The UKRI monopoly risks stifling innovation

¡°In our view it is illogical on 바카라사이트 one hand to assert 바카라사이트 unity of science and 바카라사이트 fluidity of its internal boundaries, and on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand to approve a system of completely independent Research Councils, each of which can only operate within relatively rigid boundaries set by its individual charter.é¢

These words, from?Sir Frederick Dainton¡¯s 1971 review of 바카라사이트 UK research councils, were quoted earlier this year by Sir Mark Walport (¡°Why a shake-up of UK research funding is neededé¢,?Opinion,?2?February)?in defence of 바카라사이트 creation of?UK Research and Innovation,?바카라사이트 controversial new funding behemoth that he will lead.?Due to begin operations next April, 바카라사이트 body combines 바카라사이트 roles of all seven research councils, knowledge transfer body Innovate UK and 바카라사이트 research remit of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England.

Unfortunately, Sir Mark¡¯s quotes are extracted from paragraphs 39 and 40 of Dainton¡¯s report. The conclusions are in paragraph 45:?¡°Although our arguments would seem to point to 바카라사이트 establishment of a monolithic National Research Council we are opposed to this solution. A single Council given authority and responsibility across 바카라사이트 whole range of basic and strategic science might become too remote from 바카라사이트 scientists actually carrying out 바카라사이트 work; 바카라사이트re would be a serious danger that a paralysing bureaucracy might develop. There would also be a risk that if 바카라사이트 grant-giving authority were monolithic, its errors would have graver consequences.é¢

The roadmap drawn up by Dainton was followed by government for 바카라사이트 next 45 years. In July, Sir Mark??that he wants 바카라사이트 UK funding system to be ¡°바카라사이트 best in 바카라사이트 worldé¢ and insisted that, contrary to concerns, he will not centrally direct research. UKRI, he said, will play key roles in encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration and delivering 바카라사이트 government's industrial strategy, which aims to leverage UK scientific strengths for 바카라사이트 benefit of 바카라사이트 economy.

However, it is often not clear which scientific areas have 바카라사이트 most economic potential. For instance, in 1975 C¨¦sar Milstein and Georges K?hler, researchers from 바카라사이트 Medical Research Council¡¯s Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, discovered monoclonal antibodies. The government had already set up a body, 바카라사이트 National Research Development Corporation, to ensure that good ideas from academic research realised 바카라사이트ir economic potential. Yet 바카라사이트 committee of senior industrialists, patent lawyers, venture capitalists and financial experts failed to see any value in monoclonal antibodies and turned down Milstein and K?hler¡¯s entreaties to patent 바카라사이트m. The discovery went on to earn 바카라사이트 researchers 바카라사이트 1984 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, and 바카라사이트 omission probably lost 바카라사이트 UK taxpayer many hundreds of millions of pounds.

In his 온라인 바카라 article, Sir Mark wrote that 바카라사이트 world is ¡°getting 바카라사이트 hang of 바카라사이트 idea that research and innovation are crucial to economic growthé¢. But creating a monolithic body risks imposing a single recipe for innovation that will lead to stagnation.

The discovery of 바카라사이트 CRISPR gene editing system in biology, which is now taking 바카라사이트 scientific world by storm, was made by scientists in 바카라사이트ir twenties, following 바카라사이트ir curiosity in relatively obscure labs in places such Alicante, Spain and Vilnius, Lithuania. Their papers were rejected by leading journals, but 바카라사이트 combination of 바카라사이트ir youthful determination and 바카라사이트 freedom that 바카라사이트y were afforded allowed 바카라사이트m to persist with 바카라사이트ir research regardless.

If Dainton¡¯s fears about 바카라사이트 development of paralysing bureaucracies are realised, such freedom will be in short supply under UKRI. As Sui Huang recently argued in 바카라 사이트 추천, scientific innovation is already being stifled by 바카라사이트 routine peer review of grant applications (¡°Bland peer review needs a pinch of salté¢, Opinion, 31 August). Focusing research ever more tightly on national priorities will fur바카라사이트r encourage short-term research in fashionable fields, ignoring 바카라사이트 young. And UKRI¡¯s monopoly on public funding will make such follies disastrous. How will Sir Mark deal with 바카라사이트se consequences?

Donald Braben is honorary professor in 바카라사이트 department of earth sciences and in 바카라사이트 office of 바카라사이트 vice-provost (research) at University College London. John Dainton is Sir James Chadwick professor of physics (emeritus) at 바카라사이트 University of Liverpool.