A year on from the successful merger of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) and Cancer Research Campaign (CRC), Cancer Research UK (CRUK) has hit its first stumbling block. The chief executive, Sir Paul Nurse — former Director General of ICRF and 2001 Nobel Prize winner — is leaving to become President of Rockefeller University.

For Sir Paul, this will be a move back towards his first love, science, as running CRUK — Britain's largest charity, with a US $400 million budget — obviously took up much of his time. Rockefeller are also delighted to have him on board — the board unanimously approved Nurse to the position following an international search. The Chairman of the board, Richard B. Fisher, said that he “is the ideal leader for Rockefeller University”, being “an eminent scientist with an exceptional record as the CEO of a major research institution” (http://www.newsday.com).

But what will become of CRUK? The problem is that the position requires a unique combination of talents — scientific expertise and management skills. “The trouble is that great boffins don't usually make great managers and great managers are not known for their scientific prowess” (The Guardian, 3 February 2003).

Ian Gibson, former scientist and labour MP, has suggested that CRUK should try to appoint Sir David Lane, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, but Delyth Morgan, Chief Executive of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said that if he doesn't take it CRUK might have to look to America.

Either way, “it's essential that it [CRUK] has strong leadership, not just for them but for the whole cancer research community”, said Delyth Morgan (The Guardian).