BBSRC injects £20 million into long-term discovery research – UKRI

In a major boost for UK bioscience, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) has backed four groundbreaking research projects through its Strategic Longer and Larger grants scheme.

Totalling more than £20 million, this latest investment underscores BBSRC’s ongoing leadership in supporting long-term frontier bioscience, guided by its strategic priority to decode the fundamental rules of life.

CircadiAgeing: clock excitability, circadian rhythms and healthy ageing

Led by James Hodge (University of Bristol)

Core team:

• Edgar Buhl, Hugh Piggins and Megan Jackson (University of Bristol)
• Marco Brancaccio (Imperial College London)
• Alessio Vagnoni (King’s College London)
• Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova (University of Exeter)
• Mino Belle (The University of Manchester)

The CircadiAgeing project explores how disruptions in circadian rhythms, the natural 24-hour cycles of physiological and behavioural patterns, contribute to ageing and related health issues.

Focusing on both the well-known molecular aspects and the less understood membrane-based mechanisms that reflect daily changes in cell excitability, this crucial project aims to uncover how these clocks weaken synergistically with age, impacting our overall health.

Using interdisciplinary methods including cutting-edge genetic analysis and computational biology, the research team hopes to develop interventions that could restore the robustness of these biological clocks, promoting healthier ageing and potentially reducing age-related disorders.

Exchanges at the haustorial interface: cross-kingdom border control

Led by Paul Birch (University of Dundee)

Core team:

• Piers Hemsley (University of Dundee)
• Doryen Bubeck and Tolga Bozkurtt (Imperial College London)
• Petra Boevink and Stephen Whisson (James Hutton Institute)
• Sebastian Schornack (University of Cambridge)

This research delves into the intricate interactions between plant cells and invasive pathogens that use haustoria, specialised structures to penetrate and manipulate plant cells. The team aims to uncover how these pathogens bypass plant immune defences and establish control over the host’s cellular machinery.

By mapping the pathways for molecular exchange and identifying key proteins involved, the findings could advance our understanding of plant-pathogen interactions and enable revolutionary approaches that enhance plant immunity. This will provide new tools to combat crop diseases and significantly reduce crop losses.

Reappraising the role of whole genome duplication and rediploidization in eukaryotic evolution

Led by Daniel Macqueen (The University of Edinburgh)

Core team:

• Alex Twyford, Emily Hale, Nicola Stock and Richard Taylor (The University of Edinburgh)
• Ilia Leitch and Rowan Schley (Royal Botanic Gardens Kew)
• James Clark (University of Bath)
• Phillip Donoghue and Tom Williams (University of Bristol)
• Dearbhaile Casey and Peter Holland (University of Oxford)
• Mark Blaxter (Wellcome Sanger Institute)

This project investigates the evolutionary significance of whole genome duplication (WGD). WGD is phenomenon whereby an organism’s entire DNA code is doubled. This is believed to have played a critical role in promoting the evolutionary success in both plants and animals, where duplicated genes evolve distinct identities and functions.

Focusing on the subsequent process of rediploidization, the research seeks to cast crucial light on how these genetic events have shaped the diversity of many life forms on Earth.

Led by the Roslin Institute, this ambitious research aims to provide new insights into the genetic underpinnings of evolution, potentially rewriting our understanding of how complex life evolved.

An integrated analysis of S-acylation dynamics and its importance in cell physiology

Led by Luke Chamberlain (University of Strathclyde)

Core team:

• Nicholas Tomkinson and Rebecca Beveridge (University of Strathclyde)
• Jennifer Greaves (Coventry University)
• Edward Tate (Imperial College London)
• Helen Walden and William Fuller (University of Glasgow)
• Christian Siebold (University of Oxford)

This project explores the biochemical process of S-acylation, which involves the addition of fatty acid chains to proteins, affecting their function and location within cells.

By examining how this modification influences protein interactions and cell signalling pathways, particularly in critical areas such as neuronal, cardiac and immune functions, the research aims to:

• map out the dynamic processes governing S-acylation
• understand its broader impact on cellular function across all domains of life

The outcomes of this groundbreaking research could have profound implications for the development of new drugs targeting these pathways, offering potential breakthroughs in the treatment of a variety of diseases.

The value of team science

Professor Anne Ferguson-Smith, BBSRC Executive Chair, said:

Long-term discovery research is crucial for pioneering significant scientific advancements. This highly collaborative field of successful applications requires world-leading researchers and research technical professionals from multiple institutions to unite and leverage their interdisciplinary skills to answer some of life’s most fundamental questions.

Through our bold and innovative sLoLa scheme, BBSRC proudly recognises the exceptional talent within the UK bioscience community. By investing in these four ambitious projects, we champion the value of team science. This approach is instrumental not only in advancing our scientific understanding but also in propelling us towards groundbreaking discoveries that have the potential to make a real impact on our global society.