Biomedical research - policy and news

A scientific oath?

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:03:08 +0000

Science broadcaster Adam Rutherford chairs a discussion with a panel of scientists, ethicists and commentators to formulate an Oath for scientists to take. Available as a podcast.

The scientific paper is not sacred

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 08:59:15 +0000

Peer review continues long after a paper is published, and that analysis should become part of the scientific record, say Adam Marcus and Ivan Oransky, writing in Nature.

Nobel prizes and priority

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 08:55:37 +0000

The recent Nobel row raises questions of who gets credit for research in an age of in 'hype'. The Times Higher looks at the issue.

UK languishes in citations league

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 08:50:23 +0000

The Leiden rankings of world universities, based on citation data, places the UK's top institution, the University of Cambridge, outside the top 30.

MRC Council Minutes - 5 October 2011

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:22:21 +0000

Minutes from the MRC Council Meeting held on the 5 October 2011

Wellcome Trust annual review 2011

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:20:48 +0000

The Wellcome Trust’s ‘Annual Review 2011’ is now available, presenting a selection of major activities and achievements in the year from October 2010 to September 2011.

UK National Stem Cell Network to cease

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:16:41 +0000

The Research Councils that sponsor the UK National Stem Cell Network (UKNSCN) have announced their intention to cease funding its activities from 31 December 2011.

Forbes tips 30 young US scientists

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 08:57:34 +0000

Forbes magazine has announced its annual '30 Under 30' list, lauding young professionals in 12 fields "who aren't waiting to reinvent the world." The list includes more than two dozen life scientists,

Biobank encourages scientists to plan research projects

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:13:33 +0000

The UK Biobank has launched Access Procedures, which govern the way the resource can be used by scientists to improve the health of future generations.

Fears grow over lab-bred flu

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 08:58:48 +0000

Discussion continues over the man-made form of the avian influenza virus H5N1.

NIH issues statement on flu research

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:03:33 +0000

NIH has issued a statement in response to review of flu research by the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity.

Virologists agree to redact details in sensitive flu papers

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:15:13 +0000

Two groups of scientists who study the avian influenza virus H5N1 have agreed to strike certain details from manuscripts describing their work after having been asked to do so by a U.S. biosecurity council.

Wellcome News winter issue

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:05:30 +0000

The winter issue of 'Wellcome News' brings so-called neglected tropical diseases into the spotlight.

Cornell to build new NY science campus

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:02:39 +0000

Cornell University has been chosen to develop a science graduate school in New York city.

Wolfson to fund experimental neurology centre at UCL

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:41:03 +0000

A new centre dedicated to the understanding and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases will be established at UCL following the award of a £20million grant from the Wolfson Foundation.

The postgraduate policy vacuum

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:19:30 +0000

During the past twelve months of higher education policymaking, postgraduate students have barely got a mention. If undergraduate students are to be ‘at the heart of the system’, it looks like postgraduate students are an amputated limb.

Open letter to David Willetts

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:39:22 +0000

Cameron Neylon addresses David Willetts on research data.

New tool to identify patterns in data

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:38:29 +0000

With support from the National Science Foundation, researchers from the Broad Institute and Harvard University recently developed a tool that can uncover patterns in large data sets in a way that no other software program can.

MRC Millennium Medal for Ed Southern

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:45:42 +0000

Molecular biologist Professor Sir Edwin Southern has been awarded the 2011 MRC Millennium Medal, recognising his outstanding impact on genetic analysis and his invention of both the Southern blotting technique and DNA microarray technology.

Medical research delivers value for Australia

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:40:59 +0000

The value of medical research extends well beyond pure economics. There are several other areas in which health and medical research is integral to a vibrant, educated and compassionate community.

Wolfson Research Merit Awards announced

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:39:21 +0000

The Royal Society has announced the appointment of eighteen new Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award holders. The scheme provides up to 5 years’ funding after which the award holder continues with a permanent post at the host university.

EME programme - Researcher-led workstream

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:44:01 +0000

The Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation (EME) programme invites research proposals to evaluate clinical efficacy of interventions, add significantly to our understanding of biological or behavioural mechanisms and processes, explore new scientific or clinical principles, and include the development or testing of new methodologies.

Role of the public sector in pharmaceutical innovation

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:55:47 +0000

Research has identified the respective contributions of direct and indirect government support in research and development of new pharmaceutical drugs.

Improving the commercialisation of research - inquiry

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:41:09 +0000

The House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee has announced a new inquiry: Bridging the 'valley of death': improving the commercialisation of research.

BIS appoints Chief Scientific Adviser

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:29:51 +0000

Professor John Perkins CBE will be the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS).

Dublin science gallery to take vision global

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:45:08 +0000

An edgy Irish center that seeks to merge art and science and get young people hooked on discovery and technology will get a chance to export its model globally.

Get into the Sciences

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:25:13 +0000

A program called InGenious aims to show young people that having scientific skills can help them get a job, to encourage women and minorities to study science, and to show how science can affect people's lives.

Making scientists more politically savvy

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:34:29 +0000

A new generation of politically savvy scientists is needed to ensure that STEM delivers the benefits the UK needs, argues Ian Gibson in the Times Higher.

More comment on CRUK cuts

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:32:52 +0000

Cancer charity's move closes option for early career scientists, experts fear.

Leibniz Prize winners for 2012

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:54:27 +0000

2012 winners of the most important research award in Germany have been announced.

Europe's stem cell mess

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:41:23 +0000

Nature looks at Oliver Brustle's fight to defend his patent on human embryonic stem (ES) cells.

Har Gobind Khorana - obituary

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:43:45 +0000

He was a chemical biologist who helped to establish the genetic code.

Did Hoffman deserve his Nobel?

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:29:12 +0000

Bruno Lemaitre has created a website claiming that as a postdoc in Professor Hoffmann's lab in the early 1990s, he was largely responsible for the prizewinning research.

NIH stimulus created jobs

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:47:21 +0000

The $8.2 billion for extramural research that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) received from the 2009 stimulus act put many scientists and their staffs to work.

3D imaging - ankylography

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:40:27 +0000

Nature looks at a proposed method for revealing molecular structures from single pictures.

GSK's new research approach - think small

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:42:56 +0000

Andrew Witty, chief exec of GSK, describes how they are breaking up research groups into smaller teams.

Wellcome Trust and global health

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:22:03 +0000

Jimmy Whitworth, Head of International Activities at the Wellcome Trust, examines progress over the last decade, and future directions for global health and research.

Personalised genetic tests no more useful than family history

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:10:48 +0000

A new study has reported that genotyping provides no additional medical benefit over standard predictive information such as medical and family history.

Candidates for ERC sought

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:24:39 +0000

The research community in Europe is being consulted on potential candidates for membership of the Scientific Council of the European Research Council (ERC).

Merck invests in Chinese R&D

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:32:15 +0000

Merck is to spend $1.5 billion over the next 5 years on R&D in China.

Hungarian science resurgent

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:28:45 +0000

With a shake-up of its national academy and a major boost in research funding next year, Hungary hopes to regain its long-lost status as a scientific powerhouse in central Europe.

Journal fraud and Clare Francis

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 08:27:25 +0000

Clare Francis uses software that helps detect plagiarism, and sends findings on various papers to journal editors.

Research funders defend medical record access

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 09:38:08 +0000

Giving drug firms access to patients' medical records will lead to breakthroughs similar to linking lung cancer with smoking, seven of Britain's most eminent scientists claim in a letter to The Daily Telegraph.

CRUK slashes budgets

Fri, 9 Dec 2011 08:54:05 +0000

Cancer Research UK will slash research spending because of falling donations.

Government unveils Innovation and Research Strategy

Fri, 9 Dec 2011 08:55:27 +0000

David Willetts has outlines the government's strategy for enhancing research and innovation.

RCUK welcomes the Innovation and Research Strategy

Fri, 9 Dec 2011 09:04:18 +0000

Research Councils UK (RCUK) welcomes the Government’s new Innovation and Research Strategy. The strategy sets out the Government’s approach to boosting investment in innovation and enabling UK success in the global economy.

Science Media Centre evidence to Leveson inquiry

Fri, 9 Dec 2011 09:21:13 +0000

The SMC has recently submitted evidence to the Leveson Inquiry on culture, practice and ethics of the press.

Life sciences for growth, not just for Christmas

Fri, 9 Dec 2011 08:50:40 +0000

CRUK comments on the Prime Minister's announcements in support of life sciences in the UK.

Smits talks about Horizon 2020

Fri, 9 Dec 2011 08:59:00 +0000

Science magazine talked with one of the architects of Horizon 2020: the European Union's director-general for research, Robert-Jan Smits.

Financial crisis hits global health research

Fri, 9 Dec 2011 09:07:50 +0000

As cutbacks continue to bite at home, wealthy nations are reducing the sums they allocate to research on diseases that predominantly affect developing nations.

An analysis of Cameron's life sciences strategy

Thu, 8 Dec 2011 09:12:51 +0000

The life sciences initiative the Prime Minister launched on Monday is welcome, but won't be enough even to repair the damage done in the latest pharmaceutical job cuts, say Michael Hopkins and Paul Nightingale of the Science Policy Research Unit.

Novartis abandons neuroscience

Thu, 8 Dec 2011 08:43:53 +0000

Nature has learned that the company is closing its neuroscience facility in Basel, Switzerland, where Novartis is headquartered.

Institutional Strategic Support Fund recipients announced

Thu, 8 Dec 2011 09:17:21 +0000

The Wellcome Trust has announced the 23 UK universities that have received grants through its new funding scheme, the Institutional Strategic Support Fund, a £19.75 million investment in academic biomedical research in the UK over the 2011/12 academic year.

New consortium to prepare clinical researchers for pandemics

Thu, 8 Dec 2011 09:18:59 +0000

An international consortium aiming to ensure that the clinical research community is better prepared for the next influenza pandemic or other rapidly emerging public health threat is launched today by leading funders of medical research from across the globe.

Science and the Leveson inquiry

Thu, 8 Dec 2011 08:40:46 +0000

The Leveson inquiry is interested in submissions of evidence from scientists, about the harm caused by poor science reporting.

Nature: supplement on influenza

Thu, 8 Dec 2011 08:51:23 +0000

Special feature on influenza.

Tough times for US research funding

Thu, 8 Dec 2011 09:15:24 +0000

Federal funding for science is facing intense, sustained budget pressure because of the weak economy and historic budget deficits.

Boston biolab makes it to level 2

Wed, 7 Dec 2011 14:49:49 +0000

Boston University has been granted permission to begin using their new biolab to work on bio safety level-2 materials.

Life sciences plan needs medicinal chemistry too

Wed, 7 Dec 2011 11:25:12 +0000

Plans to revitalise the biomedical industry must be matched by significant investment in drug discovery, according to the chief executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry.

Science and free speech

Wed, 7 Dec 2011 09:12:15 +0000

Jo Glanville from Index on Censorship says "Science thrives on freedom of expression and must be at the forefront of defending it".

NIH broadens sequencing program

Wed, 7 Dec 2011 08:56:29 +0000

The (US) National Human Genome Research Institute's Genome Sequencing Program will focus more on medical applications. In addition to continuing on-going studies, it will launch new efforts to find causes of rare inherited diseases and accelerate the use of genome sequence information in the medical care of patients.

Clinical-grade stem cells produced

Wed, 7 Dec 2011 08:53:37 +0000

Human embryonic stem cells that are potentially pure enough to be used in therapies have been deposited into the UK Stem Cell Bank, and will soon be available across Europe.

EMBO installation grants awarded

Tue, 6 Dec 2011 09:34:35 +0000

EMBO has announced the selection of seven scientists as recipients of the 2011 EMBO Installation Grants. The grants will assist the researchers to relocate and set up laboratories in the Czech Republic, Poland, Estonia and Turkey.

MRC announces translational research calls

Tue, 6 Dec 2011 09:32:15 +0000

The MRC is investing £354m in translational research over the next 4 years.

Government unveils life sciences package

Tue, 6 Dec 2011 09:05:43 +0000

A number of actions designed to encourage life sciecnes in the UK have been announced by David Cameron.

Cameron's life sciences speech in full

Tue, 6 Dec 2011 09:16:51 +0000

A number of actions designed to encourage life sciecnes in the UK have been announced by David Cameron.

Paul Nurse welcomes government plans

Tue, 6 Dec 2011 09:07:22 +0000

The Director and Chief Executive of The Francis Crick Institute, Paul Nurse, who is also the President of the Royal Society, has welcomed government plans to boost UK life sciences and make the country more attractive to pharmaceutical companies.

CaSE comments on government plans

Tue, 6 Dec 2011 09:13:39 +0000

CaSE director, Imran Khan, welcomes the government's life sciences plans.

Launch of Biotech Roundtable London

Tue, 6 Dec 2011 08:48:33 +0000

The Oxbridge-London Biotech Roundtable, launching 8 Dec, is a new student-led inter-campus and interdisciplinary forum connecting academics from across the UK with industry professionals to discuss topics in the life sciences and health care fields.

Funding boost for ELIXIR

Tue, 6 Dec 2011 09:25:06 +0000

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have announced a £75M commitment from the Large Facilities Capital Fund (LFCF) for the ELIXIR research infrastructure.

Paul Nurse, on the Today programme

Mon, 5 Dec 2011 09:30:05 +0000

Paul Nurse, interviewed on Radio 4's Today programme about life science research in the UK.

AstraZeneca to share new drugs with researchers

Mon, 5 Dec 2011 09:30:06 +0000

Anglo-Swedish drug maker AstraZeneca has struck a landmark deal to share potential drugs with academics for free, to aid the search for new medicines.

NIGMS to fund research into interpretation of sequence data

Mon, 5 Dec 2011 09:30:04 +0000

The (US) National Institute of General Medical Sciences will fund research into new ways of exploring next-generation sequencing data that will be useful in evaluating the functional relevance of individual variants in the human genome.

Design Science Research Group

Mon, 5 Dec 2011 09:30:04 +0000

A new group is looking into how good design can help effectively communicate science and address any deficits in current communications.

Investments in e-infrastructure for science

Fri, 2 Dec 2011 09:23:02 +0000

UK scientists and businesses will have access to the most sophisticated technology keeping them at the cutting edge of research and development, as details of the Government’s multi-million pound e-infrastructure investment were announced today by David Willetts.

Health Research Authority established

Fri, 2 Dec 2011 09:19:15 +0000

The Health Research Authority (HRA) has been established to protect and promote the interests of patients and the public in health research.

Karolinska and Mayo strengthen links

Fri, 2 Dec 2011 09:14:47 +0000

The scope of Karolinska Institutet's cooperation with the Mayo Clinic is being extended through a formal contract.

The challenge of reproducibility

Fri, 2 Dec 2011 08:45:01 +0000

Replication - the confirmation of results and conclusions from one study obtained independently in another - is considered the scientific gold standard. But new tools and technologies, massive amounts of data, long-term studies, interdisciplinary approaches, and the complexity of the questions being asked combine to make this harder to achieve.

Promoting data publication

Fri, 2 Dec 2011 08:58:52 +0000

A poll in Science magazine asks what incentives would help to promote data sharing.

Downing Street supports the Crick, praises scientists

Thu, 1 Dec 2011 08:36:46 +0000

In an open letter marking the construction of The Francis Crick Institute in London, David Cameron and Nick Clegg describe how lives today have been improved by the work of scientists.

Funding good science is good for the economy

Thu, 1 Dec 2011 08:20:18 +0000

Sir Paul Nurse urges research funders to trust scientists to decide where public funding should be directed or risk funding less effective scientists doing obvious work that is behind the cutting edge.

EU unveils 80 billion Euros research plan

Thu, 1 Dec 2011 08:34:31 +0000

The European Commission has published the plan for its Horizon2020 R&D programme. It promises less red tape, broader benefits, and more jobs and economic growth.

Horizon 2020 website

Thu, 1 Dec 2011 08:35:48 +0000

The new Horizon 2020 web site is now online. There will be a new video testimonial each day.

ERC is a success story

Thu, 1 Dec 2011 08:41:53 +0000

The European Research Council is Framework 7’s ultimate success story.

EU research networks criticised

Thu, 1 Dec 2011 08:23:42 +0000

European policymakers have been urged to reform the "exhausted" top-down funding mechanisms that force researchers into collaborations.

Getting better value from PSREs

Thu, 1 Dec 2011 08:12:51 +0000

A thinktank report looks at the value delivered by public sector research establishments.

World Aids Day

Thu, 1 Dec 2011 08:49:14 +0000

This year's World AIDS Day is about "getting to zero".

Beyond HeLa

Thu, 1 Dec 2011 08:30:44 +0000

To find out what distinguishes one cell type from another, cell biologists must renounce popular cell lines, argue Anthony H. Hyman and Kai Simons in a Nature comment piece.

Royal Society's Anniversary Day

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 11:04:44 +0000

Wednesday 30 November marks the 351st anniversary of the Society's founding. The day will be celebrated by an ceremony for the Society's medal, prize and award winners. New members of council (including new vice-president) take up office too.

Leonardo in a garden shed?

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:54:35 +0000

ScienceInsider reports on science funding in Autumn Statement and the responses to it. Includes comments by Royal Society President Paul Nurse on need for sustained investment not just one off injections of funds

RCUK welcomes capital investment in science

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:50:46 +0000

RCUK has welcomed the £200 million capital investment in science annnounced in Chancellor's Autumn Statement. It also welcomes news of £62 million investment in upgrading science laboratories and equipment.

Further investment in science education

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 10:58:48 +0000

The Wellcome Trust has welcomed the news that the government will invest a further £10 million in Project ENTHUSE over 5 years from 2013/14. The project funded jointly by government, the Trust and industrial partners provides bursaries for residential training courses to improve quality of science teaching in schools.

More analysis of the Treasury's autumn statement

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:13:55 +0000

The Autumn Statement today has confirmed not only hundreds of millions of new money for science, but an increased prominence for science in the growth narrative being developed by the government.

200m budget boost for science

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 13:38:04 +0000

George Osborne has announced £200m of extra investment in science and engineering in today’s Autumn Statement.

Tool to spot image fraud

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 10:02:25 +0000

Scientists in the United States have come up with a tool for automatically analysing digital photographs, making it possible to gauge the extent to which images have been altered or retouched.

New heads at EBI

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:41:38 +0000

Rolf Apweiler and Ewan Birney will succeed Graham Cameron as Associate Directors of the EMBL-European Bioinformatics Institute in 2012.

MRC Network Nov/Dec 2011

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:39:47 +0000

European stem cell patenting ruling; Time capsule buried at The Francis Crick Institute; Putting sleeping sickness on the radar; work-life balance for scientists; plus the usual news, funding opportunities and people sections.

The shrinking laboratory

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:16:01 +0000

Feature in the Guardian on nanotechnology and lab-on-a-chip.

Chinese patents to be translated

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:25:13 +0000

By next year automatic Chinese-English machine translation tools for patents will be available to the public. The service will be free of charge and easily accessible through Internet.

Tips on leadership

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:50:12 +0000

The Vitae blog has nine insights into leadership from Professor Dame Sandra Dawson

ISIS neutron source is underfunded

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:46:04 +0000

The ISIS neutron source is reported to be unused much of the time because of insufficient funding to pay for the running costs.

National fund for science

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:01:10 +0000

The National Fund is re-examining its mission.

Sir John Tooke takes over at the Academy

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 13:49:35 +0000

Professor Sir John Tooke has begun a five-year term as President of the Academy of Medical Sciences.

Mysteries of the cell

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 08:48:56 +0000

Special feature in Science magazine reflects on how much of the cell remains unexplained or unknown.

Science spending in perspective

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:13:49 +0000

CaSE compares 2010-2011 support for science and engineering with other selected areas of public spending.

UCL to open campus in Stratford?

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 08:41:22 +0000

UCL and the London Borough of Newham have announced plans to explore the establishment of a new campus for UCL in Newham, just east of the Olympic Park, in addition to the University’s Bloomsbury location.

More on the UCL Stratford proposal

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 08:46:55 +0000

Report in Times Higher on UCL's proposed campus at Stratford, with comments from some UCL staff.

Controversial flu studies

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:18:46 +0000

A genetically altered H5N1 avian influenza strain has been created that is now easily transmissible between ferrets.

Defining impact

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 09:45:23 +0000

Impact gives science a way to keep the public onside, says Stephen Curry, in the Times Higher

Grants - success rates increase as applications fall

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 08:44:19 +0000

The proportion of grant applications to the UK research councils that won funding rose by 4 percentage points last year. There was a 2 per cent decline in the number of awards.

Editorial on chimp breeding scandal

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 08:58:55 +0000

Editorial in Nature says that by failing to explain why a moratorium on breeding chimpanzees seems not to have been enforced, the US National Institutes of Health risks a further loss of public support for chimp research.

SSC payroll team win award

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 08:53:25 +0000

Research Councils UK (RCUK) welcomes the news that the RCUK SSC Ltd Payroll Team was announced winner of the Payroll World Team of the Year 2011 Award this month.

CRUK's stratified medicine programme

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:01:14 +0000

CRUK have launched an initiative to create a multi-gene testing panel so that treatment with oncology drugs can in future be tailored to specific tumour characteristics.

Why grant writing is a little bit like fiction

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:04:57 +0000

Extracts in New York Times from journalist Benedict Carey's interview with Mike Gazzaniga, Professor of Psychology.

Should scientists reduce their carbon footprint?

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 09:07:48 +0000

Researchers have established manmade global warming beyond reasonable doubt, but have failed to change their own behaviour.

Centre for Macromolecular Therapies at UCL

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 13:57:29 +0000

A new Centre for Innovative Manufacturing in Emergent Macromolecular Therapies is being funded at UCL by a £4.9m grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.

First EU chief scientific adviser named

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:00:50 +0000

Europe’s first chief scientific adviser (CSA) is to be Anne Glover. She is a molecular and cell biologist and is Scotland’s CSA at present.

New board members for Crick

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 08:58:00 +0000

Lynne Gailey and Jamie Dundas have joined the Board of The Francis Crick Institute as independent directors and trustees.

Researcher arrested over missing lab notebooks

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 08:56:19 +0000

Judy Mikovits has been arrested and jailed by police in relation to a lawsuit brought by her former employer, the Whittemore Peterson Institute (WPI) in Reno, Nevada. The Institute claim that she had absconded with lab notebooks and proprietary information.

Science prizes

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 08:55:10 +0000

Steve Hill asks whether science prizes could garner more publicity by changing how they operate.

Archon Genomics X prize begins recruiting centenarians

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 09:11:18 +0000

The contest to sequence 100 complete human genomes of people who are over 100 years old in one month for $1,000 or less per genome has started its recruitment process.

UCL unveils Bloomsbury masterplan

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:45:56 +0000

UCL has set out an ambitious programme of investment in its central London estate signalling plans for continued growth over the next 10 years.

Pharma struggles as R&D costs soar

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:53:51 +0000

The cost of developing new medicines has shot up while the number of drugs in late-stage development has declined further, underlining the challenges faced by the major pharmaceutical companies.

Think tank ignores science

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:50:13 +0000

CaSE criticises a report from the Centre for Policy Studies for calling for growth while ignoring science.

Tenure can be antithetical to good science

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 09:55:08 +0000

A feature on the tenure system at Janelia Farm.

Mark Henderson moves to Wellcome

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 08:56:51 +0000

Mark Henderson, Science Editor of The Times, is to join the Wellcome Trust as its new Head of Communications.

AAAS and TWAS cooperate

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 08:55:30 +0000

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) have signed a formal agreement to pursue joint projects to enhance efforts in science and diplomacy.

Research at Janelia: Life on the farm

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 08:31:56 +0000

A profile of the HHMI Janelia Farm institute.

How research impact works in the Netherlands

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 08:25:29 +0000

The Netherlands has a workable system from which the UK could learn.

Professors are poor leaders/mentors

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 08:18:11 +0000

A lack of leadership and the failure to support and mentor junior colleagues have been highlighted in a major study of the professoriate.

Libel law reform latest

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:41:18 +0000

Hundreds of campaigners gathered in a crowded committee room in the House of Commons to tell parliamentarians that reform of the libel laws to protect public interest discussions can’t come soon enough.

Geron abandons research on stem cell therapy

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:33:16 +0000

Geron has abandoned its clinical trials of stem cell therapy

Congress slashes budget of White House science office

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 08:30:00 +0000

Frustrated that White House officials have ignored congressional language curtailing scientific collaborations with China, US legislators have decided to get their attention through a 32% cut in the tiny budget of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

New association urges medical students to pursue research careers

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 08:43:30 +0000

A student-led organisation to inform medical students about the benefits of careers in clinical research and academic medicine launches today.

RCUK strategy - talk

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 08:40:31 +0000

Steve Hill 's presentation on RCUK Strategy, addressed to Heads of University Biological Science departments: slides, together with audio of the talk.

Collaborative infection research institute launches

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:26:23 +0000

The Bloomsbury Institute for Pathogen Research (BiPR), a joint venture between UCL and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), was launched this week.

Top scientists call for rethink on immigration controls

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:34:25 +0000

Senior figures from the world of science and engineering have called for an urgent rethink on the Government’s proposals to drastically limit potential settlement rights for immigrants, warning that the changes could damage the UK’s science and engineering base.

Depression in the lab

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:35:02 +0000

Julia Richards shares her emotional struggles in getting a PhD.

Nature journal libel case

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:34:26 +0000

A libel case against the scientific journal Nature has begun in the High Court, Central London. The case has been brought against the publication by an Egyptian scientist.

Rethinking the science system

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 09:18:10 +0000

Editorial in Science urges a fundamental rethinking of the ways in which S&T are both funded and conducted.

UK Pandemic Preparedness Strategy launched

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 09:37:54 +0000

The UK wide Pandemic Preparedness Strategy 2011, which aims to ensure that the UK continues to be one of the best-prepared countries in the world, was launched today by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley.

Building an African science base

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 09:26:57 +0000

Richard Kirby asks what factors would encourage African scientists to return to Africa to help build their continent’s science base.

MRC reconfirms investment in stem cell research

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:53:05 +0000

The Council has reconfirmed its commitment to invest £130m over 4 years in stem cell and regenerative medicine research.

Drug research feels Europe's pain

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:30:59 +0000

Pharma companies see drops in revenue amid European austerity measures.

Academic freedom & FOI

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:48:37 +0000

An editorial in Nature looks at the situation in the US where the courts have more influence than in UK

UCL under scrutiny for MMR misconduct

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:51:32 +0000

Pathology records are at the centre of a new disagreement over disgraced medic Andrew Wakefield

New NSF Program Sidesteps External Peer Review

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:46:28 +0000

US researchers with an unorthodox idea in two or more scientific fields now have the chance to bypass the normal peer-review process at the National Science Foundation (NSF)

L'OREAL-UNESCO Awards For Women in Science announced

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:35:13 +0000

The winners of the awards for 2011 included Professor Frances Ashcroft of Oxford University for her work on neonatal diabetes and Professor Bonnie Bassler of Princeton University for her work on bacterial chemical communication.

AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards announced

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:31:31 +0000

The awards for best stories in print, on tv and radio announced

World Science Day

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 10:43:53 +0000

UNESCO celebrates World Science Day for Peace and Development on 10 November

Royal Society University Research Fellowships announced

Wed, 9 Nov 2011 09:21:06 +0000

The Royal Society has announced the appointment of 40 new University Research Fellows (URFs) for 2011.

Mike Ferguson joins Wellcome Trust Board of Governors

Wed, 9 Nov 2011 09:38:04 +0000

The Wellcome Trust today announces the appointment of Professor Mike Ferguson, Dean of Research for the College of Life Sciences at the University of Dundee, to its Board of Governors. Professor Ferguson will take up his position in January 2012.

Science at the service of Europe

Wed, 9 Nov 2011 09:25:21 +0000

A guide to the 2010 annual activity report of the European Commission's Research & Innovation Directorate.

Quantifying research impact

Wed, 9 Nov 2011 09:27:13 +0000

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has published a report called: Economic Impact of Publicly Funded Research Conducted by AAMC-Member Medical Schools and Teaching Hospitals.

NIHR open day

Wed, 9 Nov 2011 09:42:06 +0000

NIHR Open Day: Funding opportunities to undertake health and social care research. This one-day event will showcase the funding opportunities available through the NIHR to undertake and lead health and social care research to improve health and wellbeing in England.

News feature on the Crick Institute

Tue, 8 Nov 2011 09:45:02 +0000

Paul Nurse says that the future of biomedicine must belong to Britain.

Middle-aged researchers are the best!

Tue, 8 Nov 2011 09:28:01 +0000

A study of prizewinning scientists suggests greatest discoveries are now made by middle-aged researchers, not young ones.

New professional registers for technicians

Mon, 7 Nov 2011 10:00:37 +0000

In conjunction with the Science Council and Gatsby Charitable Foundation, The Society of Biology will implement a Professional Register for Technicians in the biosciences. This will recognise the value, expertise and impact of biology technical roles.

NC3Rs e-newsletter - Issue 38

Mon, 7 Nov 2011 09:55:07 +0000

Including NC3Rs contacts, Je-S, LinkedIn, David Sainsbury’s Fellowships, 3Rs Prize, Primate Welfare Meeting, NC3Rs/ASAB/SEB Symposium.

Translation and collaboration

Mon, 7 Nov 2011 09:32:50 +0000

This year’s theme for the fourth annual Building Bridges in Medical Science conference was translational science and interdisciplinary research.

Lords Committee enquiry into science in HE

Fri, 4 Nov 2011 12:44:02 +0000

The House of Lords Science and Technology Select Committee have launched an inquiry into higher education in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics).

Sussex science policy centre keen to ‘challenge’ government

Fri, 4 Nov 2011 12:37:38 +0000

The Science Policy Research department known as SPRU at the University of Sussex is making a serious bid to revive its glory years with the appointment of several big names to its line-up of experts in research policy.

NC3Rs grants move to RCUK SSC

Fri, 4 Nov 2011 11:52:29 +0000

From 2012, all grant applications must be submitted via Je-S and both new applications and existing grants will be managed via the Research Councils' Shared Services Centre.

Gender equality in science?

Fri, 4 Nov 2011 09:08:49 +0000

A Gender Summit next week must make an unambiguous call for Horizon 2020 to embrace specific measures to put women scientists on an equal footing with their male counterparts.

Democratic experiments in science

Fri, 4 Nov 2011 09:34:57 +0000

In the Times Higher, Jon Turney looks at the notion of vox populi research.

Tiago Branco wins 2011 Eppendorf & Science Prize

Fri, 4 Nov 2011 09:21:26 +0000

Tiago Branco is the 2011 grand prize winner in the annual international competition for The Eppendorf & Science Prize for Neurobiology.

Society of Biology Science Communication and Photography awards

Fri, 4 Nov 2011 09:32:12 +0000

This year’s winners of the Science Communication and Photography Awards were David Spiegelhalter, from University of Cambridge (Established Researcher category) and Emily Robinson, a PhD student at the University of Manchester (New Researcher category).

US report says STEM graduates are in high demand

Fri, 4 Nov 2011 09:12:43 +0000

A new report says that, in the US, university graduates with skills in science, technology, engineering, and maths are in high demand in non-STEM jobs.

Scientists and the media must give a balanced view

Thu, 3 Nov 2011 10:44:32 +0000

James Shelton questions sensationalised media reporting of science.

Research cuts hit the DNA business

Thu, 3 Nov 2011 10:42:17 +0000

Sales of sequencing machines to research labs are squeezed, but firms hope for profits for clinical diagnostic testing.

Erich Loewy dies

Thu, 3 Nov 2011 10:39:05 +0000

One of the leading figures in bioethics has died age 83.

Science careers - a fair hearing?

Thu, 3 Nov 2011 10:37:33 +0000

A more detailed report on the recent roundtable discussion at Royal Society by one of the participants.

Proposed reforms for WHO priorities

Thu, 3 Nov 2011 10:47:06 +0000

Transcript of Dr Margaret Chan's speak to WHO Executive Board

Spanish institute faces cash crisis

Wed, 2 Nov 2011 11:06:01 +0000

About 100 researchers at the Prince Felipe Research Centre (CIPF) in Valencia expect to lose their jobs. The remaining staff will have salaries halved.

Clinical Practice Research Datalink launched

Wed, 2 Nov 2011 11:04:31 +0000

The Department of Health’s NIHR in partnership with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have announced the creation of a new Clinical Practice Research Datalink service, which will provide a ground breaking service to help researchers analyse a wide range of health data that should lead to more effective treatments and better health outcomes.

Research careers - opening the discussion

Tue, 1 Nov 2011 10:25:05 +0000

The Royal Society President and the Minister for Universities and Science recently hosted roundtable discussion on research careers. It looked at issues affecting PhD students and postdoctoral researchers as they either aim to progress in science or move out into other careers.

San Raffaele Institute and Hospital saved from bankruptcy

Tue, 1 Nov 2011 10:18:53 +0000

The Vatican Bank and an Italian entrepreneur have rescued the San Raffaele del Monte Tabor Foundation and hence given a new lease of life to Italy's most prestigious private biomedical research centre - The San Raffaele Institute and Hospital.

Exchange fellowships in regenerative medicine annouced

Tue, 1 Nov 2011 10:14:51 +0000

The UK and Israel will establish a joint fellowship exchange scheme to further enhance collaboration between the countries in the area of regenerative medicine.Funding for scheme will come from Medical Research Council and Israeli Ministry of of Science and Technology: each partner will commit funding of up to £50,000.

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University approved

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:49:29 +0000

Proposed in 2001, the OIST has existed as a research institute backed by several Nobel laureates since 2005, The Japanese cabinet has just approved the law which recognises it as graduate education facility and allows them to recruit students in 2012.

New research campus in New York City - bidders reveal themselves

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:44:55 +0000

At least five teams, made up of a lead university with other academic and industrial partners, have bid for the funding and land which Major Bloomberg announced in July

Max Planck Society opens South American outpost

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:40:48 +0000

The Society has formed a partnership with National Research Council of Argentina to open the Biomedicine Research Institute of Buenos Aires (IBioBA–MPSP)

An "un-retraction"

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:32:50 +0000

Retraction Watch reports that a paper was originally retracted after the senior investigator identified problems with the validity of the research, during the editing phase of publication. The questioned work has been redone and the paper resurrected with changed authors.

Science Funding queried in Parliament

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:32:34 +0100

Science funding was the subject of an oral question to the Secretary of Sate for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) on Wednesday.

US bill targets grantee salaries

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:28:08 +0100

Cost-saving measure would reduce maximum amount paid to biomedical researchers funded by federal agencies.

Jackson Lab expansion in Connecticut funded

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:25:49 +0100

The Connecticut legislature approved $291 million in bonds to fund the new laboratory, which will use computer and animal models to study complex diseases.

German Universities get €5.8 million for new Imaging Mass Spec Tools

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:21:17 +0100

Nine universities will get grants under German Research Foundation's Imaging Spectrometry in Life Sciences Initiative.

NLM honors winners of software development challenge

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 11:30:15 +0100

The winning applications can help people learn about anatomy, help researchers find gene information in research literature, and help people sift through large amounts of scientific and medical information.

Science: writing the future

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:24:57 +0100

Writing in Guardian blog the Science minister David Willetts explores the challenges facing science writing and highlights a new initiative to promote the use of online media to communicate science.

Daniel Turnberg Travel Fellowships

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 10:21:32 +0100

The Academy of Medical Sciences have announced a fourth round of funding for short-term exchanges of researchers between institutions in UK and Middle East.

Sir Henry Dale Fellowships: new joint grants from Royal Society and Wellcome Trust

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:41:00 +0100

The Royal Society and Wellcome Trust have announce a new joint fellowship: Sir Henry Dale Fellowship. It aims to nurture future world leaders in biomedicine. Applications for award will open in Spring 2012.

Cambridge V-C questions government commitment to post-graduate funding

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:27:18 +0100

Sir Leszek Borysiewicz defended research as "inherent to the very fibre of a university" and bemoaned the governments silence over persistent concerns about post-graduate funding.

Grants for independent science

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:23:26 +0100

A US billionaire has launched a program called Breakout Labs. It will fund "revolutionary" science by independent scientists and small start-up companies unable to attract venture capital.

Wellcome Library Fellow to work on Crick papers

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 11:33:26 +0100

The Trust has appointed their first Library Fellow :Dr Christine Aicardi. For next 2 years she will work on a project on Francis Crick's career looking at his papers and obtaining oral testimony from scientists . This project is part of the Library's strategic digitisation project, "Modern Genetics and its Foundations".

Silver lining from European stem-cell patent ban?

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:23:33 +0100

Researchers can work without fear of action over patent infringement

Topping out at Institute for Animal Health

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:21:19 +0100

David Willetts lead ceremony to top out the £100M+ world-class laboratory build.

Science Europe - new body for European research heads

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:37:42 +0100

Science Europe has replace EuroHORCS. It aims to give Research Councils and other research funders a stronger voice in policy making at the European Commission. Paul Boyle (RCUK International Champion and Chief Executive of ESRC) has been elected as the first President.

REF emphasis on article quality, not on which journal published it

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:31:08 +0100

David Willetts (Universities and Science Minister) used his Gareth Roberts Science Policy lecture to underline that 2014 REF would judge outputs by "quality, quality, quality, not location, location, location".

Research matters

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 11:14:12 +0100

Rick Rylance, writing in the Independent, outlines two main ways that researchers can influence the economy.

NAO report criticises RCUK SSC (summary)

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 08:32:14 +0100

From the Times Higher: The research councils might never recoup the money they have spent on the troubled Shared Services Centre, the National Audit Office has warned in a critical report.

NAO report on the RCUK SSC (full report)

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 08:33:11 +0100

The implementation of a project to create a centre to streamline back-office functions for the seven research councils has so far not been good value for money and there is a risk that the councils may not recover their investment.

Broad Institute breaks ground on new building

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 09:20:27 +0100

The Broad Institute broke ground Wednesday on a new research facility at Kendall Square in Cambridge, Mass., that will dramatically boost its lab and office spaces and connect with its main science building.

Harvard launches systems approach to drug discovery

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 09:16:12 +0100

Harvard Medical School is launching the Initiative in Systems Pharmacology, a comprehensive strategy to transform drug discovery by convening biologists, chemists, pharmacologists, physicists, computer scientists, and clinicians to explore together how drugs work in complex systems.

What price equality?

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 09:04:39 +0100

Athene Donald asks what will it take for true equality to occur, not just in academic science but in employment anywhere?

Bright Club - science and comedy

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 08:44:54 +0100

Steve Cross, head of public engagement at UCL, created academic comedy nights in response to a specific challenge: to find a way of engaging with people in "the great demographic gap" between the ages of 20 and 40.

UK Research Base - full report

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:06:47 +0100

The report on International Comparative Performance of the UK Research Base: 2011 was produced by Elsevier for the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Round up of reports on the state of UK science

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:41:47 +0100

A blizzard of new statistics on the strength of the UK’s research base has appeared, with the publication of three reports on the topic.

Royal Society comments on UK research base

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:53:13 +0100

Laura Dawson, senior policy adviser at the Royal Society, comments on the health of the UK research base.

UK research investment over time

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:50:45 +0100

Steven Hill shows how the general pattern of UK research investment has varied over time.

Marie Curie Industry-Academia Partnerships and Pathways

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:30:51 +0100

The European Commission has published a call for proposals under the Marie Curie Industry-Academia Partnerships and Pathways.

Industry urged to back UK research

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:08:57 +0100

The business world's "counter-intuitive" failure to capitalise on the UK's ever-increasing research excellence needs to be addressed by the government, the author of a report into UK research has said.

Profile of Doug Kell, BBSRC chief

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:13:15 +0100

Interview with Doug Kell, Chief Executive of the BBSRC, in the Times Higher

Citizen science is flourishing

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:11:12 +0100

The Times Higher profiles some prominent citizen scientists

Treat donors as partners in biobank research?

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:19:22 +0100

Proposed rules to protect research subjects will impede progress, say Krishanu Saha and J. Benjamin Hurlbut in Nature. Instead, give donors more say in how samples are used.

UK research is excellent, but under pressure

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:24:21 +0100

The UK research base is the most productive in the world but its position could be threatened by relatively low investment, a government-commissioned report warns.

CaSE comments on science indicators

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:40:35 +0100

CaSE have highlighted some of the findings they found interesting in the 2011 SET (Science, Engineering and Technology) Statistics.

Calls for research integrity watchdog dismissed

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:26:06 +0100

The government and the research councils have rejected suggestions that the UK needs a specific body to police research integrity.

NIH budget crunch

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:46:51 +0100

The grim outlook for biomedical research funding is causing much angst at the $30.7 billion National Institutes of Health (NIH). In an unusually candid move this week, NIH described some of its tough choices in detail and reached out to the scientific community for advice about how to keep afloat the labs of the investigators it funds.

Guide to success in your research career

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:42:24 +0100

Danny Altman, from Wellcome trust, comments on the value of a good supervisor and mentor.

Chris Kaiser to lead NIH’s NIGMS

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:38:50 +0100

Chris A. Kaiser, a cell biologist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has been chosen to lead NIH’s National Institute of General Medical Sciences from spring 2012.

Court bans embryonic stem cell patents

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:36:54 +0100

Procedures that involve human embryonic stem cells cannot be patented, the European Court of Justice has declared.

BioCurious - a hackerspace

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 08:34:46 +0100

BioCurious is a hackerspace. It allows everyone from amateur explorers to professional scientists to have access to a stocked lab for conducting biotech research.

Rescue for The Scientist?

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 09:03:10 +0100

LabX Media Group, based in Ontario, has announced it has signed a nonbinding Letter of Intent to purchase The Scientist from its current owner, Sciencenow Inc.

ERC awards proof of concept grants

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 09:02:00 +0100

The European Research Council (ERC) has announced the first results of its new funding initiative, the Proof of Concept.

Appointments to Research Councils

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 08:59:57 +0100

The Appointments Panels for five of the UK Research Councils are inviting applications to fill a number of vacancies on their governing Councils which are expected to arise during 2012.

New guidelines for monitoring clinical academic training

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 08:58:34 +0100

The Academy of Medical Sciences has worked with a number of organisations to update the ‘Guidelines for monitoring clinical academic training and progress’.

Malcolm Grant to take on new NHS role

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 08:54:08 +0100

The Secretary of State for Health has named Professor Malcolm Grant (UCL President & Provost) as his preferred choice to chair the NHS Commissioning Board.

MRC Senior Non-Clinical Fellowships to become seven year awards

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 09:16:11 +0100

The MRC has announced that it is to increase the duration of new Senior Non-Clinical Fellowships (SNCF) from five to seven years.

Swedish fellowship program for young researchers

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 09:09:13 +0100

A new funding program in Sweden aims to help young scientists from around the world bridge the gap between their postdoctoral years and their first academic position.

Is the problem of science careers insoluble?

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 09:47:29 +0100

Athene Donald says that reforming the postdoc career structure is something that needs to be thought carefully about, but it is inevitable there will be disappointments.

Structural Genomics Consortium launches consultation

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:57:40 +0100

The Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC) is carrying out a consultation exercise to assess the level of convergence of priorities and interests between the SGC and UK biomedical research communities.

NSF tries to define 'impact'

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:44:58 +0100

In the US, an NSF task force has drafted a new set of principles for reviewers and applicants, defining what NSF means by broader impacts.

EMBO and Singapore cooperate

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:32:38 +0100

Scientists in Singapore and Europe will have new avenues for scientific interaction, following a cooperation agreement between EMBO, its intergovernmental funding body, EMBC, and the government of Singapore

Cancer Research Technology appoints new Chairman

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:45:16 +0100

Cancer Research Technology, the commercial arm of Cancer Research UK, has announced announced the appointment of Peter Chambre as its new chairman.

Sainsbury criticises impact agenda

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:30:52 +0100

The government is making a serious error in pursuing the impact element of the research excellence framework and risks a resulting "misallocation" of science funding, former Labour science minister Lord Sainsbury has warned.

NIHR fellowships - information for round 5

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:25:08 +0100

The NIHR Fellowships Round 5 will be launched at the end of October 2011. Applicants that are intending to apply should note that there have been a couple of significant changes to the application form.

Immunologist in misconduct probe

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:28:23 +0100

A senior academic currently suspended by the University of Liverpool is carrying out his own investigation into alleged data duplication and plagiarism in several of his 70 published papers.

MEP-scientist pairing scheme

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:16:52 +0100

The third MEP-Scientist Pairing Scheme will take place 21-24 November 2011. The scheme aims to support the development of relationships between MEPs and scientists to improve access to scientific advice and deepen scientists’ understanding of the role of science in policy-making.

Translational research in USA

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:55:36 +0100

The United States publishes more biomedical research papers than ever before, yet drug development is stagnating. Several new initiatives aim to turn this knowledge into new remedies.

Academy responds to government research and innovation reviews

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:14:58 +0100

The Academy of Medical Sciences has been providing advice to Government on how medical science can be harnessed to deliver economic growth through contributions to the Office of Life Sciences Review, Innovation and Research Strategy and NHS Innovation Review.

Steinman's research and his fight with cancer

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:44:17 +0100

Nobel-prizewinner Ralph Steinman tried to beat his cancer with vaccines based on the dendritic cells he discovered. Article in Nature News.

From the Nobel Lindau meeting

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:57:08 +0100

Each year, the world's finest scientific minds, from Nobel laureates to aspiring young researchers, meet on the island of Lindau. This Nature Outlook examines the areas of biomedical science that challenge and inspire these pre-eminent investigators.

Time capsule buried under the Crick

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 08:34:10 +0100

A time capsule was buried under the Francis Crick Institute building site. The participation of Kings College and Imperial College was formalised.

Science and Technology in Society forum

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 09:06:11 +0100

The Science and Technology in Society forum is an annual meeting aimed at creating a global human network based on trust and providing a framework for open discussions regarding the further progress of science.

US closer to allowing more STEM immigration

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 09:13:02 +0100

The US Congress could be inching closer to allowing more high-skilled foreign workers to remain in the country.

Vince Cable speech on innovation

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 09:08:49 +0100

Vince Cable speech at Innovate 2011, Design Centre, Islington.

Open innovation at Stevenage

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:34:43 +0100

Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst (SBC) is the UK’s first open innovation bioscience campus, due to open at the beginning of next year.

NSF launches SAVI - Science Across Virtual Institutes

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:30:35 +0100

The US National Science Foundation (NSF) has launched Science Across Virtual Institutes (SAVI), an effort to motivate collaboration among scientists and educators around the globe to spur scientific discovery.

The MRC Annual Review 2010/11

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 09:35:11 +0100

The MRC Annual Review 2010/11 explores how taking a new perspective on a research problem can be a catalyst for scientific discovery.

Contagion - film review

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 09:31:30 +0100

A review on LabLit of the film "Contagion".

The Scientist magazine comes to an end

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 09:25:03 +0100

After 25 years, the magazine 'The Scientist' has ceased publishing.

News from Science is Vital

Fri, 7 Oct 2011 09:09:31 +0100

The latest news from the Science Careers campaign, run by Science is Vital.

Early clinical careers scheme open for applications

Fri, 7 Oct 2011 09:28:39 +0100

A new scheme from Wellcome is for talented clinicians who have recently obtained a higher degree (typically a PhD) and wish to undertake a period of postdoctoral research training in the best laboratories in the UK and overseas.

Disagreement in science

Fri, 7 Oct 2011 09:45:59 +0100

Consensus reports are the bedrock of science-based policy-making. But disagreement and arguments are more useful, says Daniel Sarewitz in Nature

Scientific careers and employment rights

Fri, 7 Oct 2011 09:40:22 +0100

Editorial in EMBO Reports on the conflict between the needs of a scientific career and national employment law.

NIHR translational partnerships

Fri, 7 Oct 2011 09:30:10 +0100

The Government has launched the first two National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) partnerships for early stage health research.

Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst

Fri, 7 Oct 2011 09:12:30 +0100

William Cullerne-Bown highlights funding problems at the Stevenage site.

POSTnote on clinical trials

Fri, 7 Oct 2011 09:37:14 +0100

This POSTnote summarises some of the most important reasons behind the decline in the number of trials held in the UK, and the actions being taken to improve the situation.

Decipher my Data

Fri, 7 Oct 2011 09:45:19 +0100

Decipher my Data is a project that encourages scientists to work with school students on real research to produce better results than either could achieve on their own.

Genomics is not enough

Fri, 7 Oct 2011 09:09:15 +0100

Despite innumerable successful gene discoveries through genomics, a major impediment is our lack of knowledge of how these genes affect the fundamental biological mechanisms that are dysregulated in disease, Aravinda Chakravarti writes in Science magazine.

Crisis in science careers? A report

Thu, 6 Oct 2011 09:06:37 +0100

The Science is Vital campaign has produced a report for David Willetts called x``"Careering Out of Control: A Crisis in the UK Science Profession?"

World University rankings

Thu, 6 Oct 2011 08:52:49 +0100

The Times Higher world university rankings for 2011 have been published.

Turning science into economic benefit

Thu, 6 Oct 2011 09:49:46 +0100

Richard Jones asks "Why isn’t the UK more successful at converting its excellent science into wealth creating businesses?"

Smart Petri dishes

Thu, 6 Oct 2011 09:47:30 +0100

Engineers at Caltech are transforming the way cell cultures are imaged by using a cell phone as ePetri, a smart petri dish.

Is consent for tissue samples a good thing?

Thu, 6 Oct 2011 09:30:24 +0100

Swedish researchers argue in the BMJ that argue that the requirements for consent not only defeats the interest of society but also runs counter to the interests of the individuals it purports to protect.

Careers in bioinformatics

Thu, 6 Oct 2011 09:22:48 +0100

Modern biologists need to be able to manage large data sets and explore new computational tools.

The trouble with retractions

Thu, 6 Oct 2011 09:17:36 +0100

A surge in withdrawn papers is highlighting weaknesses in the system for handling them.

Wellcome book prize shortlist announced

Thu, 6 Oct 2011 09:34:43 +0100

The Wellcome Trust Book Prize today announces its third ever shortlist for works of fiction and non-fiction on the theme of health, illness or medicine.

Scientific red cards

Thu, 6 Oct 2011 09:19:36 +0100

A website is making an inventory of scientific publications for which research misconduct has been assessed.

Stem cell awareness day

Wed, 5 Oct 2011 11:12:49 +0100

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 marks Stem Cell Awareness Day.

The XMRV story still rumbles along

Wed, 5 Oct 2011 08:54:32 +0100

The researcher at the heart of the CFS/ME and XMRV story has been fired, and separately accused of figure manipulation.

Europe cuts funding red tape

Wed, 5 Oct 2011 08:48:21 +0100

Horizon 2020, the next round of the European Union's research programme, includes modest yet significant reforms that could make the vast pot of funds easier for researchers to tap.

Willetts wants to open up universities to business

Wed, 5 Oct 2011 08:40:46 +0100

All business people should be able to “knock on the doors” of a university and ask for training and help with research, David Willetts has told the Conservative Party conference.

Paul Nurse talks to AC Grayling

Tue, 4 Oct 2011 13:55:43 +0100

In an absorbing, engaging hour, Sir Paul answered everything from ‘What is a cell?’ to questions about his own heredity; from ‘What is cancer?’ to how we can best debate the ethical issues that science throws up.

Nature on the Nobel prize for Medicine

Tue, 4 Oct 2011 08:40:51 +0100

Nature gives a bit more background.

Major new investment in science

Tue, 4 Oct 2011 08:36:16 +0100

The government has announced nearly £200 million in new science capital spending.

Scientists have economic arguments on their side

Tue, 4 Oct 2011 08:46:47 +0100

The £50m that George Osborne has announced to support further research into graphene is welcome but not enough.

Three new board chairs for MRC

Mon, 3 Oct 2011 15:10:07 +0100

Three new research board chairs have been appointed by the MRC’s Council.

Ralph Steinman, 1943-2011

Mon, 3 Oct 2011 14:18:41 +0100

Ralph M. Steinman, just awarded the Nobel Prize for his work on dendritic cells, passed away on September 30. He was 68.

Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology goes to Beutler, Hoffmann and Steinman

Mon, 3 Oct 2011 10:34:51 +0100

The 2011 Nobel Prize for Medicine or Physiology has been awawrded to Bruce A. Beutler and Jules A. Hoffmann for their work on innate immunity, and Ralph M. Steinman for his work on dendritic cells.

MRC Human Genetics Unit joins University

Mon, 3 Oct 2011 09:07:12 +0100

As from the 1st October 2011, more than 200 staff and students from the MRC Human Genetics Unit will join the University of Edinburgh.

Responsibilities of scientists

Mon, 3 Oct 2011 09:09:38 +0100

The General Assembly of the International Council for Science (ICSU) has reaffirmed the universal values that should guide the conduct of science. It explicitly recognized the key social responsibilities of the scientific community that need to accompany the free practice of science.

Women scientists in developing world honoured

Mon, 3 Oct 2011 09:12:41 +0100

Eleven talented women scientists from Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean have been honoured for their research excellence.

Jackson Lab plans new genome institute

Mon, 3 Oct 2011 08:54:07 +0100

The Jackson Laboratory plans to build a genomic medicine research center in Connecticut.

NIH program allows junior investigators to fast-track

Mon, 3 Oct 2011 08:47:55 +0100

An NIH program designed to accelerate the entry of outstanding junior investigators into independent researcher positions immediately following completion of their graduate research degree or clinical residency has announced its first recipients.

2011 IgNobel prizes

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 10:28:13 +0100

An alarm that squirts essence of wasabi, yawning tortoises and an analysis of why people sigh have won Ig Nobel prizes

Europe 'punches above its weight' in biomedical research

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:09:43 +0100

The European Science Foundation's EMRC publishes new White Paper assessing the current status of biomedical research in Europe in a global context.

Global consortium of mouse genetics kicks off

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 10:20:08 +0100

Over the next five years, NIH-funded researchers will extensively test and generate data about mice with disrupted genes to gain clues about human diseases. NIH is investing more than $110 million to begin the second phase of the Knockout Mouse Project (KOMP). The EBI, Sanger Institute and MRC Harwell are also involved.

European PhD students are underfunded

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 10:23:51 +0100

A Europewide survey of working conditions for young researchers says that money is the most pressing concern for European doctoral students.

Competition to support intellectual property projects

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 10:25:37 +0100

The Fast Forward Competition encourages Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Public Sector Research Establishments (PSREs) to work together with businesses and local communities to share research, innovation and intellectual property

What scientists know and don't know

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:56:00 +0100

It's important to know that not all scientists are experts on every subject, says blogger Janet Stemwedel.

NIH forms Down syndrome consortium

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 10:19:25 +0100

National Institutes of Health has joined with organizations interested in Down syndrome to form a consortium that will foster the exchange of information on biomedical and biobehavioral research on the chromosomal condition.

Obituary of Bernadine Healy

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:49:36 +0100

Obituary of Bernadine Healy, the first woman to lead the U.S. National Institutes of Health. In Science magazine.

Reviving UK life sciences

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:31:42 +0100

John Martin, writing in the Times Higher, prescribes a radical plan to revive UK life sciences while funding universities in their broadest mission.

Why animal research needs to improve

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:39:16 +0100

Many of the studies that use animals to model human diseases are too small and too prone to bias to be trusted, says Malcolm Macleod writing in Nature.

Fund people not projects

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:42:47 +0100

John P. A. Ioannidis, in Nature, proposes ways to save scientists from spending all their time writing grants.

Principal Investigators and Research Leaders Survey

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:28:30 +0100

Report of the Principal Investigators and Research Leaders Survey conducted by HEIs in spring 2011. The survey is designed to gather the anonymous views and experiences of research leaders in UK HEIs.

Winners of the EU Contest for Young Scientists

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:49:28 +0100

The winners of the EU contest for young scientists have been announced.

Wellcome News - autumn issue

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:59:31 +0100

The autumn issue of the Wellcome Trust magazine is out. It includes an interview with Wellcome Trust Investigator Sara Rankin, the secrets of zebrafish and X-ray art.

European Institute of Innovation & Technology

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:47:02 +0100

As he bows out as the founding chair of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, Martin Schuurmans is happy with what has been achieved, but says it should not have taken so long

Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:56:42 +0100

The White House has selected 20 NIH funded scientists for the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers Award.

Four ways to fix the clinical trial

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:41:32 +0100

Clinical trials are crumbling under modern economic and scientific pressures. Nature looks at ways they might be saved.

Bevy of molecular biologists win US science medals

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 10:58:15 +0100

President Obama has named 7 winners of the National Science Medal and 5 winners of National Medal of Technology and Innovation. Many of the medals have been awarded to molecular biologists.

NIH budget trimmed under Senate plan

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 10:20:51 +0100

The Senate Appropriations Committee's plans for the 2012 budget for National Institute of Health include a cut to $30.5 billion. The National Human Genome Research Institute budget will be cut by 1%, however there will be launch funding for National Center for Advancing Translational Research.

Randomness in medical research funding in Australia

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 10:53:20 +0100

An analysis of grant assessments by National Health and Medical Research Council in 2009 has found randomness and that the current process is expensive.

Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books shortlist announced

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 10:04:26 +0100

The Royal Society has announced the 6 books on the shortlist for the prize which will be awarded on 17th November

Rebecca Skloot's "The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks" wins National Academies Communications Award

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 11:18:01 +0100

The book won the Best Book Award. It was praised as a "compelling and graceful use of narrative that illuminates the human and ethical issues of scientific research and medical advances".

Technology transfer in Boston

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 08:40:59 +0100

Profile of one of Boston University's tech transfer officers.

EU R&D statistics

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 08:36:29 +0100

The Innovation Union Competitiveness Report 2011 looks at the health of R&D across the EU and provides country-specific analysis on selected indicators.

Research bodies press for clinical trial rule changes

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 08:32:19 +0100

Sixteen of Europe’s top medical research bodies state their case for urgent reform of clinical trials regulations as they begin to prepare the ground for the parliamentary debate on rule changes, expected next year.

Flaws in the innovation system

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 08:57:46 +0100

A new treatment for prostate cancer launched in the UK this week. The drug was discovered by scientists in London, funded by the public. Science Business asks why is it owned by a US pharma giant?

XMRV - the full story

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 08:39:52 +0100

A report in Science 2 years ago that linked a mouse retrovirus, XMRV, to chronic fatigue syndrome astonished scientists and patients alike. But the theory soon began to take hits, and now, to all but a few researchers, it has completely unraveled.

XMRV - BBC website coverage

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 09:10:11 +0100

The BBC website has a quote from Jonathan Stoye on the XMRV saga.

Europe's first embryonic stem cell clinical trial

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 08:53:57 +0100

Eye surgeon James Bainbridge of Moorfields Eye Hospital and University College London will lead a UK trial that will treat 12 patients with Stargardt's macular dystrophy.

Select Committee on Science & Technol - transcript of spending review evidence

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 08:53:49 +0100

Oral evidence taken before the Science and Technology Committee about the Spending Review 2010. Evidence taken on Wednesday 14 september 2011. From Professor David Delpy, Professor Keith Mason, Professor Rick Rylance, Dr Steven Wilson and Professor Sir John Savill; Rt Hon David Willetts MP.

Nobel forecasts

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 08:46:30 +0100

David Pendlebury, an analyst for Thomson Reuters, has been predicting the winners of Nobel prizes in physics, chemistry, economics and physiology or medicine since 2002.

Cracking the challenge - reducing our reliance on animal research

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 09:29:49 +0100

The National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) has launched a new funding scheme, the CRACK IT Challenges.

Row over chemistry funding continues

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 08:41:18 +0100

The chief executive of EPSRC has accused protesting academics of an "overreaction".

Daresbury high-tech business centre

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:45:00 +0100

A new building has opened at the Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus, offering office and laboratory space focused on science and technology for the circa 100 businesses located there, and to attract new high-tech firms to the Cheshire campus.

Joint synthetic biology initiative

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:39:46 +0100

The Joint Synthetic Biology Initiative is a partnership between BBSRC, DSTL, EPSRC and MRC.

Scientists and social media

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 09:18:29 +0100

Are scientists embracing the power of social media, or still living in the dark ages when it comes to communication in the 21st century?

NIH awards grants for innovative ideas

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 09:08:13 +0100

The National Institutes of Health will award $143.8 million to challenge the status quo with innovative ideas that have the potential to propel fields forward and speed the translation of research into improved health.

Nine scientists receive MacArthur Foundation genius grants

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 09:06:37 +0100

The MacArthur Foundation has awarded its annual round of prizes — US$500,000 'no strings attached' grants often called the 'genius grants'. Among this year’s 22 recipients are nine scientists.

OECD publishes 2011 science indicators

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 09:05:17 +0100

The OECD Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard analyses the major trends in knowledge and innovation, presenting a policy-oriented review of science, technology, innovation and industrial performance in OECD and major non-OECD countries.

What are scientists really like?

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 09:03:43 +0100

Stephen Curry has made a film by interviewing six different scientists, to give them a chance to share their stories. They talk openly about how they got into science, why they like doing it, what they think it takes to be a good scientist.

Moving discoveries from lab to market

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 08:52:28 +0100

President Barack Obama has announced several new initiatives to speed up the transfer of research from the laboratory to the market.

UK scientists challenge creationism in schools

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 08:48:08 +0100

Thirty prominent U.K. scientists have released a statement raising concern about the teaching of creationism in British publicly-funded schools.

Global disease fund must change

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 08:45:51 +0100

A review of the Global Fund to fight against Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, has called for profound reform of the fund.

Netherlands pushes for innovation

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 09:08:46 +0100

The Netherlands wants to become one of the world's top five knowledge economies by 2020, according to a plan presented to Dutch parliament.

New framework for developing researchers trialled in Europe

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 09:49:23 +0100

The Researcher Development Framework (RDF) developed in the UK by Vitae with universities and research institutes, is now being trialled across Europe.

Young people recognise the value of science

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 09:19:16 +0100

School pupils are interested in science at school and recognize that studying science could lead to a better career, according to a new report from the Wellcome Trust.

MRC Network Sept/Oct 2011

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:14:29 +0100

Industrial strength research - £10m MRC/Industry initiative in inflammation research; Opinion: Dr Richard Smith says the future’s bright for open access publishing; Gambian unit wins Gates’ grant; plus the usual news, funding & people sections.

The European Research Area

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 12:13:11 +0100

It’s hard to care about the European Research Area. But creating a single market for research is important and the Commission needs to show the world why.

New group to look at expanding access to research

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 12:11:09 +0100

A new independent working group has been set up to examine how UK-funded research findings can be made more accessible.

Two visions for USA science

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 09:30:34 +0100

A clash is under way in Washington, DC, between two starkly different visions for the U.S. government's role in research and development.

Tanzanian scientist wins Royal Society Pfizer Award

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 08:50:34 +0100

Dr Julie Makani, who is working to save the lives of people with Sickle Cell Disease in Tanzania, has been awarded the Royal Society Pfizer Award.

Paul Nurse interviewed in New Scientist

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 08:32:00 +0100

It is time to reject political movements that turn their backs on science, says Nobel prizewinner and Royal Society president Paul Nurse.

Consultation on European Research Area

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 08:48:45 +0100

More than a decade after it was first mooted, the Commission is looking for new ideas for the proposed single market in research, as the deadline for its formation looms.

How important are doctoral students to research?

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 08:19:25 +0100

many graduate students feel that despite having worked hard they will not be able to get a Meaningful research position, reports Jon Cartwright in the Times Higher.

MRC sees fall in grant winners

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 08:11:09 +0100

The Medical Research Council's success rate for grant applications has declined by another percentage point, in spite of a drop in applications and real-terms protection for its budget.

Data sharing

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 08:51:43 +0100

Adherence to data-sharing policies is as inconsistent as the policies themselves, reports Nature News.

Artists in the lab

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 08:33:11 +0100

Martin Kemp, writing in Nature, explores the nature of science/art collaborations after 15 years of major initiatives around the world.

Building the ideal environment for medical research

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 10:01:57 +0100

Cancer Research UK has published a report urging the Government to set out a clear vision for research and innovation (in its forthcoming strategy), demonstrating how the UK will provide a stable environment for medical research to enable life sciences to be a key driver of economic growth.

UK science funding is declining

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:38:40 +0100

A new report by CaSE has revealed an alarming decline in UK science and engineering funding, despite political pledges to protect such investment.

Ludwig Institute to close another branch

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:37:33 +0100

The Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR) plans to close its colorectal-cancer centre in Parkville, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia.

Royal Society announces Wolfson Merit Awards

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:21:21 +0100

The Royal Society has announced the appointment of twenty-six new Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award holders. The scheme provides up to 5 years’ funding after which the award holder continues with a permanent post at the host university.

ELIXIR moves forward

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:40:43 +0100

Five countries plus the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to catalyse the implementation and construction of ELIXIR, Europe's emerging research infrastructure for life-science information.

Study finds researchers favour open access publishing

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:55:30 +0100

Scientists are increasingly happy to publish in open access journals and think publicly-funded research results should be free.

Society of Biology Travelling Fellowship

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:54:14 +0100

Apply for a Society of Biology £500 travelling fellowship for biology overseas.

BBSRC funding to help control emerging diseases

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:44:13 +0100

A collaboration between BBSRC, NSF and NIH will provide more than £3.5M new funding for research aimed at controlling the transmission of diseases amongst humans, animals and the environment.

Bigger role for Royal Society?

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:14:23 +0100

Sir Paul Nurse, President of the Royal Society, plans a wider role for Britain's national science academy.

Government response to Select Committee report on the Crick

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 11:32:17 +0100

The Government Response to the Science & Technology Committee's Report on the UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation (UKCMRI).

Keio prize for Philip Beachy

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 08:53:40 +0100

Philip Beachy, from Stanford, has been awarded the 2011 Keio prize for his work on the identification of Hedgehog, a key molecule in development, and its medical applications.

Lasker prizes for Hartl and Horwich; Youyou; NIH Clinical Centre

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 08:24:18 +0100

The 2011 Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award has gone to Franz-Ulrich Hartl, of the Max Planck Institute for Biochemistry and Arthur Horwich, of Yale. Tu Youyou, of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences in Beijing, won the Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award for her work with the drug artemisinin. The NIH Clinical Centre was awarded the Lasker/Bloomberg Public Service Award for its innovative therapy and high-quality patient care.

Young researchers given funding boost from ERC

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 08:20:16 +0100

Hundreds of early-career researchers across Europe are set to receive increased financial support from the European Research Council (ERC) as it announces its funding programme for the next five years.

List of ERC winners in life sciences

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 08:51:00 +0100

The European Research Council (ERC) is supporting some 480 early-career researchers over the coming five years with grants worth up to €2 million each. 35% of them are in Life Sciences.

Negative results get harder to publish?

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 08:41:17 +0100

Scientific research may be in decline across the globe because of growing pressures to report only positive results, new analysis suggests.

Dodgy data ends up in court

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 08:22:25 +0100

Two cancer patients and six families of deceased patients who had enrolled in clinical trials based on geneticist Anil Potti’s allegedly flawed data are suing the researcher, a collaborator, Duke University, where he worked, and several Duke officials.

Public Engagement with Research catalysts - funding call

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 08:19:14 +0100

Research Councils UK have announced a new funding call for embedding public engagement with research in UK Higher Education Institutions.

Researcher infected from possible lab accident

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 08:29:52 +0100

A University of Chicago researcher was hospitalized with a skin infection caused by a common bacterium being studied in her lab.

The new face of pharma

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 08:46:33 +0100

Stephen Whitehead, CEO of the ABPI, gives his first public speech and explains his vision for the future of the pharmaceutical industry

Why we still need science graduates

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 08:31:33 +0100

Imran Khan writes that there is emphatically still a need for more scientists and engineers.

US passes patent reform bill

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 08:26:47 +0100

US inventors are set for an easier time getting and defending patents following the passage of a long-awaited patent reform bill by the US Senate.

Chinese Academy of Sciences row

Fri, 9 Sep 2011 09:39:32 +0100

Rao Yi's name was dropped by the Chinese Academy of Sciences from the list of candidates who had advanced to the next round of elections for the coveted status of academician.

Research Council peer review criticised

Thu, 8 Sep 2011 09:13:33 +0100

The research councils' use of peer 'preview' is fundamentally flawed and a pathway to mediocrity, argues Donald W. Braben in the Times Higher.

BBSRC evaluates early career fellowships

Thu, 8 Sep 2011 09:32:19 +0100

BBSRC have reviewed the David Phillips Fellowship scheme. It emphasises the importance of early-career fellowships as part of BBSRC's funding portfolio.

New questions in science policy

Thu, 8 Sep 2011 09:27:14 +0100

Science Question Time had a guest slot at the Science Online London conference last week.

Local economy affects tech transfer

Thu, 8 Sep 2011 09:25:00 +0100

A UK study shows that universities in more prosperous regions are better at working with industry and commercialising their research

Scientists - unleash your inner capitalist

Thu, 8 Sep 2011 09:02:40 +0100

An ambitious US programme aims to turn scientists into entrepreneurs.

UK should match China's investment in science

Wed, 7 Sep 2011 16:54:51 +0100

A new study from the Institute of Fiscal Studies looks at China's investment in science and says that the UK should invest in order to foster a highly skilled workforce that is able to both compete for and engage collaboratively in tomorrow's breakthroughs.

Science, journalists and PR

Wed, 7 Sep 2011 11:41:41 +0100

Fiona Fox highlights best practice in university PR officers.

A fifth of UK workforce need science skills

Wed, 7 Sep 2011 09:35:16 +0100

New research undertaken for the Science Council shows that science has become increasingly important across all sectors of the UK economy and society with 5.8 million people now employed in science-based roles

Should EU research cash be more evenly spread?

Wed, 7 Sep 2011 09:03:51 +0100

It’s wrong that the lion’s share of research money goes to countries that already have the best science. Funds should be redistributed to build a stairway to excellence for all member states, says an EU Committee.

CaSE welcomes new Assistant Director

Wed, 7 Sep 2011 09:08:01 +0100

The Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE), the UK’s leading independent scientific advocacy group, welcomes Beck Smith as the new Assistant Director.

More research needed into mental illness

Wed, 7 Sep 2011 09:04:56 +0100

Report calls for more research spending on mental disorders - now Europe’s biggest health problem.

Turkish science academy under threat

Wed, 7 Sep 2011 09:12:43 +0100

The Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA) is battling what it sees as a power grab by the Turkish government.

Balzan prize for Russell Lande

Tue, 6 Sep 2011 13:58:45 +0100

Russell Lande has been awarded a 2011 Balzan prize for "pioneering contributions to the development and application of theoretical population biology, including the modern development of the theory of quantitative genetics, and the study of stochastic population dynamics".

Leaving the lab - alternative careers in science

Tue, 6 Sep 2011 12:20:07 +0100

Career development for developmental biologists - article in Development by Eva Amsen.

Science is Vital - final evidence call

Tue, 6 Sep 2011 11:41:16 +0100

Science is Vital is asking for input before 30 Sept 2011.

MRC Research Board vacancies

Tue, 6 Sep 2011 10:31:41 +0100

Online applications now being accepted for several MRC Board and Panel vacancies.

NIH translational centre faces spell in limbo

Tue, 6 Sep 2011 08:51:34 +0100

Congressional paralysis threatens to stall translational medicine initiative.

How many drug targets are real?

Mon, 5 Sep 2011 16:29:36 +0100

Derek Lowe, in his blog "In the pipeline", writes about a general impression that many results of academic biomedical research that are published are hard to reproduce.

Reliability of 'new drug target' claims called into question

Tue, 6 Sep 2011 08:53:35 +0100

Bayer halts nearly two-thirds of its target-validation projects because in-house experimental findings fail to match up with published literature claims, finds a first-of-a-kind analysis on data irreproducibility. More background from Nature News.

Policy internship scheme

Tue, 6 Sep 2011 09:10:25 +0100

The Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) have teamed up to offer a policy internship scheme.

IT Future of Medicine

Tue, 6 Sep 2011 09:08:36 +0100

A pan-European consortium is drafting a proposal to develop infrastructure to create virtual models that will help physicians tailor treatments to individual patients' genetic and physiological characteristics.

Wellcome reviews fMRI

Tue, 6 Sep 2011 08:55:08 +0100

Twenty years after the publication of the first human study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) the Wellcome Trust has published a report providing reflections on the field of human functional brain imaging.

Vet labs threatened with closure

Mon, 5 Sep 2011 09:08:18 +0100

Laboratory services at eight of the 14 regional centres run by the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency may close over the next two years.

King’s College brings back chemistry

Mon, 5 Sep 2011 08:53:06 +0100

King’s College London has re-opened its chemistry department eight years after concluding that it was unsustainable.

Montreal researcher fired following retractions

Mon, 5 Sep 2011 09:21:40 +0100

A Montreal Heart Institute researcher who retracted two papers less than a month ago has been fired from his post.

New standard - Minimum Information About a Bioactive Entity

Mon, 5 Sep 2011 08:58:01 +0100

A new standard for describing the effect of a compound on a biological entity has been created: the Minimum Information About a Bioactive Entity (MIABE).

Argonne Lab plans $34.5M protein crystallization facility

Thu, 1 Sep 2011 14:23:56 +0100

The US Department of Energy broke ground yesterday on a $34.5 million facility located at the Argonne National Laboratory that will provide protein crystallization services for biomedical research and other scientific studies.

The magical world of data sharing

Thu, 1 Sep 2011 14:18:45 +0100

Andrew Peterman says scientists need to reach out.

ScienceEurope - a new lobby group

Thu, 1 Sep 2011 14:17:27 +0100

A new Brussels-based group, ScienceEurope, is now positioning itself as the scientists' champion in the fight to sway decision-makers.

Work-life balance in research

Thu, 1 Sep 2011 13:48:33 +0100

Scientists should make time for play to complement their intense work, maintain creativity and keep the ideas flowing, argues Julie Overbaugh in Natyure.

The 24/7 lab

Thu, 1 Sep 2011 14:15:58 +0100

Working weekends. Leaving at midnight. Friday evening meetings. Does science come out the winner?

US court upholds biotech methods patents

Thu, 1 Sep 2011 13:42:26 +0100

The US Court of Appeals of the Federal Circuit has deemed valid two contested biotechnology methods patents.

Revolution II

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:55:38 +0100

Mole, in J Cell Sci, looks again at translation.

Revolution I

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:55:37 +0100

Mole, in J Cell Sci, argues against redirecting basic science funding into translation.

Personalized cancer medicine project to launch

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:32:02 +0100

A UK pilot project for mass genetic screening of cancers will begin next month.

Borys' plans for Cambridge University

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:20:43 +0100

Leszek Borysiewicz has a frank discussion with Science magazine about the future of Cambridge and other U.K. universities.

New ERC Secretary General

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:19:32 +0100

Interview with Donald Dingwell, the new secretary general of the European Research Council.

Critique of translational science

Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:18:04 +0100

Gregory Petsko takes aim at translational science: "We should talk about biomedical research, period".

Breaking through the glass ceiling

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 08:25:55 +0100

A new initiative aims to tackle the 'leaky pipeline' for women in UK science.

University science departments may close

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 08:17:14 +0100

Some science and engineering departments will be put at risk by the new funding regime, critics have warned, as newly released data indicate that many classroom-based subjects have greater proportions of the much-prized AAB students.

Report on alleged scientific misconduct to remain secret

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 08:35:07 +0100

A US court has rebuffed a freedom of information request for an investigation report into strongly-denied allegations of research misconduct at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Geek chic

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 08:21:39 +0100

Alice Bell and Adam Corner write in the Times Higher on the new-found cool of the science-minded, big-brained, increasingly self-confident geeks.

Think globally about science jobs

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 08:29:23 +0100

Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell and Prof Keith Campbell said decreasing levels of funding for British research meant would-be scientists should think globally when hunting for employment.

What scientists want from IT

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 08:47:22 +0100

PLoS and Mendeley put out a 'Call for Apps' to the scientific community and have collected some really great ideas.

Communicating for public engagement

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 08:44:49 +0100

Article in Nature Chemistry looks at the challenge of communicating science, with particular reference to chemistry.

Italian institutes given more freedom

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 08:32:39 +0100

Efforts to cut nepotism and inefficiencies in Italian science may get a boost following the government's nomination of new presidents and board members for 11 of the country's public research institutes.

Analysis of Collini's higher education critique

Tue, 23 Aug 2011 08:36:06 +0100

William Cullerne-Bown dissects Stefan Collini's recent critique of UK higher education policy.

A sorry tale of newspapers distorting science

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 14:02:43 +0100

Recent news stories reported a study that supposedly linked rioting to low levels of a brain chemical. The scientists behind the research put the record straight

Critique of UK higher education policy

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:40:29 +0100

A thoughtful, articulate and damming critique of the Browne report and subsequent Higher Education White Paper.

Athena SWAN awards announced for 2011

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 09:18:20 +0100

Ten higher education institutions and science, engineering and technology (SET) departments have been commended for their employment practices that specifically further and support the careers of women.

Collaborations between artists and scientists

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 09:04:11 +0100

Science and art are often considered opposites, so what happens when top practitioners in each field collaborate?

Intellectual Property for Better Health

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 09:01:31 +0100

The American Pharmaceutical Group and the Wellcome Trust have published ‘Intellectual Property for Better Health’, a conference report considering the issue of intellectual property and how the protection of new drugs and medical products affects innovation and access to medicines in low- and middle-income countries.

NIH consults on biomedical research workforce

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 08:52:50 +0100

NIH have established a working group to examine the future of the biomedical research workforce in the United States. Responses are being sought from students, postdoctoral fellows, scientists, scientific societies, and NIH grantee institutions, as well as from the general public.

Race, Ethnicity, and science Funding

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 08:40:15 +0100

Workforce diversity has been considered central to the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) objective of improving the nation's health through research, but a new report suggests that renewed efforts to increase diversity are needed. Science magazine looks at the issue.

A-level results good for science

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 09:08:35 +0100

As well as big increases in the number of students taking maths, further maths, biology, chemistry, and physics at A level, the ‘market share’ of these subjects increased for the second year running.

The year’s best microscope photos

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 08:50:21 +0100

The Nikon Small World competition draws thousands of extreme close-up photos from scientists and photomicrographers around the world.

New structure within UCL School of Life and Medical Sciences

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 14:25:20 +0100

The new UCL School of Life and Medical Sciences (SLMS) structure took effect on 1 August 2011.

New uses for old drugs?

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 09:03:29 +0100

Reserachers have combed public databases with a sophisticated computer algorithm and identified numerous drug-and-disease pairs that may have a therapeutic future together. The coupling is based on the opposing directions in which a given disease and a given drug alter various genes' activity in tissues.

NIHR gives out £800m for research

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:47:04 +0100

The UK will give out £800million over five years to fund advances in diagnosis, prevention and treatment, benefitting patients with diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Yale criticised over safety standards

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:42:37 +0100

US federal safety investigators have criticized safety standards at a machine lab in Yale University where 22-year-old undergraduate Michele Dufault died in April.

Donal Bradley appointed Pro Rector of Imperial College

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:40:58 +0100

Professor Donal Bradley FRS, a physicist who has spearheaded the development of plastic electronics research at the College, is announced today as Imperial's new Pro Rector (Research) from 1 October 2011, responsible for strategic research issues across the College.

Why so few female chemists?

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:35:53 +0100

According to surveys done by the Royal Society of Chemistry women find laboratory research in chemistry too adversarial, the difficulties of combining career and family daunting and the lack of role models isolating.

Armed Forces Institute of Pathology closes

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:34:40 +0100

For decades, the (US) Armed Forces Institute of Pathology has been a leader in disease diagnosis. Now it is closing, and its legacy is in jeopardy.

Research libraries threaten major ejournal cancellations

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:24:53 +0100

Major research libraries have told the two largest journal publishers that they will not renew their "big deals" with them if they do not make significant real-terms price reductions.

Scholar decries bloated bureaucracies

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:22:34 +0100

A US academic has launched a blistering attack on university administrators, claiming that scholars have lost control of institutions to a "self-perpetuating bureaucracy".

Boston infectious disease lab to open?

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 09:07:46 +0100

A controversial Boston University laboratory building that has stood empty since construction finished in 2008 may open this fall to biomedical research involving pathogens less hazardous than those that sparked opposition to the project.

First US patent for iPS cells

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 08:51:44 +0100

The USPTO has approved its first patent for the induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technology developed by Kyoto University’s Shinya Yamanaka.

AAAS encourages public engagement by early career researchers

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 09:12:16 +0100

The AAAS Early Career Award for Public Engagement with Science recognizes early-career scientists and engineers who demonstrate excellence in their contribution to public engagement with science activities.

Flawed infant death papers not retracted

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 09:09:40 +0100

Papers at the centre of the Alder Hey Hospital organ harvesting scandal in the late 1990s have not been retracted.

Unethical experiments

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 09:30:08 +0100

The Daily Telegraph looks at the possible benefits from unethical experiments.

What future for the WHO?

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 09:04:55 +0100

The World Health Organization’s critics accuse it of being bogged down in red tape and internal politics. However, attempts at reform are raising concerns over conflicts of interest.

Alliance for biomedical research in Europe

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:10:06 +0100

The Alliance has formed in order to promote European biomedical research and to boost scientific excellence and knowledge as drivers of future growth.

BBSRC and EPSRC slash PhD funding

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:37:01 +0100

The United Kingdom's Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) has revealed that it may fund 1000 fewer new Ph.D.s in the upcoming academic year.

Where now for UK pharma?

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:29:57 +0100

The Royal Society of Chemistry has developed a strategy for the future of healthcare innovation in the UK that will enable the UK to maintain its status as a world-leader in the field.

Lawsuit over mouse model patent has been dismissed

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:26:33 +0100

A lawsuit that threatened scientists who use mouse models in Alzheimer’s research has been dismissed.

Romance conflicts with scientific pursuits?

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:46:53 +0100

Four new studies by researchers at the University at Buffalo have found that when a woman's goal is to be romantically desirable, she distances herself from academic majors and activities related to science, technology, engineering and maths.

EPSRC response on Synthetic Organic Chemistry

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:42:59 +0100

Synthetic organic chemistry will continue to be supported by EPSRC but will form a smaller and more focused part of their overall portfolio in the future.

Chemistry cuts will damage science

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 09:09:18 +0100

More than 100 of the world's most senior chemists, including seven Nobel laureates, have written to David Cameron to warn of the impact of proposed cuts in funding for scientific research.

NIH peer review - Toni Scarpa

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 08:57:21 +0100

The National Institutes of Health's departing head of scientific review reflects on his tenure.

Club unites the science and finance communities

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 17:57:07 +0100

The Royal Institution is coaxing finance professions back to their science and maths roots with a new science club at its Mayfair home.

Crick Institute looks at translation, technology transfer and innovation

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 09:18:00 +0100

The Francis Crick Institute has identified key factors to successful translation, technology transfer and innovation.

Moving toward global science

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 09:10:08 +0100

Editorial in Science magazine says that more nations recognize that innovation, driven by science and engineering, is the fuel for economic growth, prosperity, and social well-being.

RNAi centre opens in La Jolla

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 09:23:23 +0100

A major Center that will propel scientific efforts to pinpoint the specific genes involved in causing immune diseases, cancer and other diseases will be opened today at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology.

Retraction index

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 12:00:00 +0100

The probability that an article published in a higher journal will be retracted is higher than that of an article published in a lower impact journal.

Boston researchers under fire for misconduct

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 08:51:24 +0100

The Office of Research Integrity has found that Boston University cancer researcher Shen Wang made up experiments that he reported in two NCI- and NIH-funded studies.

ArXiv at 20

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 08:45:11 +0100

Paul Ginsparg, founder of the preprint server, reflects on two decades of sharing results rapidly online, and on the future of scholarly communication.

How good is Chinese science?

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 08:57:23 +0100

Derek Lowe asks whether the upsurge in Chinese science publishing and patenting all represents good quality science.

Call for proposals for Innovative Medicines Initiative

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 08:51:50 +0100

The Fourth Innovative Medicines Initiative Call for Proposals has been published.

Science and politics

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 08:53:25 +0100

US science groups are encouraging scientists and engineers to speak out in public debates on policy and even run for public office.

Authorship rules for journals flouted by pharma industry

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 09:13:27 +0100

Rather than ensure the proper attribution of authorship, rules set up by leading medical journals to define and credit authorship of published articles are exploited by the pharmaceutical industry in its attempt to conceal and misrepresent industry contributions to the literature.

Trouble at Brazilian neuroscience institute

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 09:03:22 +0100

A rebellion in the scientific ranks has created some recent turmoil at Brazil's most famous brain research center, the Edmond and Lily Safra International Institute of Neuroscience of Natal.

Competition or cooperation between research groups?

Tue, 9 Aug 2011 08:33:18 +0100

A blogger asks what would you do if you found out that another team was working on the exact same research project you were, though neither of you had yet published any papers or abstracts on it?

Why bioinformatics matters

Tue, 9 Aug 2011 08:42:27 +0100

Biologists need and can benefit greatly from the tools of bioinformatics, but such tools are largely inaccessible to most mainstream biologists.

Liverpool's new biocampus

Mon, 8 Aug 2011 10:03:54 +0100

Royal Liverpool & Broadgreen University hospitals trust plans to develop a vacant site as a space in which clinicians and academics can launch new business ventures based on their research.

New antibody company

Mon, 8 Aug 2011 10:00:20 +0100

A new biotech company has been spun out of the University of Aberdeen to provide new tools to help researchers trying to understand the biology and process of diseases.

Is DNA patenting stifling innovation in the UK?

Mon, 8 Aug 2011 08:58:45 +0100

A new report from the UK Human Genetics Commission examines the impact of DNA patenting on innovation and development and calls for national action.

Report says UK should stop 'muddling' on gene patents

Mon, 8 Aug 2011 09:02:34 +0100

The Human Genetics Commission recommends that health and research institutions should develop a coherent policy on intellectual property, particularly patents on diagnostic tools.

Even science Nobel Laureates get rejected

Mon, 8 Aug 2011 09:12:26 +0100

The path of success for Nobel Prize laureates in the sciences isn't a straight shot from obscurity to never-ending scientific superstardom, a new study reveals.

New director for Intramural Center for Regenerative Medicine

Fri, 5 Aug 2011 11:29:36 +0100

NIH has announced the appointment of Mahendra Rao. He has is a well respected researcher in stem cells and neurosciences.

Debating the nature of 'natural'

Fri, 5 Aug 2011 11:44:31 +0100

Bioscience for Society Working Group explores unease surrounding technologies to facilitate public engagement.

Women in science work for less money

Fri, 5 Aug 2011 11:40:06 +0100

A US study has found women are paid 12% less than men and are still underrepresented.

White House urged not to weaken research conflict rule

Fri, 5 Aug 2011 11:24:34 +0100

A senator has urge the White House to keep a proposed rule that would obligate universities to publish on a public website details of financial conflicts of NIH funded researchers.

Brazil to boost science and technology with 75000 scholarships

Fri, 5 Aug 2011 11:35:42 +0100

The Brazilian government is planning to fund these scholarships by the end of 2014. They will send students abroad to study.

Royal Society training on communication and media skills

Fri, 5 Aug 2011 11:47:54 +0100

The Royal Society has announced a 2 residential event. This training is also available as two one-day events.

Researchers welcome promised copyright reform

Thu, 4 Aug 2011 08:46:47 +0100

Research funders have welcomed the government's plans to change copyright law.

Obituary for Baruj Benacerraf

Thu, 4 Aug 2011 08:42:43 +0100

Dr. Baruj Benacerraf, a Venezuelan-born immunologist who received a Nobel Prize for his work in immunology, has died.

Slow science

Thu, 4 Aug 2011 08:41:53 +0100

Does science sometimes move too fast for own good?

How good is PhD by publication?

Thu, 4 Aug 2011 08:32:18 +0100

The PhD by publication offers an alternative path to the traditional PhD by thesis, but it is viewed by some as inferior. Feature in the Times Higher.

Copyright reforms to aid research

Wed, 3 Aug 2011 14:39:57 +0100

The UK government have accepted the reforms proposed by the Hargreaves review.

US research and the debt agreement

Wed, 3 Aug 2011 14:41:55 +0100

ScienceInsider blog takes a first look at the impact on US research of the debt agreement reached yesterday.

RCUK SSC are finalists in 2011 National Business Awards

Tue, 2 Aug 2011 12:32:52 +0100

Research Councils UK (RCUK) welcomes the news that the RCUK SSC Ltd has won a place among the 2011 National Business Awards finalists.

Saudi Arabia's push for science capacity

Tue, 2 Aug 2011 08:54:57 +0100

The AAAS Research Competitiveness Program has helped Saudi Arabia to shape a grant competition based on international standards and tough, independent peer-review.

UCL Business launches Abcodia

Tue, 2 Aug 2011 08:47:32 +0100

In May Abcodia announced the completion of a £1 million investment by Albion Ventures and UCL Business plc

U.S. Appeals Court Backs Gene Patents

Mon, 1 Aug 2011 08:52:39 +0100

The US Court of Appeals reversed the earlier decision in the case challenging Myriad's BRCA patents, saying that isolated DNA is patent eligible under US law.

Retractions due to image manipulation

Mon, 1 Aug 2011 09:12:24 +0100

The journal Angiogenesis is retracting two articles by a group of researchers in India whom it accuses of using manipulated images in six other publications as well.

Fiftieth anniversary of chemiosmotics

Mon, 1 Aug 2011 09:04:06 +0100

The chemiosmotic type of mechanism was a milestone in biology as well as in physics. Peter Mitchell received The Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1978 for his contribution to the understanding of biological energy transfer through the formulation of the chemiosmotic theory.

The dilemma of the honest researcher

Mon, 1 Aug 2011 07:46:42 +0100

The honesty and trustworthiness of researchers is increasingly scrutinized as high-profile stories of research misconduct become public.

UK council graduate education - review

Mon, 1 Aug 2011 07:46:42 +0100

The UKCGE looks back on the achievements and issues of the last year.

Time to regulate scientific fraud

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:17:14 +0100

MPs have called on the government to establish a regulator to set standards and help root out wrongdoing in science. Brian Deer anticipates stiff opposition from scientists.

Babraham Institute hosts boot camp

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:12:38 +0100

The Babraham Institute ran a Bioscience Bootcamp, enlisting twenty eager 6th formers from around the region for a unique learning experience and insight into the world of research.

Convergence in Biomedical Science

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 11:56:41 +0100

The next challenge for biomedical research will be to solve problems of highly complex and integrated biological systems within the human body.

Outreach with EM

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 11:56:07 +0100

On a Monday morning in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 29 sixth-grade students and their teacher conducted scientific investigations on insect adaptations by remotely controlling an environmental scanning electron microscope from their classroom.

Bioinformatics in the cloud

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 09:19:07 +0100

Chinese sequencing institute launches remote computing networks to crunch DNA data.

A research lab in your pocket?

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 09:19:06 +0100

Apps created by and for the academy could turn smartphones into essential academic tools for everything from teaching and citations to social-science fieldwork.

Mark Walport on 75 years of the Wellcome Trust

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 09:08:23 +0100

On the 75th anniversary of the Wellcome Trust, Director Sir Mark Walport looks back on 75 years of achievement and looks forward to the future.

Primate research gets provisional thumbs-up

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 08:52:00 +0100

Primate research ought to continue in the UK because of its importance to human health and basic science, says a new report commissioned by MRC, Wellcome and BBSRC.

MRC response to primate review

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 09:02:40 +0100

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Medical Research Council (MRC) and Wellcome Trust have responded to the independent Review of Research Using Non-Human Primates led by Professor Sir Patrick Bateson FRS.

Select Committee recommendations on open data, research integrity and impact

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 08:34:13 +0100

The Select Committee for Science and Technology have published their report on the peer-review system as used in scientific publications, and the related issues of research impact, data management, publication ethics and research integrity. The report says that it should be a fundamental aim of the peer-review process that all publications are scientifically sound.

Nature editorial on human animal chimeras

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 08:37:47 +0100

Regulators must look past visceral disgust about human–animal hybrids. Strict but sensible rules are needed for research on hybrid embryos and chimaeric animals that could produce therapies.

Regulate research at the animal-human interface

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 08:41:19 +0100

The time is right, says Martin Bobrow, to improve the governance of research involving animals that contain human genetic or cellular material.

Hilary Leeves writes on her time at CASE

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 08:58:09 +0100

Hilary Leeves describes how she came to work at CASE and some of the highlights during her time there.

Alternative metrics for research impact growing in importance

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 08:33:23 +0100

Citations and impact factors are old hat, says Matthew Gamble; the Web 2.0 generation needs metrics to match today's scholarship

NSF review process is under review

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 08:53:16 +0100

A US House subcommittee has held a hearing to determine whether the National Science Foundation (NSF) merit review process is identifying the best science possible to support.

Dario Alessi to direct MRC Protein Phosphorylation Unit

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 08:47:00 +0100

Professor Dario Alessi FRS, has been appointed director of the Medical Research Council’s Protein Phosphorylation Unit at the University of Dundee

US proposes new rules for research on human subjects

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 08:21:31 +0100

The US government is proposing sweeping changes in the rules covering research involving human subjects, an effort officials say would strengthen protections while reducing red tape that can impede studies.

Royal Society Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellows appointed

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 08:11:47 +0100

The Royal Society have announced the appointment of seven new Leverhulme Trust Senior Research Fellows.

Is bias inevitable in science?

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 08:24:59 +0100

The story of Stephen Gould and Morton's skulls.

I'm a scientist...get me out of here

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 08:31:15 +0100

Review of the 2011 "I'm a scientist...get me out of here" experience.

What does it take to make a good scientist?

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 08:28:32 +0100

Maria Teresa Esposito writes in LabLit on how to balance focus in your research with the wider scientific scheme of things.

Paul Nurse still has concerns over immigration policy

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 08:47:50 +0100

Paul Nurse has reluctantly agreed to involve the Royal Society in vetting foreign scientists who want work in the United Kingdom.

Research Integrity Office moves to subscriptions

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 09:32:09 +0100

UKRIO is implementing a subscription model to ensure that key users - universities, NHS bodies, charities and private sector organisations - and their researchers continue to have the benefit of their services.

NIHR Research Professorships

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 08:44:38 +0100

Nominations are invited from Universities and NHS organisations in England for a limited number of prestigious NIHR Research Professorships.

Regulations proposed for animal-human chimaeras

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 11:28:54 +0100

A government-commissioned report from the UK Academy of Medical Science examines the use of animals containing human material in scientific research.

Research impact - joint statement

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 10:57:09 +0100

Research Councils UK, the Higher Education Funding Council for England and Universities UK have issued a joint statement on impact. The statement recognises the range of benefits that come from excellent research and states a commitment to continue working together to build on that excellence.

Google research chief pushes big data

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 11:06:40 +0100

Peter Norvig, director of research at Google, discusses the future of Internet search tools, social networking and science.

Project distils research papers for a stressed press

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 11:25:07 +0100

The Journalist's Resource is a database of scholarly reports and papers with brief, searchable summaries in clear, understandable language.

NSF Survey Tries to Separate Knowledge and Belief

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 11:18:42 +0100

The governing body of the National Science Foundation (NSF) is attempting to distinguish between knowledge and belief in how people respond to its biennial science literacy survey.

BBSRC Research Business Centre launched

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 11:41:02 +0100

The Norwich Research Park Innovation Centre provides office and lab space for researchers funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BSBRC).

Charities seek share of drug royalties

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 11:27:51 +0100

Non-profits that support medical research are angling for a share of the proceeds and intellectual-property rights.

New enterprise plan at UCL

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 11:14:46 +0100

University College London has set out a five year strategy to hone its commercial edge and become a global leader in enterprise and innovation.

BBC science coverage praised

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 13:13:31 +0100

The BBC's coverage of science is "high quality, clear, accurate and impartial" according to an independent review published by the BBC Trust.

New UK immigration route for exceptional talent

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 11:08:57 +0100

The Home Office have announced how leaders in the fields of science, humanities, engineering and the arts can come to the UK. The new 'exceptional talent' route will open on 9 August 2011 and will facilitate 1,000 individuals into the UK who have either been recognised as leaders in their respective fields or have the potential to become one.

Will NIH embrace biomedical research prizes?

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 09:17:06 +0100

U.S. government agencies have launched several prizes to stimulate research advances or accomplish technical goals. But what about America's premier funder of biomedical research, the National Institutes of Health (NIH)?

Innovative Medicines Initiative - IP guidelines

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 08:52:24 +0100

The Innovative Medicines Initiative has set out new guidelines on how collaborative partners should approach the thorny issue of IP rights, in time for its fourth call.

How to avoid PhD stress

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 09:03:05 +0100

Erika Cule recommends strategies to help PhD students avoid excess stress.

Public attitudes to embryonic stem cell research

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 08:58:14 +0100

US citizens were interviewed about their views on five key areas said to relate to human embryonic stem cell research.

International Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge - winners

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 08:57:14 +0100

A collection of images assembled by the U.S. National Science Foundation features winners of the International Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge, an annual competition sponsored by NSF and the journal Science.

Euros 7 billion boost for research

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 11:47:02 +0100

EU Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn announced nearly €7 billion to kick-start innovation through research. The EU's Seventh Framework Programme for Research (FP7), is expected to create around 174 000 jobs in the short-term and nearly 450 000 jobs and nearly €80 billion in GDP growth over 15 years

EU relations newsletter - new FP7 calls due 20 Jul

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 09:52:01 +0100

On 20th July 2011 the European Commision will publish on Cordis the new calls on different themes from Marie Curie to Cooperation projects in Health, Food, Environment, NMP etc.

Committing to the three Rs

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 09:24:46 +0100

The UK Home Office have agreed arrangements to deliver two Coalition commitments relating to the use of animals in scientific research: to end the testing of household products on animals; and to work to further reduce the use of animals in scientific research.

Wellcome awards engagement fellowships

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 09:05:21 +0100

The Wellcome Trust has announced the first recipients of its Engagement Fellowships: clinical scientist Kevin Fong and medical historian Richard Barnett.

Ten US translational centres funded

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 09:03:53 +0100

Ten research institutes have received a total of $498 million from the National Center for Research Resources to fund the second five-year phase of their Clinical and Translational Science Institutes.

EU-US plans for joint funding of rare diseases research

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 08:48:56 +0100

A new transatlantic alliance showcased its ambition to develop diagnostics for 8,000 rare diseases and double the number of registered Orphan drugs for rare conditions by 2020.

Government strategy on stem cell research

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 16:37:00 +0100

The government have published a plan of action to support stem cell research in the UK: Taking Stock of Regenerative Medicine in the United Kingdom.

Minister launches key phase of bioincubator development

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 14:42:01 +0100

Rt Hon David Willetts MP visited the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst site to perform a topping-out ceremony, a symbolic celebration of laying the final portion of cement in a building’s construction.

Oxford tops research grants table

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 14:40:17 +0100

The University of Oxford received the most in research grants and contracts in 2009-10, with £359 million, according to data released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

EU to adopt fast-track model for research and innovation funding

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 08:49:09 +0100

As it prepares to launch €418 million of new calls, the Commission says the bureaucracy-lite public-private projects set up in the economic emergency will be a model for research funding in the future.

EU support encourages students to pursue scientific careers

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 08:46:52 +0100

Europe will need at least 1 million new research jobs in the near future to meet its ambitions of being one of the most innovative regions of the planet. The European Commission encourages and fosters an understanding of science among young Europeans, and in turn helps them follow related careers.

Egyptian science

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 08:43:22 +0100

In the aftermath of Egypt's popular uprising, the country is embracing a grand vision to make scientific research the engine of a powerhouse economy. Science magazine asks whether Egyptian scientists make it happen?

Wellcome grants for biomedical resources and multi-user equipment

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:43:57 +0100

Applications are now open.

University Alliance affirms research funding based on excellence, not size

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 11:41:56 +0100

University Alliance claims focusing funding on large units may stifle research base

Report of the e-Infrastructure Advisory Group published

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:12:13 +0100

The RCUK report suggests an outline structure for the future of an integrated e-infrastructure for e-science and recommends that BIS take forward the implementation of a strategy to achieve this.

Task force report on European Research Council issued

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:49:55 +0100

The European Commission task force has issued its report and made recommendations to build on the success of the European Research Council

Consortium warns against clear-cutting selected science budgets

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:08:08 +0100

US policymakers have been sent a letter by 140 scientific societies and universities urging them not to single out specific programs of science and to continue the independent peer review.

MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology profiled in Science

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:01:37 +0100

LMB and its Nobel prize-winning culture is examined in this article in Science

Qatar sets sights on stem cells

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:05:25 +0100

The vice-president of the Qatar Foundation discusses stem cell research and Islam.

Cell lines lost in flood at Copenhagen Biobank

Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:03:01 +0100

Flooding in Copenhagen on 2 & 3 July has destroyed hundreds of cell lines at the Danish Cancer Society's Biobank

How to support academic invention and patenting

Fri, 8 Jul 2011 08:45:15 +0100

Research universities with an organizational climate that actively supports commercialization and encourages interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers are more likely to produce invention disclosures and patent applications, according to a Baylor University study.

Research impact discussed at Science Question Time

Fri, 8 Jul 2011 08:32:03 +0100

The third Science Question Time Event, (organised by CaSE, The Biochemical Society and Imperial College London) looked at research impact.

China seeks to attract overseas scientists

Fri, 8 Jul 2011 08:16:51 +0100

Chinese labs are now wooing top overseas scientists,

How will NIH manage its decreasing budget?

Fri, 8 Jul 2011 08:14:42 +0100

An editorial in Science by Michael Rosbash looks at how NIH can cope with its decreasing budget

2011 Körber European Science Prize goes to Stefan Hell

Thu, 7 Jul 2011 09:41:12 +0100

Stefan Hell of the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen is to receive the 2011 Körber European Science Prize endowed with 750,000 euros for his discoveries in the field of optics.

Wellcome News - summer issue

Thu, 7 Jul 2011 08:50:25 +0100

The highlights of the latest issue of ‘Wellcome News’ include a feature on research into how we make memories, a quick guide to MRI and a look at the development of a robotic snake for surgery.

Lister Fellows 2011

Wed, 6 Jul 2011 09:09:37 +0100

Victoria Cowling, Michael Eddleston and Rob Klose are the 2011 Lister Fellows.

Dundee voted best academic workplace in UK

Wed, 6 Jul 2011 09:33:18 +0100

The University of Dundee has been voted the best academic workplace in the UK, and sixth best internationally, in an annual survey by The Scientist magazine.

Science embraces its radical side

Wed, 6 Jul 2011 08:54:52 +0100

Michael Brooks, who argues that scientists have laboured under the suffocating blanket of sober respectability for too long. It's time to throw off the shackles and celebrate the truly creative endeavour that science really is.

Wellcome Trust proposal for Olympic site in jeopardy

Tue, 5 Jul 2011 08:56:37 +0100

The Wellcome Trust has threatened to rescind its £1 billion investment proposal to transform the London Olympic park into a life sciences innovation centre.

Council for Science and Technology - new members

Tue, 5 Jul 2011 09:18:37 +0100

Eleven new members have been appointed to the Council for Science and Technology, the UK Government’s top-level advisory body on science and technology policy issues. They include Julia Goodfellow and Nancy Rothwell.

Researchers in Residence scheme to close

Tue, 5 Jul 2011 08:50:40 +0100

From 13 January 2012 Research Councils UK (RCUK) will no longer fund the Researchers in Residence (RinR) scheme.

Roslin Institute moves

Tue, 5 Jul 2011 09:31:37 +0100

The Roslin Institute has taken up residence in its new purpose built centre on the outskirts of Edinburgh.

Switzerland, Sweden and Singapore top innovation table

Tue, 5 Jul 2011 08:53:00 +0100

The 2011 Global Innovation Index complied by the business School INSEAD puts Switzerland in the number one spot, with Sweden second and Singapore third.

Commission proposes €80bn for next Framework Programme

Tue, 5 Jul 2011 09:06:21 +0100

The next Framework Programme will be worth €80.2 billion if the European Commission gets its way, according to the proposed 2014-2020 Commission budget.

Where’s the ‘New College of the Sciences’?

Tue, 5 Jul 2011 09:15:53 +0100

Why there hasn’t been a proposal for a ‘New College of the Sciences? asks Hilary Leevers on the CaSE blog.

Clinical trials must adapt

Tue, 5 Jul 2011 09:14:04 +0100

The clinical trials system is falling behind the needs of society and we have to figure out a way to do it more efficiently and better, say experts at a recent conference.

Shadow Minister for Innovation and Science - speech

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 09:19:07 +0100

Chi Onwurah MP, Shadow Minister for Innovation and Science, gave a speech at the Parliamentary Links Day, 28th June 2011, on 'Addressing the challenges facing the UK'.

Research integrity - whose job is it?

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 08:59:01 +0100

UKRIO, set up to ensure probity in research, needs funds - but some can't see a role for it, writes Paul Jump in the Times Higher.

UK University league tables

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 08:55:50 +0100

The combined results of the UK's university league tables show that the University of Oxford has ceded top spot to the University of Cambridge after three years of domination over its ancient rival.

Science in Africa

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 09:04:39 +0100

A series of News Feature and Comment pieces in the current issue of Nature takes a broad look at the current state of, and future prospects for, science and technology in Africa.

Links with Brazil

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 08:54:49 +0100

UK to host 1,000s of Brazilian students

Biologists and mathematics

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 08:56:50 +0100

Competence in mathematics is desirable for everyone but vital for scientists, yet there is a widespread, deep-rooted fear of the subject. Stephen Curry argues in the Times Higher that the solution is better maths education.

Finding truth and beauty in data

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 09:23:14 +0100

The growth of open data on the web has given data visualisation a higher profile.

Imaging animals for better research

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 09:17:23 +0100

Modern techniques can cut the number of animals used and improve data quality.

Janssen prize for angiogenesis work

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:26:05 +0100

Napoleone Ferrara has won the 2011 Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research for his research on angiogenesis.

Report on Dementia Research

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:20:41 +0100

The Ministerial Advisory Group on Dementia Research, chaired by Paul Burstow, M.P., Minister of State for Care Services, has produced a final Headline Report, with a detailed 'Route map for dementia research'.

Higher Education White Paper released

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:09:31 +0100

The Government have announced their plans for reforming UK Higher Education.

RCUK welcomes review of HE industry collaboration

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 08:41:03 +0100

Research Councils UK (RCUK) has welcomed the announcement in the Higher Education White Paper of the review into how UK universities can improve their collaborations with business and industry.

Stem-cell scientists grapple with clinics

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:07:12 +0100

In the absence of regulation, researchers weigh their options for educating patients about unproven treatments.

Malaria is no longer a neglected disease

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:04:30 +0100

Malaria research and development is enjoying sustained growth in spending, after languishing for decades until the 1990's when the disease began making its way back on to the international political agenda.

Millions owe their lives to animal research

Wed, 29 Jun 2011 09:24:54 +0100

Leading research organisations have responded to misleading claims made by an antivivisection group in its recent letter to the Lancet.

Wellcome, HHMI and Max Planck launch new journal

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:17:12 +0100

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Max Planck Society and the Wellcome Trust announced today that they are to support a new, top-tier, open access journal for biomedical and life sciences research.

Karolinska Institute emphasises innovation

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 08:46:52 +0100

The Karolinska Institute is making major efforts to enhance its technology transfer and commercialisation system, and is currently working on a long-term strategy for innovation and research

How to get the science we need

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 08:56:13 +0100

Jack Stilgoe writes about the Haldane principle and Government’s inability to fund the science it needs.

Origin of Life Prize offered

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 09:00:28 +0100

A millionaire scientist who once ran as a Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate has launched a $50,000 prize to promote research on the origin of life.

Meditation paper pulled

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 08:49:17 +0100

Papers publication delayed when authors provide additional data less than 24 hours before planned online publication.

Official - it's now the Crick Institute

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 09:27:19 +0100

The institute formerly known as UKCMRI has formally changed its name to The Francis Crick Institute.

The cult of personality in science

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 09:28:41 +0100

Steven Hill asks whether it is a good idea to name scientific institutions after famous people.

Wellcome's commitment to translation recognised

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 09:16:11 +0100

The Wellcome Trust has been awarded the ‘Most Significant Contribution to the Sector’ at the European Mediscience Awards, 2011.

Pfizer to keep 350 jobs at Sandwich

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 09:39:28 +0100

Pfizer has announced that it will retain about 350 jobs at its Sandwich site, as it will keep some operations at its research and development facility.

Obituary of radioimmunoassay pioneer, Rosalyn Yalow

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 09:24:04 +0100

Professor Rosalyn Yalow, who has died aged 89, transformed clinical medicine through the development of radioimmunoassay. She received the 1977 Nobel prize for this work.

Huda Zoghbi awarded 2011 Gruber Neuroscience Prize

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 08:56:51 +0100

The 2011 Gruber neuroscience Prize has been awarded to Huda Zoghbi, at Baylor College of Medicine, for her work on the genetic and molecular mysteries of a number of devastating neurological disorders, including spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 and Rett syndrome.

MIT President, Susan Hockfield, on women in science

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 08:45:46 +0100

In an interview in the Huffington Post, Susan Hockfield says that with roughly half of the population female, the goal would be for almost half of MIT faculty to be women--the way almost half of their students are.

BHF Chair joins UKCMRI Board

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 08:44:20 +0100

The Chair of Trustees at the British Heart Foundation, Philip Yea, has joined the Board of the UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation (UKCMRI) as an independent director and trustee.

Science in Mali

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 08:31:50 +0100

Relying mainly on homegrown talent, Ogobara Doumbohas built a network in Mali that does state-of-the-art studies of mosquito genetics, tracks drug resistance, and tests new vaccines.

Hong Kong biotech

Fri, 24 Jun 2011 08:29:26 +0100

Better known for business acumen than scientific smarts, Hong Kong is betting on biotech as a new "pillar industry".

Industry-academia ties in biomed research

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 08:38:24 +0100

The pharmaceutical industry is seeking stronger ties with academia in a bid to speed up drug development.

Researcher wins gender discrimination suit

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 08:43:46 +0100

The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has been found guilty of gender discrimination for firing a female researcher in 2005.

ERC Newsletter - June 2011

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 09:04:46 +0100

The second issue of the European Research Council newsletter, June 2011.

FP7 information day

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 08:42:38 +0100

The presentations and videos from the 'Open Information Day on FP7 Health research', which took place in Brussels on 9 June 2011, are now online.

New guide to becoming a biologist

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 09:06:50 +0100

The Society of Biology have launched a new guide for 15-18 year olds who want to study biology, either at university or as a vocational qualification.

Forfeiting copyright impoverishes research

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 09:09:16 +0100

We all lose when scholars forfeit copyright, says Felipe Fernández-Armesto, in the TimesHigher.

Informal science education

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 09:00:47 +0100

Informal STEM education takes place outside the classroom environment. It aims to inspire students through hands-on, experience-based activities that can enrich and add value to their school experiences. This four-page POSTnote describes UK provision.

Why do charities fund animal research?

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:48:09 +0100

The animal rights group Animal Aid has launched a campaign against medical research charities who fund animal research.

When grant writing takes over

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:35:54 +0100

The time that PIs spend writing grants has increased over the years to a point where it now takes the place of other responsibilities.

Horizon 2020 - the EU’s Framework Programme

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 09:33:59 +0100

Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Research, Innovation and Science Commissioner has announced the winner of the competition to name the future EU funding programme for research and innovation.

Researchers a-twitter

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:29:28 +0100

The latest trend in science discourse, journal clubs and data disclosures is the use of Twitter. Nature news has a report on the phenomenon.

Controversy over US science and H1B visas

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:25:05 +0100

A US physicist has caused controversy by claiming that US science is propped up by foreign employees on H1B visas.

Five key statistical analyses for biologists

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:21:10 +0100

Ewan Birney (a bioinformatician at EMBL:) writes about the five statistical analyses that he wishes he'd been taught.

‘Big Ideas for the Future’ - RCUK report on the research which could impact everyone's lives

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 11:27:09 +0100

The MRC highlight their research which is included in this report.

The Wellcome Trust's journey

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 11:25:10 +0100

The Trust has made a short video (6 mins) distilling its 75 year history.

Harvard's New Place

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 11:15:02 +0100

Harvard has revamped its proposal for a new science campus in Allston to include an "enterprise research campus".

Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 5-10 July 2011

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:04:13 +0100

Details of the exhibits have been published.

The Dirty Eleven

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:02:26 +0100

A federal panel in USA has named the 11 pathogens which pose the largest security risk for research.

Science spin-outs in London

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 11:59:20 +0100

This report looks at life-science spin-outs in London and the problems they face.

EPO and member states review co-operation policy

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 11:56:11 +0100

Report of meeting on improving the quality and efficiency of the European patent system

NIH awards $200M for new CTSA sites

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 11:52:35 +0100

The National Institutes of Health said today that it has awarded nearly $200 million to be spread over five years to five new Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) winners including Pennsylvania State University; the University of California, Los Angeles; University of Kansas Medical Center; the University of Kentucky; and the University of Minnesota.

Impact, networks and people

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 17:44:41 +0100

Alice Bell looks at research impact and the social nature of science.

New report argues for more women in science

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 11:17:48 +0100

A new report ‘Unlocking Potential: Perspectives on Women in Science, Engineering and Technology’ argue that to meet the skills challenge requires much greater effort by the professions, business and government to attract more young women into the SET industries, and in particular more family friendly polices to tackle the very poor retention record.

MRC welcomes research recognition in NHS reforms

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 08:32:42 +0100

The Medical Research Council (MRC) has welcomed the explicit emphasis on research laid out in the healthcare reforms.

Surgeons want more research funding

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:20:43 +0100

Failure to generate, support and implement surgical research means NHS patients are missing out on groundbreaking new procedures and therapies, warns a new report by the Royal College of Surgeons.

Europe tackles huge fraud

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 08:40:06 +0100

Italian authorities and the European Anti-Fraud Office are prosecuting members of a network accused of pocketing more than €50 million (US$72 million) in EC grants for fake research projects.

NIH seeks to bring discovery into the classroom

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 08:42:39 +0100

The US National Institutes of Health’s K-12 Lessons About Bioscience (LAB) Challenge asks teachers, students, parents, scientists, and science enthusiasts to submit their favorite experiments for elementary, middle, and high school students.

An unusual annual report

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:04:28 +0100

A biotech company, United Therapeutics of Rockville, Maryland, has published its annual report as a comic book.

More research into brain disorders needed, says report

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 09:27:30 +0100

A report for the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology warns that "research in new treatments for brain disorders is under threat".

Home Office launches EU directive consultation

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 08:56:51 +0100

The Home Office are inviting comments on the options for transposing the European directive on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes.

Pfizer expands R&D network

Tue, 14 Jun 2011 08:43:56 +0100

Pfizer announced the third in its network of research partnerships with medical and academic institutions last week, naming eight partners in and around Boston.

Queen's Birthday honours list - Bob Edwards and Hugh Pelham knighted

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:11:29 +0100

Bob Edwards and Hugh Pelham are knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours list. Sally Macintyre becomes a Dame.

Egypt to create science city

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:09:29 +0100

Egypt has announced plans to establish a US$2 billion 'science city' to link its science with industry and provide practical experience for its scientists.

Framework Programme - shortlist of names

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 08:45:28 +0100

The competition to find a name for the successor to EU Framework Programme 7 is nearly concluded, and a shortlist of three names is announced.

John Tooke elected as President of Academy

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 08:30:24 +0100

The Council of the Academy of Medical Sciences has elected Sir John Tooke as the next President.

The Science Interview - Paul Nurse

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 12:09:13 +0100

Paul Nurse, interviewed in the New Statesman.

Europe needs more innovation

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 08:55:53 +0100

The European Commission’s latest update on its Innovation Union strategy says economic growth targets will not be met unless there is a great leap forward for innovation.

James Lovelock given ethical award

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:08:10 +0100

James Lovelock has been given a lifetime achievement award at the Observer Ethical Awards.

Public support for NHS to do research

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:03:49 +0100

In an AMRC poll, 97% of the public said they want the NHS to support research into new treatments; 93% said they want their local NHS to be encouraged or required to support research.

WHO launches World report on disability

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:02:25 +0100

The first ever World report on disability, produced jointly by WHO and the World Bank, suggests that more than a billion people in the world today experience disability.

Stem cell funding bans have unintended effects

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 08:57:25 +0100

A sociological analysis of stem cell publications has shown that hindering embryonic stem cell research also impedes technologies, such as induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, that don't rely on embryos.

New decade of vaccines - series in The Lancet

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 08:51:26 +0100

A Series of articles in The Lancet looks at every aspect of vaccine technology, including the developments expected over the coming decade and what to expect from translation of the latest vaccine science.

Tom Blundell to lead Science Council

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:12:48 +0100

Sir Tom Blundell has been elected to be the new President of the Science Council.

Ron Davis wins Gruber prize

Thu, 9 Jun 2011 09:11:50 +0100

Biochemist and geneticist Ronald W. Davis has been awarded the $500,000 Gruber Genetics Prize, for pioneering work in the development of biotechnologies that have significantly advanced the fields of molecular genetics and genomics.

UK Treasury appoints science adviser

Thu, 9 Jun 2011 09:06:32 +0100

HM Treasury has finally appointed a chief scientific adviser: James Richardson, until now director of public spending in the department's public services and growth directorate.

Whistle-blower claims his accusations cost him his job

Thu, 9 Jun 2011 08:32:31 +0100

University of Wisconsin-Madison denies that it retaliated against a researcher who questioned his supervisor's data.

Martyn Poliakoff, Royal Society foreign secretary

Thu, 9 Jun 2011 08:25:48 +0100

Martyn Poliakoff, research professor of chemistry at the University of Nottingham, is soon to take on the role as foreign secretary of the Royal Society. He is interviewed in the Times Higher.

WHO grand challenges in genomics for developing countries

Thu, 9 Jun 2011 09:15:28 +0100

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new project to identify the leading priorities for genomics to address important public health issues in developing countries.

Are We Ready for the $1,000 Genome?

Thu, 9 Jun 2011 09:10:15 +0100

In a series of three posts at Genomes Unzipped, participants from the Race to the $1,000 Genome session at the Cheltenham Science Festival weigh in on the possibilities presented by less expensive sequencing technology.

Detailed budget of new NIH translational medicine centre

Thu, 9 Jun 2011 09:08:26 +0100

The NIH has produced the much-awaited minutiae of how it intends to fund a new centre for translational medicine beginning in October.

Stem cell research thrives

Thu, 9 Jun 2011 08:36:32 +0100

A US court case is making stem-cell researchers nervous. But the field continues to thrive. A review of career opportunities in stem cell research.

Shaw prize goes to innate immunity pioneers

Wed, 8 Jun 2011 08:24:30 +0100

The Shaw Prize in Life Science and Medicine 2011 is awarded in equal shares to Jules A Hoffmann, Ruslan M Medzhitov and Bruce A Beutler for their discovery of the molecular mechanism of innate immunity.

Steve Caddick on enterprise at UCL

Wed, 8 Jun 2011 08:17:51 +0100

Steve Caddick explains how StartUp Summer could help UCL launch the UK's next generation of entrepreneurs

The hidden science map

Wed, 8 Jun 2011 08:29:59 +0100

The Hidden Science Map is building a collection of 5000 scientists, all located on Google Maps.

Roche partners with Swiss academic institutes

Wed, 8 Jun 2011 08:33:26 +0100

The University of Geneva, Geneva University Hospitals and the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics have created a strategic collaboration with Roche in translational medical research.

Fundraising from philanthropy

Wed, 8 Jun 2011 08:22:09 +0100

Very few of Europe’s universities are taking philanthropic fundraising seriously, and even fewer use this source to fund research, says a new study.

John Fazakerley takes over at Institute for Animal Health

Wed, 8 Jun 2011 08:37:52 +0100

Professor John Fazakerley has taken up his post as Director of the BBSRC Institute for Animal Health.

Winners of the executable paper grand challenge

Wed, 8 Jun 2011 08:43:48 +0100

Elsevier has announced the winners of the Executable Paper Grand Challenge, a program Elsevier created to address the difficulties associated with reproducing computer science research results.

Demographics to hit universities

Wed, 8 Jun 2011 08:28:32 +0100

The core market for universities, the population of 18-24 year olds in the UK, is embarking on a sharp 10-year decline before staging a modest recovery.

MRC Cancer Cell Unit team wins innovation prize

Tue, 7 Jun 2011 08:37:29 +0100

A team at the MRC Cancer Cell Unit in Cambridge have won one of the Department of Health's first Innovation Challenge Prizes for their work on a new test for Barrett's oesophagus.

Stanford loses patent battle

Tue, 7 Jun 2011 08:34:51 +0100

The U.S. Supreme Court has ended a long patent battle over rights to a widely used HIV test, awarding a victory to Roche Molecular Systems Inc. (which developed and marketed the test) while rejecting the royalty demands of Stanford University (whose faculty conceived and patented the test).

Productivity metrics and peer review scores

Tue, 7 Jun 2011 08:25:28 +0100

Jeremy Berg has analysed whether peer review scores predict scientific output, and he finds that they do.

Jackson Lab abandons expansion plans

Mon, 6 Jun 2011 09:06:03 +0100

The Jackson Laboratory has decided to pull the plug on its plan to expand into Florida, citing a lack of available funding from the state.

Women in science: their personal journeys

Mon, 6 Jun 2011 09:01:48 +0100

At a New York event, five prominent female scientists describe their triumphs and travails.

Building research into the structure of the NHS

Mon, 6 Jun 2011 07:19:24 +0100

A coalition of charities and organisations sharing an interest in health research have proposed measures to create an environment in the NHS and public health system that facilitates and builds research.

New chair of MRC's Translational Research Group

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 10:18:21 +0100

Professor Patrick Johnston, dean of the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences at Queen’s University Belfast has been appointed chair of the Translational Research Group of the Medical Research Council (MRC).

US research universities under stress

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 10:10:46 +0100

The AAAS Forum on Science and Technology Policy warns that financial pressures could undermine a system that has made U.S. universities a dominant global power in research.

European FP8 wishlists

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 10:01:33 +0100

The Commission is currently wading through more than 2,000 responses to its proposals for the next Framework R&D programme, due to run from 2014 - 2020.

What should be done to help early career researchers?

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 09:41:24 +0100

A postdoctoral position was once the passport to a research post for life. But the inexorable growth in numbers of postdoctoral researchers means competition for academic careers is fierce.

Interview with Mark Walport

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 09:43:58 +0100

The Times Higher interview Wellcome Trust chief, Mark Walport. He says he is pleased with the outcome of their new super-awards.

Inaugural Wellcome Trust Investigator Awards announced

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 09:25:11 +0100

The Wellcome Trust has announced the first recipients of its Investigator Awards. 27 Investigators (7 New Investigators and 20 Senior Investigators) will share £56 million worth of funding.

Chinese research and innovation

Wed, 1 Jun 2011 08:47:22 +0100

Visiting China for the first time last week, Europe's top research official, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, admitted that she was bowled over by how quickly the rising power is muscling up its R&D.

Scientists invited to review patent applications

Wed, 1 Jun 2011 08:42:28 +0100

Peer to Patent is a new tool designed to help improve the patent application process. It is a review website which allows experts from the scientific and technology community to view and comment on patent applications.

The adventures of Dr. Obvious

Wed, 1 Jun 2011 08:38:01 +0100

How useful is it for scientists to prove the obvious?

US needs national innovation policy

Wed, 1 Jun 2011 08:41:44 +0100

The U.S. must move quickly to develop a national innovation strategy if it is to remain competitive in the global economy, a panel of experts said at the AAAS Forum on Science and Technology Policy.

MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit

Tue, 31 May 2011 09:19:23 +0100

The MRC Epidemiology Resource Centre in Southampton is to be formally renamed the MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit.

Panel is critical of NIH 'big biology' grants

Tue, 31 May 2011 09:14:17 +0100

An expert panel has urged the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) to scrap an 11-year, $368 million foray into big biology.

Franco-German cooperation in health research

Tue, 31 May 2011 09:04:40 +0100

Germany’s Helmholtz Association and France’s National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) are to create two joint research laboratories in France

Science is made up of cliques?

Tue, 31 May 2011 09:51:43 +0100

Article in The Scientist looks at different kinds of scientist.

Framework Programme should adopt model of NSF

Thu, 26 May 2011 10:17:07 +0100

The European Framework programme, one of the world's largest science funders, has improved its reputation. Not by enough, says Colin Macilwain in Nature

Views on science careers wanted

Thu, 26 May 2011 10:17:07 +0100

Science is Vital is drafting a document for David Willetts, summarizing the points raised at a recent meeting about science careers, to be used as the basis of future discussions.

Questionnaire on the future of researcher development

Thu, 26 May 2011 10:17:06 +0100

Vitae are hosting a questionnaire to gather researchers' input so they can help to determine a strategy for researcher development in 2012-2017.

Willetts explains HE policy

Thu, 26 May 2011 10:17:06 +0100

Writing in the Times Higher David Willetts explains the rationale behind the coalition government's actions in Higher Education policy and why the sector will come to thank him

Translational Research: No Simple Solution

Thu, 26 May 2011 10:17:06 +0100

Elias Zerhouni says that such translational (bench to bedside) research is more difficult than he thought.

Film shows impact of public engagement with research

Thu, 26 May 2011 10:18:31 +0100

Research Councils UK (RCUK) have released a film that shows how engaging with the public is important for research.

Meetings of minds

Thu, 26 May 2011 10:18:32 +0100

Academics at University College London fear that a room that sits at the heart of the institution's scholarly life will be lost - and with it a crucial space to mix with colleagues.

A new name for UKCMRI

Wed, 25 May 2011 16:34:42 +0100

The MRC has announced that from July it will be rename The Francis Crick Institute

Science and Technology Committee publishes report on UKCMRI

Wed, 25 May 2011 16:32:01 +0100

The House of Common Select Committee has published its final report.

Government publishes position paper on future EU research funding

Tue, 24 May 2011 08:54:34 +0100

‘Funding for EU research and innovation from 2014: a UK perspective’ looks at the future role and shape of EU funding for research and innovation.

New HQ for the gates Foundation

Tue, 24 May 2011 09:17:09 +0100

The new Gates Foundation headquarters reflects the charity's roots.

Russia revitalizes science

Tue, 24 May 2011 08:51:08 +0100

Several foreign or expatriate Russian scientists working in the West have received a new type of grant to bring their expertise to Russian universities.

German government supports life science start-ups

Tue, 24 May 2011 08:47:39 +0100

The German research ministry will provide €20 million to a venture capital fund set up to commercialise public sector research.

The key to science communication

Tue, 24 May 2011 08:53:38 +0100

Researchers must engage diverse public audiences through new storytelling techniques and technologies, experts said at the AAAS Policy Forum’s panel on communication.

Open science and garage biology

Tue, 24 May 2011 09:01:27 +0100

Mapping the human genome showed how the internet can play a vital part in collective scientific research. Now more scientists are collaborating and inviting amateurs and colleagues from other disciplines to get involved.
Observer, 23 May 2011

University fees policy - a critique

Tue, 24 May 2011 08:31:51 +0100

Howard Hotson, in the London Review of Books, argues that Britain should not adopt a market-based system of Higher Education.

Royal Society elects 44 new fellows

Fri, 20 May 2011 10:38:40 +0100

The Royal Society has elected 44 new Fellows and eight new Foreign Members.

The BIS blog

Fri, 20 May 2011 09:36:56 +0100

Official blog from the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, where Ministers, policymakers and guest bloggers share and discuss their work and ideas.

Funding People, Not Projects?

Fri, 20 May 2011 08:58:23 +0100

Tim Harford's new book, called Adapt, is about success and failure in various kinds of projects, The second installment is about biomedical research. Blogger Derek Lowe comments.

MPs with science interests

Thu, 19 May 2011 16:29:08 +0100

CaSE has drawn up a list of those MPs with an interest or background in science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) in Parliament.

MRC Network May/June issue

Thu, 19 May 2011 16:27:39 +0100

The May/June 2011 issue of MRC Network is available. Summary: Write-minded scientists - researchers who blog; Opinion: Professor Debbie Smith says more scientists must participate in peer review of grant applications; former LMB scientist & Nobel Laureate Sir Aaron Klug donates his archive to the Churchill Archives

Lords reform and science

Thu, 19 May 2011 08:58:23 +0100

As the government unveils its plans for reform of the House of Lords, Kumar Bhattacharyya, warns those in the research community who wish for strong parliamentary advocates for science and technology to be wary.

Data archiving is a good investment

Thu, 19 May 2011 08:37:08 +0100

Correspondence in Nature claims that data-archiving infrastructure yields an impressive scientific return.

Nature responds to critics of review process

Thu, 19 May 2011 08:30:49 +0100

An accusation that referees are too demanding and editors too supine demands a response. Authors, editors and referees all have lessons to learn.

Nuffield Council seeks views on emerging biotech

Thu, 19 May 2011 09:20:51 +0100

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics is seeking views on the ethical issues posed by emerging biotechnologies.

China's basic science takes great leap forward

Thu, 19 May 2011 08:23:45 +0100

A newly released study suggests that the huge increase in Chinese research output is starting to be matched by a similar rise in the quality of its basic science.

National Audit Office looks at RCUK SSC

Wed, 18 May 2011 08:35:00 +0100

The National Audit Office has launched an inquiry into the research councils’ Shared Services Centre.

Paul Nurse defends UKCMRI

Wed, 18 May 2011 08:37:16 +0100

Replying to a letter the previous day, Paul Nurse states in the Guardian that UKCMRI will be a research institute for national benefit.

150 years of MIT

Wed, 18 May 2011 09:17:49 +0100

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has led the world into the future for 150 years with scientific innovations.

50 years of UCL's Windeyer

Wed, 18 May 2011 09:29:00 +0100

UCL Division of Infection and Immunity have held a celebration of the scientific achievements in the Windeyer building before it is demolished.

Career options for life scientists in data exploitation

Wed, 18 May 2011 09:32:13 +0100

A report (Big Data: The Next Frontier for Innovation, Competition and Productivity) put together by the McKinsey Global Institute, suggests that harvesting, managing, mining and analyzing big new data sets can lead to a new wave of innovation, accelerated productivity and economic growth.

Wikipedia: Molecular and Cellular Biology

Wed, 18 May 2011 09:29:40 +0100

Wikipedia is seeking volunteers to get involved with the Molecular & Cellular biology project.

University cuts threaten innovation

Tue, 17 May 2011 08:11:15 +0100

The international activities of UK universities have created a highly knowledge-intensive export industry and are a prime example of innovation in the public sector, but government funding cuts put that under threat.

Speciality gases

Tue, 17 May 2011 08:38:47 +0100

Speciality gases are essential for research, development and quality control.

Government agrees with Select Committee report on Technology Innovation Centres

Mon, 16 May 2011 12:25:25 +0100

Government Response to the Select Committee for Science & Technology Report on Technology and Innovation Centres.

Swiss innovation

Mon, 16 May 2011 09:53:40 +0100

Switzerland has become a leader in technology innovation in Europe.

School of Pharmacy to merge with UCL

Fri, 13 May 2011 13:45:19 +0100

A controversial merger between two University of London colleges is to take place after the governing body of the School of Pharmacy approved a plan to become part of University College London from the beginning of 2012.

Talks that overrun

Mon, 16 May 2011 10:14:18 +0100

Keith Bradnam found that most talks at a recent meeting overran by 2 minutes or more.

Inquisition

Mon, 16 May 2011 09:59:53 +0100

From the LabLit short story series

Royal Society - science as a public enterprise

Fri, 13 May 2011 09:01:01 +0100

The Royal Society is beginning a new, major policy study on the use of scientific information as it affects scientists and society.

RCUK welcomes Royal Society study on openness

Fri, 13 May 2011 09:29:03 +0100

Research Councils UK (RCUK) welcomes the launch of the new Royal Society study on the use of scientific information. Science as a public enterprise: opening up scientific information will look at how scientific information can be best managed to improve the quality of research and build public trust.

Impact of NIH measured

Thu, 12 May 2011 10:03:37 +0100

NIH directly and indirectly supported nearly 488,000 jobs and produced $68 billion in new economic activity in 2010 alone, The human genome project drove $796 billion in economic gains between 1988 and 2010 and created 310,000 jobs in 2010.

NIH funding rate drops

Thu, 12 May 2011 10:06:44 +0100

At a US Senate hearing, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Francis Collins warned that the fraction of grant applications that are funded this year could drop below 20% for the first time.

History of the operon

Fri, 13 May 2011 09:06:10 +0100

The 50th anniversary of the operon is being celebrated this week.

NMR pioneer wins Welch award

Fri, 13 May 2011 09:35:46 +0100

For his pioneering work in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, MIT chemist John S. Waugh has won this year's Welch Award in Chemistry.

Lectures are a poor way to learn

Fri, 13 May 2011 09:29:01 +0100

A new study shows that students learn much better through an active, iterative process that involves working through their misconceptions with fellow students and getting immediate feedback from the instructor.

Scientific facility projects cut

Thu, 12 May 2011 09:40:32 +0100

The UK government has announced cuts to planned scientific facilities that are part of a broader effort to decrease its swollen budget deficit.

Cuts may force scientists to share laboratories

Thu, 12 May 2011 09:36:06 +0100

Senior academics said savage cuts to hardware and facilities budgets would transform scientific research in the UK, with top-end equipment concentrated ever more in elite universities and government centres,

Measuring the public value of science

Thu, 12 May 2011 09:24:10 +0100

The scientific endeavour needs to deliver public value, not just research papers, says Nature editorial.

Online reputations

Thu, 12 May 2011 09:26:03 +0100

A Nature poll reveals how researchers guard, and sometimes burnish, their online image.

Paul Nurse talks in BMJ about UKCMRI

Wed, 11 May 2011 17:51:20 +0100

The Nobel Prize winning scientist at the helm of Europe's biggest biomedical research enterprise talks to Geoff Watts about his aspirations for the new centre and the general culture of UK research

Selfish scientists hold back research?

Thu, 12 May 2011 09:13:18 +0100

Academics have been accused of failing to make use of new technology to improve research because they are "selfish" and bogged down in the peer review system.

The distribution of UK industrial innovation

Thu, 12 May 2011 09:38:54 +0100

A new study of the distribution of innovative companies in the UK has huge implications for how innovation policies across Europe are focussed to maximise economic growth and job creation

Pinpointing science's fertile clusters and danger zones

Thu, 12 May 2011 09:15:41 +0100

Academics have devised a way to identify and graphically represent the cities with the strongest research performance.

Greenfield's radical solution for research funding

Thu, 12 May 2011 09:20:23 +0100

Susan Greenfield wants to abolish the research councils and research excellence framework and divide the research budget, along with the "vast sums saved from the bureaucracy", equally among researchers.

Beddington Medal winner Carlos Carmona-Fontaine

Wed, 11 May 2011 12:04:37 +0100

Interview with Beddington Medal winner Carlos Carmona-Fontaine

How to succeed with grant applications

Wed, 11 May 2011 08:55:13 +0100

As funding environments toughen, submitting more proposals is the best way to win grants.

BBSRC Innovators 2011 - Jason Swedlow

Wed, 11 May 2011 09:12:40 +0100

Jason Swedlow explains how the Open Microscopy Environment uses open source imaging software to drive innovation and research across the life sciences.

Select Committee - written evidence on effect of spending review on science

Wed, 11 May 2011 08:42:40 +0100

The Science and Technology Committee has published written evidence submitted to their inquiry into the Spending Review 2010.

NC3Rs/Society of Biology Symposium

Wed, 11 May 2011 09:22:02 +0100

The NC3Rs, in partnership with the Society of Biology Animal Science Group, is hosting a symposium in central London on 22 June 2011 to showcase scientific advances.

Select Committee - oral evidence on peer review

Wed, 11 May 2011 08:46:59 +0100

Uncorrected transcript of evidence given to the Select Committee inquiry on peer review. Nicola Gulley, (Institute of Physics Publishing), Ronald Laskey (Academy of Medical Sciences), Robert Parker, (Royal Society of Chemistry), and John Pethica (Royal Society).

New fellows of Academy of Medical Sciences

Tue, 10 May 2011 11:28:27 +0100

40 of the United Kingdom’s leading medical researchers have been recognised for excellence in medical science with their election to the Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences.

Paul Morgan appointed to MRC Council

Tue, 10 May 2011 11:25:29 +0100

Professor Paul Morgan, Dean and Head of the Cardiff University School of Medicine, has been appointed as a member of the Medical Research Council (MRC) Council. His term runs from 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2015.

Global science network to protect against animal diseases

Tue, 10 May 2011 08:43:40 +0100

The UK will be better protected against animal diseases like avian flu and foot and mouth thanks to a global network of scientific research to be launched by Defra this week.

EU Chief Scientist due by autumn this year

Tue, 10 May 2011 08:28:30 +0100

The search for an EU chief scientist,continues and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso hopes to have someone in place by autumn this year.

New journal ranking system

Tue, 10 May 2011 08:32:03 +0100

The Australian federal government has come up with a new ranking system for academic journals to measure success and rank the overall performance of universities across the country,

Communicating common sense about science

Tue, 10 May 2011 08:21:12 +0100

Richard Evans gave the Sense About Science Annual Lecture. He said that political ideology, scientific arrogance and the media’s search for a good story are hindering attempts to explain scientific findings.

Obituary of Leslie Collier

Tue, 10 May 2011 08:52:43 +0100

Professor Leslie Collier, who has died aged 90, was a virologist and bacteriologist who played a key role in eradicating smallpox.

Dept of Health - research ethics committees guidance

Tue, 10 May 2011 08:41:18 +0100

This document is the policy of the UK Health Departments describing what is expected from the research ethics committees that review research proposals relating to areas of the UK Health Department's responsibility. It also explains when review by these committees is required.

White House science adviser outlines successes and challenges

Mon, 9 May 2011 09:12:59 +0100

Budget and political pressures will create significant threats to important U.S. science initiatives ranging from basic defense research and energy development to education, White House science and technology adviser John P. Holdren said.

The link between reputation and citation

Mon, 9 May 2011 09:10:28 +0100

Reputations emerge in a collective manner. But does this guarantee that fame rests on merit, asks Philip Ball in NatureNews.

ESF merger plans on hold

Fri, 6 May 2011 09:36:34 +0100

The creation of a new body to speak for European science was thrown into disarray yesterday at a special general assembly of the European Science Foundation (ESF) when its member organizations backed away from proposals to merge with EuroHORCs.

More on ESF plans

Fri, 6 May 2011 09:12:48 +0100

The European Science Foundation failed to agree on its future as an independent science funding body at a key meeting yesterday.

Mass cytometry

Fri, 6 May 2011 09:02:38 +0100

The novel technique of mass cytometry opens a new chapter in single-cell biology.

Research etiquette

Fri, 6 May 2011 09:18:44 +0100

Science Professor discusses, in a blogpost, the unstated rules of research, and how, for the most part, students learn them over time.

Profile of Jurg Tschopp

Fri, 6 May 2011 09:04:21 +0100

Profile of Jürg Tschopp (1951-2011), whose basic research into cell death and inflammation will continue to have a clinical impact..

Growth hormone scandal scientists cleared

Fri, 6 May 2011 09:34:35 +0100

After 2 decades of legal wrangling, a French appeals court has thrown out charges of involuntary manslaughter and other crimes against two scientists involved in a growth hormone scandal.

Empowering women, empowering science

Thu, 5 May 2011 09:08:21 +0100

Breaking down gender barriers will bring more energy and fresh perspectives into the world of science. Four leading lights discuss how to make it happen.

ESF European Peer Review Guide published

Thu, 5 May 2011 08:54:55 +0100

The European Peer Review Guide maps grant-reviewing practices among European funding agencies and sets out recommendations.

Lessons from a clinical trials scandal

Thu, 5 May 2011 08:45:27 +0100

A scandal involving clinical trials based on research that was riddled with errors shows that journals, institutions and individuals must raise their standards.

Sir John Sulston and the Human Genome Project

Thu, 5 May 2011 09:14:39 +0100

Mark Henderson (Science Editor of ‘The Times’) profiles Sir John Sulston, a Nobel Prize winner and the first Director of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute.

New US National Academy of Sciences fellows

Thu, 5 May 2011 09:25:10 +0100

The National Academy of Sciences has announced the election of 72 new members and 18 foreign associates from 15 countries in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.

There are too few women presenting science on TV

Wed, 4 May 2011 09:46:28 +0100

Kim Shillinglaw, BBC commissioning editor for science and natural history, responds to accusations that not enough women are given the chance to present science on TV.

Wellcome Trust awards to help tackle questions in medical humanities

Wed, 4 May 2011 09:39:36 +0100

The Wellcome Trust has announced that it will expand its new Investigator Awards to cover the medical humanities and bioethics, inviting applications from world-class scholars asking the most important questions at the interface of science, medicine and the humanities.

European biological infrastructure projects

Wed, 4 May 2011 09:35:20 +0100

Three biological-sciences infrastructure projects costing a total of €700 million have been given the go-ahead in Europe.

Written responses to the EU research Green Paper

Wed, 4 May 2011 09:31:11 +0100

Responses to the consultation on future EU Research and Innovation Funding

Eurodoc sets out its views on future of EU research funding

Wed, 4 May 2011 09:29:26 +0100

The body representing young researchers, the European Council of Doctoral Candidates and Junior Researchers (Eurodoc) has published its views on the Future of EU Research and Innovation Funding.

Universities urge simplification of EU research grants

Wed, 4 May 2011 09:26:32 +0100

The administration of EU research projects is a significant burden for universities. The League of European Research Universities (LERU) suggests how the rules can be simplified.

New global rankings of medical schools

Wed, 4 May 2011 09:44:02 +0100

Cambridge comes second and Oxford fourth in a new global ranking of medicine courses, in which universities in Asia and Australia also perform well.

Is science sick?

Tue, 3 May 2011 16:29:24 +0100

Peter Lawrence has weighed into the debate on the state of research in an article for Lab Times, boldly claiming that The heart of research is sick.

Research culture must change

Tue, 3 May 2011 16:30:13 +0100

Todd Smith says research culture must change from one that emphasizes individual contributions to one that promotes group participation.

Public Attitudes to Science 2011 survey

Tue, 3 May 2011 09:13:23 +0100

The results of the Public Attitudes to Science 2011 survey shows that most people believe science and research make a valuable contribution to society and they are keen to learn more about it..

Profile of Jeremy Berg

Tue, 3 May 2011 09:06:55 +0100

The outgoing director of the basic research institute at the U.S. National Institutes of Health has won scientists' hearts and minds by championing transparency.

New names flood in for Euro funding programme

Tue, 3 May 2011 09:01:07 +0100

The European Commission’s contest to find a new name for its key science and technology funding program has received a respectable 1000 entries - a week before the 10 May deadline.

Deal on flu strains

Tue, 3 May 2011 09:04:16 +0100

The new agreement, on sharing flu strains is expected to be approved by the World Health Assembly in May.

Analysing science by text-mining

Tue, 3 May 2011 09:22:26 +0100

How to use the web to understand the way ideas evolve.
The Economist, 28 Apr 2011.

Background to embryo patent row

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 10:14:35 +0100

Europe's highest court has been urged to declare stem cell patents immoral and therefore illegal. Researchers warn this will destroy prospects for stem cell treatments in Europe, driving potential investors to patent-friendly China, Japan and the US. New Scientist explores what is at stake.

NIH looks at the future biomedical research workforce

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 09:11:07 +0100

A new working group at the National Institutes of Health will examine the future of the biomedical research workforce in the United States.

End the wasteful tyranny of reviewer experiments

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:04:25 +0100

Peer review of scientific papers in top journals is bogged down by unnecessary demands for extra lab work, argues Hidde Ploegh in Nature.

Lab sabotage is classed as misconduct

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 09:07:17 +0100

The (US) Office of Research Integrity has issued a finding of research misconduct for Vipul Bhrigu, a former postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan. He was caught on videotape sabotaging the experiments of a graduate student in his lab at the university.

European scientists rally for embyronic stem cell patents

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 09:08:50 +0100

A group of high profile stem cell scientists warns today that a proposed ban on embryonic stem cell patents in Europe could spell disaster for regenerative therapies.

Science and paradigms

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:02:39 +0100

Some thoughts about data, science, passive voice and paradigms.

Art and science

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 09:01:47 +0100

A touring exhibition shows the value of the Swiss 'artists-in-labs' programme.

California considers cell-banking

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 08:58:35 +0100

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine is holding meetings this week to consider funding iPS-cell banking projects.

BBSRC Annual report and accounts

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 12:23:40 +0100

The BBSRC Annual Report and Accounts for 2009-2010 have been published.

NIH budget cuts

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 08:57:55 +0100

NIH has announced that, as a result of the "nearly 1 percent" decrease from what NIH received in 2010, the agency will cut 1% from ongoing grants compared with the 2010 level.

Human Tissue Authority directions for research sector

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 09:07:33 +0100

The HTA has issued General Directions for the anatomy, public display and research sectors.

EU draft budget boosts research

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 08:47:16 +0100

The European Commission has proposed an increase in Europe’s research budget next year of 13.3% to €7.6 billion. The potential windfall for research was announced in the Commission’s draft EU budget for 2012.

Open science - good or bad?

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 09:00:51 +0100

Richard Grant asks whether open science is a step too far.

Henry Dale - a profile

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 08:55:00 +0100

Tilli Tansey (Professor of the History of Modern Medical Sciences, School of History, Queen Mary, University of London)tells the story of Sir Henry Dale, ex-Director of NIMR and founding trustee of the Wellcome Trust.

UC Berkeley launches synthetic biology institute

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 08:52:01 +0100

An alliance of top researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, has formed the UC Berkeley Synthetic Biology Institute (SBI), advancing efforts to engineer cells and biological systems in ways that promise to transform technology in health and medicine, energy, the environment, new materials, and a host of other critical arenas.

UK university spin-outs analysed

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 08:37:30 +0100

A group of 11 universities has produced more than half of all the spin-off companies to have been launched by higher education institutions in the past 10 years, according to new figures.

EMBO Gold Medal 2011 awarded to Simon Boulton

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 11:33:23 +0100

The European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) have announced Simon Boulton of Cancer Research UK’s London Research Institute, Clare Hall Laboratories as the winner of the 2011 EMBO Gold Medal.

Fix the PhD

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 10:42:38 +0100

Editorial in Nature argues that the PhD is no longer a guaranteed ticket to an academic career, and the PhD system needs a serious rethink.

Philosophical critique of 'research impact'

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 11:12:44 +0100

The 'impact' of great work is neither immediate nor measurable by the apparatchiks: it echoes down the ages, says Simon Blackburn in the Times Higher

Adam Rutherford defends the human genome project

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 11:28:40 +0100

It is a starting point for knowledge on genes not the end-point

Jurg Tschopp - obituary

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 10:48:48 +0100

Jürg Tschopp stood apart from most of his colleagues in immunology in that his discoveries in fundamental research brought striking and almost immediate benefits to patients suffering from painful, debilitating diseases.

Monitoring Science in Society activities

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 11:17:53 +0100

The European Commission has announced the launch of a new website for the MASIS ('Monitoring policy and research activities on Science in Society in Europe') project.

Science Garden to be built

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 11:26:04 +0100

A water fountain powered by natural energy, a man-sized hamster wheel and an eight-metre-high interactive sculpture are just some of the features of a new Science Garden that is to be built outside ThinkTank, Birmingham Science Museum.

Animal films

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 10:46:56 +0100

Isabella Rossellini, star of films including Blue Velvet (1986) and Big Night (1996), has made a series of short films on the mating rituals of insects and sea creatures. As her latest humorous biopic debuts in the United States, Rossellini explains why she is fascinated by animals.

Charity & public funding

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 11:22:36 +0100

A report from the Office of health Economics demonstrates that the combination of funding by charities and by the Government leads to very specific benefits.

The decline of physiology

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 08:40:27 +0100

R.J. Naftalin, writing in the Scientist, says that medical schools in the UK are teaching physiology courses primarily focused on clinical applications with much curtailed practical laboratory training, to the detriment of medical education.

Canadian basic science may suffer

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 08:35:47 +0100

The National Research Council in Canada has switched to a funding strategy that downplays basic research in favour of programmes designed to attract industry partners and generate revenue.

Pulitzer prize for gene sequencing story

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 08:33:26 +0100

Journalists at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel have been awarded the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting for their story about using genetic technology to save a 4-year-old boy.

MRC, Wellcome and others urge action on mitochondrial disease

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 17:39:50 +0100

MRC, Wellcome and others are co-signatories of a joint letter to the health secretary Andrew Lansley, asking him to press ahead with developing the regulations to license techniques to prevent the hereditary transmission of mitochondrial disease in clinical treatments.

HFEA review of scientific methods to avoid mitochondrial disease

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:38:54 +0100

The HFEA has submitted an expert panel's scientific review on methods to avoid mitochondrial disease to the Department of Health.

Surviving the postdoc experience

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 16:50:09 +0100

Athene MacDonald says that postdocs need to be given good appraisal and mentoring.

Breaking interdisciplinary boundaries

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:35:24 +0100

'Many of the most interesting problems can only be answered through inter- or multi-disciplinary attacks on the problem', says AAAS CEO Alan Leshner, executive publisher of Science.

Final evaluation report of Synthetic Biology Dialogue

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:32:39 +0100

The final evaluation report of the BBSRC/EPSRC Synthetic Biology Dialogue has now been published.

Profile of Mike Stratton

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:29:54 +0100

A pathologist drawn into molecular biology in the mid-1980s and now Director of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Professor Mike Stratton explains how he’ll never stop being fascinated by cells.

Too hard for science?

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:25:02 +0100

Charles Choi talks to scientists about ideas they would love to explore that they don't think could be investigated.

NIH advised to avoid translational research

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:21:40 +0100

Former Merck CEO Roy Vagelos says that translational research isn't the proper function of NIH and its money, calling it "the pathway to destruction,"

Basic research is essential

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 09:44:43 +0100

Steve Caplan draws inspiration from NIH and its basic science.

Royal Society announces 2011 Wolfson Awards

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 08:57:46 +0100

The Royal Society has announced the appointment of seven new Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award holders. The scientists will have taken up their awards at institutions across the UK by 1 May 2011.

HE White Paper: it’s time to back science

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 10:12:53 +0100

Blog post by Imran Khan from CaSE.

Sharing agreement improves preparedness for influenza pandemics

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 09:28:35 +0100

WHO member states have agreed upon a framework to ensure that in a pandemic, influenza virus samples will be shared with partners who need the information to take steps to protect public health.

Two more London universities set to join UKCMRI

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:26:58 +0100

Imperial College and King's College London have sign a memorandum of understanding to join the project.

Nature Event: Future of the PhD

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:23:39 +0100

Nature will be hosting at live Q&A at 4pm (BST) on Thursday 21st April.

Intellectual Property Office wins British Invention Show's Ambassador Award

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:21:30 +0100

The IPO received the Ambassador Award in recognition of its long term support for the British Inventors Society, for promoting innovation in the UK and for allowing creators to benefit from their knowledge and ideas.

New Vice Presidents for the European Research Council

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:19:11 +0100

Carl-Henrik Heldin and Pavel Exner have been elected to serve until end of Framework Programme 7 in 2013

Neuroscience funding

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 11:16:06 +0100

British Neuroscience Association and Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council have issued a joint statement on funding

MRC clinical fellowships

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 09:26:34 +0100

Article in The Independent about MRC Clinician Scientist Awards and MRC Clinical Research Training Fellowships.

Giving up tenure for happiness

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 09:14:16 +0100

A personal story of a scientist who gave up a tenured position.

Nuffield Council consultation on emerging biotechnologies

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 08:55:50 +0100

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics has launched a call for views and evidence on the ethical issues raised by emerging biotechnologies. The Council is interested in the way society and policy makers respond to new biotechnologies and how benefits from these technologies can be secured in an ethically appropriate manner.

Robot science

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 08:57:46 +0100

After an update to its software, a robot scientist has recycled its previous research to make a new biological discovery.

Murdoch Mitchison obituary

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 09:16:40 +0100

Murdoch Mitchison, who has died aged 88, was the co-professor of zoology at Edinburgh University between 1963 and 1988. His work concentrated on how the process of cell division is controlled.

Patent applications in Europe reach all-time high

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 09:23:20 +0100

The EPO received 235 000 European patent filings in 2010, up 11% from 2009, marking the highest number ever in the Office's 34-year history.

How important are Nature and Science?

Fri, 8 Apr 2011 10:06:20 +0100

It is not news that Nature and Science are influential journals, but the extent of their influence across almost all fields of scientific research may be.

What makes a great scientific talk

Fri, 8 Apr 2011 09:53:21 +0100

Guidelines for giving a successful talk in science.

The worst labmate in the world?

Fri, 8 Apr 2011 09:50:13 +0100

How to assess if you are a good or bad labmate.

Wellcome senior fellowships schemes open

Fri, 8 Apr 2011 09:23:01 +0100

Wellcome's Senior Research Fellowships in Basic Biomedical Science fund the most outstanding postdoctoral scientists based within academic institutions across the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

RCUK delivery plan

Fri, 8 Apr 2011 09:12:53 +0100

Research Councils UK (RCUK) has published its new delivery plan. The plan sets out the programme of collective activities for the period 2011-2015, building on the strategic objectives set out in the RCUK Strategic Vision.

Be careful what you sign ...

Fri, 8 Apr 2011 09:07:47 +0100

The signature of a visiting scientist on a form is at the center of a major patent fight before the U.S. Supreme Court.

What students know about science

Fri, 8 Apr 2011 09:19:27 +0100

AAAS has launched an innovative Web site with more than 600 multiple-choice test questions to help educators assess more precisely what students know about key ideas in science and—just as importantly—the incorrect ideas they have.

Changes in Singapore bioscience funding

Fri, 8 Apr 2011 09:05:23 +0100

Singapore will boost public spending on research by 20% compared with spending during the previous 5 years but the government is demanding more economic bang from its research bucks. Bioscience institutes under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) will have their core budgets cut and bioscientists, must compete for grants decided in part by the likelihood of an economic payoff.

Nippon Science Support Network

Thu, 7 Apr 2011 10:15:35 +0100

The newly launched Nippon Science Support Network started as a cooperation between German and Japanese researchers, but because of overwhelming demand today turned into a global initiative, allowing researchers from all countries help to support Japanese scientists.

Open bioimaging

Thu, 7 Apr 2011 10:08:46 +0100

The Open Microscopy Environment is a multi-site collaborative effort among academic laboratories and a number of commercial entities that produces open tools to support data management for biological light microscopy.

Another science writing prize

Thu, 7 Apr 2011 10:06:53 +0100

The hunt is on to find the next generation of undiscovered science writing talent with the launch of the inaugural Wellcome Trust Science Writing Prize, in association with the ‘Guardian’ and the ‘Observer’.

World Health Day

Thu, 7 Apr 2011 10:05:45 +0100

On World Health Day, WHO is issuing a policy package to get everyone, especially governments and their drug regulatory systems, on the right track, with the right measures, quickly.

Human Genetics Commission recommends preconception gene testing

Thu, 7 Apr 2011 10:00:17 +0100

The HGC has published a report on Preconception Genetic Testing and Screening which states there are no specific social, ethical or legal principles that would make preconception genetic testing within the framework of a population screening programme unacceptable.

Overcoming procrastination

Thu, 7 Apr 2011 09:57:39 +0100

Hugh Kearns and Maria Gardiner offer some tips for getting your drive back.

Mouse patent dispute

Thu, 7 Apr 2011 09:56:36 +0100

A US lawsuit could expose hundreds of scientists to property-rights litigation.

International Rare Disease Research Consortium

Thu, 7 Apr 2011 09:55:03 +0100

The International Rare Disease Research Consortium is being formed under the auspices of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the European Commission.

NIH's 'Secret Plans' for a Government Shutdown

Wed, 6 Apr 2011 11:43:32 +0100

ScienceInsider blog writes on the plans that may be implemented to moth-ball NIH's intramural research if the US Government budget cannot be agreed.

Royal Society Lecture: The Information

Wed, 6 Apr 2011 11:39:16 +0100

James Gleick will lecture on Tuesday 12 April 7pm-8pm on 'The Information. A History, A Theory, A Flood'.James has just authored a book on the age of information

Royal Society Pairings Scheme 2011

Wed, 6 Apr 2011 11:34:34 +0100

Applications are now open for scientists to pair with an MP or Civil Servant, so learning more about government and familiarising the government officials with process of science.

Entries open for 'The Scientist's Labby Multimedia Awards'

Wed, 6 Apr 2011 11:31:00 +0100

A competion for videos, interactive multimedia, websites, blogs, or any other techie creation that shares the latest in life science research with the world

Ten steps, one giant leap for Scottish science

Wed, 6 Apr 2011 11:28:13 +0100

The Prospect trade union has set out its priorites for Scottish science and will lobby Parliamentry candidates on science

Dr Monica Dietl begins work as COST Office Director

Mon, 4 Apr 2011 12:08:59 +0100

The European Science Foundation has announced that Dr Dietl has taken up her post in European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Office. COST provides a platform for European scientists to cooperate on a particular project and exchange expertise. These projects, called COST Actions, increase the mobility of researchers across Europe and foster the establishment of scientific excellence in the nine key domains.

RCUK announces rate of indexation for grants

Mon, 4 Apr 2011 12:07:02 +0100

RCUK has announce its rate of indexation of grant for the next 3 years starting on 1st April 2011

Scientific research and its importance to the economy

Fri, 1 Apr 2011 09:51:57 +0100

University leaders and U.S. Senators gathered for a roundtable discussion in Washington on the vital role university-based scientific research plays in fueling innovation and sparking economic growth.

Report calls for Alumni role in University governance

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:57:12 +0100

Malcolm Gillies asserts in his report that alumni will make the best governors as they are the ones who will hold the greatest stake in future.

Medical research charities in the recession

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:07:01 +0100

AMRC have published evidence of how medical research charities are faring in the recession.

Biotech billionaires

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:01:49 +0100

Matthew Herper says health care in general is a pretty bad choice of a sector if you want to make a mega-fortune.

How to get tenure (at a US university)

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:48:14 +0100

Probably the biggest hurdle is the leap from postdoc to junior faculty. Sean Carroll gives some tips.

Scientific meetings benefit from blogging and microblogging

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:44:22 +0100

Blogs and microblogs, such as Twitter and FriendFeed, have added a new dimension to interpersonal communication. Talks at scientific meetings are not exempt from this trend. Nature Methods

PhD comic strip to become movie

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 09:04:47 +0100

Piled Higher and Deeper: the Movie began filming a few weeks ago at the California Institute of Technology.

MRC investment in mouse genetics at Harwell

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:50:08 +0100

The Medical Research Council (MRC) has announced that it is to invest in excess of £60m over the next five years into mouse genetics research at MRC Harwell, Oxfordshire.

Royal Society report on global scientific collaboration

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 07:48:43 +0100

A new group of countries, lead by China and followed by others including Brazil and India, are emerging as major scientific powers to rival the traditional scientific superpowers, a new report from the Royal Society has found.

WHO's handling of the influenza pandemic

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 08:16:00 +0100

Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General, responds to assessment of WHO's handling of the influenza pandemic

AHRC denies Big Society charge

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 08:02:09 +0100

The Arts and Humanities Research Council has strongly denied that it has been pressurized into funding research on the Conservative Party’s Big Society agenda.

Name the programme!

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 08:11:58 +0100

The EC is looking for a name for its new Research and Innovation Programme.

New-look 'Wellcome News'

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 08:17:15 +0100

Wellcome Trust have redesigned their quarterly magazine, Wellcome News, and have increased the number of longer features it includes, as well as introducing some new styles of article.

NIH defends grant review policy

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 09:07:21 +0100

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has responded to a petition from thousands of unhappy extramural researchers, complaining about a two-year-old policy that prohibits researchers from resubmitting rejected grant proposals more than once.

ERC offers grants for commercialisation

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 09:06:28 +0100

In a new initiative, the European Research Council is to offer its grant holders more money to carry out proof of concept work and speed basic research to market.

The Budget - A Dramatised Account

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:21:37 +0000

An alternative view of the budget.

New body to oversee clinical trials

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 08:39:26 +0000

The UK is to set up a new health research regulatory agency to streamline regulation and improve the cost effectiveness of clinical trials,

Can good marketing make up for bad science?

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 08:13:08 +0000

Article at The Scientist on effective science, great science, and marketing.

Profile of Eric Schadt

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 08:27:35 +0000

Profile of Eric Schadt, from Pacific Biosciences.

Multitouch display microscope

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 08:25:52 +0000

Researchers at the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM) have in collaboration with the Finnish company Multitouch Ltd created a hand and finger gesture controlled microscope.

Gairdners prizes for Huntington's and epigenetics pioneers

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 11:26:42 +0000

The medical geneticist who developed the first predictive test for Huntington’s disease was one of seven researchers recognized today by the Gairdner Foundation for his contributions to biomedicine. Other awardees announced today include the University of Edinburgh’s Adrian Bird and Hebrew University’s Howard Cedar and Aharon Razin for discovering the critical role of epigenetics in disease.

Budget analysis - what does it mean for science?

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 13:45:59 +0000

William Cullerne-Bown analyses what the government's Plan for Growth means for science and technology.

Budget analysis (2)

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 17:18:17 +0000

What does the budget mean for medical research? From the AMRC blog.

CASE response to the budget

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 09:26:20 +0000

The Campaign for Science and Engineering (CaSE) welcomed the announcement of £100m of extra capital spending on science and engineering facilities but warned that the UK seriously risks falling behind in the global high-tech stakes, even though we are a world-leader in basic research.

Royal Society budget comments

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 08:57:03 +0000

The Royal Society has welcomed the announcement of an additional £100 million in capital expenditure for science in today’s budget.

Leave research to the select few

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 09:10:02 +0000

The majority of UK universities should pull out of research, according to Phil Willis.

Nature launches its new metrics service

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 08:58:07 +0000

The Nature Publishing Index Global Top 50 published today ranks the top 50 institutions in the world, according to their output of primary research articles in Nature research journals in 2010.

Broadcasting misconduct

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 09:28:19 +0000

Sometimes going public with an accusation is the only way to bring the truth to light. The Scientist.

NIH marks World TB Day

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 08:57:50 +0000

The theme of World TB Day 2011 is "On the move against TB: Transforming the fight towards elimination".

Big Ideas for the Future

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 09:04:57 +0000

RCUK and Universities UK are seeking submissions for ‘Big Ideas for the Future’. The project is exploring research currently taking place in universities that is likely to have a major impact on the UK and the world in the future.

Student visa changes announced

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 09:00:12 +0000

Home Secretary Theresa May has announced major reforms to the student visas system.

Women’s issues at MIT

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 09:10:27 +0000

There are unforeseen side-effects of the progressive employment policies in place at MIT.

Travel grants for developmental biologists

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 09:07:03 +0000

If you’re attending a conference later this year and need help funding your travel, you can apply for one of the Company of Biologists’ Direct Travel grants.

Ensuring Excellence with Impact - RCUK report

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 08:41:23 +0000

Research Councils UK has published a new report detailing plans to drive efficiency in research funding.

Dear scientist ... from BioMedCentral

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 08:58:50 +0000

Letter from BioMedCentral seeking to encourage discussions about solutions to the problem of research data.

China hints at science-funding reform

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 08:44:30 +0000

Chinese premier shows signs of increasing the efficiency of research funding, as budget growth slows.

Another take on top scientific cities

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 08:42:53 +0000

Researchers have come up with a new approach for evaluating the scientific performance of cities,

Research regulation stifling science

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:49:53 +0000

A blogger asks "How have we got to a position where the Academy of Medical Sciences concludes that a complex and bureaucratic regulatory environment is stifling health research in the UK?"

Medical research charities

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:43:15 +0000

NESTA report report concludes that medical research charities are one of the significant assets the UK has which could be better exploited to support UK biomedical research.

Access to genetics in medical services

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:36:15 +0000

A new approach is needed to ensure that genomics is embedded throughout mainstream medical practice, according to a report from the PHG Foundation.

MRC Network Mar/Apr issue

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 12:20:50 +0000

In this issue: When I’m 65 - six decades of the National Survey of Health and Development; Opinion: Vivienne Parry OBE urges scientists to communicate with the public about their work; and an update on the UK Brain Banks Network

Science is Vital - new campaign

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 11:09:54 +0000

Science is Vital is urging scientists to submit evidence to the Select Committee's Spending Review inquiry.

F1000 evaluations predict citations

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 09:58:42 +0000

MRC commissioned F1000 to match papers that were reported via MRC e-Val and published between 2006 and 2008 to papers with F1000 evaluations. Papers chosen for evaluation by faculty members do subsequently accumulate a high citation impact.

Another prize for Yamanaka

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:07:18 +0000

Three scientists whose pioneering work in isolating human stem cells holds great promise for the future of medicine have been named the recipients of the 11th annual Albany Medical Center Prize in Medicine and Biomedical Research.

NIH grant grumbles

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:21:08 +0000

Some senior scientists don't like the way NIH is apportioning its grant funds

Women in SET; remaining challenges

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:10:29 +0000

The UKRC’s Guide 2010 shows that women are under-represented at every level in STEM education and SET employment, with particularly severe gender segregation in vocational training and skilled trades.

In the wake of a retraction

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 10:20:06 +0000

A postdoc at the heart of a retraction suggests how universities and journals can handle these situations better.

Home Affairs Select Committee report on student visas

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:19:02 +0000

The House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee cautioned the Government against introducing measures which could damage the UK’s thriving educational export sector. Includes but is not limited to doctoral students.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Nature editorial

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:19:02 +0000

An editorial in Nature steps onto controversial ground, commenting on XMRV and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Whistleblowing or defamation?

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:19:01 +0000

Some fear that a US law to aid whistle-blowers will expose researchers to smear campaigns.

Novartis cuts back UK operations

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:19:01 +0000

Novartis is closing down a large chunk of its work at Horsham in south east England.

Are women changing science?

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:19:01 +0000

Report of a panel discussion at the ICA on 9 March.

BBSRC's new approach to studentships

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:19:00 +0000

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council has announced the details of significant changes in how it will work with Universities and Institutes for the funding of PhD students.

University funding cuts announced

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:19:00 +0000

Research intensive universities in England, including the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, will be relatively cushioned from cuts to the nation’s 2011-12 higher education budget.

Problems for open access?

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:18:59 +0000

Publishers and universities remain at odds over the issue of open access to research.

An innovative approach to science news

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:20:41 +0000

The Association of American Universities has published a flyer, called Scientific Enquirer, targetting US politicians.

Libel reform proposed

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 09:11:23 +0000

England’s libel laws are set for a major reform under proposals outlined by the country’s government today, at least partly in response to campaigning by researchers. The reforms may even provide explicit protection for reports of academic conferences.

Royal Society's Inside Science magazine

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 09:06:49 +0000

The Spring issue of the Royal Society quarterly magazine ‘Inside Science’ has been published.

Nurturing a diversity of ideas in science should be rewarded.

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:15:41 +0000

Alan Leshner (AAAS CEO & executive publisher of Science) has written a commentary in the Chronicle of Higher Education proposing that universities should reward faculty members for engaging a broader student population in science, thereby promoting diverse new ideas

Hidden toll of embryo ethics war

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:12:17 +0000

The legal battle over US Federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research, aimed at protecting embryos, is blocking funding of work which derives cells without destroying the embryos.

New Chair of RCUK announced

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:55:16 +0000

Professor Rylance (Chief Executive of AHRC) will be chair from July 2011 to July 2013.

Europe moves closer to unitary patent protection

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:52:29 +0000

The Council of the European Union has authorised enhanced cooperation on production of patents. Only Spain and Italy are not backing the move.

Wellcome Trust Postdoctoral Training Fellowships for MB/PhD Graduates

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:48:13 +0000

Applications for these fellowships are now open, preliminary applications to be submitted by 15th April

UKRC issues guidance on encouraging women in leadership

Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:45:57 +0000

UKRC has just issued a new good practice guide entitled "Women into Leadership: How to encourage women into leadership roles in science, engineering and technology"

Science and libel reform

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 14:53:08 +0000

The constricting effect of the UK libel law is felt within the scientific community, especially in the area of public health.

RCUK strategy post-spending review

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 09:09:30 +0000

Dr Steven Hill, Head of Research Council UK’s (RCUK) Strategy Unit gave a presentation to Policy Lunchbox on ‘RCUK strategy post-CSR’.

Celebrating the Culture of Science

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 09:17:46 +0000

There is a great deal of creative experimentation with different methods of engaging the public with science.

Suffrage science launched

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 08:54:36 +0000

Suffrage Science features conversations between leading female researchers in neuroscience and psychology, embryology and genetics, structural biology; and the biology of cancer and HIV, the publication brings to light a collection of stories about the significant contributions that women have made to science over the past 100 years.

John Denham's CASE lecture

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:08:41 +0000

John Denham said "There is a real danger of the UK losing its leading position in world science" in his CASE lecture on 9 March.

Court rejects stem cell patents

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 09:13:00 +0000

The European Court of Justice has issued a preliminary opinion that procedures involving established human embryonic stem (hES) cell lines are not patentable.

High-Tech Biology?

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 09:10:23 +0000

A blogger wonders how long will it be before biology is completely "automated"?

University museums

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 11:47:04 +0000

The Grant Museum of Zoology at University College London (UCL) reopens to the public this week after an eight-month closure.

Report helps inform decisions about how science should be funded

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 09:09:50 +0000

Clinical research has greater societal impact over a 15-20 year timescale, while basic research has greater academic impact, according to a new study

Another twist on the academic visa problem

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 08:49:19 +0000

Ending visas for non-EU graduate students to stay in the UK to work would be disastrous, warns Kathryn Holeywell in the Times higher.

Rise in female scientists

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 09:06:53 +0000

Women are taking a growing number of US academic life-science positions.

New definitions for translational research

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 09:26:28 +0000

In an editorial entitled "'Model' or 'Tool'? New definitions for translational research," Hazel Sive calls for using 'tool' as a way to define a biological system that, though failing to recapitulate a phenotype, can, by virtue of its molecular makeup, provide important insights into a human disorder.

Giving children the power to be scientists

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 09:24:36 +0000

Children who are taught how to think and act like scientists develop a clearer understanding of the subject, a study has shown.

Biobanks need publicity

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 09:05:38 +0000

Most Europeans haven't heard of their nation's repositories of human blood and tissue samples. Promote them, say George Gaskell and Herbert Gottweis in Nature, or they could fail.

France invests in research infrastructure

Wed, 9 Mar 2011 08:51:25 +0000

The French government has announced €260 million (US$360 million) in new funding over ten years for nine national infrastructure projects in medical and life-sciences research, and two demonstration projects in biotechnology.

The problem of scientific jargon

Wed, 9 Mar 2011 08:57:09 +0000

Scientists use language to give authority to their work, but if the words become jargon, they can end up alienating the audience instead of convincing them.

Data as Art

Wed, 9 Mar 2011 08:44:43 +0000

Maps taken from the Atlas of Science, a collection of images gathered to inspire researchers to present their troves of data in clever and digestible ways.

Big Bang fair

Wed, 9 Mar 2011 08:40:34 +0000

The Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineering are together providing activities for visitors at this years’ Big Bang Fair.

MRC advertises Protein Phosphorylation directorship

Tue, 8 Mar 2011 09:48:33 +0000

The MRC invites applications for the post of Director, MRC Protein Phosphorylation Unit, Dundee

100th anniversary of International Women's Day

Tue, 8 Mar 2011 08:50:23 +0000

The Theme for International Women's Day 2011 is 'Equal access to education, training and science and technology'.

Celebrate International Women's Day

Tue, 8 Mar 2011 08:46:51 +0000

Kate Bellingham writes on the UKRC blog.

More translational funding goes to NIHR

Mon, 7 Mar 2011 09:15:29 +0000

As announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review last October, the Department of Health is increasing the funding available for the National Institute of Health Research’s network of biomedical research centres and units by around 30 per cent.

European Commission and EMBL renew cooperation

Mon, 7 Mar 2011 09:08:23 +0000

The European Commission and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formalise their desire to maintain and further develop their cooperation.

Brain prize for Peter Somogyi

Mon, 7 Mar 2011 09:18:51 +0000

Professor Peter Somogyi, Director of the MRC Anatomical Neuropharmacology Unit, has been co-awarded the first ever €1 million Brain Prize by the Grete Lundbeck European Brain Research Foundation, for his outstanding analysis of brain circuits involved in memory.

EU relations newsletter

Fri, 4 Mar 2011 10:11:49 +0000

Includes article on FP8.

British Standard offers better protection for inventors

Fri, 4 Mar 2011 09:17:28 +0000

A new British Standard setting out for the first time good practice and principals of ethical behaviour for organisations providing services to inventors has just been published.

Sally Davies confirmed as Chief Medical Officer

Fri, 4 Mar 2011 08:59:27 +0000

Professor Dame Sally Davies was today named as the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for England, the first woman to hold the post.

Global virus response network

Fri, 4 Mar 2011 09:11:08 +0000

Leading medical virologists from around the world have signed up to join a new Global Virus Response Network

BBSRC announces changes to postgraduate training and fellowships

Fri, 4 Mar 2011 09:05:58 +0000

Following a meeting of its Council and the publication of its Delivery Plan 2011-2015, BBSRC has confirmed a number of changes to its funding of postgraduate training and fellowships.

Ian Gibson on science policy

Fri, 4 Mar 2011 08:54:46 +0000

Ian Gibson, former Labour MP and chair of the science select committee offers his thoughts on the big challenges ahead.

Optical tweezers for your iPad

Fri, 4 Mar 2011 08:50:36 +0000

Using laser beams to control individual molecules is a precise, difficult operation rendered nearly impossible by the limitations of the computer mouse. Using an iPad app makes it easier.

Putting research data in the cloud

Fri, 4 Mar 2011 09:23:11 +0000

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is investing to give opportunities to UK researchers to store their data.

Medical research in Scotland

Fri, 4 Mar 2011 08:56:01 +0000

Vicky Crichton, from CRUK, writes about the science agenda in Scottish politics.

Select Committee report on emergencies urges government to listen to scientific advice

Thu, 3 Mar 2011 08:33:41 +0000

The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee is critical of the Government’s preparedness for dealing with emergencies, saying it is simply not good enough that scientific advice is often only sought after events have struck.

Science needs a better career structure for postdocs

Thu, 3 Mar 2011 08:46:53 +0000

To avoid throwing talent on the scrap heap and to boost prospects, a new type of scientific post for researchers is needed, says Jennifer Rohn.

Traditional drug-discovery model needs reform

Thu, 3 Mar 2011 08:51:22 +0000

Academic researchers set to play much greater role in pharmaceutical development.

Fig share

Thu, 3 Mar 2011 09:00:58 +0000

A new figure-sharing site, FigShare, has been launched in a preliminary version.

US scientific workforce lacks diversity

Thu, 3 Mar 2011 08:49:14 +0000

Despite many federal initiatives, the number of US scientists from minority groups remains low.

UKRC development plans 2011 - 2012

Wed, 2 Mar 2011 08:59:15 +0000

Following its funding cut, the UKRC is developing into an expert Think and Do Tank which generates and gathers evidence; helps define best practice; disseminates solutions, and gives recognition for progress.

ERC establishes gender equality plan

Wed, 2 Mar 2011 08:53:43 +0000

The ERC Scientific Council has established a gender equality plan, based on the view that women and men are equally able to perform excellent frontier research.

UK research showcased during March

Wed, 2 Mar 2011 08:48:17 +0000

The origins of life, social networking, space exploration and future energy supply are just some areas of research that will be showcased by the Research Councils during March and in particular during National Science and Engineering week from 10 - 20 March.

Institute for Animal health gets new director

Wed, 2 Mar 2011 08:40:57 +0000

Prof John Fazakerley, a leading researcher in virology, will join IAH as its new Director from 1 June 2011.

NIHR - Dementia Themed Call

Wed, 2 Mar 2011 08:38:17 +0000

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is issuing a call for research on dementia.

Ghostwriting - NIH response

Wed, 2 Mar 2011 08:32:27 +0000

The director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has responded to a letter about ghostwriting sent to him last fall by the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), a Washington- based watchdog group.

NIHR Biomedical Research Centres competition 2011

Tue, 1 Mar 2011 09:03:31 +0000

Two new, open competitions for NIHR Biomedical Research Centre funding and NIHR Biomedical Research Units are being run in parallel.

Genomics bioethics under scrutiny

Tue, 1 Mar 2011 08:57:58 +0000

The Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues is reviewing some of the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of genomics and genetic testing technologies in research and in medicine, and may consider soon whether it will produce a report on these issues.

Europe close to patent deal

Tue, 1 Mar 2011 08:54:18 +0000

Europe is just a few, short steps away from a system in which scientists, companies and lone inventors will be eligible to apply for a single patent that is applicable in all subscribing countries.

Patents - Roche and Stanford fight it out in court

Tue, 1 Mar 2011 08:49:48 +0000

The US Supreme Court heard lawyers for Stanford and Roche argue why their clients deserved the rights to patents covering a method used to quantify the amount of HIV in blood samples.

Online game to inspire scientists of the future

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:20:48 +0000

A new strategy browser game - the "Power of research" - is officially launched today. Supported by the European Commission, "Power of Research" has been developed to inspire young Europeans to pursue scientific careers and disseminate interesting up-to-date scientific information.

CaSE - still saving British science

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:29:35 +0000

Mark Henderson writes about the work of CaSE in lobbying for British science.

Restrictive licensing delays research into rare disease

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:39:41 +0000

Overly-restrictive commercial licensing holds up research into cures for rare diseases.

New agreement to streamline research collaboration between industry, universities and NHS

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:33:17 +0000

A new agreement has been launched to streamline research collaboration between life sciences industry, universities and the NHS.

NIH center for translational medicine plans endorsed

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:22:03 +0000

Patient groups and scientists offered opinions that ranged from cautious praise to urgent admonitions that NIH quickly establish the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.

Wellcome image award winners 2011

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 14:03:25 +0000

21 amazing scientific images.

Systems genetics

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:07:42 +0000

Systems genetics seeks to integrate the questions and methods of systems biology with those of genetics to solve the fundamental problem of interrelating genotype and phenotype in complex traits and disease.
Science Vol. 331 no. 6020 pp. 1015-1016

US labs threatened with cuts

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:03:15 +0000

A spending bill passed by the House of Representatives last week would bring the Department of Energy's (DOE's) entire science program to a screeching halt and wreak havoc on research funded by other agencies and by private industry.

Paul Nurse's evidence about UKCMRI to Select Committee