Research Library

Electricity demand in Texas is evolving, posing major challenges for grid reliability. Center for Energy Studies experts lay out ways ERCOT, Texas’ grid operator, can enhance reliability and resource adequacy.

In this report, the authors outline the U.S. federal budget process for scientific R&D, discuss trends in federal R&D funding and provide an outlook for federal scientific R&D funding during the Biden administration.

Comprehensive, reliable, and publicly available data on China’s domestic oil flows and inventory movements are essentially inaccessible. In this report, the authors propose creating a forum to collect and analyze satellite data to shed more light on the inner workings of China's oil sector.

The director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) plays a central role in advising the president on the impact of science and technology on domestic and global affairs, and on federal funding of scientific research. This paper provides recommendations for the next president to consider when choosing a science advisor and establishing science and technology policy priorities. The project also offers guidance to the next science advisor for developing effective policy while serving in the White House. The recommendations are based on lessons learned from past presidential science advisors as well as feedback from more than 60 reviewers, including individuals who currently serve or have served the OSTP, the President’s Council of Advisors for Science and Technology, federal agencies, Congress or congressional staff, and nongovernmental organizations as well as policy scholars.

State "right to try" laws can give terminally ill patients early access to experimental drugs and medical devices — but they arguably make safety and efficacy secondary to speedy access.

Baker Institute Policy Report #64 highlights some of the central ethical issues pertaining to NTD policy development and argues that ethical considerations should be included in the policy development process.

Baker Institute Policy Report #65 summarizes the key findings of the Baker Institute conference "The United States and Mexico: Addressing a Shared Legacy of Neglected Tropical Diseases and Poverty."

This report describes the problems associated with unproven stem cell treatments, focusing on those without FDA approval undertaken by NFL players in the past five years.

Stem cells from umbilical cord blood (CB) can be used to treat over 80 different diseases, including many types of leukemia, lymphoma and inherited immune system disorders. Extensive storage facilities in the United States and around the world collect, test and freeze CB for later use in medical procedures. However, the divide between two different banking models — public versus private — presents policy challenges. This policy report examines the difference between public and private cord blood banks and offers recommendations for US policymakers to improve cord blood banking and ensure high quality standards.

An overview of stem cell research and the policies, particularly in the state of Texas, that regulate these studies.