Scotland's science

Scottish scientists are at the leading edge of stem-cell research that has the potential to change the course of medicine. They could be on the brink of discoveries that would allow far more effective treatment of conditions such as leukaemia, shattered bones, colon cancer, the growing epidemic of diabetes, and neurological afflictions such as multiple sclerosis. The promise of life-saving and life-enhancing treatment for millions of people as a result of such breakthroughs, however, is posing a challenge almost as taxing as the scientific ones: how to ensure the researchers involved are not poached by other academic institutions or commercial companies who can offer higher salaries and shares in eventual profits.