GEN Poll Suggests Possible Migration of Scientists from NIH to Industry

Feb. 23, 2012 - PRLog -- Contact: John Sterling, Editor in Chief, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News, 914-740-2196, jsterling@genengnews.com

New Rochelle, NY—A majority of voters who responded to a Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN; http://www.genengnews.com) poll believe that the lowering of the salary cap for NIH principal investigators and officials by $20,000 may drive government researchers toward potentially more lucrative jobs in industry. About 57.1% of respondents believe that NIH scientists may soon be sending out their resumes; 34.9% of voters did not think there would be a migration of scientists to industry, while 7.9% were undecided (http://www.genengnews.com/gen-polls/nih-scientists/95/).

Jameson & Company, a CPA firm, reported that the NIH salary decision “will have a major effect on University NIH Grants, R01s, and SBIR/STTR and the direct salary received from these awards.” Lowering the salary cap was directed by the passage of H.R. 2055 last December. The legislation substitutes Executive Level 2, which commands an annual salary of $179,700, for Executive Level I, which paid up to $199,700.

“We all understand that the U.S. government has huge financial problems,” said John Sterling, Editor in Chief of GEN. “But the NIH is a priceless research and medical institution that has been responsible for numerous advances in the life science field. If we want to keep extraordinary scientists working at the NIH, it will be critical to find a way to ensure that they are properly and competitively remunerated.”

For a copy of a current issue of GEN, please call (914) 740-2122, or email: ebicovny@liebertpub.com

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Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN; www.genengnews.com), which is published 21 times a year by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., is the most widely read biotechnology news magazine worldwide. It includes articles on Drug Discovery, Bioprocessing, OMICS, Biobusiness, and Translational Medicine.