Need $20 million? Come to Alberta

The Canadian province of Alberta is linkurl:offering up;http://www.ahfmr.ab.ca/press/2007-02-14.php to three "superstar" biomedical researchers $20 million ($17 million US) each, distributed over 10 years, to move to Alberta and conduct research there. Half of the money comes from the funding agency Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR), and the province's three universities (University of Calgary, University of Alberta, and University of Lethbridge) will pony up the rest. AHFMR describes an eligible scientist as "a mid-career investigator with an outstanding record of accomplishments in health research who is prepared to relocate to Alberta full-time for the duration of the award." The agency plans to announce the first winner in 2008. AHFMR CEO and President Kevin Keough told me on the phone this morning that part of the $20 million could go to things other than direct research, such as salary, equipment or additional personnel. "We are going to be fairly open-minded...