When making decisions about funding biomedical research, grant makers would be wise to firstly look at the outcomes they hope to achieve and how it fits within a larger picture.
Whilst the final outcome that is hoped for is a benefit to the community (e.g. through a new medicine, vaccine or diagnostic), the funding provided may support one step in a pathway requiring many skills and resources.
Should due-diligence then, only look at the academic quality of the research, or also consider the opportunity for that research to progress an innovation along a translational pathway?
To do this, you need to understand the pathway, what collaborations are needed and what might attract or deter the right collaborators at different stages.
Some starting questions then may include:
• Is there an unmet need?
• Does the innovation have a potential or demonstrable competitive advantage?
• Will this innovation be attractive or not for potential collaborators, industry partners or investors?
• Is the research team and institution the right fit for these collaborations?
• What supporting capability, capacity, policies, processes and resources are provided by the institution to facilitate collaborations?
• What about the quality (reproducibility and robustness) of the science and the track record, capability and capacity of research team and facilities?
So the question remains, is it only funding the researcher needs, or do they also need other assistance providing experience, expertise, networks and other skills to maximise opportunities for potential impact ?