Member Article

UCL receives £15 million to train next generation of bioscientists

University College London has been given a £15 million grant from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) to create thirty PhD studentships will be available annually for the next five years.

The new doctoral training grant led by UCL will account for 12% of all BBSRC-funded PhD studentships across the UK and are a significant increase on the 18 positions previously available each year.

The funding will boost UCL’s research partnerships with London-based institutions who will work together with UCL to train the students.

The announcement comes as part of a larger commitment by BBSRC to invest £125 million over five years to support the training and development of 1250 PhD students in bioscience to help boost the economy and build on UK strengths this area.

Professor Gabriel Waksman (UCL SLMS and Birkbeck BS) who led the application and is the director of the programme, said: “This funding will provide tremendous impetus for cross-disciplinary interactions not only between Bloomsbury colleges including UCL but also across London.

“We’re very much looking forward to collaborating with our colleagues from King’s College London and also Queen Mary University of London, as well as Birkbeck College, Royal Veterinary College, and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. It is a terrific alliance which we intend to continue strengthening.”

Professor Geraint Rees, the new Dean of Life Sciences (UCL SLMS), said: “We’re delighted that BBSRC has recognised the high quality of training given to PhD students at UCL in all aspects of bioscience and biotechnology, and provided us with the opportunity to welcome 150 more students to study with us and our partners.”

“Excellent supervision from our world-leading researchers and access to up to date facilities and interdisciplinary expertise of academic colleagues across UCL and partner institutions will allow us to give the PhD candidates the best possible start to their research careers.”

The Rt Hon Dr Vince Cable MP, Business Secretary, said: “The UK punches far beyond its weight in science and innovation globally, which is a credit to our talented scientists and first-class universities. This new funding will safeguard Britain’s status as a world leader in life sciences and agricultural technology.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .