Value for Money? Cooperation and Competition in the Human Genome Mapping Project

人类基因组计划（HGP）是20世纪后期生命科学领域的一个典范，它使生命科学成为一个既合作又竞争的研究领域，与政治和经济利益密切互动。该项目侧重于英国相对未知但高度相关的基因组研究。在第一个供资期间，该项目涉及在人类基因组计划范围内，在竞争日益激烈的背景下，就合作做法和公约进行谈判。我们关注的是约翰·萨尔斯顿（剑桥/欣克斯顿）周围的团队，它的跨大西洋合作，以及人类基因组组织（HUGO）。在第二阶段，我们将目光转向英国人类基因组绘图计划（HGMP），这是一个与人类基因组计划密切相关的协调网络。约翰·萨尔斯顿在那里也发挥了重要作用，然而，HGMP背后的主导力量是悉尼·布伦纳。该项目探讨了布伦纳和其他人在多大程度上成功地建立了一个合作协调的研究网络，面对研究小组和网站之间的科学竞争，以及经济，政治和社会因素如何影响这种平衡，进而影响认识目标和优先事项。随着英国的研究系统在1980/90年代彻底重组，这一点可以特别生动地观察到。我们的项目分析了网络微观和中观层面的动态。

The Human Genome Project (HGP) for mapping and sequencing the human genome is paradigmatic for the sea change in the life sciences of the late 20th century into a both cooperative and competitive field of research in close interaction with political and economical interests. The project focusses on the relatively unknown, but highly relevant genome research in the UK. In the first funding period the project dealt with the negotiation of cooperative practices and conventions within the HGP against the backdrop of mounting competition. We focused on the group around John Sulston (Cambridge/Hinxton), its transatlantic cooperation, and the Human Genome Organisation (HUGO). In this second period we turn our gaze towards the British Human Genome Mapping Project (HGMP), a coordinated network which was closely linked to the HGP. John Sulston played a major role there too, however, the leading force behind the HGMP was Sydney Brenner. The project examines how far Brenner and others succeeded in establishing a cooperatively coordinated research network in the face of scientific rivalry between research groups and sites and how economic, political and social factors impacted this balance and in turn, epistemic goals and priorities. As the research system of the United Kingdon was thoroughly restructured in the 1980s/90s, this can be observed especially vividly. Our project analyses the resulting dynamic on the micro and meso level of the network.