BBSRC Business spring 2011

Headlines
- Research strategy launched to help meet food security challenge
  The UK's major public funders of national and international food-related research have today (10 February) published their co-ordinated plan for research to help the world avoid a potential food security crisis…
- Global Food Security and BBSRC at the Oxford Farming Conference 2011
  The Global Food Security Partnership attended the Oxford Farming Conference 2011 with a display presented by BBSRC. The need for research to underpin future food security was discussed…
- £70M for innovation campuses associated with BBSRC institutes
  The Government's investment of a total of £70M (announced today, 23 March 2011) in innovation centres at research institutions at Norwich and Babraham, near Cambridge…
- Protecting UK livestock from the threat of viral disease
  Over 130 leading representatives from the animal health industry, UK agricultural sector, scientists and Parliamentarians met last week (17 March) to discuss how to put research into action to fight emerging virus threats…
- New Director for the Institute for Animal Health
  BBSRC and IAH have announced the appointment of the new Director for the Institute. Prof John Fazakerley, a leading researcher in virology, will join IAH as its new Director from 1 June 2011…
- Next generation genome sequencing key to strong UK bioscience research base
  A review of next generation genome sequencing technologies carried out by BBSRC shows that this technology is working well to support the UK's world-class bioscience base…
- Transatlantic partners to analyse environment and health risks of manufactured nanomaterials
  Manufactured nanomaterials are becoming big business for producers of consumer goods, but they could also bring uncertain risks to health and the environment…
- Advanced engineering technology for chemical synthesis
  Novel compounds called polyketides derived from soil bacteria hold great promise in areas ranging from clinical medicine to biofuels. Now, a new license agreement of the technology…
- TSB, BBSRC and other partners launch Nutrition for Life competition
  The Technology Strategy Board, BBSRC, EPSRC and MRC are to invest up to £6.25M to stimulate innovation in the food and drink sector. Biotica Technology Ltd. has signed a non-exclusive deal with Amyris…
- New R&D projects will help British businesses exploit large and diverse sources of data
  Over £5M of government funding is to be invested in twenty-one new research and development projects and trials aimed at helping stimulate the development of innovative technologies…
- Major international research initiative launched to improve food security for developing countries
  In a unique and important move to harness science to improve food security for millions of people in the developing world, research funders from the UK and USA and government departments…
- BBSRC and EMBL-EBI welcome UK funds earmarked for major bioscience data infrastructure project
  BBSRC and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory's European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) welcome news that funding has been earmarked from the UK's Large Facilities Capital Fund for ELIXIR…
- £7M for public wheat pre-breeding programme announced
  BBSRC has today announced a £7 million grant to a consortium of researchers to increase the diversity of traits available in wheat via a comprehensive pre-breeding programme…
Features
- GM chickens breakthrough to prevent spread of bird flu
  Researchers funded by BBSRC have developed chickens that are genetically modified to prevent them from spreading bird flu to other chickens. If this genetic modification is introduced into poultry flocks in the future…
- The foundations of empathy are found in the chicken
  A study funded by the BBSRC Animal Welfare Initiative has gained new insight into the minds of domestic hens, discovering, for the first time, that the birds show a clear physiological and behavioural response…
- Novel imaging technique looks inside starch granules
  Starch is the major storage compound in plants, and a major component of cereal grains and so is an important part of our food. For this reason scientists are keen to understand how it is made and stored by the plant…
- Growing the bioenergy field
  Early results are emerging from a unique trial of fast growing bioenergy grasses and trees grown in England and Wales. The study, funded through the BBSRC Sustainable Bioenergy Centre…
- Protective properties of green tea still present after digestion
  It has been proposed that regularly drinking green tea could protect the brain against developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia and could also have a role in preventing some types of cancer…
- Bones – one size doesn’t fit all
  Microscopic adaptations allow bones to cope in all creatures great and small. Research funded by BBSRC shows that the internal spongy structure of bone as is typically found near joints can take on different forms…
- Tomato quality — more than a question of taste
  The quest to develop new and improved tomato varieties is benefiting from a systems biology approach to understand the ripening process. In this article Dr Charlie Baxter from Syngenta reports on how the results…
- Collisions of protein machines cause DNA replication derailment
  Scientists have published results that will forever change the way researchers view the interplay between gene expression, DNA replication and the prevention of DNA damage…
- Celebrating success at Bioscience for Growth event
  BBSRC hosted a prestigious networking event in London on 24 March, where senior figures from business, industry, investment and policymaking had the opportunity to see how leading universities…

BBSRC Business spring 2011

Headlines

Features