Department of Biology

On April 22, 2017, half a million scientists and friends of science participated in the March for Science in more than 200 U.S. towns and cities together with hundreds of thousands more around the world. We marched because, even though most people agree that science saves lives, makes our world better, and creates jobs, there is an increasing and alarming trend to discredit scientific consensus and to restrict research to politically acceptable topics.

Participation in the march was in no small part driven by a recent White House budget proposal to significantly reduce government-funded research. Funds would instead be focused “in the highest priority research and training activities.” But, the history of science and innovation tells us instead that we cannot predict what research has the best chance of yielding the strongest benefits for humanity. An example from Indiana University’s illustrious history of research in microbiology makes this clear.

In the 1960s, IU Professor Thomas Brock became interested in the distribution of photosynthetic microorganisms along the thermal gradients created by the outflow channels of hot springs. In 1966, he obtained an ~$88,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for a project titled, “Biochemical Ecology of Yellowstone Hot Springs.” It’s fair to say that few people would pick this research as high priority for funding if likelihood of benefitting society was a criterion. As Brock conducted his studies, he became curious about the bacteria living in the hot springs. Around 1968, his undergraduate student, Hudson Freeze [BA '68], isolated a bacterial species, which they named Thermus aquaticus, from the hot springs and began to study the basis for its ability to survive at high temperature. Freeze found that the bacterium’s enzymes were extremely resistant to high temperatures, even to boiling.

Fast forward 20 years: Thermus aquaticus would become the source of the temperature-resistant enzyme Taq polymerase, a key component for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), used to amplify very small quantities of DNA. PCR rapidly became one of the most important tools of biomedical research and revolutionized the biotechnology industry. Disease diagnostic methods, the ability to rapidly identify bacterial contaminants in food sources, and forensic tests are only a few of the myriad applications of PCR.

In 2013 Brock and Freeze received the Golden Goose Award. The award highlights odd, seemingly useless research that eventually had a high societal impact. Indeed, in addition to helping save countless lives, PCR's market value this year is evaluated at $8 billion. Not bad for an initial $88,000 taxpayer investment!

The history of innovation abounds with many such examples, summarized by Eric Lander, Co-Chair of President Obama’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, in a recent compelling presentation. As Lander indicates, “. . . transformative ideas and discoveries often come out of left field . . . . You cannot predict where they come from.” This is why it is important to invest in basic, curiosity-driven scientific research and to invest in a broad portfolio of the best quality research, without trying to guess which research is most likely to yield practical dividends.