DOCSLIB.ORG

Science in a New Light Last Experiment on the DORIS Synchrotron, P-CUBE Draws to a Close, and the Story Behind a New Crystal Harvesting Technology

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

The Newsletter of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory EMBL Issue 72 • December 2012 • www.embl.org/newsletter etcetera Science in a new light Last experiment on the DORIS synchrotron, P-CUBE draws to a close, and the story behind a new crystal harvesting technology Balancing act More than 300 scientists, journalists and members of the public convened at EMBL Heidelberg 9–10 November to discuss one of the most challenging DORIS retired, page 4 issues facing mankind: the increas- ing number of species of plants and animals under threat of extinction. The diverse programme for this year’s Science and Society conference brought together expertise from areas including research, policy, public health and philosophy. The event gave participants the opportunity to voice opinions, hopes and concerns in rela- Crystal harvesting, page 5 P-CUBE legacy, page 3 tion to biodiversity. See page 10 Reviews, rewards and renewals Important decisions made at Winter Council Meeting in November An eventful Winter Council Meeting took place in Hamburg, with delegates discussing and voting on a large number of lab-based issues. Highlights included the announcement of positive reviews of EMBL Heidelberg’s Genome Biology Unit and EMBL Monterotondo’s Mouse Biology Unit, a special contribution from the Luxembourg government to fund joint projects, agreement to take the next steps towards a new outstation, and the appointment of Claudio Sunkel as the new Chair of Council. Find out more on page 2 Meet the new John Kendrew The greatest story What sci-fi head of EMBL Award winner never told? stocking filler 7 Monterotondo 9 11 12 would you give? Winter Council Meeting: Reviews, rewards and renewals Delegates took part in an eventful Winter finance research projects jointly selected by Council Meeting in Hamburg, 27–28 Novem- EMBL and Luxembourg’s National Research ber, where they approved EMBL’s 2013 budget Fund (FNR). and discussed, voted on, and announced key Steps towards an outstation in Spain lab-related developments, including: SAC gave support for moving forward with a First-rate unit reviews proposal to establish a new EMBL outstation The Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) focused on tissue biology and disease model- announced that their recent review of ling in Spain. Council approved the develop- EMBL Heidelberg’s Genome Biology Unit ment of a detailed financial plan and draft found research “of the highest calibre, host site agreement for future assessment. comparing favourably with the best work of this type being executed at other lead- New lab equipment ing biomedical research institutes around Scientists in the lab are to benefit from some the world.” Meanwhile, a recent review of new tools, including a third-generation EMBL Monterotondo found the productiv- sequencer; a Thermo TSQ Vantage mass spec- ity of EMBL’s Mouse Biology Unit “out- trometer; and an upgrade of the Titan Krios standing”, with the SAC panel acknowledg- Camera and Zeiss 2 Photon microscope. ing the significant contribution of former Comings and goings head Nadia Rosenthal to the success of the EMBL Director General Iain Mattaj thanked Unit (see page 7). outgoing Council Chair Eero Vuorio Special Luxembourg contribution (Finland) on behalf of the lab for chairing Council welcomed a special contribution of Council over the past four years. Claudio 500 000 Euro from the Luxembourg govern- Sunkel (Portugal) has been elected as the ment to promote scientific collaborations new Chair. Iain also paid tribute to a host of Clockwise from top: EMBL staff and Council between scientists from Luxembourg and outgoing and incoming SAC members and members gathered in Hamburg; new Council EMBL. The funding will be used to co- Council delegates. Chair, Claudio Sunkel; outgoing Chair, Eero Vuorio Prestigious grant-funded projects Sustaining science funding Can your gut bacteria make you chronically ill? The directors of EIROforum have emphasised EMBL Heidelberg’s Peer Bork is a key partner in METACARDIS, a the importance of secure funding for science European funded project coordinated by Inserm that aims to shed in Europe to promote innovation, productiv- light on possible correlations between the gut microbiome and ity and competitiveness. After gathering to chronic illness. The five-year project has 14 partners from six coun- mark the 10th anniversary of the organisation tries. Aims include the location of bio-markers that could inform – a partnership of the eight largest Euro- treatment and enhanced understanding of pathways. pean inter-governmental scientific research organisations – its leaders, including EMBL’s Molecular mechanisms of ageing Iain Mattaj, wrote an open letter emphasising A new EU-funded project coordinated by EMBL Heidelberg’s the positive impact of science investment on Anne-Claude Gavin will bring together an international network of economic growth, and urging the EU’s institu- experts to study ageing in adult stem cells at the systems level. The tions and member states to ensure that the five-year, 6 million Euro SyStemAge project will integrate a wide science budget remains strong. range of technologies from academia and industry with the aim of Hosted at the Institut Laue-Langevin in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying ageing. Grenoble, which currently holds the rotational Understanding the integrity of the immortal lineage EIROforum presidency, the anniversary event was part of the General Assembly of the Di- A 1.5 million Euro grant has been awarded to EMBL Monterotondo’s rectors General of EIROforum. Anne Glover, Dónal O’Carroll to study the role of non-coding RNAs in mammalian Chief Scientific Advisor to the President of male germ cell development and spermatogonial stem cell homeosta- the European Commission, and Anneli Pauli, sis. Funded by the European Research Council (ERC), the five-year Deputy Director-General for Research and project seeks to address basic questions on the intersection of non- Innovation at the European Commission, coding RNA function and germ cell development and maintenance. took part in a special debate at the event. Genetics underlying complex traits Funded through an ERC Advanced Grant, EMBL Heidelberg’s Lars Steinmetz will study traits conditioned by multiple genetic and environmental factors, which underlie the vast majority of genetic diseases. The 2.5 million Euro award will enable the development of systematic genome-wide technologies that aim to identify all of the variants underlying a complex trait in a single step. 2 EMBL&cetera issue 72 • December 2012 ELIXIR gains momentum ELIXIR is developing a pan-European these applications will be considered research infrastructure for the sharing of life by ELIXIR’s Scientific Advisory Board at sciences data and continues to progress rap- their first meeting, which takes place as idly. EMBL and 14 member states have now EMBL&cetera goes to press. signed the Memorandum of Understanding, At its recent meeting, the ELIXIR Interim with Portugal being the latest country to Board agreed a Hub operating budget for demonstrate its commitment. the balance of 2012 and for 2013, which “Bioinformatics is critical to life science means that the search for ELIXIR’s Found- research, and is pivotal to Portugal’s long- ing Director, who will manage all aspects and medium-term science and technology of the infrastructure, is strategy,” explains Miguel Seabra, President now under way. of Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia As ELIXIR transitions in Lisbon. “Our government and national from the preparatory funding agencies are keenly aware of the to the implementation potential long-term benefits – both financial phase, technical work is and scientific – of participating in ELIXIR. beginning. Five technical As a pivotal research infrastructure, it sits at pilot projects have been the crossroads of health, natural resources initiated to act as test beds and marine biology – areas where Portugal for integrating services has particular interests.” between the nodes and The members of the ELIXIR Interim the hub. One such project Board are currently working towards the In- connects the Human ternational Consortium Agreement, which Proteome Atlas (HPA) will specify ELIXIR’s governance. Each of in Sweden with EMBL- the ELIXIR member states has submitted an EBI resources run application to operate an ELIXIR Node and from Hinxton. P-CUBE boosts access to protein production Users and providers participating in the covering areas such as cloning, expression EU-funded infrastructure access project and crystallisation. P-CUBE (protein production platform) P-CUBE, which ends next year, has convened at EMBL Heidelberg on 22 opened up access to facilities, expertise and October to discuss a wide range of scientific technologies at many labs, including EMBL projects completed through the platform. sites in Hamburg, Heidelberg and Grenoble, The well-attended meeting began with as well as the universities of Zurich and Ox- a rousing keynote lecture from Stephen ford. “P-CUBE has presented opportunities Knapp of Oxford University on the devel- for scientists in Europe to access facilities opment of selective chemical ligands by and expertise that have helped to support family-wide structural analysis of human some highly successful research projects. proteins. Presentations during the event A key aim now is to continue this legacy focused on research and service activities through other platforms such as BioStruct- developed during the four-year project, X,” says project manager Petra Lindemann.
Recommended publications
  • Itcontents 9..22

    Itcontents 9..22

    INTERNATIONAL TABLES FOR CRYSTALLOGRAPHY Volume F CRYSTALLOGRAPHY OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES Edited by MICHAEL G. ROSSMANN AND EDDY ARNOLD Advisors and Advisory Board Advisors: J. Drenth, A. Liljas. Advisory Board: U. W. Arndt, E. N. Baker, S. C. Harrison, W. G. J. Hol, K. C. Holmes, L. N. Johnson, H. M. Berman, T. L. Blundell, M. Bolognesi, A. T. Brunger, C. E. Bugg, K. K. Kannan, S.-H. Kim, A. Klug, D. Moras, R. J. Read, R. Chandrasekaran, P. M. Colman, D. R. Davies, J. Deisenhofer, T. J. Richmond, G. E. Schulz, P. B. Sigler,² D. I. Stuart, T. Tsukihara, R. E. Dickerson, G. G. Dodson, H. Eklund, R. GiegeÂ,J.P.Glusker, M. Vijayan, A. Yonath. Contributing authors E. E. Abola: The Department of Molecular Biology, The Scripps Research W. Chiu: Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. [24.1] Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030, USA. [19.2] P. D. Adams: The Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Molecular J. C. Cole: Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre, 12 Union Road, Cambridge Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA. CB2 1EZ, England. [22.4] [18.2, 25.2.3] M. L. Connolly: 1259 El Camino Real #184, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA. F. H. Allen: Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre, 12 Union Road, Cambridge [22.1.2] CB2 1EZ, England. [22.4, 24.3] K. D. Cowtan: Department of Chemistry, University of York, York YO1 5DD, U. W. Arndt: Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Medical Research Council, Hills England.
  • Cambridge's 92 Nobel Prize Winners Part 2 - 1951 to 1974: from Crick and Watson to Dorothy Hodgkin

    Cambridge's 92 Nobel Prize Winners Part 2 - 1951 to 1974: from Crick and Watson to Dorothy Hodgkin

    Cambridge's 92 Nobel Prize winners part 2 - 1951 to 1974: from Crick and Watson to Dorothy Hodgkin By Cambridge News | Posted: January 18, 2016 By Adam Care The News has been rounding up all of Cambridge's 92 Nobel Laureates, celebrating over 100 years of scientific and social innovation. ADVERTISING In this installment we move from 1951 to 1974, a period which saw a host of dramatic breakthroughs, in biology, atomic science, the discovery of pulsars and theories of global trade. It's also a period which saw The Eagle pub come to national prominence and the appearance of the first female name in Cambridge University's long Nobel history. The Gender Pay Gap Sale! Shop Online to get 13.9% off From 8 - 11 March, get 13.9% off 1,000s of items, it highlights the pay gap between men & women in the UK. Shop the Gender Pay Gap Sale – now. Promoted by Oxfam 1. 1951 Ernest Walton, Trinity College: Nobel Prize in Physics, for using accelerated particles to study atomic nuclei 2. 1951 John Cockcroft, St John's / Churchill Colleges: Nobel Prize in Physics, for using accelerated particles to study atomic nuclei Walton and Cockcroft shared the 1951 physics prize after they famously 'split the atom' in Cambridge 1932, ushering in the nuclear age with their particle accelerator, the Cockcroft-Walton generator. In later years Walton returned to his native Ireland, as a fellow of Trinity College Dublin, while in 1951 Cockcroft became the first master of Churchill College, where he died 16 years later. 3. 1952 Archer Martin, Peterhouse: Nobel Prize in Chemistry, for developing partition chromatography 4.
  • With Synthetic Mucus, Researchers Take Aim at Antibiotic Resistance 26 April 2017

    With Synthetic Mucus, Researchers Take Aim at Antibiotic Resistance 26 April 2017

    With synthetic mucus, researchers take aim at antibiotic resistance 26 April 2017 Researchers are pursuing an innovative and "Over millions of years, the mucus has evolved the unexpected new avenue in the quest to fight ability to keep a number of these problematic antibiotic resistance: synthetic mucus. By studying pathogenic microbes in check, preventing them and replicating mucus' natural ability to control from causing damage," said Ribbeck. "But the pathogenic bacteria, the scientists hope to find mucus does not kill the microbes. Instead, it tames new methods for combatting infections. them." Katharina Ribbeck, professor of tissue engineering In its new work, her team investigated how mucins, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will the sugar-coated molecules that form the mucus present the work at the American Society for gel, influence the makeup of our internal microbial Biochemistry and Molecular Biology annual communities by constraining the formation of meeting during the Experimental Biology 2017 multicellular assemblies (also known as biofilms) by meeting, to be held April 22–26 in Chicago. the microbes. As a case study, the scientists looked at the mucins that are found in saliva, called "I am so excited about mucus because I am MUC5B. They grew two types of bacteria known to convinced it can help us find new strategies for compete in the mouth: Streptococcus mutans, protecting us from infections, in particular those which forms cavities, and Streptococcus sanguinis, that relate to an overgrowth of harmful microbes," a bacterium associated with healthy oral conditions. said Ribbeck. "My lab and others around the world They found that the harmful Streptococcus mutans have begun to engineer mucin-inspired polymers bacteria quickly outgrew Streptococcus sanguinis and [synthetic] mucus.
  • Max Ferdinand Perutz 1914–2002

    Max Ferdinand Perutz 1914–2002

    OBITUARY Max Ferdinand Perutz 1914–2002 Max Ferdinand Perutz, who died on in the MRC Laboratory of Molecular 6 February, will be remembered as Biology, which has grown to house one of the 20th century’s scientific over 400 people. He published over giants. Often referred to as the ‘fa- 100 papers and articles during his re- ther of molecular biology’, his work tirement. Once asked why he didn’t re- remains one of the foundations on tire at 65 he replied that he was tied up which science is being built today. in some very interesting research at Born in Vienna in 1914, Max was the time. Until the Friday before educated in the Theresianum, a Christmas, he was active in the lab al- grammar school originating from most every day, submitting his last an earlier Officers’ academy. His paper just a few days before then. parents suggested that he study law Max’s scientific interests ranged far to prepare for entering the family beyond medical research. As a sideline, business, but he chose to study he also worked on glaciers in his chemistry at the University of youth. He studied the transformation Vienna. of snowflakes that fall on glaciers into In 1936, with financial support the huge single ice crystals that make from his father, he began a PhD at the Cavendish up its bulk, and the relationship between the mechanical Laboratory in Cambridge. Using X-ray crystallography he properties of ice measured in the laboratory and the mecha- aimed to determine the structure of hemoglobin. But the nism of glacier flow.
  • Guides to the Royal Institution of Great Britain: 1 HISTORY

    Guides to the Royal Institution of Great Britain: 1 HISTORY

    Guides to the Royal Institution of Great Britain: 1 HISTORY Theo James presenting a bouquet to HM The Queen on the occasion of her bicentenary visit, 7 December 1999. by Frank A.J.L. James The Director, Susan Greenfield, looks on Front page: Façade of the Royal Institution added in 1837. Watercolour by T.H. Shepherd or more than two hundred years the Royal Institution of Great The Royal Institution was founded at a meeting on 7 March 1799 at FBritain has been at the centre of scientific research and the the Soho Square house of the President of the Royal Society, Joseph popularisation of science in this country. Within its walls some of the Banks (1743-1820). A list of fifty-eight names was read of gentlemen major scientific discoveries of the last two centuries have been made. who had agreed to contribute fifty guineas each to be a Proprietor of Chemists and physicists - such as Humphry Davy, Michael Faraday, a new John Tyndall, James Dewar, Lord Rayleigh, William Henry Bragg, INSTITUTION FOR DIFFUSING THE KNOWLEDGE, AND FACILITATING Henry Dale, Eric Rideal, William Lawrence Bragg and George Porter THE GENERAL INTRODUCTION, OF USEFUL MECHANICAL - carried out much of their major research here. The technological INVENTIONS AND IMPROVEMENTS; AND FOR TEACHING, BY COURSES applications of some of this research has transformed the way we OF PHILOSOPHICAL LECTURES AND EXPERIMENTS, THE APPLICATION live. Furthermore, most of these scientists were first rate OF SCIENCE TO THE COMMON PURPOSES OF LIFE. communicators who were able to inspire their audiences with an appreciation of science.
  • Linus Pauling and the Belated Nobel Peace Prize,” Science & Diplomacy, Vol

    Linus Pauling and the Belated Nobel Peace Prize,” Science & Diplomacy, Vol

    Peter C. Agre, “Fifty Years Ago: Linus Pauling and the Belated Nobel Peace Prize,” Science & Diplomacy, Vol. 2, No. 4 (December 2013*). http://www.sciencediplomacy.org/letter- field/2013/fifty-years-ago-linus-pauling-and-belated-nobel-peace-prize. This copy is for non-commercial use only. More articles, perspectives, editorials, and letters can be found at www.sciencediplomacy.org. Science & Diplomacy is published by the Center for Science Diplomacy of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society. *The complete issue will be posted in December 2013. Fifty Years Ago: Linus Pauling and the Belated Nobel Peace Prize Peter C. Agre RADUATE students have approached me on multiple occasions to inquire Gabout pursuing a career in science diplomacy. My first reaction is to fire back, “And so how is it going in the lab?” This often provokes embarrassment and an occasional confession about the frustrations of being a graduate student. On other occasions I think their questions were primed by the idealism of doing something with importance far beyond the laboratory. Is it possible that extracurricular activities efforts outside of the laboratory might have special value? And to what extent is the credibility in the lab essential for extracurricular attention? It seemed likely that the international network of scientists who know other scientists represents unique opportunities to use science to foster friendships worldwide. This has caused me to reflect on the many interesting people I have encountered during my career in science. A few were particularly inspirational, and of these, Linus Pauling, the fascinating and colorful American scientist, stands out for opening doors both worldwide and here in the United States.
  • Co Crouzier Ribbeck Advmatin

    Co Crouzier Ribbeck Advmatin

    DOI: 10.1002/ Article type: Full Paper Title: Probing the Role of Mucin-Bound Glycans in Bacterial Repulsion by Mucin Coatings Julia Y. Co†, Thomas Crouzier†, and Katharina Ribbeck* †These authors contributed equally to this work. J. Y. Co1,2, T. Crouzier1 PhD, and Assistant Professor K. Ribbeck1, PhD 1 Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA 2 Microbiology Graduate Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, USA *E-mail: [email protected] Keywords: Mucin coatings, bacterial attachment, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, deglycosylation The original version of this manuscript is available at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/admi.201500179/abstract Copyright WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69469 Weinheim, Germany, 2013. 1 Table of Contents Excerpt Mucin coatings suppress surface attachment by the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. Bacterial repulsion by mucin coatings is dependent on the presence of mucin-bound glycans. Upon mucin deglycosylation, the coatings display measurable changes in coating thickness and softness, as well as antifouling capacity. This study highlights the structural and functional role of glycans in mucin coatings. J. Y. Co†, T. Crouzier†, and K. Ribbeck* Probing the Role of Mucin-Bound Glycans in Bacterial Repulsion by Mucin Coatings Abstract Microbial colonization of implanted medical devices in humans can lead to device failure and life-threatening infections. One strategy to prevent this unwanted colonization is to coat devices with polymers that reduce bacterial attachment. This study investigates how mucins, a class of biopolymers found in mucus, can be used as surface coatings to prevent attachment of selected respiratory pathogens to polystyrene surfaces.
  • Structure Matters

    Structure Matters

    the protein crystallographer’s ultimate lab automation bundle protein crystallisation 3 instruments year full 2 warranty set of unlimited 1 software licences do you have the steadiest hand in crystallography? take the loop master challenge at ACA 2017! discover more at www.ttplabtech.com fi nd us on ACA - Structure Matters www.AmerCrystalAssn.org Table of Contents 2 President’s Column 2-3 2017 IUCr Meeting & General Assembly Hyderabad 4 New ACA SIG for Cryo-EM 4-5 New ACA SIG for Best Practices for Data Analysis & Archiving 5 What's on the Cover 6-7 News from Canada What's on the Cover Page 5 8 ACA History Site Update 8 Index of Advertisers 9-12 Living History - Alex Wlodawer 13 ACA New Orleans - Workshop on Communication & Innovation 14-15 ACA New Orleans - Workshop on Research Data Management 16 ACA New Orleans - Workshop on Crysalis & OLEX2 16 Contributors to this Issue 18 Spotlight on Stamps 19-20 ACA New Orleans - Travel Grant Recipients 21-23 Obituaries Election Results Isabella Karle (1921-2017) Henry Bragg (1919-2017) 24 News and Awards 24-25 CESTA 2017 - A Study of the Art of Symmetry 26-28 Update on Structural Dynamics 29 ACA Corporate Members 30 Book Reviews 31-33 ACA Elections Results for 2018 34 2017 Contributors to ACA Funds 35 Puzzle Corner 36-37 ACA 2018 NToronto - Preview 38 Call for Nominations 39 ACA 2018 Summer Course in Chemical Crystallography 40 Future Meetings Contributions to ACA RefleXions may be sent to either of the Editors: Please address matters pertaining to advertisements, Judith L.
  • Discovery of the Secrets of Life Timeline

    Discovery of the Secrets of Life Timeline

    Discovery of the Secrets of Life Timeline: A Chronological Selection of Discoveries, Publications and Historical Notes Pertaining to the Development of Molecular Biology. Copyright 2010 Jeremy M. Norman. Date Discovery or Publication References Crystals of plant and animal products do not typically occur naturally. F. Lesk, Protein L. Hünefeld accidentally observes the first protein crystals— those of Structure, 36;Tanford 1840 hemoglobin—in a sample of dried menstrual blood pressed between glass & Reynolds, Nature’s plates. Hunefeld, Der Chemismus in der thierischen Organisation, Robots, 22.; Judson, Leipzig: Brockhaus, 1840, 158-63. 489 In his dissertation Louis Pasteur begins a series of “investigations into the relation between optical activity, crystalline structure, and chemical composition in organic compounds, particularly tartaric and paratartaric acids. This work focused attention on the relationship between optical activity and life, and provided much inspiration and several of the most 1847 HFN 1652; Lesk 36 important techniques for an entirely new approach to the study of chemical structure and composition. In essence, Pasteur opened the way to a consideration of the disposition of atoms in space.” (DSB) Pasteur, Thèses de Physique et de Chimie, Presentées à la Faculté des Sciences de Paris. Paris: Bachelier, 1847. Otto Funcke (1828-1879) publishes illustrations of crystalline 1853 hemoglobin of horse, humans and other species in his Atlas der G-M 684 physiologischen Chemie, Leizpig: W. Englemann, 1853. Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace publish the first exposition of the theory of natural selection. Darwin and Wallace, “On the Tendency of 1858 Species to Form Varieties, and on the Perpetuation of Varieties and G-M 219 Species by Natural Means of Selection,” J.
  • Fueling Curiosity-Driven Research 2014 ANNUAL REPORT

    Fueling Curiosity-Driven Research 2014 ANNUAL REPORT

    Fueling Curiosity-Driven Research 2014 ANNUAL REPORT 2014 Annual Report Contents About the Burroughs Wellcome Fund 4 President’s Message 6 Biomedical Sciences 11 Diversity in Science 15 Infectious Diseases 18 Interfaces in Science 23 Population and Laboratory Sciences 28 Regulatory Science 30 Reproductive Sciences 34 Science Education 36 Science and Philanthropy 45 Report on Finance 46 Grants Index 50 Advisory Committees 77 Board of Directors and Staff 79 Contact Information 79 Burroughs Wellcome Fund 21 T. W. Alexander Drive P. O. Box 13901 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-3901 919.991.5100 www.bwfund.org Fueling Curiosity-Driven Research | 2014 Annual Report 3 About the Burroughs Wellcome Fund The Burroughs Wellcome Fund is an independent private foundation dedicated to advancing the biomedical sciences by supporting research and other scientific and educational activities. Within this broad mission, BWF seeks to accomplish two primary goals—to help scientists early in their careers develop as independent investigators and to advance fields in the biomedical sciences that are undervalued or in need of particular encouragement 4 Burroughs Wellcome Fund The importance of curiosity-driven research, as endorsed by Henry Wellcome, guides the mission of the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. Financial support is channeled primarily through The firm prospered. After Burroughs died in 1895, competitive peer-reviewed award programs. Grants Wellcome directed the growth of the company into are made primarily to degree-granting institutions an international network with subsidiaries in on behalf of individual researchers. To complement numerous countries on several continents. As the these competitive award programs, grants are also business grew, Wellcome held firm to his belief that made to nonprofit organizations conducting research was fundamental to the development of activities intended to improve the general excellent pharmaceutical products and established environment for science.
  • Research Organizations and Major Discoveries in Twentieth-Century Science: a Case Study of Excellence in Biomedical Research Hollingsworth, J

    Research Organizations and Major Discoveries in Twentieth-Century Science: a Case Study of Excellence in Biomedical Research Hollingsworth, J

    www.ssoar.info Research organizations and major discoveries in twentieth-century science: a case study of excellence in biomedical research Hollingsworth, J. Rogers Veröffentlichungsversion / Published Version Arbeitspapier / working paper Zur Verfügung gestellt in Kooperation mit / provided in cooperation with: SSG Sozialwissenschaften, USB Köln Empfohlene Zitierung / Suggested Citation: Hollingsworth, J. R. (2002). Research organizations and major discoveries in twentieth-century science: a case study of excellence in biomedical research. (Papers / Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung, 02-003). Berlin: Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung gGmbH. https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-112976 Nutzungsbedingungen: Terms of use: Dieser Text wird unter einer Deposit-Lizenz (Keine This document is made available under Deposit Licence (No Weiterverbreitung - keine Bearbeitung) zur Verfügung gestellt. Redistribution - no modifications). We grant a non-exclusive, non- Gewährt wird ein nicht exklusives, nicht übertragbares, transferable, individual and limited right to using this document. persönliches und beschränktes Recht auf Nutzung dieses This document is solely intended for your personal, non- Dokuments. Dieses Dokument ist ausschließlich für commercial use. All of the copies of this documents must retain den persönlichen, nicht-kommerziellen Gebrauch bestimmt. all copyright information and other information regarding legal Auf sämtlichen Kopien dieses Dokuments müssen alle protection. You are not allowed
  • Discoveries That Would Not Survive the REF

    Discoveries That Would Not Survive the REF

    Discoveries that would not survive the REF According to Professor Donald Braben, Honorary Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, virtually every major scientific discovery ever made would not have survived the current REF regime with its emphasis on economic impact. However, herewith a few comments on some of those from the UK: Crick and Watson: Nobel Laureates Medicine, 1962. Sir Lawrence Bragg, also a Nobel Laureate and head of the physics department, raised serious objections to their proposed use of X-ray crystallography. Bragg was an expert. Neither Crick nor Watson had previously used X-rays. But having seen the X-ray crystallography photographs taken by Rosalind Franklin at Kings College, they went ahead and discovered the double helix structure for DNA. Sydney Brenner: Nobel Laureate, Medicine 2002. 'For many years it was widely held that molecular biology was a completely useless subject, a 'fundamental' science of no interest to those working on practical matters.' Science 282, 1411- 1412. (1998) Peter D Mitchell, Nobel Laureate, Chemistry, 1978. Mitchell proposed the chemiosmotic process in 1961, arguably the most important biological-sciences discovery of the 20th century. His radical proposal challenged the conventional wisdom of the time, and was received by almost total hostility. It led to the famous 'ox-phos' wars for example. Max Perutz and John Kendrew, Nobel Laureates, Chemistry, 1962. They worked on the problem of haemoglobin structure for 25 years. For most of that time, they made (in their own words) only 'modest' progress. Examples of curiosity-driven discoveries in different disciplines: Physics The Institute of Physics Chief Executive, Dr Robert Kirby-Harris, said recently: 'History shows us that in many cases it is basic research, undertaken purely out of curiosity to understand more about our world, that has delivered revolutionary breakthroughs.