Home > News > Robert Langer: UK science would be wrong to focus excessively on applied research
October 22nd, 2009
Robert Langer: UK science would be wrong to focus excessively on applied research
Abstract:
Targeted research programmes, he said, could sometimes be useful, but usually as a means of promoting interdisciplinary collaborations, rather than to ensure progress is made towards a particular scientific goal.
Robert Langer: "Sometimes I've seen targeted things that are valuable not so much because they target something, but because of the fact it gets people focused on working together in new ways. That can be very valuable. The National Cancer Institute in the United States put out a call for proposals for nanotechnology in cancer. I think what was good about that was it got cancer biologists and materials scientists together, and they may not have done that if they hadn't had the opportunity to get that kind of funding.
"I think the value of targeting something like that is very high, but the idea of targeting something that's too specific, I worry about. Everybody succeeds or fails to a certain degree. But if you make something overly focused, if you fail you fail completely, and it's unlikely you're going to make a breakthrough that's going to really change the world."
Source:
typepad.com
Bookmark:
| Related News Press |
News and information
Quantum computer improves AI predictions April 17th, 2026
Flexible sensor gains sensitivity under pressure April 17th, 2026
A reusable chip for particulate matter sensing April 17th, 2026
Detecting vibrational quantum beating in the predissociation dynamics of SF6 using time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy April 17th, 2026
Nanomedicine
A fundamentally new therapeutic approach to cystic fibrosis: Nanobody repairs cellular defect April 17th, 2026
New molecular technology targets tumors and simultaneously silences two ‘undruggable’ cancer genes August 8th, 2025
New imaging approach transforms study of bacterial biofilms August 8th, 2025
Electrifying results shed light on graphene foam as a potential material for lab grown cartilage June 6th, 2025
Interviews/Book Reviews/Essays/Reports/Podcasts/Journals/White papers/Posters
A fundamentally new therapeutic approach to cystic fibrosis: Nanobody repairs cellular defect April 17th, 2026
UC Irvine physicists discover method to reverse ‘quantum scrambling’ : The work addresses the problem of information loss in quantum computing system April 17th, 2026
Nanobiotechnology
A fundamentally new therapeutic approach to cystic fibrosis: Nanobody repairs cellular defect April 17th, 2026
New molecular technology targets tumors and simultaneously silences two ‘undruggable’ cancer genes August 8th, 2025
New imaging approach transforms study of bacterial biofilms August 8th, 2025
Electrifying results shed light on graphene foam as a potential material for lab grown cartilage June 6th, 2025
 |
||
 |
||
| The latest news from around the world, FREE | ||
 |
||
|
|
||
| Premium Products | ||
 |
||
|
Only the news you want to read!
Learn More |
||
 |
||
|
Full-service, expert consulting
Learn More |
||
|
|
||