MEDICINE,
SCIENCE AND SOCIETY
Medical Research Foundation: A New Catalytic Role? PETER
0. WILLIAMS,
Research workers normally have their own ideas of what research they would like to do. It may be that at the start of their career they could have gone in any one of a number of directions, but once they have done their doctoral thesis they tend to stick to the field they have entered. A consequence of this state of affairs is that we tend to get more and more people in established subjects and a lack of the best recruits to subjects that are lagging behind. In medicine, one thus often finds very little research activity in a number of the most common conditions. It is not difficult to create a list of these subjects, although it will differ from country to country. The general public and health administrators obviously wish more research to be undertaken on conditions that are most common and which cause the greatest morbidity. They, therefore, set up advisory committees or collect funds in the hope that they can alter the emphasis of research. Unfortunately, money is not enough to make research workers change their field of interest unless, of course, increased allocations to neglected subjects are accompanied by a real deficiency for well-trodden fields. It may be that occasionally leaders of research have decided on their field because they know that funds would be readily available. It may even be that a yesearch worker reads a report on what ought to be done for a particular field and decides to try his hand-but both these eventualities are rare. The most common result is that mediocre projects are supported because they are the best available. Do we, therefore, have to wait for chance to make someone of ability turn his attention to neglected fields? The Wellcome Trust, a British medical research foundation, has for a number of years been attempting to encourage the development of neglected fields. It has done most of the conventional things like advertise fellowships, support promising deparments, etc., but it has found that if the subject is really backward this is a long and unrewarding task. It also tried to encourage interdisciplinary research in a general way, but there were very few applications. In the last few years it has taken a new approach which see& to be successful, as judged by the number and quality of the applications received. Essentially, this
M.B.,
F.R.C.P.
approach is aimed at getting recognized front-line subjects to go into partnership with neglected subjects. The method is quite simple: the Trust advertises that it wishes to make an award of, say, flOO,OOOfor research linking, say, Gastroenterology and Tropical Medicine, Endocrinology and Mental Health, Hypertension and Ophthalmology, Metabolism and Trauma. Apparently a competitive award induces applications when it appears to be directly linked to familiar ground. The strong, established subject/department, always eager for support, recognizes the opportunity to use its skills in a neglected field and so it seeks out a partner from the neglected area. The strong subject then fosters development of the neglected field and encourages people from it into a good research environment. It is not yet possible to assess the long-term effect on development of the neglected field, but it is to be hoped that once the opportunities can be explored under the aegis of departments of established quality then the research workers from the neglected field will begin to formulate their own proposals. Considerable care is necessary when drafting the advertisement. If it is too broadly based-for example, Basic Science and Tropical Medicine-it does not have the same force as if it is more specific-for instance, Endocrinology and Mental Disease. It is also essential to require that both departments make a joint application, as otherwise the strong department will put in the proposal on its own, and no long-term effect will have been achieved. The strange fact is that advertisement of a competitive award for the support of research actually creates a response which does not occur if one simply stays passive and waits for applications. It could be that governments and foundations that wish to stimulate neglected fields will have to study more closely what motivates research workers, to find out how to attract them into new avenues. Maybe it is not quite as simple as leaving them to identify the new opportunity for themselves and to apply for a grant. It does seem, however, that if you can enter a competition in a field that appears to be yours, the temptation is irresistible and then you may get hooked.
From the Wellcome Trust, London, United Kingdom. Requests for reprints should be addressed P. 0. Williams, The Wellcome Trust, 1 Park Square West, London NW1 4LJ, United Kingdom.
182
August 1979 The American Journal of Medicine
Volume 67
to Dr.
SCIENCE AND SOCIETY
Medical Research Foundation: A New Catalytic Role? PETER
0. WILLIAMS,
Research workers normally have their own ideas of what research they would like to do. It may be that at the start of their career they could have gone in any one of a number of directions, but once they have done their doctoral thesis they tend to stick to the field they have entered. A consequence of this state of affairs is that we tend to get more and more people in established subjects and a lack of the best recruits to subjects that are lagging behind. In medicine, one thus often finds very little research activity in a number of the most common conditions. It is not difficult to create a list of these subjects, although it will differ from country to country. The general public and health administrators obviously wish more research to be undertaken on conditions that are most common and which cause the greatest morbidity. They, therefore, set up advisory committees or collect funds in the hope that they can alter the emphasis of research. Unfortunately, money is not enough to make research workers change their field of interest unless, of course, increased allocations to neglected subjects are accompanied by a real deficiency for well-trodden fields. It may be that occasionally leaders of research have decided on their field because they know that funds would be readily available. It may even be that a yesearch worker reads a report on what ought to be done for a particular field and decides to try his hand-but both these eventualities are rare. The most common result is that mediocre projects are supported because they are the best available. Do we, therefore, have to wait for chance to make someone of ability turn his attention to neglected fields? The Wellcome Trust, a British medical research foundation, has for a number of years been attempting to encourage the development of neglected fields. It has done most of the conventional things like advertise fellowships, support promising deparments, etc., but it has found that if the subject is really backward this is a long and unrewarding task. It also tried to encourage interdisciplinary research in a general way, but there were very few applications. In the last few years it has taken a new approach which see& to be successful, as judged by the number and quality of the applications received. Essentially, this
M.B.,
F.R.C.P.
approach is aimed at getting recognized front-line subjects to go into partnership with neglected subjects. The method is quite simple: the Trust advertises that it wishes to make an award of, say, flOO,OOOfor research linking, say, Gastroenterology and Tropical Medicine, Endocrinology and Mental Health, Hypertension and Ophthalmology, Metabolism and Trauma. Apparently a competitive award induces applications when it appears to be directly linked to familiar ground. The strong, established subject/department, always eager for support, recognizes the opportunity to use its skills in a neglected field and so it seeks out a partner from the neglected area. The strong subject then fosters development of the neglected field and encourages people from it into a good research environment. It is not yet possible to assess the long-term effect on development of the neglected field, but it is to be hoped that once the opportunities can be explored under the aegis of departments of established quality then the research workers from the neglected field will begin to formulate their own proposals. Considerable care is necessary when drafting the advertisement. If it is too broadly based-for example, Basic Science and Tropical Medicine-it does not have the same force as if it is more specific-for instance, Endocrinology and Mental Disease. It is also essential to require that both departments make a joint application, as otherwise the strong department will put in the proposal on its own, and no long-term effect will have been achieved. The strange fact is that advertisement of a competitive award for the support of research actually creates a response which does not occur if one simply stays passive and waits for applications. It could be that governments and foundations that wish to stimulate neglected fields will have to study more closely what motivates research workers, to find out how to attract them into new avenues. Maybe it is not quite as simple as leaving them to identify the new opportunity for themselves and to apply for a grant. It does seem, however, that if you can enter a competition in a field that appears to be yours, the temptation is irresistible and then you may get hooked.
From the Wellcome Trust, London, United Kingdom. Requests for reprints should be addressed P. 0. Williams, The Wellcome Trust, 1 Park Square West, London NW1 4LJ, United Kingdom.
182
August 1979 The American Journal of Medicine
Volume 67
to Dr.
