The prominence of biomedical science is rising in the UK, it has been suggested.
Writing in the Independent, Steve Connor claimed that over recent decades, biology has become an increasing priority.
This follows a time during the early half of the 20th century during which physicists “ruled the roosts”, he said.
He pointed to the government’s pledge to build a £500 million “cathedral of science” dedicated to biomedical science in London.
The UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation will develop new treatments for the illnesses such as cancers, heart disease and strokes, flu and other infections. It is due to be completed by 2015 and will employ around 1,200 scientists.
Mr Connor cited breakthroughs in molecular biology since the discovery of the DNA double-helix in 1953 as one of the reasons why the field is increasingly prioritised by policymakers.
One “big science” research programme run by biomedical experts was the Human Genome Project, he added.
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