Biophysical Society Newsletter | January 2017

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BIOPHYSICAL SOCIETY NEWSLETTER 7
JANUARY 2017
21st Century Cures Act
Becomes Law
House and Senate health committee leaders came
to agreement over the Thanksgiving holiday on a
revised 21st Century Cures Act. The bill provides
NIH with $4.8 billion for FY 2017-2026, including
$1.4 billion for the Precision Medicine Initiative,
$1.564 billion for the BRAIN Initiative, $1.802
billion for cancer research, and $30 million to
expand clinical research for regenerative medicine
using adult stem cells. Other sections of the bill
focus on easing regulations at the Food and Drug
Administration for drug approval and provide fund-
ing to combat the prescription opioid and heroin
epidemic. The research funding is not as much as
in the original bill passed by the House in 2015 and
requires yearly congressional approval for the funds
to be released. The bill was approved by an over-
whelming majority in the House and Senate, and
signed by the President before Congress adjourned
for the year. The Ad Hoc Group for Medical
Research, of which the BPS is a member, issued a
statement supporting the NIH provisions.
Congress Passes Continuing
Resolution through March
With the election of Republican President-Elect
Trump, the Republican-controlled Congress passed
a second continuing resolution (CR) funding the
federal government through April 28, 2017 at FY
2016 levels rather than a full year budget that would
require the approval of President Obama. The CR
does add $352 million to the NIH budget dur-
ing that time period to allow NIH to begin to
implement the initiatives approved by the 21st
Century Cures Act. The Ad Hoc Group for Medi-
cal Research sent a letter to leaders of the House
and Senate in November urging them to pass a
final FY 2017 spending package by the end of the
calendar year, and to include the Senate-proposed
$34.1 billion for the National Institutes of Health
(NIH) in that package. The Biophysical Society
signed the letter along with 228 other organizations.
The short-term funding measures make it difficult
for agencies to plan and make awards, not know-
ing what their budgets actually will be. This has
a negative impact on grantees whose funding for
continuing grants is reduced during the period of
uncertainty, and for those seeking renewals or new
funding that is usually delayed.
“…this has been the most
useful and wonderful summer of
my college career. Not only have I
learned academically, I have built
multiple bridges that can only
benefit me in the future.”
“I learned new lab techniques as
well as worked on the project inde-
pendently. I was able to complete
my own experiments and when
I had questions or hit a snag, my
mentor was available to help.”
See what past students have to say...
May 9 – July 28, 2017
University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
Priority Application Deadline:
February 15, 2017
2017 Summer Research Program in Biophysics
To apply and for more information visit the program webpage at .
For questions, email Daniel McNulty at or call 240-290-5611.
Interested in interdisciplinary science? Want to work in the fast growing area of biomedical research? Looking to learn
new techniques through hands-on lab experience this summer? If so, then check out the Biophysical Society’s Summer
Research Program in Biophysics, an 11-week scholarship program that introduces underrepresented* students to the field
of biophysics. The program includes lectures, seminars, lab work, team-building activities and field trips.
*Financially disadvantaged individuals, students with disabilities, and individuals who have been found to be underrepresented in biomedical or behavioral research
are eligible to apply. Nationally, these individuals include, but are not limited to: African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans/Alaska Natives who
maintain tribal affiliation or community attachment, Hawaiian Natives and natives of the US Pacific Islands. Individuals with disabilities are defined as those with a
physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.