The interdisciplinary work necessary to develop biomedical engineering devices holds great potential for collaborative research, but challenges remain in making the technology available for public use.

Despite the complex and often adversarial relationship between the governments of Iran and the United States, the countries’ scientists have found opportunities to cooperate on important public health projects. Irene Jillson, a professor at Georgetown University’s School of Nursing and Health Studies, describes the fruits of these efforts in an article in the latest edition of Science & Diplomacy.

The looming possibility of deep, across-the-board budget cuts—known as sequestration—poses historic risks for U.S. research and development, experts said at a Capitol Hill briefing organized by AAAS. Unless lawmakers find a compromise by year’s end to avert the cuts, the crippling impact could be felt for a generation, they warned, even as other nations are increasing R&D investments.