"Science decided to take its own look at the people at the top of the funding heap, examining the total amount of money received and number of grants. Recipients were divided into three groups -- those who do mostly basic research, clinical and social science researchers, and genomics centers. The leaders receive $3 million or more a year, eight times what the average investigator receives. At the same time, the portfolios of most of the top investigators include grants shared with other labs. Identifying the top-funded researchers from an NIH list of grants awarded in 2000 wasn't an easy task."
1. Stanley Prusiner, UC San Francisco: Prion diseases, $12.5M
2. Alfred Gilman, U of Texas SW Med. Center: Alliance for Cell Signaling, $9.8M
3. Ronald Crystal, Cornell University: Gene therapy, $6.6M
4. George Stamatoyannopoulos, University of Washington: Blood disease gene therapy, $6.4M
5. Seigo Izumo, Harvard/Beth Israel Deac. Med. Ctr.: Cardiovasc. functional genomics, $6.1M
5. Ian A. Wilson, Scripps Research Institute: Structural genomics initiative, $5.6M
6. Rainer Storb, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Res. Ctr.: Bone marrow transplants, $5.4M
7. Richard Boucher, University of North Carolina: Cystic fibrosis gene therapy, $5.1M
9. Paul Greengard, Rockefeller University: Signal transduction, $5.0M
10. Michael Gimbrone, Harvard/B&W's Hospital: Vascular endothelium, $4.9M
1. Donald Morton, John Wayne Cancer Institute: Cancer vaccine, surgery trials, $11.9M
2. J Richard Udry, U of North Carolina: Adolescent health survey, $8.4M
3. David Alberts, U of Arizona: Cancer prevention trials, $6.3M
4. Thomas Coates, UC San Francisco: AIDS behavioral prevention, $5.8M
5. Fred Appelbaum, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Res. Ctr.: Adult leukemia research, $5.7M
6. Igor Grant, UC San Diego: AIDS neurology, tissue bank, $5.2M
7. Kenneth Menton, Duke University: Demographics of aging, $5.1M
8. Walter Willett, Harvard University:
Diet and disease risk, $5.1M
Studies With Walter C. Willett as Project Leader (The Nurses Health Study was used to propagandize for Fen-Phen)
9. Robert Hobson, U of Med/Dent New Jersey: Vascular surgery trial, $5.1M
10. Carl Grunfeld, UC San Francisco: HIV and metabolism, $4.7M
1. Eric Lander, Whitehead Institute: $65.3M
2. Robert Waterston, Washington University: $44.6M
3. Richard Gibbs, Baylor College of Medicine: $23.8M
4. Gerald Rubin, UC Berkeley: $14.1M
5. Ronald Davis, Stanford University: $9.4M
(These are the major publicly funded genome sequencing labs, which will supposedly be winding down in 2003 (?). Total = $157.2M.
1. Ronald Crystal, Cornell University: Gene therapy, $6.6M
2. Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus, UCLA: AIDS education, interventions, $5.7M
3. Kenneth Manton, Duke University: Demographics of Aging, $5.5M
4. Xiping Xu, Harvard University: Genetic, environmental epidemiology, $4.2M
5. Joseph Sodroski, Dana-Farber Cancer Inst.: HIV glycoproteins, $4.1M
6. Aravinda Chakravarti, Johns Hopkins University: Human disease genetics, $3.7M
7. Bruce Walker, Harvard University: Immune response to HIV, $3.4M
8. Irving Weissman, Stanford University: Hematopoietic stem cells, $3.0M
9. Daniel Tenen, Harvard University: Blood development and leukemia, $3.0M
10. Michael Oldstone, Scripps Research Institute: Virus immunobiology, $3.0M
Not counting the extravagant human genome project ($157.2 million), for various other genetics/gene therapy investigations, funding equals $44.3 million; for HIV/AIDS $28.9 million; for surveys, $19 million; for leukemia, hematopoietic stem cells, and bone marrow transplant research, $17.1 million; cell signaling (a reductionist indulgence which in practice leads to absurdities such as blaming excessive acid production for ulcers and treating them with H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors instead of antibiotics), $14.8 million; diet and disease (sure to produce the kind of conflicting results to which the public has become accustomed), $11.4 million; vascular surgery/vascular endothelium research, $10 million. Even the $11.9 million cancer vaccine/surgery trials are aimed at treating tumors, not prevention of them. Needless to say, investigating the role of infection in so-called chronic diseases doesn't even show up on the radar screen.
A Nature Special Report: Alliance signals a fresh type of scientific research endeavour as the post-genomic face of 'big biology' gets under way. Diane Gershon investigates. Nature Jobs 2001 Apr 15. "With seven laboratories, about 50 principal investigators, and over US$25 million in federal funding for the first 5 of its 10 years, the Alliance for Cell Signaling (AFCS) is serving as an example of the post-genomic face of 'big biology.' This multi-disciplinary effort will focus on the G-protein-regulated (and related) signalling systems in two types of mouse cell - B lymphocyte and specialized heart cells known as cardiac myocytes." The $25 million is from the National Institute for General Medical Sciences; "Further funds from other NIH institutes, the pharmaceutical industry, non-profit organizations and an anonymous Dallas philanthropist could boost the five-year total to $50 million."
"Al Gilman, a professor of pharmacology at the University of Texas Southwestern (UT Southwestern) Medical Center in Dallas, began two years ago to assemble an impressive cadre of researchers to work to understand fully how cells interpret signals in a context-dependent manner. 'For years my own research had been going in a more and more reductionist direction but I had always been wondering how one could turn it around,' says Gilman, who was awarded the 1994 Nobel prize for his discovery of G proteins and their role in signal transduction in cells."
Evidently he believes that more money is the solution. And for this as well as his Nobel honors, it helps to have family connections to Lasker Syndicate tax dollars through the Goodman and Gilman "Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics" dynasty. Meanwhile, if not for his benefactors, ulcers could have been treated with antibiotics since the 1940s without knowing a damn thing about cell signaling.
Alliance for Cell Signaling / Nature Jobs (pdf)In 1997, the American Health Foundation got $11 million from the NIH; The RAND Corporation got $11 million; Johns Hopkins University got $292 million; the University of California at San Francisco got $215 million; Harvard University got $180 million.
Brown Books Research Menu, 1992-97 / National Institutes of HealthAs of 3/4/2012, there are 3,119 results for "Tobacco," which cover
only the budgets for 2008-2010. Fat Cats who received over $1 million
in a single year include: Demetrius Albanes, $1,777,919 in 2008 and
$1,155,055 in 2009 for "Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer
Prevention (ATBC Study)", at NCI; Marshall W. Anderson, $1,006,509 in
2008 for "Genetic Epidemiology of Lung Cancer," at the University of
Cincinnati; Selena E Bartlett et al., $1,010,442 in 2009 and $1,010,412
in 2010 for "Characterizing Alpha5* Nicotinic Receptors in Alcohol and
Nicotine Co-Dependence, at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center;
Laura Jean Bierut received $1,027,033 in 2009 for "Genetics Study of
Nicotine Dependence in African Americans" at Washington University;
Anthony Biglan at Oregon Research Institute received $1,156,647 in 2008
for "Randomized Trial of a State Tobacco Prevention Program;" Kathleen
Theresa Brady at the Medical University of South Carolina received
$1,250,000 in 2009 for the South Carolina Consortium of the Clinical
Trials Network; Louise Brinton at NCI received $1,537,322 in 2009 (and
nearly $1 million the previous year) for "Studies of Rare Cancers;"
Patricia A. Buffler at the University of California-Berkeley received
$1,177,061 in 2009 and $1,095,067 in 2010 for "Childhood Leukemia and
Home Environmental Exposures;" Kathleen M. Carroll at Yale University
received $2,163,000 in 2010 for "Psychotherapy Development Research
Center;" Nilanjan Chatterjee at NCI received $3,182,021 in 2008 and
$3,016,931 in 2009 for "Methods for Epidemiology Studies"
[gene-related]; Wong Chow at NCI received $1,158,916 in 2008 for
"Occupational and Emvironmental Determinants of Cancer Among Women and
Minorities;" Peter M. Cram at the University of Iowa received
$1,306,667 in 2010 for "A Patient Activation Intervention to Enhance
Bone Health;" Benjamin F. Cravatt at Scripps Research Institute
received $1,543,823 in 2009 and $1,413,284 in 2010 for "A Quantitative
Proteomics Platform to Characterize the Nicotine-Dependent Brain;" Dana
C. Crawford at Vanderbilt University received $1,683,902 in 2008,
$1,689,126 in 2009, and $1,791,938 in 2010 (plus several more of
several hundred thousand dollars each) for "Epidemiologic Architecture
for Genes Linked to Environment (EAGLE);" Donald H. DeHayes at the
University of Rhode Island received $2,845,473 in 2010 for "URI Central
Behavior Change Research Facility;" Kelly Doran at BLH Technologies
received a contract for $1,297,042 in 2010 for "NCI, TCRB Scientific
and Technical Services Support;" Steven Goldberg at NIDA received
$1,273,289 in 2009 and $1,196,392 in 2010 for "Control of Behavior by
Drug Injections;" Richard S. Hayes at NCI received $2,342,091 in 2008
for PLCO [Prostate, Lung, Colorectal
and Ovarian Cancer] Trial Etiologic and Early Marker Study;" Stephen
Heishman at NIDA received $1,569,419 in 2008 for
"Neurocognitive/Affective Correlates of Tobacco Dependence in
Adolescents," and eighteen others over the years for that and related
work; Lloyd D. Johnston at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
received $1,615,701 in 2009 and $1,633,498 in 2010 for "A
Cohort-Sequential Panal [sic] Study of Drug Use, Ages 19-50," and also
received $4,866,537 in 2009 and $4,937,241 in 2010 for "Drug Use and
Lifestyles of American Youth;" Lloyd Patrick Johnston of Selecta
Biosciences Inc. received $997,127 from NIDA plus $1,999,481 from OD in
2010 for "Development of a Next Generation Vaccine for
Smoking Cessation and Relapse Preven.;" Paul D. Kessler at NABI
Biopharmaceuticals received $500,000 from NIMH plus $7,441,654 from
NIDA in 2009, and also received $500,000 from NIMH plus $1,565,470 from
NIDA in 2010, for "Phase III Study of a Nicotine Vaccine
for Smoking Cessation;" Edmundo Nelson Kraiselburd at University of
Puerto Rico Medical Sciences received $1,479,021 in 2008, $1,502,618 in
2009, and $1,547,110 in 2010 for "A Caribbean Project for Clinical and
Basic Neuroscience Research;" Loic Le Marchand at University of
Minnesota-Twin Cities received $1,030,073 in 2010 for "Multiethnic
Genome Scan of Metabolic Phenotypes;" Donghui Li at University of Texas
and MD Anderson Cancer Center received $1,020,222 in 2008 for
"Molecular Epidemiology of Pancreatic Cancer;" Ming D. Li at University
of Virginia-Charlottesville received $1,064,474 in 2010 for "Fine
Mapping Susceptibility Loci for Nicotine Dependence;" Ilona Linnoila
NCI received $1,169,604 in 2010 for "Molecular Pathology of Pulmonary
Carcinogenesis;" Russell V. Luepker at University of Minnesota - Twin
Cities received $1,587,813 in 2008 for "Minnesota Heart Survey -
Renewal;" Pamela Ann Madden at Washington University received
$1,027,800 in 2008 for "The Genetics of Vulnerability to Nicotine
Addictions," plus large sums in 2009 and 2010; Colleen McBride at
National Human Genome Research Institute received $1,069,256 in 2008
for "Family Risk and Lung Cancer Study;" William Joseph McBride at
Indiana University - Purdue University at Indianapolis received
$1,348,982 in 2009 and $1,229,716 in 2010 for "Ethanol and Nicotine
Co-Abuse: Cross Sensitization of Their Reinforcing Actions;" Pamela
Markell McMahon at Massachusetts General Hospital received $1,252,774
in 2010 for "Comparative Modeling of Lung Cancer Control Policies;"
Robin J. Mermelstein at University of Illinois at Chicago received
$1,031,822 in 2010 for "Patterns and Predictors of Smoking From
Adolescence to Young Adulthood;" Alexey G. Mukhin at Duke University
received $1,303,043 in 2009 and $1,280,461 in 2010 for "Improving the
Efficacy of Anti-Nicotine
Immunotherapy;" Robert O'Conner at Alion Science and Technology
Corp. received $5,447,184 in 2010 for "Research on Inhalation
Toxicology of Environmental Chemicals;" Carole Ober et al. of
University of Chicago received $2,823,201 from OD and $2,823,200 from
NHLBI in 2009 for "The Eve Asthma Genetics Consortium Building Upon
GWAS;" Bert J.W.M. Oehlen of Angion Biomedical Corp. received
$1,135,445 fom NHLBI in 2009 for "Therapeutic Use of Small-Molecule
HGF-Mimetic for Emphysema;" Gloria M. Petersen at Mayo Clinic received
$1,900,115 in 2009 for "Pancreatic Cancer Genetic Epidemiology
Consortium (PACGENE);" Arthur V. Peterson at Fred Hutchinson Cancer
Center received $1,079,330 in 2010 for "Proactive Smoking Cessation for
Adolescents;" Amelie G. Ramirez of University of Texas Health Sciences
Center - San Antonio received $1,482,876 in 2009 for "Redes en Accion:
National Latino Cancer Research Network;" Bruce D. Rapkin at
Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research received $1,174,945 in
2010, and nearly $1 million the previous year, for "Developmental
Core;" William N. Rom at New York University School of Medicine
received $1,060,848 in 2008 and $1,082,162 in 2009 for "NYU Lung Cancer
Biomarker Center;" Lynn Rosenberg of Boston University Medical Campus
received $1,680,267 in 2008 for "A Follow-Up Study for Causes of
Illness in Black Women;" James D. Sargent of Dartmouth College received
$3,000,000 in 2009, and several grants of over $800K, for "Visual Media
Influences on Adolescent Smoking Behavior (Y10-14 Renewal);" David
Albert Schwartz of National Jewish Health received $1,643,541 in 2009
and $1,646,362 in 2010 for "GWAS in Fibrosing Interstitial Lung
Disease;" Robert M. Senior of Washington University received $1,753,759
for "Mechanisms in the Remodeling of Lung Structure;" Scott Sherman of
New York University School of Medicine received $1,006,699 in 2010 for
"Effectiveness of Smoking-Cessation Interventions for Urban Hospital
Patients;" Debra Silverman of NCI received $2,021,956 in 2008 and
$1,123,133 in 2009 for "Cancer Risk in Human Populations;" Kari
Stefansson of Decode Genetics Inc. received $1,109,442 in 2008 for
"Genes Contributing to Nicotine Dependence in Humans;" Elliot Stein of
NIDA received $2,892,727 in 2008, $2,757,878 in 2009, and $1,314,874
for "Brain Imaging of Human Drug Abuse;" also $1,314,874 in 2010 for
"Functional and Structural Brain Circuits Underlying Smoking;" also
$1,239,740 in 2008 for "Development of New Approaches to Neuroimaging
with PET and SPECT;" Victor J. Strecher of University of Michigan at
Ann Arbor received $1,690,307 in 2009 and $1,757,000 in 2010 for
"Statewide Web-Based Cessation Program Evaluating Media and Cessation
Components;" Lu Taylor of Battelle Memorial Institute received
$1,519,001 in 2010 for "Studies to Evaluate the Toxicological Potential
of Test Articles;" George Uhl of NIDA received $1,509,084 in 2009 for
"Molecular Genetic Bases For Quit Success;" Unavailable [sic] at
Omneuron Inc. received $1,874,252 in 2008 for SBIR Phase II Contract
N44DA8-4408 - Development of a Real-Time FMRI Feedback Sy;" Unavailable
[sic] at California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute received
$1,138,487 in 2008 for "Medications Development for Stimulant
Dependence;" Unavailable [sic] at Information Management Services Inc.
received $6,769,947 in 2008 for "Biomedical Computing Support of Cancer
Control and Surveillance;" Kevin G. Volpp at University of Pennsylvania
received $1,350,389 from OD and $1,350,388 from NIA in 2009, plus
$1,351,794 from OD and $1,351,793 from NIA in 2010, for "Developing
Interactive Technologies to Improve Research and Health Behavior;" John
K. Wiencke of University of California - San Francisco received
$1,384,656 in 2008 for "Biomarkers of Lung Cancer Susceptibility in
Minorities;" Robert A. Wise et al. at Johns Hopkins University received
$1,087,246 in 2010 for "Enhancing NRF2 by Sulfoaphane Treatment in
COPD;" Jerrell L. Yakel of NIEHS received $1,960,609 in 2008,
$2,064,429 in 2009, and $2,238,386 in 2010 for "Modulation of Neuronal
Channels and Receptors in the Brain." Total of just the listed figures
is $162,317,316 for 2008-2010, an average of $54,105,772 per year.
Mirjana V. Djordjevik is
the Program Official of the National Cancer Institute in charge of the
multi-year, multimillion-dollar anti-tobacco projects of Andrew
Strasser and K. Michael Cummins.
cast 04-29-12