Biotechnology chief resigns

Sir Alistair Grant, chairman of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council is resigning to take over as governor of the Bank of Scotland. Former chairman of Safeway, Sir Alistair chaired the Agricultural and Food Research Council from 1990 until 1994 before it became the BBSRC. His term of office was to run until 1999, but he will now leave in March 1998. A spokesman for the BBSRC said a replacement is unlikely to be appointed until next year.