News from the Medical Research Council March / April 2008 HIGH AMBITIONS First Everest success and the MRC page 2 FORGING A STRONG PARTNERSHIP Working with NIHR page 4 CENTRE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND BIOMEDICAL GENETICS Centre profilepage 12 MARCH/APRIL 2008 CONTENTS Scientists tame the 04 Forging a strong tallest mountain partnership 05 Update from the MRC Sir Edmund Hillary, who with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay was Chief Executive the fi rst person to reach the top of the world’s tallest mountain, died in January aged 88. MRC research contributed 08 Industry update to the success of the 1953 Everest expedition – accompanying Sir Edmund was MRC scientist Dr Griffi th Pugh. He studied ways to 10 Defeating diabetes combat the swollen brain, nausea, fatigue and insomnia that can affl ict 16 Obituaries adventurers wanting to reach the world’s highest and most inhospitable places. Network charts the work that led to this towering achievement. 17 Weighing the impact of MRC research Dr Griffi th Pugh was a climber as well as a scientist. It was his passion for the mountains that got him the distinguished job of working out 20 Opportunities some of the requirements for reaching the summit. Working at the Human Physiology Division at the National Institute for Medical Research 21 MRC people (NIMR) in London, Griffi th Pugh was commissioned at very short notice ahead of the expedition to study nutrition, acclimatisation, equipment and the effects of supplementary oxygen on climbers at high altitudes. The trip itself was funded by the Royal Society. Griffi th Pugh studied the climbers’ body weight, changes in the acidity of their urine and nutritional problems at high altitude, and took samples of respiratory gases and blood that were sent back for analysis in England. After Everest, Griffith Pugh remained in MRC On Cho Oyu the previous year, the researchers had laboratories for the rest of his career. He worked on discovered that the men were able to sleep comfortably the physiology of survival in the cold, heart and lung all night wearing oxygen masks, which reduced fatigue responses to high altitude, cross-Channel swimming and during daytime work. Olympic athletes’ performance. He died in 1994. The researchers advised the climbers on their breathing equipment, and scientists at the MRC’s Electro-Medical Learning from experience Research Unit in Buckinghamshire made oxygen sets for Griffith Pugh helped bring professional science to trial on the trip. The sets that were finally used increased endurance sport. In the days when footballers prepared climbing rate and enhanced endurance and enjoyment, for a cup final with a shot of whisky and a cigarette, enabling climbers to walk for a longer time. his research was pioneering. The year before, and in preperation for, the famous Everest conquest, Griffith Griffith Pugh studied the effects of acclimatisation and Pugh climbed Cho Oyu, the sixth highest mountain in identified physiological changes such as more rapid the world. The expedition didn’t even reach four-fifths breathing and modification of the blood’s of Everest’s height – which is nearly 9 km high – and the acidity by the kidneys. In further party suffered from insufficient acclimatisation, diarrhoea experiments he examined the effect and respiratory infections. of acclimatisation on brain function and heart rate, and on muscular Following Griffith Pugh’s report from Cho Oyo – exercise and climbing ability. of which there are only eight copies in existence – the MRC formed a High Altitude Committee. It CONTINUED >> next page gave advice to the Joint Himalayan Committee – a group formed in 1947 with the aim of reaching the top of the mountain. Griffith Pugh worked on ways to minimise failure. He devised a programme of physiological experiments and combined the information from previous Everest expedition investigations with results from the few months of work before the team left for Everest in 1953. A breath of fresh air Griffith Pugh investigated the way oxygen was expended and the amount of oxygen used by members of the expedition and calculated quantities of oxygen in cylinders that would be needed. Scientists tame the tallest mountains >> CONTINUED Forging An army marches on its stomach In the past, Everest climbers had relied upon local a strong food and bulk stores from England. But with this diet there were problems of decreased appetite, dehydration, diarrhoea, cravings for particular foods partnership and enhanced sugar need. There was also extensive weight loss because of loss of appetite. Dr Pugh was asked to plan rations, and included certain MRC and NIHR: Working together ‘luxuries’ to satisfy predicted cravings. The MRC to improve health. also took advice from Dr Philip D’Arcy-Hart – a pioneer in tuberculosis treatment at NIMR – about the potential of an anti-tuberculosis drug, isoniazid, “I’d say we were like which was believed to have a side effect of boosting appetite. The research resulted in fluid and salt good siblings; some requirements being well met and calorie intake jealousy, some rivalry being much higher than in the 1952 expedition. but generally we love Griffith Pugh also worked on dehydration problems each other and always and provided advice on clothing for Everest. He stand up for each recommended special light and warm high altitude other in company.” boots and that tents and windproof clothing be made from a particular type of fabric and sleeping bags be specially designed. Professor Sally Davies, the Director General of Research and Development at the National Institute Out in the cold for Health Research (NIHR) is characteristically The adventures didn’t stop there for Griffith Pugh. frank about the first year of working with the He joined Sir Edmund again in 1957 in Antarctica, MRC under the single health research strategy. and studied the effects of cold and carbon monoxide Her assessment reflects a bright mood in both poisoning from burning fuel in huts. On another trip, organisations about the successful implementation of they returned to the Himalayas for nine months the strategy under OSCHR (the Office for Strategic and studied the long-term effects of altitude. As a Coordination of Health Research). subject in his own experiments, Griffith Pugh rowed the English Channel to find out how swimmers Increased funding for both organisations – government avoided hypothermia. And leading up the Mexico City investment in health research will exceed £1.7 billion Olympics in 1968, he researched the effect of altitude by 2010/11 – is helping them to respond to the on athletic performance – finding that although challenges set by Sir David Cooksey in his Review of UK altitude increased times for long-distance events, it health research funding. Published in December 2006, enhanced the ability to sprint. the review praised the start made by the recently established NIHR on the Government’s strategy Best Research for Best Health, and the MRC for its internationally recognised catalogue of achievements. But the Cooksey review cautioned that the UK was at risk of failing to reap the full economic, health and social benefits that its public investment in health research should generate. “Key to addressing this problem was getting the two organisations to work together more closely. And creating within these organisations a culture of research translation,” explains the MRC’s Chief Executive Sir Leszek Borysiewicz. Update from the MRC Chief Executive He’s pleased with the developing relationship: “Together under OSCHR, we’ve looked at the In the previous article you’ll barriers to progressing research so that it’s turned have read about some of the into benefits for people more quickly.” Part of this exciting changes being made is by nurturing partnerships between clinicians, to the way health research is basic scientists and industry. managed in the UK. To make sure the MRC has the agility to take Another central task is to ensure a more these plans forward, we’ve also made strategically coherent approach to research some changes to our own structures which makes it easier for scientists to understand for making decisions about funding research priorities and therefore secure funding and strategic direction. for translation. Sir Leszek explains: “This will lead to new ways to diagnose illness, develop new Restructuring of the MRC research boards has begun treatments, better devices, the best prevention and a new executive role is planned for board chairs. strategies – and crucially ensure that people see The Health Services and Public Health Research Board these benefits as quickly as possible.” The single is processing its last applications and plans are in place strategy wants to see research of the highest for redistributing board portfolios. We are also working quality carried out by the best scientists using to strengthen public health research across all boards, to the best facilities. ensure it is firmly embedded across our entire portfolio. Sir David Cooksey’s review commended the Plans for the new Strategy Board and overview groups efforts of Professor Davies and NIHR (established are continuing apace. The Strategy Board is already in April 2006) to foster a culture of research in up-and-running and held its first meeting at the end of the NHS through the strategy Best Research for January. The board is developing the overall strategic Best Health. And she is upbeat about progress plans for the MRC, to ensure that we can respond to the so far: “We started almost two years ago a demands of the current and future research environment. three-year transition, taking the money that was It will also advise on budgets for the research boards and historically allocated to hospitals (yet did not bear make direct awards out of a new strategic fund. any relationship to research outputs, relevance quality or any markers like that) to reinvest it We are creating four overview groups to oversee transparently in more research, but peer reviewed, global health, population sciences, translational research and in starting to build research networks” and training and careers.