Biologists on Board

Varmus and Lander co-chair Presidential Council of Advisers on Science and Technology.

h/t ScienceDebate2008

primary source here - good speech.

Harold Varmus and Eric Lander both biology/medicine oriented.
I said The Big O would need some biologists onboard in some authoritative positions.
And so he did.
Hmmm.
Nah...

Anyway, big question is what role PCAST will play within the administration - whether it will have a seat at the table as it were.
I suspect Holdren will listen to Varmus and Lander, but will Obama listen to Holdren?
We will soon know.
I think he will. Sensible chap.

Next the agencies: NASA, NSF and NIH, and the li'l ones.
That will tell us a lot about implementation and priorities.

Hm, Varmus is another "scientist who started off with a BA in English Literature".
Not many of those, but sure they do well.

'course Lander is a mathematician who moved into bio, and they tend to do really well.
Interesting pattern.

more at evolgen and PZ

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I noted earlier that Harold Varmus, Obama's key science advisor, was on the Daily Show, but after viewing again the clip of his short appearance I thought it should get its own little show here.
Harold Varmus is one of the most high profile advocates of open access to biomedical research.
Listen here to the The December 16, 2008 David E. Barmes Global Health Lecture given by Dr.Harold Varmus: