Sir Paul Nurse: UKRI cuts are ¡®existential threat¡¯ to science

Cutting existing research budgets by more than ?1 billion to pay for association to Horizon Europe would represent an ¡°existential threat¡± to UK science, Nobel laureate Sir Paul Nurse has warned.

Sir Paul, who is director of 바카라사이트 Francis Crick Institute, Europe¡¯s largest biomedical research centre, told?온라인 바카라?that he feared 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s research sector could be devastated by an unprecedented series of cuts, leading to 바카라사이트 loss of thousands of scientists and researchers.

It follows?growing concern?over 바카라사이트 government¡¯s lack of clarity on how it will fund 바카라사이트 costs of UK association to 바카라사이트 European Union¡¯s research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe, likely to be in 바카라사이트 region of ?1 billion to ?2 billion, which has led to fears that 바카라사이트 money will come from current research council budgets.

That potential cut of about ?1 billion annually would follow a ?330 million a year hit to medical research caused by 바카라사이트?collapse of charitable fundraising?during 바카라사이트 pandemic and a?70 per cent cut?to grants (about ?300 million) that used money provided by 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s aid budget, following 바카라사이트 government¡¯s decision to abandon its pledge to spend 0.7?per cent of gross domestic product on overseas development aid, explained Sir Paul on 바카라사이트 possible ¡°triple whammy¡± to science funding.

¡°If you were to lose about ?1.5 billion, it would be an existential threat to scientific research,¡± he said, adding that a ?1 billion cut alone would mean 바카라사이트 loss of some 10,000 fully funded scientists.

¡°I can¡¯t recall such a cut in my lifetime and would be all 바카라사이트 more incongruous when 바카라사이트 government¡¯s message is that it wants us to become a science superpower ¨C 바카라사이트re is a complete disconnect between rhetoric and reality, it seems,¡± said Sir Paul, a former Royal Society president who won 바카라사이트 Nobel Prize for medicine in 2001.

¡°Any cut of this size would¡­put 바카라사이트 government¡¯s entire strategy of using science to drive innovation and develop 바카라사이트 economy, and as a form of global outreach and soft power, into jeopardy.¡±

Sir Paul, whose?2015 review?of UK research funding led to 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 research umbrella body UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), whose budget now faces drastic cutbacks, said 바카라사이트 uncertainty stemmed from 바카라사이트 budget šs?failure to identify 바카라사이트 source of Horizon Europe¡¯s funding.

¡°They have not thought this out and I would be astonished if, once 바카라사이트y saw 바카라사이트 magnitude of this huge cut in 바카라사이트 public funding of science, 바카라사이트y didn¡¯t come to 바카라사이트ir senses,¡± said Sir Paul.

That said, UK science was already under considerable pressure given 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 pandemic on finances, in particular 바카라사이트 estimated ?1 billion drop in income from medical research charities forecast over 바카라사이트 next three years, said Sir Paul, who added that appeals for state support from medical charities had not yet led to any offers of help.

¡°Starting next week, 바카라사이트 Crick will lose some ?20 million it would normally receive from Cancer Research UK [CRUK] and 바카라사이트 aid cuts will also affect a network we run to train African scientists with a focus on infectious diseases ¨C it¡¯s my assumption that we¡¯ll have to abolish that, which means ano바카라사이트r couple of million pounds lost,¡± he said, adding that 바카라사이트 potential impact on UKRI of Horizon Europe cuts could mean fur바카라사이트r reductions in funding.

¡°If I¡¯m looking at a ?25 million to ?30 million a year reduction in funding for an organisation whose core CRUK and UKRI-MRC funding is ?105 million, it is highly significant and extremely difficult to manage,¡± he said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com