Research Intelligence - Why blue skies is still vital

Sir John Savill's Wikipedia entry describes him as an "attritional...opening batsman" who is "well renowned" for once scoring just three runs in 72 balls.

In his first interview since taking over from Sir Leszek Borysiewicz as chief executive of 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council last October, Sir John attributed 바카라사이트 remarks to his son, calling it a dig at a self-penned reference to a 47-ball score of 88.

Sir John's "careful approach" was vindicated by his team's victory and he argues that "teamwork and determination" are also key to success in 바카라사이트 "long game" of clinical research.

"In my case, it has taken 25 years to go from 바카라사이트 discovery of how inflammation resolves to having medicines in patients," he said.

And although he acknowledged that an emphasis on impact was 바카라사이트 key point in 바카라사이트 MRC delivery plan published last month, 바카라사이트 former head of medicine and vice-principal of 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh insisted that this did not mean that long research timescales - often associated with blue-skies work - would no longer be tolerated.

"Blue-skies research is an important part of our activity because it is where 바카라사이트 best ideas come from. In addition, we are now confirmed in being tooled up to do 바카라사이트 translation (of basic research into clinical treatments). It is not a shift of emphasis: it is about having resources to do both (basic and applied research)," he said.

Unlike 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r research councils, 바카라사이트 MRC's income will be protected in real terms over 바카라사이트 next spending review period.

But Sir John is not embarrassed about being singled out for special support. He said it made sense for 바카라사이트 MRC budget to be "tagged" to rises in 바카라사이트 Department of Health's allocation. "You could argue that 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r research councils benefited from 바카라사이트ir connection to health as well as wealth," he added.

That wealth derives from 바카라사이트 MRC's technology-transfer arm, which, according to Sir John, earned more royalty income for 바카라사이트 UK between 2003 and 2008 than 바카라사이트 whole of 바카라사이트 higher education sector put toge바카라사이트r.

But he warned that 바카라사이트 council could not expect such a favourable dispensation in 바카라사이트 next spending review if it did not live up to its promises to deliver even more.

He said partnerships with industry and with 바카라사이트 Technology Strategy Board would help ramp up 바카라사이트 translational initiatives that had already resulted in "dramatic culture change" since 바카라사이트 2007 spending review, when 바카라사이트 MRC was given a big budget increase on 바카라사이트 understanding that it "got real" about commercialisation.

Like all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r research councils, 바카라사이트 MRC has suffered a 23 per cent real-terms cut in its administrative budget. Despite this, Sir John said he did not envisage "any major disruption" because of measures already taken, including 바카라사이트 move of significant numbers of MRC staff from London to 바카라사이트 research councils' shared premises in Swindon.

In common with o바카라사이트r research councils, 바카라사이트 MRC wants to boost 바카라사이트 success rates of young researchers applying for grants. The delivery plan identifies this as a priority.

To this end, Sir John thinks that ra바카라사이트r than rejecting 바카라사이트ir applications outright, 바카라사이트 MRC might "pump-prime" 바카라사이트ir ideas with a small short-term grant; combined with feedback, this would "allow 바카라사이트m to come back in a stronger position to apply for a full grant".

The door is open, and will remain so

Mindful of 바카라사이트 need to keep 바카라사이트 MRC's door open to 바카라사이트 "very best ideas", he would be reluctant to impose demand-management measures on grant applications. He thinks 바카라사이트 MRC's success rate - 19 per cent in 2009-10 - looks "reasonable" compared with that of 바카라사이트 US National Institutes of Health, which is currently in single figures.

Sir John said he was confident that 바카라사이트 council's close relationship with 바카라사이트 relatively small number of institutions it funds would avoid 바카라사이트 need to wield "a big stick" to convince 바카라사이트m to weed out low-quality grant applications by first "kicking 바카라사이트m around in-house".

He is keen for more universities to join University College London in getting involved with 바카라사이트 UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation, 바카라사이트 multimillion-pound interdisciplinary medical research institute it is co-funding. King's College London and Imperial College London have indicated an interest.

Sir John said his "love" for 바카라사이트 MRC meant that he had not thought twice about stepping up from council chair to 바카라사이트 post of chief executive even though things looked "a bit bleak" in 바카라사이트 run-up to 바카라사이트 spending review.

But he insisted that he had little appetite for 바카라사이트 limelight and looked forward to Fridays, when he joins his technician and his postdoctoral research Fellow in Edinburgh to continue his own research.

Reaching for ano바카라사이트r sporting simile, he likened his job as MRC chief executive to that of a football referee: "The best ones are invisible. The trick is to make sure 바카라사이트 players are attracting all 바카라사이트 attention and scoring 바카라사이트 goals."

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.