BBSRC Follow-on Funding Calls Open to Applications
BBSRC’s Follow-on Funding (FoF) programme supports the translation of research into practical application, including commercialisation. The FoF aims to bridge the funding gap between BBSRC-funded research and the point at which other non-BBSRC funding becomes available. By supporting early-stage projects, it also seeks to reduce the risk for future investors. The FoF should not duplicate other sources of public and private funding.
FoF grants enables researchers who have a sound understanding of the market opportunity for their intellectual assets to execute a defined programme of work of up to two years in length that has clearly defined and complementary technical and business plan development milestones.
The Standard Follow-on Fund (FOF) supports projects of 12-24 months in duration and valued at under £250,000 (FEC). The Super Follow-on Fund (SuperFOF) supports projects of 12-24 months in duration and valued at between £250,000 and £800,000 (FEC).
BBSRC has also launched a Follow on Fund Synthetic Biology Highlight to support FoF and Super FoF grants to accelerate commercialisation and translation of research in the field of synthetic biology. BBSRC has allocated an additional £600,000 to the 19FoF2 call, with the aim of supporting the translation of the UK’s world-leading synthetic biology research into practical application.
BBSRC is keen to support proposals which build upon underpinning research from the following areas:
Orthogonal biosystems: Engineering cells/organisms to include systems or parts not found in nature to impart new capacities or chemistry.
Regulatory circuits: Designing and inserting well-characterised modules (circuits or networks), to generate new functions or responses in cells and organisms.
Protocells: Bottom-up chemical design approaches to produce (semi-)synthetic cells and compartments.
Metabolic engineering: Using complex modifications informed by predictive models, of biosynthetic pathways to allow/enhance production of useful products.
Minimal genomes: Understanding the minimal number of parts (genes) needed for life, to serve as a chassis for engineering minimal cell factories for new functions.
Bionanoscience: Utilising and exploiting synthetic molecular (nano) machines based on cellular systems.
In addition to the above research areas, BBSRC invites proposals for early-stage development of products or services which utilise state-of-the-art technologies for high throughput analysis, design or manufacturing of biologically based parts or biological systems. Applications are also welcomed to develop products/services to improve the productivity of biomanufacturing processes.
Projects must draw substantially on previous research funding by BBSRC.
The deadline for applications to both calls is 9 October 2019 (4pm).
More information about this research funding opportunity and the application process is available on the RESEARCHconnect funding information platform. RESEARCHconnect provides up-to-the minute content, insight and analysis on research funding news and policy. To find out more about how RESEARCHconnect can keep you in the know, and subscription fees, contact us today.