APPENDIX 17
Memorandum from Dr Michael Oldstone, Scripps
Research Institute
Let me first introduce myself. I am a senior
scientist who is head of the Division of Virology and the Viral-Immunobiology
Laboratory at The Scripps Research Institute. I know British science
and scientists well. For example, your newly appointed Regis Professor
of Medicine at Cambridge, Patrick Sissons, came to my laboratory
over 20 years ago as a postdoctoral fellow to learn how to do
biomedical research. Other distinguished senior biomedical academics
from your country have passed through my laboratory including
Sir Peter Lachmann, Anthony Nash, Peter Ghazal, and Sir Keith
Peters. There are still others in the UK at the intermediate stage
of their career who have great potential for future biomedical
research achievements who also trained with me at Scripps. Further,
I have been consulted by Sir Liam Donaldson about the measles
virus vaccination controversy and have, in the past, reviewed
grant applications for the MRC. Then, as a great supporter of
the talent and science in your country, I write to you concerning
the debate involving the future and the movement of NIMR, Mill
Hill. In my judgment such a relocation will be a major mistake.
Here is why.
First, a candid assessment of the institution.
NIMR, Mill Hill, although smaller is akin to our NIH, ie, is a
research institute devoted to understanding and control of human
diseases. It is this institute where influenza virus was first
isolated and where interferon was discovered. In addition, workers
in the NIMR uncovered many other medical firsts including the
structure and folding of the influenza hemagglutinin. The NIMR
currently serves as a WHO centre for surveillance and handling
of evolving influenza viruses including the potential avian H5
flu that we are all concerned about causing a new pandemic in
humans. Their current composition of balanced scientists in the
NIMR, Mill Hill, is on the whole excellent and one to be proud
of. I know that institute well having visited it on several occasions
over the last 20 years, as I have also visited and lectured at
Cambridge, Oxford, medical research clubs and hospitals in London.
NIMR, Mill Hill, is one of the real jewels of your research establishment.
The proposal to reorder and to move the NIMR
near a university in central London is, in my opinion, poorly
thought out. If NIMR, Mill Hill were to move to central London,
they would likely lose their biosafety level (BSL)-4 unit and
lose their advanced vivarium used to conduct important biomedical
research in influenza, malaria, and tuberculosis. Is it feasible
to move a high containment BSL-4 unit to centre city? I do not
think so. With animal rights demonstrators can you build an equal
vivarium in central London? I think not. Imagine the problems.
Part of the past history in the selection of Mill Hill away from
Hampstead was to overcome animal restrictions and difficulties.
My strong opinion is that the error of relocating
or dismantling NIMR, Mill Hill, will be shared by senior biomedical
scientists outside of the UK, as well as most in the UK. I suggest
you contact Rob Webster, the acknowledged expert in influenza
in North America; Judy Gerhard, Nancy Cox or Walter Dowdle at
CDC; experts in retroviral and lentiviral research Malcolm Martin
at NIH or John Coffin at Tufts; senior American scientists Tom
Steitz at Yale, Irvin Weissman at Stanford, Shirley Tilghman at
Princeton; or Sir Gus Nossal at the University of Melbourne (former
director of SAGE at WHO), I expect they would speak to the dominant
position NIMR has, continues to have in biomedical research, and
why it would be penny wise and pound foolish to move NIMR to central
London.
I cannot envision in my country a knowledgeable
committee that would dismantle the intramural program of NIH and
move it to a university. I am sure it would be possible to find
those who would like to but I would like to probe into their reasons
for doing so and the conflicts of interest involved. Yet, this
is being planned for your country. Biomedical science is universal
and the repercussions of a dismantled NIMR, Mill Hill, will affect
not only your future but ours as well.
10 November 2004
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