[basementcat]

Which researchers do you funnel money to?

The majority of basic research is done in academic research laboratories which are predominantly funded by government research grants. If one of these studies pans out and something can be patented, a business or investor group may license the patent and fund an applied R&D program with the goal of getting through FDA trials. This effort is either funded by investor capital or internal company funds (likely from revenues from the sales of FDA approved medications or other products). Presumably if a business or investor group has a track record of bringing treatments to market (e.g. having a revenue stream from a previously economically successful product) they are entitled with the option to invest more funds, etc.