ESRC Framework to Enable Biosocial Research

Why does biology matter to social scientists?

▶Social experiences get biologically embedded– Blood analytes and biomarkers– Brain and Central Nervous System– Genome (e.g. epigenetics, gene expression,

telomere length)

▶Lasting effects on health– E.g. Diabetes, Inflammation, and Obesity/ Sleep

▶Biology interplays with experiences for socioeconomic outcomes– Cortisol reactivity to stress, immune systems,

etc.– Gene x Environment interactions, genetic

sensitivity– ? Gene expression

Biosocial Research– Dynamic interplays between biology,

experiences and behavior over life course– Understanding pathways and mechanisms– Interplays and feedbacks across levels from

molecules to macro-contexts (cells to society; neurons to neighborhoods)▪Genomic, neurological and physiological systems

▪Physical and mental health▪Social behaviors, experiences and outcomes

– Multidisciplinary collaboration required– Biological, medical and social sciences

ESRC Commitment▶Enabling innovative research using rich

data sources▶Investing to enable biosocial research over

several years▶Interdisciplinary research requires

collaboration– Across disciplines and funders– Across nations

▶Ensuring scientific quality, impact and high ethical standards

▶Framework developed to ensure greater coherence in achieving goals

The Framework▶Developed by ESRC Biosocial Advisory

Group▶Chair Neil Serougi (MIC)▶8 independent members– Benzeval, Dezateux, Elliott, Hedgecoe, Hobcraft,

Kumari, Mathers, and Wellings

▶ESRC, MRC, BBSRC and Wellcome Trust▶http

://www.esrc.ac.uk/research/major-investments/biosocial.aspx

▶ESRC monitoring and evaluating success in delivery

Enabling Biosocial Research

▶Three key elements:

▶Building Partnerships▶Building Resources▶Building Capacity

Building Partnerships▶Across Research Councils– RCUK - Lifelong Health and Wellbeing– MRC – Life Study, CLOSER, BCS70, Farr Institute,– BBSRC – Epigenetics initiative

▶Government – Health and ADRN data linkage

▶NIHR – Dementia▶Clinical Research Collaboration – Public

health▶International -NIA – ELSA GWAS, Reversibility

Network; – NIH, NSF - Epigenetics

Building Resources

▶Understanding Society– Biomedical sweep - cognition, biomarkers and

whole blood – Blood analytes and genome-wide scan

▶ELSA – genome-wide scan▶MCS age 14 – salivary DNA collection

(2015)▶BCS70 – biomedical sweep (with MRC,

2016)▶Life Study – strongly biosocial (with MRC)▶NCDS biomedical sweep (MRC funded,

2003)

Research and Capacity

– CLOSER– EAGDA– Targeted Collaborative Research and Training

awards to CLS and Understanding Society– ESRC International Centre For Life course

Studies In Society and Health (UCL)– NCRM – especially Pathways Node– Cathie Marsh Institute for Social Research

(Manchester)

The Cohorts and Longitudinal Studies Enhancement Resource– CLOSER brings together 9 major longitudinal

studies– Training and Capacity building– Uniform Search Platform – improve data

discovery– Harmonisation – biosamples, biomedical

measures, data linkage, socioeconomic measures

– Stimulate collaborative cross-study and interdisciplinary research

– Raise impact and awareness

http://www.closer.ac.uk/

Expert Advisory Group for Data Access (EAGDA)▶Wellcome Trust, MRC, ESRC, CRUK▶High-level independent expert group▶Provides guidance and advice to funders▶Current topics:– Identifiability– Data Access Committees: improving

accessibility– Incentives: data sharing, service provision &

infrastructure, career prospects & rewards– Public trust and commercial data access

Building Capacity -1 ▶CLOSER, NCRM, Understanding Society,

CLS and ELSA– Series of collaborative training and capacity

building events on biomarkers and genetics in social science

▶ESRC, BBSRC, NICHD, NIA, NSF– Series of cross-national meetings on social and

behavioral epigenetics

Building Capacity - 2▶Training activities and plans– DTC review – how to include biosocial?– NCRM Pathways, Essex Summer School,

Manchester, CLOSER etc– SAT Report to MIC and TSB on Skills and

Capacity for Big Data and Biosocial Science

▶Need for coordinated and planned delivery mechanisms

▶ESRC statement about investment in biosocial science and planned activities to build capacity in early 2015

Funding opportunities

▶Epigenetics call with BBSRC:– £3m, closing date 15 January 2015– Building capability, methodology, longitudinal– Networks (<£200K); Proof of Principle (<£500K);

Larger research projects (<£1M)

▶Secondary Data Analysis Initiative 3– Early career researchers– 20-25 awards, max £200K; closed 27 January

2015– Interdisciplinary, including biosocial; ESRC data

resource

Funding Opportunities

▶Future Research Leaders:– Early career researchers– Up to 40 awards, max £350K; closed 20 January

2015– Big data, Biosocial, Longitudinal

▶Research Seminars and Strategic Networks– max £30k seminars; £100K Networks; closes 8

April 2015– Biosocial, Big data, Education & neuroscience,

Civil society

Science Capital Roadmap 2015

▶Up to £75m to ESRC▶Big Data and Information Economy– International interdisciplinary centre in real-time

data analytics– Secure, seamless access to global data

infrastructure for all– Integrated programme of biosocial data

resources▪Ensure innovative use of existing collections for longitudinal studies

▪Integrate the biosocial across life-course to enhance understanding of behaviours and society