Young Investigators in Toxicology: Is There a Crisis?

Reduced investment in research, sequester uncertainty, and the ever-decreasing spending power of the NIH budget over the past several years have been extremely trying for the scientific enterprise, straining the infrastructure on which so many of us depend. Several have written on the topic and proposed solutions to deal with these challenges. Notably, Ron Daniels, President of Johns Hopkins University, outlined many of the problems in a recent Editorial (Daniels, 2015), and others have addressed some of the more systemic problems with our biomedical research structure (Alberts et al., 2014). Indeed, we may need some fundamental changes in how we perform biomedical research. That said, I believe that toxicologists are better positioned than many of the other subdisciplines within biomedical sciences. A perceived dearth of opportunities for budding toxicologists is one of the most toxic results of the current scientific environment. I am not suggesting that it is all perception, but rather that it may not be as bad as it seems. Senior scientists lament the current situation often in the presence of their trainees, so much so that many seem to think that quenching the fire inside developing scientists is part of their job description. Such negativity may reflect reality, but mentors must resist the temptation to extinguish the hopes and dreams of their trainees. Intelligent trainees with creativity and enthusiasm are going to eventually succeed in some endeavor. We need this endeavor to be toxicology. Thus, while the basic biomedical scientist certainly has fewer opportunities than in the past, the field of toxicology has had and continues to have much more to offer. We still have the basic research positions in academia, but there are also numerous opportunities in government and the private sector (even though these entities are also suffering from shrinking budgets and reduced investment in research). The need for toxicology is not shrinking. Even if we think the support for these needs is lagging, we must remain competitive for the scarce resources. Yes, the environment now is different than when many of us were in school, but all hope is not lost. We must equip our trainees to succeed in the evolving scientific landscape. I have taken the Editorial liberty of offering some unsolicited advice to my captive audience designed to abate the crisis.