UK, October 22, 2005
NRI press
NRI (non-resident Indian) Dr Prim Singh, a molecular biologist,
a leading scientist claims he was "never given a chance"
in his application for the directorship of the Babraham Institute
in Cambridge. Dr. Singh had sought one million pounds in damages
from the institute.
Dr Prim Singh, 45, from Edinburgh, told the tribunal he was
a world-leader in his field. He said: "My pioneering research
has led to a lot of popular science, such as that televised
by Lord Robert Winston, who examined the manner in which humans
are attracted to one another through their genetic scent in
sweat."
Dr Singh said he was surprised not to be short-listed for the
post. He said: "As a world-leader in the field of epigenetics,
it was a complete shock not to be short-listed on the grounds
that I was said not to have the 'international academic reputation
of the other stronger candidates'. This simply is not true."
Dr Singh was also claiming against the Biotechnology and Biological
Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), which provides funding for
both Babraham and Roslin.
Tribunal chairman Colin Sara said the panel had concluded the
final decision was not influenced by the fact Dr Singh was pursuing
another claim. The panel ruled that Dr Singh did not meet any
of the criteria set out in the job description.
Mr Sara said: "It must be remembered that what he was
applying for was a highly prestigious appointment.
"We fully accept that he is an able and experienced scientist.
But not at this level."
Dr Prim Singh was born in India and graduated with a first-class
honours degree in physiology biochemistry from Reading University.
He received PhD from Cambridge University in genetics. He worked
more than 17 years for the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences
Research Council including five years in Roslin. He has three
children. These days he is workig at Leibniz Institutem, Germany