Trends in NIH-supported career development funding: implications for institutions trainees and the future research workforce

摘要

A variety of circumstances over the last two decades have imperiled the capacity and future potential of the US biomedical research enterprise. A perspective from Bruce Alberts, Marc Kirschner, Shirley Tilghman, and Harold Varmus noted that “precipitous actions could damage a system that has served many scientists and the public well over the past several decades. However, it is equally dangerous to ignore the structural flaws that are generally acknowledged to have produced the current system” (1). An important aspect of securing future capacity is the need to recruit and retain a diverse group of trainees as the foundation and future for our biomedical research workforce and to provide training opportunities that equip trainees for productive and rewarding careers (2). The NIH, the major biomedical research funding agency in the United States, provides remarkable support for fellowships, training, and career development awards, in addition to supporting fundamental, translational, and clinical research with a total budget of $41.6 billion in fiscal year 2020 (5.9% increase from $39.3 billion during the 2019 fiscal year) (3).