Tag Archives: policy

Dec 3rd: The Social Responsibility of the Scientist

By Lily | Published: December 1, 2009
I’ve been interested in technology and culture issues for a long time. I remember as a kid reading a speech by Richard Feynman on the value of science. In it, he tells a story about how science is like a key that can open the gates of heaven or hell, depending on how we use [...]
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Why the boom in cancer nanotechnology?

By Lily | Published: October 28, 2009
In the last decade, a ton of work has been done in cancer nanotechnology, with over 2500 articles published since the 80s, entire conferences devoted to the topic, and products already launched, such as the nanoparticle paclitaxel drug Abraxane. Of the 74 nanoparticle clinical trials currently on record in the US, 65 of them are [...]
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Taking risks in research: the NIH grant process

By Lily | Published: June 28, 2009
In an article published yesterday, Gina Kolata of the New York Times argued that the scientific grant system stifles innovation by funding only lower-risk projects. Although the article focuses on cancer research, many of the stories resonate with my time in academia.  One of the unwritten rules of writing a successful proposal: if you want [...]
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Blog rally for the Healthcare X PRIZE

By Lily | Published: May 26, 2009
Paul Levy, CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, has organized a blog rally to help design the Healthcare X PRIZE, a competition to improve the value of health care. Deadline for public comment is this Friday (5/29). Scott Shreeve, MD Senior Health Advisor at the X PRIZE Foundation, writes: … the X PRIZE [...]
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NIH Draft Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research: one more week to comment

By Lily | Published: May 19, 2009
There’s only one week left for the public to comment on the NIH Draft Guidelines for Human Stem Cell Research. The deadline is May 26th. Having worked with embryonic stem cells (albeit mouse, not human) as part of my doctoral research, I support stem cell research. Even though the guidelines are a huge step forward [...]
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