Image 1 – Tomato seedling iStockphoto/Thinkstock, Image 2 – Fermenter iStockphoto/Thinkstock 2011, Image 3 – Wheat Hermerara/Getty Images, Image 4 –DNAConfig Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Thinkstock, Image 5 – Jersey Cow iStockphoto/Thinkstock, Image 6 – Scientist Comstock / Thinkstock

Addressing the skills gap in UK agriculture:

Connecting academic and private sectors

Dr David McAllister

Head of Skills and Careers

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

BBSRC allocates around £470M p.a. (2010/11) to:

• Fund innovative, internationally competitive

bioscience research

• Train bioscientists

• Support knowledge exchange and encourage

economic and social impact

• Engage with the public and stakeholders

Bioenergy and Industrial Biotechnology

Food Security Basic bioscience underpinning health

• Brings together the major public funders

of food-related research to tackle the

challenge of feeding 9bn people

sustainably by 2050

• Collective spend ~£426M per year

• Fosters a multidisciplinary approach to

this very complex challenge

• Ensures added value by minimising

duplication and maximising synergies

across funders

• Long-term though there will be quick

wins

Global Food Security

Beneforté ‘super broccoli’ case study

2011: UK launch in Marks & Spencer stores 4 October of high glucosinolate ‘super broccoli’, which has health benefits

Result of a collaboration between the John Innes Centre and Institute of Food Research, both of which receive long-term strategic funding from BBSRC, and Plant Bioscience Limited (PBL)

Defence against animal diseases and zoonoses

•Using recombinant DNA technology and fundamental biology

research, the Institute for Animal Health, Surrey, has

developed a way of producing a new, ultra-safe and stable

vaccine against Foot & Mouth Disease virus (FMDV).

•The new vaccine was developed by research funded jointly by

BBSRC and Defra and production yields are at commercially

viable levels. It contains FMDV devoid of genetic material,

therefore is not infectious and does not need high containment

facilities. The vaccine is at prototype stage, and initial tests

appear to support its efficacy in animals, in protecting against

disease.

•Medicago Inc., a Canadian company is to open a production

facility for plant-based production of ‘flu vaccines using

biotechnology processes, under licence from the John Innes

Centre. The technology is based on inactivated plant viruses.

A vaccine for H5N1 bird ‘flu produced in this way has just

completed Phase II clinical trials.

70% of agricultural land is used to raise livestock; consumption could be

doubling between 2000-2050. Protection against disease of livestock and

diseases they can pass to humans is needed more than ever.

Roslin Institute

Copyright iStockphoto / Thinkstock

BBSRC support for collaborative training

Postdocs / PIs

Flexible

Interchange

Programme

Biotechnology

YES

Enterprise

Fellowships

Postgraduates

Industrial

CASE

Studentships

Policy

Placements

Research

Experience

PlacementsAdvanced

Training

Partnerships

Undergraduates

Professional

Internships for

PhD Students

BBSRC support for collaborative training in the agri-food sector

“Develop Advanced Training

Partnerships (ATPs):

Support the uptake of industry-

relevant specialist and technical

professional development, to help

businesses in key sectors take up

new science and innovation.”

Partnership is key to success…

Bringing together users

and providers ofhigh level

training in the agri-food sector

Companies

Professional and

Accreditation Bodies

Levy Bodies

Universities

Research Institutes

Agricultural Colleges

Four ATPs have been awarded

Aberystwyth University

(C. Newbold) - £2.7M

ATP for Sustainable and Efficient Food

Production

Partnering with Bangor and NIAB, plus

Waitrose, White Gold, Velcourt

Royal Veterinary College

(S. May) - £2.9M

Advanced Training in Intensive Livestock

Health and Production

Partnering with Cambridge, Edinburgh

(Roslin), Newcastle, Kent, plus Aviagen,

Pfizer, Vion

University of Nottingham

(J. Roberts) - £4M

Establishment of a Strategic Training

Hub for the Advancement of the

UK Agri-Food Industry

Partnering with Harper Adams, Rothamsted

(Brooms Barn), Cranfield, plus

Campden BRI, BASF, Masstock, Waitrose,

Bakkavor

University of Reading

(C. Williams) - £3.1M

Food Quality and Health – Sustaining

the Future

Partnering with Rothamsted,

Birmingham and, via Leatherhead Food

Research, British Sugar, Danisco, National Milk

Research, PepsiCo, Sainsbury’s

• Delivering up to date, industrially-relevant training for graduates working in industry

• BBSRC provides pump priming support (~£15K for year 1 only) to develop modular courses at Masters level

• Must demonstrate clear evidence of industrial demand

• Flexibility in format depending on needs of industry e.g. distance learning, e-modules, workshops

• Examples of previously-supported courses:

eCPD in histotechnology in-vivo techniques for biosciences and drug development contemporary techniques in plant sciences principles of genetic improvement Positron Emission Tomography: technology and application post-genomic data analysis the business of bioremediation

Modular Training for Industry

CASE studentships

• Research training in area of relevance to non-academic (e.g.

industry) partner

• Collaborative postgraduate research training leading to a PhD

• CASE Partner: a non-academic organisation which provides

students with distinctive research training / experience not

available in an academic setting

• BBSRC supports CASE studentships within remit

• Scheme is supported by all Research Councils

• Non-academic Partner must provide:

o 6 - 18 month placement with relevant training

o £1.4k pa towards project costs

o Expenses associated with the placement

o Cash contribution to student’s stipend of at least £2.5k pa

BBSRC support for people exchange

schemes in the agri-food sector

Undergraduates: Research Experience Placements (REPs)

• Provide support for undergraduate summer research placements to:

– give promising undergraduates a first-hand opportunity to gain greater

experience of research in the biosciences

– raise the profile of research careers amongst undergraduate students

– interest students in postgraduate research in strategically important

areas

• REPs are allocated to a number of departments/institutes selected and

approved by BBSRC and the Bioscience Skills and Careers strategy panel

• Around 100 placements are available per year

• A significant number have been allocated to promote agricultural and

veterinary research, including 3 REPs to each of the UK’s vet schools

• Other REPs support agricultural science, integrative mammalian biology and

other areas

• Details at:

www.bbsrc.ac.uk/funding/studentships/research-experience-placements

• It is envisaged this new scheme will provide flexible

opportunities to enhance the genuine two-way flow of

ideas, people and skills through individuals moving

between different disciplines and sectors at all stages in

their career beyond the PhD (or equivalent)

• FLIP is currently being developed and is due to be

launched in 2012

Other BBSRC schemes also support

collaborative research and training in

the agri-food sector

BBSRC Fellowships

Research and Technology Clubs

Postdoctoral research grants

Research and Technology Clubs

Key Features

• A consortium of companies work together with BBSRC to fund basic research in strategic areas within the research base

• Company members decide on the research priorities and contribute to review and monitoring of research proposals

• ‘Common-pot’ funding (BBSRC/industry/ Other funders)

• In the typical club model, BBSRC contributes 90% of funding, industry consortium contributes 10%

• Industry members subscriptions on sliding scale (company size)

• Regular dissemination events allow members to network, to hear about research projects and to meet researchers

• Training (studentships targeted to Club areas)

New academic block studentships

scheme to replace Quota DTG

Shaped by recent Quota Evaluation and BSC Strategy

Panel advice

DTPs allow for better strategic alignment and coordination

Students placed in world-class research

environments

Integrated Professional

Internships for PhD Students (PIPS)

CASE no longer mandatory, now

supported through separate schemes

Expect to fund up to 15-20 DTPs (most

multi-institutional) for 3 yrs (2012-14)

Total investment £60M, funding

around 220 students per annum

Call launched 16 March 2011, closing date 15 Sept 2011

bbsrc.ac.uk/dtp

Strategic Alignment

Excellence of Training

Leverage Partnership Concentration

BBSRC Skills Statement

• Brings together the skills that BBSRC is particularly looking to

support through its Training Grants, including:

Broad strategic research priorities and enabling technologies

Specific strategically important and vulnerable niche research

skills

Cross-cutting core bioscience and generic professional skills

New academic block studentships

scheme to replace Quota DTG

Shaped by recent Quota Evaluation and BSC Strategy

Panel advice

DTPs allow for better strategic alignment and coordination

Students placed in world-class research

environments

Integrated Professional

Internships for PhD Students (PIPS)

CASE no longer mandatory, now

supported through separate schemes

Expect to fund up to 15-20 DTPs (most

multi-institutional) for 3 yrs (2012-14)

Total investment £60M, funding

around 220 students p.a. (inc £5k RTSG)

Call open 16 March workshop 23 June

closing 15 Sept 2011

Strategic Alignment

Excellence of Training

Leverage Partnership Concentration

bbsrc.ac.uk/dtp

Summary

Undergraduate

Postgraduate

Postdoctoral

Continuing ProfessionalDevelopment

Image 1 – Tomato seedling iStockphoto/Thinkstock, Image 2 – Fermenter iStockphoto/Thinkstock 2011, Image 3 – Wheat Hermerara/Getty Images, Image 4 –DNAConfig Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Thinkstock, Image 5 – Jersey Cow iStockphoto/Thinkstock, Image 6 – Scientist Comstock / Thinkstock

Any Questions?

www.bbsrc.ac.uk

david.mcallister@bbsrc.ac.uk