Thirty-three scientists resign from cancer institute panel

Wall Street Journal : The article “Scientists quit Texas cancer institute in flap” reports the resignations of 33 of 140 members of a research-advisory panel for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. At issue was the balance between pure research and commercialization projects. The institute has provided $755 million in cancer funding over the last three years. An oversight committee includes politically appointed laypeople. “Some of the departing scientistsâmdash;who include Nobel laureates Phillip A. Sharp and Alfred Gilman, who had been the institute’s chief scientific officerâmdash;said in resignation letters and interviews with the Wall Street Journal that they were protesting a willingness” by that committee “to fund commercial projects aimed at developing new cancer therapies, regardless of whether the projects had been thoroughly vetted by the scientists.” Members who remained on the science panel reportedly “say that Texas’ unusual commitment to cancer research is too important to abandon.”