Testimony of the. Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. Prepared for the. House Committee on Appropriations

Transcription

1 Contact: Benjamin H. Krinsky, PhD Senior Legislative Affairs Officer Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Testimony of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Prepared for the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies Representative Mike Simpson, Chairman Representative Marcy Kaptur, Ranking Member On FY 2018 Appropriations for the Department of Energy Office of Science The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) respectfully requests a fiscal year (FY) 2018 appropriation of at least $5.8 billion for the Department of Energy Office of Science.

2 FASEB, a federation of 30 scientific societies, represents 125,000 life scientists and engineers, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. Our mission is to advance health and welfare by promoting progress and education in biological and biomedical sciences. The Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE SC) is the single largest funder of basic physical sciences research in the nation, awarding competitive, merit-based grants to researchers at universities and research institutions across the nation. Researchers funded by DOE SC have made seminal contributions to science across a wide range of disciplines, from particle physics to biochemistry, leading to 115 Nobel Prizes. 1 The Office also has a long and distinguished history of innovation. A multitude of inventions and technologies that have transformed our lives can be traced back to DOE research, including nuclear energy, radiocarbon dating, superconductors, and lithium-ion batteries. 2 This capacity for discovery comes in large part from DOE SC National Laboratories that house state-of-the-art scientific instrumentation and computing facilities that no single academic or industrial institution could construct or manage on its own. These include high-intensity x-ray light sources, particle accelerators, and supercomputers, all of which are among the most sophisticated tools in modern science. The laboratory facilities provide researchers with unique equipment that allows them to expand the frontiers of knowledge and translate discoveries into new inventions that drive the economy and improve our quality of life. In all, more than 31,

3 scientists and engineers from academic institutions and private companies use the DOE labs to advance research and development. 3 Recent advances in diverse areas including genome sequencing, nanotechnology, energy storage, and green energy can be attributed to research funded and enabled by DOE SC. Other examples of ongoing DOE SC funded research include: Discovery of instigators of plant growth: A chemical compound called xylan is a critical component of plant cell walls that gives plants both strength and flexibility, and it is a major component of wood and grain. Using biochemical methods, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have discovered two key enzymes that allow plants to synthesize xylan. This insight into how the structural molecule xylan is produced in plants has implications for the further development of biofuels and the invention and manipulation of new biomaterials. 4 New technology for measuring arterial health: The buildup of plaque on artery walls, called atherosclerosis, greatly increases the risk of heart attacks and stroke. Engineers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed a sensor device that measures changes in blood pressure in the brachial artery in the upper arm in such a way as to understand the health of the arterial lining. Similar to a blood-pressure cuff, the information collected by this non-invasive device may allow doctors to gauge arterial health and the risk of vascular disease. The /FY_2017_SC_Congressional_Overview.pdf 4

4 technology is currently being tested and refined in a clinical setting, and it has been licensed to a start-up company. 5 Crystallography sheds light on gene editing mechanisms: The CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology allows scientists to make very specific, targeted changes in the genomes of organisms. This has revolutionized research in the biological sciences and has tremendous potential for the development of new therapeutics. To realize this potential, however, we need a deeper understanding of precisely how the CRISPR system works at the molecular level. Using the Advanced Light Source at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, researchers from the University of California Berkeley examined the way in which Cas proteins bind to DNA. The insights from this study may lead to improvements in gene-editing technology. 6 Plant-fungal symbioses and drought tolerance: Tree roots interact with numerous species of fungi in symbiotic relationships that help both plant and fungus gather nutrients and cope with changing environmental conditions. An international team of researchers, including scientists at the Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute and the French National Institute for Agricultural Research have sequenced the genome and studied the gene expression profile of one of the most common fungal symbionts of trees, a species called Cenococcum geophilum. Among the insights gained from this study, the researchers discovered molecular clues as to how the fungus helps tree roots resist desiccation. This discovery may help in the production of more drought-resistant crops and feedstocks

5 Additional Funding Necessary to Maintain American Leadership in the Sciences America s leadership in the physical and biological sciences is in large part due to the robust support that has been afforded to DOE SC. Additional support for DOE SC in the years ahead is necessary to maintain facilities, invest in new instrumentation and equipment, and build new scientific infrastructure at the National Laboratories. The number of users of the labs has grown by nearly 20 percent in the last five years; additional funds will be needed in the years ahead to keep up with the demand at the laboratories. Moreover, large scientific infrastructure projects require an extended horizon for planning and construction, which in turn require substantial long-term funding commitments. An investment of $5.8 billion (approximately $450 million above currently appropriated funding) in DOE SC would allow DOE SC to make critical investments in its laboratories and user facilities. This recommendation is consistent with the growth trajectory proposed by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in its efforts to reauthorize DOE SC. 8 FASEB recommends a budget of at least $5.8 billion for DOE SC in FY This increase represents a commitment to the critical research supported by the Department and would bolster the capacity of our National Laboratories and user facilities. 8