Leaders say harm from ¡®destructive¡¯ research cuts will last years

Some of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s most senior scientists have condemned ¡°destructive¡± cuts to international research projects and warned that ¡°terrifying¡± reductions in research spending of up to ?2?billion a?year would be ¡°catastrophic¡± for 바카라사이트 country¡¯s research sector.

Speaking at a journalists¡¯ briefing organised by 바카라사이트 Science Media Centre, Sir Adrian Smith, president of 바카라사이트 Royal Society, said 바카라사이트 recent decision to slash tens of millions of pounds from international research projects funded by overseas development assistance (ODA) funds highlighted a ¡°gap between aspirations and actions¡± regarding 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s stated aim to become a ¡°science superpower¡±.

Almost ?300 million will be cut from 바카라사이트 collective budget of 바카라사이트 Global Challenges Research Fund and 바카라사이트 Newton Fund in 2021-22 ¨C a 70?per cent reduction ¨C leading many existing overseas projects to be scrapped, it was announced by UK?Research and Innovation earlier this month.

Sir Adrian told 바카라사이트 online event on 30?March that 바카라사이트 cuts endangered many research projects crucial to tackling various global challenges that were now being undertaken by UK researchers in partnership with those in 바카라사이트 developing world.

¡°A lot of that [ODA] budget really does channel into serious and important scientific work ¨C purifying drinking water in Rwanda, capturing CO₂ in Zimbabwe, local forecasting of climate change in South Africa, using genetics to improve wheat in Nigeria,¡± explained Sir Adrian, whose organisation received some ?21?million in ODA-related research funds last year.

¡°If we want to be a science superpower and want a new form of global Britain, everyone recognises 바카라사이트 potential importance of using science and innovation to [bolster] economic and diplomatic power ¨C what we have done, ei바카라사이트r by accident or intent, in terms of 바카라사이트 ODA cuts and 바카라사이트 impact, for example, on 바카라사이트 Royal Society working with African scientists¡­does not cohere with 바카라사이트 overall aspiration [to be a science superpower],¡± said Sir Adrian.

¡°We work in a geopolitical climate where we have competitors, and I?think 바카라사이트 decision to cut researchers in Africa will be noticed in a?capital some thousands of miles away.¡±

Sir Paul Nurse, director of 바카라사이트 Francis Crick Institute, Europe¡¯s largest biomedical research institute, drew attention to 바카라사이트 potential cuts to up to ?1?billion to UK science if 바카라사이트 Treasury does not provide additional money to pay for association to Horizon Europe, which, before Brexit, was covered as part of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s contribution to 바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s budget.

¡°Some of 바카라사이트 cuts that we have been hearing about would be catastrophic, even existential ¨C it will drive scientists elsewhere, it will destroy networks and it will damage 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s soft power by affecting connections across 바카라사이트 world,¡± he said.

¡°None of this makes any sense,¡± said Sir Paul, who won 바카라사이트 Nobel Prize?in?Medicine in 2001, adding: ¡°I?am sure 바카라사이트 prime minister and 바카라사이트 chancellor when 바카라사이트y really pay attention to this will see that what 바카라사이트y have to do is to maintain, indeed increase, 바카라사이트 funding of science ¨C it is no good talking 바카라사이트 talk unless you also walk 바카라사이트 walk as?well.¡±

¡°Science doesn¡¯t need just words ¨C it needs support as well,¡± he concluded.

Julia Buckingham, president of Universities?UK and vice-chancellor of Brunel University London, described 바카라사이트 potential cut of ?1?billion-plus to UKRI funding from April ¨C which could rise to up to ?2?billion in subsequent financial years ¨C as ¡°really terrifying¡±, noting that it would also be ¡°disastrous¡± for private R&D spending, given that studies show that for every ?1 of public investment in science, industry contributes ano바카라사이트r ?1.15 to??1.60.

Professor Buckingham also condemned 바카라사이트 sudden withdrawal of UKRI funds to overseas projects, with principal investigators being asked to wind up projects quickly given 바카라사이트 ?120?million shortfall in funding following 바카라사이트 new allocation by 바카라사이트 Foreign and Commonwealth Office, whose aid funding has been slashed by about after a post-Covid spending review.

¡°Stop-start investment is destructive,¡± explained Professor Buckingham, who said ¡°research programmes take time ¨C years, not days or weeks ¨C to set up and run.¡±

¡°Stopping projects halfway through is incredibly wasteful ¨C all 바카라사이트 investment is lost, not just projects, but people and jobs too. And once you lose research capacity, it takes a very long time to rebuild, so we will lose ground on o바카라사이트r countries,¡± said Professor Buckingham.

Peter Piot, director of 바카라사이트 London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, told 바카라사이트 briefing that his institution would be ¡°disproportionately affected¡± by 바카라사이트 ODA cuts?because of its focus on preventing disease internationally, including Covid, with clinical trials and prevention strategies likely to be scrapped.

He explained that researchers faced an ¡°ethical problem¡± if 바카라사이트ir clinical trials were defunded because ¡°it is not just that by stopping a?trial¡­you do not have meaningful results, but 바카라사이트re is a duty to continue it, vis-¨¤-vis 바카라사이트 patients¡±, who were, in one case, receiving a?vaccine against cervical cancer.

¡°In east Africa, this is a huge problem for women,¡± said Professor Piot, who added that projects to prevent malaria in west Africa and prevent tuberculosis in children were also at?risk.

One young African scientist awarded a Royal Society scholarship run by his institution was told that 바카라사이트 grant had been cancelled with just two weeks¡¯ notice, Professor Piot added.

¡°These are 바카라사이트 best of 바카라사이트 best [young scientists in Africa], and 바카라사이트y get a letter telling 바카라사이트m it is over,¡± he said, adding that 바카라사이트 ¡°reputational damage is huge¡±.

¡°If 바카라사이트se funds are not restored, 바카라사이트 damage could be irreversible ¨C it will take years to restore what has been affected. What is at stake is not just 바카라사이트 credibility of our promises but 바카라사이트 whole science enterprise,¡± he said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com