> What the tech companies moving into LS are paying is way out of line with what the "native" LS companies are paying, too. This is an interesting observation,

> What the tech companies moving into LS are paying is way out of line with what the "native" LS companies are paying, too. This is an interesting observation, particularly when considering the engineering vs. science distinction that you mentioned. The value traditionally produced by life scientists is less predictable than it is for engineers, due to the more unpredictable nature of the business. To some degree, Google has probably overshot in terms of estimating the likelihood of success (the 'Andy Grove fallacy'). They've hired a lot of ex-biotech people though, so that's surprising. Perhaps they just want to ensure they attract the best life scientists despite the lack of a track record in the industry.