The next generation of Nottingham bioscientists have received a £15 million investment from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of a UK-wide £170 million investment.

The investment was announced on Thursday 24 October and will secure 47 four-year PhD studentships over five cohorts in the biological sciences under the third phase of BBSRC’s Doctoral training Partnerships (DTP).

The programme, which starts in October 2020, will run across nine Schools in three Faculties (Science, Engineering and Medicine) at the University of Nottingham and two Schools at Nottingham Trent University.

UKRI-BBSRC DTPs provide PhD training in areas of bioscience relevant to the remit and strategic research priority areas of BBSRC. They also provide a breadth of professional development training opportunities to enhance the capabilities of doctoral candidates and develop a world-class, highly skilled workforce the UK needs for its future.

During the DTP each student will also undertake a three-month Professional Internship for PhD Students (PIPS) placement to develop their skills further and to explore possible future career directions.

Professor Zoe Wilson, Director of the BBSRC Nottingham-Rothamsted DTP, said: “We are delighted by the UKRI-BBSRC funding of our Nottingham DTP3, which will enable us to continue to deliver high-quality, student-centric training and research excellence, to generate the highly-skilled, innovative leaders of the future that will benefit the UK Bioeconomy.”

Professor Nigel Wright, Deputy Vice-Chancellor – Research and Innovation at Nottingham Trent University said: “We are thrilled to have received confirmation of funding for the third phase of the DTP programme, and are excited to be able to able to continue the research and training in partnership with the University of Nottingham. NTU brings a wealth of unique skills and insights to the programme and we look forward to the opportunities this collaboration will bring.”

The UKRI-BBSRC DTP scheme is just one element of UKRI’s commitment to support future talent in research and innovation. UKRI as a whole supports around 15,000 doctoral students in UK universities, research institutes and businesses. As part of the National Productivity Investment Fund, a further 1300 students were supported in industrially-relevant research topics, and in projects utilising artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data.

Announcing the award, Professor Melanie Welham, UKRI-BBSRC’s Executive Chair said: “The success of the UK’s science sector and the consequent benefits to society and the economy relies on great researchers doing great work. Our Doctoral Training Partnerships have already supported the training of hundreds of early career scientists working at the cutting edge of biology and biotechnology. By continuing to fund, through this significant £170 million investment, vital training of the next generation of researchers we will help ensure that the UK consolidates its position as world-leader in this crucial sector.”

The Nottingham DTP3 programme brings together a partnership of the University of Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University, National Biofilm Innovation Centre, Rothamsted Research, Research Complex at Harwell, Diamond Light Source, ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, NIAB-EMR, Centre for Process Innovation Limited and SME BioIndustry Partners, to deliver interdisciplinary training opportunities across the remit of biosciences and biotechnology research.