The Transformative Technologies theme supports developments in tools, technologies and approaches that enable researchers to push the boundaries of scientific discovery and increase the impact of their research.
Technologies are vital in advancing bioscience research and innovation, accelerating the pace of discovery, and providing new opportunities for business and innovative ways to tackle health, environmental and productivity challenges.
The Transformative Technologies theme is contributing to the ‘Advancing the frontiers of bioscience discovery’ theme within the Forward Look for UK Bioscience.
The programme covers five main thematic areas:
- technology development
- data-intensive bioscience
- artificial intelligence
- engineering biology
- bioimaging
Technology development
World-class bioscience is critically dependent on new technologies, methodologies, and resources. Broader access to advanced tools supports the democratisation of bioscience, and disruptive technologies can open transformative opportunities for research and business innovation.
BBSRC supports and invests in technology development in all its life stages, from catalysing the next generation of research technologies to driving forward their application and commercialisation.
Find out more about Technology development for the biosciences
Data-intensive bioscience
The volume and complexity of biological data is growing. Bioscience researchers are now regularly employing computationally dependent analysis and modelling approaches to process data at scale, while also increasingly benefitting from data access and re-use to accelerate discovery.
Underpinning bioscience as a data-intensive discipline is research data management, the FAIR principles (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable) and open data.
Find out more about Data-intensive bioscience
Artificial intelligence
BBSRC is supporting the development of new artificial intelligence (AI) approaches relevant to bioscience, and application or adaptation of existing AI approaches that can lead to high-quality and transformative research outcomes.
There is substantial potential for AI to shape science by allowing our researchers to tackle problems that previously have proved impossible to solve, accelerating the discovery process, and transforming research practices in the bioscience community.
Find out more about Artificial intelligence in bioscience
Engineering biology
Engineering biology is an interdisciplinary field which encompasses the wider capabilities of the biosciences, engineering and the physical sciences to support the exploitation of breakthrough synthetic biology research to translation and application.
Globally acknowledged as a disruptive technology of major importance, engineering biology is predicted to have far-reaching economic, societal and technological advancements over the coming decade.
To maximise the full potential of engineering biology, the UKRI research councils work hand in hand with national and international partners across governments, academia and industry to drive this critical technology forward.
Find out more about Engineering biology
Bioimaging
Bioimaging is a dominant form of analysis across all scales of bioscience. Bioimaging technologies cut across all areas of BBSRC’s remit, from molecules, cells and tissues to whole plants, animals and larger environments such as fields, all supported by increasingly sophisticated image analysis approaches.
As a key enabler of world-class discovery science and potent driver of the UK bioeconomy through technology development and commercialisation, bioimaging is an area of significant interest for BBSRC.
Technicians and technology and skills specialists
While the outlined five themes encompass the current main activities within Transformative Technologies, the team also provides expertise in supporting and promoting technical skills that are key to enabling new discoveries.
Research technicians and technology and skills specialists (research technology professionals) cover a diverse range of roles that are fundamental and key to the future of technology development and the biosciences. Their talent for innovation, expert knowledge and technical competence is central to the field.
UKRI is a signatory of the Technician Commitment, intended to champion technical careers in research and innovation.
In the UKRI people and teams action plan we lay out how, as a funder, employer and policy organisation, we will work towards ensuring visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for technicians working in research and innovation organisations.