But for all his admirers, Dr. Hood has critics, who say he is better at starting things than at managing or finishing them. He moves from one project to another like a whirlwind, sometimes leaving those in the previous effort disenchanted. Rosetta Inpharmatics, a company Dr. Hood helped to found a few years ago, for instance, now has virtually no relationship with him. There is a trail of acrimony in most of these cases. But others say that scientists who can marshal resources and few are better at it than Dr. Hood are badly needed.
Systems biology is certainly hot now.
Dr. Brenner set up the Molecular Sciences Institute in Berkeley a few years ago to do similar work. And despite Dr. Hood's complaints, universities are flocking to cross- disciplinary biology. Dr. Hood grew up in Montana, where his scientific prowess was apparent early. In high school, he was one of 40 finalists in the Westinghouse Science Talent Search, for a geology project. As a senior he taught sophomore biology.