Summary:
Since the beginning of the National
Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S.-European cooperation been
a stong and vital component of NIH's research agenda, starting
with the travels of NIH's first director, Dr.
Joseph Kinyoun, to laboratories in France and Germany. Today
the NIH enjoys much collaboration with European colleagues.
While a few activities take place under the auspices of bilateral
programs, the majority of collaborations are initiated and carried
out without the assistance of formal agreements. In 1997, over
950 scientists from European universities, hospitals, and research
institutes came to the NIH as Visiting Scientists. Furthermore,
European scientists were investigators on more than 340 NIH-funded
grants and contracts (often in collaboration with U.S. scientists).
A number
of other European governmental organizations, some of which
are mentioned below, also support biomedical research. Together
with the NIH, they support the bulk of the world's publicly
funded biomedical research, supporting scientific investigations
of practically every aspect of human health. Below is a sampling
of activities involving U.S. and European scientists, followed
by a list of potentially useful links.
NIH-European Cooperation
European Union
Since
its beginning, the EU has supported research and development
activities in several areas of science, including the life
sciences. These activities, by their nature, involve collaborations
between scientists of the different member states. Under the
Fourth Framework Programme (1994-1998), the EU has supported
R&D activities at a level of ECU 13.1 billion ($14.6 billion),
with ECU 888 million ($993 million) for biomedicine and biotechnology
activities. The recently enacted Fifth Framework Programme
lays out priorities for the next five-year cycle. Life sciences
will receive increased emphasis in the Fifth Framework. Further
information about the Fifth Framework Programme can be obtained
from the EU's Community Research and Development Information
Service (CORDIS).
The U.S.-EU Science and Technology Agreement, signed December
1997, provides opportunities for U.S. scientists to collaborate
with EU-funded consortia.
Further
information about the U.S.-EU science and technology activities
can be found at the following locations:
U.S.-EU
Science and Technology Agreement
U.S.-EU
Task Force on Biotechnology
U.S.-EU
Task Force on Communicable Diseases
France
NIH cooperation
with French counterparts is quite strong in a number of biomedical
research areas. One significant area of cooperation is HIV/AIDS
research. In February 1995, NIAID and the French National
Agency for AIDS Research (ANRS) completed an exchange of letters
agreeing to strengthen collaboration in the development and
evaluation of HIV vaccines.
Germany
Since
1976, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has
had an agreement with the Federal Ministry of Education, Science,
Research and Technology (BMBF) for cooperation in biomedical
research. The BMBF
is the agency responsible for promoting the development of
education, coordinating government research, and funding the
major science organizations, such as the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
(DFG, the German equivalent of the National Science Foundation);
the Max Planck Society; and the Fraunhofer Society. This agreement
was last renewed February 24, 1998.
Hungary
From 1989
to 1997, the U.S. and Hungary contributed to a Joint Fund
for cooperation in science and technology. Although new funding
for this program is no longer available, projects awarded
in previous years are still ongoing. In some cases, collaborations
begun under the Joint Fund have been continued with funding
from other sources. Funding (in Hungarian forints only) for
joint U.S.-Hungary workshops in science and technology can
be obtained on a competitive basis. Contact the U.S.-Hungary
Joint Science and Technology Fund for more information.
Iceland
In September
1998, FIC staff participated in the "U.S.-Iceland Science
Day" conference to publicize opportunities for cooperation
between U.S. and Iceland scientists. The U.S. Embassy in Reykjavik
and the Icelandic
Research Council jointly supported this conference.
Italy
On November
3 and 4, 1997, representatives of the U.S. and Italian governments
met to discuss science and technology cooperation. On May
6, 1998, President Clinton and Italian Prime Minister Prodi
met and signed a Joint Statement. Special mentions were made
to the U.S.-Italy science and technology relationship, including
collaboration in HIV/AIDS, aging, cancer, and highlights future
cooperation in malaria research. The next meeting under the
U.S.-Italy Science and Technology Agreement will take place
in the fall of 1999 in Italy.
Poland
Since
1972 (with the exception of a six-year hiatus ending in 1987),
the U.S. and Poland have contributed to the Marie Sklowdowska-Curie
Joint Fund to promote cooperation between U.S. and Polish
scientists. The Joint Fund is nearing completion with final
awards made in the fall of 1998.
Spain
The U.S.-Spain
Joint Commission on Scientific and Technological Cooperation
was established by agreement between the governments of the
two nations. A primary activity of the commission was the
creation of the U.S.-Spain Joint S&T Fund, designed to
enable cooperation between U.S. and Spain scientists. Among
the health research-related priorities of the commission are
infectious and degenerative diseases, and drug development.
The second round of proposals for the Joint Fund was recently
awarded, and the call for proposals for the third and last
will be issued in September 1999. For more information, contact
the U.S.-Spain Commission for Cultural, Educational, and Scientific
Exchange at: postmaster@comision.fulbright.es.
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