Bioscience pioneers awarded prestigious fellowships
Two researchers from the Department of Biology have been awarded fellowships for emerging bioscience leaders by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
Dr James Ronald and Dr Samuel Wilkinson have been awarded the fellowships (previously known as the BBSRC Discovery Fellowships) for their research into plant mechanisms and behaviour.
Dr Ronald receives the fellowship for his project on plant circadian rhythms. Speaking about the fellowship, he said: “The BBSRC Fellowship award provides me with a brilliant opportunity to kick-start my own independent research program. I am excited to get started on this project that looks to understand how the cellular movement of plant proteins that track the time of day contributes to regulating important agricultural traits such as flowering time and the response to heat stress.”
Dr Wilkinson’s fellowship project will explore plant immune systems and the potential for increasing natural plant defences against pest attack. Dr Wilkinson said: “Receiving a prestigious BBSRC Fellowship has provided me with an incredible opportunity to establish myself as an independent researcher and build my own research portfolio at a new institution.
“Thanks to the financial, technical, and mentorship support from both the BBSRC and the University of York, I will be able to conduct cutting-edge research aimed at improving food security. My work will specifically focus on how plants retain memories of previous stresses, enabling them to better resist future attacks by pests or pathogens.”
They will each receive more than £400,000 for these projects out of a total fund of £6m.
“We are immensely proud to support these fifteen outstanding researchers through our Fellowship scheme,” said Dr Robert Hardwick, Interim Associate Director for People, Talent and Culture at the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
“Their projects not only demonstrate remarkable scientific promise, but also the potential to address pressing global challenges. This latest investment underscores BBSRC’s firm commitment to fostering the next generation of scientific leadership in UK bioscience.
I extend my congratulations to our new fellows and look forward to seeing where your curiosity and dedication will lead you.”