A collaborative study led by The Pirbright Institute and Imperial College London has identified variations in the genes of chicken antiviral proteins called IFITMs which could have an impact on their ability to fight viral infections. This is the first study to look at the natural genetic variation of IFITM genes across breeds, which could be used to inform commercial poultry breeding.
Restriction or inhalation of common sugar could one day treat a range of respiratory diseases, according to new research led by University of Manchester biologists.The study in mice reveals how the ability of cells to use glucose helps to regulate the immune system during lung inflammation.
BBSRC is conducting a review of data-intensive bioscience research in 2019. The ‘Forward Look for UK Bioscience’ recognises the importance of data-intensive research and this review will help strengthen BBSRC’s understanding of the research landscape in this area.
A team of scientists has revealed a new, sustainable way for plants to increase carbon dioxide (CO2) use for photosynthesis while reducing water usage. The breakthrough was led by a team of plant scientists at the University of Glasgow and is published in the journal Science.
Due to essential maintenance, the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system will be unavailable from 17:00 GMT on Thursday 21 March to 10:30 GMT Monday 25 March 2019. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause and hope to keep disruption of service to a minimum.
Twenty-four ambitious projects, from pharmaceuticals to aerospace, and transport to the creative economy, are to receive early-stage funding to develop full-stage bids that could lead to significant economic growth in places across the country. Each of the shortlisted projects from the first wave of UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Strength in Places Fund has been awarded up to £50,000 in early-stage funding, which will allow applicants to develop full-stage bids.
A £45 million boost to data and building infrastructure will support major advances in areas such as drug discovery, cancer genetics, regenerative medicine and crop disease prevention over the coming decades. Bioinformatics - the science of analysing, storing and sharing large biological datasets - is essential to discovering how genes affect the health of humans, plants and animals.
On International Women’s Day, Professor Melanie Welham, Executive Chair for the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), part of UK Research and Innovation shares her passion for family, bioscience and a balanced life. “In any professional role, conflicts can develop in your mind between what you are delivering for that role and the responsibilities you have to your family – it’s about trying to find a balance that works for you,” says Professor Welham.
Today, (06 March 2019) the Babraham Institute celebrates its 25th Schools’ Day – an annual event where the Institute’s researchers guide secondary and sixth-form students through hands-on lab projects. As it was for the first Schools’ Day in 1995, the day gives students an opportunity to explore the world-leading bioscience taking place at the Institute.
People tend to unwittingly choose a life partner who is likely to have a comparable life expectancy, research suggests. They also unconsciously select mates who share similar risks of illnesses - such as high blood pressure or heart disease - according to a genetic study.
It is estimated that zoonoses – diseases capable of passing from animals to human - are responsible for 2.5 billion cases of human illness and 2.7 million human deaths worldwide each year. As well as threatening human and animal health, zoonotic diseases affect livestock production, causing economic and social harm to communities in both developed and developing countries. Around $220 billion was lost globally between 2000 and 2010 due to zoonotic disease.
Scientists have revealed how bird feathers form which could help develop breeds that are more heat resistant. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute identified chemical signals that are switched on and off in the birds’ skin as feathers are arranged sequentially.
Following a space flight to the International Space Station and back to earth thousands of tiny worms are set to help researchers understand more about muscle loss in astronauts. During spaceflight an astronaut’s body changes. Losing muscle mass can affect their ability to work on a long space mission. Astronauts can lose up to 40% of their muscle after 6 months in space.
Worms can tell us more about human ageing than you might think, according to research led by the Babraham Institute. In a cluster of papers, the latest of which has just been published, shows how researchers have used the tiny worm C. elegans to understand more about the link between metabolism and ageing.
Are you aware of inspiring research, supported by BBSRC, making a real, tangible difference to people’s lives? If so, this is an opportunity to put your writing skills to the test.
UK organisations holding grants from Horizon 2020, the European Union’s flagship programme for research and innovation, need to submit information about them into a UKRI portal designed to capture basic details about the grants. This will ensure that UKRI can keep UK researchers and businesses informed of the next steps if the government needs to underwrite Horizon 2020 payments.
Researchers have made a significant break-through in understanding how a family of viruses, including the norovirus, initiate infections. The new study, published in Nature and led by the University of Glasgow, reveals the inner workings of the calicivirus family, which includes norovirus and sapoviruses – highly infectious viruses that can cause outbreaks of diarrhoea and vomiting.
