...i'm still enjoying my book

"People with paralysis are generally not particularly interested in supporting pure, curiosity-driven research; scientists, on the other hand, don't like being told what to do..." (Luba Vikhanski,The Lost Cord)

true! and...
true!

I am still enjoying my book on spinal cord regeneration.

I feel I have a foot in both worlds and have had to look into the heart of this issue.

The issue: it's political. how should people in power fund sci research when there are only so many dollars to go around and competing interests at stake?

People with paralysis can be said to be strongly in favor of applied research (give me my freedom NOW) while the scientist, must listen to the muses of science and sacrifice the gains of a few to uncover the underlying principle that will save us all! (this is called basic research to some very boring research to many).

Funding applied research is popular and fun. What better way to entertain yourself than with promises of getting to watch people dangling from harnesses over treadmills and then thanking you.(the paralyzed are an emotional lot and rightly so...we loove to write letters of our stories and inspiration. see how loud we clap at the one-armed soldier at the next State of the Union!!!)I can see why the decision-makers would want to put their dollars here. The outcomes are based on real people living right NOW with cures and medications that will benefit people in this lifetime.

I can also see why we'd want to funnel the resources toward basic research. To me basic research is applied research that just hasn't happened yet. While it rankles my feathers a little bit to read "several research teams demonstrated that new neurons can be born in the brains of rodents, tree shrews, and marmosets"(...now how in the hell is that going to help me?), I know Science is a discipline that proceeds in baby steps. You need to provide the...the underbelly from which the breakthroughs will spring! As the mystery is revealed, the entire course of human history will change-like the DNA double helix! The benefits are in the experiences of our lives AND in the generations to come.

Upshot:

for the politician or board members sitting in a committee meeting with one vote i believe deciding which research gets the grant is not easy.

Vote:

Those in favor of applied research?

Now have to answer...

"Applied!? It's not that easy!" There are still the difficult questions of how to distribute a cure? to who? These treatments also hold promise for improvements in lives of the newly injured. There remains the question then-"why not equal funds for quality of life/psychological needs of the chronically injured (read self)?"

Those in favor of basic research?

Perhaps still have the most intellectual freedom. I believe they have the opportunity to provide us with the "think outside the box" solutions.

For this I cannot rely on my science but on my uh Buddhism?

I say the days of lone renegades and rangers are gone. Reasoning "i don't like to be told what to do!" (in my lab!!!) is maybe smart but not wise. What those folks/research scientists need to do is cultivate wisdom (instead of publications) and understand that there are people and places where they can thrive (see book The Lost Cord for participating labs). Watson & Crick (??) are characters in a movie you do NOT need to walk underneath the Hollywood lights...just pool your resources, communicate, and get er done!

Go Team Rah Rah Ending:

i believe there is probably just this one life. so as the buddhist saying goes practice NOW practice because uh, your lab is on fire! ...no, no, no, practice like your hair's on fire!

okay still working on that ending...

amanda











*this is a marmoset. i still don't see the connection.