1999
NIH Modular R01 Grant mechanisms: $250,000 / year.

2021
NIH Modular R01 Grant mechanisms: $250,000 / year.

22 years with no adjustment for inflation means scientists have lost ~42% of purchasing power while having to cover an increasing portion of salary and costs.

When a pioneer at Pixar one warm afternoon in Mountainview asked me to explain how cutting edge biomedical research funding happens, he was *stunned* that we do it on $250k/yr covering our salary, tech salary, post-doc, grad student, undergrad student and research costs from it.

Him: You mean, that is how we do all the cutting edge cancer research and neuroscience research?!!?!?

Me: Yep.

Him: That’s &%*ing insane!

Me: Agreed…

Want to have your mind really blown?

We could fund the ENTIREITY of the NIH for 40 years at current funding for the cost of the F-35 program. A single weapons system...