In this four-part series, BU Research explores what many consider serious concerns affecting the future of medical, technological, and scientific development. In part one, we look at the history of funding, and at current efforts to keep the money coming. Part two shows how research can be misinterpreted; part three investigates how one lab has forged a new model for success; part four examines the problem of postdocs who can’t get permanent academic research jobs, and how a novel BU program is helping to prepare them for a broader biomedical workforce.