Here are six good reasons why London is the second city channel on Nature Network
Matt Brown and Li Kim Lee
Ask a Londoner to name the UK’s top city for science, and chances are you’ll hear ‘Oxford’ or ‘Cambridge’. These famous university towns are academically blessed and recognised centres of biotechnology. The UK capital, by contrast, is not always acknowledged as the scientific powerhouse it undoubtedly is. There may be many reasons for this, including the fragmentary nature of its universities and institutions, and a ‘drowning out’ effect from the daily circus of London’s other enterprises. So much goes on here, science struggles to be heard above the noise.
When launching London’s science and industry council, Catalyst, Sir Richard Sykes summed up the problem: “In London, we have the breakthroughs and the bankers, the innovators and the industrialists, but we need to be much better at bringing them together to take advantage of all the strengths in the capital.”
Nature Network London hopes to redress this. Regular news and features will showcase the wealth of research and related issues here in the capital. If you doubt that London is a worthy focus, consider the following credentials.
1. Academia
London has the greatest concentration of universities in Europe, including Imperial College, UCL and King’s College.
• Over 50 universities and centres of higher education
• An estimated 10,000 postdoctoral workers
• One-fifth of the UK’s full-time research staff
2. Private industry
The London Development Agency is driving R&D investment in the capital by supporting initiatives such as Catalyst, BioLondon, Think London and the London Biotechnology Network. Technology transfer agencies such as Imperial Innovations and the London Technology Network have assisted.
• All of the big pharma companies have either a manufacturing or R&D presence in London
• Over 100 biotech companies are based in London, twice as many as in 2000, employing some 6000 people
• Life science industry contributes around £6 billion to London’s annual GDP
• Some 80% of London’s biotech companies started life in the academic laboratory
3. Medicine
London is a world leader for medical research, training and care.
• 60% of Europe’s clinical trials take place in London
• Half of all medical students in the UK learn their trade in London
• Five world-class medical schools
• Around 100 hospitals
• 70% of all NHS research
4. Scientific culture
The Natural History and Science museums are revered venues for the presentation of science. Organisations such as the Dana Centre and the Royal Institution host regular events.
• Around 30 museums are dedicated to science and medicine
• Over 100 scientific events take place in London each month
5. History
The Royal Society (founded 1660), Royal Institution (1799) and other learned societies have nurtured some of the greatest minds in scientific history.
• Newton, Boyle, Faraday, Davy and Darwin all worked in London
• Around 90 blue plaques commemorate famous scientists throughout the city
6. Funding
The capital is home to the London Stock Exchange and important funding bodies such as the Wellcome Trust and Medical Research Council.
• London is the largest financial centre in Europe
• More biotechnology venture capital groups are based in London than the top 10 other European cities combined
London is also the seat of the British Government, home to many of the attendant policy and regulatory bodies and a hub of scientific communication. It is truly a city of science.
Note on sources
Much of the information in this article is taken from London: Europe’s centre for life sciences (Think London, 2005) and
Biotechnology and Healthcare (London First).
