Government Shutdown Halts Scientific Research Projects Across The Country

[marmar]

WASHINGTON -- Just hours into the government shutdown on Monday, the world of scientific research began feeling the pain.

Across the country, federal agencies shut their doors and required non-essential personnel to drop their work. The result was something akin to short-term paralysis, not just for officials in those institutions but also for the large community of researchers and academics that depends on them.

At the University of Hawaii, work on a vaccination for rat lungworm disease -- a gastrointestinal infection that causes eosinophilic meningitis in humans -- was put on hold when scientists were suddenly prohibited from accessing the facilities where they do a large portion of their work.

Dr. Susan Jarvi, an associate professor at the university's campus in Hilo, said the shutdown could mean a major setback for her research, which has gone on for roughly two years now. One of two researchers in the state looking into rat lungworm disease, she is currently testing whether a vaccine developed in Spain could prove effective on rats in Hawaii. ......................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/01/government-shutdown-scientific-research_n_4025894.html?ncid=txtlnkushpmg00000037

[etherealtruth]

1. No shit!

this rises to the level of treasonous

[Tien1985]

2. This is serious in part because

Rat and mouse life spans aren't very long. Having to step always from their work could throw away, literally, DECADES of research. And, on a slightly horrifying note, who is going to feed and water the animals?

[liberal_at_heart]

3. Sounds like quite a setback.

[cyberswede]

4. As if the sequester wasn't bad enough for research grants. nt