FY 2011 Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants

N

nutmeg

Are we broke if the gov't has money for these important projects?

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University of Connecticut, Storrs, Conn., $306,023 – This project will study pollen flow in perennial grasses intended for biofuel use, such as switchgrass and miscanthus.

AquaBounty Technologies, Waltham, Mass., $494,162 – This project would research technologies that would render fish sterile to decrease the risk of gene flow from transgene fish.

University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz., $499,909 – This project will research the risks associated with insect-resistance pyramided Bt cotton.

University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky., $ 500,000 – This project will develop a framework for assessing the risks of RNAi crops to arthropods.

University of Maryland, College Park, Md., $374,303 – This project will assess the impact of genetically modified fungi on all functionally known geochemical, ecological and environmental processes in the soil.

North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C., $499,819 – This project will investigate the potential risks of releasing the transgenic New World screwworm fly Cochliomyia hominivorax in the United States, Mexico and South America.

USDA Agricultural Research Service, Prosser, Wash., $992,760 – This project intends to assess the role of feral alfalfa in transgene transmission; the impact of pollinators on pollen-mitigated gene flow; and the flow of transgenes from genetically engineered RRA hay fields to conventional alfalfa seed production fields in different environments.

USDA Agricultural Research Service, Gainesville, Fla., $381,374 – This project will improve the development and ecological safety of genetically engineered insects created for improved biologically-based control programs.
 
At least the Tevatron is being shutdown. That thing costs roughly $50 a million to run as the scientists basically sit back and watch crap run around in a circle.

There is a ton of stuff out there that the science people want to build but they don't understand that money has a cost and what they want to build generates no economic benefit whatsoever.

$3 billion for LHC and they didn't find what they were looking for?!? Off with their heads!!!
 
Persons not familiar with these research fields and specific studies cannot properly evaluate their importance. All projects of this sort undergo a competitive review process whereby experts rank project merit according to specific criteria dictated by the funding agency. The review process varies in rigor and competitiveness with the agency

Even if you are an expert in any of the subjects addressed by these projects, it's ridiculous for you to conclude anything with regard to their merit based on the project title alone.
 
Rough yearly budgets:

Department of Defense $700B

National Institute of Health $30B

20:1 ratio is bizarre given the obvious fact that it is much easier to kill humans than to cure them.
 
Quote from shortie:

Rough yearly budgets:

Department of Defense $700B

National Institute of Health $30B

20:1 ratio is bizarre given the obvious fact that it is much easier to kill humans than to cure them.
More...

:D :D :D

But, seriously, it is way out of whack! And thanks for making me smile and pointing that out.
 
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