UCL gets £15M to train the next generation of bioscientists

Thirty PhD studentships will be available annually for the next five years in the areas of agriculture and food security, industrial biotechnology and bioenergy, health and other frontier biosciences following a £15M grant from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). The new doctoral training grant led by UCL will account for 12% of all BBSRC-funded PhD studentships across the UK and are a significant increase on the 18 positions previously available each year. The research aims to enable future discoveries, helping scientists to solve some of the world major challenges, including: producing more food using less water, land, energy and other inputs, whilst reducing waste and environmental impacts; providing renewable energy, materials and industrial chemicals - developed from plants, bacteria, algae and fungi - to reduce dependency on fossil fuels; increasing the ability of individuals to lead healthier lives, reducing pressure on the healthcare system. The funding will boost UCL's research partnerships with London-based institutions who will work together with UCL to train the students. We're delighted that BBSRC has recognised the high quality of training given to PhD students at UCL in all aspects of bioscience and biotechnology, and provided us with the opportunity to welcome 150 more students to study with us and our partners. Professor Geraint Rees Professor Gabriel Waksman (UCL SLMS and Birkbeck BS) who led the application and is the director of the programme, said: "This funding will provide tremendous impetus for cross-disciplinary interactions not only between Bloomsbury colleges including UCL but also across London.