APPENDIX 19
Memorandum from Professor Brian D Sykes,
University of Alberta
It is clear to me that Mill Hill is an absolute
first rate biomedical research institution with an excellent research
program and an excellent scientific reputation world wide. I have
collaborated with scientists in Mill Hill for more than two decades,
and consider these collaborations amongst the highlights of my
scientific career. Under these circumstances, I would be very,
very cautious about the drastic changes that are proposed in size,
location, and scope of the Institute unless the rationale is absolutely
justified. It takes many years to build up excellence in scientific
projects, people, infrastructure, and collaborations; but only
moments and one bad decision to put it apart. Even the uncertainty
surrounding the committee's activities strongly perturb the activities
of such an institution. There is a strong role for autonomous
government-supported research institutes within the mix of international
scientific endeavor.
Personally I see no scientific reasons for moving
the site to another hospital site in London—they already
have extensive interactions and collaborations with the major
London Hospitals. I'm not sure why administrators are so willing
to make these kinds of decisions these days, as if one can mandate
excellence and success. In my experience when people start to
mingle at these levels in the affairs of an institute of this
size the result is always a loss.
11 November 2004
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