Durham University to share £9m investment in postgraduate training in biosciences

Durham University to share £9m investment in postgraduate training in biosciences. Durham University is to share in a £9m investment for postgraduate training and development in biosciences. Durham is part of a joint Doctoral Training Parternship (DTP) with Newcastle and Liverpool universities which will benefit from the investment announced by the Universities and Science Minister David Willetts. The award will further strengthen research links and support 15 PhD studentships plus five undergraduate summer bursaries between the three institutions in areas of research including food security and health. The Durham/Newcastle/Liverpool collaboration will receive £4.5million from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and another £4.5million from other sources. Professor Tom McLeish, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research), at Durham University, said: "Each year the University invests millions of pounds in funding opportunities to enable the most talented postgraduate students from across the world to realise their potential with us. "Research and teaching is at the core of what we do at Durham and this announcement will allow us to continue to invest in world-class bioscience skills and training, in collaboration with our partners." Professor Barry Hirst of Newcastle University and lead for the Doctoral Training Partnership, said: "Training will focus on our world-class research in national strategically important research areas, including into lifelong health and wellbeing, diet and health, microbial food safety, animal health and welfare, and crop science.