AUTUMN 2007
News from the Medical Research Council New Chief Executive as MRC gets cash boost
A new Chief Executive, Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, took the helm of the MRC at the beginning of October. Sir Leszek, who comes from Imperial College London where he was Deputy Rector, spoke of his excitement about leading the MRC at a time of change and opportunity for the organisation: “I’m thrilled by the chance to work across the whole spectrum of biomedical science and to help to make a difference in relation to healthcare for individuals in the UK and globally.”
The chairman of the MRC, Sir John Chisholm, welcomed Sir Leszek: “He is the perfect person to lead the MRC in the new environment of coordinated health research in the UK. I am delighted he’ll join us – his stature as a scientist and clinician reflects the importance of the role the MRC will play in a coordinated strategy for turning research findings into healthcare.”
Timely arrival Sir Leszek joined the MRC just days before the Chancellor announced a significant increase in the organisation’s budget, from £543 million to £682 million a year by 2010. In his pre-budget report to the House of Commons on 10 October, Alistair Darling explained that he was funding recognised across the world. And so more British medical discovery can in full the recommendations of Sir David Cooksey’s review of publicly be translated into new health drugs, treatments and preventions… We funded health research including a single strategy for health research in will expand the single fund for health research to £1.7 billion by 2010.” the UK overseen by an Office for the Strategic Coordination of Health Research (OSCHR). Commenting on behalf of the MRC, Sir Leszek described the settlement as a great opportunity: “This significant government boost for health Mr Darling said: “Britain has more Nobel prize winners than any country research in the UK will maintain and strengthen the foundations of basic outside the USA. Yesterday another prize was awarded for medical biomedical science in the UK. But it will also enable researchers to do research, which is testament to Britain’s continued scientific success, more to translate discoveries into benefits for patients and society.” ‘Father of stem cell research’ wins Nobel Prize MRC-funded scientist Sir Martin Evans, has been awarded the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine alongside Italian and UK-born US citizens Mario Capecchi and Oliver Smithies for their discoveries of “principles for introducing specific gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells”.
Sir Martin, former Director of the School of Biosciences and Professor of Mammalian Genetics of Cardiff University, has been supported throughout his career by the MRC. He was a pioneer in UK stem cell research 20 years ago at Cambridge University when he developed ways to culture embryonic stem cells derived from the mouse blastocyst – the ball of cells formed after fertilisation.
He wins the prize for his work in gene targeting, a technique used to inactivate single genes. With gene targeting it is now possible to produce almost any type of DNA modification in the mouse genome, allowing scientists to establish the roles of individual genes in health and disease.
Read more abour Sir Martin’s work at www.mrc.ac.uk/NewsViewsAndEvents/News. NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE AS MRC GETS CASH BOOST continued
He went on: “The alignment of the MRC, the Department of The CSR also sees a budget increase for NIHR from £753 million in Health’s research arm – the National Institute for Health Research 2006/07 to £992 million a year by 2010. (NIHR) – and other public sector funders of medical research within a single integrated strategy through OSCHR will help to ensure Sir Leszek added: “The MRC has a huge role alongside NIHR of building the competitiveness of UK medical research in the future. The up the applicability of discovery into changes both in clinical practice comprehensive spending review (CSR) settlement will provide the seed and in drugs or other health interventions. We are working closely with corn from which we can produce improvements in human health more NIHR to develop joint implementation plans that will help us to achieve quickly and more efficiently in the coming years.” these goals, and will be announcing some initiatives soon.”
AUTUMN 2007 CONTENTS Sir Leszek’s Journey 03 MRC says farewell to to the MRC Colin Blakemore Sir Leszek has a clinical academic background From vaccines to vision 04 RCUK Beijing office to help in viral immunology, infectious diseases, The past few decades have seen fantastic integrate research cell mediated immunity, virus associated developments in medical research. But 04 Joint ethics project with China malignancy and vaccine development. He Sir Leszek argues that the MRC’s duty to was born and schooled in Wales and studied make best use of these discoveries presents 05 Battling germs: new tactics medicine at the Welsh National School of both a challenge and an opportunity: “The Medicine. He came to London to further his unravelling of the human genome is a good 05 Biomarkers studies funded medical training at Hammersmith Hospital, example. We’ve got to actually get the benefits where he was attracted to the research of the human genome out. That means Research centre news 06 environment and became an MRC training concentration on basic mechanisms and how 06 NC3Rs: minimising the fellow to study viral immunology. Throughout the genes translate into products and into use of animals the first part of a distinguished career Sir novel mechanisms. And that should allow us Leszek held positions at hospitals in London, a greater and better understanding of disease 07 Opportunities Cambridge, The Gambia and Wales. processes and how they will actually impact.” He continued: “And at the clinical end, we 08 Weighing the economic He became head of the Faculty of Medicine have to better understand disease processes benefits of medical research at Imperial College London in 2001 and as they affect the individual and as they affect was promoted to Deputy Rector in 2004. In communities. Those are two very important 08 Tackling the toxic this role, Sir Leszek was responsible for the elements; from my own experience, I think the 09 Industry update overall academic and scientific direction of two are inextricably intertwined.” the college, particularly the development of 10 Unit profile: MRC inter-disciplinary research between engineering, Dr Richard Henderson, former Director of Laboratories, The Gambia physical sciences and biomedicine. the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB), also welcomed his appointment: “I was 13 MRC people Sir Leszek knows the MRC well. As well as delighted to learn that Sir Leszek Borysiewicz 14 Obituaries beginning his career with an MRC Clinical is the MRC’s new Chief Executive. As chair of Training Fellowship, he chaired the MRC the Molecular and Cellular Medicine Board we 15 Regulatory support centre Molecular and Cellular Medicine Board and found him to be very perceptive, knowledgeable up and running served on the MRC Council between 1995 and fair. He will be a great advocate for both and 2000. Between 1996 and 2001, Sir Leszek basic science and translation.” 15 Mental Capacity Act chaired a joint Department of Health/MRC advisory group that reviewed research and Another key theme in Sir Leszek’s vision is 16 Research roundup coordinated the human health research that the MRC continues to invest in training 18 Public engagement strategy on Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. the next generation of researchers who will bring forth their skills, knowledge and talent for 20 MRC Annual Review A founding fellow of the Academy of Medical the benefit of the wider community. “It is a big Sciences in 1996, Sir Leszek was a member of responsibility because these researchers will be 20 Molecular machines at the the Council of Cancer Research UK from 2002 behind discoveries of the future,” he said. MRC Virology Unit to 2005 and a governor of the Wellcome Trust from 2006 to 2007. In 2001 he was knighted Global health is also key to Sir Leszek’s strategy. for his services to developing vaccines, He said: “We have to be aware that we don’t including one to prevent cervical cancer. On live in global isolation in the UK and that issues appointment to the MRC, Sir Leszek retains no that surround global health are going to be of affiliation to any academic institution, except critical importance - the MRC has to play its for a single position as honorary consultant at part in ensuring that what we do is applicable St Mary’s Hospital in London. to the wider world community.”
NETWORK Autumn 2007 MRC says farewell to Colin Blakemore
Professor Colin Blakemore finished his term as Chief Executive of the MRC at the end of September. Among his many achievements are his unfailing dedication to science communication and his commitment to using medical research to benefit people’s health.
When he started his term at the MRC, Professor Colin Blakemore was asked if he would regret giving up the freedom of academic life and the excitement of research for pen-pushing in London. His reply was that the challenge of spending nearly half a billion pounds a year to nurture UK biomedical research was a huge honour – and, in any case, he had no intention of giving up research. “Colin has raised the public and professional profile of the MRC nationally and internationally and has effectively engaged the community in responding to changing research and Colin put the MRC at the forefront of new efforts to translate discovery financial environments,” said Sir John Chisholm, Chairman of the MRC. into health benefits as quickly as possible – a theme that has now become an international consensus. Nick Winterton, MRC Executive Colin has been a tireless public spokesman for science, through his Director, said: “Colin has placed special emphasis on getting across media work, his public appearances and his writing for the national press. the message that the full benefits of translation depend on sustaining During the bird flu crisis, he made sure that people knew how quickly investment in high quality fundamental science.” the MRC had moved to be at the forefront of flu research. He led the warnings last year about unorthodox stem cell treatment overseas and Colin himself is an outstanding scientist with a formidable career; his has recently spoken about the potential value of research on animal- ‘concise’ CV is nine pages long. At the age of 24 he picked up his first human hybrid cells and embryos. In 2004 Colin was elected President grant from the MRC. Setting up his own lab in Cambridge in the late of the Association of British Science Writers and in 2005 he won the 1960s, he found himself in the middle of a scientific revolution – the Science Educator Award from the Society of Neuroscience and the birth of neuroscience as a discipline in its own right. His research has Edinburgh Medal for his work in public engagement. centred on vision, early development of the brain and the plasticity of the cerebral cortex. He has published several books and nearly 250 Colin has always been outspoken in his defence of the responsible use scientific papers – including 30 during his time at the MRC. of animals in medical research, despite being targeted by extremists for 15 years. Animal rights extremism has fallen dramatically and public With plans to go back to his professorship at Oxford, Colin intends to support for animal research is remarkably high, partly due to the efforts help to coordinate neuroscience there. He will spend a quarter of his of scientists like Colin who have won support by talking openly about time as chairman of the new A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology the benefits of what they do. and Research in Singapore) neuroscience research programme. And he will hold a 10 per cent-equivalent chair in neuroscience at the University Under Colin’s guidance, the MRC’s operations have been reviewed, of Warwick. Colin will also be a non-executive director of British simplified and made more flexible and transparent. Investment in grants and Technology Group, a company that commercialises pharmaceuticals in training in universities has virtually tripled during his time at the MRC. neuroscience and oncology.
Autumn 2007 NETWORK Working with Chinese scientists RCUK Beijing The RCUK office in China will help to increase researcher-to-researcher contacts between the UK and China. However, office to help collaborating with China is not a new idea; the MRC already has several such integrate UK projects on the go. Many of these are in the field of flu research and came out of the MRC’s recent call for proposals in this and Chinese area. For instance, Dr Xiao-Ning Xu of the MRC Human Immunology Unit in Oxford is working with colleagues at the Harbin research Veterinary Research Institute in China on increasing the immune response elicited by BEIJING a vaccine against the H5N1 flu virus, so that lower doses could be used. The same CHINA unit also received a grant to enable three Chinese researchers to come to Oxford China is investing heavily in science and innovation. Its industrial and educational explosion for six months to learn flu virus assay will make it an increasingly important source of new ideas and opportunities for research techniques. And Dr Nigel Temperton at collaboration. The MRC is helping UK scientists to navigate the Chinese research landscape by University College London is working with setting up an office in the capital Beijing on behalf of the UK research councils. the University of Hong Kong to develop The opening of a Research Councils UK (RCUK) office is in line with the government’s Global a simple, cost-effective way to test the Science and Innovation Forum’s strategy, which promotes the UK’s role in international science. effectiveness of new flu vaccines. The office will formally begin business this month. Once up and running, it will focus on areas of strategic importance to the UK and will complement the work of other UK organisations already Scientists working at the MRC-supported established in China such as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Science and Innovation Clinical Trials Service Unit (CTSU) have been Network, the British Council and UK Trade and Investment. collaborating with researchers at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and the China The office will be located in a recently constructed block in the Tsinghua science park in the Centre for Disease Control since the 1980s. Haidian district of Beijing. Chris Godwin, who has been seconded from the Economic and Social The China Studies group at CTSU, led by Research Council to direct the office, explained its role: “The RCUK office has three main tasks. Professor Zhengming Chen, has conducted It will explore how UK and Chinese research resourcing and decision processes can be better many large-scale collaborative projects and aligned. It also aims to improve knowledge about each country’s research systems and strengths trials on subjects including surveys of lifestyle, – this will be done via a dedicated website. And the office will also support a small programme of nutrition and mortality, prospective cohort strategic activities.” He’ll work alongside Dr Carol Rennie, from the Royal Society, who has been appointed deputy director. They both have excellent spoken mandarin, which has helped to get studies of smoking and other risk factors, the office off to a flying start. Two more staff members have been recruited locally. randomised trials of treatments for heart attack, strokes and cancers. Many of these RCUK also intends to open an office in Washington later this year and is developing a business are among the largest such studies in the plan for an office in India. These international offices will increase the visibility, leadership and policy world. The group continues to expand these influence of the UK research councils and stimulate multidisciplinary research and collaboration. collaborations and develop new projects. Joint ethics project with China
China has seen a rapid increase in medical research funding and exchange of experience between the UK and China. There are a wide activity in recent years and Chinese scientists are increasingly keen range of potential issues, so the project is focusing on three areas of to work with researchers overseas. This has created potential particular relevance to the MRC. These are stem cell research, emerging opportunities for joint working with the MRC. It is crucial that infections (in particular, vaccine research) and clinical trials (including scientists taking part understand the similarities and differences in the trials of traditional Chinese medicines). regulatory and ethical frameworks of the two countries. A steering group chaired by Professor David Warrell, Emeritus The China-UK Research Ethics project group is working to describe the Professor of Tropical Medicine at Oxford University, is carrying out the principles of these frameworks and the codes of practice and guidance project. Members of the group visited China in April and will return available to researchers in the UK and China. Specifically, the group will in October to visit research sites and participate in a workshop on report on what potential partners need to know about the Chinese stem cell research regulation. A report on the project findings and guidance and how ethical review and regulation is carried out there. The recommendations will be produced at the end of this year. More project will also recommend the best ways of communication and information is available from [email protected].
NETWORK Autumn 2007 Battling germs: new tactics
Major UK funders of research into infections are joining forces The MRC will manage the application process, with up to £16.5 million to encourage researchers to develop new ways to tackle or stop available through two schemes. Consortium Grants, each worth £3–5 infections. Their effort has been developed under the sponsorship of million over five years, will be available to researchers for the application the UK Clinical Research Collaboration (UKCRC), and has led to the of high quality research and improved training and infrastructure. launch of the UKCRC Translational Infection Research Initiative. Strategy Development Grants of £60,000 over nine months will fund activities allowing groups to come together and develop research The scheme aims to increase the number of scientists working in strategies and partnerships. areas of research looking at ways to prevent and treat infections. It will also encourage and develop leaders in the field of infections research, encourage groups to work with each other, talk about their studies and The Translational Infections Research Initiative comes in the wake of a bring in new talent. review of the main funding bodies’ activities and priorities in microbiology and infectious diseases carried out by an international panel of vaccine This in turn will help to create ways to address a range of practical experts from academia, the biotech and pharmaceutical industries and problems arising from persistent viral and bacterial infections as well as government. The initiative was also preceded by a UKCRC workshop on ways to combat the emergence of new strains of known diseases. antibiotic resistance and infections linked to healthcare.
Biomarkers studies funded
The MRC is leading a £17 million effort to Eighteen new projects have been funded, “Clearly the fact that the charity sector, the evaluate new biomarkers – physiological including seven with funding from the British MRC and industry are working together to ‘signposts’ to assess health, monitor disease or Heart Foundation, which has contributed support the development of biomarkers and determine response to treatment. Examples of £1 million. The projects all involve collaborations translational medicine is hugely important for widely used biomarkers include blood pressure with industry and should greatly accelerate the UK and demonstrates the commitment as a measure of cardiovascular health, or levels the speed that scientific knowledge benefits that we have to making the UK a world of proteins in urine to indicate kidney health. patients. Overall, the pharmaceutical and leader in this critical area of science,” said Dr biotechnology industries have contributed Annette Doherty of Pfizer Global Research As understanding of fundamental biological £8 million to the initiative, through direct and Development. “I look forward to and physiological processes improves, so too financial support, provision of drugs or continuing to build the links between industry does the prospect for developing more subtle supplies for experiments, commitment of and other funders of research to benefit and specific markers. The aim of this initiative research time or access to technology. patients more quickly.” is to identify new biomarkers that can become part of the toolkit at a doctor’s disposal. The awards follow an MRC-sponsored conference held last year in which scientists, regulators and industry came together to explore how biomarkers could transform key areas of medical research and how the UK could best contribute to the international research effort. It is the culmination of a long-term effort to increase investment and research into biomarkers in the UK.
Studies funded include a three-year project led by Dr Aroon Hingorani at UCL (University College London) investigating the role of a protein, called complement factor H, in age- related macular degeneration – one of the most common causes of blindness in the UK. Dr Johann de Bono is exploring circulating tumour cells and their links to disease severity in men with advanced prostate cancer. And Professor Asif Ahmed has been awarded a grant to study potential biomarkers to predict risk of pre- eclampsia, a serious complication of pregnancy.
Autumn 2007 NETWORK RESEARCH CENTRE NEWS Clinical Imaging Centre launched The opening of the Clinical Imaging Centre (CIC) on the Hammersmith Hospital site in June marked the beginning of a new era in research collaboration between the MRC, Imperial College London and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).
The new CIC will accelerate drug discovery and development and lead the application of imaging science in this area. It has the capacity for 1,500 MRI scans and 1,000 PET scans each year. And as well as constructing the new facility, GSK, Imperial College and the MRC have entered into a 10-year research agreement for medical imaging. The centre was officially opened by Alistair Darling (pictured), now Chancellor of the Exchequer, and celebrated by Professor Colin Blakemore, then MRC Chief Executive, Sir Richard Sykes, Rector of Imperial College, and Dr Moncef Slaui who leads GSK’s research and development organisation.
Since the pioneering work of Sir Peter Mansfield at Nottingham University in the 1970s, MRC- funded research has contributed greatly to the advances in imaging science which we now see benefiting patients in hospitals across the world. The Hammersmith campus has a long and distinguished history in this area, which is reflected in GSK’s decision to locate this state- of-the-art facility here. The CIC is the largest centre in Europe dedicated to the development and application of imaging techniques for clinical research and one of the world’s largest collaborations between industry, academia and government. Joint call for proposals: electronic patient records and databases in research Speaking at the launch, Colin Blakemore commented on the importance of the development: The Wellcome Trust, the Engineering and “The CIC is at the heart of a clinical research centre comprising the MRC’s Clinical Sciences Physical Sciences Research Council and Centre, Imperial College London and Hammersmith Hospital. It has been an eagerly awaited the Economic and Social Research Council addition to the site, providing substantial additional resources to a group of clinicians and and the MRC are launching a new funding scientists buzzing with ideas on how to make the most of such equipment and facilities both initiative to stimulate and support research academically and to the benefit of patients. Imaging is allowing us to go further than many of that uses major electronic databases for us had imagined possible in understanding how the human body works and is an area which health research purposes. These electronic will greatly inform therapeutic interventions and drug development in the years to come.” patient records and longitudinal cohort databases provide a powerful data source Alistair Darling described the new centre as “right at the forefront of the fight against some with the potential to answer major of the major diseases in the world. It means a world-leading facility based here in the UK questions in biomedical, clinical and public bringing the best of industry and academia together backed by the Government. It will give health research. researchers what they need to enhance our reputation as a world leader in science, research and putting great ideas into practice, speeding up the process to deliver the new medicines Proposals are sought across three main that patients need.”
areas of interest: RESEARCH CENTRE NEWS • Health research using electronic patient records and major longitudinal cohort databases. minimising • Training programmes and workshops in NC3Rs: the the use of complex patient record and cohort databases, including development use of animals of methodology. • Ethics research and public engagement Deadlines are looming for researchers interested in the 3Rs – replacing, refining and reducing the use activities to explore issues around the of animals in research. The National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs), which promotes the 3Rs in animal use of patient databases for research and research and testing by taking a scientific approach to challenging the use of animals, is looking for raise awareness of the importance of grant applications to be submitted in the coming months. such research for patient benefit. The NC3Rs which grew out of an MRC initiative – the Centre for Best Practice for Animals in Expressions of interest should be Research was opened in September 2004 by Lord Sainsbury, then Minister for Science. It’s based emailed to the Wellcome Trust at at MRC Head Office in London and receives considerable financial and operational support from [email protected] by the MRC. Headed by Dr Vicky Robinson, the NC3Rs has 15 staff and works in areas as diverse as 10 October 2007. Full applications will be developing guidelines for the accommodation, care and use of non-human primates in research, and due in March 2008 and awards made in the significance of species relevance in preclinical safety testing of monoclonal antibodies. The Centre July. For more information, see also peer reviews the 3Rs aspects of grant applications involving primates, cats, dogs and equines for all the major funding bodies, including the MRC. For more information visit www.nc3rs.org.uk. www.wellcome.ac.uk/node2168.html. Guidelines on the accommodation, care and use of non-human primates are available at www.nc3rs.org.uk/primatesguidelines. NETWORK Autumn 2007 OPPORTUNITIES
BOARD APPLICATION DEADLINE PEER REVIEW BOARD MEETING Clinical Trials Cross-Board 12 December 2007 January–March 2008 April 2008 Molecular and Cellular Medicine 9 January 2008 January–April 2008 10 & 11 July 2008 Infections and Immunity 16 January 2008 January–April 2008 18 & 19 June 2008 Physiological and Clinical Sciences 23 January 2008 January–May 2008 26 & 27 June 2008 Neurosciences and Mental Health 30 January 2008 February–May 2008 3 & 4 July 2008 Health Services and Public Health 6 February 2008 February–June 2008 7 & 8 July 2008
CALLS FOR PROPOSALS SUBMISSIONS BY 4PM ON PEER REVIEW PANEL MEETING Experimental Medicine 2 17 October 2007 December 2007–February 2008 March 2008 Interventions, Evaluation and Study 31 October 2007 November 2007–January 2008 February 2008 Platforms (Full) Discipline Hopping Grants 14 November 2007 December 2007–February 2008 March 2008 National Prevention Research Initiative 22 November 2007 December 2007–January 2008 February 2008 – Phase 2 (Full)
Physical Systems and Clinical Sciences Board 20 February 2008 tbc tbc Industry Collaboration Award Scheme
FELLOWSHIP TYPE CLOSING DATE SHORT LISTING INTERVIEWS TAKE UP DATES Clinician Scientist Fellowship / Senior 23 November 2007 9 April 2008 7–9 May 2008 August–December 2008 Clinical Fellowship
Career Development Award 18 January 2008 22 May 2008 19-20 June 2008 September 2008–January 2009 Clinical Research Training Fellowship 10,11,12 June 25 January 2008 13 May 2008 November 2008–May 2009 (Round 1) 2008 Informatics 26 October 2007 31 January 2008 tbc tbc
NC3Rs The NC3Rs (see page 6) has funding available for research which advances knowledge in the replacement, refinement or reduction of animals in research. The next application deadline is 13 February 2008.
As well as response mode applications, grant applications are encouraged in two key areas: • 3Rs and fish • Refinement in rodent husbandry care and procedures.
For more information, visit www.nc3rs.org.uk/researchfunding or email [email protected].
The NC3Rs 3Rs prize, sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline, recognises a piece of published work that advances, or has the potential to advance, knowledge in the 3Rs. Further information on how to enter can be found at www.nc3rs.org.uk/3rsprize. The next deadline is 2 November 2007.
The NC3Rs also has a Small Awards Scheme, run jointly with the Laboratory Animal Science Association. Awards of up to £2,000 are available to support research and training in the 3Rs and animal welfare. Further information can be found at www.nc3rs.org.uk/smallawards. OPPORTUNITIES The next deadline for applications is 26 October 2007.
MRC increases collaborative industry studentships The MRC will increase, from 10 to 30, the number of collaborative PhD studentships in 2008. The studentships will allow more MRC funded postgraduate students to gain experience in both industry and academia. For more details about the scheme, see page 9 or email [email protected].
Autumn 2007 NETWORK Weighing the economic benefits of medical research
Together with the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) and the Wellcome Professor Martin Roland, who chaired the 2006 report, said: ‘‘Medical Trust, the MRC has commissioned a project to assess the economic research plays a vital role in improving national health and prosperity. returns on investment in UK medical research. But there are increasing demands for evidence of value for money in all areas of public spending. It‘s important that the socio-economic benefits Understanding the nature and extent of returns on the investment of medical research can be clearly measured and demonstrated. I am in medical research is a neglected area of scientific study. But delighted that AMS, the MRC and the Wellcome Trust have awarded this demonstrating that better health, improved quality of life and increased contract, which responds to a key recommendation in the UK Evaluation prosperity come out of the work funded by organisations such as the Forum report.’’ MRC is not straightforward. This new project will attempt to grasp the nettle. It will quantify the economic value of health improvements Despite growing interest in this area, there remains a tension between calls and commercial exploitation that spring from health research in the for increased investment in research and rigorous assessment of the effects UK. It will focus on the specific returns in two key areas of UK medical on society of research. A report by the US Lasker Foundation to quantify research – cardiovascular disease and mental health. the economic benefits of medical research, entitled‘Exceptional Returns’, claimed the economic value of reductions in US cardiovascular disease is Last year, a report published by the AMS, the Wellcome Trust and the worth 20 times the amount spent on medical research in the area. MRC recommended that funders look more closely at this area. The study, entitled ‘Medical research: assessing the benefits to society’, led to a contract Professor Roland added: ‘‘The American Exceptional Returns study shows for £120,000 being awarded to a consortium led by the Health Economics a high rate of return on the investment in medical research by any Research Group at Brunel University, including the Office of Health standards. We need to be careful when applying some of its assumptions Economics and RAND Europe – an independent not-for-profit research to the UK. The work to be carried out under this contract will develop institute which aims to help improve policy and decision-making through a better evidence base for continued UK investment in high-quality research and analysis. The project is scheduled to deliver its findings in 2008. medical research.’’
Tackling the toxic regulatory toxicology. It will involve a four-year rolling PhD programme and career development fellowships. The programme will also encourage cooperation across disciplines and between industry, government The MRC is setting up a new agencies and academia, with the aim of training the next generation of initiative aimed at building toxicology researchers. capacity in toxicology research. First steps Managed by the MRC Toxicology Unit in Leicester, it will help boost the An open workshop for interested scientists in academia and industry as UK’s supply of multidisciplinary scientists trained in toxicology research. well as officials from government departments and regulatory agencies will be held in London in November this year. It will bring together The development of safe and effective drugs is a fundamental healthcare advice on the content of the curriculum and the establishment of the priority. Adverse reactions and side effects of drugs can limit their programme. Advertisements for potential projects will be made at the end therapeutic usefulness and are a significant problem for industry and of the year with the aim of beginning the programme in October 2008. public health authorities. The risks from chemical contamination of foods and the environment are also a constant public health consideration. Administration and direction Prevention and assessment of risk and safe development of drugs are The MRC Toxicology Unit in Leicester will manage the new initiative. therefore key issues in toxicology. The toxicological sciences include a A major MRC investment, the unit is one of the largest establishments wide range of disciplines, from chemical biology, animal physiology, clinical in Europe working on both fundamental and applied toxicology. Its studies and epidemiology, to the science of how chemicals and drugs strategic lead will be provided by a high level steering committee work at molecular and cellular levels. appointed by the MRC and chaired by Professor Pierluigi Nicotera, director of the Toxicology Unit. The MRC is investing £2.25 million in a pioneering training programme in toxicology research. The aim is to boost the supply of multidisciplinary Professor Nicotera said: “The Toxicology Unit is looking forward to post-doctoral research scientists. catalysing the formation of a new generation of scientists trained to use modern approaches to solve problems linked to drug safety and The National Programme of Training and Capacity Building in Integrative environmental health. I believe that this scheme will act as a pump priming Toxicology will bring together research into fundamental mechanisms of fund that will attract further support and incentives to enable students to human toxicity with other aspects of drug safety and environmental and pursue a career in very relevant aspects of experimental medicine.”
NETWORK Autumn 2007 INDUSTRY UPDATE “Collaboration between industry and research Showcasing institutions remains essential if we are to continue to research enhance our scientific A new £3 million scheme aimed at encouraging joint research with understanding and develop industry has made its first awards. The grants have come out of the innovative new medicines.” MRC’s quarterly showcase days, which began late last year. These give influential industry scientists unprecedented access to the latest JP Garnier, GSK Chief Executive research by MRC-funded scientists. The aim is to develop the next generation of healthcare products by introducing MRC researchers He hopes the work will lead to improved knowledge about how the gene to potential partners in industry. contributes to the disease and help industry to target it for treatment. Professor Wynick will use his award to spend a six-month sabbatical at The MRC and MRC Technology set up the funding scheme, called GSK learning more about the process by which pharmaceutical companies the Pilot Industry Collaboration Award Scheme, to encourage joint develop new painkillers and the regulatory process associated with this. research between scientists and industry representatives who attend Also with GSK, Dr Hangar plans to use her award to study a protein called the showcases. The first three grants have been made to Professor apolipoprotein E that is implicated in Alzheimer’s disease, in the hope that Dario Alessi at the MRC Protein Phosphorylation Unit in Dundee, the work will lead to new drug targets for the disease. Professor David Wynick at the University of Bristol and Dr Diane Hanger at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London. The next showcase days include a molecular and cellular medicine day in November, followed by a neurosciences and mental health showcase Professor Alessi will work with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to study mutations in February next year. To find out more or to register to attend, visit in a gene called LRRK2, which is linked to late-onset Parkinson’s disease. www.mrcshowcases.org.
From October 2008 the number of studentships available will rise from 10 to around 30 each year. The scheme will have two distinct Collaborative funding systems. The first will allow companies which have an appropriate training working with environment, adequate resources and procedures in place to apply for an annual allocation of studentships. The second will allow industry students companies to apply for individual studentships on distinct projects. Both sets of awards aim to support multidisciplinary research training to help build the UK’s workforce in areas of new or expanding As part of its continued effort to forge closer links between opportunity. For more information, visit www.mrc.ac.uk/Careers/ academic institutions and industry, the MRC is increasing funding for Studentships/SchemesIndustrialCollaborative/index.htm. its collaborative industrial studentships. MRC Technology signs antibody deal with Organon
Monoclonal antibodies, which make up around a third of all new Dr Tarran Jones, who heads the Therapeutic Antibody Group, said: “We drugs that come on the market, stem from research by MRC are looking forward to applying our expertise in collaboration with scientists. In July, MRC Technology (MRCT) signed a collaborative Organon to humanise their monoclonal antibody which addresses such agreement with Organon to develop a humanised antibody to treat an important disease area.” certain cancers. Organon is the human healthcare business unit of Dutch healthcare and chemical company Akzo Nobel. Antibody humanisation The agreement will see MRCT’s Therapeutic Antibody Group use its Antibody humanisation was first invented at the MRC Laboratory own technology to generate a candidate humanised antibody from a of Molecular Biology by Sir Greg Winter, currently acting director mouse antibody discovered at Organon’s research centre in the USA. of the institute. It was patented by the MRC in the late 1980s. Organon will retain all development and commercialisation rights but The technique involves transferring areas of mouse antibody genes will pay MRCT for research and development milestones, as well as into human antibody frameworks. This makes them better suited to royalties on sales that result from commercialisation of the antibody. human medical use because they are much less likely to elicit an inappropriate immune response in patients. The Therapeutic Antibody Group has a proven track record of success in antibody humanisation, with 18 years’ experience and around 30 successfully humanised antibodies. Of these, eight have progressed to the clinic and two have gone on to receive market approval. INDUSTRY UPDATE
Autumn 2007 NETWORK Unit profile: MRC Laboratories, The Gambia
This year sees the 60th anniversary of the MRC Laboratories in The Setting and history Gambia. Set up in 1947, the unit is the UK’s single largest investment The MRC laboratories were established two years after MRC staff were in tropical medicine research in a developing country and is one of the appointed to a nutritional field working party in the country. Shortly world’s major centres for research into infectious diseases. Working afterwards, Sir Ian McGregor was recruited to study the relationships towards the United Nation (UN)’s Millennium Development Goals, the between parasites and nutrition and a field station was set up at Keneba. unit is helping to reduce the burden of death and disease worldwide. Sir Ian, who died earlier this year, went on to direct the unit for 23 years and was a pioneer in tropical medicine. In 1982 another field site was established at Basse, followed by one in 1983 at Farafenni and one at Inspiring direction Caio, Guinea Bissau in 1988. Professor Tumani Corrah has been Unit Director of the MRC Laboratories since 2004, following two years as acting director. Born in The Gambia, he The unit has around 750 staff – more than 600 of these are Gambian trained in medicine in St Petersburg, Russia, followed by Ibadan, Nigeria and and the rest come from more than 20 different countries. It is the third then Edinburgh and Wales. He returned to The Gambia in 1982 to take largest employer in the country. The unit contributes substantially to up a clinical post at the MRC Hospital. In 1983 he started his PhD on the the local economy through local salaries and the purchase of goods immunology of tuberculosis (TB). This involved pioneering work carrying out and services. It also provides all important healthcare to many people. one of the first trials of immunotherapy to treat TB in Africa. He continued “The MRC Laboratories offer clinical services to more than 100,000 to move up the ranks at the unit, strengthening its clinical research, until patients every year, either at our own facilities or by enabling access to taking over from the previous director Professor Keith Adam in 2002. other public health institutions. This provides us with a ‘gateway’ to the community on whom we depend for clinical research,” said Tumani. The unit’s decision-making body is an executive management board chaired by Tumani. In 2005 Professor Sarah Rowland-Jones, whose forte is HIV research, was made director of research, with the responsibility of overseeing the unit’s scientific programme and submitting its five-year research plan. Mark Radford has been the director of operations since January 2002 – and has made a huge contribution to restructuring and reorganising the unit.
Tumani said: “The reorganisation process which began in late 2002 provided the opportunity for the unit to focus on the development and testing of interventions aimed at reducing the burden of diseases in the developing world.” In June this year Tumani was awarded an honorary CBE in recognition of his long and distinguished career as a consultant physician, researcher and leader. From left: Professor Tumani Corrah, Professor Sarah Rowland-Jones, Professor Colin Blakemore and Mark Radford. 10 NETWORK Autumn 2007 Gambia River SENEGAL Farafenni The bacterial diseases programme often involves entire Gambian GAMBIA communities. The programme also provides diagnostic services to the GAMBIA MRC hospital at Fajara and contributes to the Government’s national TB
Atlantic Ocean Wali Kunda Basse control programme. Banjul Keneba
SENEGAL Two main causes of acute respiratory infection in developing countries are pneumococcus and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). The latter GUINEA-BISSAU has been virtually eliminated in Gambian children following a clinical study Geography that showed that a highly successful routine Hib vaccination programme The Gambia in West Africa is one of the smallest countries on the continent. can be implemented despite less than optimum coverage and irregular It is bordered to the north, east and south by Senegal and has a small Atlantic vaccine supply. And a trial assessing a vaccine against pneumococcus that coast to the west. The river Gambia flows through its centre. The main base involved more than 17,000 children has reduced the rate of radiological of the MRC Laboratories is in Fajara, just outside the capital Banjul. Its pneumonia by 37 per cent. It also reduced the rate of deaths and hospital unique setting provides the opportunity to carry out high quality laboratory, admissions by 16 per cent and 15 per cent respectively. epidemiology and clinical studies – bench, bush and bedside. As well as the Fajara site, the MRC has four other sites in The Gambia (at Keneba, Current TB research is focused on population studies of immunity, Farafenni, Basse and Wali Kunda) and one in Guinea Bissau (Caio). biomarkers – biological indicators of disease – and diagnosis and vaccine studies using a unique TB case contact platform. Recently the group characterised bacterial samples from sputum to show that one third of Working in partnership the country’s TB cases were infected with M. africanum, a finding which has One of the Gambian unit’s major strengths lies in its longstanding important implications for development of new TB vaccination programmes. relationship with the Gambia Government. Members of the MRC Laboratories serve on a number of boards and committees of the From left: Professor Government’s Department of State for Health, with whom they meet Richard Adegbola and Dr David Conway. regularly. A joint Gambia Government/MRC Scientific Partnership Committee was set up a few years ago, which allows Government people to contribute to the planning of new projects for the unit. In addition, the joint Gambia Government/MRC Ethics Committee assesses Unit profile: and approves every project involving human participants carried out by the unit and makes sure that these meet international ethical standards.
MRC Laboratories, The Gambia The MRC in The Gambia works closely with local non-governmental organisations as well as UK and international groups. The UK Department for International Development is a very important partner, as are the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Global Fund, the Overcoming malaria Gates Malaria Partnership, the European Union and academic bodies. Dr David Conway heads the malaria programme. He came to the MRC in The Gambia in 2005, after studying and carrying out research at Nottingham and Edinburgh Universities, Imperial College London and Research focus the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. David explained: Since 2003, research at the MRC Laboratories has had three main “Our malaria research encompasses laboratory and clinical science focuses: bacterial diseases (mainly TB and acute respiratory infections), as well as public health interventions. An important example of MRC viral diseases and malaria. These diseases know no bounds. In 2006 research leading to effective new interventions can be traced from 1986, the UN estimated that HIV had infected 65 million people since it was when a study showed that bednets treated with safe biodegradable discovered in the 1980s, while malaria claims the lives of two million insecticides protected people from malaria by reducing their exposure people every year, mostly under school age. The rate of TB is increasing to mosquito bites. Then in 1989 a large trial demonstrated that the use with the emergence of HIV and as strains become increasingly drug of these nets cut deaths in under-five year olds by a huge 63 per cent. resistance. It affects not only the developing world; rates are climbing Because of this work, insecticide treated nets are now used across the in the UK and other developed countries. “Developing drugs, vaccines world and are one of the most practical tools to combat malaria.” and other ways to tackle these diseases that are practical, affordable and appropriate to the settings is an important priority,” said Tumani. “Currently one of our main aims is to understand how malaria causes disease at a molecular and cellular level,” David added. “We are focusing on the varying mechanisms used by the parasite to enter red blood cells Beating bacterial diseases in different patients. This is important because the parasite molecules The bacterial diseases programme, led by Professor Richard Adegbola, involved seem to be targets of immune responses themselves.” Led focuses on two main areas: acute respiratory infections and TB. Richard by Dr Michael Walther, the scientists are also carrying out hospital and has been at the MRC Laboratories since 1990 and has more than 17 community based studies of the regulation of cellular immune responses years of research experience in bacterial infections of the tropics. As well as a way to determine people’s disease risk. as his position at the MRC, he is also a member of the WHO Meningitis Vaccine Project Advisory Group and of the Partnership Board of the Alongside these, a large scale investigation of the genetics of severe European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership. Richard malaria involves a genome wide study in many of the same patients, said: “Our goal is to eliminate the scourge of tropical diseases caused by as well as other severe cases recruited over the last 10 years. This is bacteria and the consequent poverty and misery through vaccination the leading piece of work in the global MalariaGEN project, being and treatment. This will help developing countries in achieving UN carried out with Professor Dominic Kwiatkowski at the University of Millennium Development Goals for health by 2015. We are making Oxford. The group is also working on a major trial comparing injectable excellent progress in this direction.” Artesunate with Quinine for severe malaria. This is part of the clinical trial portfolio that includes new combination therapy trials and community based intermittent treatment to prevent malaria in children.
Autumn 2007 NETWORK 11 Defeating viral infections Professor Rowland-Jones is head of the viral diseases programme at the MRC Laboratories in The Gambia. Before that, she was Director of the Oxford Centre for Tropical Medicine, which coordinates research activities in tropical medicine and international health throughout the world. She also led a research group in the MRC Human Immunology Unit in Oxford. A key focus of her past work was studying immune responses to HIV in highly exposed but apparently uninfected people, most notably in sex workers and in infants exposed through breastfeeding. She was one of the first scientists to discover that many highly exposed but uninfected people have HIV-specific cytotoxic T cells – immune cells that destroy HIV-infected cells in the body and keep people free from disease. This work was carried out in the 1990s in a collaboration between the Oxford Unit and Professor Hilton Whittle in The Gambia. It has underpinned the development of new types of candidate vaccines to prevent HIV infection.
“One of the main sites of our HIV research is the rural village of Caio in Guinea Bissau, where we have a number of laboratory and population studies,” explained Sarah. “The population of this village was noted back in 1989 to have an unusually high prevalence of the second strain of HIV, HIV-2. Studies since then have shown that the majority of HIV-2-infected people do not become sick, even though a minority develop disease in exactly the same way as people with HIV-1. We think that by trying to understand what allows so many people to live a healthy life with HIV-2 infection could give new insights into what is needed in a vaccine to prevent both forms of HIV infection.”
Hepatitis B is another major focus of the virology programme: the infection is to blame for liver cancer, which is the most common cancer in men and second most common in women in The Gambia. The MRC first became aware that a high number of people were infected with hepatitis B in the 1970s and introduced a vaccination programme in the 1980s. The infection rate has been dropping ever since. As the result of a subsequent five- year clinical trial, every newborn Gambian child is now vaccinated against the disease. Today, the scientists are continuing a long-term clinical trial investigating the effect of hepatitis B vaccination on rates of liver cancer.
The viral diseases programme also covers Chlamydia trachomatis – the leading cause of preventable blindness worldwide – and measles. Although C. trachomatis is actually a bacterium, it resembles a virus in that it cannot grow outside a cell. A new research programme in infant immunology is helping researchers to understand the best ways to Dr Aderonke Odutola, Research Clinician with the Bacterial Diseases Programme, sees a patient. protect children from infectious diseases through vaccination.
“We now have an excellent and highly-motivated team of researchers “We spend more than 10 per cent of our budget every year on from throughout the world working together in the Gambia unit and training our own staff as well as staff from the Gambian Government it’s exciting to see how well our scientific programme is growing and health sector,” said Tumani Corrah. “Training and capacity building is a developing,” said Dr Rowland-Jones. crucial part of what we do, so that we can ensure an ongoing supply of excellent scientists to carry out our research in the future.”
Training and capacity building The G8 summit meeting in 2005 recognised the potential role of science Looking to the future and technology capacity development in supporting the economic In May 2007 the MRC marked 60 years in The Gambia with a series of development of Africa. However, right across the continent there is a events and a visit by MRC Chief Executive Professor Colin Blakemore. ‘brain drain’ problem, with many of the more educated young people An open day was held in Fajara for more than 200 local secondary seeking opportunities elsewhere. The MRC Laboratories in The Gambia school science students, a new Clinical Services complex was opened are helping to combat this by successfully training and retaining the next at Fajara, an open forum was held highlighting the unit’s scientific generation of bright young scientists to work in the country. For several achievements and a new laboratory was commissioned, named after years much work has gone into developing a professional development Professor Hilton Whittle, the unit’s Emeritus scientist. The new Clinical pathway in biomedical science. Several schemes have been set up to help Services department marks the biggest site development programme this happen. For instance, the MRC-Westminster University Diploma in at the MRC Laboratories in The Gambia for 40 years. Tumani said: “The Biochemical Sciences, set up in 2001, has seen the third batch of students opening of this new 42-bed facility will help provide care for our clinical graduate in January 2007. And this year the first batch of Gambian research patients as well as sick Gambian people. Together with the lab technicians completed an in-house course and received the MRC new Hilton Whittle Laboratory it is an indication of a bright future for Certificate in Biomedical Sciences. Gambian staff are enrolled in distance the MRC Laboratories in The Gambia. With the excellent scientists we learning through the University of South Africa, while Gambian and have in place and our well developed relationships with the Gambian international students are completing their PhDs at the unit. government and other organisations, we hope to continue to yield results that improve the health of people across the world.” 12 NETWORK Autumn 2007 MRC PEOPLE
Dr Jan Löwe of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) has received the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) 2007 Gold Medal in recognition of his landmark work revealing the structure and function of proteins involved in bacterial cell division. It is considered the most prestigious award of its kind in Europe. Dr Tony Crowther, former joint head of LMB’s Structural Studies Division said: “Jan has a fearless approach to all aspects of modern structural biology and we are delighted that the EMBO Gold Medal has been awarded to someone with such strong structural interests.”
The Royal Society GlaxoSmithKline Prize for original contributions to medical and veterinary sciences has been awarded to Professor Mark Pepys, Professor of Medicine at University College London. His work has led to the design of potential new drugs for amyloidosis, Alzheimer’s disease and cardiovascular disease. Professor Pepys said: “It is a great honour to be recognised by the Royal Society, expecially at this exciting time in the research. The new drugs are very promising and we are trying to progress them into clinical trials as fast as possible.” Professor Pepys has also been invited to give the 2007 Harveian Oration of the Royal College of Physicians in October.
Professor Ron Laskey and Dr Nick Coleman of the MRC Cancer Cell Unit in Cambridge have been awarded the prestigious Medical Futures Translational Cancer Innovation Award and the Overall Winner for their work on cancer biomarkers. The awards are made in recognition of the clinical and commercial expertise of healthcare and life sciences practitioners. Dr Coleman said: “We now hope to accelerate the development of the technology to advance patient benefit, particularly in lung and bowel cancer screening.”
Professor Terrie Moffittof the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London was awarded the Stockholm Prize in Criminology in June for her research into the development of criminal behaviour over the life-course of individuals. The award recognises outstanding achievements in criminology research and the application of research for the reduction of crime and the advancement of human rights.
The Government has reappointed Professor John Savill of the University of Edinburgh as a member of the MRC’s Council. Formerly Director of the MRC/University of Edinburgh Centre for Inflammation Research, Professor Savill’s research interests include molecular cell biology of inflammation and the role of cell death in the resolution and repair of inflammation.
The Hirsch Index is a league table which ranks living chemists based on the impact of their publications. Professor Sir Alan Fersht, Director of the MRC Centre for Protein Engineering at Cambridge University has been named as the highest ranked British chemist and is placed at number 13 overall.
Geneticist Dr Mary Lyon of the MRC Centre in Harwell has been honoured with the Lewis S. Rosensteil Award for Distinguished Work in Basic Medical Science. She was one of three researchers awarded for their pioneering work on epigenetic gene regulation in mammalian embryos.
Professor Genevra Richardson, MRC Council member and Professor of Law at King’s College London, has been awarded the prestigious Fellowship of the British Academy, the national academy for the humanities and the social sciences. Fellowships are awarded to scholars who have attained distinction in any of the branches of study which the Academy promotes. Professor Richardson has research interests in administrative justice, law and psychiatry and the regulation of biomedical research.
The 2007 Arvo Ylppö medal has been awarded to Professor David Edwards, head of the neonatal imaging group at the MRC’s Clinical Sciences Centre in London. The medal is awarded once every five years to a single neonatologist and investigator considered the best by the panel.
MRC scientists again received awards in the honours list for the Queen’s birthday. Professor Jeanne Bell, neuropathologist at the of University of Edinburgh was awarded a CBE, as were Professor David Armstrong from King’s College London School of Medicine and Professor Tumani Corrah, Director of the MRC Laboratories in The Gambia. Professor Adrian Davis, Director of the MRC Hearing and Communication Group at Manchester received an OBE for his services to healthcare while Dr William Coward, former head of Stable Isotopes Research at the MRC Human Nutrition Research Centre in Cambridge, also received an OBE for his work in nutritional science.
Seven of this year’s new fellows of the Royal Society have received support from the MRC. They are Dr William Bradshaw Amos and Professor Daniela Rhodes of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Professor Peter Barnes of Imperial College London, Professor Barry Everitt of the University of Cambridge, Professor Michael Malim of King’s College London, Professor Edward Moxon of the University of Oxford and Professor Veronica van Heyningen of the MRC Human Genetics Unit, Edinburgh.
Autumn 2007 NETWORK 13 PROFESSOR DAME ANNE MCLAREN, 1927–2007
Anne McLaren, a reproductive biologist and developmental geneticist who led the MRC Mammalian
OBITUARIES Development Unit at UCL from 1974 to 1992, died in a car accident with her ex-husband Donald Michie in EDWARD LOWBURY, 1913–2007 July. An outstanding scientist, Anne made fundamental discoveries in embryology, genetics and reproductive Edward Lowbury, a microbiologist who biology that led to in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment. specialised in the treatment of burns and led the MRC Burns Unit at Birmingham University Anne obtained her first degree in zoology and her for 30 years, died in July aged 93. Despite an doctorate in virus research at Oxford. Then in 1952 she outstanding medical career and international moved to UCL to begin work on mouse embryology, reputation for work on the prevention of followed by a move to the ARC Animal Genetics Unit at infection in burns, Edward was perhaps better Edinburgh University in 1959. There Anne refined many known for his fine poetry. His career in poetry techniques that are crucial to today’s mouse genetic began to flourish in the 1930s when he won research. In 1974 she went back to UCL to head the newly the Newdigate Prize while at Oxford. created MRC Mammalian Development Unit, where she stayed until retiring in 1992. Even then, with considerable energy and boundless enthusiasm, Anne During the war he served as a pathologist in continued her research. East Africa for the Royal Army Medical Corps. He was in Kenya when news of the nuclear With 300 papers and several books to her name she was still publishing right up to her death. bombing in Japan broke, after which he wrote Anne was foreign secretary of the Royal Society from 1991 to 1996, its first female officer. She his poem August 10, 1945 – The Day After. received numerous prizes and awards, including the Royal Medal of the Royal Society in 1990, the Japan Prize in 2002 and this year’s March of the Dimes Prize in Developmental Biology. She was After the war Edward spent three years in the made a Dame in 1993. Birmingham Common Cold Unit before taking over as head of the Burns Unit in 1949. During Dr Robin Lovell-Badge, head of developmental genetics and stem cell biology at the MRC the next 30 years he published more than 200 National Institute for Medical Research, worked with Anne throughout his career. He said: “Anne’s scientific papers and continued to publish well- clarity of thought and careful articulation made her an effective communicator of science and an received poetry. Among other accolades, Edward essential contributor to the ethical and political debate on human embryo research.” Anne and was awarded an OBE in 1979. He is survived by her ex-husband Donald remained close friends after their divorce and leave behind three children, his wife Alison Young and three daughters. Susan, Jonathan and Caroline.
PROFESSOR JOHN EVANS, 1930–2007
Professor John Evans, Director of the MRC Human Genetics Unit (HGU) from 1969 to 1994, died in July after a long illness. A distinguished biological scientist, John’s career took an impressive rise from an early age. As a PhD student and postdoctoral fellow in the MRC Radiobiology Unit, he made major contributions to our understanding of how mutagens and radiation cause damage to cells and chromosomes.
Following a four-year professorship at Aberdeen University, at the age of just 39 John became director of the then MRC Clinical and Population Cytogenetics Unit. Over a 25-year period he took the unit from a small chromosome research centre to a world-leading centre for genetics research. Under his direction the unit undertook groundbreaking research on various aspects of chromosome structure and function, new ways to map human genes and continued research into the cellular effects of mutagenic substances. John also began new lines of investigation, into human genetic disease and developmental genetics, which still make up some of the unit’s main research themes 13 years after his retirement. John nurtured the careers of many of today’s leading geneticists, Over the years John sat on many national and international committees including Professor Nick Hastie, current director of the HGU. Professor charged with the responsibility of shaping research policy and best use of Hastie said: “John was a most kind and generous man to friends and funds for medical research. A gifted speaker and communicator, he was colleagues alike and he remained entirely humble and unassuming invited to give many prestigious lectures in various parts of the world and despite his many important achievements and scientific contributions.” was awarded a number of international prizes for his research. John is survived by his wife Ros and four sons.
OBITUARIES
14 NETWORK Autumn 2007 Regulatory support centre up and running
The MRC has set up a regulatory support centre (RSC) to help umbrella of the UK Clinical Research Collaboration. This service will help the UK science community implement legislative and good practice MRC researchers or NHS and university research managers find answers requirements for research involving people and their tissue or data. to complex questions. If you have a query, visit www.ukcrc-rgadvice.org.
Based at the MRC Human Reproductive Sciences Unit in Edinburgh, the RSC has worked since early 2006 alongside the UK academic and Survey on the use of personal data research management communities as well as regulatory, governance and In June the MRC published a consultation conducted by Ipsos MORI that policy-making bodies. It provides practical guidance, advice and training on looked at public attitudes to and awareness of the use of personal health the requirements of research legislation and standards of good practice. information in medical research. The findings revealed strong public support In an effort to reduce duplication of work, the RSC is helping MRC units for research despite low awareness of detail, but suggested that more to share information about good practice, with the aim of developing an needs to be done to understand people’s concerns in areas such as consent MRC-wide database for storing these records. and confidentiality. The report can be found on the MRC websiteat www.mrc.ac.uk/NewsViewsAndEvents/News/. RSC resources Data sharing update Part of the RSC’s remit includes making good practice guidance for In winter 2006/07, Network introduced the MRC’s initiative to promote research involving people, human tissue and data available: access to and extend use of MRC-funded data for high-quality, ethical • The centre has developed a Clinical Trials Toolkit (www.ct-toolkit.ac.uk). research. Progress on the initiative is continuing apace, with the recent Its main purpose is to help researchers meet the requirements of the UK development of principles governing access by researchers to MRC-funded Clinical Trials Regulations, but much of the toolkit is relevant to any trials data. These principles are supported by practical guidance on how to find conducted within healthcare settings. out about what datasets are available, how to obtain access to these and • A Data and Tissues Toolkit (www.dt-toolkit.ac.uk) is being launched. data sharing agreements. Pilot projects are being set up within population- It will focus on consent and confidentiality issues related to using based research to find ways to enhance the collection of MRC research personal information and human tissue in research. data. And the MRC’s Council has committed around £1 million over the • An Experimental Medicine Toolkit (www.em-toolkit.ac.uk) is also next two years to create a ‘data support service’ to maintain the initiative. being made available. This will promote a risk-based approach to managing studies or parts of studies that do not typically fall within the Find out more scope of current legislation. Data access principles and guidance www.mrc.ac.uk/PolicyGuidance/EthicsAndGovernance/ The RSC is also developing training programmes for staff at MRC institutes, DataAccess units and centres as well as grant holders and applicants, university and NHS General information about the initiative research managers and ethics committee members. Information about www.mrc.ac.uk/PolicyGuidance/EthicsAndGovernance/ how to access this training will be made available at www.mrc.ac.uk/ DataSharing PolicyGuidance/EthicsAndGovernance/RegulatorySupportCentre. Or contact Dr Allan Sudlow (email [email protected], In addition, a regulatory and governance advice service was launched in phone 02076705217). June by the RSC and the UK Clinical Research Network, under the Mental Capacity Act
A framework has been set out in law for the first time for carrying studies can be approved. The committee will consider whether the out research involving adults who are unable make decisions for research is related to the loss of capacity, if it could be done in adults with themselves. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 for England and Wales capacity instead, and if it would benefit the person taking part. The ethics comes into force in October and affects research involving people committee will also look at who must be consulted before participants who lack the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves, such who lack capacity can participate. The Act does not cover clinical trials as those with severe learning difficulties or mental health problems. – these are dealt with separately under the Clinical Trials Directive.
The Act sets out the criteria for determining whether people have full The MRC is rewriting its previous guidance on research involving adults mental capacity – which had previously been unclear. At the heart of the who lack capacity, which will be published soon. It is also planning a Act is the assertion that adults should be assumed to have capacity to workshop in April 2008 to discuss the new Act and its associated make their own decisions unless it is proven otherwise. Code of Practice and guidance. If you are interested in attending, contact Dr Catherine Moody ([email protected] or The framework for carrying out research in adults deemed not to have Dr Catherine Elliott ([email protected]). capacity includes review by an ethics committee of various issues before
Autumn 2007 NETWORK 15 Immune cells that help pregnancy
Because fetuses in the womb contain antigens from the father, mechanisms are needed to stop mothers’ immune systems rejecting them. Scientists at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge have previously shown that immune cells called T cells prevent the immune systems from attacking fetuses in the womb. Now, working in mice, they have demonstrated that these cells move into the uterus four days before an animal’s fertility reaches its peak. This helps to prepare the mouse’s immune system for a potential pregnancy. “This research suggests that every time the female becomes fertile the immune system anticipates a possible implantation event by strategically positioning the cells,” said Dr Alexander Betz. The research might help scientists to understand more about miscarriage: other studies have since revealed a link between low levels of regulatory T cells and miscarriage.
Public Library of Science ONE 2: e382
Prions may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease
There are two forms of the prion protein. One occurs naturally in the brain, while the other is infectious and causes diseases such as BSE and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in humans. Scientists led by Professor Nigel Hooper at the University of Leeds have found that the naturally- Targeting cancer-causing enzyme occurring prion protein in the brain may actually help to prevent the plaques that cause Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s and CJD follow similar MRC scientists have found a way to stop an enzyme called patterns and, in some forms of prion disease, share genetic features. phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) that plays a role in the uncontrollable These similarities prompted Professor Hooper’s team to look for a link cell division that occurs in many cancers. “The PI3K enzyme plays a key between the different conditions. They grew cells in the lab and studied role in controlling how human cells behave and its mutation can lead the effect of high and low levels of normal prion protein on the successful to numerous types of cancers,” said Dr Roger Williams of the MRC formation of beta amyloid – the source of Alzheimer’s plaques. The results Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge. Before the enzyme showed that beta amyloid did not form when higher than usual levels of becomes active, it has to release a partner protein that acts as a molecular normal prion protein were present. The scientists confirmed the results brake. Working with a colleague at the Albert Einstein College of by studying genetically engineered mice that lacked normal prion proteins. Medicine, Dr Williams and team developed a three-dimensional model for “Our findings clearly identify a role for normal prion proteins in regulating how this brake is applied. They then made a mutated partner protein that the production of beta amyloid and in doing so preventing formation of acted as a brake for only the cancer-causing enzyme. “This intervention Alzheimer’s plaques. Whether this function is lost as a result of the normal may be able to stop a cancerous cell from dividing uncontrollably,” he said. ageing process or if some people are more susceptible to it than others PI3K is already a well known target for cancer drug development, but we don’t know yet,” said Professor Hooper. The next step for the research the scientists hope that this extra insight into its structure and where the is to look in detail at how the prion proteins control beta amyloid, which cancer-causing mutations occur might help with future drug development. may lead to new Alzheimer’s drugs.
Science 317: 239-242 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 104: 11062-11067
Unfairness, work and health
Unfair treatment is linked to increased heart disease and worse general health, according to results from a large MRC-funded study. The Whitehall II study has tracked thousands of civil servants since 1985. Analysis of almost 8,300 men and women who began phase three of the study in 1991 has recently shown that people who are in lower grades of employment are more likely to feel unfairly treated. Even after taking into account age, sex, employment grade and current health, the team found that feeling unfairly treated was associated with a higher risk of heart attacks and angina, as well as with reduced physical and mental health. “The experience of being treated unfairly seems to be connected with a threat or an attack to an individual’s dignity. Low social status is a continuous source of unfairness probably because people in subordinate positions are more likely to be disrespected or treated as inferior by others,” explain Roberto De Vogli, from University College London, and colleagues. This may influence health by causing emotional or physical symptoms that are linked to heart disease and other health problems.
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 61: 513-518 RESEARCH ROUNDUP
16 NETWORK Autumn 2007 Dairy products stop metabolic syndrome RESEARCH ROUNDUP
Scientists have shown that a daily helping of dairy products or pint of milk can protect against the metabolic syndrome – a cluster of symptoms linked to heart disease, diabetes and early death. In 1979 the MRC Epidemiology Unit at Cardiff, then led by Professor Peter Elwood, set up the Caerphilly Prospective Study and began tracking the health of 2,375 men, now aged between 45 and 59. The researchers assessed how much milk and dairy foods the men consumed. Around one in seven of the men had the metabolic syndrome at the start of the study, with double the risk of coronary heart disease and four times the risk of diabetes than those without the condition. They were almost 50 per cent more likely to die early. But Professor Elwood, now at Cardiff University, and team found that dairy products were linked to a dramatically reduced risk of the syndrome, by 62 per cent among those who drank a pint of milk a day and 60 per cent among those who regularly ate dairy produce. They say that the paper “adds to the evidence that milk and dairy products fit well into a healthy eating pattern and that their consumption should be promoted.”
Journal of Epidemiology 61: 695-698
Warfarin recommended for over-75s
More than one in ten people aged over 75 has atrial fibrillation, which causes an irregular heartbeat. The condition is a major risk factor for stroke, as is increasing age. A large MRC-funded clinical trial has now shown that warfarin is more effective at preventing stroke in people over 75 with atrial fibrillation than aspirin. This has led the researchers to recommend its use in spite of a higher risk of side effects and cost of monitoring. For almost three years, Dr Jonathon Mant at the University of Birmingham and his team tracked almost 1,000 over-75 year olds with atrial fibrillation who were treated with either warfarin or aspirin. Among those given warfarin, 24 suffered strokes, other brain haemorrhages or clots, compared with 48 of those on aspirin. The study is the first to specifically compare the two treatments in older patients. “Our results show that warfarin could safely be used much more widely in this age group,” they concluded.
The Lancet 370: 493-503
Missing link discovered in stem cell science
Scientists are one step closer to understanding how stem cells work after discovering a new type of embryonic stem cell in mice and rats which is very similar to human embryonic stem cells. The discovery was made simultaneously by a Cambridge University team led by the MRC’s Professor Roger Pedersen and a team at Oxford University, under Professor Richard Gardner. The researchers derived mouse stem cells from the innermost cell layer (epiblast) of a one-week old rodent embryo, instead of the more usual early blastocyst (three to four days after conception). They found that these cells strikingly resembled human embryonic stem cells. The mouse stem cells from the later stage of development could be maintained using the same growth factors as those used to culture human embryonic stem cells. And, they looked very similar to human cells under the microscope. “The ‘epiblast stem cells’, as they have been named, constitute the missing link between mouse and human embryonic stem cells,” said Professor Pedersen. “On a molecular level, epiblast stem cells are more similar to human than to mouse embryonic stem cells. The differences between human and mouse embryonic stem cells that we have attributed to species differences may actually come down to the developmental stages from which the cells emerge.” The researchers say the finding will change the way we think about stem cells. The work is likely to accelerate understanding of stem cell development and will help the derivation of pluripotent stem cells in other species.
Nature 448:191-195
Autumn 2007 NETWORK 17 Art on the brain
Human Genetics Unit ‘adopts- a-school’
The MRC Human Genetics Unit (HGU) in Edinburgh is helping The artistic talents of Cambridge’s sixth form students were on to support science teachers at a local school. The initiative is display for Imagining the brain, a project which invited young artists the brainchild of HGU PhD student Joe Rainger, currently on to depict complex ideas in neuroscience. “We aimed to bridge a Researchers in Residence placement with Broughton High. On the gap between art and science,” explained Dr Harvey McMahon seeing how hard science teachers work to deliver exciting lessons from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) who led the with little or no equipment, Joe felt compelled to act. initiative. “Sometimes a single image says far more than words.” Pupils in S2 (13 years old) will enjoy a careers convention with ‘A Graceful Decline’, depicting Parkinson’s disease won first prize presentations demonstrating different opportunities in research. for Kate Sargan, from the Perse School for Girls. Stuart Ritson, The 14- and 15-year-olds in S3 and S4 will be involved in an ethics from Hills Road Sixth Form College tackled the same subject in a conference to discuss topics including the use of animals in medical powerful representation entitled ‘Neurodegeneration: Why should research. Practical genetics workshops will be available to pupils in we care?’ Both Kate and Stuart were artists in residence at LMB S5 and S6 pupils who are 16 and 17 years old. “Broughton High is during the summer. They also won cash prizes for their work, as did in a difficult position right now, as the school is due to be rebuilt Isaac McGinley from Long Road Sixth Form College who produced and, until then, there’s little investment going into the science labs,” a bold and ambitious sculpture representing the way proteins Joe explained. “I know how important it is to my colleagues in the behave in a cell. To see pictures of the shortlisted entries, visit unit that these students are turned on to science at the earliest www.endocytosis.org/ImaginingTheBrain/. opportunity, to encourage them to consider a career in science.” Summer days, researching away
Successful scientists often recall formative experiences that set them on their career path. In a bid to make sure that enough is done to ignite this same spark for a career in science in school students, the MRC’s National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) is offering a summer school for research.
This summer, NIMR took 22 students and placed five more at University College London. The students have been carrying out projects ranging from molecular biology and developmental biology to immunology, biochemistry and mathematics. The school is run informally and begins with a half-day induction course in molecular biology, lab skills and record keeping. The coordinator, Dr Michael Sargent, explained: “Teachers and pupils back at school are usually astonished at the quality of the work on the posters and these usually provoke lots of applications from the next year’s group. We’re pleased each group goes off to university with a powerful sense of the remarkable things that can be achieved through molecular biology.” PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
18 NETWORK Autumn 2007 PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT Max Perutz science writing winners announced
Two outstanding pieces of writing won MRC PhD students Anne Corbett and Charlotte Rusby joint first prizes of £1000 each in the MRC’s annual Max Perutz science writing competition.
At an awards ceremony at Kensington Roof Gardens in London in July, the winners and runners-up were presented with their awards by Booker Prize-winning author Ian McEwan. Now in its tenth year, the Max Perutz Prize, named in honour of Professor Perutz who died in 2002, is aimed at supporting and rewarding MRC scientists who can convey the importance and excitement of their work in an accessible way.
Imperial College London student Anne’s article was titled ‘Behind enemy lines’ and described her research on meningitis. Charlotte, who is Cheltenham studying at the MRC Cancer Cell Unit in Cambridge, described her work on protein folding in her article ‘Pop-up proteins’. Nearly 100 articles were submitted, of which 13 were shortlisted. “We were astounded by Science Festival: the quality and creativity from all of the shortlisted entries, which made our decision a very difficult one,” said Professor Colin Blakemore, Chief wellies optional Executive of the MRC at the time and one of the judges.
Ruth Burnett of MRC Human Nutrition Research in Cambridge was From zombies and cosmology to poker hustles and atomic physics, runner-up and won £500; Daniel Campbell-Meiklejohn of Oxford Cheltenham Science Festival is nothing if not diverse. Entertaining, University and Vincent Deary of Newcastle University were both enthusing and educating thousands of adults and children each year, commended and received £200. The winning articles can be read at it has become an important and established event on the science www.mrc.ac.uk/NewsViewsAndEvents/MaxPerutzAward/index.htm. communication calendar.
This year was no exception; more than 26,000 people explored Below from left: Colin Blakemore, Daniel Campbell-Meiklejohn, Ruth Burnett, Vincent Deary, Anne Corbett, Charlotte Rusby and Ian McEwan. the five-day festival including children from schools throughout the South West of England. As well as participating in a series of ‘Science for Schools’ activities that included ‘Sex, Flies and Smelly Sticky Tape’ (communicating through scent) and ‘It Takes Guts’ (what happens after we swallow our food), children also had fun getting to grips with real experiments and scientists in the Discovery Zone. The zone allows visitors to explore science first hand. Universities, national organisations and science-related companies such as Pfizer and QinetiQ all hosted stands, as did the MRC, whose stand featured the RCUK stem cell exhibition and a range of experiments and art-related activities.
The audiences also engaged with scientists through the festival’s lectures and interactive events, five of which were MRC-hosted. Dr Nicola Powles-Glover, who organised the MRC’s presence at the festival, said: “This was a great opportunity for our scientists to have one-to-one contact with a wide range of people keen to learn more about science.”
EVENTS DIARY
Ageing exhibition On 12 November the MRC and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council will be holding a parliamentary launch of a new exhibition describing current research into ageing funded by the councils. For more information and to register to attend the launch visit www.mrc.ac.uk/NewsViewsAndEvents/Events/index.htm.
Autumn 2007 NETWORK 19 MRC Annual Review: people behind discovery
July saw the launch of the MRC’s 2006/07 Our Annual Review has been shortlisted for a Annual Review. Called ‘People behind prestigious communications award – winners discovery’, the review presents selected will be announced at the end of November. highlights from MRC-funded research from You can download the review at the past year and introduces some of the www.mrc.ac.uk/aboutus/corporatepublications people behind these discoveries. Each of or email [email protected] to them has a story to tell about the work they request a hard copy. do and the career path they’ve taken. YOUR FEEDBACK PLEASE… The Annual Review was launched at a public meeting of the MRC’s Council. BBC MRC Network is for anyone who has an broadcaster Barbara Myers held conversations interest in the work of the MRC, including with some of those profiled in the publication. scientists, doctors and health professionals She discussed their research, careers and involved in medical research, government working lives. From schizophrenia and departments and parliamentarians, and cancer research to the use of stem cells as a university staff and students. The aim is to treatment for blindness and the development provide a quick, easy-to-read summary of of new techniques for studying disease, activities across the MRC, from research the scientists explained their excitement at news through to funding, grant schemes and research and outlined some of the challenges policy issues, with pointers to more for the future. Around 200 school and in-depth information on websites and in university students, members of the public and other publications. journalists attended the meeting. We are very keen to receive feedback on Network and suggestions for new features from our readers. So if you have any comments, please let us know. Just email: Molecular machines at [email protected] MRC Network is produced by the MRC the MRC Virology Unit publications team and is available in print and in downloadable pdf format at: www.mrc.ac.uk The MRC Virology Unit in Glasgow has given viruses a makeover for an exhibition called ‘Molecular machines’. The exhibition moved to Dundee’s science centre at the end of August, IMAGE CREDIT following six months at the Glasgow Science Centre. Scientists from the unit worked with Page 18 - Globe artwork artist Murray Robertson and the Glasgow Science Centre to feature previously unseen Courtesy of Neil Grant images of viruses from medical research, revealing what they look like and how they work. It tells the stories of widely known viruses such as influenza, herpes simplex and hepatitis C. Medical Research Council Dr David Bhella, who led the project, said: “Raising public awareness of biomedical research is 20 Park Crescent becoming an increasingly important role for MRC scientists. Structural and molecular biology London W1B 1AL research produces stunning images that we can use to capture people’s imaginations, inform them of our work and hopefully convey the excitement scientists feel when unravelling the Tel: 020 7636 5422 intricate processes of life. The Virology Unit works hard to engage with the people of Glasgow, Fax: 020 7436 6179 but this project allows us to reach new audiences as the exhibition tours the UK.” www.mrc.ac.uk In a related project, Dr Bhella runs a programme, also in partnership with Glasgow Science Centre, for 16 and 17 year old pupils called ‘Applications of DNA technology’. The programme has been cited as an example of best practice for practical courses at science centres in Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Education report to the Scottish Executive. It involves a series of workshops teaching biology students about DNA, molecular biology techniques and the ethical issues surrounding the human genome project. The workshops run for a week every year, reaching around 100 students. This year the project will be expanded to include a day of training for teachers.
Molecular Machines can be viewed on-line at www.molecularmachines.org.uk. To find out C ert no. S G S -C OC -003156 more about teaching materials developed for the applications of DNA technology workshop, contact Dr Bhella at [email protected]. © Medical Research Council 2007