We asked our scientists to define what is distinctive about our approach to research, and they coalesced around the idea of “fearless science.” We are structured to help scientists push into new frontiers of biology, rather than work around the edges of what’s already known. For curiosity-driven research to thrive, our scientists must have the freedom, flexibility and courage to pursue transformational ideas.
Science is about what we don’t know. Our scientists are driven by a deep curiosity for how the world works.
Morgridge researchers have the support and time needed to do the very best possible research — and the freedom to go where the science takes them.
Pushing into new frontiers of biology means accepting unexpected turns and occasional dead-ends. Morgridge recognizes that embracing risk can yield transformational results.
Morgridge strives to remove barriers so our scientists can work quickly, collaborate freely and pivot into new opportunities when they arise.
Morgridge is about people who have their eye on the future, looking for big problems to solve or bringing creative approaches to old problems.
At Morgridge, I’m able to pursue high-risk projects and I’m given the time to do what I feel is important. I tell people Morgridge is like a utopia for research.
One analogy would be that Morgridge can be like the stem cells of the research world. We have the flexibility and potential to become almost anything.
Basic science allows scientists to ask questions about how the world works. And when you do that, you don’t know what you’re going to find. Most of the major breakthroughs in our understanding of human health came from looking at unexpected places.
Morgridge has all the benefits of being that private, agile research institute, but still sitting in the middle of a billion-dollar thriving campus. And that makes it incredibly unique.
It’s harder today to do curiosity-driven research. If you say, 'I want to try something that has huge potential but may not work,' almost no one will fund it. Morgridge is a place that will support more high-risk pursuits.
Science is about what we don’t know. The most exciting science is about forging new directions and discovering things that haven’t been imagined before.
