10 January 2006

Dundee Scientists feature in new BBC series

Two of the University of Dundee's leading scientists are to be featured in a new BBC programme, "Under Laboratory Conditions", which gives the public an insight into how science really works and what goes on behind the white coats.

In the two-part series, Neurobiologist Dr Daniel Glaser takes a journey around Britain’s labs and scientific institutions, speaking to Nobel prize winners, professors, lecturers and PhD students. In the first episode he establishes what it’s like to be a scientist, what motivates them, what the levers and mechanisms are that drive a scientific career and the joys and frustrations of being involved in research.

Among those featured in the first episode is Professor Sir Philip Cohen, Royal Society Research Professor and Director of the MRC Protein Phosphorylation Unit based in the School of Life Sciences at Dundee.

Sir Philip said "The BBC spent seven hours with me starting at my house at 6 am but I expect that my contribution will probably have been condensed to just a few minutes! I’m looking forward to seeing the completed documentary for the first time."

The second programme focuses on the bane of a senior scientist’s life - funding. Dan Glaser meets the winners and the losers of the funding game in an attempt to understand the Research Assessment Exercise, the importance of publishing in the right journal and how to squeeze money out of cash rich charities and big business.

Mike Ferguson, Professor of Molecular Parasitology at Dundee, has spent years negotiating the paths to funding. Professor Ferguson is heading a new programme of drug discovery for tropical diseases at Dundee which has established an innovative new model of funding for an academic project.

The series also features contributions from Bill Bryson, Lord Robert Winston and former President of the Royal Society Lord May.

The first part of Under Laboratory Conditions airs on BBC 4 at 9 pm on Wednesday January 11th, with the second part following one week later on January 18th, again on BBC 4 at 9 pm.

ENDS

For more information contact:

Roddy Isles,
Head of Press
University of Dundee
Tel: 01382 384910,
Email: r.isles@dundee.ac.uk