Perspectives on Institutional Bridge-Funding Policies and Strategies in the Biomedical Sciences.

Bridge-funding by tertiary-educational institutions allows researchers to continue their research in times of funding loss. With the ever-declining funding rates for major medical research institutions in North America, and the global economic downturn, it is crucial to critically assess institutional policies surrounding the allocation of bridgefunding. We review the theoretical framework of bridge-funding decisions and present theoretical factors that determine the success of bridge-funding. We also report the results of an online survey of bridge-funding policies in major medical research institutions in North America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]