Bioscience Initiative

NJABR’s successful 2017 Biomedical Research Advocacy Summit led to the development of the Bioscience Initiative, a grassroots styled affiliation of interested individuals who are helping to promote research advocacy throughout the country. This effort played an important role in helping spur the research community’s shift toward greater openness in 2018. While there are many important groups involved with this transparency movement, the Bioscience Initiative’s efforts played a key part in the community’s ongoing advocacy evolution. In 2018, the Initiative undertook the following activities:

• The Initiative developed and sponsored a seminar at the National AALAS Meeting focused on developing practical skills for the next generation of biomedical research advocates;
• Bioscience Initiative taskforce members were invited to participate in meetings with the Institutional Officials Consortium to discuss the future direction and planning of public advocacy related to biomedical research;
• The Initiative assisted with Americans for Medical Progress’s Biomedical Research Awareness Day activities and helped develop a booklet of materials to help institutions facilitate their own BRAD celebrations;
• Plans are already being made to develop a second advocacy summit with participants from a broader coalition of animal interests, as well as to review research specific initiatives, including how to facilitate open discussions about the importance of animals in research and empowering colleagues to speak about the work they do each day.