About BBSRC

  • The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) is the principal public funder in the UK for research on underlying processes in biology, including genetics, cell and tissue biology, plant and animal sciences.  BBSRC-funded research advances human understanding and underpins developments that enhance the quality of life.  This includes research that will eventually feed through into areas such as the design of new drugs and medical treatments; improvements in animal health, and livestock and crop breeding; in food processing and technology; and the use of natural biological processes in industrial manufacturing.
  • BBSRC is publicly funded through the Science Budget allocated by the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) and will receive approximately £1.35bn of funds during the 2008/09 to 2010/11 period.
  • BBSRC funds research and training of scientists in universities throughout the UK.  It also sponsors five mission-oriented and multidisciplinary research institutes.
  • Overall BBSRC supports over 6000 researchers and scientific support staff in universities and research institutes and 2,000 postgraduate research students.  BBSRC is administered through a small central office in Swindon.

What BBSRC does

  • BBSRC provides a strategic capability aimed at ensuring that the UK retains its world leading position in many areas of the biological sciences and generates economic and social benefits. Its funding also helps to  ensure and that the UK has the knowledge and skills base to remain internationally competitive in biology-based industries such as the pharmaceuticals, food and agriculture and the  biotechnology sector.  This includes
    • identifying emerging areas of research and prioritising them,
    • developing resources and infrastructure to support new research programmes and foster existing ones,
    • developing a portfolio of funding mechanisms to support basic and strategic science, including the training of scientists
    • developing funding schemes to facilitate career development of UK students, to recruit and retain high calibre scientists.
  • BBSRC aims to ensure that new scientific ideas and knowledge that have been developed with public money can be used by UK companies, and contribute to the creation of wealth and benefit society in general.  This includes:
    • fostering academic-industry collaborations
    • through our Technology Strategy, identifying areas of underpinning research to meet the needs of industry in the coming decade
    • developing our portfolio of mechanisms to identify the exploitation potential of research outputs, and to realise them, in order to maintain the UK’s position as the European leader in bioindustry entrepreneurship
    • developing business awareness and entrepreneurial skills of researchers
    • tailoring our activities to meet the diverse needs of the different bioindustry sectors (agri-food, pharmaceuticals, bioprocessing etc.)
  • BBSRC runs a programme of activities to promote public engagement in issues relating to the biosciences.  The aim is to foster public debate and ensure that our research takes account of wider social issues, where appropriate.

Further details of the Council’s activities can be found on the BBSRC website: www.bbsrc.ac.uk

Underlying these aims is our belief in valuing the diversity of our employees and stakeholders in the scientific community.  We are committed to eliminating unjustified discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity and good relations across and between equality groups. BBSRC strives to make decisions based on individual merit and ability and does not discriminate on the grounds of gender, disability, age, race/ethnicity, religion or philosophical belief or sexual orientation.  BBSRC has an Equal Opportunities Policy and has published Race, Disability and Gender Equality Schemes which are available on the BBSRC website.