As someone who has spent time conducting research for both current and future solutions, I think I would rather help in making discoveries for the current generation. I say this because I enjoy seeing the process all the way through. Because science builds from discovery to discovery, I believe the current findings could still possibly impact future generations and their research. I think both are important but depending on the severity and urgency of the problem, one may take precedence over the other.
I would rather do research that would result in making discoveries. I would definitely want the discovery to have been made during my lifetime but being able to be apart of something BIG is important to me. Finding cures to cancer or things that people struggle with daily, is something that I really am passionate about. Yes, in industry people will still be helped, but in academia, I have the opportunity to be a part of something great.
Although I have strong desires for discovery-based research, I think both types are important. If everyone one did discovery research, then the “now” would go lacking. Say a pandemic were to arise. Industry research will provide the tools necessary for a fast response to let say, something like COVID-19. So to me, both are necessary in their own way, to keep the world growing and evolving!
It depends on the cause in question. For example, cancer research has been ongoing for years to develop better treatment. With such a debilitating illness that is yet to be fully understood and targeted in the field, it is essential to continue contributing to the research. However, other diseases have yet to be studied. By studying them, preventative measures may develop. For me, it would be inspiring to be part of both types of research. There are several problems needing an urgent solution and which we are so close to fully understanding. Studies today help us solve current problems and potentially prolong longevity. On the other hand, studies for the future may aid in developing presentative methods or practices and could solve medical mysteries.
I would most definitely rather do industry research that will result in making discoveries to help the current generation so that I have the chance to see the impact that my research has. I also would rather do this because the research done now to help current generations, will be built upon in the future to help that current generation and so on. My goal is to solve problems and improve the lives of others and I think the industry approach to research will allow me to do that. I do think that both are important, but I would say that research intended to be applied for current generations is more important because it can be used both now and in the future whereas research geared to the future may not have any use now. The way I think about it, if we only did the research for future generations and kept thinking long-term, we wouldn’t be able to solve as many current problems. There is also the chance that this long-term use research could never amount to any valuable discoveries. This would mean that all of that work ended up not solving anything or helping anyone. I think that the research from short-term projects that go on to become valuable products that are used to help and have proven useful for current generations is more useful in further research used for more long-term goals. As mentioned in the question by @jpg32 to @Jz365, future research that ties back to current successful research, I believe, will end up being the most successful and is very important as well. I am more interested in doing research that will have a benefit now and solve current problems.
Research for now and for the future are particularly important and necessary. I consider research now to be like industry research which is very fast paced, and this allows researchers to feel a sense of immediate impact on patient lives. This makes me think of all the research that has been done on Covid-19. Even though we are not where want to be we are in a better place than we were two years ago because of the research now or industry research that has been done. Research for the future is more so academia research. Academia research is discovery focused, and much research is done for learning purposes. However, I believe this also can lead to some discoveries of our deadly diseases such as cancer. Both research now and for the future are crucial to all of the unknown diseases and diagnosis people deal with every day.
I believe research geared towards the current generation is more important. In order to create a better future with more opportunities than before, we must understand and fix the world's current problems. There are many disease-related problems, mental health issues, global warming concerns, and even problems concerning the foods we eat (just to name a few) that should all be prioritized in scientific research. The only way to prevent those issues from worsening is to fix the problem at hand to help current generations. Personally, I prefer to conduct research that produces results right away. Cancer cell research, in particular, is a particular sector of research that interests me the most and I feel that there are many issues involving cancer that need answers now to improve future outcomes. Without research to help current generations, there would be no opportunities to improve the future. An interesting question to think about could be how can industry research create products that help both current and future generations?
In industry, research is done to make discoveries for products that can help people right away, while in academia, research create results for the long run. I feel that both types of research are important and necessary. However, I am more interested in doing research that will have beneficial results right away. I would like to see the results of my research being used right away, rather than passing on my research to someone else to continue and one day make a discovery. Would you rather do research that would result in making discoveries to help future generations or the current generation, and why? Which do you think is more important?
Great post @hn243 you made some points however, isn't both research industry and academia doing work for the greater good of us.I believe research is research some topics may feel unethical in certain eyes but if we could could it help a lot of people.Just a thought like we have donor on our license how hard could it be to add research as well.I know I not the only person who think they can help change the world when they are gone.Just this research can open up many doors in the medical research sector.
For me, conducting study and finding solutions to issues that affect the future generation would be of interest. I have always found it exciting to work on cutting edge technology while trying to tackle a problem that has no real endpoint. The challenges posed by evolving research agendas and technological advancements, as well as funding shortages and stewardship changes, pose a constant threat to experiments functioning at this rate. But the foresight of the scientists who initiated them and the persistence and commitment of those who are carrying the torch bind them together. This kind of study appeals to me and I believe it to be helpful.
I believe that one of our biggest challenges in medicine is that we do not currently have the technology to solve today's problems. Therefore, we are mostly limited to the research that we can do on current issues. I believe that this makes the most sense considering the present effects the future.
I would rather do academic research that will likely be picked up by a researcher or team later on. There are a few reasons why I prefer the slowed pacing of academic versus industry research. If I'm working on a project in academia, I'm likely doing it because I am interested in the subject area. For this reason I would be treating it as a passion project. I wouldn't have to concern myself with commercial deadlines, and the results of my study would likely not be an immediate focal point politically. That is, the attention derived from my publication would be purely out of interest for the project, such as potential collaborators in related fields. While I would like to one day utilize my research to help people, establishing a foundation and a love for one's subject area are worthwhile time investments. Perhaps later on in my career I could transition into industry in the same subject area from my academic years, and perhaps use my insights to help bring biologics and drug candidates through clinical trails.
I think the answer to this question depends on the end goal of the research. Ideally, I would hope that any research done in industry or academia would be research for right now, but that is not always possible. I also feel that whatever we can learn about our world has potential to be helpful both now and in the future. That doesn't answer the question though. I honestly think that there are a high number of solvable problems right now that we should be focusing our energy on. SO long story short, I believe that research for right now is more important. We can find ways to save lives or at least improve the quality of lives right now. That is more important.
Both types of research is definitely necessary and I feel as though enough people's personality and career goals align with each that they can be advanced concurrently. Often times in a research project the larger scope needs to be analyzed over a long period of time while smaller details may need to be fast tracked or taken advantage of immediately. Some of the work done in industry research labs may be so focused on creating an immediate outcome that they do not have the time or resources to dive into possible other applications of the research. Dr. Simon mentioned in lecture the idea of "Science for science sake" which can be useful when determining the basis of many projects that branch out from that one discovery.
It is the opinion of the writer to perform a type of research study in which the results can be viewed right away. Considering that the writer plans to develop a medical device that serves as a pain management tool, it would be very beneficial for this type of device to show promising results within the first use. As opposed to waiting to determine if a particular medication works for pain, it is the opinion of the writer that a physical tool that can aid in pain management could ultimately provide relief within a quicker time span as opposed to waiting to determine if a new drug will aid in pain management.
Depending on whether you are in Academic or Industry, how fast your research can develop into a working product can vary. As in Dr. Simon's lectures, it shows that Academic research is more self-paced and things can be picked up and left on the back burner, depending on progress and if there are any hold ups. In the industry, since clinical trials tend to take long especially when developing a product that will be implanted or given to a patient immediately, there need to be additional steps and precautions taken as to not harm those who will be receiving the treatment or device. In my opinion, working in the industry tends to have a higher rate of projects that go out into products but again that could be years just to make sure that it won't be harmful. Testing, clinical trials, and also post testing on these patients and consumers still happen to make sure that their information on their product is accurate and to see progression or if they need to go back to the drawing board. Getting a product on the market as soon as you possibly can is important but you still have to make sure that the research is sound and thorough to make sure that no harm could come to the people using it.
I definitely think that both types of research are extremely important in this field especially when it comes to the lives of people. I would say neither is more important than the other since both types of research would cover entirely different things. If you want something with faster results, I would definitely recommend Industry over Academic in that sense since Industry is always faster-paced but it still means years of development, pre-clinical trials, and investigations into other papers and studies that might be similar to what your project contains.
I prefer to do some research that can pass over and continue. I chose biomedical engineering because I want my research or job would help people one day. However, I believe not only industry research can help people in the current generation but also a series of academic research. For example, one of the main themes of my last lab is polymer synthesis. My seniors have made several polymers with different components. And I believe I will pass these formulas to people behind me, just like my seniors. In this process, some companies came to my professor for these polymers. Some polymers might not be suitable for the market, but I think some would be. In conclusion, both types of research are essential to improve this industry. Acquiring a sense of accomplishment can be on both sides for me.
