I think that's why we have to rely on other countries getting there first, then countries like the US will hopefully start trailing behind in an effort catch up.
No, no, no... you can't rely on other countries. You see, other countries are relying on you!
They are relying on the US to get there first!
Hehe, you are waiting for us, and we are waiting for you. No one moves! You are the ones you have been waiting for?
I speak for Europe when I say this. We have sent you some of our brightest minds! Use them well! Among them is one of the leading researchers in the field of inner ear regeneration - Stefan Heller. I know the focal point is on Stanford and Harvard. But there are more research labs around the US that work on inner ear regeneration. These research teams gather the best of the best from all around the world, but mainly from Europe and Asia.
This is cutting edge science! I think the US is best suited to pull this off. Mainly because that's where the money is. Individual European countries have a hard time competing with the US. That's why our brightest leave for the US when they feel they have exhausted the academic and monetary resources here and they want to take the next step and get on with the very latest research.
Don't get me wrong, Europe has some of the best scientists in the world and some of the best labs in the world. Stefan Heller is just one example in this narrow field of research. But European countries can only compete with the US if they work together. But even that is being undermined now that UK is leaving the EU.
Within the EU we had the EuroHear project. EU also funded the AFHELO project. Within the Horizon 2020 framework, EU is funding the REGAIN project, as well as the TARGEAR project. I won't go into any details on these since I am running out of time. But these are just some of the projects that EU has funded that targets hearing disabilities. Audion Therapeuthics is one of the lead members of the REGAIN consortium. They received something like 5.8 million EUR from the EU. More funding is pending, and some venture capital firms have also shown interest.
Money, money, money... all about money! Must be funny in a rich man's world!
But it just goes to show what kind of greater good we can achieve if we come together, share ideas, share resources, manpower and so on. It sure will be felt throughout Europe once UK leaves EU. If they do... they seem to want to go back on that vote, undecided. The UK will also have something to loose too. Bad decision in my opinion!
As I think about, it seems like both the US and the EU has come to a stall. EU is at stall because of economy, geopolitics and immigration floods. US is at stall because of the upside down politics of the new administration. Does the US allow embryonic stem cell research? Why did California need to pass on a new state law that allowed it to continue its groundbreaking work in stem cell research? How does the new administration look at stem cell research? How much are they budgeting for in research funding for the coming year?
I'm afraid US will isolate itself from the rest of the world in the coming years. People from "wrong places" are already being detained at the border, regardless of who they are or what their intention is for the visit. So that promise for a cure to tinnitus by 2020 may need to be pushed further back. Unless of course US can find a cure on its own. Without help of other countries, without collaboration, without foreigners coming in to help advance research, etc.
Whoever gets there first is irrelevant to those of us that suffer from this or these conditions (hearing loss and tinnitus). Likewise, it is mostly irrelevant to the scientists. But I'm afraid all good things get tied up in politics and "national interest".
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