Combio 2004 - be altruistic, scientists told

Eminent burns surgeon Fiona Wood has opened the ComBio 2004 meeting in Perth with an appeal to scientists' altruism.

Prof Wood, co-founder of listed biotech Clinical Cell Culture (ASX:CCE), said she had considered the difference between 'pure' and 'applied' science. "Pure sounds so white and clean, but what does 'pure' science mean?" she said. "It means to be curious about how things work. Scientists are basically altruistic - why wouldn't you be curious when you wanted to share that knowledge?"

Drawing a parallel with her own career as a surgeon and self-described 'quasi-scientist' Wood said professional skills were useless unless they were applied. "Your science is your privilege," she said, urging scientist to use that privilege for others around them.

Other speakers on day one included Phillip Cohen of Dundee University in Scotland, who described the university's 15 million pound deal with big pharma to commercialise protein kinase inhibitors. Cohen said recent progress in that field only went to underline the importance of basic research. "I worked fro 25 years on phosphorylation without any drug company taking the slightest bit of notice," he said.

The conference continues until Thursday.