The UK's biggest funder of research across life sciences has yesterday announced plans to bring industrial expertise directly into research departments.  The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) will open applications for new Industrial Impact Fellowships in January 2009.  Initial funding of £2 million will be used to bring professionals from industry to work on BBSRC-funded projects, programmes, and in BBSRC centres, in order to support the translation of academic research into social and economic benefits for the UK.

Minister of State for Science and Innovation, Lord Drayson, said: "BBSRC's new fellowship scheme will enable a vital exchange of knowledge and expertise between academic and industrial sectors. Fellows of this scheme will get to share their experience, skills and contacts directly with researchers - which is essential to bring innovations from research to market, rapidly. Researchers, business and the UK economy stand to benefit as a result of this scheme"

The Industrial Impact Fellows will work within research departments and institutes sharing their experience, skills and contacts directly with research colleagues.  They will work alongside academic colleagues funded on major BBSRC research projects, and bring their knowledge, experience and networks to bear on the process of bringing innovations from research to market.

This new scheme builds on the existing BBSRC Industry Interchange Programme, which supports the flow of researchers, in either direction, between the science base and industry.  Where the Industry Interchange Programme supports short-term exchanges of researchers and reciprocal access to facilities, the Industrial Impact Fellowships are specifically aimed at industry research leaders who have management and business experience, for example, research programme managers; research and development directors; or research group leaders who engage with other parts of the knowledge production pipeline.  There is a strong element of flexibility in the scheme such that individuals may choose to take a fellowship as a secondment or to work 50/50 with their industrial employer, for example.  Also, the host departments are encouraged to consider the suitability of offering long term opportunities following the fellowship.  This flexibility builds in the chance for Fellows to take new skills and collaborations back into the commercial sector.

More information: http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/business/people_information/industrial_impact_fellowships.html