Biomedical Research and Education
California’s world renowned academic research centers lead the nation in research grant funding, commercial licensing agreements, and biomedical-related discoveries that ultimately yield life-saving therapies, diagnostic tools, drug delivery systems and medical devices. Breakthrough scientific research forms the foundation of the state's biomedical industry. Unfortunately, after doubling the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget between 1998 and 2003, federal support for biomedical research has weakened. And while recent years have seen a renewed Congressional and Administration commitment to the support of science research funding, it is questionable if those increases will be sustained due to budgetary constraints. CHI recognizes and appreciates the challenges in the appropriations and budget processes and will continue to demonstrate to the California delegation and beyond how NIH funding fuels needed research and innovation.
NIH is a critical component of the biomedical research ecosystem, which generates economic growth and maintains America’s competitive edge. It serves as the world’s preeminent medical research institution and our nation’s best hope for finding cures, improving treatments, and gaining a better understanding of diseases. CHI also believes in the role of translating basic science – discoveries that have shown signs of success at the laboratory level but have not advanced far enough to attract significant investments from the private sector – into therapies and cures for patients around the world. The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) and the Cures Acceleration Network (CAN) are modest investments designed to bridge this gap.
CHI will continue to illustrate that funding for the NIH and NSF is a proven and critical investment to promote innovation, save lives, and job creation. Additionally, CHI will support efforts to highlight the importance of math and science education at all levels to the immediate and long-term workforce development needs of the biomedical industry in California. Finally, similar to the America COMPETES Reauthorization Act, which was signed into laws in January 2011, CHI will monitor progress on the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, with particular focus on STEM-related provisions within the legislation.