Science was not meant to be a money-making enterprise

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Following my principles: the personal cost

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Science was not meant to be a money-making enterprise

Leonard Hayflick Scientist

		Views	Duration
181. Establishment of the biotechnology industry		67	02:46
182. The impact of the Bayh-Dole Act		78	04:11
183. Science was not meant to be a money-making enterprise		101	01:14
184. Following my principles: the personal cost		98	04:10
185. 'Sufficiently wealthy to buy London'		96	03:38
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187. A feature article for Nature and a forthcoming...	1	137	05:07

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So... many people have told me, and I find it hard... I find it hard to disagree, that we completely changed the attitude of biologists in particular toward receiving compensation for their discoveries. That had never been thought of when I was a student. You never did anything to make money in science. Of course, that began to change in the 1970s and then into the 80s, and today it's the foundation of multiple international industries. So I think I cannot be seriously challenged when I say that our lawsuit was instrumental in changing the attitude of biologists and many, many other people in decision-making positions. So when the government found itself in this position, they came to me more or less hat in hand asking for an out-of-court settlement.

Leonard Hayflick (b. 1928), the recipient of several research prizes and awards, including the 1991 Sandoz Prize for Gerontological Research, is known for his research in cell biology, virus vaccine development, and mycoplasmology. He also has studied the ageing process for more than thirty years. Hayflick is known for discovering that human cells divide for a limited number of times in vitro (refuting the contention by Alexis Carrel that normal body cells are immortal), which is known as the Hayflick limit, as well as developing the first normal human diploid cell strains for studies on human ageing and for research use throughout the world. He also made the first oral polio vaccine produced in a continuously propogated cell strain - work which contributed to significant virus vaccine development.

Title: Science was not meant to be a money-making enterprise

Listeners: Christopher Sykes

Christopher Sykes is a London-based television producer and director who has made a number of documentary films for BBC TV, Channel 4 and PBS.

Tags: attitude of biologists, compensation for discovery, international industries, out of court settlement

Duration: 1 minute, 14 seconds

Date story recorded: May 2013

Date story went live: 14 June 2013