The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) supports research in areas including:
- plants
- microbes
- animals (including humans)
- tools and technology underpinning biological research.
This includes support for innovation from bioscience research – for example, in collaborative programmes of research that connect academic and industry partners.
We fund investigations on all scales, from molecules, cells and tissues to whole organisms, populations and landscapes.
You can also find out more about who we fund and the research facilities and resources we invest in.
Check if your research is within BBSRC’s remit
The primary focus of your research should be within BBSRC’s remit. You might also want to consider how your research contributes to BBSRC’s research portfolio and priorities.
It’s a good idea to check if your research is within BBSRC’s remit if it’s interdisciplinary or not clearly within BBSRC’s research areas. For example, BBSRC funds research in:
- humans – including human physiology, cell biology, genetics and genomics if it’s relevant to understanding normal human function (but not if it’s focused on specific human diseases or abnormal conditions)
- animal diseases – but not studies primarily involving animal models of human disease and human toxicology, including abnormal toxicological reactions and drug toxicity
- wild species – when they are pests in an agricultural setting or pollinators of agricultural crops, or when they act as a suitable model and provide wider understanding of biological processes
- managed land – where this relates to agriculture.
BBSRC works with other research councils to make sure that funding applications are assessed by the right council. It also supports multidisciplinary research in collaboration with other councils.
Before making a research proposal, you can contact BBSRC to ask if your research is within its remit.
Ask a question about BBSRC’s remit
Email: remit@bbsrc.ukri.org
We aim to respond within five working days.
If your research is not clearly within BBSRC’s remit, it might be more suitable for funding from another research council, such as the Medical Research Council (MRC). You can check if your research is within BBSRC or MRC’s remit.