Time to help Siberian scientists develop their inventions?

We are now running a story about the scientists from the Vorozhtsov Institute of Organic Chemistry in Novosibirsk who have made an apparently significant breakthrough in treating Parkinson's Disease.

The problem is that - unlike their rivals abroad - some institutions in Siberia still have no system in place to do the necessary additional tests that must be carried out. 

Nor is there the funding, either public or private, that is needed for such tests. 

The scientists feel they not only make the breakthroughs from their pioneering work, but then are expected to do all the tasks involved in bringing their development to the market, too. 

It is a story heard often enough across a wide range of scientific areas in Siberia.

Recently we wrote about a promising invention to more effectively extinguish the blight of forest fires.  Funding could turn it to reality. As with the drug development, if successful it could be an earner for the domestic economy.

Siberia is known to have scientists to match the best anywhere in the world, and they deserve to have a level playing field.  

Let's hope more can be done to encourage private funding - as in many Western countries - as well as well targeted state funds into this crucial area. 

The Siberian Times will do all we can to highlight to the English-speaking  world cases of important research by Siberian scientists which deserves  to be responsibly supported and nurtured.