{"id":153183,"date":"2024-10-31T09:00:31","date_gmt":"2024-10-31T09:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beta-ukri.msappproxy.net\/?p=153183"},"modified":"2024-11-14T10:18:01","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T10:18:01","slug":"introducing-a-refreshed-roadmap-for-health-related-research","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ukri.org\/blog\/introducing-a-refreshed-roadmap-for-health-related-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Introducing a refreshed roadmap for health-related research"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m pleased to say that the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council\u2019s (BBSRC) refreshed Bioscience for an Integrated Understanding of Health (BIUH) Strategic Research and Innovation Framework<\/a> is live.<\/p>\n

I know that\u2019s a lot of words, but I\u2019ll try to explain why I think they really mean something.<\/p>\n

But before I do, allow me to acknowledge the swathe of individuals from across BBSRC\u2019s advisory community whose collective thoughts are reflected in our updated framework.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m deeply grateful to everyone involved, but I want to say a particular thank you to Professors Louise Dye and Paul Haggarty. As former chairs of BBSRC\u2019s Bioscience for Health Strategy Advisory Panel,<\/a> both Louise and Paul were extremely generous with their time in helping shape our future thinking.<\/p>\n

Clearly, it\u2019s taken a lot of time and effort to produce such a document. So why have we done it?<\/p>\n

BBSRC\u2019s multiple roles in health research<\/h2>\n

\u2018Health\u2019 sits in a somewhat unique place within BBSRC\u2019s portfolio. As far as human health is concerned, this is the only area of bioscience research and innovation where BBSRC is not the primary national public funder. In fact, there are many other funders spanning across the public, private and third sector.<\/p>\n

This means our role as a funder sits in a particularly complex landscape, so it\u2019s really important to be clear about why we prioritise the research interests that we do.<\/p>\n

And first and foremost, let me say that the research and innovation BBSRC supports in this space has tremendously unique value.<\/p>\n

That unique value is not only in creating impactful knowledge, but in developing the tools needed to support the quest for healthier, happier lives.<\/p>\n

Our refreshed framework sets out what we think this unique value is. Hopefully the framework also clearly sets out how that value complements the remit of other health funding organisations that researchers may engage with to support their work.<\/p>\n

What makes a resilient organism and how can this go wrong?<\/h2>\n

BBSRC-funded research plays a pivotal role in developing our understanding of what makes humans, and indeed all living things, healthy.<\/p>\n

We are ultimately curious to understand the deep biological mechanisms at play in keeping us robust and resilient to challenge, which is a good definition of \u2018health\u2019.<\/p>\n

When these processes start to break down, it leaves us frail and susceptible to a range of infectious and non-infectious diseases, particularly as we age. Understanding how this shift happens means we can develop strategies to better avoid this, or at the very least delay it!<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not just about us humans<\/h2>\n
\"Purple

Purple tomato fruit genetically engineered to produce anthocyanins. Credit: John Innes Centre<\/p><\/div>\n

BBSRC\u2019s research remit, of all the funders in the health landscape, is also unique because it has a major focus on food and agriculture. That being the production of the food we eat and the rapidly changing systems needed to deliver it.<\/p>\n

For BBSRC, that means we must help investigate:<\/p>\n