Of K99s and Intellectual Property

I have some down time as my bacteria is incubating with plasmid until I heat shock them.  I just recently turned in my K99/R00 grant to the university, which in turn will turn it to NIH.  The last few weeks have been filled with multiple stressors: trying to collect all biosketches, writing various letters of collaboration, and going over (and over again) my research approach.  I’m glad it’s done and it is a relief but there is still a shadow of nervousness.  I did not have any preliminary data.  While I know that the lack of data is going to be a red flag to the reviewers, I hope that the idea will be strong enough for the grant to at least be discussed.  I wish the NIH would acknowledge in these grants that some mentors do not want their postdocs taking data that was developed from their projects.  I was actually told recently by my primary mentor that I couldn’t use any of her data since the idea behind the project was her idea and the data generated is considered the lab’s intellectual property.  Ouch, huh?  Like I’m some sort of fly by the night data thief.  And the funny part is that I wasn’t even trying to use the data at all.  I was just trying to help the person who was going to analyze it for us.  It is a tough time to be in science.  I think mentors/sponsors are more likely to hold on tight to their data since we are still facing a very bleak period in funding.  Limited funds make a toxic work environment.  I’m not sure if this is just the case with me but it also feels at times I am at odds with my mentor to the point where it seems to be a competition.  I was asked to write my mentor’s letter as she was busy teaching classes and writing grants of her own.  However, when she finally returned the letter back to me, small but multiple changes were made to it.  The small changes were enough to take a very enthusiastic letter to just a generic supportive letter.   Considering what is at stake with these types of career grants, no one can afford just to have a good letter.  It needs to be a stand out letter.  I think my reference letters will be better and this may be enough for the reviewers to have an overall positive feeling of who I am and where I want to go.  So my advice in terms of asking your mentor to sponsor this grant is to make sure he or she is all in.  If not, give yourself enough time to find a very supportive co-mentor.  A strong co-mentor letter can only help to boost your application and can also make up for any deficits or perceived deficits in your primary mentor’s letter.