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Oxford University ranked number 1 in the  Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings  for the eighth year running, and at the heart of this success is our ground-breaking research and innovation.

AI at Oxford

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How Oxford experts are exploring the most complex object in the known universe

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Oxford is world-famous for research excellence and home to some of the most talented people from across the globe. Our work helps the lives of millions, solving real-world problems through a huge network of partnerships and collaborations. The breadth and interdisciplinary nature of our research sparks imaginative and inventive insights and solutions.

Oxford profiles

Meet some of the talented people behind Oxford’s world-class research. Pushing forward the boundaries of knowledge, their work solves real world problems and creates a positive impact on our societies, economies and health.

Started in Oxford

The Oxford region is one of the most innovative in the UK, with new enterprises continuing to join a growing band of spinouts, startups and entrepreneurs.

Oxford's experience in Policy Engagement

Oxford’s researchers and academics have a wealth of experience in engaging with policymakers and contributing to policy impact.

Engaged research at Oxford

Have a look at some of the short films below for excellent examples of Public Engagement with Research (PER) activities that take place at Oxford which Inform/Inspire, Consult and Collaborate with the public.

Research Collaboration Values

Our approach to research collaboration and partnership is underpinned by five core values.

Oxford Impact Films

Watch our Research Impact films: 3-4 minute videos of how our research has benefitted policy, health, business and culture. 

Oxford leads Nature Positive Universities Alliance to reverse biodiversity decline

The Nature Positive Universities Alliance brings higher education institutions together to use their unique power and influence as drivers of positive change.

Governments can learn from Silicon Valley as they tackle AI and data science

A new study from the Oxford Internet Institute (part of the University of Oxford) and the London School of Economics examines how governments have gradually adopted Silicon Valley’s way of working.

New research finds outsourcing care homes in England disproportionately disadvantages poorer areas

The impact of the outsourcing of vital care services to the private sector on the growth and survival of care homes was previously unclear.

Large Language Models pose a risk to society and need tighter regulation, say Oxford researchers

In their new paper 'Do large language models have a legal duty to tell the truth?', published by the Royal Society Open Science, the Oxford researchers set

Oxford academics elected 2024 British Academy Fellows

The British Academy has elected leading researchers from across the University’s Humanities and Social Science Divisions, including researchers in English, Middle Eastern Studies, Linguistics, Philosophy, and as well as Archaeology, Anthropology, Law, and Cognitive Science. 

University spin-out Oxford Semantic Technologies acquired by Samsung Electronics

Established in 2017 by three University of Oxford professors — Ian Horrocks, Boris Motik and Bernardo Cuenca Grau — Oxford Semantic Technologies (OST) holds cutting-edge technological capabilities in the areas of knowledge representation and semantic reasoning.

New Regius Professors appointed in the Faculty of Theology and Religion

Professor Luke Bretherton has been appointed as the new Canon and Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology at Christ Church, Oxford, in succession to The Reverend Canon Professor Nigel Biggar C.B.E.

New report states 7–9 billion tonnes of CO2 must be sustainably removed per year to hit climate targets

The authors incorporated sustainability criteria including multiple Sustainable Development Goals into their analysis, and their final figure for a “Paris-consistent” range of CDR was assessed based on these.

Oxford project discovers over 25,000 World War II artefacts and makes them accessible online

A top-secret D-Day map, a souvenir from Hitler's private yacht, and a piece of the first German plane brought down on British soil.

From research to action: How the Young Lives project is helping to protect girls from child marriage

Our early experiences can have a staggering impact on the rest of our lives – for better or worse.

New Academic Champion for Women and Diversity in Entrepreneurship

To support diversity in innovation and entrepreneurship, and to enhance the University’s commitment to these goals, Professor Stevens will work with the IDEA (Increasing Diversity in Enterprising Activities) programme and

AI, automation in the home and its impact on women

As we mark International Women’s Day, Professor Ekaterina Hertog spoke to us about AI, the increase of automation in the home and its impact on women and wider society.

Research to policy impact: strategies for translating findings into policy messages

Getting started in Policy Engagement: pathways to engagement

Experts call for responsible use of generative AI in adult social care

‘Adult social care is about supporting people to live independently and to protect fundamental human rights. Generative AI offers many potential benefits and opportunities to adult social care.

Boosting Policy Engagement Through OPEN Leaders

Urgent call for UK Government to develop a heat resilience strategy

A new device to detect cardiovascular disease

New research shows the Cerne Abbas Giant was a muster station for King Alfred’s armies

Research undertaken by Martin Papworth for the National Trust, showed that the Giant was carved in the Anglo-Saxon period not, as most people thought, in prehistory or more recently, yet the reason why he was made has remained a mystery.

Engaging communities in wildlife conservation through storybooks

Impact case study, latest research news.

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We are developing fundamental AI tools, applying AI to global challenges, and addressing the ethical issues of new technologies.

Experts at Oxford are expanding our understanding of brain health at a cellular level, exploring the impacts of mental health issues on the individual, and examining population-wide global health problems.

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Cancer at Oxford

Digital collections at oxford, true planet, coronavirus research.

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National Institute for Health and Care Research

We fund, enable and deliver world-leading health and social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing, and promotes economic growth.

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New funding opportunities for novel brain tumour research launched

The NIHR has launched the next step in the UK’s commitment to stimulate brain tumour research in adults, children and young people.

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We fund a variety of commissioned, researcher-led and themed call research:

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Hospital at home scheme supports older people in the community

NIHR-funded research confirmed that caring for a select group of older, frail patients in their homes - rather than admitting them to hospital - can deliver better and less expensive care.

Identifying mental illness among new and expectant mums

As a recipient of an NIHR Research Professorship award, Professor Louise Howard’s research influenced national policies and increased government funding for perinatal mental health services.

New evidence for shorter early breast cancer treatment

The NIHR-funded PERSEPHONE trial found that 6 months’ treatment with Herceptin (trastuzumab) for women with HER2-positive early breast cancer was as effective as 12 months’ treatment.

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NIHR is a major funder of high quality global health research that directly addresses the diverse health needs of people in low and middle income countries (LMICs). 

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New figures suggest the public's appetite for taking part in research remains remarkably high after an unprecedented period in research history.

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UCL Research

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Research can help us address the most pressing challenges facing the world today, and enable future generations to live happier, healthier lives.

Our world-leading research spans the breadth of academic expertise across our 11 faculties and cross-disciplinary initiatives and partnerships.

We champion and invest in the power of knowledge and collaboration to change the world, addressing some of the major challenges of our time, such as climate change, mental health & wellbeing, data-empowered societies, inequalities, intercultural communications, and beyond.

UCL is consistently ranked as one of the top ten universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2010-2024) and is  2nd in the UK for research power  and 1st in London (REF 2021). 

UCL is  University of the Year 2024  (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024)

Find out about our research and impact, our research community, and how to get involved. 

Our research and impact

Find out more about our research, the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, and our impact locally, nationally and globally. 

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Find out about our research strategy, culture and policies, and about our state-of-the-art facilities. 

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Find out about some of the cross-disciplinary initiatives, campaigns and networks, that enable research advances led by UCL and partners. 

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We’re here to support UCL’s research community through funding, advice on impact, research coordination and more.

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Access our database of UCL academics happy to be contacted by the media in relation to their area of research and expertise.

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We are committed to helping our staff develop rewarding academic research careers. Find out more about the opportunities to work with us.

UCL named University of the Year 2024

Horizon Europe

Funding opportunities for UK-based researchers and innovators

Introduction

Horizon Europe is the EU’s flagship research and innovation programme. Between 2021 and 2027 it has a budget of €95.5 billion – and UK-based researchers and innovators can apply to most of its funding opportunities. If you are wondering about Horizon Europe, I trust this selection of case studies will convince you to apply!

Horizon Europe is an exciting opportunity for researchers and innovators to unite across Europe; for the UK to renew and expand its research and innovation connections in the EU and beyond, and to benefit from funding, cross-border networks, supply chains for new products and access to global talent.  

Under the previous EU framework programme, Horizon 2020, UK researchers and innovators achieved a wonderful level of success, receiving more than €7.5 billion. That’s nearly 12% of the available funds from that programme, and it has enabled businesses to grow and underpinned vital research on pressing global challenges from healthcare to climate change.

Some of the UK’s Horizon 2020 fund recipients have shared their inspiring stories here. I hope they will encourage you to join the many others who are getting involved in Horizon Europe to win a share of that €95.5 billion.

There is more information on the UKRI website , where you can also find links to free advice from specialist advisors, and access to networks where you can meet potential consortium partners and hear about funding opportunities. You can also get information from our teams in Brussels .

Our ambition across the whole of UKRI is that our country’s world-class researchers and innovators participate in Horizon Europe to the maximum extent, and that collaboration across Europe continues to grow.

This will help to build on the excellence of our research and innovation system in the UK, and ensure we remain a thriving, inclusive, truly European community playing a key role in the global effort to understand and improve the world we live in.      

Professor Christopher Smith International Champion, UK Research and Innovation Executive Chair, Arts and Humanities Research Council

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VIDEO UKRI Horizon Europe Christopher Smith

Horizon Europe is a chance to follow your own dreams

Professor Christopher Smith, Executive Chair, Arts and Humanities Research Council, and UK Research and Innovation’s International Champion, explains why he believes Horizon Europe is an amazing opportunity for researchers and innovators across the UK.

Previous Beneficiaries

‘Living’ bricks that feed on urine and wastewater could help homes reduce their carbon footprint.

Buildings made from ‘living bricks’ could help meet national and international net zero targets of reducing greenhouse emissions by reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

The Active Living Infrastructure: Controlled Environment (ALICE) research consortium has created a prototype microbe-filled ‘brick’ that has the potential to revolutionise clean building design.

The brick acts as an organic fuel cell, with microbes using urine and grey water (domestic wastewater from sinks, baths, showers, washing machines and dishwashers) to generate energy which can then be turned into electricity and clean water. Together, the bricks can be used to form walls or even entire structures.

Using funding through Horizon 2020  , UK Research and Innovation and EU Innovation Awards, the consortium – comprising Newcastle University, the Bristol BioEnergy Centre of the University of the West of England and Translating Nature – designed biosensors that measure the ‘happiness’ of the microbes through their excreted electrons.

“ALICE fuses biological and digital technologies to converse with the microbes. It can tell us whether they need to be fed or warmed to generate more bioelectricity,” explained Professor Rachel Armstrong, Coordinator of the ALICE project, Newcastle University.

The brick acts as an organic fuel cell, with microbes using urine and grey water to generate energy which can be turned into electricity and clean water.

A digital overlay of the information gathered from ALICE’s conversations with the microbial life in each brick is then displayed back to the household using augmented reality. “Together it creates a living, breathing, energy-generating microbial system that can simultaneously supply power to your home and talk to you through augmented reality to tell you how productive and ‘happy’ it is,” said Professor Armstrong.

The team created a two-metre-tall installation containing 15 living bricks, which transforms the microbial data into animations on screen-based systems. This communicable display has the potential to be used in a wide range of social contexts, from art galleries to festivals. One of the ALICE objectives is to raise awareness and communicate the benefits of this type of living architecture with a wide audience.

“ALICE has the potential to permanently wean humanity off fossil - fuels,” said Professor Armstrong. “This project is part of a range of prototypes that are re-designing our buildings and reshaping the future of architecture into a two-way conversation with nature; using microbes is our way of counteracting the impacts of our increasingly hostile planetary systems. I hope this research leads to a more a sustainable future for all.”

VIDEO Professor Ioannis Ieropoulo from the Bristol Robotics Laboratory.

I’d recommend European Commission funding to anyone interested in open collaboration and advancement of science

Professor Ioannis Ieropoulo from the Bristol Robotics Laboratory tells us how the EU framework programme Horizon 2020 helped his team develop its microbial fuel cell technology. He says the funding and support from Horizon 2020 enabled collaboration with European partners and the team was able to develop its technology much further than they would have done otherwise.

ANB SENSORS LTD

‘Smart sensor’ technology is revolutionising the measurement of acidity levels that are threatening the health of the world’s oceans.

Measuring the acidity of oceans and water networks is key to understanding how they are being affected by carbon dioxide emissions. Levels have traditionally been measured using glass electrodes – a method that has been around for around 100 years – but glass electrodes need to be recalibrated manually on a regular basis to maintain accuracy.

Now, Cambridgeshire-based company ANB Sensors Ltd has developed ‘smart sensor’ technology that enables sensors to be calibrated in-situ, significantly reducing operating costs.

“Our electrochemical sensor technology doesn’t require any manual intervention, which means it’s at least 70% cheaper to operate and maintain and can be deployed for extended periods of time for autonomous sensing,” explained ANB Sensors Ltd CEO and co-founder Nathan Lawrence. “As the accuracy of the measurement over time is no longer an issue, the sensors can be meaningfully networked into the internet of things with complete confidence in the pH readings gathered.”

In 2018, the company was awarded a €1.1 million Horizon 2020 grant, the only UK-based company to achieve this. The success was a big step forward in pushing its innovations towards commercialisation and reinforcing the company’s reputation with potential investors. “Winning the grant allowed us to expand our team from four to nine and secured the business for two more years,” said Lawrence.

Our electrochemical sensor technology doesn’t require any manual intervention, which means it’s at least 70% cheaper to operate and maintain and can be deployed for extended periods of time for autonomous sensing.

Existing pH sensors that measure acidity levels are generally large, but ANB’s technology is smaller and can fit on any vehicle. The company secured a £100,000 contract with the National Environmental Research Council to deploy its sensors on the National Oceanographic Centre’s fleet of autonomous underwater vehicles.

ANB’s technology is not restricted to monitoring oceans. The sensors can also measure pH levels in drinking water, so the company is talking to utilities and sensor manufacturers in the UK and overseas.

“The technology is also the basis for a solid-state sensor that will open up whole new markets, such as horticulture and aquaculture, as well as medical applications. Since it doesn’t use glass, it is more robust, so can be used more easily in the food and beverage industries,” explained Lawrence.

Last year, the company received venture capital investment, opening the door to commercial sales in the US and Canada, as well as China, Australia and Europe. 

ABOVE Smart Sensor – electrochemical sensor technology

A novel, intelligent wearable uses precision gyroscopic technology to stabilise hand tremors in people suffering from conditions including essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease.

Involuntary shaking of the hands, known as hand tremors, can make daily activities – such as eating, drinking and writing – difficult or even impossible. These tremors are caused by neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, which affects 10 million people globally , or essential tremor, which is at least eight times more prevalent . According to GyroGear, a company supported by Horizon 2020 , hand tremors affect roughly 200 million people around the world.

Medication is not always effective at treating tremors, but GyroGear has created a device that uses mechanical gyroscopes, the GyroGlove ™, which could help transform the lives of thousands of people suffering from this debilitating condition.

The wearable device is based on a precision miniature gyroscope that is strapped onto the back of the hand to help stabilise hand tremors.

This intelligent wearable features a precision miniature gyroscope on the back of the hand that stabilises hand tremors.

“Just like you see in children’s toy tops, gyroscopes are spinning discs that conserve angular momentum to stay upright in any plane of motion. They are therefore able to counter any input of force in any direction swiftly and proportionately,” explained Dr Faii Ong, a former medical doctor and founder of GyroGear . “They are widely used in cutting-edge aerospace technology, but up until now the technology has not been applied to people.”

Dr Ong came up with the idea as a medical student in 2014 after seeing an elderly person on a hospital ward struggle to eat soup. Innovate UK funding through Biomedical Catalyst and Smart Proof of Concept grants enabled him to develop early lab simulators and prototypes.

In 2018, the company secured a Horizon 2020 SME Instrument Phase 2 grant of €1.86 million and accompanying tailored business support to accelerate development. It is now conducting patient trials and working with external regulators and clinicians to finalise the design and manufacture of the product.

The GyroGlove™ concept has attracted a great deal of attention from the medical world, as well as from leading charities, and the aim is for it to be released to market in 2022.

In June 2021, GyroGear closed its seed round (led by Foxconn Technology Group) having raised a total of $6.9 million.

“A device like the GyroGlove™ could offer greater independence for those living with the condition, and let people get back to doing both the things they love and everyday tasks like cooking and writing,” says Julie Dodd of the national charity  Parkinson’s UK . “When the device is ready for public launch, we hope to assess and include it in our 'Tried and Tested' list of apps and devices for Parkinson’s, as we know the community will be really interested.”

ABOVE GyroGlove TM

New technology reduces the amount of water and energy needed to cool the growing number of computer data centres.

As computer chips become increasingly efficient at processing information they are also getting hotter – and there are growing environmental concerns about the amount of energy and water required to cool the large data centres supporting our mobiles, laptops and internet-enabled devices.

Sheffield-based company Iceotope has developed liquid-cooling technology that enables existing data centres and high performance computers to operate at maximum efficiency while using substantially less water, energy and space, as well as prepare for the ‘super-tech’ of the future.

“To put it into perspective, where traditional technology storage might get two servers in one tray, the technology developed by Iceotope can fit 16 into the same space,” explained Iceotope CEO, David Craig. “Where the world is using billions of gallons of water cooling data centres, Iceotope has reduced this significantly, highlighting the environmental impact that this project has had so far and could have internationally. Economically, the cooling technology is 30-50% cheaper than conventional technologies, making it a triple-treat: more efficient, environmentally friendly, and economically beneficial.”

To put it into perspective, where traditional technology storage might get two servers in one tray, the technology developed by Iceotope can fit 16 into the same space.

Based at the AMP Technology Centre in Sheffield, Iceotope started as a business that sold environmentally friendly computers in 2011. In 2014, it was invited to join the Horizon 2020 ‘ExaNeSt’ project , which developed and prototyped solutions for interconnected networks, storage and cooling. Following on from this project, further funding was awarded through the Horizon 2020 programme to develop computers capable of a billion billion calculations per second, known as Exa-Scale systems.

Iceotope is currently working as part of a consortium to deliver a super-computer system available across Europe for scientific communities, industry and the public sector. The €20 million (of which Iceotope secured €4.3 million) project also involves a planned 200kW installation of liquid-cooled computing at the Science and Technologies Facilities Council in Daresbury.

Iceotope’s technology makes it possible for computer systems to operate in places and climates where fans and air cooling isn’t suitable. “Our technology is impervious to harsh environments, humidity and dust,” said Craig. “Computing can be deployed in places it never has before, at amazingly energy-efficient levels.”

With support from Innovate UK and Knowledge Transfer Network, as well as Horizon 2020, Iceotope has built a platform for success,  increasing from 20 to 49 employees (including 22 engineers) in the last five years. It is also cementing itself as a key player on a global scale, having secured contracts with two of the top five internet giants and one top five computer supplier.

Iceotope’s founder, Peter Hopton said: “The funding from Horizon 2020 enabled Iceotope to show what a liquid-cooled data centre could be, should the electronics be designed with liquid cooling in mind. The output is a compact and dense system, with reduction in supply chain costs and waste heat capture capabilities. Commercial buildings could be heated by this digital infrastructure, which takes up no more room than their existing boilers.”

ABOVE  Iceotope liquid cooling technologies

ABOVE Iceotope liquid cooling technologies

NOVA INNOVATION

A UK company is developing technology to make clean, tidal energy cost-competitive with other forms of renewable energy.

Harnessing energy from the tide creates a source of sustainable, predictable and clean electricity. As well as reducing the need for fossil fuels, tidal energy has the potential to boost the UK’s economy by £1.4 billion , adding 4,000 jobs and supporting coastal communities in need of economic regeneration. 

But as an emerging technology, tidal energy is currently more expensive than other renewables. So, with the aid of Horizon 2020 funding, Edinburgh-based company Nova Innovation is developing technology to reduce the cost of tidal and help make it as mainstream as wind and solar.

The tidal-energy specialist is leading a consortium of eight blue-chip industrial and academic partners in the Horizon 2020 -funded project Enabling Future Arrays in Tidal (EnFAIT). It will demonstrate the complete lifecycle of the world’s first offshore tidal array – from development through to operation and decommissioning – over five years to show it can compete with other forms of renewable energy.

Founded in 2010, Nova Innovation designs, builds, deploys and operates tidal turbines and develops tidal energy projects. In 2016 it created the world’s first offshore tidal array with three turbines in Shetland. As well as adding another three turbines to the tidal array, making it the largest in the world, the EnFAIT project will reposition the turbines to explore the optimum layout. 

“The project is exploring the effects that array layout has on efficiency and cost of energy in a real-world environment – a world first,” explained Gavin McPherson, Head of Policy and Research at Nova Innovation.

The project is exploring the effects that array layout has on efficiency and cost of energy in a real-world environment – a world first.

EnFAIT aims to bring down the cost of energy by 40% while increasing the reliability and availability of the turbines and building confidence in potential investors. Economic successes have already been reported, with a 15% reduction in the cost of energy and a supply chain that has expanded from four to 14 European countries. This includes more than 60 Scottish companies, demonstrating the potential of tidal energy to boost regional economic growth.

“By utilising a site that is already in operation, the project has been able to generate results from day one,” said McPherson. “Lessons have been learned from the existing three devices to optimise device designs, manufacturing process and operational procedures, with a focus on minimising the cost of energy.”

In 2020 the company deployed the fourth device in the array – an upgraded version of its existing 100kW turbine. Designed in the Horizon 2020-funded D2T2 project, the Nova M100D turbine cuts the cost of energy by 30% by boosting device reliability and efficiency. Two further M100D devices will be deployed in Shetland over the next year, as will the first turbine in a 15-turbine array being developed by the company in Nova Scotia, Canada.

In addition, the company is further developing tidal energy technology using artificial intelligence (AI). In May 2019, it took the lead in the Horizon ELEMENT programme, which aims to maintain Europe’s global leadership in marine energy by using the latest AI technology developed for the wind energy sector to further reduce the cost of tidal power.

VIDEO Gavin McPherson, Head of Policy and Research at Nova Innovation.

‘If you’re an ambitious company, I would absolutely recommend applying for European funding’

Gavin McPherson, Head of Policy and Research at Scottish tidal energy company Nova Innovation, explains how Horizon 2020 enabled the firm to develop new tech, make global connections, double its headcount, draw in private investment and expand internationally to new markets.

PROMETHEAN PARTICLES

A Nottingham-based company is developing nanomaterials to reduce industrial carbon dioxide emissions more efficiently and cheaply.

Controlling or limiting carbon dioxide emissions produced by industry plays a crucial role in meeting the UK government’s target of becoming carbon neutral by 2050.

Nottingham-based company Promethean Particles is developing nanomaterials that could capture and store C0 2 at a fraction of the cost of current systems.

“Currently, power plants that capture CO 2  use an old process where flue gases are passed through organic amines in water, binding the CO 2  to the amines. Unfortunately, this inefficient capture process consumes around 30% of the total power generated by the plant,” explained James Stephenson, Chief Executive Officer at Promethean Particles.

The company is working with a consortium on the Horizon 2020 -funded CARMOF Project , which looks at the need for innovative, cost-effective solutions to CO 2 capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) within the industrial ecosystem.

Originally established in 2007 as a spin-out from the University of Nottingham’s Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Promethean Particles specialises in the cost-effective scale production of inorganic nanoparticles and metal organic frameworks (MOFs).

“MOFs are a group of compounds that have extremely large surface areas and the ability to selectively adsorb and store gases,” said Stephenson. “A sample of MOFs powder that you can hold in your hand has the same surface area as an office block. This, and other fascinating properties, means MOFs can be used for gas storage and capture or chemical filtration.”

A sample of metal organic frameworks powder that you can hold in your hand has the same surface area as an office block.

The company had found that although MOFs were being commercially advertised, they were generally not available at the scale necessary for application development, let alone industrial carbon capture. Compounding this was their prohibitive expense. “There has been a tremendous amount of research and development on MOFs over the last 30 years,” said Stephenson. “Unfortunately, much of the focus has been on novelty and not economic viability, ultimately constraining the incredible potential of these materials to make an impact on the world’s decarbonisation efforts. We want to change that.”

By working with members of the CARMOF Project, Promethean aims to produce MOFs that can be 3D-printed at a lower cost and converted into membranes for use in larger adsorbing units.

“Our Nottingham site is home to the world’s largest continuous multi-material nanoparticle manufacturing plant, meaning we can produce at a larger scale for maximum impact,” said Stephenson. “Over the last few years, we’ve continued to develop MOFs, ensuring the properties and performance are comparable or better than those already on the market, but at significantly lower cost. We believe that our pioneering technology can deliver significant environmental benefits for both the planet and its people.”

Promethean Particles plans to launch a cost-effective MOF product line for use in carbon capture and other selective adsorption processes. The line would include MOFs at gram-scale for researchers, kilogram-scale to facilitate increased application development and tonne-scale for industrial production and implementation. Promethean believes that this will promote the uptake of the technology while creating revenue and jobs for the company.

ABOVE 3d rendered structure of hexagonal nano material.

GUIDANCE & RESOURCES

For more information about Horizon Europe see the UKRI website . You can also contact:

• National Contact Points (NCPs) A team appointed by the UK government to give you free, impartial advice on Horizon Europe.  Contact them  for help with any aspect of Horizon Europe. 
• UK Research Office Brussels (UKRO) A subscription-based advisory service for UK universities and research organisations. Subscribing organisations can access advice on applying for Horizon Europe funding and managing successful projects. Anyone based at the organisation can access the advice. Research managers can also get specialist support. Visit the  UKRO website .
• Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) A UK network with deep thematic expertise and international networks. It helps businesses identify funding opportunities and partners. You can also join KTN’s sector-specific networks to receive updates and information. Visit the  KTN website .
• Innovate UK EDGE A UK network that works locally with small and medium-sized enterprises. It can help you find funding opportunities, find industry partners for your project, and increase your chances of success. Visit the  Innovate UK EDGE website .
• Northern Ireland Contact Point (NICP) Network Additional guidance and help for Northern Irish applicants. Each network member has expert knowledge in a specific area of funding. Find your NICP contact (Horizon 2020 NI)
• Scotland regional contact point Additional guidance and help for Scottish applicants.  Email:  [email protected]
• Welsh Horizon Europe Unit Additional guidance and help for Welsh applicants. Email:  [email protected]
• European IP Helpdesk A service giving free help to EU funding award holders on managing intellectual property. Find out more about the  IP Helpdesk (European Commission) .

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Featured Countries

Home to some of the world’s most historic universities, the UK is also a popular postgraduate destination.

Nicknamed ‘the land of ideas’, Germany’s low tuition fees and excellent universities attract plenty of international PhD students.

Offering internationally-recognised universities in vibrant and welcoming cities, Canada is a great choice for a PhD abroad.

Australian universities are world-renowned, whilst the country’s climate and lifestyle offer plenty of other incentives for international students.

New Zealand

Universities in New Zealand are globally recognised as top research centres. Better yet, international PhD students pay the same fees as home students.

With famous student cities like Paris and affordable tuition fees, France is a great choice for postgraduate study abroad.

With historic universities and a famously welcoming culture, the Republic of Ireland is an excellent (and popular) choice for PhD study abroad.

With over 2,000 universities providing postgraduate degrees, it’s no wonder the USA is the world’s most popular study abroad destination.

About FindAPhD

We’ve been helping students find and compare PhD research projects and programmes for over 15 years. As well as listing doctoral opportunities and scholarships, we also provide a wide range of advice on postgraduate research and funding .

Our study guides will help you find the right PhD and explain what doing a PhD is actually like. We’ve also put together information on different types of doctorate as well as resources for international PhD study .

If you need help covering the cost of a PhD, our resources can help. We’ve covered everything from Erasmus funding to PhD loans .

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• Longer-term projects

Farming Innovation: find out about funding

Explore an idea that could benefit your farm and others

Check if a research idea works in practice

Develop a new farming product or service

Work on longer-term farming innovation projects

The Farming Innovation Programme is part of Defra’s investment in innovation, research and development.

Defra is partnering with Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), to fund projects that benefit farmers, growers and foresters in England. 

All funding will be awarded through competitions. This means applications for each competition will be judged, and only the successful ones will be funded. 

The programme’s aims are to: 

• help farmers, growers and foresters increase productivity, sustainability and resilience
• reduce the environmental impact of agriculture and horticulture
• apply agricultural research to provide real benefits for farmers, growers and foresters
• use science to develop solutions for the practical challenges in agriculture and horticulture

To get funding, you must work in collaboration with a team.

Once the competition is open, Innovate UK Business Connect can help you find the right people to work with (opens in new window) on your project. 

Each competition will have webinars or briefing events that will be available on the competition webpage itself.

Which competition to apply for

You should consider the type of work you want to do and the amount of funding available. 

Plan ahead – competition schedule

Competitions will be published on the Innovation Funding Service as they open, with full eligibility and application information for each one. 

You can find early information here to help you plan ahead.

More about the Farming Innovation Programme

Funding will be awarded through a range of competitions from 2021 for a number of years. 

This is part of Defra’s Farming and Countryside Programme (opens in new window).

All the competitions in the programme have been developed so that insights from science and business can be applied to challenges in agriculture and horticulture.

We want to encourage this collaboration to develop solutions and improvements that can meet real environmental and industry challenges.

Further information

The Farming Innovation Programme will help the UK achieve its net zero ambitions and drive a green recovery. 

Find out more about the changes to agricultural policy in England in Defra’s ‘Agricultural Transition Plan’ (opens in new window).  A summary of the transition plan, for farmers and land managers, is given in ‘Farming is Changing’ (opens in new window).

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£40 million biodiversity research programme opens for applications

A £40 million grant programme launched to help projects around the world put the power of biodiversity at the forefront of our fight against climate change and poverty.

• £7 million is now available for research into natural climate solutions
• UK and international applicants can secure grants of up to £750,000
• Move is part of the Global Centre on Biodiversity for Climate, established with £40 million of Official Development Assistance funding

A £40 million grant programme launched this week (Thursday 25 May 2023) which will help projects around the world put the power of biodiversity at the forefront of our fight against climate change and poverty.

First announced in 2021 at the Climate Change Conference COP26 in Glasgow, the Global Centre on Biodiversity for Climate (GCBC) was established to bridge research gaps and further understanding on the crucial role biodiversity can play in tackling climate change and poverty in ODA-eligible countries across the world. By fostering collaboration between experts and research disciplines, the GCBC strives to shape decision-making and unlock finance for natural solutions to climate change and poverty.

During its pilot phase, the GCBC funded a range of innovative projects including:

• Working with local communities to improve environmental and social outcomes for a disused mine site with a negative legacy in the Philippines
• Developing temperature resilient wild seaweed cultivars in collaboration with indigenous seaweed farming communities in Malaysia
• Protecting globally important ecosystems and irreplaceable biodiversity and supporting climate resilient food security by mapping plant bioresources in Tropical Important Plant Areas in Guinea and Ethiopia
• Creating a community-led governance model that integrates strategies for climate resilience, low-carbon and sustainable growth in a Colombian coffee-growing region

With around £7 million available in the first round, successful applicants have the opportunity to secure up to £750,000 through the GCBC’s Official Development Assistance programme to deliver policy-relevant research on how the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity can help address climate change and improve livelihoods of some of the world’s most vulnerable populations. Applications are open to a diverse range of local and international partners, from non-governmental organisations to academic institutions.

Gideon Henderson, Defra’s Chief Scientific Adviser, said:

The launch of this grant programme marks a significant milestone in our fight against the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and poverty. Through this £40 million initiative, there is a vital opportunity for researchers, organisations, and institutions to harness the power of biodiversity and explore innovative natural solutions to the climate crisis – creating a more sustainable future for all.

The establishment and goals of the GCBC will help deliver on our climate and biodiversity commitments, the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Global Biodiversity Framework targets, which are inherently intertwined with climate change.

More information, including on eligibility and how to apply, can be found here: www.gcbc.org.uk

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UK research and the European Union

The Society has conducted a phased project gathering evidence about the influence of the UK’s relationship with the EU on research.

A referendum on the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union (EU) took place on 23 June 2016. Find out more about the Society's work since the referendum .

To inform the debate around the time of the referendum, the Society conducted a 3-part phased project gathering evidence about the influence of the UK’s relationship with the EU on UK research.

The role of the EU in funding UK research

The European research landscape is complex. Both the European Union (EU) and individual European countries fund research. Researchers collaborate with each other within Europe and internationally. This report provides an overview of EU research funding and its role in funding UK research.

The role of the EU in international research collaboration and researcher mobility

Science today is almost always complicated and often interdisciplinary, frequently requiring contributions from a variety of participants based in different places. Researchers collaborate to pool intellectual and physical resources. They tend to seek the best and most appropriate partners they can, wherever in the world they may be found. This report provides an insight into the role of the EU in these international research collaborations and the mobility of individual researchers.

The role of EU regulation and policy in governing UK research

This report provides an insight into the role of the EU in developing EU and global policies that influence research conducted in the UK. It provides an overview of how EU policy is made and a number of case studies illustrating the development and implementation of EU and global policy that govern UK research.

Introduction - UK research and the European Union

Statement from Venki Ramakrishnan, President of the Royal Society

Research system, culture and funding

The UK has a world-class research system, producing high quality science that contributes to the country’s economic growth while also tackling society’s biggest challenges. The funding of research, along with the culture it supports, needs to continually evolve if science is to be the best it can be.

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Subscribe to our newsletters to be updated with the latest news on innovation, events, articles and reports.

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Department of Computer Science

Research projects

Find a postgraduate research project in your area of interest by exploring the research projects that we offer in the Department of Computer Science.

We have a broad range of research projects for which we are seeking doctoral students. Browse the list of projects on this page or follow the links below to find information on doctoral training opportunities, or applying for a postgraduate research programme.

• Doctoral training opportunities
• How to apply

Alternatively, if you would like to propose your own project then please include a research project proposal and the name of a possible supervisor with your application.

Available projects

List by research theme List by supervisor

Future computing systems projects

• A Multi-Tenancy FPGA Cloud Infrastructure and Runtime System
• A New Generation of Terahertz Emitters: Exploiting Electron Spin
• Balancing security and privacy with data usefulness and efficiency in wireless sensor networks
• Blockchain-based Local Energy Markets
• Cloud Computing Security
• Design and Exploration of a Memristor-enabled FPGA Architecture
• Design and Implementation of an FPGA-Accelerated Data Analytics Database
• Designing Safe & Explainable Neural Models in NLP
• Dynamic Resource Management for Intelligent Transportation System Applications
• Evaluating Systems for the Augmentation of Human Cognition
• Exploring Unikernel Operating Systems Running on reconfigurable Softcore Processors
• Finding a way through the Fog from the Edge to the Cloud
• Guaranteeing Reliability for IoT Edge Computing Systems
• Hardware Aware Training for AI Systems
• Hybrid Fuzzing Concurrent Software using Model Checking and Machine Learning
• Job and Task Scheduling and Resource Allocation on Parallel/Distributed systems including Cloud, Edge, Fog Computing
• Machine Learning with Bio-Inspired Neural Networks
• Managing the data deluge for Big Data, Internet-of-Things and/or Industry 4.0 environments
• Pervasive Technology for Multimodal Human Memory Augmentation
• Power Management Methodologies for IoT Edge Devices
• Power Transfer Methods for Inductively Coupled 3-D ICs
• Problems in large graphs representing social networks
• Programmable Mixed-Signal Fabric for Machine Learning Applications
• Scheduling, Resource Management and Decision Making for Cloud / Fog / Edge Computing
• Security and privacy in p2p electricity trading
• Skyrmion-based Electronics
• Skyrmionic Devices for Neuromorphic Computing
• Smart Security for Smart Services in an IoT Context
• Spin waves dynamics for spintronic computational devices
• Technology-driven Human Memory Degradation
• Ultrafast spintronics with synthetic antiferromagnets

Human centred computing projects

• Advising on the Use and Misuse of Collaborative Coding Workflows
• Automatic Activity Analysis, Detection and Recognition
• Automatic Emotion Detection, Analysis and Recognition
• Automatic Experimental Design with Human in the Loop (2025 entry onward)
• Biases in Physical Activity Tracking
• Computer Graphics - Material Appearance Modeling and Physically Based Rendering
• Extending Behavioural Algorithmics as a Predictor of Type 1 Diabetes Blood Glucose Highs
• Geo-location as a Predictor of Type 1 Diabetes Blood Glucose
• Learning of user models in human-in-the-loop machine learning (2025 entry onward)
• Machine Learning and Cognitive Modelling Applied to Video Games
• Models of Bio-Sensed Body Temperature and Environment as a Refinement of Type 1 Diabetes Blood Glucose Prediction Algorithmics
• Music Generation and Information Processing via Deep Learning
• Stereotypes and Social Robots
• The Role of Mentalizing and Theory of Mind in Human- Robot Interactions
• Understanding the role of the Web on Memory for Programming Concepts
• User Modeling for Physical Activity Tracking

Artificial intelligence projects

• (MRC DTP) Unlocking the research potential of unstructured patient data to improve health and treatment outcomes
• Abstractive multi-document summarisation
• Applying Natural Language Processing to real-world patient data to optimise cancer care
• Automated Repair of Deep Neural Networks
• Automatic Learning of Latent Force Models
• Biologically-Plausible Continual Learning
• Cognitive Robotics and Human Robot Interaction
• Collaborative Probabilistic Machine Learning (2025 entry onward)
• Computational Modelling of Child Language Learning
• Contextualised Multimedia Information Retrieval via Representation Learning
• Controlled Synthesis of Virtual Patient Populations with Multimodal Representation Learning
• Data Integration & Exploration on Data Lakes
• Data Lake Exploration with Modern Artificial Intelligence Techniques
• Data-Science Approaches to Better Understand Multimorbidity and Treatment Outcomes in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Deep Learning for Temporal Information Processing
• Ensemble Strategies for Semi-Supervised, Unsupervised and Transfer Learning
• Event Coreference at Document Level
• Explainable and Interpretable Machine Learning
• Formal Verification for Robot Swams and Wireless Sensor Networks
• Formal Verification of Robot Teams or Human Robot Interaction
• Foundations and Advancement of Subontology Generation for Clinically Relevant Information
• Generating Goals from Responsibilities for Long Term Autonomy
• Generating explainable answers to fact verification questions
• Generative AI for Video Games
• Integrated text and table mining
• Knowledge Graph Construction via Learning and Reasoning
• Knowledge Graph for Guidance and Explainability in Machine Learning
• Machine Learning for Vision and Language Understanding
• Multi-task Learning and Applications
• Neuro-sybolic theorem proving
• Ontology Informed Machine Learning for Computer Vision
• Optimization and verification of systems modelled using neural networks
• Probabilistic modelling and Bayesian machine learning (2025 entry onward)
• Representation Learning and Its Applications
• Software verification with contrained Horn clauses and first-order theorem provers
• Solving PDEs via Deep Neural Nets: Underpinning Accelerated Cardiovascular Flow Modelling with Learning Theory
• Solving mathematical problems using automated theorem provers
• Solving non-linear constraints over continuous functions
• Symmetries and Automated Theorem Proving
• Text Analytics and Blog/Forum Analysis
• Theorem Proving for Temporal Logics
• Trustworthy Multi-source Learning (2025 entry onward)
• Verification Based Model Extraction Attack and Defence for Deep Neural Networks
• Zero-Shot Learning and Applications

Software and e-infrastructure projects

• Automatic Detection and Repair of Software Vulnerabilities in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
• Combining Concolic Testing with Machine Learning to Find Software Vulnerabilities in the Internet of Things
• Component-based Software Development.
• Effective Teaching of Programming: A Detailed Investigation
• Exploiting Software Vulnerabilities at Large Scale
• Finding Vulnerabilities in IoT Software using Fuzzing, Symbolic Execution and Abstract Interpretation
• Using Program Synthesis for Program Repair in IoT Security
• Verifying Cyber-attacks in CUDA Deep Neural Networks for Self-Driving Cars

Theory and foundations projects

• Application Level Verification of Solidity Smart Contracts
• Categorical proof theory
• Formal Methods: Hybrid Event-B and Rodin
• Formal Methods: Mechanically Checking the Semantics of Hybrid Event-B
• Formal Semantics of the Perfect Language
• Mathematical models for concurrent systems

James Elson projects

Data science projects.

• Data Wrangling
• Fishing in the Data Lake
• Specifying and Optimising Data Wrangling Tasks

Sophia Ananiadou projects

Mauricio alvarez projects, richard banach projects, riza batista-navarro projects, ke chen projects, sarah clinch projects, angelo cangelosi projects, jiaoyan chen projects, lucas cordeiro projects, louise dennis projects, clare dixon projects, suzanne embury projects, marie farrell projects, alejandro frangi projects, andre freitas projects, michael fisher projects, gareth henshall projects, simon harper projects, caroline jay projects, samuel kaski projects, dirk koch projects, konstantin korovin projects, kung-kiu lau projects, zahra montazeri projects, christoforos moutafis projects, tingting mu projects, anirbit mukherjee projects, mustafa mustafa projects, goran nenadic projects, paul nutter projects, nhung nguyen projects, pierre olivier projects, norman paton projects, vasilis pavlidis projects, pavlos petoumenos projects, steve pettifer projects, oliver rhodes projects, giles reger projects, rizos sakellariou projects, uli sattler projects, andrea schalk projects, renate schmidt projects, mingfei sun projects, sandra sampaio projects, viktor schlegel projects, youcheng sun projects, tom thomson projects, junichi tsujii projects, markel vigo projects, ning zhang projects, liping zhao projects.

Together we are beating cancer

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ABOUT CANCER

GET INVOLVED

NEWS & RESOURCES

FUNDING & RESEARCH

You are here

Annual report and accounts 2023/24

On this page

In the last 50 years, our work has helped double cancer survival in the uk.

We’re the world’s leading cancer charity, dedicated to saving and improving lives with our research, influence and information. 

Our vision is a world where everybody lives longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer. And step by step, day by day, our researchers are making this vision a reality. 

Read about some of the progress we’ve made in our five focus areas: Discover, Translate, Engage, Partner and Sustain. 

Read our latest report

Cancer is the defining health issue of our time, and the challenge is only growing. What gives me, and all of us, hope is the opportunity that lies before us.

Michelle Mitchell OBE, Chief Executive

Our highlights from 2023/24

• Results from the INTERLACE trial revealed that giving people with cervical cancer a short course of chemotherapy before starting standard treatment cuts the risk of death or the disease returning by 35%.  
• 2 new drugs that we helped to develop were approved and released for use: Akeega™ for prostate and breast cancer and Truqap™ for HR-positive breast cancer. 
• Ahead of the Westminster General Election, we published Longer, better lives: A manifesto for cancer research and care , which outlines how to prevent 20,000 cancer deaths every year by 2040. 
• We achieved an inclusion score (measuring the sense of belonging, and feelings of inclusivity and safety in the workplace) of 80% in our staff survey. 
• The About Cancer area of our website was visited 52 million times by more than 24 million people around the world. 
• We launched More Research, Less Cancer – the biggest philanthropic campaign in the history of the UK charity sector, which aims to raise £400m. 

Our research spend

We spent £399m on cancer research. This includes money we committed to in previous years but paid out this year, as well as money paid out to new projects we committed to this year. Here’s a breakdown of our research spend: 

• £93m : Relevant to all types of cancer (eg research infrastructure and research studies looking at cancer survivorship)  
• £84m : Basic research (understanding the fundamental biology of cancer)  
• £42m : Research admin and support costs (eg peer review, grant management, IT and other support costs)  
• £16m : Revenue shares (share of royalties from sales of innovations developed from our research, which we pass on to others involved in it) 
• £164m : Research projects focused on specific cancer types (see page 10 of the report for breakdown by cancer type) 

Our expenditure

In 2023/24, we spent £692m (2022/23: £641m).  

• We committed £400m to cancer research, supporting infrastructure and providing grants for investigator-led programmes, projects and training fellowships.
• We committed £133m to generating funds, which includes investment in supporter-focused digital transformation and the costs associated with market-driven wage inflation.
• We committed £127m to trading, opening nine new stores, expanding our online marketplaces and covering significant increases in the cost of energy and the national minimum wage.
• We committed £32m to cancer information and influencing activity to shape and inform government policy changes and provide people with trusted, accurate information about cancer.

Pence in the pound

For every £1 donated, 76p was available to beat cancer. 

In 2023/24, inflation increased our costs at a greater rate than our income. We also increased investment in our supporter-focused digital transformation programme, which will protect and grow our future income, and in our people. We don’t include the net income from our trading activities in this calculation, so the measure is comparable to charities that don't have a shop network.

You can read more on page 12 of our annual report and accounts.

In 2023/24, we raised £684m (2022/23: £719m).  

• We raised £463m from our regular givers, corporate partnerships, gifts in Wills, events, giving platforms and social media challenges.
• We raised £134m through our network of shops, superstores and online marketplaces, achieving our best ever trading income.
• We raised £76m through licensing the intellectual property from our discoveries.
• We received £11m in investments and other income.

When Peter was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2009, he joined the Cancer Research UK-funded CHHiP clinical trial, which compared different ways of giving radiotherapy. He’s been cancer-free for almost 15 years and continues to raise money to beat cancer through the Cancer Research UK Wyre Forest Local Committee in Worcestershire. This year, the committee celebrated raising £1m.

Now, people talk more openly about cancer and can be more confident that there could be a positive outcome. And that’s thanks to research. It’s phenomenal progress but there’s still an awful lot of work to do.

Our chief executive and staff salaries

We know it’s important for you to know how we spend your donations. We’re transparent in all areas of our work.

Our chief executive, Michelle Mitchell OBE, was paid £276,900 base salary between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024. 

As the world’s leading cancer charity, dedicated to saving and improving lives with our research, influence and information, we need to attract and retain high-performing people. The salaries we pay reflect individual responsibilities and performance, while ensuring the best use of your donations. We employ people to help us achieve our vision of a world where everybody lives longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer. 

For more information about staff pay, see pages 47 and 82 – 84 of our annual report and accounts. 

Our previous annual reports

You might also be interested in.

Our annual supporter update

Your support has powered another year of life-saving research to beat cancer. Learn more about the progress you’ve made possible in 2023/24.

Whether you fundraise, volunteer or pledge a gift in your Will, join our collective effort to help beat cancer.  

Help shape our work

We actively involve people affected by cancer in our work, so we can beat the disease while meeting the needs of patients and their families.  

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CLOSED: Grants for international research collaborations

You are here.

We invite applications from UK institutions for research proposals, offering grants of up to £80,000 (£100,000 full economic costs), to collaborate with international partners through the Department of Science, Innovation, and Technology's International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF).

Countries initially joining this call include Egypt, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Thailand and Turkey.

The ISPF Research Collaborations grants provide small scale seed funding for collaborations between the UK and the participating ISPF countries/territories in each call to:

• initiate new research and innovation collaborations between academic groups, departments, and institutions in partner countries and the UK
• develop existing collaborations at group, departmental, and institutional level
• encourage these collaborations to work with non-academic organisations and individuals to support the exchange of research and innovation expertise and the translation of research knowledge into tangible benefits
• establish local hubs for UK- partner country/territory activity in a particular area, enabling engagement from the wider research and innovation community.

Who can apply

Both UK and international partner researchers must be leading researchers or established researchers.

In addition, UK researchers must be:

• permanent employees at their institutions (emeritus and honorary professors may not apply as lead)
• working at a not-for-profit higher education institution or eligible research organisation with the capacity to undertake high-quality research.

Please see the 'Research Collaborations Guidance for Applicants' for additional criteria.

Indicative timelines

The ISPF Research Collaborations information pack

The pack is available at the bottom of this webpage, providing background to researchers considering applying for a research collaboration grant under ISPF, delivered by the British Council.  It covers the following topics:

• Introduction to the International Science Partnerships Fund.
• Eligibility requirements and application process for research collaborations grants.
• Official development assistance – ensuring your project is eligible.
• Writing a gender statement – why and how.

About the International Science Partnerships Fund

The  International Science Partnerships Fund  is designed to enable potential and foster prosperity. It puts research and innovation at the heart of our international relationships, supporting UK researchers and innovators to work with peers around the world on the major themes of our time: planet, health, tech, and talent. The fund is managed by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and delivered by a consortium of the UK’s leading research and innovation bodies, which includes: UK Research and Innovation (comprising the 7 research councils, Innovate UK and Research England), the UK Academies, the British Council, the Met Office, the National Physical Laboratory, the UK Atomic Energy Authority, and Universities UK International.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

British Council are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, and to continuing to attract and nurture talented people from the widest pool to remain internationally competitive in research and innovation. We believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to flourish and succeed. This includes avoidance of bias due to disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, sex (gender), and age.

The British Council is committed to equal opportunities and diversity and will consider, on a case-by-case basis, requests for support to encourage underrepresented groups to engage in ISPF activity, so long as sufficient justification is provided.

Action Required

Application deadline: 9 July 2024, noon BST

To apply:  https://grants.britishcouncil.org/

The British Council approach to contracting can be found here:  https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/ispf_grant_base_template.docx

The list of UK eligible research organisations is at:   https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/eligible_uk_research_organisations_0.pdf

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Together we are beating cancer

• Cancer types
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• Lung cancer
• Prostate cancer
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Work starts on a cancer vaccine for people with Lynch syndrome

10 September 2024

With our funding, scientists at the University of Oxford are starting work on a vaccine to prevent cancer in people with Lynch syndrome.  

Lynch syndrome is a rare genetic condition that runs in families and increases the risk of bowel cancer, womb (endometrial) cancer and some other cancer types. The LynchVax vaccine could be a way to train people’s immune systems to stop these cancers from developing.  

Simon Leedham, Professor of Molecular Genetics at the University of Oxford, is co-lead of the LynchVax research team.  

“People with Lynch syndrome are at very high risk of developing bowel cancer, womb cancer and other cancers – so much so that they get invited to attend bowel screening appointments at a younger age than the rest of the UK population,” he said.  

“LynchVax has the potential to reduce that risk. While our work is in its infancy, we are excited by the prospect of a vaccine that can potentially be used to prevent the multiple types of cancer that typically occur in people with Lynch syndrome and deliver tangible improvements in survival.”  

The facts about Lynch syndrome

Our bodies are made up of millions of cells, each one containing our DNA, all the genes ( or, to use a common metaphor, all the instructions ) each of us needs to grow and function. Lynch syndrome is caused by alterations in one of a handful of genes that control how cells repair DNA damage. In some cells, these alterations can result in DNA damage building up until it affects other genes that control growth, increasing the risk of cancer.

Around 1 in 400 people in the UK (approximately 175,000 to 200,000 people) are estimated to have Lynch syndrome. Less than 5% of them (around 10,000 people) have been diagnosed.  

Lynch syndrome is estimated to cause around 1,300 bowel cancer cases in the UK every year, roughly 3% of the total. U p to 7 in 10 people with the condition will develop bowel cancer in their lifetime , many of them before they turn 50. 

People with Lynch syndrome also have an above average risk of developing endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, stomach cancer, gallbladder cancer, prostate cancer and cancers of the urinary tract, among other cancer types.  

The first steps towards a vaccine

The £550,000 in funding we’ve awarded to Leedham’s team will enable them to closely study the abnormal cell changes that lead to cancer in people with Lynch syndrome. By analysing these precancerous cells, the researchers hope to identify ways a vaccine could train the immune system to recognise and destroy them.  

“We hope our research will lay the early foundations to potentially prevent these [cancers] through vaccination, removing the fear of cancer from people whose chances of developing it in their lifetime are far higher,” said the LynchVax team’s other co-lead, Associate Professor David Church, a Cancer Research UK Advanced Clinician Scientist Fellow at the University of Oxford.  

Although the LynchVax team is taking its first step towards developing a vaccine and it will likely take years before the technology is ready to be tested in clinical trials, people with Lynch syndrome have already contributed to the project. They will continue to be closely involved as the research progresses.  

“Research should be done with patients, not to or for them”

Alongside the scientific work, the team will consult a larger number of people living with Lynch syndrome on their views about using vaccination to prevent cancer. “This is a crucial step in preparing for future clinical trials,” said Helen White, a member of the LynchVax patient and public involvement group.  

LynchVax is one of several projects we’re funding through our prevention research strategy , which aims to use discoveries in the lab to find more precise ways to prevent cancer. This includes research into a vaccine to prevent lung cancer ( LungVax ).  

Lynch syndrome testing, cancer prevention and treatment

In line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines from 2017, the NHS offers a genomic test for Lynch syndrome to everyone diagnosed with bowel cancer or endometrial cancer. When this programme finds someone with Lynch syndrome, the test is also offered to their relatives.  

Because people with Lynch syndrome who are diagnosed with bowel cancer tend to have tumours that are more responsive to immunotherapies, this testing can also help doctors offer the treatment with the best chance of success.  

As part of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, people with Lynch syndrome are also invited for a screening colonoscopy every two years. This helps with preventing and treating cancer, either by revealing precancerous cell changes so they can be dealt with before they develop into bowel cancer, or by helping doctors diagnose cancers in their early stages, when treatment is more likely to be successful.  

NICE also advises that people with Lynch syndrome can lower their risk of developing bowel cancer by taking aspirin daily for at least two years. This is based on the findings of the CAPP2 and CAPP3 studies, which we helped fund. Even so, as aspirin can cause side effects and isn’t suitable for everyone, you should speak to your GP or specialist care team before taking it.  

Earlier this year, researchers in England launched the UK’s first national regis t ry of people with Lynch syndrome to help coordinate screening and treatment and support research across the country.  

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Banking and Finance Research Project

Module description

This project provides you with the opportunity to independently produce a carefully designed piece of research examining a topic drawn from the field of banking and financial services.  In the course of the project, you will: develop a research proposal; critically review the relevant literature; collect the appropriate data; develop testable hypotheses; undertake empirical research to test the hypotheses; write up the results of your research.  While the project is largely an independent piece of work, you will have periodic meetings with your supervisor to discuss your progress.

Additional Information:

Internationalisation

The module is relevant to the subject of banking and finance in an international setting.  All of the project topics are concerned with theory and empirical evidence that is applicable to global financial markets.  Some of the topics explicitly deal with international aspects of finance.

Employability

Students will develop a range of analytical skills in the course of their research, which are of direct practical relevance in the banking and financial services industry.  These skills include the ability to assimilate relevant research in the area of banking and financial services, the ability to manage quantitative and qualitative data, and the ability to analyse these data using quantitative techniques.  Students will also develop the ability to work independently, to manage their own time, and to present the results of their research in a professional manner.

Sustainability

Some of the dissertation topics may include investigation in the role of professionalism within sustainable banking and green finance.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The aim of the project is for students to develop and demonstrate their ability to independently formulate and undertake original and rigorous research in the field of banking and financial services.  In particular, students are expected to form an original research proposal that extends the existing academic literature, develop a number of testable hypotheses, obtain the appropriate data to test those hypotheses, undertake an empirical analysis of the data using appropriate quantitative techniques, and to present the results of their research in an appropriate scientific format.  This is an excellent opportunity for you to develop an area of expertise within the banking and financial services field by carrying out and writing up your own research project. 

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

Ilo: module-specific skills.

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. form an original and viable research proposal in the context of the existing academic banking and finance literature;
• 2. assimilate and critically review the academic literature that is relevant to the dissertation topic;
• 3. collect, analyse and interpret qualitative or quantitative data, using relevant software and statistical techniques;
• 4. interpret and critically evaluate the results of your research and relate your findings to the existing academic literature;
• 5. relate theory to research findings, draw relevant conclusions and consider the implications and limitations of the research you have undertaken.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

• 6. develop theoretical arguments based on analytical reasoning;
• 7. interpret quantitative and qualitative data and problems in the light of established theories;
• 8. access a wide body of empirical research literature and critically appraise it;
• 9. construct coherent, well-argued and convincing arguments, using evidence as appropriate to defend positions taken.

ILO: Personal and key skills

• 10. take responsibility for the direction and management of an independent research project through to completion and submission on time;
• 11. write up research findings to an appropriate professional standard;
• 12. clearly communicate and discuss complex ideas verbally and in writing;
• 13. demonstrate a high standard of written presentation, adhering to conventions for academic writing and referencing.

Syllabus plan

The project process will involve the following stages:

Introduction Lecture:

• Choice of project topic
• Development of proposal

Guided by Supervision:

• Literature search and review
• Data collection
• Empirical analysis
• Submission of draft project
• Feedback and correction
• Submission of final project

Most of the project process will involve independent self-study, but you will have periodic meetings with your supervisor to discuss the progress of your research. 

The purpose of the feedback on the draft project is to provide a final opportunity to identify and correct any major problems, either with the research itself or with the way in which it is presented.  In particular, the feedback will address the way in which the research is motivated, the adequacy of the literature review and the appropriateness of the data and methods used.  The feedback that you will receive is not intended to be detailed or exhaustive, but rather to give you a broad indication of how you might improve your project. 

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

As part of the project, students will develop their own bibliography that is relevant to their particular research topic, under the guidance of their supervisor.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

Students will be introduced to the financial databases available in the business school via either in-house or online training sessions.

Banking and financial services; research project; data collection; project proposal

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