Clinical Trials and Evidence-Based Medicine Unit, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Ioannina School of Medicine, Ioannina, 45110, Greece.
FASEB J. 2010 May;24(5):1335-9. doi: 10.1096/fj.09-148239. Epub 2010 Jan 7.
Funding is important for scientists' work and may contribute to exceptional research outcomes. We analyzed the funding sources reported in the landmark scientific papers of Nobel Prize winners. Between 2000 and 2008, 70 Nobel laureates won recognition in medicine, physics, and chemistry. Sixty five (70%) of the 93 selected papers related to the Nobel-awarded work reported some funding source including U.S. government sources in 53 (82%), non-U.S. government sources in 19 (29%), and nongovernment sources in 33 (51%). A substantial portion of this exceptional work was unfunded. We contacted Nobel laureates whose landmark papers reported no funding. Thirteen Nobel laureates responded and offered their insights about the funding process and difficulties inherent in funding. Overall, very diverse sources amounting to a total of 64 different listed sponsors supported Nobel-related work. A few public institutions, in particular the U.S. National Institutes of Health (with n=26 funded papers) and the National Science Foundation (with n=17 papers), stood out for their successful record for funding exceptional research. However, Nobel-level work arose even from completely unfunded research, especially when institutions offered a protected environment for dedicated scientists.
资金对于科学家的工作很重要，可能有助于取得卓越的研究成果。我们分析了诺贝尔奖得主具有里程碑意义的科学论文中报告的资金来源。在 2000 年至 2008 年间，70 位诺贝尔奖得主在医学、物理和化学领域获得认可。在 93 篇与诺贝尔奖相关的选定论文中，有 65 篇（70%）报告了部分资金来源，包括 53 篇（82%）来自美国政府、19 篇（29%）来自非美国政府、33 篇（51%）来自非政府来源。这项杰出工作的相当一部分是没有资金支持的。我们联系了那些报告没有资金支持的具有里程碑意义的论文的诺贝尔奖得主。有 13 位诺贝尔奖得主做出了回应，提供了他们对资金流程的见解以及资金方面的固有困难。总的来说，非常多样化的资金来源，总计有 64 个不同的赞助商支持与诺贝尔奖相关的工作。一些公共机构，特别是美国国立卫生研究院（资助了 26 篇论文）和国家科学基金会（资助了 17 篇论文），因其成功资助卓越研究的记录而引人注目。然而，即使是完全没有资金支持的研究也能产生诺贝尔奖级别的工作，特别是当机构为专注的科学家提供了一个受保护的环境时。
