The awards are part of a £125 million investment by the BBSRC announced today by Business Secretary Vince Cable. Mr Cable said: “The UK punches far beyond its weight in science and innovation globally, which is a credit to our talented scientists and first-class universities.
“This new funding will safeguard Britain’s status as a world leader in life sciences and agricultural technology.”
The funding has been awarded to leading universities and scientific institutions across the UK through Doctoral Training Partnerships that provide skills and training for bioscience PhD students. The strategic investment will ensure that researchers are trained in areas that will benefit the UK and will help to develop new industries, products and services.
Dr Celia Caulcott, BBSRC Executive Director, Innovation and Skills: “Bioscience is having a massive impact on many aspects of our lives. BBSRC is paving the way for an explosion in new economic sectors and bioscience that will change the way we live our lives in the twenty-first century. To achieve this we need to maintain our leading position in global bioscience by ensuring that the next generation of scientists have the best training and skills.”
The funding to Cambridge will facilitate a number of doctoral training places across the University in the School of the Biological Sciences as well as Chemistry, Physics, Applied Mathematics & Theoretical Physics, Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology, and the Institute of Metabolic Science, as well as with partner institutes including the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and the Babraham Institute.
Professor Graham Virgo, who takes up the post of Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education at the University this month, says: “These Doctoral Training Partnerships will provide opportunities for exceptional students to pursue their graduate studies at Cambridge in areas of bioscience that are vital to both our future society and economy. They will bring together departments from across the University and our partner institutes in a truly cross-disciplinary manner.”
Excellent and highly skilled researchers are vital to fuelling discoveries and helping to solve some of the world's major challenges. By investing in the skills base BBSRC not only supports and develops research, but also helps to secure the nation's future, driving inward investment, creating new jobs and maintaining the UK's position as a global leader.
The University of Cambridge is to receive £15 million over five years from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) to support the training and development of 150 PhD students. Students will be trained in world-class bioscience that will help boost the economy and build on UK strengths in areas such as agriculture, food, industrial biotechnology, bioenergy and health.
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