Laboratory of Molecular Biology - Administrative Structure

Administrative Structure

The early success of the LMB was in no small way helped by the simple administrative environment. From outside the LMB, the parent MRC ensured that the triennial assessment had a light touch: only a brief explanation of past achievements and an indication of where future plans lay were required by the external committee. Their recommendations were simply advisory, leaving the division leaders a free hand as to how to run their affairs: they were assumed to know best.

Within the LMB, Perutz’s criterion of how to arrange things was that the act of doing science should be facilitated at all levels. The LMB had a single budget: there were no personal budgets or equipment — everything was communal, which made running the lab cheaper. It had state of the art equipment and was well financed by the MRC. Chemical reagents, glassware and other expendibles could be withdrawn from an extremely well stocked store with no more than a signature. Key to the smooth functioning of the lab was Michael Fuller, who was responsible for its day-to-day running.

There was no overt hierarchy; everyone was on first-name terms. Most members of the lab met freely in the canteen, situated at the top of the building with a view across Cambridge, for mid-morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea. This assisted inter-divisional communication and collaboration.

Today the LMB has around 400 scientists, of whom 130 are postdoctoral visitors and 90 students.