title: Rescuing US biomedical research from its systemic flaws.
abstract: The long-held but erroneous assumption of never-ending rapid growth in biomedical science has created an unsustainable hypercompetitive system that is discouraging even the most outstanding prospective students from entering our profession--and making it difficult for seasoned investigators to produce their best work. This is a recipe for long-term decline, and the problems cannot be solved with simplistic approaches. Instead, it is time to confront the dangers at hand and rethink some fundamental features of the US biomedical research ecosystem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alberts
authors.forename: Marc W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Kirschner
authors.forename: Shirley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tilghman
authors.forename: Harold
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Varmus
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006801:Humans; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000600:supply & distribution; D012109:Research Support as Topic / Q000191:economics; D014481:United States; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: federal funding; graduate education; peer review; postdoctoral education
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