NIH gets $100mil raise for 2013

While not a lot of money, it's better than nothing - yesterday a Senate panel voted to increase the NIH's 2013 budget by $100,000,000 as part of a broader spending bill. More information is here at the Science Insider.

Petition: to require free access to taxpayer-funded research articles

We the People on Whitehouse.gov currently has almost 9,000 signatures for a petition to "require free access over the Internet to scientific journal articles arising from taxpayer-funded research". Apparently people don't want to pay to read about research projects funded by their own money! Makes some sense, but may be a bit too simplistic. If you'd like to read the full text and decide whether to sign the petition, click here.

Grad students petition Congress for more research $

Yesterday, MIT students presented Congress with a petition asking for more "indispensable investments in science and engineering research". The petition currently has more than 10,300 signatures; you can add yours here.

More information about the petition, and the Stand with Science project:

How to Write Like a Scientist

Some not at all helpful tips for writing your scientific articles can be found here (but they are funny!).

NIDA weighs in on tobacco industry funding

The National Institute of Drug Abuse has published "Points to Consider Regarding Tobacco Industry Funding of NIDA Applicants" on its website. This document cautions NIDA grantees from accepting research funding from the tobacco industry because it could: "compromise the perceived objectivity of their research results and affect the overall credibility of their research findings; be viewed as contributing to tobacco industry interests; and negatively impact NIDA’s credibility and the public trust in NIDA-funded research."

The full document can be found at this link.

What does a scientist look like?

Check out this collection of scientists' photos, you might be surprised.

One scientist speaks out against NIH financial cuts

Kerri Mowen of the Scripps Research Institute has submitted seven proposals to the NIH in the past year and so far has not gotten funding for any of them. She spoke to the San Diego Union-Tribune about her belief that the NIH should be immune to budget cuts.