Remembered Author: Sidney Udenfriend
In 1967, establishment of the Roche Institute of Molecular Biology (RIMB) by Hoffmann-La Roche received wide news coverage. In a relatively short time, the institute established itself as a world-class research and training center and maintained this reputation for almost 30 years. It came as a surprise, therefore, when in the fall of 1994 the staff of RIMB was informed by Roche that as of 1996 the institute would be disbanded.
The closing of RIMB is as newsworthy as its creation, and the scientific community should hear the story of what transpired in Nutley, N.J., since 1967-including details of our closing. As its founding director, and still a member with an active laboratory, I feel that I am in a position to tell the story of this unique institute, which, in spite of its success, is being dismantled.
My story is also a commentary on industry. ...
