I have a faint recollection from my time living in the US, that Fox News channel ran a regular item on its late evening news programme which was called 'Information Overload' - a 30 second snippet of 'news you can use' - backed by heavy rock music. I pass the following on with the same … Continue reading More on clinical research regulation
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Trachea transplants and charities
'..behind every headline there is not just one story but often many stories of howthe science was developed..'
A fillip for rare diseases
It has been one of those weeks! But I got a bit of a fillip with the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Sir Liam Donaldson's, annual report on Tuesday. Apart from being a good read, the CMO's annual address on the state of the nation's health can give voice and momentum to an issue within the Department … Continue reading A fillip for rare diseases
Public Attitudes on Science
Friday is when I tend to pass on things of interest which have come across my desk. You might want to check out what I think is the first edition of the Wellcome Trust's Monitor of Public Attitudes. It is certainly comprehensive and looks as though there is some interesting stuff in there. The finding … Continue reading Public Attitudes on Science
Putting the 'public' in UK plc
Science politics could get mighty difficult for those of us prone to mixing up names. What with Lord Drayson as Science Minister. And Sir James Dyson advising the Conservative Party. We might need to look twice when next going to our understairs cupboard. Two of Drayson's predecessors as Science Minister - Lord Sainsbury and Lord Waldegrave - were … Continue reading Putting the 'public' in UK plc
The science base in parliament
Last night saw the annual dinner of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Medical Research. The guest speaker was Dr Venki Ramakrishnan. Venki was awarded the the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and gave an incisive and refreshingly down-to-earth summary of the challenges and opportunities faced by UK science. The ensuing discussion was chaired expertly by … Continue reading The science base in parliament
What defines medical research charities?
It normally grates on me when someone makes passing reference to football or their favourite team in search of the common touch. So forgive me for doing the same just this once. It does serve a purpose.....of sorts. I am sure that those familiar with football punditry - and even those who are not - will have … Continue reading What defines medical research charities?
An Open Letter to Lord Mandelson
This week 'The Guardian' published an extract online of my response to Lord Mandelson's article in its pages about higher education funding. But I thought I would provide the full text here for interest. Dear Editor, The Business Secretary, Lord Mandelson, presents a stout case for why universities should see tighter budgets as an opportunity for diversifying their … Continue reading An Open Letter to Lord Mandelson
Research Impact
At some point I shall steel myself to write a lengthier blog on the subject of evaluating research impact. Not least because it is a subject dominating the higher education press right now. However, this week the following report by Action Medical Research - one of our members - came across my desk. And I thought it … Continue reading Research Impact
Dialogue by numbers
I am writing this while sitting in a cafe in the exhibition area at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton. Such are the wonders of modern technology! Gordon Brown's speech is over and the crowds have more or less dispersed. All the action has moved to nearby tv and radio studios where the debate will … Continue reading Dialogue by numbers
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