BBSRC funding helps close the skills gap

Four research projects, funded largely by public money, have attracted additional private and public funding to help fill a skills shortage that could seriously restrict the translation of UK science into medical treatments.

More than £12m of funding has been awarded to four Integrative Mammalian Biology (IMB) projects at Glasgow, Liverpool, London and Manchester universities. The projects are now successfully training scientists in the specialist skills required to use biological systems that are useful models of human physiology. These systems are essential for the translation of basic research discoveries into new treatments through safety and efficacy testing.

The additional funding has provided the necessary cash for a professorship, a lectureship, a business development manager and at least six CASE (Collaborative Award in Science and Engineering) awards. Private sponsors include AstraZeneca, GSK, Pfizer, Abbot and Syngenta. Public sector funding includes doctoral training grants from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Medical Research Council (MRC).

Two of the projects are based in London at Imperial College and King's College. The other two are joint consortia between the Universities of Manchester and Liverpool and the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde.

A range of new activities is now beginning, which enhance biomedical research by focusing on skills development, addressing economic and business factors, exploring social issues and expanding academic provision.

Dr Celia Caulcott, director of innovation and skills at BBSRC, said: "It is wonderful to see that the four projects are now attracting exciting new public-private funding opportunities that will continue to ensure that tomorrow's scientists learn essential skills today."