Whether they investigate how medicines work, study the life

cycle of bacteria, or crunch numbers in a computer, scientists

across the globe are united by a compelling desire: to better understand how life works. Rather than focusing on a specific disease,

these basic biomedical scientists, many of whom are funded by the

National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) at the

National Institutes of Health, seek to answer important biological

questions like how cells talk to each other, how biological machines

fold into their active shapes, and how genes are regulated.

Although these studies may not have an immediate impact on our

health, such “untargeted” research often leads to new medicines,

technologies, and research tools. Examples of advances that grew out

of basic research include countless drugs to treat diseases ranging

from cancer to AIDS; magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which

provides clear pictures of the body’s organs and tissues; and the

polymerase chain reaction, a laboratory technique that is the basis 

of “DNA fingerprinting,” which revolutionized criminal forensics.

“Even if it brings no

immediate benefits,

scientific research

that advances the

frontiers of knowledge is necessary 

and should be 

supported.” 

— 80 percent of 

respondents to a 2003 

poll conducted by

Research!America 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Curiosity

Creates Cures

The Value 

and Impact of

Basic Research
“If you think research is expensive, try disease.” This

famous quote is attributed to Mary Lasker, a philanthropist and advocate for medical research. Her words

acknowledge that by providing a solid understanding

of the cellular and molecular changes that cause disease,

basic research may help prevent disease or cure it in its

early stages, yielding tremendous savings of both

money and misery. The quote is clearly borne out by the numbers.

Regardless of what measure is used—reduced health care costs or increased 

productivity due to longer life and decreased illness—studies show returns on 

investment ranging from $10 to more than $80 for every dollar spent on basic 

research. Not surprisingly, the longer a medical advance is available, the greater 

the benefits.

Basic biomedical research also benefits the economy in more direct ways. Many 

nonbiomedical industries have been either created or enhanced by biomedical 

discoveries. Together, the following industrial applications contribute tens of

billions of dollars to the U.S. economy every year:

• Freeze-drying, which was developed to concentrate and 

preserve laboratory samples, is now widely used in the 

food industry.

• Basic studies of digestive enzymes led to improvements 

including meat tenderizers; bread dough conditioners; 

milk coagulants for cheese production; stain-removal 

additives in laundry detergent; and preservatives for beer,

wine, and juice.

• Fundamental research on the role of immune factors in 

controlling herpes led to a vaccine for a deadly disease 

in chickens.

“Basic research...pays

off in terms of key discoveries almost twice

as handsomely as

other types of research

and development

combined.” 

— a major conclusion 

of a landmark study that

revealed that the most

important advances in

cardiovascular medicine

grew out of the work of

basic scientists.*

Basic

Research Pays Off

*Comroe JH, Dripps RD. 

Scientific basis for support of 

biomedical science. Science 1976;

192:105-11. 
Sp

otlights

on Basic Research

UNTANGLING ALZHEIMER’S. The leading form of dementia in older people,

Alzheimer’s disease is caused in part when a protein, called tau, loses its normal

shape. Tau forms knotty tangles that skew communication between nerve cells

in the brain. Recently, a basic researcher studying cell division has identified 

an enzyme, dubbed Pin1, that restores tau’s normal shape in laboratory experiments. The discovery helps researchers in the quest for new therapies to treat

Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.

CURIOSITY YIELDS CANCER DRUG. A scientist wondered why the body

sometimes destroys its own proteins and why muscles waste away when 

they’re not used. His research group discovered the culprit: cellular garbagedisposal-like structures called proteasomes. While creating compounds to clog

proteasomes, the scientists noticed that one of their substances had anticancer

properties. Under the name VelcadeTM, this drug is now used to treat multiple

myeloma, the second most common blood cancer.

DESIGNER DRUGS FOR BLOOD CLOTS. While studying the structures of

complex sugars, scientists developed prototypes of new drugs to help control

blood clots, which can cause heart attacks and strokes, during surgery. Using

“molecular scissors,” the scientists tailored heparin, a commonly used blood

thinner, into a much more potent form. They also developed a molecular tool 

that can selectively deactivate heparin after surgery, enabling doctors to control

bleeding with minimal side effects.

GOT YOUR FLU SHOT? WILL IT WORK? To create effective flu vaccines,

scientists must predict months in advance which strains of influenza are going to

be most troublesome. A multidisciplinary research team used a computer-based

approach to analyze a database containing DNA sequences of 560 flu viruses

from 16 flu seasons. The team discovered patterns of genetic changes in the

viruses that could help create more effective vaccines, saving many lives each year.

WHAT MAKES ANTHRAX SO DEADLY? Scientists recently revealed an answer

by determining the structure of an anthrax protein. The protein, called edema

factor, causes potentially fatal swelling and fluid buildup in the body. Its structure revealed that when it binds to another molecule in the body, edema factor

changes shape to create a deep pocket in which deadly chemical reactions occur.

This discovery—based on basic research into cell communication—may enable

researchers to design drugs that clog the protein pocket and help disarm the

lethal microbe.

HANG ON, BABY! Scientists studying carbohydrates on the surfaces of cells

learned that these molecules are involved in the implantation of embryos in a

woman’s uterus. The research holds promise for understanding and treating

infertility, because the failure of an embryo to implant properly is a common

reason for problems in early pregnancy.
In a familiar science fiction scenario, a scientist knocks

over a test tube and creates a medicine—or weapon—

with incredible power. Although a number of important

advances have occurred by chance, most scientific

advances are not accidental. Neither are most findings

made by lone scientists. They are products of years of

intensive labor by teams of researchers that include many

young scientists in training. Increasingly, groups of interdisciplinary scientists are working together to tackle problems that transcend their individual expertise. Each team

contributes to the eventual “discovery.”

In many cases, basic research has unexpected applications. For example, studies in how

viruses infect bacteria led to the discovery of restriction enzymes, which are a cornerstone of the biotechnology industry. Research on how electric fields affect bacteria

led to an important cancer medication, cisplatin. And curiosity about substances that

break down bacterial walls led to the identification of penicillin as an antibiotic drug.

Basic research often relies on studies in “model organisms” such as bacteria, fruit

flies, or mice. Because human cells contain the same molecular building blocks and

pathways as those of most other living things, researchers can learn much about the

way our cells work by studying these simpler organisms. These creatures are easy to

maintain in the laboratory and they allow scientists to tightly design and control

their experiments. Scientists can select the type of model organism best suited to

examine a specific problem or process. In the case of mice and some other animals,

researchers can further tune the model to their work by choosing a strain that is

prone to developing certain tumors, metabolic disorders, or other conditions.

Ingredients of good research include stimulating scientific collaboration, adequate

funds, and the ability to shift directions to pursue promising leads. Sometimes, all it

takes is having the right scientists in the right place at the right time. Whether it

comes as blockbuster discoveries or incremental advances, history shows that over

time, untargeted basic research yields inestimable rewards.

“It is hard to predict

how science is going 

to turn out, and if it 

is really good science,

it is impossible 

to predict.”

— Lewis Thomas

late biologist and writer

What

Makes Good Research?
In his will, Alfred Nobel instructed that prizes be awarded to those who, in specific fields, “have conferred the

greatest benefit on mankind.” The Nobel Prizes, the

highest honors bestowed in science, are frequently

awarded to basic researchers. Listed below are a few of

the dozens of Nobel Prize-winning scientists supported

by NIGMS.

To order additional copies of this document, use the publication list order form

available at http://www.nigms.nih.gov/news/publist.html.

To learn more about the basic research and training that NIGMS supports and

the opportunities for funding it offers, go to http://www.nigms.nih.gov.

NAME

Paul C. Lauterbur

Roderick MacKinnon

H. Robert Horvitz

John B. Fenn

Leland H. Hartwell

K. Barry Sharpless

NOBEL PRIZE

Physiology or

Medicine 2003

Chemistry 2003

Physiology or

Medicine 2002

Chemistry 2002

Physiology or

Medicine 2001

Chemistry 2001

OFFICIAL CITATION

For discoveries concerning

magnetic resonance imaging.

For discoveries concerning

channels in cell membranes,

specifically his structural 

and mechanistic studies of

ion channels.

For discoveries concerning

genetic regulation of

organ development and

programmed cell death.

For the development of

methods for identification

and structure analyses of

biological macromolecules

[specifically, for techniques 

in mass spectrometry].

For discoveries of key 

regulators of the cell cycle.

For work on chirally catalyzed

oxidation reactions [a technique to selectively control 

the outcome of chemical 

reactions].

Great Benefits to Humankind

“The pursuit of 

curiosity about the

basic facts of nature

has proven, with 

few exceptions

throughout the 

history of medical

science, to be the

route by which the

successful drugs 

and devices of 

modern medicine

were discovered.”

— Arthur Kornberg

1959 Nobel Laureate in 

physiology or medicine
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF 

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health

National Institute of General Medical Sciences

NIH Publication No. 04-5493

Revised February 2004

http://www.nigms.nih.gov/curiosity

For photo credits, go to http://www.nigms.nih.gov/curiosity/photo_credits.html

For descriptions of other free science education publications and an order form, 

go to http://www.nigms.nih.gov/news/publist.html