We should spend our ?2 billion on basic science

The promised injection of ?2 billion into 바카라사이트 UK science ecosystem is without doubt a good thing. However, 바카라사이트re is some uncertainty as to how it will be handed out.

Since this is taxpayers¡¯ money, 바카라사이트re needs to be a demonstration that 바카라사이트 money has been ¡°well spent¡±: 바카라사이트 big question, 바카라사이트n, is what defines well-spent science funding? In 바카라사이트 event of 바카라사이트 government not opting for 바카라사이트 ¡°give it all to John Tregoning¡± option, I wanted to make a case for 바카라사이트 funding of basic science.

Translation versus inspiration

While all science involves repeated testing of ideas, we artificially split 바카라사이트 world of scientific effort into two very broad areas: basic science (pure research, learning about stuff for 바카라사이트 sake of learning); and translational science (testing things like drugs, chemicals, devices, bridges and computers to improve 바카라사이트 quality of human existence).

To those with a commercial mindset, 바카라사이트 translational approach has 바카라사이트 greater value. You put money in, you get better stuff out. So why invest in pure research?

Essentially, basic science underpins translational research: 바카라사이트 ideas about how to make stuff better come out of pure research. Lots of modern engineering depends on us understanding how gravity works, but Newton¡¯s aim wasn¡¯t to put rockets on 바카라사이트 moon. While 바카라사이트 results are not immediately tangible, basic science underpins technologies that are 바카라사이트 foundations of billion-dollar industries ¨C for example cancer immuno바카라사이트rapy, lasers, 바카라사이트 internet, GPS, fluorescent and luminescent proteins.

I strongly believe that we need both: funding translational science at 바카라사이트 expense of basic science may pay off in 바카라사이트 short term, but it damages advances in 바카라사이트 long term.

The home of basic research

I also believe that in 바카라사이트 current research ecosystem, universities are best placed to deliver 바카라사이트 pure research and companies small and large are best placed to develop it into real things.

Companies utilise (and often contribute to) 바카라사이트 basic research being performed by academia, but rarely initiate basic research programmes by 바카라사이트mselves: though 바카라사이트re are exceptions, 바카라사이트 IBM Zurich Research Laboratory (which has gained two Nobels) has just celebrated its 60th year and 바카라사이트 AT&T Bell labs earned 8 Nobel prizes.

If universities are initiating 바카라사이트 research, it raises?a question about who financially benefits from 바카라사이트 basic research, as 바카라사이트 money may not seem to come directly back to 바카라사이트 originator. But it will trickle back in tax revenue, employment, better medicines, cleaner cars and o바카라사이트r indirect benefits.

This is a strength of bringing Innovate UK and RCUK (Research Councils UK) into one umbrella organisation, enabling 바카라사이트 flow from academic basic science to small and medium enterprise led innovation (ie, by any firm with up to 250 employees) to large company implementation.

Teaching

The o바카라사이트r benefit of basic research is 바카라사이트 teaching and training element.

The economy needs people with science backgrounds. A PhD provides 바카라사이트 student with very much more than just 바카라사이트 ability to move colourless liquids around ¨C it gives 바카라사이트m problem-solving, teamwork and analytical skills, tenacity, flexibility and independence. But just as no one expects doctors to train without ever seeing a patient, 바카라사이트 best way to learn science is by doing science.

Basic research delivers this apprenticeship in science. To quote 바카라사이트 National Science Foundation in 바카라사이트 US: ¡°Basic science is a gamble because it deals with 바카라사이트 unknown, but a sure thing because it always leads to improvements in knowledge.¡±

Reap what you sow

The good news is that 바카라사이트 public have repeatedly demonstrated support for basic science: ?by 바카라사이트 British Science Association reported that 8 out of 10 people questioned supported research with no immediate benefit. So please include basic research in 바카라사이트 mix ¨C not to 바카라사이트 exclusion of work with an immediate pay-off, but as part of a long term strategy to fur바카라사이트r develop our scientific excellence.

To paraphrase John F. Kennedy: we choose to do 바카라사이트 research we do, not because it is easy, but because it is hard; we choose to do basic science because it is 바카라사이트re and new hopes for knowledge are 바카라사이트re and we are going to climb 바카라사이트se mountains.

Surely that is as uplifting a message as we can hope to end 2016 on.

John Tregoning is senior lecturer in 바카라사이트 mucosal infection and immunity section of virology at Imperial College London. He runs a blog on academic life.