The first Green Great Britain (GB) Week will take place 15-19 October 2018. This is a government-led week and UK Research and Innovation is a key partner, with a number of events and activities planned across the country.
The health and balance of the gut microbiota is important in the progression of a bacterial infection, according to new research, supported by BBSRC. A new study, led by the University of Glasgow and published in Nature Communications, found that disease-causing bacteria were taking signals from the host’s gut microbiota in order to spread and progress the infection.
Research from University of Oxford has found that a special combination of epigenetic modifications - crucial to stem cell growth - evolved in animals much earlier than previously appreciated. The findings imply that our stem cells, and those of simple animals such as planarian worms, have much more in common than previously appreciated.
A new system is being rolled out today (27 September 2018) as a first step towards supporting the continuity of funding for UK organisations which have been awarded grants from the European Union’s flagship programme for science and innovation, Horizon 2020. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is asking recipients of Horizon 2020 grants to input basic information about their awards into a bespoke portal.
Pushing back the frontiers of biology to deliver a healthy, prosperous and sustainable future. The Forward Look for UK Bioscience is a roadmap setting the direction of travel for UK bioscience and is an opportunity to address some of the 21st century’s greatest challenges to provide food security, clean growth and healthy ageing.
Scientists from The Pirbright Institute’s Vaccine Differentiation group have recently returned from Chennai in India, where they conducted a mass peste des petits ruminants (PPR) vaccination campaign and awareness programme. The trip marked the end of a four year collaborative project that has successfully uncovered important details about the PPR virus and generated tools to help eradicate the disease.
With no vaccine to aid the prevention and control of African swine fever, researchers at The Pirbright Institute are joining forces with other research organisations and policy makers to help limit the damage caused by this deadly pig disease. The recent outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in China represents a significant development in the progression of the disease.
Scientists have determined the DNA code of the opium poppy genome, uncovering key steps in how the plant evolved to produce the pharmaceutical compounds used to make vital medicines. The discovery may pave the way for scientists to improve yields and the disease resistance of the medicinal plant, securing a reliable and cheap supply of the most effective drugs for pain relief and palliative care.
For the first time, scientists at The Pirbright Institute and the European Bioinformatics Institute have been able to generate and build a complete Culicoides biting midge genome. These flies are not only an annoying biting nuisance for those visiting or living in Scotland, but also transmit a range of important animal viruses on UK farms including bluetongue virus.
The Joint electronic Submission (Je-S) system is now back to business as usual following the recent outage. UK Research and Innovation apologise for any inconvenience this has caused.
Scientists have identified gene expression responses that may help understand why some salmon are more resistant to sea lice than others. Researchers from The Roslin Institute and the University of Chile investigated how expression of genes in salmon skin respond to infestation with sea lice, and how this varies between resistant and susceptible animals.
An international research team have uncovered the hidden genetic secrets that give wheat its remarkable ability for local adaptation - revealing a previously untapped resource for breeding better, more resilient wheat. The report, published in Genome Research, used a novel method developed by Earlham Institute.
If this surprisingly hot British summer has you fighting off unwelcome armpit aromas, you’ll be pleased to learn that science has just brought us a step closer to blocking body odour (BO). Researchers have unravelled a key part of the molecular process by which armpit bacteria produce the most pungent component of the noxious smell we recognise as BO.
A new family of enzymes has been discovered which paves the way to convert plant waste into sustainable and high-value products such as nylon, plastics, chemicals, and fuels. The discovery was led by members of the same UK-US enzyme engineering team which, in April, improved a plastic-digesting enzyme, a potential breakthrough for the recycling of plastic waste.
Business Secretary Greg Clark today (21 June) unveiled a major new £900 million investment in the UK Research and Innovation Future Leaders Fellowship Scheme. The inaugural UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship Scheme will receive £900 million over the next 11 years, with six funding competitions and at least 550 fellows awarded over the next three years.
Scientists have produced pigs that can resist one of the world's most costly animal diseases, by changing their genetic code. Tests with the virus - called Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome, or PRRS - found the pigs do not become infected at all.
The discovery changes our understanding of the basic mechanism of photosynthesis and should rewrite the textbooks. It will also tailor the way we hunt for alien life and provide insights into how we could engineer more efficient crops that take advantage of longer wavelengths of light.
The Queen’s Birthday Honours List recognises the achievements of a wide range of extraordinary people across the United Kingdom. Among those recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours list 2018 are two BBSRC grant holders.
Research into the relationship between bacterial diseases and host plants could lead to improvements in breeding for disease resistance in horticultural crops says research organisation NIAB EMR. Bacterial canker is a disease caused by Pseudomonas syringae, a bacteria that infect the stems, fruits and leaves of plums, cherries and related Prunus species.
Experts from the University of Nottingham have created a self-sustaining circuit of reactions which is a greener and more efficient method of chemical production. In their paper 'Self-sustaining closed-loop multienzyme mediated conversion of amines into alcohols in continuous reactions', published in Nature Catalysis, Dr Francesca Paradisi and Dr Martina Contente of the University of Nottingham produce chemicals more efficiently through a looped set of reactions using enzymes in flow.
Green tea may hold the key to preventing deaths from heart attacks and strokes caused by atherosclerosis, according to recent research published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Scientists from Lancaster University and the University of Leeds have discovered a compound found in green tea, currently being studied for its ability to reduce amyloid plaques in the brain in Alzheimer’s disease, also breaks up and dissolves potentially dangerous protein plaques found in the blood vessels.
UK Research and Innovation’s Strength in Places Fund (SIPF) is an ambitious scheme that will help areas of lower economic activity benefit from the world-class research and innovation capability spread across the UK. SIPF will bring together research organisations, business, and local leadership on projects that will lead to significant economic impact, high-value job creation, and regional growth.
BBSRC, part of UK Research and Innovation, is now looking for people to join our pool of experts to provide knowledge and insight. BBSRC plays a crucial role in the health and vibrancy of UK bioscience and is now looking for people to join our pool of experts, research committee and follow-on fund committee to ensure that we continue to invest in high-quality research, innovation and training in the biosciences.
Natural use of biology to control disease in crops is the Holy Grail of agriculture, and a team of young researchers has now pinpointed a way of easing cereals’ risks from a deadly root pathogen. In the soils of the world’s cereal fields, a family tussle between related species of fungi is underway for control of the crops’ roots, with food security threatened if the wrong side wins.
The report of a strategic review of bioimaging in the UK is published today and will help stakeholders understand the key priorities within BBSRC’s bioimaging portfolio and will inform BBSRC’s strategy in this area. Imaging is now the dominant form of analysis of molecules, cells, and tissues across the Life Sciences. Imaging of biological samples, or bioimaging, is an area of significant interest for BBSRC as bioimaging technologies cut across all areas of BBSRC’s remit, and operates at all scales.
Dr Sabrina Cohen-Hatton and Professor Rob Honey from Cardiff University have been named as BBSRC’s Innovator of the year 2018 - awards that celebrate excellent research which has demonstrated impact. Twelve finalists competed for the title at The Mermaid London last night, 16 May 2018.
On the eve of BBSRC’s 10th annual Innovator of the Year awards we’re delighted to hear that Eileen Ingham and John Fisher from the University of Leeds have been shortlisted for the 2018 European Inventor of the Year award for inventing a technique to wash cells and DNA out of tissue, so it is not rejected when transplanted into human bodies.The pair were finalists in BBSRC’s Innovator of the Year awards in 2009.
Europe’s ash dieback epidemic could well have been caused by just one or two mushroom-like fruiting bodies of a fungal pathogen from Asia, according to a comprehensive genome sequencing effort published in Nature Ecology & Evolution. This leaves even the most resistant ash trees at threat from the introduction of just one more spore from East Asia.
The UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship scheme (FLF), aims to develop, retain, attract and sustain research and innovation talent in the UK. Providing up to seven years of funding, for at least 550 early-career researchers and innovators, the scheme will tackle difficult and novel challenges.
BBSRC has published its gender pay gap report, containing a snapshot of the organisation's gender pay gap for workers in scope as of 5 April 2017. BBSRC is actively working towards eradicating the gender pay gap within the organisation and this report also contains our plans on how we are addressing the gap.
Council members of BBSRC have been confirmed by the board of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI); they will take up their posts following the establishment of UKRI on 1 April 2018.
A cheap, safe and effective method of dealing with harmful algal blooms is on the verge of being introduced following successful field and lab tests. Moves to adopt use of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as an effective treatment against toxic algae are already underway following the results of new research by a team from the John Innes Centre and the University of East Anglia (UEA.)
A new method of producing grapefruit flavouring, from orange oil, has been developed by researchers at the University of Oxford, thanks to funding from EPSRC and BBSRC. The new process is more environmentally sustainable and produces flavouring that can be labelled 'natural' under EU regulations.
The UK government has (March 5 2018) issued a document to clarify the UK’s eligibility to participate in Horizon 2020, the EU's flagship programme for science and innovation. Confirmation of the position supports the message in Prime Minister Theresa May's speech on Friday that: "the UK is committed to establishing a far-reaching science and innovation pact with the EU, facilitating the exchange of ideas and researchers".
BBSRC has published its latest Impact Report highlighting widespread impacts from investments, including impacts on industry, policy making, and research infrastructure and capacity. World class bioscience research drives the UK's growing bioeconomy and lies at the heart of key areas of social policy.
11 projects are to be funded by BBSRC through the Newton Fund's UK-China-Philippines-Thailand Swine and Poultry Research Initiative to address microbiological diseases. Collaborative projects are being funded, involving leading UK bioscience researchers and teams in China, the Philippines and Thailand.
A low-cost, easy-to-use arsenic sensor to test drinking water has been developed by researchers at University College London (UCL) and Imperial College London, with BBSRC funding through the government's modern and ambitious Industrial Strategy. 140 million people worldwide drink water containing unsafe levels of arsenic, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
BBSRC is one of many exhibitors at the annual National Farmers Union (NFU) conference in Birmingham. The two day event, 20 and 21 February, is expected to attract thousands of visitors to the Birmingham ICC. The NFU conference is one of the agricultural sector's biggest event, setting the tone for the farming year.
Scientists at The Pirbright Institute were awarded $2.66 million as part of a research project led by Massachusetts Institute of Technology in DARPA's Safe Genes programme. The programme aims to gain a fundamental understanding of how gene editing technologies function, address potential health and security concerns relating to accidental or intentional misuse of the technology and determine how they can be used safely, responsibly and predictably for global benefit.
Spraying weeds with chemicals has always been costly. Now it is costly and ineffective, with resistance to herbicides pervasive and demanding a new strategy to protect crops. Herbicides can no longer control the weeds that threaten crop productivity and food security in the UK because the plants have evolved resistance, and future control must depend on management strategies that reduce reliance on chemicals
Leading UK scientists and academics will present their latest research findings at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 15-19 February 2018 in Austin, Texas, highlighting some of the UK's most recent scientific breakthroughs and demonstrating the UK is one of the best places in the world to do research, innovate and grow business. An exciting program of UK science and research will be exhibited during the annual meeting, delegates can meet mini supercomputer Wee Archie, use Proteus to diagnose lung disease and treatment and take a digital tour to see the UK's historic Hillforts, archaeological sites scattered across Britain and Ireland, plus lots more.
James Field, winner of BBSRC Early Career Innovator of the Year 2017, has recently secured $3.66 million in investment for his company LabGenius and features in American magazine Forbes’ list of the 600 most influential people in the world under age 30. Field and a group of fellow Imperial College London PhD students created LabGenius in 2012 to commercialise their ground-breaking new technology: the ability to produce trillions of variations of gene sequences, which can be used to engineer high-value proteins.
Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have played a key role in providing assurance that the UK remains free from bluetongue following the positive test results of four cattle which had moved from France into the north of England and Scotland in October 2017 without sufficient vaccination proof. BTV causes a disease in farmed animals such as sheep, goats and cattle and the disease and related movement restrictions can have a major impact on livestock production.
Curapel, a finalist in the BBSRC Innovator of the Year competition in 2014, has recently launched its first product on the UK market, Pellamex, which helps restore the skin protective barrier in dry, sensitive and eczema-prone skin. Curapel is a skin healthcare company that was spun out of The University of Manchester's Dermatology Centre four years ago.
A new facility to assist advances in crop science is taking shape in the Norfolk countryside. The field experimental station at Church Farm, Bawburgh, will allow scientists at the John Innes Centre to carry out ground-breaking research in crop improvements.
In the battle between predator and prey, the victor can be decided by the smallest of margins. For some animals this has led to an evolutionary arms-race where speed is the main objective.
Biologists at the Universities of St Andrews and Edinburgh have discovered why some crows ‘craft’ elaborate hooked tools out of branched twigs. The new study, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution (22 January), explores why crows go the extra mile rather than using simple, unmodified sticks to extract prey - it allows them to get at hidden food several times faster than if they used basic (non-hooked) tools.
Researchers from the Quadram Institute have identified genes encoding a previously undiscovered version of the botulinum neurotoxin in bacteria from a cow’s gut. This is the first time that an intact cluster of genes for making botulinum neurotoxin have been found outside of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum or its close relatives, and only the second report of a new botulinum toxin in the past 40 years.
An ingredient commonly found in toothpaste could be employed as an anti-malarial drug against strains of malaria parasite that have grown resistant to one of the currently-used drugs. This discovery, led by researchers at the University of Cambridge, was aided by Eve, an artificially-intelligent ‘robot scientist’.
Scientists from the Babraham Institute near Cambridge in collaboration with colleagues from Brazil and Italy have discovered a way that good bacteria in the gut can control genes in our cells. The work, published in Nature Communications, shows that chemical messages from bacteria can change the location of key chemical markers throughout the human genome.
Making grasses more digestible promises improved feed for ruminants and better biomass for biofuel production, with economic and environmental benefits for both. Plant biomass contains considerable calorific value but most of it makes up robust cell walls, an unappetising evolutionary advantage that helped grasses to survive foragers and prosper for more than 60 million years.
Scientists at the University of Dundee have discovered that E. coli bacteria could hold the key to an efficient method of capturing and storing or recycling carbon dioxide. Cutting carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to slow down and even reverse global warming has been posited as humankind’s greatest challenge.
Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have identified a new type of immune cell in chickens that is involved in the development of Marek's disease. Marek's disease virus (MDV) is highly contagious and causes a deadly cancer of the lymph nodes (lymphoma) and immunosuppression in poultry, making birds susceptible to secondary infections.
BBSRC congratulates members of the bioscience community, including BBSRC researchers and panel members, who are recognised in the New Year's Honours list 2018. The New Year's Honours recognise individuals for their service to the United Kingdom.
