Recommendation 7
While the research carried out in the intramural program is of high quality, and includes some historically exceptional discoveries and contributions, we consider here whether the large capital expenditure that underwrites the IRP could contribute to progress in biomedical science in a way that is distinct from the extramural program. One way to make the IRP more distinctive would be to develop it into a career incubator for extraordinary PhD scientists with no (or very little) postdoctoral experience. In such a program, versions of which have been developed on a small scale at several universities and research institutes in the U.S. and elsewhere (e.g., the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg), freshly minted PhDs would be nominated by their PhD advisors as having the intellect, skills, and drive to initiate and manage an exceptionally original and potentially impactful research program. Selected candidates would be provided an equipped lab, salary and research funding for up to seven years, after which they would depart for an extramural research position facilitated by a 3-year transition grant, making these candidates extremely attractive to extramural institutions, while encouraging intramural turnover. Such an incubator program would enable these exceptional individuals the opportunity to launch their research careers immediately, without the time and expense of postdoctoral training and research grant preparation, arguably at a career stage characterized by peak energy and creativity. The incubator will also place the IRP at the leading edge of emerging fields. Experience with similar programs has shown that even small cohorts of such “Independent Fellows” gain stimulation and inspiration from associating with each other, and that their re- search programs and their very presence are exciting and energizing for the host institution. In turn, of course, they would learn, and be inspired and actively mentored, by the cadre of outstanding established scientists in the IRP. A pilot for this program within the IRP might recruit a cohort of 100 Independent Fellows over the course of three years. If estimated costs for an independent fellow are approximately four-fold that for an IRP postdoc, the pilot could be fully paid for by a parallel 10% attrition-driven reduction over three years in the size of the IRP postdoc population.
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