Local research efforts paying dividends

It is so small, not visible to the naked eye. Yet it presents us with one of the biggest public health challenges in years.

It's called methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. The bug, which cannot be treated by antibiotics commonly used to fight staph infections, has invaded numerous suburban public schools.

Fortunately, these bacteria have not caused significant health problems. But if they enter the bloodstream, they can be deadly. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that nearly 19,000 people died from MRSA infections in 2005, exceeding the death toll of AIDS in that year.

Containing the threat of MRSA is going to take everything medical science has to offer. And a breakthrough could be forthcoming at Argonne National Laboratory near Darien in DuPage County.

A new supercomputer network will enable the lab to do groundbreaking research that could lead to the development of new drugs that cannot be resisted by the MRSA strain.

Argonne also believes the research could accelerate efforts to find a cure for Parkinson's disease.

The advanced computer center will be funded through a public-private partnership. The Illinois Finance Authority will issue $70 million in bonds in support of this effort.

This is a wise investment, beyond the return it will yield in lifesaving applications of medical research. The supercomputers will also help scientists gain better knowledge of climate change and could lead to advancements in nuclear engineering.

Research is not only the key to opening doors to a healthier society; innovation through research is also critical in addressing issues that threaten our national security, such as our increasingly perilous dependence on foreign oil.

Congress is currently debating a new energy bill at a time when gasoline prices have hit record highs. And don't even begin to believe that gas will ever get that much cheaper again. The world, with a booming global economy, is consuming oil at a record clip.

We sincerely hope Congress provides strong funding of local research initiatives that could lead to powering our vehicles and industry with new fuels that do not have to be shipped from a troubled Middle East.

Both Argonne and Fermilab National Laboratory in Batavia are producing cutting-edge research into the development of alternative fuels and fuel-efficient vehicles.

Earlier this year, researchers at the Gas Technology Institute in Des Plaines and Argonne said they're getting closer to commercializing vehicles fueled by hydrogen.

We cannot expect to ever reach the point where we can reliably and affordably produce new forms of energy without supporting the scientists who can lead us there.