Sir Paul Nurse - The Francis Crick Institute: tackling the world's biggest health problems faster

On Wednesday 30 March 2016, SCI’s Public Evening Lecture will invite us behind the scenes of The Francis Crick Institute. The lecture will be delivered by Sir Paul Nurse, Director of the Francis Crick Institute. Sir Paul, a former Nobel Prize winner and former President of the Royal Society, was integral to the establishment of The Crick. He will talk about The Francis Crick Institute and the cutting edge work being delivered to diagnose and prevent illnesses.

The Francis Crick Institute (The Crick) was developed in response to an independent review of arrangements for funding health research in the UK. The review, commissioned in 2006 by the UK Government set out a vision for enhancing the effectiveness of medical research in the UK via a world-leading multi-disciplinary biomedical research institute in London.

Bringing together 1,250 researchers, The Crick conducts cutting-edge basic biological research to drive discoveries and improve the understanding of why disease develops and to find new ways to diagnose, prevent and treat a range of illnesses − such as cancer, heart disease and stroke, infections and neurodegenerative diseases. An example of the type of research being delivered at The Crick is the work done by Francis Crick Emeritus scientist and winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Thomas Lindahl, He has mapped how cells repair damaged DNA and safeguard the genetic information. This has provided fundamental knowledge for the development of new cancer treatments.

The Institute intends to identify and nurture new research opportunities and develop strong synergies and novel scientific interactions between its own research groups and other collaborators across the UK, in both the private and public sector. By building a world-leading institute, The Crick aims to attract high-value investment and strengthening the economy.

At the heart of its philosophy is a commitment to the highest quality science. It is believed that the necessary quality can only be delivered through a focus on the best and most imaginative scientists, which in turn requires a broad and flexible approach to The Institute’s scientific programme.