September 19, 2005
COMMENTARY: Yes on 4 | Why bond funding for health-related R&D is critical to Maine's economy
By Steven Price
Director of communications, University of New England, Biddeford
On Nov. 8, Maine citizens will have the opportunity ˆ with a single vote ˆ to stimulate the state's lagging economy and enhance their future health and wellbeing.
The $20 million "Economic Development Jobs Bond" (ballot question #4) includes $12 million to foster the state's rapidly expanding biomedical and marine science research industries. Over the weeks leading to election day, much will be written and said about the very real economic benefits that passage of this bond will bring to our state. Passage will translate into immediate construction jobs, as well as long-term, high-paying research and research-associated technology jobs. These are jobs that will stay in Maine because they are tied to stable, Maine-based research institutions.
Equally important, however, are the direct health and medical benefits that Maine citizens will realize from the diverse array of basic and applied research this bond money will support.
The beneficiaries of the lion's share of the $20 million will be two research coalitions: the Maine Biomedical Research Coalition, composed of The Jackson Laboratory, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, Foundation for Blood Research and Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, and the Maine Marine Research Coalition, a group of 25 public, private, nonprofit and for-profit Maine institutions.
In the case of the MBRC, all five institutions are conducting research on major diseases, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, Alzheimer's disease, cystic fibrosis and glaucoma ˆ to name only a few areas of investigation.
At the University of New England, with which I am the most familiar, Amy Davidoff is investigating why diabetics suffer unusually high rates of heart disease. Edward Bilsky is researching a new family of non-addictive drugs that could replace morphine for treatment of severe pain. Ian Meng is exploring the brain mechanisms underlying headache pain, and how the overuse of drugs to treat migraine headaches may actually increase headache frequency.
The Jackson Laboratory is the world's largest genetics research center, and is a leader in researching the underlying causes of human disease, including cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, hypertension, obesity and neurological disorders. The Maine Medical Center Research Institute's core strengths are molecular biology and genetics, health services and clinical research. MMCRI has nearly 300 clinical research trials now underway, involving more than 3,000 patients, using the latest drugs, devices and treatment regimens.
Foundation for Blood Research's purpose is to find more effective ways to identify, manage and prevent human disease. The foundation's overall goal is to improve public health. Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory is an international center for comparative physiology, toxicology and marine genomic studies.
Many people are often surprised to learn that Maine is the home to such powerhouse biomedical research organizations, and taken aback by the remarkable range and depth of their research activities.
The marine coalition's research strengths derive from the productivity of the Gulf of Maine, an innovative fishing industry and a committed science community with world-class researchers. The planned future collaboration of biomedical research and marine science research holds the promise of discovering and developing valuable health products, like so-called "medicines from the sea."
It should be obvious that human health is directly tied to a healthy environment, which in turn makes it possible to have a healthy economy, especially in state like Maine where tourism, fishing and agriculture are key industries. Many of our state's economic health indexes are tied to the Gulf of Maine, so it is imperative that we understand it and protect it.
This year's state bond funding, as with previous bonds that included R&D money, will help build the infrastructure and expand the capabilities of the biomedical and marine research industries in Maine. All the biomedical coalition members are in some stage of new facility construction or upgrade. Bond money will help them complete their projects, which will allow them to recruit more research scientists and their attendant research teams. These institutions' basic research discoveries will inevitably lead, hopefully through the development of Maine-based, spin-off biotech companies, to new drugs, equipment and procedures that will greatly enhance the health of all of us, in Maine and beyond.
In the years ahead, Maine's biomedical and marine research institutions expect to become major players in the state's and the region's expanding research and development sector. The R&D Corridor, which starts in Maryland and moves up the northeast coast along the Amtrak route to Boston, needs to be extended only slightly to include Maine. Health care is a growth industry in Maine, and it drives the economy in many regions, including New England. And dozens of other states are investing tens and even hundreds of millions of dollars in their R&D-powered economies.
Other related elements of the Economic Development Jobs Bond include money to invest in small Maine businesses with the potential for high growth, and funds to help develop a graduate school of biomedical science on the University of Maine's Bangor campus.
The name of the political committee organized to promote passage of this bond question is aptly titled "Jobs for a Healthy Maine" (my italics). When you combine the potential for both better health and a more robust economy, you have a compelling argument for supporting Question #4 on the November ballot.
On Nov. 8, Maine citizens will have the opportunity ˆ with a single vote ˆ to stimulate the state's lagging economy and enhance their future health and wellbeing.
The $20 million "Economic Development Jobs Bond" (ballot question #4) includes $12 million to foster the state's rapidly expanding biomedical and marine science research industries. Over the weeks leading to election day, much will be written and said about the very real economic benefits that passage of this bond will bring to our state. Passage will translate into immediate construction jobs, as well as long-term, high-paying research and research-associated technology jobs. These are jobs that will stay in Maine because they are tied to stable, Maine-based research institutions.
Equally important, however, are the direct health and medical benefits that Maine citizens will realize from the diverse array of basic and applied research this bond money will support.
The beneficiaries of the lion's share of the $20 million will be two research coalitions: the Maine Biomedical Research Coalition, composed of The Jackson Laboratory, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, Foundation for Blood Research and Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, and the Maine Marine Research Coalition, a group of 25 public, private, nonprofit and for-profit Maine institutions.
In the case of the MBRC, all five institutions are conducting research on major diseases, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, Alzheimer's disease, cystic fibrosis and glaucoma ˆ to name only a few areas of investigation.
At the University of New England, with which I am the most familiar, Amy Davidoff is investigating why diabetics suffer unusually high rates of heart disease. Edward Bilsky is researching a new family of non-addictive drugs that could replace morphine for treatment of severe pain. Ian Meng is exploring the brain mechanisms underlying headache pain, and how the overuse of drugs to treat migraine headaches may actually increase headache frequency.
The Jackson Laboratory is the world's largest genetics research center, and is a leader in researching the underlying causes of human disease, including cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis, hypertension, obesity and neurological disorders. The Maine Medical Center Research Institute's core strengths are molecular biology and genetics, health services and clinical research. MMCRI has nearly 300 clinical research trials now underway, involving more than 3,000 patients, using the latest drugs, devices and treatment regimens.
Foundation for Blood Research's purpose is to find more effective ways to identify, manage and prevent human disease. The foundation's overall goal is to improve public health. Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory is an international center for comparative physiology, toxicology and marine genomic studies.
Many people are often surprised to learn that Maine is the home to such powerhouse biomedical research organizations, and taken aback by the remarkable range and depth of their research activities.
The marine coalition's research strengths derive from the productivity of the Gulf of Maine, an innovative fishing industry and a committed science community with world-class researchers. The planned future collaboration of biomedical research and marine science research holds the promise of discovering and developing valuable health products, like so-called "medicines from the sea."
It should be obvious that human health is directly tied to a healthy environment, which in turn makes it possible to have a healthy economy, especially in state like Maine where tourism, fishing and agriculture are key industries. Many of our state's economic health indexes are tied to the Gulf of Maine, so it is imperative that we understand it and protect it.
This year's state bond funding, as with previous bonds that included R&D money, will help build the infrastructure and expand the capabilities of the biomedical and marine research industries in Maine. All the biomedical coalition members are in some stage of new facility construction or upgrade. Bond money will help them complete their projects, which will allow them to recruit more research scientists and their attendant research teams. These institutions' basic research discoveries will inevitably lead, hopefully through the development of Maine-based, spin-off biotech companies, to new drugs, equipment and procedures that will greatly enhance the health of all of us, in Maine and beyond.
In the years ahead, Maine's biomedical and marine research institutions expect to become major players in the state's and the region's expanding research and development sector. The R&D Corridor, which starts in Maryland and moves up the northeast coast along the Amtrak route to Boston, needs to be extended only slightly to include Maine. Health care is a growth industry in Maine, and it drives the economy in many regions, including New England. And dozens of other states are investing tens and even hundreds of millions of dollars in their R&D-powered economies.
Other related elements of the Economic Development Jobs Bond include money to invest in small Maine businesses with the potential for high growth, and funds to help develop a graduate school of biomedical science on the University of Maine's Bangor campus.
The name of the political committee organized to promote passage of this bond question is aptly titled "Jobs for a Healthy Maine" (my italics). When you combine the potential for both better health and a more robust economy, you have a compelling argument for supporting Question #4 on the November ballot.
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