11 December 2024
In Praise of Peer Review
As an Editor of the journal Development, I often hear complaints about peer review. We all know the problems, from lengthy review times to requests...
Read →Morphogenalia
Occasional writing on science, publishing and the life of a lab, mostly written around the move from Mill Hill to the Crick.
2024
12 November 2024
The Dynamics of Cell Fate Specification In The Single Cell Era
Recently, I had the privilege of attending "Like a rolling marble: Waddington's landscape vibrant legacy and beyond" a fascinating workshop, held in...
Read →2018
31 March 2018
From Mill Hill to Midland Road
At the end of 2016 the lab moved from the MRC-National Institute for Medical Research buildings in Mill Hill, London to the new Francis Crick...
Read →2017
13 November 2017
Don't let Brexit take the P's out of UK science
Since June 23rd 2016, the date of the EU referendum in the UK, we've been living in the shadow of Brexit. Similar to most scientists I was, and...
Read →12 February 2017
First Impressions
It has now been around six weeks since my lab move, about the right time to reflect and form some first impressions. The move of the lab itself went...
Read →2016
29 December 2016
Note new address
It's done. My lab has moved from our old site in Mill Hill into the brand new Francis Crick Institute, Midland Road, opposite St Pancras Station. My...
Read →27 November 2016
Closing time
It's now only a couple of weeks until my lab moves from our building in Mill Hill to the new Crick Institute on Midland Road. Over the last 4-5...
Read →6 November 2016
Now Hiring
This week is a big week at The Crick. We have the official opening ceremony on Wednesday at which our new building will be shown off to visiting...
Read →18 October 2016
Thoughts from 30,000 feet
It's 10pm on a Saturday night as I write this and I'm on a flight from London to Boston. I'm heading to the Marine Biological Laboratories in Woods...
Read →2 October 2016
The Three Billion Dollar Question
In the last few weeks, two technology companies have announced major investment in, and huge ambitions for, medical research. Microsoft hit the...
Read →19 September 2016
Office surprise
I've started preparing for my move from Mill Hill to Midland Road (this is the street address and the name used in-house to refer to the new Crick...
Read →3 September 2016
Labs don't live here anymore
I've returned to Mill Hill after two weeks away and in my absence a lot has changed. It's now a couple of months since the move into the new building...
Read →11 August 2016
Carbuncle and collaboration
In recent architecture news, The Francis Crick Institute has been nominated for the Carbuncle Prize [Link]. This is the satirical prize run by...
Read →24 July 2016
That Friday Feeling
Moving out of our building in Mill Hill means the end of some long standing traditions and an opportunity for a little bit of nostalgia. A few weeks...
Read →9 July 2016
I wouldn't start from here
There's an old joke about a tourist lost in the West of Ireland asking a local farmer for directions to Dublin. He replies: 'Well, if I were you, I...
Read →26 June 2016
Down and out
Similar to most scientists (and almost everybody I know) I'm deeply concerned by the result of the UK's referendum on EU membership. It's difficult...
Read →10 June 2016
And so it begins
This week we, the Francis Crick Institute, officially begin the move into our new building. The contractors are still putting the finishing touches...
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