedical Research was established by universities, medical schools, pharmaceutical firms and professional societies in the Commonwealth to foster a better understanding of the benefits of biomedical research to human and animal health, as well as the necessity for the humane treatment of animals in such research.
As part of its mission to educate the public on the humane use of animals in biomedical research, the membership- based advocacy organization Pennsylvania Society for Biomedical Research promotes science education.
"Most of what we do is educational workshops for groups of teachers and groups of students," said John S. Ellis, PhD, executive director. "We show workshop participants why animals are used in research and they meet the people involved."
Each year, Research!America member PSBR conducts six to eight workshops for each audience.
Increased funding for the National Institutes of Health is important to PSBR and its members. PSBR works closely with the NIH's Office of Science Education.
"NIH funding is important both for our members who conduct research and for our citizens' ability to benefit from that research," Ellis said. "NIH funding is important for the health of the citizens in Pennsylvania as well as the economics involved for the major research institutions."
Pennsylvania's Sen. Arlen Specter was a leader in securing $10 billion for NIH in the recently passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
"Many people don't realize the work Sen. Specter does to support NIH," Ellis said. "It's important for everyone to express thanks to their members of Congress who support research."
Send thanks to Specter and other members of Congress at www.researchamerica.org/advocacy. And find out more about PSBR at http://www.psbr.org/.
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The Forsyth Institute

Founded in 1910, The Forsyth Institute is the world's leading independent non-profit organization dedicated to scientific research in oral and associated systemic diseases. Forsyth, an independent non-profit organization, is affiliated with Harvard and has collaborations with universities and research organizations around the world.

The Forsyth Institute leads in the discovery, communication and application of breakthroughs in oral health research and disease prevention. The Boston-based Institute continues its original mission to provide dental care to children through ForsythKids, a cavity prevention program serving disadvantaged children in elementary schools across eastern Massachusetts.

"Forsyth's achievements in oral health research are widely recognized by the scientific and corporate communities," said Philip Stashenko, DMD, PhD, president and chief executive officer. "Although our hallmark is the study of oral diseases and maintenance of oral health, our research emphasis has broadened over time," Stashenko said. "We have adopted a multidisciplinary and holistic research approach that is aimed at preventing the severe systemic ramifications of oral infections"

Forsyth's research funding is heavily reliant on the National Institutes of Health and other governmental and foundation funding agencies.

"With the downturn in NIH funding over the past five years, philanthropic support of research is more critical today than ever before," Stashenko said. "Private and public support of our scientists can be instrumental in bridging funding gaps, supporting promising young scientists and pushing forward our translational research agenda."

Research America and Forsyth share the common goal of increasing scientific discourse and advocating for increased NIH support for research. For more, visit http://www.forsyth.org/.

Association of University Centers on Disabilities

The Association of University Centers on Disabilities is a membership organization that supports and promotes three national networks of university-based interdisciplinary research, training and service programs. The networks are the 67 University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, the 38 Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Programs and the 14 Intellectual Developmental Disability Resource Centers. There is a least one center in every state and territory.

AUCD and its members are a resource for those concerned about people living with developmental and other disabilities and their families.

"Our networks focus on developing new knowledge, training the next cohort of interdisciplinary professionals and working with community disability organizations to develop exemplary services and supports to improve the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities," said George Jesien, PhD, AUCD's executive director. "We envision a future in which culturally appropriate supports that lead to independence, productivity and a satisfying quality of life are universally available across the life span."

AUCD's recent annual meeting opened with a video of President-elect Barack Obama's disability policy speech and concluded with an uplifting presentation by a member of the Obama-Biden transition team, Michael Strautmanis, director of public liaison and intergovernmental affairs. Strautmanis provided a clear overview of Obama's disability agenda and demonstrated a deep understanding and sincere commitment to disabilityrelated issues.

Research!America President Mary Woolley also spoke at the meeting. Her keynote presentation is available for Research!America members to download at www.researchamerica.org/speeches.

In addition to being a Research!America member, AUCD was also a supporting partner in our voter education initiative, Your Candidates-Your Health 2008.

"We strongly believe in communicating directly with all of our constituents including elected officials and candidates for office," Jesien said. "This voter education initiative provided our members and the public with such an opportunity, and we were proud to be a supporting partner."

For more information about AUCD, visit http://www.aucd.org/.

Schroeder Institute for Tobacco Research and Policy Studies

The American Legacy Foundation's Schroeder Institute for Tobacco Research and Policy Studies is ideally positioned to play a leadership role in strengthening the national agenda for next generation research in tobacco control.

With the many pressing issues in public health, it is easy to forget that tobacco use remains the single biggest preventable cause of disability, disease burden, premature death and excessive cost in the United States today.

The Schroeder Institute (SI) is working to change this with its twofold core vision, said David Abrams, PhD, executive director.

"First, we work collaboratively to identify research areas of extraordinary opportunity to reduce tobacco use prevalence more efficiently," Abrams said. "The second part of our vision is to conduct sponsored research in key areas of extraordinary opportunity."

The institute acts as a "think-tank" to stimulate new research priorities.

"Science must keep pace with a rapidly changing landscape of discovery and communication technologies and with shifts in tobacco industry products and marketing schemes," Abrams said. "We will identify pressing gaps, critical leverage points or emerging trends that need breakthrough research."

The SI works to advance research in several ways, including congressional briefings and Capitol Hill meetings about the importance of behavioral and social sciences broadly and tobacco control research in particular.

As former director of the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research at the National Institutes of Health, Abrams established strong partnerships with others in the research community active in advocating for the strongest level of funding possible for behavioral and social sciences research.

Despite the exciting discoveries and promises of genetics and genomics, primary prevention has been underfunded and underutilized to improve the nation's health and well-being, to reduce the disparities in disability and disease, and to reduce the enormous cost of health care.

"Tobacco use behavior is the leading example of the powerful role that research can play in understanding and changing lifestyle behaviors and the environment," Abrams said. "Investing in the behavioral and social sciences can have a massive impact on improving health and quality of life, but more needs to be done to put what we know into practice and policy.

"Increased support for tobacco control research is absolutely critical if we are to jump-start the stalled rate of smoking in this country and ensure that all individuals-regardless of race, ethnicity, birthplace, education, or income-are able to quit successfully and live in smoke-free environments."

The institute is a "relatively new kid on the block," having recently joined Research!America's advocacy alliance, Abrams said. But it is already reaping benefits of that partnership.

"Each of the major areas of focus of Research!America are critical to our success and impact," Abrams said. "Research!America's leadership in ensuring strong, increased investment in health research is critical to our mission of conducting cutting-edge, impactful sponsored research. Research!America helps to bridge the gap between research, practice and policy, which is entirely consistent with our mission and mandate."

For more information, visit www.americanlegacy.org/2616.aspx.

sanofi-aventis

Sanofi-aventis, a leading global pharmaceutical company based in Paris and operating in more than 100 countries, contributes to improving life by providing a broad offering of medicines, vaccines and integrated health care solutions adapted to local needs and means.

In 2007, sanofi-aventis invested more than $6 billion in research and development, which is about 16% of its net sales. A key challenge the company faces is uniting the scientific and socio-economic dimensions of its R&D innovations.

The company's R&D portfolio is among the pharmaceutical industry's most promising, especially in the fields of thrombosis, cardiometabolism, vaccines, oncology, the central nervous system and internal medicine, said Doug Greene, MD, chief medical officer, sanofi-aventis U.S.

Today's challenges of medicine are numerous, and a revolution in the way patients are considered by science and medicine is under way, Greene said.

"The days when patients had to adapt to their treatments are over. Today we are entering an era of personalized care- prevention, treatment, cure and ease of use of medicines and vaccines," Greene said. "In line with this, our R&D teams are focusing their energy on the pursuit of a single goal: offering a full range of therapeutic solutions for each patient."

To reach this goal, the teams work to combat not only a disease's symptoms but also to provide innovative drugs and vaccines through a global approach to risk factors and related diseases, he said. Clearly, increased U.S. public and private investment in research is vital to sanofi-aventis' success.

"Biotechnology, genomics and proteomics are the pathways of future research-areas that sanofi-aventis has already begun to explore," Greene said. "Our company has entered into a number of collaboration agreements with both public and private research organizations and biotechnology companies."

Such alliances include technological partnerships, which provide access to new technologies, and product-based partnerships, which make it possible to explore new opportunities in the company's spheres of excellence.

Sanofi-aventis has been a loyal Research!America member since 2001 and is a supporting partner in Research!America's voter education initiative, Your Candidates-Your Health. Research!America board member Christopher Viehbacher recently joined sanofi-aventis as CEO.

"Our partnership with Research!America complements the work we do at sanofi-aventis in important ways," Greene said. "Both organizations understand the value of research and the important role it plays in the economic health of nations and the well-being of its citizens. The partnership affords us the opportunity to collaborate in communicating and promoting important ideas about research. As a result, the messages are more credible.

"Research!America membership materials, publications and alerts provide vital information and a perspective that our company may otherwise not be aware of which helps to shape our views on some of the most important research challenges faced by societies," Greene concluded.

For more information, visit http://www.sanofi-aventis.us/.

Association of Independent Research Institutes

The Association of Independent Research Institutes (AIRI) works to ensure that their 89 not-for-profit research institute members succeed in conducting high-quality research.

The association's advocacy focus is to secure sustainable budget increases for NIH to begin the process of erasing the 13% purchasing power the agency has lost since 2003. The association also works to ensure a productive biomedical research workforce exists and is adequately positioned to confront some of our most difficult scientific challenges.

AIRI members-each financially independent and governed by its own independent board of directors-are collaborative.

"This allows our members to be structurally nimble and capable of adjusting their research programs to emerging areas of inquiry," said Mike "Chip" Morgan, AIRI president, and executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. "While the primary function of AIRI institutes is research, most are also involved in training the next generation of biomedical scientists."

The association has begun to aggressively reach out to members of Congress in their Washington, state and district offices. During AIRI's recent annual meeting, 130 representatives from independent research institutes across the country descended on Capitol Hill and met with more than 70 Congressional offices.

"We encourage our members to make policymakers aware of the critical need for biomedical research funding and invite them to tour an independent research institute," Morgan said. "We have stand-alone research institutes in 27 states and believe that members of Congress and their staff are much more likely to support NIH funding when they see first-hand the excellent work that's being done in their own backyards to alleviate human suffering."

Congressional staffers appreciate hearing about how independent research institutes are a powerful economic engine in their respective states.

"For example, OMRF has an annual impact on Oklahoma's economy of $46 million and creates more than 1,000 jobs in the state," Morgan said.

"If Congress and the Administration begin providing NIH with sustainable budget increases, AIRI members and the broader biomedical research community will be able to explore additional research opportunities and have an even greater economic impact," Morgan said. "Such research will help forestall the onset of diseases of aging as 80 million baby boomers begin to retire and face those diseases."

AIRI partners with the broader biomedical research advocacy community. AIRI is a supporting partner in Research!America's voter education initiative, Your Candidates-Your Health. Research!America President Mary Woolley is a former AIRI president and spoke at the association's 2008 annual meeting (download her presentation at www.researchamerica.org/speeches).

"AIRI is pleased to work so closely with Research!America," Morgan said. "Research!America is extremely successful at creating effective tools for communicating with Congress and the general public regarding the importance of funding biomedical research."

For more, visit http://www.airi.org/.

University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine

At the University of Chicago, in an atmosphere of interdisciplinary scholarship and discovery, the Pritzker School of Medicine is dedicated to inspiring diverse students of exceptional promise to become leaders and innovators in science and medicine for the betterment of humanity.

James Madara, MD The Pritzker School of Medicine, ranked 16th in the 2008 U.S. News & World Report "Best Graduate Schools" issue, continuously earns the distinction of being one of the world's preeminent research facilities not only by increasing funding and recruiting some of the world's best researchers but also by creating countless opportunities for interdisciplinary work.

At the University of Chicago Medical Center, there is a unique and extraordinary structure that fosters close collaboration and tight integration between students, clinicians and researchers, and between the sciences.

"Scientific discovery is advancing more rapidly than ever, especially at the interface between the biological sciences and the physical and social sciences," said James L. Madara, MD, CEO of the medical center, university vice president for Medical Affairs, and dean, Division of the Biological Sciences and Pritzker School of Medicine. "From the neurosciences to genetics to cancer biology, important and far-reaching discoveries are changing the face of medicine."

Madara said the university's research extends from the basic biology of disease to the bedside and into the community. The research that keeps the University of Chicago at the forefront of medicine is translated into needed care every day across the south side of Chicago.

"Under the leadership of Michelle Obama, we have created a unique collaboration with 19 local healthcare centers so our world class medical expertise becomes patient care where it is needed, when it is needed," Madara said. Obama, the wife of presidential candidate Barack Obama, is on unpaid leave from her position as vice president for community and external affairs at the medical center.

"Tomorrow's exceptional patient care must be fueled by today's research," Madara said. "And the University of Chicago has some of the world's finest researchers."

The university ranks fifth in the country in National Institutes of Health funding/per faculty member, first in the number of Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigators per capita and fifth in the number of National Academy of Sciences members per capita. HHMI is also a Research!America member.

Truly original inquiry leads to fundamental discoveries, Madara noted. The medical school has produced a plethora of such discoveries, generated by a relatively small faculty when compared to other academic medical centers. The school places a premium on excellence, not size.

The University of Chicago Medical Center is a supporting partner in Research!America's voter education initiative, Your Candidates-Your Health, and is a benefactor of our Eugene Garfield Economic Impact of Health and Medical Research Award that will be presented at the Newseum in Washington, DC, in October.

"Anything that shines a spotlight on this award and the vital link between healthcare and research has our total support," Madara said. "It opens up new opportunities for scientific imagination and collaboration."

For more information, visit http://pritzker.bsd.uchicago.edu/.

The American Association for Dental Research

The American Association for Dental Research, the largest division of the International Association for Dental Research, is a non-profit organization with nearly 4,000 members in the U.S.

Dental research leads to better ways to prevent, treat and cure dental, oral and craniofacial diseases and disorders, as well as systemic diseases.

"The field of oral health research is robust and paying dividends, in terms of new treatments, and to the taxpayers who fund the National Institutes of Health budget," said Christopher H. Fox, DMD, DMSc, AADR executive director. "Our research community foresees a day when the patient, during a semi-annual dental check up, will provide a small amount of saliva that will be able to detect the early onset of many systemic diseases and conditions."

Significant research advances will, of course, require greater public and private investment, Fox said. To this end, the AADR urges its members to maintain relationships with their members of Congress, which can help lead to a policy environment more conducive to greater investment.

"With the tightening of the federal budget, many areas of research have realized cuts and flat-budgeting for the past five years," he said. "Yet, we as a research community continue to advocate for year-over-year increases that do not reflect the cumulative effect of five years of flat funding. We seem to have been doing Congress' job for them- asking for politically achievable goals instead of educating them on the true realities of our budget needs."

The AADR also encourages its members to attend local town hall meetings so that they are viewed as a trusted source of information about oral health research, which can help put research funding and issues such as health disparities on the national policy agenda. In addition, the association asks its members to further engage Congress by inviting respective members to dental research labs to demonstrate research advances first-hand.

"The National Institutes of Dental and Craniofacial Research estimates that Americans save nearly $4 billion annually in dental bills because of advances in dental research and an increased emphasis on preventive oral health care," Fox said. "But the potential to save more can be even greater with more research."

The AADR has been a loyal Research!America member for nearly 20 years, having joined in our inaugural year of 1989. In addition to membership, the association is a partner in our Your Candidates- Your Health voter education initiative and has participated in other partnership efforts including national public opinion polling about oral health research issues. Fox believes our partnership and resources are useful to the AADR's own advocacy.

"Research!America has been extremely valuable to the AADR by putting these initiatives together and helping to place oral health research more prominently in the public's view," Fox said. "We look forward to continuing our partnership to raise public awareness about oral health and to communicate to Congress our research needs. "

Based on the public polling data from Research!America about the importance of health research funding, we are fully justified in making a clarion call for increased research funding."

See http://www.aadronline.org/.

The Muscular Dystrophy Association

The Muscular Dystrophy Association is a dedicated partnership between scientists and concerned citizens aimed at conquering neuromuscular diseases that affect more than a million Americans. MDA combats neuromuscular diseases through programs of worldwide research, comprehensive medical and community services, and farreaching professional and public health education.

Gerald Weinberg In its more than 50 years, the MDA has dedicated nearly $800 million to scientific discovery. In 2008, MDA's research budget is about $40 million, according to Gerald C. Weinberg, president and CEO of the association. MDA funds more than 350 projects in the United States and globally.

"Our funding program is unique in that we are ‘hands off' from one phase of research to the next so good ideas don't get lost before they can be translated into therapies," Weinberg said. "Our program is designed to fill gaps and leverage MDA funds as effectively as possible. Our focus is not to simply fund good science, but to obliterate neuromuscular diseases."

MDA's successes include significant contributions to the scientific discoveries that yielded clinical treatments for polymyositis, myasthenia gravis and Pompe disease.

All MDA's advocacy efforts-government affairs and legislation, health policy, fund-raising and awareness-raising campaigns-are aimed at advancing research and discovering treatments and cures for neuromuscular disease. Federal investment in medical and health research is critical to the impact of MDA's work.

"Particularly in the area of rare disease, where incentives to develop drugs are not as readily apparent as diseases with larger markets, investment from government and private sources is critical to achieving progress," Weinberg said. "By investing in these disease areas with public and private resources, we can actually change the market dynamics to favor therapy development even for rare disease."

In addition to being an alliance member, MDA also is a partner supporter of Research!America's Your Candidates-Your Health 2008 voter education initiative.

"Your Candidates-Your Health builds on the MDA's own advocacy efforts," Weinberg said. "As Americans, we often lose sight of the fact that our elected officials are actually public servants- people whom we have selected to represent the issues that matter to us.

"This initiative provides incredible access to candidates, delves into questions of substance in a clear and concise format, and, we hope, will help our community make informed political choices and fill the halls of Congress with representatives who actually do represent us-an ideal, yet attainable, goal."

Research!America honored MDA National Chairman Jerry Lewis with its 2002 Isadore Rosenfeld Award for Impact on Public Opinion. PARADE magazine, a Research!America partner, regularly publicizes the MDA's work.

"It's difficult to adequately convey the impact PARADE has made on our mission, visibility and the public's awareness of muscular dystrophy," Weinberg said. "PARADE cover stories about the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon have become an iconic, end-of-summer tradition, reminding Americans to tune in."

For more information, visit http://www.mda.org/.

Eli Lilly and Company

Eli Lilly and Company is a leading, innovation-driven corporation committed to developing a growing portfolio of best-in-class and first-in-class pharmaceutical products that help people live longer, healthier and more active lives. Lilly's therapeutic areas of interest include mental illness, endocrinology (particularly diabetes and osteoporosis), oncology and cardiovascular disease.

Eli Lilly plays a leadership role in advancing medical and health research, beginning with the medicines it develops.

"We are committed to researching, developing and marketing our products in an ethical and transparent manner, and we spend every day thinking about how we can bring the next generation of breakthrough medicines to patients around the world," said Alex M. Azar, II, senior vice president, Corporate Affairs and Communications at Lilly. Prior to joining Lilly, Azar was deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Lilly's mission is to find answers for some of the world's most urgent medical needs. Azar said the company's success is guided by targeting its therapies and treatments to "the right patient at the right dose at the right time."

While the company has extensive internal research efforts, it also embraces a philosophy of "research innovation without walls," which Azar said means "we pursue cutting-edge science and technology from external resources.

"As such, increased public and private investment in research contributes to our efforts to developing medicines that help people live longer, healthier and more productive lives."

Although no single message is targeted to any single audience, Lilly communicates with patients, payors and prescribers in varied ways.

"For patients, we focus on improving their health by doing all that we can to ensure that the health systems provide them access to our treatments," Azar said. "With payors, we continuously work to help them recognize the economic, clinical and quality of life values in our products.

"For prescribers, we do all that we can to make sure they are informed on how to appropriately use the technologies we develop."

Lilly spends nearly 20% of its annual sales on research and development.

"The work of the world's innovative biopharmaceutical companies, which invest more than $58 billion per year in R&D, is specific and resource-intensive," Azar said. "This work produces the life-saving and lifeenhancing treatments we all want for the future of our health."

Last year Lilly became the first pharmaceutical company to publicly disclose online details about its grants to U.S. nongovernmental organizations, research institutions and others.

Lilly has been a Research!America member since 1998. Gail H. Cassell, PhD, vice president, scientific affairs, and Distinguished Lilly Research Scholar for Infectious Disease, serves as a Research!America emeritus director.

"Our membership with Research!America has provided us an enormous value over the years," Azar said. "Our partnership has helped demonstrate our commitment to engage in the fundamental issues that impact positive patient outcomes."

For more, visit http://www.lilly.com/

Duke Medicine

Duke Medicine is a research intensive academic health center whose mission is to transform medicine through innovative research and care delivery. Duke is committed to socially relevant education, translational research, compassionate patient care and global healthcare solutions, and its health system, medical and nursing schools are ranked among the very best in the nation.

Duke Medicine is committed to an "innovation continuum." The institution invests in basic discovery science, committing resources for clinical and translational research through the new Duke Translational Medicine Institute. Duke is moving toward personalized medicine and engaging in broad global research activities through its Global Health Institute and partnerships with foreign universities and governments, such as that to establish the Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School.

"One successful strategy in advancing research is enhancing public awareness through partnerships, with organizations such as Research!America and the Association of American Medical Colleges, and through our government and media relations programs," said Victor J. Dzau, MD, chancellor for health affairs. "Recently we joined six other academic medical centers in Washington to make known the impact of the flat National Institutes of Health budget on our talented young scientists. We encourage our scientists and students to speak to the public. The challenge always is competition with other political and public priorities."

The medical center's target audiences include its own scientists and students, donors, the general public, and government and funding agencies.

"Many of Duke's leaders meet with influential audiences, but our media, government relations and development teams have carried much of the responsibility for communicating our research news and needs," Dzau said. "New research-focused Web sites and publications are in the works to provide new options for reaching our audiences."

Duke is committed to addressing health disparities domestically and globally.

"We have public and private partners for these activities through the health system and the Duke Global Health Institute, which is developing research and training opportunities for students and trainees," Dzau said.

NIH funding remains the largest source of support for the medical center. Although the medical school ranked No. 2 in NIH dollars received in FY06, Duke scientists are feeling the effects of a constrained NIH budget.

"We are concerned by the likely long-term negative impact on today's young scientists, and, like other institutions, are turning more to private support including philanthropy," Dzau said. "An increase in major private foundations and the shift of public support toward infectious disease and translational research has helped some of our scientists, but many are still under pressure."

Duke Medicine has been a Research!America member since 1989. Dzau said Research!America membership materials are important communication tools for him and his faculty.

"We focus on education, research, clinical care, and service to our community, and we rely on Research!America to provide a trusted and unified voice for science, which it does admirably," he said.

Visit http://www.dukemedicine.org/.

Member Spotlight: Kidney Cancer Association

Awareness of kidney cancer is a priority for the Kidney Cancer Association. It is one of the more rare types of cancer, affecting a small population.

"We want people to be aware of kidney cancer and know the early symptoms to further reduce its reach," said Bill Bro, the association's CEO. "For patients with kidney cancer, we really try to make sure they're as educated as they can be and know about available therapies.

"Research and advocacy are also important components in the association's work. Membership in Research!America augments those components."

Not only does the association directly fund research into kidney cancer, in partnership primarily with the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Urological Association, but it also empowers its membership with advocacy tools.

"When patients receive a diagnosis such as kidney cancer, they can be overwhelmed by the lack of control they seem to have," Bro said. "But being an advocate is a way they can have a positive impact."

Not only has the association been a Research!America member since 1996, but it has also been a strong partner in our recent Your Congress-Your Health and Your Candidates-Your Health: Presidential Primaries 2008 initiatives.

"These have been great collaborations for us," Bro said. "The sites allow our members to know where their candidates and leaders stand, and to evaluate their positions."

The association reaches out to its more than 45,000 members primarily through e-communications. In addition to keeping its members informed of the latest research and advocacy opportunities, the association promotes clinical trials, giving patients one more way to address their cancer.

"Translational research, or getting the research findings to the patients' health care, is of tremendous importance to us," Bro said. "Clinical trials are an important part of that process."

The association's work does not focus exclusively on kidney cancer.

"Cancer research in general is important, too," Bro said. "You never know where a cure or treatment for kidney cancer might pop up."

A medical advisory board, made up of the top physicians working with kidney cancer patients, allows the association to help its members with medical referrals.

The association actively supports increasing public and private funding for all research.

"The more money you put into research, the more cures and treatments you can get out," Bro said. "That's the bottom line, and it's true not just for kidney cancer."

For more information, visit http://www.kidneycancer.org/.

March is National Kidney Month. For more information, visit http://nkdep.nih.gov/kidneymonth/.

Member Spotlight: The Allen Institute for Brain Research

The Allen Institute for Brain Science is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit medical research organization dedicated to performing innovative basic research on the brain and distributing its discoveries to researchers around the world.

Philanthropist Paul G. Allen, who cofounded Microsoft with Bill Gates in 1976 (before leaving the company in 1983), was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease in the early 1980s. With Jody Patton, he founded the Allen Institute for Brain Science in 2001 as a way to further the fields of neuroscience and genomics. The Allen Brain Atlas was its first project and got under way just after the Human Genome Project was completed.

The atlas is an open access, Web-based, 3-D map of gene expression in the adult male mouse brain detailing more than 20,000 genes at the cellular level. It is a comprehensive resource for researchers that reveals where each gene is expressed, or "turned on."

The institute's infrastructure took a year to build, said Elaine Jones, the institute's chief operating officer. In its 35,000 square feet lab, more than 100 scientists, including 30 PhDs, work on compiling and analyzing the data. The microscope room is a unique feature: a dozen scopes operate automatically, analyzing slides around the clock.

"Our data saves researchers the time of doing it on their own," Jones said. "Researchers could spend their entire career on one or two genes, but we have that data on all genes and in context. Researchers can then access the gene they're interested in, along with all its neighbors."

This type of data is critical to enhancing research surrounding human neurological diseases and disorders, including developing drug targets. Epilepsy, autism, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's are just a few diseases potentially helped by the institute's work.

The institute also makes available mathematical tools for analyzing and putting the data to use. Everything is online and free for researchers around the world.

"We announced the completion and key findings of the brain atlas in September 2006, in Washington, DC," Jones said. "There, many leaders from advocacy groups were able to attend. The reality is that advocacy groups' constituencies are why you do research."

The institute is a private- public partnership, although its funding is primarily from private philanthropists. Funding for the National Institutes of Health is still a priority for the institute, Jones said.

"We really believe that the federal government is the leader in health science research," Jones said. "And in any industry, you want to work with the leaders."

She said membership in Research!America helps make working with the government more efficient. "Knowing Research!America is advocating for us in DC, and watching what happens, is fabulous," she said. "When a bill comes up that impacts NIH, thanks to Research!America's advocacy communications, we‘re able to be on the phone calling our senators and representatives."

The institute soon will announce its next big projects. For more information see http://www.alleninstitute.org/. To access the brain atlas, visit http://www.brain-map.org/.

Member Spotlight: The Society for Neuroscience

Founded in 1969, the Society for Neuroscience is the world's largest professional organization representing scientists and physicians dedicated to understanding the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nervous system. Today, the Society has more than 38,000 members worldwide and continues to grow.

The Society for Neuroscience works to increase basic science literacy in America, specifically from the perspective of basic biology of the brain and how research will lead to clinical innovations. "The American public is not as knowledgeable about important scientific principles and concepts as they need to be in order to make informed decisions about science policy," said John H. Morrison, PhD, chair of the Society for Neuroscience's government and public affairs committee. "Neurological disorders are one of the most costly in terms of human suffering and the economy, but people know little about the brain and how it functions and how things go wrong.

"We encourage our members to advocate for public funding for science and to educate the public about neuroscience and neurologic and psychological disorders, especially about the role of research."

Flat or decreased NIH funding has put incredible pressure on the research community, Morrison said. "It has an immediate effect because it decreases the money available for research right now. Possibly even more importantly, it's impossible to sustain a research program over the course of five to 10 years because of constant funding lapses."

The Society encourages its members to make the case for increased research funding to Congress and is a primary partner with the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives in Brain Awareness Week, which is March 10-16 this year.

Morrison also stressed that the Society always keeps in mind all three elements of research: a very strong basic science foundation, the willingness and capacity to translate research and clinical innovation.

"We need to impress upon the American people and Congress that we must have a strong foundation in basic science to cure these debilitating diseases," Morrison said. "The basic science foundation has to come from government funding. When you cut funding, you cut this foundation, and it will have devastating consequences when trying to cure disease."

A member of Research!America since 1989, the Society for Neuroscience also is a strong partner in our voter education initiatives including Your Congress-Your Health and Your Candidates-Your Health.

Partnering with Research!America "has enabled us to increase our impact on Congress and on the funding of science," Morrison said.

A key way that the Society advances medical and health research is through its annual meeting each fall when more than 30,000 scientists attend and present the newest findings. The 2008 annual meeting will be November 15-19 in Washington, DC.

The Society also disseminates the latest research findings through its many publications, including The Journal of Neuroscience, its peer-reviewed, weekly journal. For more information, visit http://www.sfn.org/.

Member Spotlight: The CFIDS Association of America

Kim McCleary The CFIDS Association of America is the largest non-government supporter of research into the causes of and treatments for CFS.

Through its work that includes an ever-expanding worldwide network of basic science researchers, clinicians on the front line of patient care, and organizations and federal agencies with CFS programs, the association is helping to propel CFS research forward at an unprecedented pace.

"Federal funding-and the credibility for CFS that federal support conveys-is absolutely essential to making progress in diagnostics and therapeutics for this complex illness that affects at least one million Americans," said K. Kimberly McCleary, president and CEO. "Private sources of support are also vital to progress, and we work to attract greater investment from all sectors."

The association's current research model helps investigators prepare to compete in the often challenging federal funding environment.

"To date, we've supported $4.8 million in research, most of it directed to pilot studies that have helped investigators develop and refine hypotheses and collect preliminary data," McCleary said.

With a strong presence on Capitol Hill, the association has developed a reputation for being a vigilant watchdog regarding the use of federal funds for CFS. McCleary and her staff closely monitor all phases of the research process, from study design to implementation to data publication.

"Although CFS is more widely understood to be a valid medical condition than it was even a decade ago, we constantly work to replace outdated perceptions with newer information about its severity and complexity," she said.

In partnership with Research!America, the association recently produced a CFS fact sheet as part of our Investment in Research Saves Lives and Money series.

"Our partnership with Research!America provides for a new level of visibility for CFS-particularly with academic and policy audiences-than we have been able to achieve on our own," McCleary said.

"Research!America is on the front lines of making research a higher visibility issue for all Americans, lawmakers and policymakers," she added. "Expanding our nation's support for the total research ‘pie‘ is crucial, otherwise, all of our slices will continue to shrink."

The association also reaches out to the public-particularly those whose lives have been directly affected by CFS-and to health care professionals. Such outreach has grown over the past year in conjunction with the CDC-supported CFS public awareness campaign.

Campaign strategies include public service announcements and a traveling photo exhibit, "The Faces of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome." The exhibit has been in 22 public venues nationwide, with more planned for 2008. For more, see http://www.cfids.org/.

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