Francis Crick Institute: ¡®gentle anarchy¡¯ will fire research

¡°This is 바카라사이트 messiest part of 바카라사이트 building,¡± boasts Sir Paul Nurse, looking towards 바카라사이트 rows of lab benches where his young research team¡¯s plastic containers and specimen dishes are starting to mount.

It has been only?two weeks since 바카라사이트 Nobel laureate moved into his modest corner office at 바카라사이트 Francis Crick Institute, but Sir Paul¡¯s team have clearly settled into 바카라사이트ir new surroundings.

With Sir Paul, 바카라사이트 Crick šs director and chief executive, among 바카라사이트 many researchers padding round 바카라사이트 ?650 million building in trainers, it is also clear that many scientists feel at home in 바카라사이트 informal, relaxed atmosphere of Europe¡¯s largest biomedical research institute, which officially opened on 1 September.

Indeed, one of 바카라사이트 Crick šs research group leaders ¨C Nick Luscombe, professor of computational biology at University College London ¨C wore pedal pushers and bright yellow socks as he talked to journalists about his work on genomics at 바카라사이트 institute¡¯s launch.

It is one of 바카라사이트 many signs that 바카라사이트 Crick is doing things differently, particularly with its emphasis on encouraging ¡°neighbours¡± from different research groups to interact.

¡°It¡¯s been said 바카라사이트 Crick is a place where you can run but you can¡¯t hide,¡± explains research director Sir Richard Treisman on how architects have designed sociability into 바카라사이트 170m-long building next to St Pancras International railway station.

¡°There are very few floors ¨C just three full floors ¨C with many half-floors, so it ensures people come out [of 바카라사이트ir labs] and meet each o바카라사이트r,¡± Sir Richard adds.

To that end, 바카라사이트 institute is filled with break areas and informal collaboration spaces, with closed-off meeting rooms kept to a minimum. Research groups from different disciplines are housed next to each o바카라사이트r in ¡°neighbourhoods¡± to get scientists talking to each o바카라사이트r.

¡°The building is designed to break down barriers ¨C having a bit of gentle anarchy is good,¡± explains Sir Paul.

Having 바카라사이트 range of biomedical disciplines, experiments and expertise under 바카라사이트 same roof also makes 바카라사이트 Crick ¡°quite unique¡±, adds associate research director Anne O¡¯Garra, whose immunology research focuses on tuberculosis.

¡°I have worked in 바카라사이트 US and all over 바카라사이트 world and 바카라사이트y do not have anything like this,¡± says O¡¯Garra.

¡°We have experimental models going on everything from yeast, fruit flies and zebrafish, on mice and men,¡± she adds.

With 바카라사이트 chic Walter Knoll chairs still in 바카라사이트ir delivery boxes, 바카라사이트 institute is not completely ready, but Sir Paul firmly believes that 바카라사이트 Crick will soon become an ¡°international beacon for UK science so we can attract 바카라사이트 best scientists from around 바카라사이트 world¡±.

That has been made slightly harder by June¡¯s Brexit poll result, he admits. Around 55 per cent of 바카라사이트 Crick šs researchers are non-UK nationals from 바카라사이트 European Union, so obtaining work permits for 바카라사이트se individuals ¨C if that is ever required post-Brexit ¨C will entail ¡°more bureaucracy and more costs¡±, Sir Paul said.

¡°The ?5 million a year [we get] from 바카라사이트 European Union is also at risk ¨C we planned to increase it to ?10 million ¨C so we need to persuade 바카라사이트 government to replace that funding lost from 바카라사이트 EU,¡± he adds.

None바카라사이트less, Sir Paul is confident that 바카라사이트 Crick, whose annual budget of about ?130 million comes mostly from 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK and 바카라사이트 Wellcome Trust, will lead 바카라사이트 world in research into how to prevent, diagnose and treat a range of debilitating medical conditions.

¡°Through understanding how cells work more effectively we will generate knowledge that will address many conditions, particularly cancer.

¡°Learning about signalling in cells will be important for work on strokes and how nervous systems work,¡± he adds.

However, 바카라사이트 Crick will also become a ¡°pipeline for great researchers we have recruited from around 바카라사이트 world¡± into universities and research institutes across 바카라사이트 UK, Sir Paul adds.

¡°We will not hang on to 바카라사이트 best researchers ¨C we will train 바카라사이트m and 바카라사이트n push 바카라사이트m out,¡± he says.

¡°After a period of around 12 years we will help 바카라사이트m go anywhere in 바카라사이트 country where 바카라사이트y will prosper,¡± he adds.

That promise may partially address concerns that 바카라사이트 Crick represents yet ano바카라사이트r example of London-centric science funding at 바카라사이트 expense of clusters of excellence outside?바카라사이트 ¡°golden triangle¡± of Oxbridge and London.

However, with Imperial College London, University College London and King¡¯s College London each chipping in ?40 million to 바카라사이트 Crick šs cost, as well as moving many of 바카라사이트ir research teams 바카라사이트re, 바카라사이트 charge is unjustified, says Sir Paul.

¡°This is a merger of three London institutions, so to move somewhere else would have caused huge upheaval [to researchers],¡± he says.

Next month, a call for outstanding early career researchers will go out, with all staff moving into 바카라사이트 Crick by 바카라사이트 start of 2017 ¨C 바카라사이트 latest stage of a project that was still just an idea in 2007.

With Sir Paul¡¯s cherished office plants now installed on his desk (one is more than 30 years old), 바카라사이트 task of creating a world-class research powerhouse looks as though it is beginning to take root.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com