This theme focuses on research that yields the next generation of new technologies, methodologies and resources in bioscience. The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) encourages development of novel bioanalytical or biological tools and technologies where there are gaps.
In order for a proposal to fall within the scope of technology development, it must address the requirement for novel technology relevant to our remit. In particular, applications are sought in the following areas:
- bioimaging and functional analysis
- omics technologies, including new sequencing technologies
- toolkit for synthetic biology.
Applications that include major contributions from non-bioscience disciplines are welcome, as long as there is a strong focus on delivering a new technology demonstrably relevant to an area of biology within our remit. Innovative life science instrumentation development is also welcome. Proposals in technology development should incorporate testing of the technology for use in an area of biology.
Research areas not in the scope of this theme
Areas that are not included within the scope of this council-wide priority are projects that are:
- making minor, incremental modifications to existing technologies
- focused on the application of an existing technology
- on technologies where the impact of the technology or the resulting research enabled by them is likely to be limited
- focused on generic technologies with principal applications in non-bioscience disciplines.
Requirements
It is expected that proposals will require strong multidisciplinary partnerships between bioscientists and researchers in the physical sciences, engineering and information technology disciplines.
Proposals should describe how they will fulfil one or more unmet needs in the biosciences.
Data sharing
Proposals should comply with our data sharing policy. Proposals developing informatics tools should make such tools available to the wider user and developer community with as few restrictions as possible. They should ideally use open source best practices, for example Creative Commons or Open Source Initiative recommended licences.
However, we recognise that, at times, the creators’ intellectual property rights may need to be protected before any sharing takes place. This is encouraged where appropriate beforehand. Such protection should not unduly delay the release of any data or tools arising from BBSRC funding.