Winner praises Nobel-laureate factory's culture

The 14th Nobel prize for a scientist based at a famous British laboratory has been hailed as proof of 바카라사이트 benefits of cultivating a culture that fosters curiosity-driven research.

The Medical Research Council's Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) in Cambridge is regarded as something of a Nobel-laureate factory, having turned out 13 former winners, including Francis Crick and James Watson, who won 바카라사이트 accolade for 바카라사이트ir discovery of DNA's double-helix structure in 1953.

The latest winner, structural biologist Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, shared 바카라사이트 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with an American and an Israeli "for studies of 바카라사이트 structure and function of 바카라사이트 ribosome".

Dr Ramakrishnan, known to colleagues as "Venki", was born in India but is now a US citizen. In 1999, he moved to 바카라사이트 LMB from 바카라사이트 University of Utah. He credits both organisations with supporting his prize-winning work.

In 바카라사이트 traditional telephone interview with 바카라사이트 Nobel Foundation after 바카라사이트 announcement, he praised 바카라사이트 culture of 바카라사이트 LMB and its "ability to tackle difficult problems in a stable and supportive environment".

He said: "The history of 바카라사이트 place means you don't waste your time doing mundane or routine things."

The lab, which conducts basic research, has a history of protecting researchers' freedom to explore.

But Don Braben, honorary professor in 바카라사이트 department of earth sciences at University College London and author of Scientific Freedom: The Elixir of Civilization, cautioned that while 바카라사이트 LMB was "once a model for excellence, its freedom is not as secure as it was".

He said: "Researchers are now increasingly obliged to take national benefit into account when formulating proposals. Luckily, Venki's interests were well established when he joined 바카라사이트 lab. Let's hope that his successors have 바카라사이트 freedom he had to develop unfashionable ideas."

Nick Dusic, director of 바카라사이트 Campaign for Science and Engineering, said: "The LMB has been able to foster talented people throughout its history. We need to keep places and space for talented scientists who push 바카라사이트 bounds of 바카라사이트ir fields."

zoe.corbyn@tsleducation.com