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Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
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<h2 id="purpose">Purpose</h2> <p>Receiving its funding through the science budget of the <a href="/facts/Department_for_Science,_Innovation_and_Technology/H4lbPY1P">Department for Science, Innovation and Technology</a>, BBSRC's mission is to "promote and support, by any means, high-quality basic, strategic and applied research and related postgraduate training relating to the understanding and exploitation of biological systems".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="structure">Structure</h2> <p>BBSRC's head office is at Polaris House <a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> in <a href="/facts/Swindon/lxued87p">Swindon</a> - the same building as the other councils of <a href="/facts/United_Kingdom_Research_and_Innovation/4B6G0FBG">UK Research and Innovation</a>, <a href="/facts/Arts_and_Humanities_Research_Council/I1rwr2p9">AHRC</a> <a href="/facts/Engineering_and_Physical_Sciences_Research_Council/kxMI4qDv">EPSRC</a>, <a href="/facts/Economic_and_Social_Research_Council/3YoH8o5X">ESRC</a>, <a href="/facts/Innovate_UK/zorRghE2">Innovate UK</a>, <a href="/facts/Medical_Research_Council_(UK)/gFd1kR2B">MRC</a>, <a href="/facts/Natural_Environment_Research_Council/Q5z9z7Ns">NERC</a>, <a href="/facts/Research_England/GHwuy0br">Research England</a> and <a href="/facts/Science_and_Technology_Facilities_Council/kV0mrV2t">STFC</a>, as well as the <a href="/facts/UK_Space_Agency/fTSBbRcI">UKSA</a>. Funded by Government, BBSRC invested over £498 million in bioscience in 2017–18. BBSRC also manages the joint Research Councils' Office in Brussels – the <a href="/facts/UK_Research_Office/W8fRz0bq">UK Research Office</a> (UKRO). </p> <h2 id="history">History</h2> <p>BBSRC was created in 1994, merging the former <a href="/facts/Agricultural_and_Food_Research_Council/7mfSDBRa">Agricultural and Food Research Council</a> (AFRC) and taking over the biological science activities of the former <a href="/facts/Science_and_Engineering_Research_Council/LkjUJeFS">Science and Engineering Research Council</a> (SERC).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> </p><p>Chairs </p> <ul><li>Sir <a href="/facts/Alistair_Grant/dFGcsc5b">Alistair Grant</a> (1994–1998)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a></li> <li>Dr Peter Doyle (1998–2003)</li> <li>Dr Peter Ringrose (2003–2009)</li> <li>Prof Sir <a href="/facts/Tom_Blundell/SyGWIdoV">Tom Blundell</a> (2009–2015)</li> <li>Prof Sir <a href="/facts/Gordon_Duff/anj1wpFg">Gordon Duff</a> (2015–present)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a></li></ul> <p>Chief executives </p> <ul><li>Prof (now Sir) <a href="/facts/Tom_Blundell/SyGWIdoV">Tom Blundell</a> (1994–1996)</li> <li>Prof <a href="/facts/Raymond_Baker_(chemist)/51sNDMec">Ray Baker</a> (1996–2002)</li> <li>Prof (now Dame) <a href="/facts/Julia_Goodfellow/uhBjSKNN">Julia Goodfellow</a> (2002–2007)</li> <li>Prof <a href="/facts/Douglas_Kell/hBzj0SGJ">Douglas Kell</a> (2008–2013)</li> <li>Dr <a href="/facts/Jackie_Hunter/K6fpgaQd">Jackie Hunter</a> (from 21 October 2013)</li> <li>Prof Melanie Welham (2016–2018)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a></li></ul> <p>Executive chairs </p> <ul><li>Prof Melanie Welham (2018–2023)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a></li> <li>Prof Guy Poppy (2023–2024)</li> <li>Prof Anne Ferguson-Smith (2024–) (from 1 July 2024)</li></ul> <h2 id="governance-and-management">Governance and management</h2> <p>BBSRC is managed by the BBSRC Council consisting of a chair (Professor Martin Humphries), an executive chair (Professor Guy Poppy) and from ten to eighteen representatives from UK universities, government and industry. The council approves policies, strategy, budgets and major funding. </p><p>A research panel provides expert advice which BBSRC Council draws upon in making decisions. The purpose of the research panel is to advise on: </p> <ul><li>the development and implementation of the council's strategic plans</li> <li>the competitiveness, relevance, economic impact, and societal considerations of the science and innovation activities funded by BBSRC</li> <li>opportunities for partnership with national and international organisations</li></ul> <h3>Boards, panels and committees</h3> <p>In addition to the council and the research panel, BBSRC has a series of other internal bodies for specific purposes. </p> <ul><li>Appointments Board</li> <li>Remuneration Board</li> <li>Strategy Advisory Panels – eight panels advise and report to the BBSRC Executive Chair</li> <li>Research Committees – five committees award research grants in specific science areas</li></ul> <h2 id="institutes">Institutes</h2> <p>The council strategically funds eight research institutes in the <a href="/facts/United_Kingdom/kuPAILt2">UK</a>, and a number of centres.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> </p><p>They have strong links with business, industry and the wider community, and support policy development. </p><p>The institutes' research underpins key sectors of the UK economy such as agriculture, bioenergy, biotechnology, food and drink and pharmaceuticals. In addition, the institutes maintain unique research facilities of national importance. </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Babraham_Institute/KdIhoSrS">Babraham Institute</a> (BI) (<a href="/facts/Cambridge/gNRdbmwK">Cambridge</a>)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Earlham_Institute/It8RNBoG">Earlham Institute</a> (EI) (formerly The Genome Analysis Centre) (<a href="/facts/Norwich/WM3Tj7h5">Norwich</a>)</li> <li>The <a href="/facts/Institute_of_Biological,_Environmental_and_Rural_Sciences/EGy825op">Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences</a> (IBERS), part of <a href="/facts/Aberystwyth_University/FplWGQHF">Aberystwyth University</a> (<a href="/facts/Aberystwyth/XUxc3zUg">Aberystwyth</a>)</li> <li><a href="/facts/John_Innes_Centre/8ry0kMRL">John Innes Centre</a> (JIC) (<a href="/facts/Norwich/WM3Tj7h5">Norwich</a>)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Pirbright_Institute/FVjjbJVs">The Pirbright Institute</a> (<a href="/facts/Pirbright/5XLdwR7j">Pirbright</a>), formerly the Institute for Animal Health (IAH)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Quadram_Institute/8Jtgr6l9">Quadram Institute</a> (<a href="/facts/Norwich/WM3Tj7h5">Norwich</a>), formerly the Institute of Food Research</li> <li>The <a href="/facts/Roslin_Institute/YQV9X66v">Roslin Institute</a> (RI) (<a href="/facts/Midlothian/kU7nBvsP">Midlothian</a>), part of the <a href="/facts/University_of_Edinburgh/L69HscH9">University of Edinburgh</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Rothamsted_Research/IkxPnlCd">Rothamsted Research</a> (<a href="/facts/Harpenden/MFpTTmc8">Harpenden</a> and North Wyke)</li></ul> <p>Other research institutes have merged with each other or with local universities. Previous BBSRC (or AFRC) sponsored institutes include: </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Institute_of_Biological,_Environmental_and_Rural_Sciences/EGy825op">Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research</a> (IGER – <a href="/facts/Aberystwyth/XUxc3zUg">Aberystwyth</a>), merged with the <a href="/facts/Aberystwyth_University/FplWGQHF">University of Aberystwyth</a> 2008</li> <li><a href="/facts/Letcombe_Laboratory/6gdSUQyD">Letcombe Laboratory</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Long_Ashton_Research_Station/Ekqhgjvl">Long Ashton Research Station</a> (LARS – <a href="/facts/Bristol/nLwyoDTG">Bristol</a>)</li> <li>the Plant Breeding Institute (PBI – <a href="/facts/Cambridge/gNRdbmwK">Cambridge</a>)</li> <li>the Weed Research Organisation (WRO – <a href="/facts/Oxford/kHvWDTXW">Oxford</a>)</li> <li><a href="/facts/Silsoe/3agplIAt">Silsoe Research Institute</a> (SRI – <a href="/facts/Bedfordshire/zlyMvSWP">Bedfordshire</a>) was closed in 2006.</li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>BBSRC mission http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/organisation/mission.aspx <a href="http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/organisation/mission.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/organisation/mission.aspx</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Google Maps". <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/maps?q=polaris+house+swindon&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq&hnear=Polaris+House,+N+Star+Ave,+Swindon+SN2+1UJ&gl=uk&ei=A92UTbvfEdG5hAfc9en8CA&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBoQ8gEwAA" target="_blank">https://www.google.co.uk/maps?q=polaris+house+swindon&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq&hnear=Polaris+House,+N+Star+Ave,+Swindon+SN2+1UJ&gl=uk&ei=A92UTbvfEdG5hAfc9en8CA&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBoQ8gEwAA</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"Our mission and history". BBSRC. Retrieved 31 March 2016. <a href="http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/about/mission/" target="_blank">http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/about/mission/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Tom Blundell (2014). Annual Report and Accounts 2013-2014. Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. p. 2. <a href="http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/documents/1314-bbsrc-annual-report-accounts-pdf/" target="_blank">http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/documents/1314-bbsrc-annual-report-accounts-pdf/</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Our mission and history". BBSRC. Retrieved 31 March 2016. <a href="http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/about/mission/" target="_blank">http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/about/mission/</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"Our mission and history". BBSRC. Retrieved 31 March 2016. <a href="http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/about/mission/" target="_blank">http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/about/mission/</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"26 March 2018 - Professor Melanie Welham selected for the role of Executive Chair of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council - BBSRC". bbsrc.ukri.org. Retrieved 3 December 2018. <a href="https://bbsrc.ukri.org/news/people-skills-training/2018/180326-pr-melanie-welham-selected-executive-chair-bbsrc/" target="_blank">https://bbsrc.ukri.org/news/people-skills-training/2018/180326-pr-melanie-welham-selected-executive-chair-bbsrc/</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>(BBSRC: Institutes and centres) <a href="http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/organisation/institutes" target="_blank">http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/organisation/institutes</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>