This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Science can be a divisive issue. Yet scientific research is largely responsible for many modern conveniences and life-saving technologies.
It is also a major source of jobs here in Utah.
For the past five years, the University of Utah and BYU have been among the top institutions in start-up companies generated by university research. These start-ups create tens of thousands of jobs and generate billions of dollars for local, state and national economies.
These achievements should be a source of pride for Utahns, but their persistence is threatened. The budget for the National Institutes of Health, the major funding source for biomedical sciences, will be cut 8 percent on Jan. 1.
This will eliminate thousands of federal grants to fund research, including many that could go to Utah researchers. By the lowest estimates, the return on NIH investments in research is around 2 to 1.
Cutting the NIH budget will reduce job creation here and around the country. Please write to your members of Congress and ask them to prevent cuts to the NIH budget.
Together we can keep Utah a center for innovation for years to come.
Daniel Reich
Salt Lake City