- © 2007 Canadian Medical Association
Weary of serving as the “scapegoat” for researchers who are disgruntled about declining success rates in grant competitions, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) President Dr. Alan Bernstein will walk away from the final 3 years of his second term by resigning his post effective Oct. 31.
“You don't want to overstay your welcome,” said Bernstein, who has been at the CIHR helm for 7 years. “In these leadership positions, you have to be careful to leave at the right time and the longer you are on the job, the more defensive you get of your own track record.”
The basic biomedical research community has simmered with discontent as success rates in grant competitions began to drop as a consequence of the federal government having contained the growth rate of the agency's base budget to 5% or less in each of the past 3 years.
Complaints were few as the overall CIHR pie grew rapidly at the start of the decade from a $250 million level in 2001, when the predecessor Medical Research Council was dissolved in favor of an agency with a mandate to expand the ambit of Canadian research beyond basic biomedical science to include 3 other pillars: clinical, population health, and health services and systems research.
But as the CIHR received modest budget increases of 4.4%, 2.4% and 5%, respectively, in the past 3 years (raising the current base budget to $737 million), the biomedical research community began grumbling about the extent to which monies were being funneled into the 3 other pillars or being pumped into strategic initiatives in areas of national health need. A review of CIHR's structure, function and processes conducted last year indicated the community wanted to clip the wings of senior management by decentralizing authority to divide the financial pie (CMAJ 2006;175[8]:857–8). The governing council subsequently agreed to establish such a decision-making committee, comprised primarily of the scientific directors of CIHR's existing 13 institutes.
It's only natural for such complaints to surface as budgetary pressures increase, Bernstein said. “They want to find a scapegoat. That's why I'm paid the big bucks.”
There are those within the research community who don't understand that the CIHR has a mandated, legislative responsibility to significantly expand the ambit of its research, as that was the rationale for its creation, Bernstein added. “Some people have difficulty seeing that vision. Fair enough. But that's not CIHR. CIHR has a broader vision.”
Bernstein also indicated that his resignation should not be construed as an expression of dissatisfaction with the government's plans to separate the presidency into 2 administrative positions, while appointing more corporate representatives to the governing board (CMAJ 2007;177[1]:21–2). “I never felt it was a top 10 priority in terms of a science and technology policy but I don't object to that.” Nor did the government quietly orchestrate his departure. “I've never felt nudged.”
Bernstein will not return to the Samuel Lunenfeld Institute, where he earned his scientific stripes through stem cell research. Rather, he'll pursue international career options. “I just turned 60 and I felt I've got another job in me. But I'm not sure what it'll be yet.”