BBSRC news feed

Planned outage of Joint Electronic Submission (Je-S) system, 21-26 March 2019

Thu, 21 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Due to essential maintenance, the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system will be unavailable from 17:00 GMT on Thursday 21 March to 08:30 GMT Tuesday 26 March 2019. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause and hope to keep disruption of service to a minimum.

Strength in Places Fund: Strong bids from every region and nation of the UK will be taken forward to the final decision stage

Thu, 21 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

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.

£45 million boost for big data bioinformatics research to drive discovery

Thu, 14 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

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.

UK Research institutes support women agricultural scientists in Ethiopia

Fri, 08 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Scientists at The Roslin Institute and John Innes Centre support new African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) fellows in Ethiopia. Scientists at The Roslin Institute, the Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH) and John Innes Centre (JIC) will support a new fellowship programme of African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD), by helping to build and sharpen the scientific skills of new fellows.

BBSRC leader celebrates balance on International Women's Day

Fri, 08 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

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.

Backing Beatrix: a legacy of encouragement

Thu, 07 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

"Upon the subject of chlorophyll and symbiosis I am afraid I am unpleasant. I could hardly contain myself with amusement” Beatrix Potter’s journal, 30 December 1896. Though best-known for her delightful children’s stories set in a charming countryside, Beatrix Potter was a keen mycologist, drawing hundreds of fungi and submitting a paper on the reproduction of a certain species to the Linnean Society.

Silver anniversary for Babraham Institute Schools' Day!

Wed, 06 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

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.

BBSRC Women in Science and Innovation: Winifred Elsie Brenchley

Tue, 05 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Women in research have changed the world and members of our research community have played an important role in shaping the course of history with their commitment to the bioscience world. To celebrate Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day we are showcasing some of the incredible female researchers that have been an inspiration to us all.

People choose romantic partners with similar lifespan

Mon, 04 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT

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.

From Bird Flu to Bovine TB: £3m announced to continue the fight against animal-to-human diseases

Mon, 25 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT

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.