What a buzzy startup reveals about Britain’s biotech sector
Lots of clever scientists, not enough business nous
Over the past century, two breakthroughs have changed the course of biology most. Both were Anglo-American efforts, propelled by Cambridge laboratories. First came the unravelling of the double helix by scientists including James Watson (an American) and Francis Crick (a Brit). Then came the Human Genome Project, which mapped the genetic code that acts as an instruction manual for human beings. That project was led by Americans, but the largest contribution came from Cambridge’s Sanger Institute, which sequenced a third of the billions of letters of code. These advances transformed the way scientists understand disease.
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This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Cambridge lessons”
Britain January 25th 2025
- The Rachel Reeves theory of growth
- Britain’s government lacks a clear Europe policy
- What a buzzy startup reveals about Britain’s biotech sector
- Britain’s brokers are diversifying and becoming less British
- London’s pie-and-mash shops are disappearing
- What an arcane piece of aviation law says about Britain’s government
From the January 25th 2025 edition
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Britain’s brokers are diversifying and becoming less British
London’s depleted stockmarket is forcing them to change
Britain’s government lacks a clear Europe policy
It should be more ambitious over getting closer to the EU
The Rachel Reeves theory of growth
The chancellor says it’s her number-one priority. We ask her what that means for Britain
What an arcane piece of aviation law says about Britain’s government
The parable of the slots
London’s pie-and-mash shops are disappearing
Blame higher rents and changing tastes