The research workforce does not reflect the diversity of the U.S. population and individuals from specific groups remain underrepresented in the biomedical research workforce. According to the National Science Foundation, 8% of U.S. residing doctoral scientists and engineers are African American or Black, American Indian, Alaska Natives, or Hispanic Latinos. The number of individuals from these groups would have to quadruple to reach parity with the demographics of the US population. Funders and research institutions alike have engaged in efforts to expand the talent pool by increasing diversity in the workforce. This session will present different approaches that funders have... read more →
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If you are not happy with the results below please do another searchInstitutional Review Boards (IRBs) play a hidden but critical role in the common project to advance knowledge and improve life experience. They ensure that the imperatives of science are balanced by the obligation to treat human research subjects with respect, to avoid exploitation and to protect such subjects from unnecessary harm. Because they operate without public scrutiny, there is a risk that the mission of IRBs will become subservient to other needs, particularly those of the business of medicine and science, ultimately undermining public trust in the research enterprise. Dr. Rosenfeld will present a proposal to address these concerns through... read more →
Changes to policy and practice to attract and retain a vibrant biomedical research workforce have been recently suggested. In this session, HRA members will learn about the NAS Report, Breaking Through, which provides specific recommendations to overcome barriers facing the next generation of biomedical researchers. Additionally, we will hear about actions planned by the National Institutes of Health to recruit and retain a highly skilled research workforce. We will also identify potential opportunities for non-governmental funders to implement recommendations in the report. Moderator Kara Coleman, PhD Project Director, Biomedical Programs | Pew Charitable Trusts Presenters Paula Stephan, PhD (Presentation) Professor of... read more →
This webinar featured a presentation by Christine Pfund, PhD, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who studies the science of mentoring in STEMM. Dr. Pfund is currently a PI on the NIH National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) and is the director of the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) at the University of Wisconsin. In this presentation, Dr. Pfund presented the current landscape of mentoring in science, best practices in mentoring, and resources and training programs that are available. She provided information on services, ranging from free to fee-for-service, that could be used by HRA members to... read more →
BEST (Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training) is an effort by 17 institutions to explore ways of improving biomedical career development. A fraction of biomedical PhDs will take a tenure-track faculty position, so training programs are developing innovated approaches to prepare students and postdocs for a range of career options. BEST aims to supply academic biomedical training programs with the resources needed to help their graduate students and postdocs enter a workforce outside of academia but still in research-related positions. BEST programs expose trainees to a variety of careers, such as policy, biotechnology, or science writing. These programs are supported by... read more →
HRA uses “robust scientific review” as part of the eligibility criteria for membership. But what does that mean? How is that different from the traditional peer review? Is the traditional method of NIH peer review successful at fairly and accurately evaluating applications? How can we reduce bias in reviews, implicit and otherwise? These and many other questions have been tackled by HRA members and others. You can find links to studies, meeting presentations, papers, and other resources here as well as the Grants Administration working group and by searching the Resources section.
The theme of the October 2018 Regional Members Meeting (hosted by HHMI) was Diversity and Inclusion. After an active networking breakfast, Dr, Hannah Valantine, NIH’s first Chief Officer for Scientific Workforce Diversity, kicked off the meeting. Dr. Valantine presented compelling data as to why diversity matters. For instance, her data showed that papers written by a diverse group received more citations and published in journals with higher impact factors, demonstrating that diversity improves the quality of science. Dr. Valantine described NIH’s various efforts such as the Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) Initiative, the National Research Mentoring Network, and the... read more →
The Data Sharing Working Group hosted a webinar featuring Jaime Guidry Auvil, the Director of NCI’s Office of Data Sharing. Jaime shared the efforts that are in motion at NCI and NIH that aim to promote the data sharing ecosystem. Importantly, she reported on the impressive steps that NCI is taking to incentivize and ease the burden of data sharing. Attendees learned how private funders of medical research can similarly support the data sharing ecosystem including what it takes to implement and enforce data sharing by funding organizations, as well as monitoring and learning from the ongoing governmental initiatives. In... read more →
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HRA’s Exploring the Value of “Open” (EVO) Program As part of the EVO program, we are collecting HRA members' policies to encourage or require various aspect of open science such as data sharing, publishing open access, or using preprints. Please add your policies... read more →
The philanthropic sector in general and the membership of the Health Research Alliance in particular, is composed of a diverse set of organizations who have contributed to advancing biomedical research by developing human capital; building knowledge and expanding scientific disciplines; supporting institutions; stimulating innovation; translating discoveries into cures, therapeutics and prevention of disease; establishing product development partnerships; fostering the dissemination of information, data sharing and collaboration; and advocating for resources and policy changes. When HRA first started, most of the funding by members was traditional NIH-style grants, such as Research Grants, Career Development Awards, Fellowships, and Program Project or... read more →