Finance and romances

<url>" famous biologist Konstantin Severinov. 

The author is a Doctor of Biological Sciences, winner of the Scopus Award 2015, Head of the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics of Microorganisms at the Institute of Gene Biology of the Russian Academy of Sciences and a laboratory at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Professor at Rutgers University (USA). As the winner of the megagrant competition, Konstantin became the head of. Laboratory of Molecular, Ecological and Applied Microbiology at St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University. 

A few years ago, the program of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences "Molecular and Cellular Biology" underwent a significant reduction. This happened against the background of the economic crisis. The ICD program was the only academic program in which the distribution of funds occurred as a result of an open examination. The main criteria for obtaining funding were publications in highly rated international journals. Despite this (or precisely because of this), the academic authorities have reduced this program more than others, guided by the long-standing Procrustean principle of "keeping a low profile." 

In addition to the actual reduction in funding, there was also a significant delay in payments for already approved grants: money was not transferred to the laboratory and, accordingly, there were neither salaries nor the opportunity to purchase reagents and equipment for conducting experiments. The situation is described in detail in the article "How molecular cell biology is killed". 

However, at that time "foreign agents" operated with impunity in the country, and one of the most dangerous of them – the Dynasty Foundation – promptly resolved the issue of granting scholarships to young candidates of sciences from 50 laboratories – recipients (or rather non-recipients) of ICD grants. The scholarships were paid during the year and allowed young scientists to continue working on their scientific topics and stay in the country. Many of them, as Vladimir Putin aptly put it, "got hooked on the grant needle" and subsequently received grants from both the Dynasty Foundation and more reliable sources, such as the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, and continue to work in Russia. 

Other times have come. "Foreign agents" have been identified, brought to light and have curtailed their activities. The Russian Academy has been disbanded, and the newly created Federal Agency of Scientific Organizations (FANO) ensures the effective management of funds for scientific research at the Academy and the implementation of presidential decrees to increase the publication activity of Russian scientists. 

So, not a week goes by without electronic messages from Alexander Vadimovich Jailonov from the Department of Coordination of the Activities of Institutions in the Field of Natural Sciences of the Department of Coordination and Support of the Activities of Organizations in the Field of Science of the FANO of the Russian Federation, in which he is paternally interested in our successes, asks us to fill in various tables about our work, results and publications. 

Meanwhile, the programs of the Presidium of the Academy still exist… The ICD program continues to live, although in a much reduced form. Annual grants, which in the old days were equal to five million rubles a year, shrank to just over two million in 2014. July 2015 is coming to an end, and there is still no money for approved long-term projects under the programs of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences. There were no such monstrous delays even in the days of ineffective academic managers. 

They say that the funds are stuck somewhere between the effective managers of the FANO and the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences. They say that the amount of grants will be reduced even more. But this is all at the level of rumors, there is no official information. The President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladimir Fortov, a well-known optimist, said in a private conversation that the money might be available by December 2015. 

Naturally, in the absence of money, it is extremely difficult and even impossible to conduct scientific research. I emphasize that we are talking about already approved studies that need to be reported for. My colleagues have to pay for the reagents needed for research out of their own pocket, and even ask leading journals to allow them not to pay for the publication of already accepted articles (and not all journals can do this, in this case the author will have to pay several thousand US dollars out of their own funds or refuse to publish an already accepted article). 

Meanwhile, Alexander Prisonov from FANO continues to send his messages to scientists. He wants to answer with a quote from the classic: "Dusya! You embitter me. We are people exhausted by your management. First the money, and then the results."

And last week, in the village of Dvoriki, Vladimir Putin said that "Those (specialists) who are returning (to Russia) are welcome ... we are glad to see them, but just because a person has returned (to the Russian Federation), he cannot claim any additional benefits and privileges. In general, we will, of course, strive to ensure that highly qualified specialists return to our home, to their homeland, and we will contribute to this." 

I think that now Vladimir Vladimirovich can be calm: after the "foreign agents" have been dispersed, our own agents will do everything possible to ensure that no one comes to us here: for no reason.

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21.07.2015