Brain drain worry as top scientists quit Scotland

Published on Thursday 21 May 2009 22:22

WORLD-LEADING cancer researcher Professor Sir David Lane is to leave Scotland to work in Singapore.

Sir David and his wife, Prof Birgit Lane, are moving to work at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTR) in Singapore in September.

Following his discovery of the p53 protein, which plays a central role in preventing cancer, Sir David was described as one of the "superstars of biomedicine".

Experts have warned about a possible "brain drain" of top academics from Scotland having an impact on the nation's ability to retain its worldwide reputation for high-quality research.

Both professors have worked in Singapore before while on sabbatical from Dundee University between 2005-7. They returned to Scotland in late 2007 and helped establish the Division of Molecular Medicine, with Professor Irwin McLean.

Sir David will resume his position as chief scientist to the ASTR and Lady Lane resumes duties as executive director of the Institute of Medical Biology at the agency.

Prof Peter Downes, acting principal at Dundee University, said: "It is inevitable from time to time we will see senior staff leave, and we wish David and Birgit well in Singapore. We appreciate all the work they have done in Dundee."

He added: "We have a great ability to recruit world-class scientists to enhance our position as a centre of excellence in Europe for research in biomedical and biological sciences and we are confident of our ability to continue to do so."

Sir David and Lady Lane had said they saw Dundee as "one of the best places to do biomedical science in the UK".

They will continue to promote their UK links and will retain their productive Dundee collaborations in Singapore, while

Sir David will continue in his position as Cancer Research UK's chief scientist.

In 2006, a survey of academics by the Centre for Public Policy Research at Glasgow University found Scotland could face problems keeping academics. The majority who said they expected to move job said their next post would be outside Scotland.

Prof Richard Harris, who wrote the report, said many staff felt they had to move to progress their careers.

"I wouldn't have thought within academia that there has been anything fundamentally different that has changed in the last couple of years," he said.

A spokeswomen for Universities Scotland said researchers chose to work at different locations around the world for a number of reasons.

She added: "Scottish universities are doing research which is leading the world."

"We are in a very good position now but we need to make sure we do not become complacent and are doing all that we can to attract top academics to Scotland and to our universities."