Technology Touching Life Consultation

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Background

(This text is from the instructions. BioImagingUK has been asked to provide responses to this consultation.)

Building on our track record of working together to support interdisciplinary research across the physical, life and biomedical sciences, BBSRC, EPSRC and MRC are at an early stage in scoping a joint strategy to foster more diverse, fundamental, interdisciplinary technology development research. This is a new theme provisionally titled ‘Technology Touching Life’ (TTL). As part of the initial scoping exercise this consultation is being sent to universities/institutes, individual researchers, learned society contacts and industry representatives to garner views from the scientific community in order to inform the development of the TTL theme.

Discussions on TTL across the three Research Councils were initially stimulated by the EPSRC report The importance of engineering and physical sciences research to health and life sciences, published in May 2014. Fundamental breakthroughs in the life and biomedical sciences are often based on new physical science-based research technologies, which in turn often open up longer term opportunities for the economy and society. The TTL strategy aims to stimulate and support interdisciplinary collaborations to explore novel technologies and approaches that address application-driven challenges. By enabling joint working and two-way flow of ideas between life scientists and engineers/physical scientists we expect that TTL will ensure the UK leads future waves of foundational technology discovery for the life and biomedical sciences, and create new opportunities for commercial development.

Questions and Draft Answers:

Within the broad scope of Technology Touching Life:

  1. What are the ‘sweet spot’ areas where there is high potential for closer alignment across physical sciences and life sciences to lead to major advances?
  2. What trends or developments in engineering and physical science technologies are already emerging which you think will have impact in the life and biomedical sciences?
  3. What important areas in the life and biomedical sciences are currently limited by existing technologies and require new technology developments to ‘unlock’ discovery opportunities and deliver a 'step change' in understanding?
  4. What do you see as the key features of successful models of close working between physical sciences and life sciences in fundamental discovery research? Please use specific examples, national or international, where possible. You views on unsuccessful as well as successful models are welcome.
  5. What structures, activities and mechanisms help establish a culture of interdisciplinary research and strong interdisciplinary leadership in universities, institutes and centres?
  6. Please comment of the role that effective and inspirational leadership plays, giving examples where possible.
  7. How might the Research Councils working with research organisations (e.g. universities and institutes), industry and other stakeholders help address the issues raised in response to the questions above? Please provide examples of successful approaches (both national and international) where applicable.
  8. Finally, we would welcome any other comments you have on developing the 'Technology Touching Life' theme.
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