Birkbeck awarded £1.8 million for biomedical and humanities research
Wellcome funding enables the College to promote excellence in research
Birkbeck has been awarded £1.8 million Institutional Strategic Support Funding (ISSF) by Wellcome, for the period 2016-2019. The ISSF funding enables the College to invest in areas that are of mutual strategic importance to Birkbeck and Wellcome and promotes excellence in research.
The funding will be used to develop biomedical-related scholarship across the College, with the aim of increasing interdisciplinary collaboration and public engagement with biomedical research and humanities related to human and animal health. It will also be used to create new opportunities for postgraduate and early career researchers and mid-career researchers, particularly any individuals returning to work after career breaks.
Prof Nicholas Keep, Executive Dean of the School of Science, said: “We are delighted that Wellcome has awarded this funding to Birkbeck. It is very pleasing that the wide range of quality research, from every School across the College within the remit of the Wellcome Trust, has been recognised in this way. The funding will enable us to support early and mid-career researchers, particularly those returning from career breaks, which fits into the College’s strategic work towards approving gender diversity, as it is often – though not always – women who have taken time out from careers to take on child caring and other family responsibilities. We will also be able to build on our work to support excellent public engagement, ensuring that Birkbeck’s world-class research is shared and developed with our communities and publics.”
This is the second ISSF award made to Birkbeck by Wellcome. A portion of the first funding award was used to develop the College’s support for public engagement and supported 11 public engagement projects ranging from theatre to involving local communities, exhibitions, interactive workshops and development of new teaching resources.
Find out more about the projects eligible for ISSF funding and how to apply.