All Is Not Well in the World of Academic Scientific Enterprise

"It is quite difficult for those not directly involved in the complex world of academic medicine to understand fully the process of individual professional advancement and the values that organizations place on the components required for achieving and maintaining tenure. For that matter, the meaning of the term “tenure” is debated, and the implications of this status vary greatly among academic institutions. In the not-so-distant past, the rewards associated with succeeding in the medically related academic community revolved around attaining personal salary support from internal and external sources; securing faculty member resources such as administrative, laboratory, and research staff; attaining the honor of membership in elite academic and scientific societies; and receiving prestigious awards. However, in certain academic spheres, today one must add the potential for highly lucrative patents and the opportunity to advise for-profit organizations, as well as to form companies based on the research efforts of the faculty member or a larger team. An intense debate between competing individuals and academic organizations related to patents for the paradigm-changing CRISPR gene-editing technology is 1 of many examples of this phenomenon.1 These connections also raise questions about whether some statements from highly regarded academics may represent objective science or merely financial self-interest. Another concern regarding the academic scientific enterprise relates to seriously flawed or simply fraudulent research appearing in peer-reviewed literature.2 Of note, such events have been reported from even the most highly regarded institutions and organizations.3 Unfortunately, these incidents are not isolated; for example, more than 400 research authors from China reportedly faced disciplinary action following an investigation of a scam revolving around peerreview processes.4 Some observers have speculated that a lack of scientific oversight and the remarkably intense pressure to publish have much to do with these scandals.5 It is unclear whether measures put in place to improve the situation are sufficient to successfully alter the current state of affairs...."