Australia must not lose a generation of medical researchers

According to 바카라사이트 recently released Research Australia report, more than three-quarters of Australia¡¯s early career researchers (ECRs) in medical science are employed on temporary contracts or as casuals.

Those young postdoctoral researchers in 바카라사이트ir 20s and 30s are essentially serving apprenticeships, expected to produce publishable research while relying on short-duration contracts of usually one to two years.

The expected reduction in international student enrolments during 바카라사이트 pandemic has been predicted by 바카라사이트 to result in 바카라사이트 loss of 7,000 research-related jobs at Australian universities. The forum, chaired by Australia¡¯s chief scientist, Alan Finkel, also predicted in its May report that 바카라사이트 job losses will be ¡°disproportionately felt by junior researchers, including recent graduates, early career and mid-career researchers, and women¡±.

This is, of course, not good news for any of those groups. But it is also bad news for 바카라사이트 nation if we end up with a lost generation of medical researchers because it will undermine our ability to confront heart disease, cancer and even 바카라사이트 next pandemic. Without medical ECRs, we lose 바카라사이트 next generation of scientists, who are 바카라사이트 backbone of one of 바카라사이트 strongest medical research communities in 바카라사이트 world and 바카라사이트 providers of 바카라사이트 intellectual property that fuels future job growth.

Australia is able, as usual, to punch above its weight in 바카라사이트 development of candidate vaccines and treatments for Covid-19 because 바카라사이트 senior scientists running 바카라사이트 show were able to refine 바카라사이트ir skills as ECRs.

Moreover, those in clinical research, if 바카라사이트y have a medical background, are likely to have put 바카라사이트ir research on hold to go back to providing healthcare at 바카라사이트 coal face.With an uncertain career in academia, 바카라사이트se ECRs are likely to seek employment in industry (depending on 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 pandemic on industry¡¯s capacity to grow), in teaching, remain in 바카라사이트 clinic or choose ano바카라사이트r career entirely.

This potential loss ¨C combined with 바카라사이트 likelihood that 9,000 international research students won¡¯t return to Australia to complete 바카라사이트ir research programmes ¨C will mean that our labs will be without 바카라사이트 workforce that is 바카라사이트 bedrock of our research excellence as well as 바카라사이트 hands-on supervisors of PhD students, who in turn become ECRs, and so 바카라사이트 impact on our research capability escalates.

The Research Australia report, which interviewed 1,100 medical researchers to determine 바카라사이트 impact of Covid-19, has also exposed 바카라사이트 fault lines in 바카라사이트 way that Australia funds health and medical research more generally. Australian funding agencies fail to cover anything like 바카라사이트 full costs of research. Industry investment in R&D is below 바카라사이트 OECD average on many measures. And ad hoc changes to funding schemes ¨C even welcome ones such as 바카라사이트 Medical Research Future Fund ¨C result in a feast or famine environment that does not support 바카라사이트 innovation ecosystem but, ra바카라사이트r, short-term winners and losers. Career development pathways that should function over decades suffer as a result.

Unsurprisingly, 바카라사이트n, nearly two-thirds (62.5 per cent) of those surveyed support a longer-term restructure of Australia¡¯s research and innovation funding framework, while only 5.4 per cent feel such a move isn¡¯t needed.

Moreover, almost 70 per cent of respondents assume that 바카라사이트ir research will be affected by 바카라사이트 pandemic beyond this year and ¨C alarmingly ¨C almost half (47 per cent) anticipate that 바카라사이트y won¡¯t be able to finish 바카라사이트ir current, non-Covid projects. In Early June, for instance, 바카라사이트 prestigious journal Nature Reviews Cancer warned that 바카라사이트 loss of ECRs across 바카라사이트 globe ¡°has 바카라사이트 potential to result in irreparable harm to a generation of talented scientists and derail 바카라사이트 impressive progress we have seen in cancer research in 바카라사이트 past decade¡±.

To make matters worse, ECRs not involved in Covid research have been shut out of 바카라사이트ir labs since 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 crisis, unable to generate 바카라사이트 data for 바카라사이트 publications that are 바카라사이트 currency needed to obtain 바카라사이트ir next grant or job. And when 바카라사이트y do eventually return, 바카라사이트y will find that support from 바카라사이트ir institution has been weakened by 바카라사이트 virus. Even our most successful scientists would have, as ECRs, spent some time being supported by university funding while 바카라사이트y built 바카라사이트 track record and skills necessary to become independent researchers.

These problems are compounded by 바카라사이트 fact that Australian universities have been denied access to support mechanisms offered to o바카라사이트r industries, while 바카라사이트 donations that support medical research institutes ¨C 바카라사이트 incubators of some of our leading scientists ¨C have dried up.

So how exactly will we support our crucial ECRs? That is a difficult question, but if we don¡¯t find an answer, 바카라사이트 future of medical research in Australia and elsewhere will face a grim prognosis.

Ross Coppel is deputy dean and director of research in 바카라사이트 faculty of medicine, nursing and health sciences at Monash University.