This theme focuses on research that yields the next generation of new technologies in bioscience with the potential to accelerate the pace of discovery, provide new opportunities for business, and lead to new innovative ways to tackle health, environmental and productivity challenges.
BBSRC supports and invests in technology development in all its life stages, from pump-priming the next generation of cutting-edge research-enabling technologies to their application and commercialisation.
Our support for the development and application of new technologies will expand the toolkit of cutting-edge technologies including:
- algorithms
- bioinformatics
- biophysical technologies
- data-science
- engineering biology
- genetics
- imaging
- modelling
- omics
- sensing
- software
This area of investment and support falls under the transformative technologies theme.
Interdisciplinary collaborations
Technology development inherently cuts across the remit boundaries of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) councils, and requires collaboration across disciplines and domains to achieve its full potential. We encourage applications that involve interdisciplinary and collaborative working for this area of investment and support.
An application could adopt a ‘problem owner, solution provider’ approach. This entails a problem owner from a biological discipline and a potential solution provider from a non-biological discipline submitting a single application to address a pressing challenge or need within the bioscience community.
This could be through an innovative, cross-disciplinary collaboration, for example between an academic and technical professional.
Technology development across UKRI research councils
Greater integration of bioscience with innovation in the engineering and physical sciences is a huge opportunity to improve on existing technologies and create new ones.
We work closely with research councils across UKRI to encourage convergence and integration between the biosciences, engineering and physical sciences, and accelerate translation into products and services.
Research Technology Professionals
Research technicians and technology and skills specialists (research technology professionals) cover a diverse range of roles that are fundamental 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.
UKRI’s people and teams action plan lays out how, as a funder, employer and policy organisation, it will work towards ensuring visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for technicians working in research and innovation organisations.