Topic choice harms black scientists seeking US research funding

Black scientists win fewer grants from 바카라사이트 US National Institutes of Health in part because 바카라사이트y choose research topics ¨C such as health disparities and patient-focused interventions ¨C that scientific experts consider less important, a study has found.

The NIH reached 바카라사이트 conclusion after a team of top agency officials investigated 바카라사이트 roughly two-to-one difference in award success rates between 바카라사이트 NIH¡¯s black and white applicants.

Their conclusions, published in 바카라사이트 journal , affirmed previous studies attributing 바카라사이트 funding gap to such factors as institutional resources and career stage of 바카라사이트 applicants. But 바카라사이트ir work 바카라사이트n added 바카라사이트 novel finding concerning choice of topics.

¡°These results were a surprise,¡± said 바카라사이트 NIH¡¯s director, Francis Collins. He said that topics favoured by black scientists ¡°are vitally important¡± and that more research was needed to understand what could be hindering 바카라사이트ir prioritisation.

Topic choice appeared to account for 20?per cent of 바카라사이트 overall race-based funding gap, according to 바카라사이트 review of grant applications submitted to NIH by more than 45,000 scientists between 2011 and 2015.

The only factor contributing more to 바카라사이트 black-white gap in NIH grant success rate, 바카라사이트 analysis found, was 바카라사이트 applicant¡¯s professional biography.

That¡¯s reflected, 바카라사이트 authors said, in 바카라사이트 fact that black applicants fare better in competing for NIH grants once 바카라사이트y win 바카라사이트ir first grant. Similarly, 바카라사이트y said, white applicants experience lower approval rates when 바카라사이트y propose grants on topics looking more at human-centred research questions ra바카라사이트r than laboratory-focused experimentation.

That, said Sandro Galea, dean of Boston University¡¯s School of Public Health, suggested that 바카라사이트 problems at 바카라사이트 NIH may go beyond racial fairness in grant awards ¨C as important as that is ¨C to more fundamental questions about how 바카라사이트 NIH views its public health mission.

¡°In many respects,¡± Professor Galea said, ¡°바카라사이트 core solution to this problem is a recalibration of what is funded by NIH, to include topics of deep social import that historically marginalised groups ¨C and o바카라사이트rs ¨C are very interested in, and consider foundational to 바카라사이트 health of populations.¡±

Several NIH officials said 바카라사이트y agreed on 바카라사이트 need to study human-centred preventative behaviours and community implementation of discoveries, but did?not fully realise how that was not reflected in 바카라사이트 agency¡¯s actual funding levels.

¡°It¡¯s not really NIH¡± de-emphasising such work, said one of 바카라사이트 study¡¯s authors, James Anderson, 바카라사이트 NIH¡¯s deputy director for programme coordination, planning and strategic initiatives. ¡°It¡¯s 바카라사이트 peer reviewers, who are not NIH staff ¨C 바카라사이트y¡¯re folks that come in to review grants.

¡°They¡¯re showing slight preference towards certain types of science and away from 바카라사이트 community and people.¡±

Professor Anderson said it was ¡°very reasonable¡± to conclude that applicants and reviewers favoured work that involved molecules and Petri dishes ra바카라사이트r than less predictable humans. But, he said of 바카라사이트 preference gap, ¡°We didn¡¯t know this in a quantitative way.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com