1. 1 BBSRC Funding Opportunities Dr Sophia Abbasi Birkbeck College, Westminster University and London Southbank University 27.01.2010

2. Introduction to BBSRC BBSRCs Strategy and Priorities BBSRC Grant Funding and Peer Review BBSRC Funding at Birkbeck College Current Funding Opportunities 2

3. Introduction to BBSRC BBSRCs Strategy and Priorities BBSRC Grant Funding and Peer Review BBSRC Funding at Birkbeck College Current Funding Opportunities 3

4. Research Councils UK Strategic partnership of the UK's seven Research Councils Combined budget of £3.4 billion in 2010/11 4

5. 5 Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Our Mission (Royal Charter) is: to support high-class science and research training, and to promote knowledge transfer in support of bio-based industries and public engagement in bioscience. BBSRC funding totals around £450M p.a. (09/10) STAKEHOLDERS ACADEMIAINDUSTRY PUBLIC GOVERNMENT

6. Introduction to BBSRC BBSRCs Strategy and Priorities BBSRC Grant Funding and Peer Review BBSRC Funding at Birkbeck College Current Funding Opportunities 6

7. 7 Cross-Government Grand Challenges Environmental Change –Food Security –Bioenergy The Science of Life –Healthy Ageing –Diet and Health Tools and technologies, including software –Importance of new techniques –Virtualisation of science –Distributed information and modelling

8. 8 Delivery of Multidisciplinary Cross-Council Programmes Food Security Bioenergy Living with Environmental Change Ageing Global Threats to Security Bio-nanotechnology (Digital Economy)

9. 9 BBSRC Strategic Planning Documents Vision 10 years Practical delivery 3 years5 years

10. 10 BBSRCs new Strategic Plan 2010 - 2015

11. 11 BBSRC Priorities Restructured to enable Excellence with Impact Historically, multiple priorities covering everything Now fewer priorities BBSRC-wide priorities

12. 12 BBSRC Strategy Strategy Advisory Board and Strategy Panels Membership and Agenda for Strategy Advisory Board and Strategy Panels are on the BBSRC website Delivery Formulation Refreshment Committees

13. 13 BBSRC Priorities 2008-2011 Research Priorities Ageing Research: Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Animal Health Bioenergy Crop Science (Food Security) Global Security Living with Environmental Change Nanoscience Through Engineering to Application: Bionanotechnology Synthetic Biology Systems Approach to Biological Research Technology Development for Bioscience Policy Priorities Economic and Social Impact Impact on Public Policy Increased International Collaboration Replacement, Refinement and Reduction (3Rs) in Research Using Animals Welfare of Managed Animals (including Livestock and Companion Animals) Details of all these are on the BBSRC website

14. 14 Food Security Greater agricultural yields with fewer inputs of nutrients and water in the face of competing demands for land use and in the face of continuing threats of diseases of both plants and animals, and with a need for microbiological and nutritional safety when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life

15. 15 Examples of BBSRC Food Security Work Rinderpest –Close to global eradication –estimated to benefit Africa by over $1 billion annually Striga (Witchweed) –BBSRC research has lead to management and reduction of striga weed

16. 16 Bioenergy BBSRC Bioenergy Review 2006 Centre for Sustainable Bioenergy Research (launched in 2009) Multi-disciplinary and systems approaches International collaboration through SysMo New Biofuel? Clostridium Courtesy of Nigel Minton

17. 17 Systems Biology Emerging research area Predictive models of biological systems (pathways, cells, organs, organisms, ecosystems) Iterative cycles of modelling (dry) and biological (wet) experiments 6 BBSRC Centres established (2005/06) and 6 SABR grants (2006/07) International collaboration –ERASysBio (11 EU partners) –BBSRC:ANR (Fr)

18. Need for improved technology from bioscience community Multi-disciplinary (biosciences, physics, chemistry, engineering, computer sciences) Engagement with industry, potential for spin-out Technology Development for the Biosciences 18

19. Emerging area at intersection of biosciences and engineering BBSRC-led UK Research Councils initiative to form networks to address Science and Engineering, Ethical, Legal, Societal Impacts Need to form interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary partnerships European Union – Transnational Roadmap for Synthetic Biology Synthetic Biology 19

20. Excellence with Impact What do we mean? Excellent science Strategic focus Capturing outputs Demonstrate benefit 20

21. The Funding Cycle Partnership 21 Stakeholder Inputs

22. Examples of high impact projects 22 Bluetongue research at BBSRCs Institute for Animal Health saves £485M in 2008 through prevention of outbreaks, and protected 10,000 jobs Tools and models which reduce leaching of nitrate from farmland by 38% Food safety: improving techniques to chill foods; extended shelf life; reduced food poisoning contribute > £100M pa to the economy

23. Impact is very broad 23

24. Key Messages Responsive Mode will be the major vehicle to deliver our priorities We need to deliver more inter-disciplinary and strategically focussed science with greater impact We must deliver excellence science with demonstrable impacts 24

25. Introduction to BBSRC BBSRCs Strategy and Priorities BBSRC Grant Funding and Peer Review BBSRC Funding at Birkbeck College Current Funding Opportunities 25

26. Responsive Mode Must Deliver: Higher impacts Strategic priorities Interdisciplinary science Grants of all sizes e.g. LoLas Needed to refresh old system to deliver this 26

27. To Clarify If there is no hypothesis it can be fundable Applied research can be excellent research We fund technology, resources and databases This has not changed 27 Fundamental Research Responsive Mode Research Blue Skies Research ==

28. Research Committees 28 bioenergy environmental biotechnology evolutionary biology population biology genome analysis applied plant science soil science basic plant science agricultural systems basic microbiology environmental change applied microbiology crop science ageing immunology drug delivery tissue engineering synthetic biology 3Rs bioinformatics animal welfare animal physiology animal disease behaviour diet & health food borne pathogens developmental biology neuroscience molecular biology biochemistry metabolic engineering enzymology/biocatalysis structural biology chemical biology cell cycle recombination gene action & regulation cell biology mathematical tools for biology bioprocessing biotechnology food technology bionanotechnology biomaterials bioinformatic tools bioimaging methods development technology development biophysics biological chemistry genetics/genomics systems biology Stem Cells CD A B A: Animal Systems, Health & Wellbeing B: Plants, Microbes, Food & Sustainability D: Molecules, Cells & Industrial Biotechnology C: Technological & Methodological Development

29. New Flexible Membership To serve on BBSRC Committees –Check BBSRC website –subscribe to our monthly alert for opportunities to apply 29 POOL CORE CHAIR Deputy CHAIR

30. Criteria for Peer Review 30 Scientific Excellence Economic and Social Impact Cost Effectiveness Investment in People & Skills Timeliness and Promise Industrial/Stakeholder Relevance Relevance to BBSRC Strategy Animal Usage Ethical & Social Concerns Data Sharing Impact

31. The Peer Review Principles 31 Recommendation Application via JeS Assessment by Referees Response to Referees Assessment by Committee

32. Committee Input into Strategy 32 Responsive Mode Proposals & Reported Outputs Assessment Council Strategy Advisory Board Strategy Panels Strategy Development Evidenced Based Input

33. Responsive Mode Schemes New Investigator Award –early-career researchers alan.harrison@bbsrc.ac.ukalan.harrison@bbsrc.ac.uk Industrial Partnership Award –must have at least 10% of the full economic cost of the project (cash only) phil.holliday@bbsrc.ac.ukphil.holliday@bbsrc.ac.uk Applications in these schemes receive an uplift in the rankings - significant increase in likelihood of funding 33

34. Strategic LoLas Run on an annual call Applications must be over £2M and up to 5 years in duration Support research projects requiring "big" science approaches: longer timescales, intensive resources or multidisciplinary approach 2 stage application process via Je-S –Outline (CLOSING DATE 10 MARCH) –Full proposal All applications must address BBSRC's strategic priority areas –Ensure scientific excellence –Focus on the impact and quality of the research team 34

35. Simple pre-submission checks Is your Institution eligible? Is the research within BBSRCs remit? Which research committee? Is it a resubmission? Are the PI/ Co-Is eligible? Has all the paperwork been done and submitted correctly? Are the fEC costs correctly inputted to the form? 35

36. Make the case properly A worthwhile and reasoned aim: what, why, how Appropriate, measurable, achievable objectives with realistic timelines Well-written, concise & well-presented Supported: evidence of skills, knowledge, preliminary data etc Risks and contingencies Context: awareness/appreciation of current activity Justify costs, related to case. Get the costs checked – appropriate admin help needed Think about impacts: say what will be done to address them - links and contacts 36

37. Help is at Hand Talk to us: –Prior to submission - submit 1-2 page research summary –After submission - read the feedback Help the Office by: –Explaining your science (to intelligent non-experts) –Peer reviewing (refereeing) when asked –Reading the Je-S guidance notes and BBSRC grants guide –Treating the Office staff with respect 37

38. Introduction to BBSRC BBSRCs Strategy and Priorities BBSRC Grant Funding and Peer Review BBSRC Funding at Birkbeck College Current Funding Opportunities 38

39. General Trends in Funding 39

40. BBSRC funding at Birkbeck College Total number of live BBSRC grants = 10 Value of BBSRC grants = £2.7M Overall HEI success rate =21% 40 YearApplicationsSuccessful% success rate 2005-20066467 2006-20075120 2007-200810440 2008-20095120

41. Introduction to BBSRC BBSRCs Strategy and Priorities BBSRC Grant Funding and Peer Review BBSRC Funding at Birkbeck College Current Funding Opportunities 41

42. Application Closing dates Responsive Mode –14 April 2010 –14 July 2010 Strategic LoLas Outlines –10 MARCH 2010 Fellowships –Next call announced soon –simon.culter@bbsrc.ac.uksimon.culter@bbsrc.ac.uk Studentships –Next call announced soon –avril.ferris@bbsrc.ac.ukavril.ferris@bbsrc.ac.uk International Schemes –Next call September 2010 –andy.boyce@bbsrc.ac.ukandy.boyce@bbsrc.ac.uk Business and Innovation Schemes –See Donalds talk 42

43. Highlight Notices Will Deliver Timely Strategic Focus Relate to BBSRC Strategic Aims Time-limited Focused 43

44. Systematics & Taxonomy (SynTax) Scheme BBSRC & NERC committing £250k per year for research with a substantial systematics/ taxonomy component Additional £20k Defra funding available for applications focusing on UK Biodiversity Action Plan Priority Species Further Information/to apply: Systematics Association website [Awards] – http://www.systass.org/awards/syntax.shtmlhttp://www.systass.org/awards/syntax.shtml Closing Date: 31 January 2010 44

45. Useful email contacts BBSRC remit queries remit@bbsrc.ac.ukremit@bbsrc.ac.uk Specific queries about grant applications: –Research Committee A ctteeapm@bbsrc.ac.ukctteeapm@bbsrc.ac.uk –Research Committee B ctteebpm@bbsrc.ac.ukctteebpm@bbsrc.ac.uk –Research Committee C ctteecpm@bbsrc.ac.ukctteecpm@bbsrc.ac.uk –Research Committee D ctteedpm@bbsrc.ac.ukctteedpm@bbsrc.ac.uk Help with JeS JeSHelp@rcuk.ac.ukJeSHelp@rcuk.ac.uk Details on Science Outreach Visits andy.boyce@bbsrc.ac.ukandy.boyce@bbsrc.ac.uk Sophia Abbasi sophia.abbasi@bbsrc.ac.uksophia.abbasi@bbsrc.ac.uk 45