Jenny Marra MSP has warned independence would be “the mother of all disasters” for research funding.
The north-east regional representative claimed a Dundee University scientist expressed serious concerns to her, and to Better Together campaign leader Alistair Darling, during a visit to the university to hear about work being done in life sciences.
Ms Marra said: “I think that in terms of the economy in Dundee independence would have a massive impact on life sciences, both in research income and on the number of researchers coming to the city.
“The SNP have said that the money will follow wherever the world-class research is but if you look at the likes of the Wellcome Trust, it predominantly gives funding for research in the UK and only a small percentage outside the UK.”
The MSP said staff had expressed concerns to her and Mr Darling during their visit last week about funding and jobs, with one senior researcher, whom she declined to name, making the comment about independence being “the mother of all disasters”.
In response, Professor Bryan MacGregor, a spokesman for Academics for Yes, said: “The simple truth is that Scotland does well in open competition for funds but poorly where funds are allocated by other means, such as for research council centres and private R&D.
“The Scottish Government is committed to proper funding of research and other benefactors will support quality research wherever it takes place. Charities already raise substantial funds in Scotland.
“People may be unaware of the existing scope of international collaboration in the funding of research, not least between the UK and Ireland, which have a number of agreements through the research councils, as does the UK and several other countries.”
The importance of the life sciences sector to Dundee University and the wider economy has been highlighted by university vice-principal Professor John Connell, writing in the new issue of an in-house magazine distributed to staff at Ninewells Hospital.
He said: “We make an impact on the Tayside economy by securing tens of millions of pounds worth of grants annually that allow us to employ and train a large number of highly-skilled people.
“Our global reputation for research has enabled us to attract investment from industrial collaborators and our discoveries have led to the foundation of several start-up businesses.”
Prof Connell made no mention of any potential impact on funding from independence, nor has the university taken any official stance on the referendum.
However, two senior Dundee University academics, Professor Sir Philip Cohen and Professor Dario Alessi, were among the signatories of an open letter in May which warned life sciences research could be badly hit if Scotland became independent.
They were acting in a personal capacity and not on behalf of the university.