BBSRC Pool of Experts & Follow-on Fund Committee – Expressions of Interest by 4pm on 23 July 2019

BBSRC is requesting Expressions of Interest to join either their Pool of Experts or their Follow-on Fund Committee.

They are requesting people from specific research areas which are described below.

Please distribute this email to those who might find this of interest

Current membership of BBSRC Committees can be found here: https://bbsrc.ukri.org/about/governance-structure/committees/

The closing date to submit Expressions of Interest is by 4pm on Tuesday 23 July.

With many thanks

Gwen

23 July 2019, 4pm (Expression of Interest)

BBSRC call for Expressions of Interest to join the Pool of Experts or the Follow-on Fund Committee

https://bbsrc.ukri.org/about/governance-structure/committees/committee-pool-membership/join-our-pool-of-experts-follow-on-fund-committee/#agriculturalsystems

One may apply for one position only, i.e. the Pool of Experts or the Follow-on Fund

Academic applicants:

  • Evidence of a research portfolio and competitively obtained grant funding. Typically, successful applicants will have been awarded at least one grant in the last five years. This can include the award of a fellowship.

Non-academic applicants, including Business, Technology Transfer Office (TTO) and Policy professionals:

  • Evidence of experience in research, development or innovation with technical knowledge deployed in a business, commercial or policy environment
  • Evidence to demonstrate an understanding of the academic innovation and business landscape (for example through interaction with Universities or Institutes, participation in innovation networks or commercialisation accelerators).

POOL OF EXPERTS (appointments will be for up to three years)

BBSRC seeks to appoint new members with expertise in the following specific areas:

Agricultural systems research

We are looking for applications from individuals with expertise in integrating at the farm level understanding of the interactions between different components of agricultural systems and with the wider landscape, linking crops/farmed animals with their environments and management.

We recognise the highly multidisciplinary nature of this area, and we welcome applications from researchers that additionally have experience of work involving disciplines outside of the biological sciences such as the natural environment and social science.

Biological basis of human behaviour

We are looking for applications from individuals with expertise in areas relevant to understanding the biological basis/mechanisms of human behaviour, for example:

  • emotion, attention, cognition, decision making, mood, sleep disruption, stress, mental health
  • modulation by factors such as developmental processes, early life adversity, nutrition, physical activity, ageing, sleep/stress, social experiences and environment
  • Human cellular neuroscience and in particular, techniques such as optogenetics, fMRI, EEG and non-invasive stimulation
  • Gut-brain-axis including the microbiome, appetite, satiety, food choice
  • Qualitative analysis of human behaviour, including the use of behaviour surveys.

Drosophila as a model organism

We are looking for applications from individuals with expertise in the use of Drosophila as a model organism in molecular, genetic, systems, anatomical, developmental, nutrition, microbiome and/or ageing research.

Epigenetics

We are looking for applications from individuals with expertise in the field of epigenetics, with particular focus on these areas:

  • DNA methylation and demethylation
  • Non-coding RNA
  • Epigenetics across the life course and how epigenetic mechanisms/profiles can be modified by factors such as developmental (e.g. maternal influences), nutrition, physical activity and stress
  • we particularly welcome applications from researchers that have experience of working across model organisms, animals, humans and plants.

Evolutionary biology

We are looking for applications from individuals with expertise in evolutionary biology, with particular focus on these areas:

  • Molecular and genetic evolutionary biology including computational science
  • Evolutionary developmental biology
  • Evolutionary drivers e.g. of alternative splicing.

Farmed animal nutrition

We are looking for applications from individuals with expertise in farmed animal nutrition. We would particularly welcome those who have additional broader expertise in areas such as the gut microbiome, links with food safety and antimicrobial resistance, farmed animal management, production, health and welfare.

Industrial biotechnology

We are looking for applications from individuals with expertise in the following areas to complement the existing committee expertise:

  • Enzymology, particularly that underpinning reactions of potential economic importance in the manufacture of fine chemicals and transforming other catalytic processes
  • Metabolism in bacteria, fungi, algae, particularly pathways in secondary metabolism leading to products with novel applications
  • Synthesis of natural products (including proteins) and their movement between different cellular compartments, including secretion
  • Biotechnological uses of fundamental biological processes with a sense of scale, working from laboratory scale to manufacturing in the bioeconomy.

We welcome applications from those with experience outside the biological sciences, particularly in chemistry and process engineering.

Plant science

We are looking for applications from individuals with interdisciplinary expertise within a fundamental plant sciences research context, in the areas of:

  • Photobiology, to include photosynthesis, photomorphogenesis and photosystems
  • Plant developmental biology, especially hormones, peptides and cell/long distance communication
  • Computational plant biology, modelling & bioinformatics, including multiscale modelling, the study of biochemical, cellular or physiological processes at systems-level in plants and the use of integrative approaches that harness multiple data types.

Proteomics

We are looking for applications from individuals with expertise in proteomics, protein structure and function, particularly with a focus on applications in the biological sciences. In particular we are looking for expertise in:

  • Protein-protein interactions
  • Protein-lipid interactions
  • Protein expression and post-translational modifications
  • Protein signalling pathways
  • Protein structure-function
  • Proteomics techniques (Mass spectrometry-based techniques, differential in-gel electrophoresis).

FOLLOW-ON FUND (FoF) COMMITTEE (appointments will be for up to three years)

BBSRC seeks to appoint six new members with experience of supporting and enabling innovation from business and academia.

They seek applicants with experience in the following areas:

  • Animal health
  • Synthetic biology
  • Industrial biotechnology and bioenergy
  • Cell and molecular biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Crop and plant science

TO APPLY:

Comnplete the registration form

https://app.keysurvey.co.uk/f/1404526/4444/

Complete the Expression of Interest form

https://app.keysurvey.co.uk/f/1404527/3f2f/

The survey contains the following sections:

  1. Personal information (for example name, organisation, contact details)
  2. Diversity information, including information about career breaks and flexible working
  3. Your primary expertise areas: You should indicate up to three research and innovation areas where you offer sufficient expertise to be able to provide credible assessment.
  4. Free text sections:
  • Personal statement: You should describe why you are interested in the role and what you will bring to it (maximum 200 words)
  • Expertise and experience: You should describe the expertise and experience that you can you offer and provide the evidence to demonstrate this.

For full details please read the full guidance at

https://bbsrc.ukri.org/about/governance-structure/committees/committee-pool-membership/join-our-pool-of-experts-follow-on-fund-committee/#agriculturalsystems