sip may/june 2015 - cover

sipSCIENCE IN PARLIAMENT

MAY

/JUN

E20

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The Journal of theParliamentary andScientific Committee

www.scienceinparliament.org.uk

This is not an officialpublication of the House ofCommons or the House ofLords. It has not been approvedby either House or its Committees.All-Party Groups are informal groups ofmembers of both Houses with a commoninterest in particular issues. The views expressedin this Journal are those of the Group. This Journal isfunded by the members of the Parliamentary and ScientificCommittee.

Seventy percent of clinical decisions are based on an in vitrodiagnostic (IVD) test. These have an increasing role to play to delivercost effective healthcare and improve outcomes for patients.

The use of IVDs can significantly support the reduction of antibioticresistance by:

• Supporting antibiotic stewardship

• Differentiating between bacterial and viral infection

• Rapidly identifying cause of infection to allow targeted antibiotic usage

• Monitoring infection levels during treatment

The value of diagnostics:Using IVD’s can makea difference in reducingantibiotic resistance

About BIVDABIVDA is the national industry association for the manufacturers and distributorsof IVD products in the UK. We currently represent more than 90% of the industryand over a hundred organisations ranging from British start-up companies to UKsubsidiaries of multinational corporations. BIVDA members employ over 8,000people in this country including in manufacturing and R&D, with a total industryturnover of approximately £900 million of direct sales.

Please don’t hesitate to contact the Chief Executive, Doris-Ann Williams if you would like any furtherinformation about any of the aspects of this issue or about in vitro diagnostics in general. She isalways more than willing to visit you in Westminster.

British In Vitro Diagnostics AssociationDevonshire House (2nd Floor) · 164-168 Westminster Bridge Road · London SE1 7RWTel: 0845 6188224 · Email: [email protected] · Web: www.bivda.co.uk

It is a rare privilege to beallowed to write the Chairman’sEditorial, but as I write, we haveno Chairman - until our AGM on16th June. After this we willknow the name of the P&SCchair.

When Parliament is dissolvedas happened at the end ofMarch, many good things cameto an end including all All PartyParliamentary Groups (of whichthere are more than 600!).

Science in Parliament Vol 72 No 2 May/June 2015 1

NATIONAL SPACE CENTRE 2Chas Bishop

THE WORLD NEEDS SCIENCE AND SCIENCE NEEDSWOMEN 4Professor Dame Carol Robinson

THE LONDON MATHEMATICAL SOCIETY:CELEBRATING 150 YEARS OF MATHEMATICS 6

THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM ENTERPRISE ZONE 8Professor Chris Rudd

WHY SCIENCE IS IN THE DIPLOMATIC TOOL KIT 10Professor Robin Grimes and Dr Emma Hennessey

KEW LAUNCHES NEW SCIENCE STRATEGY 12Professor Katherine Willis

DEVELOPING A CIRCULAR ECONOMY 14Jacob Hayler

THE FUTURE OF LIFE SCIENCES IN THE UK 16Addresses to the P&SC by Doris-Ann Williams and Dr Malcolm Skingle

DEVELOPING LOW-FIELD NMR SPECTROSCOPYFOR TACKLING FOOD FRAUD 20Dr Kate Kemsley and Dr David Williamson

SUPPORTING TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION INBRITISH INDUSTRY 22Nigel Williams

THE ACOUSTIC DESIGN OF SCHOOLS 24Professor Bridget Shield

SET FOR BRITAIN 2015 27

VOICE OF THE FUTURE 2015 30

A SCIENCE LEGACY FOR THE NEXT PARLIAMENT 32Addresses to the P&SC by Baroness Finlay and Andrew Miller MP

LIGHT 36Addresses to the P&SC by Dr Rob Massey, Susie Wheeldon, Liz Benson and John Allen

THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF LIGHT SHEDS LIGHTON THE ‘DARK AGES’ 42Dr Anne-Maria Brennan

ELI IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC 44Otakar Fojt

DEMENTIA HAS NO BORDERS 45

PARLIAMENTARY OFFICE OF SCIENCE ANDTECHNOLOGY 46

HOUSE OF COMMONS SELECT COMMITTEE ONSCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 48

HOUSE OF LORDS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYSELECT COMMITTEE 49

HOUSE OF COMMONS LIBRARY SCIENCE ANDENVIRONMENT SECTION 50

SCIENCE DIRECTORY 47

SCIENCE DIARY 56

Lord Oxburgh KBE FRSPresident, Parliamentary andScientific Committee

CONTENTS

The Journal of the Parliamentary andScientific Committee.The Committee is an AssociateParliamentary Group of members ofboth Houses of Parliament and Britishmembers of the European Parliament,representatives of scientific andtechnical institutions, industrialorganisations and universities.


Science in Parliament has two mainobjectives:1. to inform the scientific and industrial

communities of activities withinParliament of a scientific nature andof the progress of relevantlegislation;

2. to keep Members of Parliamentabreast of scientific affairs.

The covers of this issue are sponsored by the London Mathematical Society, British In Vitro Diagnostics Association, the University of Nottingham and the Society of Biology.

Happily, once the House ofCommons reappears, thephoenix of all the APPGs willarise.

I am therefore delighted to beholding the fort pro tem.

This also gives me anopportunity to comment on oneof the differences between thetwo Houses.

The paucity of scientists in theCommons has often beencommented upon. This isexaggerated. There may onlyhave been one PhD scientist inthe last Parliament, but therewere many more with firstdegrees in science.

The Lords of course aredifferent because a dozen or sowere appointed specificallybecause of their previousscientific careers.

Interestingly both Housestackled an important topicrecently – that of mitochondrial

transfer – and both went withthe science. That is not todownplay the ethical issueswhich attach to humanreproduction, but all the relevantissues were well aired. Onceagain the UK has shown theway in the application of scienceto increasing human health andhappiness.

As I write, ministerialappointments are beingannounced by the newGovernment. We are watchingclosely for the appointment of aMinister for Science. We shallseek to have him speak to us atan early date. We shall see.

Science in Parliament Vol 72 No 2 May/June 20152

NATIONAL SPACE CENTREChas BishopChief Executive, National Space Centre

Birmingham and GlasgowScience Centre to single out fourof the 60 operations that makeup the Association of Science &Discovery Centre network: allstriving to meet curriculumneeds whilst providing anenjoyable day out.

Most will tell you that visitornumbers are growing, and thatthe past three years have seenever-increasing pressure oncapacity. Most will say that theirancillary business activities thatmake best use of their assets

are flourishing and adding vitalsurpluses to the bottom line. Allwill say that getting hands oncapital funding is tough. Thereally successful ones have cashreserves and some ability to

invest their own money, but notenough to build newclassrooms, corporate facilitiesand new exhibition space towelcome ever more peoplethrough their doors. TheNational Space Centre is a casein point, turning away much-prized school and corporatebusiness and regularly runningout of car parking space. It has a£3m expansion plan and is ableto stump up £1m itself, butdoesn’t have a dedicated grantfunding body to approach forsupport as do others in the arts,

Richard Attenborough said that;not actually about sciencecentres, but about films. Itseems to fit though, doesn’t it? Ascience centre is likely to be runas a charity and have strictcharitable objectives, but unlessit attracts a mass audience itisn’t going to last very long.

The National Space Centre isone of a raft of science centreslaunched with MillenniumCommission funding with theexpress purpose of inspiring thenext generation of scientists andengineers. Leicester doesn’tappear an obvious location forsuch a project until one hears ofthe brilliance of the University ofLeicester’s Space ResearchCentre and its work on missionsto Mars, to Mercury, to Jupiterand to look back at Earth.

How are these Millenniumcentres doing fifteen years on?

heritage and museum sectors.This sounds like a grizzle and itreally isn’t: we all recognise howfortunate we have been with ourlottery-injected starts in life.There does, however, seem to

be a great opportunity to buildon success and offer moreplaces to more people. There isemployment in it too: 165people work on site, with afurther 25 teachers secondedfrom their schools for 25 days ayear to help deliver NationalSpace Academy programmesacross the UK.

So why the growth in volume:is it the economy? Is it space?Probably both. Certainly thethree year growth trend mirrorsthe UK’s climb out of recession.The subject of space may bethe trump card. Suddenly, it isfront page news. First we hadRosetta and the audaciouslanding of its Philae probe onComet 67P, “throwing ahammer in the air in Londonand hitting a nail in Beijing” asAndrew Miller MP recentlyquoted one scientist putting it.Next came the Americans and

“A science centre can do so much more than entertain, but it must be entertaining”.

... ‘Visitor numbers’ isthe most obvious

metric ...

... a great opportunity to build

on success ...

Whatever your measure, theanswer is “pretty well”. ‘Visitornumbers’ is the most obviousmetric and the most likelydetermining factor as to whetheror not costs are covered. It isalso a good indicator of one’sworth to society: of the 265,000visitors to the National SpaceCentre in 2014, 77,000 werechildren in school groups led byteachers looking to supplementtheir classroom teaching withexciting context. It is the same atthe Centre for Life in Newcastle,@Bristol, Think Tank in

their test launch of Orion: thesuccessor to the Space Shuttlewith a deliberate nod – in itssplash down, trailing red andwhite striped parachutes – tothe iconic Apollo programme.Then we had Beagle 2: theglorious affirmation of correctmaths and brilliant engineeringcombining to land a tiny probeon a distant, hostile planet. Wedidn’t know this on ChristmasDay 2003: a terrible misfortunefor Prof Colin Pillinger and histeam who had put years of theirlives into a project that was


ultimately let down by amalfunctioning solar panel. Itwas a bitter-sweet moment forProf Mark Sims to presentimages of Beagle 2 from thesurface of Mars to a packedpress conference eleven yearslater. Every single box in themost complicated of missionscould be ticked. It just didn’ttransmit.

interesting question. 100,000by 2030 for the space sectoralone is the UK Space Agencyfigure, fuelled by an expectationof a plethora of start-upscapable of taking data fromspace and turning it intoapplications useful to all industrysectors and in all walks of life.Telecommunications, banking,public transport, driving, running,

This all needs skilledengineers. In 1983 we had55,000* A level physicsstudents in the UK. Today it isaround 35,000 a year; growingfrom 27,000 in 2006 but still along way short of where weneed to be. Space can help. Itmay be optimistic to argue thata happy day out at the NationalSpace Centre leads directly to anengineering career, but arecognition that “spaceexploration” is a great movingfactor in teaching the science

appear to be heading in thesame general direction andsimilar full-time courses havebeen started in Banbury,Birmingham, Salford andTwickenham. 500 students willbe taught this way by 2016 andother colleges are asking to jointhe affiliation. A further 5,000students and 1,000 teachers ayear take part in half and full daymaster classes. A post-18 HigherApprenticeship in SpaceEngineering is just under way.

With high fixed costs and aninnate desire to keep costsaffordable for families, sciencecentres have developed highlycreative ways of generatingadditional income. Some rentout space for office use orevents, some have ice rinks atChristmas and some createexhibits for purchase or hire. TheNational Space Centre has NSCCreative: an animated filmproduction company that makesplanetarium and simulatorshows for clients worldwide.With shows currently playing inover 400 planetaria in 30countries, it employs 30 full-time, highly creative individualswho are also masters of story-

... land a tiny probeon a distant,

hostile planet ...

... Bringing down the cost of satellite launch ...

The image of the UK SpaceSector suffered in the originalaftermath of Beagle 2: a grossinjustice for such a vitalcontributor to UK plc that leadsthe world on so many fronts. Itswork in planetary exploration,Earth observation, satellitenavigation andtelecommunications is worth£13bn a year and employs

cycling, playing golf, looking afterthe Earth, responding to naturaldisasters, finding oil, keeping aneye on the kids, keeping an eyeon people you want to keep aneye on: all these are alreadyestablished. Farming, insurance,town planning: locked andloaded. It should be an easy selland yet, to many, ‘spaceapplications’ remain unknown,

curriculum. This led to thelaunch of the National SpaceAcademy in 2011 following athree year pilot programme inthe East Midlands. Now, there isa two year student commitment,and this is providing increasingevidence of “impact”. Of theeleven guinea pigs who startedthe post-16 course in SpaceEngineering (run jointly withLoughborough College andcomprising A levels in physicsand maths and a BTEC level 3

30,000 people in hi-tech jobs. Ithas ambitious growth plans and,later this year, supports the firstUK national to travel with theEuropean Space Agency to theInternational Space Station for asix month stint. In Major TimPeake it has chosen the perfectrole model: a helicopter test pilotwith the ability to speak and theurge to tweet: a winningcombination for somebodyalready in hot demand to inspirethe next generation of scientistsand engineers.

Quite how many scientists andengineers we need is an

unexplained and seeminglyirrelevant. There is a bigcommunications job to bedone, led by the SatelliteApplications Catapult in Harwell,Oxfordshire. Bringing down thecost of satellite launch will help,and this is where the UK isleading the way with pioneeringprojects to miniaturise satellitesand create reusable spaceplanes. A UK spaceport couldsoon be built at one of fourshort-listed sites: not to lift usup for a sub-orbital flight(although that will come) but tolaunch a myriad small satellites.

in engineering), six had nofamily history of highereducation. Nine of the elevengot the grades needed to go totheir first choice university andone took an apprenticeship withAirbus. The eleventh hopes foran apprenticeship with Rolls-Royce. Cohorts two and three

telling: vital if you are toentertain a diverse audiencewith a great range of age andunderstanding.

*numbers from the Institute ofPhysics


THE WORLD NEEDS SCIENCE ANDSCIENCE NEEDS WOMEN

Professor Dame Carol RobinsonProfessor of Chemistry, University of Oxford

Celebrating the 2015 European Laureate of the “L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science”awards, Professor Dame Carol Robinson.

Over the past decade,the percentage ofwomen amongscientific researchershas increased by 12%but gender parity isfar from beingreached: womenaccount for only 30%of the world’sresearchers. Thecurrent situationindicates that wellinto the thirdmillennium, adiscrepancy existsbetween what webelieve is the rightgender balance andwhat we are prepareddo about changing it.

I like to think that the barriersare reducing all the time butunfortunately evidence does notsupport this. There are stillrelatively few women whoremain in science, despite agood take up at theundergraduate level. Moreprogrammes exist to addressthis but there is a lot more wecan do to reach gender equalityin science.

Science is still perceived as aman’s world and it really shouldnot be. A career in science isboth rewarding and exciting.Women should not be put offby perceptions. One of the mainissues is the lack of role modelswith whom women can identify.When I was young there werevery few – Dorothy Hodgkin orMarie Curie. Nowadays, we areseeing more women andprogrammes like the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women In ScienceAwards are helping to putwomen scientists on the world

stage and to celebrate theirsuccesses. I was delighted whenI learnt that I was to receive theaward as the European Laureatefor 2015. It is a great honourand I hope it has a very positiveeffect on young womenconsidering a career in science. Ihope that it gives young womensomething to aspire to.

I also would like to think thatmy unusual career path mightinspire others into the world ofscience. I knew that when I leftschool I wanted to stay in

science so I became atechnician at Pfizer, aged 16,working on a massspectrometer. I was veryfortunate that one of mycolleagues told me I shouldhave gone to university and thatit wasn't too late. I didn't believehim, but he encouraged me tostudy part-time for a degreewhile continuing my ‘day job’ at

Pfizer. When I finished mydegree I was delighted to beaccepted to do a PhD atCambridge University. This wasbeyond my wildest dreams.

Finishing my PhD I then tookanother unconventional path byhaving an 8-year career break tobegin raising my children. Iloved this time and didn't returnto science until my late thirties,initially at quite a low level. I wasgrateful for the chance to provemyself. By my mid-forties I wasappointed as a Research

Professor at the University ofOxford. I think in the mid1990s, when I obtained my firstgrant, I felt I had started mycareer in science.

Nowadays the grant fundingsituation is much tougher.Student numbers haveincreased dramatically in the last10 years which brings its own

... senior women can make a difference ...

All photos L’Oréal-UNESCO ForWomen In Science 2015


The L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women In Science International Programme was foundedseventeen years ago by L’Oréal and UNESCO on the premise that ‘the world needs science andscience needs women’. The awards programme is designed to promote and highlight the criticalimportance of ensuring greater participation of women in science, by awarding promisingfemale scientists with fellowships to help them further their research. There are three distinctschemes:

• 1.0 The International Laureate Programme: The founding awards provide five leading femalescientists, one from each continent, every year with a prestigious laureate of €100,000 inrecognition of their ground-breaking achievements and contributions to scientific progress.These women are at the cutting edge of their research fields. The international structure of theprogramme ensures that the laureates are distributed among women who are working undera wide variety of conditions. 87 laureates have been given since this programme’s creation.

• 2.0 The International Fellowships – Rising Talents. These fellowships help young womenscientists from around the world take up research positions in other countries, allowing themto pursue their research in some of the world’s most prestigious laboratories. There are 15fellowships given out each year to support ‘the faces of science for tomorrow’.

• 3.0 The National Fellowships, such as the UK & Ireland programme, are run in over 46countries around the world. Each National Fellowship helps women scientists at a critical pointin their career to continue to pursue their research with flexible financial aid.

Since its creation in1998 the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science programme hassupported 2,250 women in 110 countries

pressures in terms of space andresources. Similarly the numberof academics has increased andin a tougher funding climate Ihave seen this cause someyoung scientists to leaveresearch. If I were the Ministerfor Universities and Science, Iwould try to ensure thatuniversities were properlyfunded. There are moves to putresearch into institutes and toleave universities to focus onteaching – I think this would bea big mistake. Many of the greatinnovations in science werediscovered in universities.

In my career I benefitedenormously from goodmentoring and I feel this is animportant part of getting womento stay, and progress, in science.I would never have applied formy Royal Society Chair without alot of persuasion. Encouraging

From left to right: Prof. Dame Carol Robinson – University of Oxford, UNITED KINGDOM; Prof. Thaisa StorchiBergmann – Federal University of Rio Grande Do Sul, Porto Alegre BRASIL; Irina Bokova – Director GeneralUNESCO; Jean-Paul Agon – Chairman & Chief Executive Office, L’ORÉAL; Prof. Molly S. Shoichet – University ofToronto, CANADA; Prof. Rajaâ Cherkaoui El Moursli - Mohammed V- Agdal University, Rabat, MOROCCO; Prof. YiXie – University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, CHINA. Copyright Stephane Cardinal

women to apply for senioracademic positions and sittingon electoral boards is one wayin which senior women canmake a difference.

... very positive effecton young womenconsidering a career

in science ...

The work-life balance alsoplays a major role. The longhours culture is in conflict withfamily life, and life in generaland in my opinion this is the

biggest perceived obstacle forwomen entering science andacademia but I am a strongadvocate of how flexible a careerin science can be. Commitmentis the important thing. Balancingfamily and career was mybiggest challenge. Initially, Iresolved this by giving up myscientific career for eight years;later I managed to find the rightbalance between the two thingsthat mattered most to me.

Finally I would like to stress thepositives of careers in research:to work on something thatbecomes your hobby, flexiblehours, international friendships,mentoring students and post-doctoral researchers – the list islong. Don’t think of it as beingstuck in the lab all day. Theopportunities to present yourresearch, to interact atconferences and to carry outcollaborations across the worldare tremendously exciting. It isalso very rewarding working withbright young students, watchingthem develop and take up theirown careers. It really is a greatcareer choice.


THE LONDON MATHEMATICALSOCIETY: CELEBRATING 150 YEARSOF MATHEMATICSThis year marks the 150th Anniversary of the London Mathematical Society (LMS), theUK’s learned society for mathematics. The Society is commemorating this with anexciting programme of events celebrating the contributions of UK mathematics throughthe years. The Society and its membership includes many creative mathematicalscientists, past and present.

One of the objectives of thecelebrations is to reach out toboth non-mathematicians andmathematicians alike, and tofoster a deeper appreciation ofthe value of mathematics to ourculture and society. The variedprogramme of activities andevents provides a wonderfulopportunity to celebrate pastachievements, and also to lookforward and challenge ourselvesand society to make the best ofthis ever-changing and beautifuldiscipline.

Under the overarching themeof Mathematics: UnlockingWorlds, we will communicate

the following messages to aswide an audience as possible:

• Mathematics transformspeople’s lives

• Mathematics is everywhereand for everyone

Society; 16th January 2015 wasexactly 150 years to the daysince the Society held itsinaugural meeting andGoldsmiths’ Hall was also thelocation for the Society’sCentenary Dinner. The aim of

Over 300 guests, includingschool and university students,were entertained by talks fromleading mathematicians. Inaddition to the Society’shistorical focus on puremathematics, a range of appliedtopics was covered, includingmachine learning for humanmotion capture (particularly inMicrosoft’s Kinect for Xbox), thelinking of signals to masts thatenable the use of mobilephones, and the special effectsbehind TV programmes such asDoctor Who and Sherlock andfilms such as Harry Potter andLife of Pi.

... essential value of mathematics to the UK economy ...

• Mathematics Research:Curiosity, Creativity, Discovery

The year began with theAnniversary Launch on 16thJanuary 2015 at TheGoldsmiths’ Hall, London. Boththe date and venue were ofparticular significance to the

the Launch was to introduce theSociety’s year of celebrations,recognise and promote thehistory of the Society, anddemonstrate the essential valueof mathematics to the UKeconomy.


An Early Day Motion, dated 16 January, supported byAndrew Miller MP, StephenMetcalfe MP, Dr Julian HuppertMP and Sir Peter Bottomley MP,congratulated the LMS onreaching its 150th Anniversary,for which the Society is grateful.

In February, there was anexhibition of early documentsand photographs from the LMSarchives at the University College

Zeeman online archive with asmall ceremony at HertfordCollege, University of Oxford.The Archive was launched soonafter Sir Christopher’s 90thbirthday and came to fruition asa result of the hard work anddedication of Sir Christopher’sfamily. The online archiverepresents a lifetime of SirChristopher’s work, includingletters he wrote, papers andbooks he published, andinterviews he gave. SirChristopher Zeeman is widelyconsidered an icon of modernmathematics and the LMS is

(Duke University, US), followedby a special four-day Women inMathematics event held at theUniversity of Oxford.

As the year progresses therewill be a number of other

Wednesday 25th – Sunday 29thNovember in which nineresearch groups will be involved.

The usual Society events suchas the LMS Popular Lectures,which already attract largeaudiences from mathematiciansand students to the generalpublic, have been extended toinclude more speakers atvarious locations around the UK.There will also be a jointmeeting with the Institute ofPhysics (IOP) and the RoyalAstronomical Society (RAS) inNovember to mark thecentenary of General Relativity.

The 150th year of the Societyis an opportunity to reflect onthe ground-breakingachievements of the LMSthrough the years and to lookforward to building a sustainablefuture for the discipline whichwill allow mathematics tocontinue to contribute to societyand to provide the criticalfoundations to ‘unlockingworlds’.

Cambridge and included a dayof events celebrating theAnniversary, with lectures fromProfessor Sir Andrew Wiles(University of Oxford), whoproved Fermat’s Last Theoremand Professor Robert Calderbank

and architect George Legendre.The year will culminate in anexciting, interactive five-dayMathematics Festival incollaboration with the LondonScience Museum which will beheld at the Museum from

For more information aboutthe Society’s 150th Anniversaryvisit www.lms.ac.uk/2015 Youcan also follow the LMS onTwitter @LondMathSoc

notable events. LocalMathematics Heroes MuseumExhibitions will be launched overthe summer and will take placeacross the UK which will bringmathematics andmathematicians into the localcommunity celebrating theorigins of famous mathematicalresearchers. A series of short,filmed interviews with prominentUK-based mathematicians willbe available to view online, anArtist Associate Scheme, wherethe Society has commissionedmathematics-related work fromrenowned artist Mark Francis

delighted to be hosting thearchive on its website,particularly as he is a PastPresident of the Society.

London (UCL) Main Library. Theexhibition will remain open untilDecember and highlights includea student’s sketch of the LMSfounding President Augustus deMorgan, a sketch of an earlyLMS logo by Sophia de Morgan,and a letter from George deMorgan and Arthur CowperRanyard inviting Thomas ArcherHirst to the inaugural meeting ofthe Society.

This year’s Mary CartwrightLecture was also held inFebruary. The lecture, whicheach year is given by aprominent femalemathematician, was given byMaria Esteban (Université Paris-Dauphine) on Bose-EinsteinCondensation: History, Modeland Recent Mathematical

... platform for other Women in Mathematics events ...

... interviews with prominent UK-basedmathematicians ...

Results. The talk was describedas “world-class” by LMSPresident Terry Lyons and itprovided a distinguishedplatform for other Women inMathematics events later in theyear.

Later in March the LMSlaunched the Sir Christopher

April and May proved busymonths for the Society withlarge events such as the jointmeeting between the BritishMathematical Colloquium(BMC) and the British AppliedMathematics Colloquium(BAMC), which this year washeld at the University of

Professor Sir Andrew Wiles

Professor Robert Calderbank


THE UNIVERSITY OFNOTTINGHAM ENTERPRISE ZONEHelping to create the next generation ofscience and technology entrepreneurs

four new University EnterpriseZones were to be created inNottingham, Liverpool, Bradfordand Bristol.

University Enterprise Zones(UEZs) are specific geographicalareas where universities andbusinesses can work together toincrease local growth andinnovation. Each UEZ will besupported by a partnershipbetween a university and LocalEnterprise Partnerships (LEPs).

As part of our plans for theUniversity of NottinghamEnterprise Zone, we aredeveloping a new TechnologyEntrepreneurship Centre (TEC).The £2.6m we have receivedfrom government for the UEZ isbeing matched pound-for-poundto develop a £5.2m state-of-the-art business incubation facility.

The new 2,000m2 building willprovide office-basedaccommodation for smallbusinesses, and will bedesigned to facilitate interactionbetween occupants, with the

business community or fromwithin the University. Focus forsupport will include providingadvice on start-up and early-stage issues including businessplanning, new product

development and IntellectualProperty Commercialisation.

One of the key advantages forbusinesses which will be basedin the TechnologyEntrepreneurship Centre is thelinkage with the local escalatorof finance, which includesNottingham City Council’sRegional Growth Fund grants for

flexibility to host individuals inboth seminar and idea-generation modes. Within theCentre, technology-basedentrepreneurs will be able toengage with our expertise in keysectoral technologies andenterprise education, and linkwith its significant internationalconnections through itscampuses in China andMalaysia.

STIMULATINGTECHNOLOGY-DRIVENBUSINESSES

The University of Nottingham’sTechnology EntrepreneurshipCentre will provide space andincubation support for 50technology-driven start-upbusinesses, (including studententerprises) from the local

In September 2013, SirAndrew Witty, Chief Executive ofGlaxoSmithKline and Chancellorof The University of Nottingham,published his independentreview, entitled ‘Encouraging aBritish Invention Revolution’which investigated howuniversities could driveeconomic growth, benefitingboth their local areas and thewider UK.

The Witty Review called forstronger incentives foruniversities to realise theirpotential to enhance nationaland local economic growth. Ithighlighted the need foruniversities to work with localpartners to seek out small andmedium enterprises (SMEs)with the potential to innovate,and to support such businesseswith technology, expertise, talentand know-how.

In response to the WittyReview and previous reports onthe subject of business-university collaboration, in 2014the government announced that

technology development, theUniversity’s Angel Network andthe City Council’s Foresight Fundfor high-growth businesses,providing the opportunity to tapinto a unique package offinancial support.

SUPPORTING STUDENTSCIENTISTS TO BEENTREPRENEURS

University students are a richsource of innovative businessideas and creativity. However,these skills are often untapped,under-supported and under-utilised while they are atuniversity. The University ofNottingham recognises the needto develop the entrepreneurialpotential of science students sothat when they leave university

Chris RuddPro-Vice-Chancellor (External Engagement), The University of Nottingham

Enterprising Nottingham studentsdeveloped a pathogen diagnosis kitfor the agri-food industry

A new Technology Entrepreneurship Centre for technology entrepreneurswill be at the heart of Nottingham's University Enterprise Zone


they are given the tools tolaunch successful new ventures,creating jobs and wealth. Oneway in which the University ishelping to develop the nextgeneration of entrepreneurs isthrough joint MSc courses,where students are able tocombine studying sciencesubjects with entrepreneurship,where they can learn about thepractical aspects of businessdevelopment and build theirentrepreneurial skills.

Student entrepreneurship atThe University of Nottingham issupported through the HaydnGreen Institute for Innovationand Entrepreneurship, whichhosts an Ingenuity Lab wherestudents are able to come andget support to develop theirideas and set up their ownbusinesses. The Haydn GreenInstitute also providescompetitions with financialprizes to help students get theirventures off the ground. Onesuch competition is theBiotechnology YoungEntrepreneurs Scheme (YES) –an annual business plancompetition, designed to raiseawareness of commercialisationamong young researchers.Topics covered in theBiotechnology YES competitioninclude business plan writing,understanding intellectualproperty and patents, raisingfinance, marketing strategies andregulatory affairs.

DETECTINGFOODBORNE DISEASES

One of the innovative studentideas that came through theBiotechnology YES scheme wasfrom a group of University ofNottingham MSc CropBiotechnology andEntrepreneurship graduates. Thestudents have developed amobile diagnostic service forpathogen detection – an ideadeveloped for their master’sdissertation. Their method canbe used to detect foodbornediseases such as Campylobacter,Listeria and Salmonella, which

cause hundreds of deaths in theUK per annum. The mobile kitenables testing to take place inthe field, producing resultswithin just two hours, comparedwith up to several weeks in lab-based tests.

The three students have nowformed a company, calledDiagMole, and believe that it isthe combination of an academicsubject combined with the studyof entrepreneurship which hasgiven them the skills andconfidence to go into business.They are all positive that theirbusiness will become theiremployment for the foreseeablefuture and has the potential forhigh growth.

Professor Ted Cocking hasdeveloped a technology which hasthe potential to enable crops to fixnitrogen atmospherically

Rt Hon Greg Clark meeting theUniversity of Nottingham studentswho designed the Freefall Camera

THE FREEFALL CAMERA The Freefall Camera is an

example of a University ofNottingham student-led researchand development project whichhas led to the development of aproduct with real commercialpotential.

The starting point for thisventure was a team ofMechanical Engineering mastersstudents, who are also skydivingenthusiasts. They wanted to seeif it was possible to solve theproblems around autonomouslyfilming skydivers in freefallwithout jeopardising safety. Theyset themselves the challenge ofcreating a fully working robotprototype designed with fourvertical aerofoils which adjust toaffect its terminal velocity. Toensure the camera kept lockedon its target, a state-of-the-artvision sensor and glove wereused to develop the camera’stracking systems. A steerableparachute and robust casing was

also developed to improvefurther the functionality andreusability of the product.

The device will enableskydivers to be filmed at anytime they choose instead ofbeing bound by camera flyeravailability. Tested in thewindtunnel at Airkix inManchester, the prototype isnow progressing towardsbecoming a fully developedmarketable product.

COMMERCIALISINGNEW TECHNOLOGIES

Each year, a number of excitingnew technologies are developedby universities across thecountry and Nottingham is noexception. Most famous fordeveloping Magnetic ResonanceImaging, The University ofNottingham is stillcommercialising many excitingand innovative technologies.

In recent years we have had anumber of successful exits ofspin-out businesses. One ofthese, Molecular Profiles, whichprovides innovative services tothe pharmaceutical industry,such as formulation,manufacturing and expertconsultation for IntellectualProperty issues, was sold to an

American pharmaceuticalbusiness for £16m in 2013. Inaddition, the University’s pre-clinical oncology researchcompany, PRECOS, whichfocuses on providing uniquepatient relevant and predictivecancer models to internationalbiotech and pharmaceuticalcompanies, was also sold in amulti-million dollar deal.

Other Nottingham spin-outbusinesses in the medical sectorare gaining worldwide interest.Scancell has developed atherapeutic DNA vaccine whichstimulates the body’s immunesystem to make T-cells whichthen seek out and kill tumourcells that would otherwise behidden. The company hassecured £17m funding to date.

NuVision is a spin-out that hasdeveloped a biological wounddressing which aids theregeneration and healing of thesurface of the eye. The dressing,known as Omnigen, can beused as a graft, or an innovativeemergency dressing to helpregenerate damaged or diseasedcorneal tissue. The technologyhas been backed by £2 millionresearch funding includingsupport from the UK MOD.

In the agricultural sector, AzoticTechnologies is commercialisinga new technology developed bythe University called N-Fix. N-Fixhas the potential to enable cropsto fix half their nitrogen needsfrom the atmosphere. This couldtransform global agriculture, bymaking it cheaper for farmers tocultivate crops while alsoreducing the massive damagecaused to rivers and lakes bynitrogen run-off from fertiliser.

AN ENTERPRISINGFUTURE

The creation of the TechnologyEntrepreneurship Centre at theUniversity of NottinghamEnterprise Zone will further helpstudents, academics and localbusinesses to nurture anddevelop ideas, creating a newgeneration of science andtechnology entrepreneurs,bringing new jobs and wealth tothe Midlands and beyond andhelping to strengthen the UK’sposition as a world-leader ininnovation.

learned societies have played aparticularly important role. TheRoyal Society as a sequel to itsCommonwealth ScienceConference (in November2014), is working with theCommonwealth SecretaryGeneral to put science at theheart of the Commonwealthagenda. The Royal Academy ofEngineering is currentlysupporting an academic industryexchange scheme, with theUniversity of Zimbabwe as oneof the hubs.

Academics can work in placeswhere diplomatic relations arefragile. The Royal Society brokersarrangements by whichvolcanologists from ImperialCollege and Cambridge havebeen working with North Koreanscientists to monitor MountPaektu, responsible for one ofthe largest eruptions in history.

The British Council hascommented that science andresearch diplomacy is one of themost powerful tools for buildingtrust and understanding with theIslamic Republic of Iran8 (IRI).IRI has maintained some leadingscience education and researchfacilities; IRI scientists contributeto projects such as CERN, andlead the region in terms ofcontributions to peer-reviewedjournals. The UK's science andresearch is highly regarded inIran, and there is a strong desireto move forward with exchangeand research partnerships.

After a hiatus of several years, astrategic agreement oncooperation has been signed bythe British Council, The RoyalSociety and the RussianFoundation for Basic Research,opening the way forcollaboration. President Putin’sRussian Academic ExcellenceProject provides opportunities toengage with the university sector


WHY SCIENCE IS IN THEDIPLOMATIC TOOL KIT

Professor Robin Grimes 1

and Dr Emma Hennessey 2

societies, with a particularinterest where there might notbe other mechanisms forengagement at an official level3.”It is an evolving concept but itapplies to the role of science,technology and innovation in:informing foreign policyobjectives by supplying scientificadvice (science in diplomacy);facilitating international sciencecooperation (diplomacy forscience); and using sciencecooperation to improveinternational relations (sciencefor diplomacy).

Science in diplomacy is akin toevidence-based policy making:the principle that the best policydecisions are those that areinformed by expert advice andevidence. This could includeeconomic advice and statisticsabout trade opportunities, socialresearch on behaviour orperhaps information ontechnological advances. Sciencecan play a particularly importantrole during emergencies when aState’s response can rely heavilyon predictions of how events arelikely to unfold. During theFukushima nuclear power plantaccident in Japan, science adviceunderpinned the decision by theUK embassy in Tokyo not toevacuate personnel, leading to along term benefit to UK-Japanrelations.

Diplomacy for science buildsnetworks for researchcooperation. Researchers havealways sought out the bestpeople with whom tocollaborate. National academiesare increasingly international intheir scope and reach.Programmes such as theNewton Fund4 and theEuropean CommissionFramework programmes5

facilitate collaboration. High-levelnational engagement/diplomacyis essential to ensure that the

scope of the Frameworkprogramme aligns with UK’sexpertise to ensure UK scientistscan access such funds.

Science for diplomacy isespecially important whennormal diplomatic relations aredifficult or even impossible. Thescientific community often worksbeyond national boundaries so iswell placed to support forms ofdiplomacy that do not dependon traditional alliances and canbe an important source of “softpower”. This was recognised in a2014 House of Lords report6

which recommended that theUK Government should identifyways in which science caninform diplomacy. Scientists alsoprovide longevity, developingand maintaining internationalrelationships, complementing theshorter-term personalrelationships of diplomats andpoliticians. The internationalrelationships of scientists at RBGKew are excellent examples ofthis.

UK excellence in research isacknowledged overseas7 and assuch the UK is in an especiallygood position to use science fordiplomacy. It enhances ournational reputation, opens doorsto influence trade andinvestment, and can help withpower projection when usedappropriately. Further benefitsarise, such as when othernations use our sciencestructures or standards, makingthe UK a natural trade partner, orwhen overseas students, whostudied in the UK, maintain theirconnections, building confidenceand relationships that will lastdecades.

WHAT IS THE UKDOING?

There are many examples ofUK institutions contributing toscience for diplomacy. Our

In 2010, the Royal Societypublished a report on “NewFrontiers in Science Diplomacy”,which set the scene for UKscience diplomacy in the 21stCentury. This built on over 280years of international scienceengagement since the RoyalSociety appointed its first foreignsecretary, Philip Zollman, in1723. The UK Government’s firstForeign Secretary, the colourfulCharles James Fox, was onlyappointed in 1782! This paperreminds us of the variouscontributions of sciencediplomacy, reviews the currentstate of play and looks to thefuture.

WHAT IS SCIENCEDIPLOMACY?

In addition to the traditionalforeign policy issues of security,trade and international relations,there is a host of newchallenges, including food andenergy security, health (Ebola,anti-microbial resistance, AIDS),national disaster managementand the environment (climatechange). These demandinternational collaboration andrequire new ways of working,including science diplomacy.

Science diplomacy has beendefined as “the use andapplication of sciencecooperation to build bridges andenhance relationships among


and facilitate links andcollaboration between Russia andthe UK. This will ensure thatRussian universities arerepresented on the world stage,achieving excellence in teachingand research. Maintainingscientific dialogue continues tobe important for Russia.

In 2001, the UK governmentset up the Science andInnovation Network (SIN), to linkscience directly to its foreignpolicy priorities. SIN contributesto diplomacy for science byproviding: a gateway to scienceand innovation (S&I)opportunities, for UK and hostcountry research institutions,universities and businesses;policy insight through a two-wayflow of ideas in the UK andpartner countries; newinternational partnerships, actingas a catalyst for new projects. Italso contributes SIN experts inour overseas Posts, workingclosely with partner organisations,and in particular UKTI, topromote engagement. SIN isfocusing on specific themes toincrease impact and ensuring abalance between “quick wins” –and longer term strategic anddiplomatic gains.

Since August 2009, the Foreignand Commonwealth Office(FCO) has had a Chief ScientificAdviser (CSA), who providesadvice to the Foreign Secretary,Ministers and officials on science,technology and innovation. TheCSA ensures that the FCO’s workon key issues undergoes properscientific challenge, strengtheningthe use of scientific advice tounderpin policy. The FCO has setup a Diplomatic Academy forFCO staff, and the curriculumincludes science and innovation,ensuring that FCO staff are betterinformed about sciencediplomacy. It also builds morelinks between the FCO and otherkey UK science stakeholders.

WHAT DO OTHERCOUNTRIES DO?

France has long recognised theimportance of scientificcooperation and research as key

to its influence on the worldstage9. The French governmentis intending to increase itscontribution to world science,especially through Horizon2020, the forthcoming EUFramework Programme forResearch and Innovation, and aspart of the European ResearchArea reform agenda.

In the United States, a movetowards enhanced sciencediplomacy has been reflected bythe appointment of ScienceEnvoys tasked with resuming adialogue with the elites in theMuslim world (Middle East,Africa, and South-East Asia), andalso through a $1.6 millionuniversity cooperationprogramme with Africa. InDecember 2014, PresidentObama announced plans toestablish new diplomatic tieswith Cuba, including changesthat will make it easier forscientists in the two countries tocollaborate.

Other countries recognise thevalue of Science Envoys.Professor Sir Peter Gluckman,New Zealand’s Chief ScientificAdviser, assists New Zealand’sdiplomatic efforts, includingacting as New Zealand’s ScienceEnvoy. At the end of August2014 Sir Peter convened thefirst meeting of science advisersto discuss science diplomacy.

While much science diplomacyproceeds through bilateralprojects and agreements,multilateral organisations alsoplay a key role. The EuropeanOrganization for NuclearResearch (CERN) was created in1954 by 12 member nationsand is now run by 20 Europeanmember states with many non-European countries alsoinvolved. Scientists from some608 institutes and universitiesaround the world use CERN’sfacilities. The successful landingon comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko of the Philaerobotic European Space Agencylander (November 2014)showed the value ofinternational collaboration10.

A powerful example ofmultilateral progress is providedby the Intergovernmental Panelon Climate Change (IPCC). TheIPCC is the leading internationalbody for the assessment ofclimate change. It wasestablished in 1988 to provide ascientific view on the currentstate of knowledge in climatechange and its potentialenvironmental and socio-economic impacts. In 2007, theIPCC and Al Gore were awardedthe Nobel Peace Prize "for theirefforts to build up anddisseminate greater knowledgeabout man-made climatechange” – a clear example ofthe power of science diplomacy.

An older example comes fromthe sharing of weather data sincethe 19th Century. By 1995, theMembers of the WorldMeteorological Organisation(WMO) formally agreed theyshall "provide on a free andunrestricted basis essential dataand products .... required todescribe and forecast accuratelyweather and climate". Thecurrent 191 Members share dataevery hour. This provides thefoundation of the Met Office'sability to deliver effectiveforecasting services in the UKand overseas, with 96% of thedata needed to run our weathermodel coming from othercountries and organisations.These essential data and derivedproducts usually keep flowing,even in times of conflict orpolitical unrest. There is still freeexchange between Russia andUkraine.

WHAT MIGHT THEFUTURE HOLD?

Since the Royal Societypublished its report, sciencediplomacy – in all its forms –has become increasinglyimportant.

UK scientists are increasinglyleveraging international fundsand are working withinternational partners to ensuretheir work has impact: scientificpapers derived frominternationally collaborative

projects are cited more often;and in the UK there is moreaccess to funding forinternational co-operation.Governments are keen topromote collaboration toadvance prosperity, and openaccess to markets.

The value of science fordiplomacy is more widelyrecognised as a valuable tool forimproving international relations,particularly when other forms ofdiplomacy won’t work. Moreforeign ministries are appointingscience advisers, science envoysor scientific advisory committeesto steer activities.

It is a challenge to assess theimpact of science diplomacy.While the overall impact is long-term, it is built upon more rapidsuccesses from diverse activities.It is increasingly important tojustify activity and criteria need tobe established against which tomake assessments, so thatfunding decisions can betterreflect the contributions made byinternational activity.

Science diplomacy will be partof the mechanism throughwhich the UK Government’scurrent investment in researchcan deliver greater prosperity. Forthe FCO this will mean anincreased science-engagementrole, delivered in particular bythe SIN, providing scientists andengineers with betterunderstanding of overseasstructures and opportunities,thereby helping to maximisebenefit for the UK.

References1 Chief Scientific Adviser, Foreign and

Commonwealth Office2 Deputy Head, Science and Innovation, Foreign

and Commonwealth Office3 Dr V. Vaughan Turekian, Director of the Center

for Science Diplomacy set up in 2009 by theAmerican Association for the Advancement ofScience.

4 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/newton-fund-building-science-and-innovation-capacity-in-developing-countries/newton-fund-building-science-and-innovation-capacity-in-developing-countries

5 https://www.gov.uk/eu-framework-programme6 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/

pa/ld201314/ldselect/ldsoftpower/150/15008.htm#a15

7 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/387780/PU1719_HMT_Science_.pdf

8 Personal communication9 http://www.france-science.org/Report-

Science-Diplomacy-for.html10 http://sci.esa.int/rosetta/43058-mission-team/


This embodies a simple butoften overlooked truth: all ourlives depend on plants andfungi. Kew has a responsibility totake a leading role emphasisingthe importance and relevance ofbotany, mycology and taxonomyin the minds of the public anddecision makers. This will ensurethat we are able to do this. Ourscience will be accessible,inspirational and willdemonstrate the value of plantand fungal science to all of ourlives.

A GLOBAL RESOURCE INPLANT AND FUNGALKNOWLEDGE

Kew’s position as a globalresource in plant and fungalknowledge hinges on our world-class and unique collections andon the wealth of knowledge and

KEW LAUNCHES NEW SCIENCESTRATEGY

Professor Katherine WillisDirector of Science

45,000 samples in the world’slargest wild plant DNA bank, andover 2 billion seeds in theMillennium Seed Bank, are atthe heart of Kew’s science andprovide an unrivalled resourcefor scientific investigation.

The key to achieving the aimsin the strategy is thereforerecognising the potential of thecollections to contribute torelevant research that provides astrong evidence-base fordecision making. Kew’scollections contain informationcovering huge spatial andtemporal scales and over thenext five years we will work atthe forefront of newdevelopments in technology tomine our data and use them ina predictive capacity. Thisarticulates the role thatcollections-based research mustplay in addressing the complexquestions and enormouschallenges facing humanity:climate change, food and fuelsecurity, disease, poverty andecological scarcity. To ensurethat we have maximum impactin key areas of science,education, conservation policyand natural resourcemanagement, we need toensure effective disseminationof our knowledge andcommunication of our globalscience and conservation work.A further challenge is toenhance our education andtraining and to build capacity inthe core skills of biodiversityscience. We will achieve thisthrough the development of aseries of strategic outputs.

STRATEGIC OUTPUTSNine strategic outputs will

ensure that the organisationdisseminates its research more

widely than ever to conservationNGOs, researchers outside theworld of plant science,governments, policy makers andbusiness to influenceresponsible stewardship ofimportant plant and fungalresources the world over.

Plants of the World OnlinePortal: All of the informationthat Kew holds about the world’sknown plant species will beaccessible online by 2020,creating a multi-dimensional,digital catalogue of plant life,including information onidentification, distribution, traits,threat status, molecularphylogenies and uses. It willutilise Kew’s extensive resourcesalongside images from thecollections. The portal will fulfilKew’s responsibility to share vitalinformation and knowledge onthe plant diversity withstakeholders across the world.We will also build an onlineresource for our vast fungalcollections.

2015 marks thebeginning of anexciting new phasefor the Royal BotanicGardens, Kew. Thelaunch of theScience Strategy inFebruary has set theorganisation on aclearly definedpathway in pursuit ofa re-invigoratedscientific vision: to document andunderstand globalplant and fungaldiversity and itsuses, bringingauthoritativeexpertise to bear onthe criticalchallenges facinghumanity today.

State of the World’s Plants:The results from this annualhorizon scan of the status of thePlant Kingdom will be revealedin December 2015. It is Kew’sambition that this study willbecome an essential document

expertise of our scientists.Taxonomy, evolutionary biology,anatomy, biochemistry andconservation biology are justsome of the disciplinesrepresented. The vastcollections, which includearound 7 million herbariumspecimens, 1.25 million fungusspecimens in the fungarium,

A seed collection of alder, Alnusglutinosa, ready to be put into thedry room at the Millennium SeedBank. The seeds were collected aspart of the UK National Tree SeedProject, which aims to establish anational tree seed collection tofacilitate long term research intonative trees and their conservationand management in the UKlandscape. [Photo: Simon Kallow]

The ‘gobstopper’ fruits of Salaciaarenicola, a recently discovered,threatened species of shrub fromthe Republic of the Congo. It wasdiscovered by Kew scientistsworking with local botanists in2013,and published in 2014.[Photo: Martin Cheek]


for governments, policy makersand conservationists who willuse the results to identifyresearch and policy priorities forplants. It will tackle a range oftopics beyond the threat levelsto plants, for example: Whichplant communities and speciesshow resilience toenvironmental change? What isthe status of plant geneticresources? Which crop’s wildrelatives are most promising foruse in breeding programmes?Where are the emerging plantdiseases?

Conservation in conjunction withQueen Mary University ofLondon. The new MSc will beginin 2015, and will address theskills gap in taxonomy andsystematics identified by theNatural Environmental ResearchCouncil and Living withEnvironmental Change in their2012 report Most Wanted II.Postgraduate and ProfessionalSkills Needs in the EnvironmentSector. It will equip students withthe knowledge and skills toundertake research in the fieldsof taxonomy, molecularsystematics, ecology andevolution, or to engage in moreapplied conservation work. Wewill train a new generation oftaxonomists in cross-disciplinaryskills with applications inacademia, government, industry,consultancy and non-governmental organisations.

producing DNA data for arepresentation of all genera ofplants and fungi and, ultimately,all known species. Evolutionarytrees provide a powerful tool forprediction, for example, openingthe way to identifying newplants for foods or medicinesand enabling scientists todetermine which plants will beresilient to environmentalchange.

Banking the World’s Seeds:In 2010, Kew’s Millennium SeedBank Partnership celebratedcollecting, banking andconserving 10% of the world’swild plants. A programme toconserve a further 15% of theworld’s plants by 2020 is wellunder way. By 2020, some75,000 species will be stored inthe Millennium Seed Bank andin partner seed banks,representing 25% of known andbankable seed plant species.These collections capture thegenetic diversity of wild plants,and hold the key to conservingthreatened species andinvestigating useful traits such aspest and disease resistance inthe wild relatives of our cropspecies.

Useful Plants and FungiPortal: Kew has a long historyof research into useful plantsand fungi. Current projectsinclude helping the EthiopianGovernment to develop aclimate resilient coffee industry,investigating the chemistry ofplants to search for naturallyoccurring pesticides and usingplants to benefit some of theworld’s poorest communities. Anewly created Natural Capitaland Plant Health departmentconsolidates this expertise andgives this important area ofresearch a new impetus. One ofthe channels through which theteam will communicate its workwill be in the development ofan on-line web interface – theUseful Plants and Fungi Portal.

Digitising the Collections: Toincrease access to ourcollections, we will use moderntechnologies, including high-throughput scanning ofherbarium sheets andmicroscope slides, to digitiseKew’s collections. We aim toachieve 80% digitisation by2020, creating the foundationfor a virtual herbarium and otheronline resources, and feedinginto the Plants of the WorldOnline Portal (POWOP). Inaddition we will also target partsof the collections for more in-depth data capture to addressparticular science questions.Such data can be used tosupport conservationassessments or to model futurespecies distributions underdifferent climate scenarios. Wewill also continue to develop theUK Overseas Territories virtualherbarium, which has alreadyproven itself to be anindispensable planning tool forplant conservation. Capturingand making available data fromour substantial UK and UKOTsfungal collections will be apriority, to provide fundamentalsupport for conservation. We willalso undertake crowd-sourcingas a mechanism for capturingdata from imaged specimensand to connect our science witha broader audience.

Training the Next Generationof Scientists: As one of theforemost research institutes inthe world, Kew has aresponsibility to pass on itsknowledge, skills and expertiseto the next generation, both inthe UK and globally, and toencourage and inspirequestioning minds to delvefurther into pure and appliedbiodiversity science. This will beachieved through updating ourportfolio of short courses,continuing to host PhD students,and delivering our new MSccourse in Plant and FungalTaxonomy, Diversity and

Tropical Important PlantAreas (TIPAs): Kew’s expertisein the naming and identificationof plants is strong in the species-rich, highly threatened, tropicalregions. In a project thatrepresents a first for plants inthe tropics, we will focus thisexpertise on identifying the mostdiverse and highly threatenedpockets of tropical plant diversityand designate them as TIPAs. Itwill focus on seven areas:Bolivia, Guinea, Uganda,Cameroon, Mozambique, TanahPapua and the Caribbean UKOverseas Territories.

The Plant and Fungal Treesof Life: Since the 1990s, Kewhas pioneered the classificationof flowering plants based ongenetic (DNA) information.Whilst evolutionary relationshipsof flowering plants are now wellunderstood, the next step is toflesh out this framework by

Science in the Gardens: Thegardens at Kew and WakehurstPlace provide the perfect settingfor disseminating theimportance of plants and fungiand the work of Kew’s scientists.We aim to make Kew a worldleader amongst botanic gardensin engaging visitors in new ways.By exploiting moderntechnologies, such as mobileapps and location-specificsensor technology, we willdeliver information tailored to

Boletus edulis, an edible porcinimushroom, growing near beechtrees (Fagus sylvatica) at WakehurstPlace. Kew scientists recentlyhighlighted how little is knownabout the diversity of fungi whenDNA sequencing revealed threenew species of porciniin a single packet of commercialporcini purchased from a Londongrocer. [Photo: Bryn Dentinger]

Wild Arabica coffee, Coffea arabica,flowering in the highlands of south-western Ethiopia. Kew is leading aproject that aims to improve thecapacity of Ethiopia’s coffee sectorto deal with climate change. Ourwork demonstrates how ourspecialist knowledge of cropspecies biology and computermodelling can be combined togenerate science-based policyresources and interventionstrategies.


different audiences and alsoallow self-guided themed walks.Emerging technologies areproviding the opportunity totransform the way science iscommunicated to the public,both on-site and through digitalchannels, and full use will bemade of these to encourage ouraudience to seek outinformation on plants and fungiand the science behind thescenes. Our vision is for thedevelopment of a ‘Virtual Kew’allowing people to ‘e-walk’round the Gardens at differenttimes of year, with plants linkedto an online portal giving instantaccess to names and interestinginformation. In addition a plantscience festival for children willbe a new addition to the 2016visitor programme. The festivalwill play a role in reinvigoratingthe way in which plants feature

on the science educationcurriculum.

We will make Kew’s scientificresources a global asset,bringing benefits to science,conservation policy andeducation. Understanding and

conserving plant and fungal

diversity has never been more

relevant for society at large. I am

excited by the opportunities for

Kew’s scientists to continue

world-class research and make

an important and unique

contribution to addressing majorchallenges of our time.

To download the strategy andfind out more, visit:www.kew.org/science-strategy

Contact: [email protected]

Kew’s scientific work spans 110 countries (shaded green) and involves over 400 collaborating institutionsworldwide (red dots).

The unprecedented pace and scale of Chinese development in the pastdecade has transformed the world order and placed unforeseenpressures on global resources. The expansion of the Chinese middleclass has been perhaps the most spectacular story in the history ofeconomic development and drove a worldwide commodity boomwhich reversed a long term trend of falling prices.

Jacob HaylerExecutive Director, Environmental Services Association

DEVELOPING A CIRCULARECONOMY – the critical role ofthe waste and resources industry

This focused the minds of theworld’s leaders on a new era ofcompetition for resources.Despite recent falls incommodity prices (and oil inparticular), increases in demandfor goods and services areexpected to occur as more ofthe developing world reachesincome levels previously onlyenjoyed by Western consumers.The scale of this likely increase

in demand has driven calls for anew approach to economicsystems which could provide theultimate win-win scenario.

A circular economy, where werecover the materials and energyfrom our discarded materialsand use them as inputs intoproduction, provides a potentialsolution to future development.Economic drivers can be aligned

with reducing environmentalpressures, thereby solving thecritical problem of our age: howto raise living standards for allwithout despoiling theenvironment.

The recent highs in commodityprices drove change at all levelsof the “waste hierarchy” (reducewaste, re-use, recycle, recoverenergy, with landfill used only as


a last resort). High input pricesincentivised manufacturers toreduce material use at the frontend and waste at the back endof their processes. The longterm need to secure resourcesat reasonable prices encouragedthe increasing use of recycledmaterials as a substitute forprimary commodities. Therecognition that we should makethe best use of all of our wasteis driving a shift away fromdisposal to energy recovery forthat material which cannot berecycled.

The upside to the circulareconomy is huge. The EllenMacArthur Foundation hasestimated that implementingcircular opportunities world widecould yield over $1 trillion perannum in savings. In the UK, theEnvironmental ServicesAssociation has estimated thatthis could boost GDP by £3billion while generating 50,000new jobs. Such figures highlightsome of the gains on offer.What does it mean in practicefor waste and resourcemanagers?

Circular processes can exist atdifferent scales along the supplychain. Closing the material loopcan happen within companies,within sectors and betweensectors. Examples of the firstexist where companies – usuallyoperating where there is highvalue in their products, such asaerospace – change businessmodels to retain ownership oftheir products and instead makeservice-based offerings to theircustomers.

There is an increasing trend formobile telephones and otherelectronic devices to berecovered from consumers. InEurope this is helped by theimplementation of the WEEE(waste electrical and electronicequipment) Directive but wecan expect the underlyingeconomics – high material costsand the presence of difficult to

to bring forward investment innew waste and resourcesservices and infrastructure.

The proposals aimed atdiverting material away fromlandfill and towards much higherrecycling levels. They could havebeen criticised for not focusingsufficiently on incentivisingincreased European demand forrecycled materials. TheCommission withdrew thecircular economy package at theend of last year but haspromised to bring back moreambitious proposals whichaddress this shortfall before theend of 2015. We hope thisproves to be the case.

European waste managementpolicy has been pretty successfulat pushing up the supply ofrecycled materials. The lack ofcomplementary policies aimedat developing markets for theseresources has however meantthat a significant proportion ofrecovered material currentlygoes overseas. There is now asignificant opportunity for policymakers to integrate circulareconomy thinking into thedesign of industrial strategiesthat will deliver the resourceefficient manufacturing sectorsof the future. These could takesecondary resources as theirinputs and shift theirdependence away from primarycommodities with high andvolatile prices. In this waystability would be improved forboth the suppliers and users ofrecycled materials, strengtheningthe markets of the future.

The UK’s waste and resourcessector has already moved a longway in a short period of timefrom being a logistics-basedindustry a decade ago to theheart of a new circular economy.Mitigating risks and improvingincentives for new approachescould place the UK in a strongposition to benefit from movestowards an increasingly circularworld.

obtain materials – to influencethe closing of the resource loop.

The third scale – closing theloop between different sectors –is where the waste andresources industry comes in. Itacts as facilitator, transforming amix of different waste streamsfrom households andbusinesses into a variety ofproducts.

Taking advantage of all theseopportunities will not be easy.Existing linear productionprocesses are deeply ingrainedinto our economic system andenjoy significant incumbencyadvantages. Overcoming thecosts which have already beensunk into existing infrastructurewill require ambition, vision, andsupport from our politicalleaders. Only through theapplication of a clear andconsistent long term policyframework will we be able toaccelerate the transition to acircular economy and realise thelarge benefits on offer.

Beneath that broad policysupport, there is another, moreimmediate, challenge which willhave to be addressed if we areto be early adopters of thecircular economy, therebygaining a competitive advantage,and maximising the benefits:managing risk.

Circular economy projectswhich operate along supplychains (rather than withincompanies) possess multipleoverlapping risks. There areinput risks relating to the volumeand composition of feedstocks(ie different waste types) that aproject might be able to attract.There are process risks relatingto the construction andoperation of technologies whichmight be new to the market andwhich are therefore unable toprovide examples of previousoperations at scale or underlocal conditions. And there areoutput risks relating to the priceof outputs (materials and

energy) and the availability ofend destinations.

Historically, energy from wasteprojects has been able to gainlong term contracts with localauthorities, and hence to securebank lending for large-scalefacilities. The waste PFIprogramme has now closed andany new projects are faced witha mismatch problem betweenshort term (two to three year)feedstock contracts with multiplesmaller businesses, and trying tosecure multi-million pound longterm loans.

An additional problem forenergy from waste projects inthe UK is the continuedoutdated perception that “dirtyincinerators” pose a health risk tolocal residents. But, according tothe Environment Agency, itwould take an average sizedplant around 120 years toproduce the same amount ofdioxins as those produced byLondon’s New Year’s Evefireworks display. These plantsare operated safely and withoutopposition all over the world.

A mismatch problem has alsoarisen for recycling collectioncontracts where there has beena huge increase in thecontribution of recyclate sales tooverall contract values. Theserevenues are highly volatilewhich contrasts with localauthorities’ (and other wasteproducers’) desire for stablecollection charges. Recent falls incommodity prices have putsome contractors, as well asrecycling companies furtheralong the supply chain, underpressure.

How can we get from wherewe are now to where we needto be? The EuropeanCommission’s 2014Communication “towards acircular economy” andaccompanying legislativeproposals set out an ambitiousprogramme of new targets andregulations. These were intended


The Role of Innovative Diagnosticsin the NHS

In vitro diagnostics, literallymeaning “in glass”, are testsperformed on body fluids ortissue. Most tests are traditionallyperformed in hospital pathologylaboratories and in public healthlaboratories. With miniaturisationof technology and simplificationof procedures, an increasingamount of testing is now donein a point of care setting eitherwithin a hospital but also closerto the patient such as on a wardor in Accident & Emergency. Thisalso includes in the communityby GPs and other healthcareprofessionals, or by individualsthemselves, including self-monitoring of blood glucoselevels by people with diabetes.Simple products like pregnancykits, bought over the counter, areIVDs.

There are many emerginghealth needs which IVDs canaddress including antimicrobialresistance, helping with unmetclinical needs and saving NHSresources within patientpathways. Three separateexamples illustrate the rolewhich IVDs can play to improvehealthcare.

The first is the use ofdiagnostics to identify patientcohorts who might respond tospecific drug therapies. Thesehave been known ascompanion diagnostics butcould also be termedDiagnostics Dependent Drugs –as without the test, the drugshould not be used. There is arapidly increasing number ofthese and to date they havemostly been in the area ofoncology. Their use will be

supported later in 2015 whenthe Government fundedPrecision Medicine Catapult willopen with the role of supportingthe use of diagnostics to enablemore tailored treatments,“precision medicine”.

Pharmacogenetics is theresponse of an individual to aspecific drug according to theirgenetic profile. In precisionmedicine, tests can bepharmacogenetic or they can beused to identify other factorssuch as a protein produced bycertain cancers as in tumoursproducing the protein HER2neuresponding to Herceptin inbreast cancer. These drugs are

expensive and highly toxic so itis beneficial both to the NHSand to the patient not to usedrugs which won’t work.

In February 2012 vemurafenib(Zelboraf, Roche), an inhibitor ofBRAF kinase, was approved bythe European Medicine Agencyfor the treatment of patientswith unresectable or metastaticmelanoma with the BRAF V600mutations. Vemurafenibproduced improved rates ofoverall and progression-freesurvival in patients withpreviously untreated melanomawith the activating BRAF V600mutation compared withstandard first-line treatment withdacarbazine. Reliable detectionof BRAF V600 mutation istherefore critical for therapeuticchoice in these patients and a

Doris-Ann Williams MBEChief Executive, The British In Vitro Diagnostics Association

THE FUTURE OF LIFE SCIENCES IN THE UKMeeting of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee on Tuesday 20th January

“The upcoming years may well be known as theage of diagnostics”

Janet Woodcock, Director of CDER, FDA April 2012

companion diagnostics test (thecobas 4800 BRAF V600mutation test produced byRoche Molecular Systems) hasbeen developed and validated.The cobas 4800 BRAF V600mutation test has been validatedin national and internationalcollaboration studies. It allowsthe treatment of vemurafenibproviding that:

• the patient has beendiagnosed with unresectable ormetastatic melanoma

• BRAF V600 mutation analysistest is required for diagnosticpurposes to guide therapeuticdecision-making.

Routine tests used in hospitallaboratories are now numerousacross disciplines such asbiochemistry, haematology,microbiology, histopathology andimmunology. The role they playcan be as simple as providing asmall amount of information toadd to the whole clinical pictureof the patient, in the same wayas knowing blood pressure andtemperature. Increasingly testsare being developed to playmajor roles in specific diseasepathways. One area of clinicalneed for better and faster testsis in Sepsis – for every hour thisserious infection is undiagnosedand treated, the mortality rateincreases by 8%. Improvingprecision of diagnosis will assistin the battle against antimicrobialresistance too. It will allow rapid

In Vitro Diagnostics(IVDs) play a keyrole in healthcaremanagement – theinformation fromthese tests can beused to diagnose orrule out causes ofdisease, to screen atrisk individuals andto monitor responseto therapy andmanage diseasessuch as diabetes.IVDs are alsoessential to screenthe blood supply inorder to remove riskof infection duringtransfusions andplay an increasingrole in theprevention andprediction ofdisease.


The pictures show the benefit of identifying a patient which can be treated with the right drug. This 38-year-oldman had BRAF mutant melanoma and miliary, subcutaneous metastatic deposits. Photographs were taken (A)before initiation of vemurafenib, and (B) after 15 weeks of therapy.

targeted use of the rightantibiotic rather than using abroad spectrum antibiotic.Cultures can be made to identifypathogens in the traditional waymicroscopically, but this can takeseveral days – time which thesepatients may not have. A majorglobal IVD provider, AbbottLaboratories, has developed asystem which couples PCRtechnology to massspectrometry to allow

identification of pathogens andactionable results from a 5mlblood sample within six hours.This system, Iridica, has beenavailable to the NHS fromMarch 2015.

This winter, the NHS Accident &

Emergency departments wereunder huge pressure andhospital beds were full. Point ofCare tests in the community canhelp reduce unnecessaryadmissions by allowing people,particularly those with multiplechronic conditions, to be helpedin the community. In Abingdon,Oxfordshire, Dr Dan Lasserson, aprimary care clinician withextraordinary energy, hasdeveloped a successful model

will have been examined and

had point of care testing

performed allowing a rapid and

accurate diagnosis. Many can be

treated and sent home. Data

of care over the past four years.Either paramedics or GPs canrefer unwell people to hisEmergency Multidisciplinary Unit(EMU).

Within a mean of 61 minutesfrom receiving the call, a patient

Some of the simple point-of-careequipment which allows rapidtesting of patients in a communitysetting.

“Hospitals are dangerous places, and it is vitalto avoid unnecessary admissions and develop

better services for older people in the communityand in their own homes” The King’s Fund, March 2012

show this service is reducinghospital admissions from thesepatients by 85%. Where patientsdo need hospitalisation, theycan be sent directly to theappropriate ward, allowingtreatment to begin more quickly

than if they had been admittedstraight from the community.

As well as saving hospital beduse this centre is seeing muchbetter outcome for what are

often frail and elderly people. In2011/12 the savings to the NHSfrom the Unit were £1.9 million(source: Oxford University Dept.of Primary Care). The AbingdonEMU has proved so successfulthat a second EMU has beenopened in Witney with twofurther Units planned in Banburyand Oxford itself.

These three examples are just afew of the ways that diagnostictests underpin healthcare. Theycreate wealth for the economy.The IVD industry sector employsmore than 8,000 people in theUK with exports contributingmore than any other medicaltechnology sector – £1 billionannually and increasing. Betteruse of IVDs also benefits societyas they reduce time lost inattending hospital appointmentsand enable people to return tofulltime employment morequickly.


Dr Malcolm Skingle CBEDirector, Academic Liaison,GlaxoSmithKline plc

THE FUTURE OF LIFE SCIENCESIN THE UK

The pharmaceutical sector has

experienced well-documented

pressures, one of which is the

cost of medicines, especially as

the ageing population increases.

Governments want to reduce

healthcare costs. The USA

currently has a little over a third

of the world’s prescription sales

and yet it only has 4.4% of the

world’s population. The

Americans are currently

spending a little under 18% of

GDP on healthcare (the figure

for the UK is 9.4%). Further

rising healthcare costs are not

sustainable.

China and India have a

combined population of more

than 2.5 billion people. As their

economies get stronger their

respective populations are

demanding better healthcare

treatments. We are already

moving beyond communicable

diseases in places like Africa, as

more control is taken of

infection, and attention is turning

to non-communicable disease

such as diabetes, cardiovascular

disease and cancer. The pharma

industry will need to collaborate

and work with these developing

science bases to be able to run

effective clinical trials, and to

help patients.

THE FUTURE OF LIFE SCIENCES IN THE UK

The UK science base attracts more than its fair share ofPharmaceutical R&D funding. If you consider the UK Pharma R&Dspend as a proportion of the total Global Pharmaceutical R&Dspend it equates to 9% and yet the UK percentage share of theworld prescription market is just around 2% of the market. TheUK Life Sciences sector is already punching well above its weight,underpinned by a strong academic science base. In the comingyears, as the science bases in other countries gain ground,Government and industry must work together in partnership toensure that UK science base remains strong.

... The pharma industry will need to collaborate ...

PREVENTION VS CUREEncouragingly, Life Science

research in the non-

communicable diseases will

increasingly focus on prevention

rather than cure. For example,

fitness and dietary considerations

will be taken into account

whereby governments will work

with food manufacturers to

address the obesity epidemic

caused in part by the amount of

sugar in food and drink.

Vaccines will become

increasingly important in

combating global disease. Many

diseases have been eradicated

from parts of the world following

extensive vaccination

programmes. Diphtheria, polio

and smallpox have been

eradicated and the incidence of

other killer diseases dramatically

decreased. We still face

challenges in the developing

world and it has been calculated

that 22 million children are

without access to vaccines.

Around 19,000 children under

the age of 5 die every day from

largely preventable diseases.

Vaccines represent 2-3% of

the total Pharma sales but this

market has rapidly expanded

from a $5 billion market in

2000 to $24 billion in 2013.

The WHO estimate that it will

be $100 billion by 2025. The

UK is well placed to undertake

much of this pioneering

research. GSK currently

produces more than 25% of the


world vaccines; around 2 million

doses every day and distributing

to 170 countries. It has 16

vaccines in development

including an Ebola vaccine in

clinical trial.

MONITORING HEALTHThe continuum from wellness

to illness will be better tracked

through careful pheno &

genotyping as individuals take

greater responsibility for their

own healthcare. Health status, in

the future, will be monitored

using electronic technologies,

allowing us to track our health

status using sophisticated Apps

to measure physiological

populations in clinical trials and

post-approval to ensure that the

patient gets the right drug at the

right time. In parallel we are also

exploring how the body can

respond to electrical impulses in

real time in order to bring about

a local physiological response.

The term electroceuticals has

been coined for this evolving

area of science and we have an

active programme where we are

collaborating with several

academic groups.

All of the above healthcare

innovations will require research

from multi disciplinary teams

and we are well placed in the

has come down dramatically

since the human genome was

first sequenced and reported

back in 2001. With new

technology, some developed

here in the UK, it is now quicker

and cheaper to genotype

an 80% reduction in death rates

over this period. Similarly new

therapies to treat cancer have

contributed to a 20% decline in

cancer deaths such that today, 2

out of 3 people diagnosed with

cancer will survive at least 5 years.

... GSK currently produces more than 25% of the world vaccines ...

... individuals will have their electronic health records ...

... The term electroceuticals has

been coined ...

... using genomics and proteomics to identify drugs ...

parameters and level of fitness.

We already have heart rate

monitors and pedometers on

our mobile phones; these Apps

will become more

commonplace and will be used

to measure routinely a range

physiological parameters

including blood pressure, body

fat, forced expiratory volume,

blood glucose and pO2.

Ultimately individuals will have

their electronic health records,

genetic profile and current

physiological parameters on a

portable device, possibly a

wristband or smart watch. This

will enable clinicians to make a

more rapid and accurate

diagnosis when a patient

attends the clinic or indeed is

assessed from a remote

location.

CONVERGENCEThere will be further

convergence of technologies in

healthcare. We are already using,

in certain disease states,

diagnostic technology to define

more precisely patient

UK to lead much of this

research. Pharmaceutical R&D

investment accounts for 22% of

the total industrial R&D in the

UK; which is more than any

other sector and indeed the next

two nearest sectors, automotive

(11%) and ICT (10%), put

together.

AN AGEINGPOPULATION

With improved sanitation and

the use of antibiotics and

cardiovascular drugs people are

living longer. As a result we are

seeing an increased incidence of

chronic degenerative diseases

associated with ageing eg

The pharmaceutical industry

has made some significant

health advances over the last

20 years. For example HIV/AIDS

has been transformed from a

death sentence to a chronic

condition with the new

therapies. This has resulted in

dementia and cancer. Medicine

has advanced dramatically over

the last 100 years and we have

seen several waves of new

therapeutic innovations resulting

in a step change in how we

practise medicine. For example,

the cost of gene sequencing

against targets identified from

disease genes will yield novel

medicines. Advances in genetics

have helped us to identify and

monitor several diseases which

were previously very poorly

treated.

individuals and this is allowing

us to stratify patient diseases in

a way which has not previously

been possible. GSK have

recently set up a collaboration

with the European

Bioinformatics Institute and the

Sanger Centre at Hinxton to

systematically mine biological

data. We intend to tap into the

expertise in these centres and

combine it with our own to use

the large data sets that are

publicly available to help us

validate therapeutic targets. It is

our belief that using genomics

and proteomics to identify drugs

New treatments have also

been developed for multiple

sclerosis and rheumatoid

arthritis; and rather than focusing

on the symptoms of the disease,

as was previously the case, we

are now focusing on the

underlying aetiology of the

disease in order to slow

progression and drive patients

into remission.

The net effect of several factors

spanning health and welfare is

that we are keeping people alive

for longer at a time when the

world population is expanding.

The population has grown

almost 4 billion since I was born.

The current world population is

7.3 billion with a forecast of 9.1

billion by 2050. From a

pharmaceutical company

perspective this represents both

a threat and an opportunity. Only

by working with our academic

collaborators and “fleet of foot”

biotech companies will the

pharmaceutical industry be able

to innovate to develop

desperately needed new

medicines. With the continued

support of the UK government,

the UK academic base is ideally

placed to underpin a vibrant life

sciences industry in the UK.

Professor Guy Poppy, Chief

Scientific Adviser, Food Standards

Agency, also spoke at the

meeting. A summary of his talk

will appear in the next issue.


DEVELOPING LOW-FIELD NMRSPECTROSCOPY FOR TACKLINGFOOD FRAUD

The project was supported by

Innovate UK and the

Biotechnology and Biological

Sciences Research Council. The

first application targeted was the

measurement of saturation and

unsaturation in vegetable oils. A

few months into the project, the

horsemeat scandal broke, and

the team made a timely

discovery about the potential of

the NMR approach for meat

analysis and authentication.

BENCH-TOP NMR – ANEMERGING TECHNOLOGY

Nuclear magnetic resonance

(NMR) spectroscopy is a well-

respected analytical technique

used in chemistry laboratories

worldwide. Oxford Instruments

(OI) is a British manufacturing

company that designs and

produces analytical tools for

industry and academia; OI

pioneered the super-conducting

magnets employed in NMR

spectroscopy and a related

technique, magnetic resonance

imaging (MRI). Shared features

of these technologies are that

they are large and expensive,

relying on super-cooled magnets

and highly trained personnel to

run them. With this in mind, OI

recently launched a new

benchtop NMR spectrometer,

Pulsar™, aimed at making NMR

spectroscopy accessible for

routine testing. In contrast to

their high-field cousins, low-field

(60MHz) ‘bench-top’

spectrometers are based on

permanent magnets and ease of

operation.

To expand the market for

bench-top NMR, key applications

needed to be identified. Since

2012, OI has been working with

the Institute of Food Research

(IFR) to develop applications of

interest to the food industry. IFR

is the UK’s only publicly-funded

research institute that focuses on

the underlying science of food

and health, addressing

challenges that include food

safety, security and waste. The

project is supported by Innovate

UK (formerly the Technology

Strategy Board) and the

Biotechnology and Biological

Sciences Research Council

(BBSRC), with OI developing the

instrumentation and IFR the

statistical analysis and software

tools. The first samples selected

by the team for study were

edible oils and fats, exploiting the

ability of 60MHz NMR to

produce high quality spectra

quickly and easily from

substances composed mainly of

triglycerides. The spectra can be

used to determine certain

compositional values, such as

the amount of mono- or poly-

unsaturated fatty acids present

in the sample, in a quick and

accurate analysis. Distinguishing

oils from different seeds and

nuts is also possible 1.

A “KILLER APP”…Early in 2013, a news story

broke which dominated the

headlines: the discovery of

horse meat in beef burgers sold

in the UK and Ireland. In the

days that followed, undeclared

horse meat was detected in a

range of other processed meat

products, leading to millions of

pounds worth of food being

recalled from supermarket

shelves across Europe, and

substantial brand damage to the

companies involved. The crisis

exposed the potential

vulnerability of the meat supply

chain to fraud, and highlighted

gaps in testing regimes.

Currently favoured methods of

verifying the source animals in

meat products are based on

DNA testing. But there are

disadvantages to these

methods: they can be prone to

contamination and give false

positive results; they are not

reliably quantitative, and are

relatively slow and expensive.

DNA methods work by

distinguishing one meat from

another based on the distinct

genetic profiles of each species.

Dr Kate KemsleyInstitute of Food Research, Norwich

Dr David WilliamsonOxford Instruments, Tubney Woods,Oxford

In 2012, the Institute of Food Research began a three-yearcollaboration with Oxford Instruments to develop a newanalytical technology – ‘bench-top’ NMR spectroscopy – aimed atuse in industrial settings.


However, animals differ not only

in their DNA; there are other

compositional factors amenable

to measurement which may

also provide means of

identifying species. For example,

it is common knowledge that

beef, lamb and pork fat are very

different from one another. This

is mostly due to dissimilarities in

their fatty acid compositions,

arising in turn from differences

in their diets, digestive systems

and metabolism.

This reasoning led the OI and

IFR teams, in the wake of the

horsemeat crisis, to carry out a

series of experiments. The fat

components of a range of meat

samples – including fresh horse

meat – were isolated using a

simple solvent extraction, and

spectra acquired using the

Pulsar. The results obtained

were striking and convincing:

each of the different meats

examined produced clearly

different spectra. Over the

following months, the method

was refined and repeated on

hundreds of meat samples

across separate laboratories at

OI and IFR, and the initial

findings were confirmed.

In the case of beef and horse,

the spectral profiles were found

to be entirely distinct (figure 1).

Even with natural variation, no

overlap between the two types

was found - the test was 100%

accurate in determining whether

an extract originated from a

piece of horse or a piece of

beef. The team recently reported

their results in Food Chemistry 2.

Easy-to-use software to carry

out mathematical analysis of the

spectral data was developed at

IFR, providing a complete

system with which to

authenticate beef, in a test that

takes ten minutes from start to

finish. A patent on this approach

to meat speciation is currently

pending 3. The method is rapid

and low cost; dozens of samples

can be analysed per day, taking

10-15 minutes per test. This

The Pulsar bench-top spectrometer running the IFR-developed beef authentication software

1. Low-field NMR spectra of triglyceride extracts of raw beef and horsemeat. The shaded areas indicate the range of natural variation found:note that there is no overlap for certain of the spectral bands, e.g. theunsaturated bis-allylic features.

makes it an ideal and affordable

approach for high-throughput

screening, or for pre-screening

ahead of more time-consuming

and expensive DNA testing. The

next step will be to transfer the

technology into use within the

food sector. In its current form,

the test is suitable for key points

in the supply chain, for example

at meat wholesalers and

processors, where the incoming

raw materials are in the form of

frozen blocks of trimmings. Trials

of the system have recently

been carried out in this kind of

industrial setting, with the results

now undergoing evaluation.

IN CONCLUSIONHigh-field NMR spectroscopy

has long been recognised as a

powerful analytical tool, but the

equipment to carry it out has

historically been too expensive

and technically complicated to

allow deployment anywhere

apart from specialist laboratories.

The advent of benchtop NMR

looks set to change this

landscape. The food sector

applications developed by OI

and IFR have demonstrated how

useful the low-field modality can

be, particularly for the analysis of

fat-containing samples. The

team are anticipating further

collaboration on industrially

important challenges as the

capabilities of the Pulsar

continue to evolve.

Find out more on our websites:

Institute of Food Research:

http://www.ifr.ac.uk/

Oxford Instruments:

http://www.oxford-instruments.

com/

References

1 60MHz 1H NMR Spectroscopy for the

analysis of edible oils. Parker T, Limer

E, Watson A, Defernez M, Williamson D,

Kemsley EK. TRAC - Trends in Analytical

Chemistry (2014) 57 147-158

2 Authentication of beef versus horse

meat using 60 MHz 1H NMR

spectroscopy. Jakes W, Gerdova A,

Defernez M, Watson AD, McCallum C,

Limer E, Colquhoun IJ, Williamson DC,

Kemsley EK. Food Chemistry (2015)

175 1–9

3 NMR Sample Analysis. D Williamson,

EK Kemsley. Patent Application

WO20150 33154 (A1)


President, was determined to do

something about it.

When the Exhibition closed in

October 1851, the Royal

Commission was therefore

established as a permanent

body, tasked with managing the

substantial profits to increase the

Kensington for the twin purpose

of enlightenment and education.

The Royal Albert Hall, Royal

Colleges of Art and Music,

Imperial College London, the

V&A, the Natural History and the

Science Museum all arose as a

result of the Commission’s early

work, helping to inspire people

Nigel WilliamsSecretary of the Royal Commissionfor the Exhibition of 1851

... twin purpose of enlightenment and education ...

The Exhibition was the world’s

first international trade fair,

assembling 100,000 exhibits in

the iconic Crystal Palace and

attracting over 6 million visitors

– equivalent to a third of the

population of Britain at the time.

The Exhibition was a

tremendous success, but

exposure to international

competition proved something

of a rude awakening for the

British manufacturing industry.

We were upstaged by the

French in terms of design flair,

the Germans in terms of

precision engineering, and the

Americans in terms of large-

scale manufacturing. Prince

Albert, the Commission’s first

SUPPORTING TECHNOLOGICALINNOVATION IN BRITISHINDUSTRY

The RoyalCommission for theExhibition of 1851has operated at theintersection ofindustry and designfor well over acentury and a half.Established byQueen Victoria in1850, theCommission’s initialremit was toorganise theExhibition of theWorks of Industry ofAll Nations; nowbetter known as theGreat Exhibition of1851.

means of industrial education

and extend the influence of

science and art upon productive

industry.

Among the Commission’s first

acts was setting up the great

cultural estate in South

from across the UK and

boosting the country’s

productivity.

At the same time, the

Commissioners were also

determined to fulfil the other

part of Albert’s vision, helping


fund access to a world-leading

education for people across the

empire of the time as well as

the manufacturing centres of the

North. This vision was realised in

1891 with the foundation of our

science scholarships, aimed at

encouraging bright, early-career

scientists to continue with their

research.

The scholarships are still going

strong over a century later, and

have a long and illustrious list of

recipients. Among the first

beneficiaries of the programme

was Ernest Rutherford, a young

physicist from New Zealand who

came to Cambridge in 1895

and whose pioneering research

on the structure of matter would

eventually win him the Nobel

Prize for Chemistry. A total of

twelve Nobel laureates have

since received early career

funding from the 1851

Commission scholarships,

including Paul Dirac and Peter

Higgs.

By the 1980s, an important

priority for the Commissioners

was to help businesses

understand and harness the

power of technology. A common

complaint we were hearing from

industry at the time was that

although they could see the

importance of investing in

technology research, most did

not have the resources to

devote to it.

It was to help overcome these

challenges that we set up the

Industrial Fellowships, a scheme

which allows businesses to team

up with a university to conduct

doctoral-level research over

three years with the aim of

producing a patented product or

industrial process. With a

financial value of up to £80,000

a year, the Commission pays

half the Fellow’s salary as well as

their university fees for the

duration of the programme.

There is also a generous annual

travel allowance.

... a very broad view of what constitutes‘productive industry’...

cover an exceptionally broad

spectrum from aerospace

engine design to improved drug

delivery mechanisms, by way of

social media analysis and

chemical engineering

techniques. The Commission

takes a very broad view of what

constitutes ‘productive industry’.

One of the most remarkable

Fellows is Shuning Bian, a

graduate of the University of

We are always eager to receive

applications from new

universities, companies and

areas of research, and have

continued to expand the scope

of the programme year on year.

Applications for our 2015

Fellowships are currently being

considered; they will open again

in October for 2016.

Whether in medicine or

aerospace, energy or consumer

... twelve Nobel laureates have since received early career funding ...

Shuning Bian

The Industrial Fellowships have

already had a tremendous

impact, giving businesses across

all sectors the opportunity to

support their brightest

employees and explore the

benefits of technological

innovation. The importance of

such a programme has been

made clear by the range of

companies where Fellowships

have been awarded – ranging

from such industrial giants as

Rolls Royce, BP and BAE, to

start-ups and SMEs on the brink

of success.

Our 2014 Fellows, publicly

announced in October last year,

model its impact. Motivated by

his personal experience of

chemotherapy in 2006 for

treatment of leukaemia, Bian’s

Industrial Fellowship project will

facilitate the development of a

wide variety of new medical

procedures.

proven a highly successful way

of encouraging industry to look

ahead, investing in ideas today

that will turn into the

technologies of tomorrow.

Sydney currently completing his

PhD at Oxford. In his role at Lein

Applied Diagnostics, he is

working to speed up the

development of ‘microbubble’

drug delivery by improving the

techniques currently used to

technology, the 1851 Royal

Commission aims to continue

the legacy of the Great

Exhibition by making a

difference to the UK’s

manufacturing capacity. Our

Industrial Fellowships have


Introduction

Poor acoustic design of aschool can impede learning bymaking it difficult for pupils andteachers to hear and understandeach other, and by causing highnoise levels which affect pupils’concentration. Such problemshave been recognised for wellover a century, and guidanceand recommendations on howto avoid them have beenavailable in the UK for over 80years. Research carried outduring the past 50 years hasdemonstrated that noise andpoor acoustic conditions inschools affect teachers’ healthand pupils’ wellbeing,development and academicachievements. Despite this

current state of knowledgeconcerning the effects of pooracoustics on pupils andteachers. In addition tocomplying with the BuildingRegulations, meeting thestandards in BB93 also providesa means of satisfying the 2012Schools Premises Regulations(SPR), which apply to schoolbuildings when in use, and the2013 Independent SchoolsStandards.

What is required to provide agood acoustic environment ina school?

In a school it is essential thatpupils are able both to hear andunderstand their teacher, that is,the acoustic environment mustprovide good ‘speech

exacerbated in open planteaching areas. Furthermore,high noise levels and/or toomuch reverberation make roomsdifficult to speak in, leading to ahigh risk of voice damageamong teachers. In severe casesthis may cause extendedperiods of sick leave or evenearly retirement.

The main requirements aretherefore low background noiselevels and low levels ofreverberant sound. To keepnoise levels as low as possible itis necessary to control theamount of internal noise fromsources such as heating andventilation systems andequipment within a teachingspace. Noise from externalsources such as road traffic canbe reduced through good soundinsulation of the building façade.Internal walls and partitions,floors and ceilings must alsoprovide effective insulation toprevent noise being transmittedfrom other areas within theschool, for example from musicrooms to classrooms.

Hard reflective surfaces suchas glass increase the quantity of

THE ACOUSTIC DESIGN OFSCHOOLS – RESEARCH ANDREGULATION

Professor Bridget ShieldProfessor Emerita, London SouthBank University and Immediate PastPresident, Institute of Acoustics

... acoustic conditions that were not suitable ...

knowledge, until the newmillennium many schoolbuildings still had acousticconditions that were not suitablefor teaching and learning. Forthis reason, in 2003, theacoustic design of new schoolbuildings in England and Walesbecame subject to the BuildingRegulations. The acousticstandards for new schoolbuildings to be met in order tocomply with the BuildingRegulations were contained inBuilding Bulletin 93: TheAcoustic Design of Schools(BB93), published by theDepartment for Education andSkills. The standards haverecently been updated to reflectrecent experience of designingand building schools, and the

intelligibility’. It is also important

that teachers can speak easily

without forcing their voices

which can lead to vocal damage.

Speech intelligibility depends

upon the level of noise and

amount of reverberation, or

reflected sound, in a room. If

noise levels are too high or a

room is too reverberant speech

... control the amount of internal noise ...intelligibility is reduced and

pupils have difficulty hearing and

understanding their teacher and

their peers. Noise inside the

classroom or transmitted into

the classroom from other areas

can also interfere with teaching

and learning and distract pupils.

These potential problems are

reflected sound in a space,

leading to a high level of

reverberant sound. The level of

reverberation can be controlled

by ensuring that there is not an

excessive amount of sound

reflection within a space. This

can be achieved through the

installation of sound absorptive


material such as acoustic tiles onthe ceiling, absorptive panels onthe walls or carpet on the floor.

Evidence for the effects ofnoise and poor acoustics

An impetus for the originalpublication of Building Bulletin93, and its subsequent revision,was the increasing body ofevidence concerning the effectson pupils and teachers of noiseand poor acoustic conditions1.Studies carried out worldwideover the past 50 years haveshown that noise from bothexternal sources and inside theclassroom can cause annoyanceand distraction to pupils and, foryounger children, reducednumber, letter and wordrecognition2.

For the past 15 years aresearch team from LondonSouth Bank University, theInstitute of Education and the

Figure 1. Scatter diagram illustrating relationship between Key Stage 2Mathematics scores and maximum noise levels of individual events

Figure 2. Scatter diagram illustrating relationship between Key Stage 2English scores and occupied classroom background noise level.

Figure 3. Effects of classroom babble on reading for pupils with additionallearning needs (ALN) and typically developing pupils.

Figure 4. Effects of classroom babble on spelling for pupils with additionallearning needs (ALN) and typically developing pupils

University of Salford has beeninvestigating the effects of noiseand acoustic design in primaryand secondary schools inEngland. This research has beenfunded primarily by theEngineering and PhysicalSciences Research Council, butalso, in the early 2000s, by theDepartment of Health andDefra. This has shown thatpupils of all ages and theirteachers are annoyed by noise;pupils as young as seven areaware that noise causesdifficulties for them in hearingthe teacher3. It was also foundthat in primary schools inLondon both internal classroomnoise, or ‘babble’, and externalnoise from sources such as roadtraffic and sirens reducedschools’ scores in StandardisedAssessment Tests (SATs ) atboth Key Stage 1 (KS1, year 2,age 7) and Key Stage 2 (KS2,

year 6, age 11). These resultswere maintained when the datawere corrected for confoundingfactors such as social deprivationand English as an additionallanguage4. To illustrate theseeffects, Figure 1 shows therelationship between KS2Mathematics scores andmaximum noise levels ofindividual external events(LAmax) for one Londonborough; and Figure 2 showsthe effects of internal classroombackground noise measuredin16 primary schools in Londonon KS2 English scores. Testing ofprimary schoolchildren inarithmetic, spelling and readingin controlled classroom noiseconditions also demonstratedthe adverse effects of noise. Aparticularly important finding wasthat children in this age groupwith additional learning needswere more severely affected by

noise than their peers5. This canbe clearly seen in Figures 3 and4 which show average scores inreading and spelling tests ofchildren with additional learningneeds and their typicallydeveloping peers, when thetests were performed in quietconditions and in classroombabble.

Similar results have beenfound in the research insecondary schools. Noise ofclassroom babble reduced theperformance of students agedfrom 11 to 15 in reading,numeracy and memory tasks. Aquestionnaire survey of over2500 students found that thosewith additional learning needs(including hearing impairment,speaking English as an additionallanguage and receiving learningsupport) were significantly moreaware of, and affected by, the


negative aspects of theirschool’s acoustic environmentthan were other pupils6.

An additional finding in bothprimary and secondary schoolswas that the pupils’ speed ofprocessing information wassignificantly less in noise than inquiet classroom conditions.

Open plan classrooms

Open plan classroomsoriginally became popular in the1970s but fell out of favourowing to problems of noise andvisual distraction. However, inthe late 1990s, partly due tochanging architectural andeducational fashions, many newschools incorporated large open

materials and research.Throughout the drafting of the2003 edition of BB93 and itssubsequent revision theDepartment for Education hasbeen advised by a panel ofspecialists in classroomacoustics. The panel hasincluded academics, acousticconsultants, educationalists andaudiologists, drawn mainly fromthe Institute of Acoustics andthe Association of NoiseConsultants.

BB93 gives individualminimum requirements aimedat providing appropriate levels ofnoise and reverberation in manydifferent types of area within aschool such as classrooms,

communication difficulties suchas auditory processing disorders,attention deficit hyperactivitydisorders (ADHD), autism, visualimpairments and generalspeech and language difficulties.

effective in improving theacoustic quality of schoolbuildings and that the majorityof new school buildings nowhave appropriate acousticconditions. With the standardsnow applying also torefurbishment, it is to be hopedthat eventually all schools willprovide a satisfactory acousticenvironment for both pupils andteachers. The increasing body ofevidence on the effects of pooracoustics and the apparent

... annoyance and distraction to pupils ...

plan areas, many of which aregenerally unsuitable fortraditional teaching and oftendisliked by pupils and teachers.Additional research at LondonSouth Bank University and theInstitute of Educationinvestigated the acoustics ofopen plan classrooms. Theresearch led to the developmentof designs which could reducethe impact of noise andoptimise conditions for teachingand learning in such spaces7.These strategies have beenincorporated into the revisedregulations and guidance onschool acoustics.

Revision of the performancestandards and guidance

In order for a school to complywith Building Regulations inrespect of its acoustic design,the acoustic performancestandards set out in BB93 mustbe met. The purpose of BB93 isto ensure that school buildingsprovide acoustic conditions thatenable effective teaching andlearning, taking account of thecurrent state of knowledge ofconstruction techniques, building

Another change relates to theprovision of suitable acousticconditions for teaching pupilswith hearing impairments andother special needs inmainstream schools. In 2003more stringent conditions werespecified for rooms usedspecifically by hearing impairedpupils. In the 2014 version thegroup of pupils to whom themore stringent standards applyhas been widened to includepupils with other

Following the introduction ofregulation, the number of schoolbuildings with acousticconditions meeting theperformance standardsdoubled8. This demonstratedthat the regulations have been

science laboratories, musicrooms and sports halls.Standards are given for ambientnoise levels (the level when aspace is unoccupied),reverberation times (a measureof the amount of reverberationin a room), and sound insulationbetween spaces. The 2003edition of BB93 applied only tonew school buildings. However,the scope of the recent(December 2014) revision hasbeen extended so that it nowcontains standards for both newand refurbished buildings.

The standards for these pupilsare more rigorous thanpreviously, reflecting increasingknowledge about theirrequirements.

Detailed guidance on how todesign school buildings to meetthe standards is to be publishedby the Institute of Acoustics andAssociation of Noise Consultantsin the summer of 2015.

Have the regulations andstandards been effective?

The recent project on theacoustics of secondary schoolsprovided an opportunity toexamine the effectiveness of thestandards introduced in 2003.

effectiveness of the introductionof the standards in 2003 alsohighlight the importance ofmaintaining regulations on theacoustic design of schools.

... additional learning needs were more severely affected ...

... Standards are given for ambient noise levels ...

... effective in improving the acoustic quality ...

References

1. G W Evans and S J Lepore.

Nonauditory effects of noise on

children: a critical review. Children’s

Environments 10(1), 31-51, 1993

2. B M Shield and J E Dockrell. The

effects of noise on children at school: a

review. J. Building Acoustics 10(2), 97-

106, 2003

3. J E Dockrell and B Shield. Children’s

perceptions of their acoustic

environment at school and at home. J.

Acoustical Society of America 115(6),

2964-2973, 2004

4. B M Shield and J E Dockrell The effects

of environmental and classroom noise

on the academic attainments of

primary school children J. Acoustical

Society of America, 123(1), 133-144,

2008

5. J Dockrell and B Shield. Acoustical

barriers in classrooms: the impact of

noise on performance in the

classroom. British J Educational

Research 32(3), 509-525, 2006

6. S D Connolly, J Dockrell, B Shield, R

Conetta and T Cox. Adolescents’

perceptions of their school’s acoustic

environment. Noise and Health 15,

issue 65, 269-280, 2013

7. E Greenland and B Shield. A survey of

acoustic conditions in semi-open plan

classrooms in the United Kingdom. J.

Acoustical Society of America 130(3),

1399-1410, 2011

8. B Shield, R Conetta, J Dockrell, D

Connolly, T Cox and C Mydlarz. A

survey of acoustic conditions and noise

levels in secondary school classrooms

in England. J. Acoustical Society of

America 137(1), 177-188, 2015


SET FOR BRITAIN 2015Parliament Showcases Britain’s FutureScientists Engineers Technologists Mathematicians

On Monday 9th March 210 early-career researchers from Universities and researchinstitutions throughout the country converged on Westminster to take part in SET forBritain 2015, the annual poster competition and exhibition, held this year in the AttleeSuite in Portcullis House. They were welcomed to Westminster by Andrew Miller MP,Chairman of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, and, during the course of theday, had the opportunity to show their posters and explain their research to some 70Parliamentarians from both Houses.

Gold, Silver and Bronze winners in each category receivedcertificates and cash prizes, with medals going to the Gold prizewinners. The prizes were presented by representatives of theorganisations which had generously supported the event: INEOSGroup, BP, Essar Oil UK, Clay Mathematics Institute, WMG, Instituteof Biomedical Science, Wiley and the Bank of England.

The competition was divided into five specialist sections: Biologicaland Biomedical Sciences, Chemistry, Engineering, MathematicalSciences and Physics. Judging panels for each category wereformed of distinguished scientists and engineers from the Society ofBiology, The Physiological Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry,the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Council for theMathematical Sciences and the Institute of Physics.

The judges’ initial task had been to select the 210 posters for theexhibition and final of the competition from the 475 original highquality entries.

At the end of the day the winners of the five Gold medalscompeted for the Westminster Medal, donated by the SCI inmemory of Dr Eric Wharton, founder of SET for Britain. LordOxburgh and Andrew Miller MP faced the challenge of decidingwhich of the five posters best demonstrated the presenter’s skill incommunicating the scientific concept. Julian Perfect, Hon Secretary,SCI London Group, and Mrs Sue Wharton presented theWestminster Medal to Robert Woodward, Department of Physics,Imperial College London, winner of the Gold Award in the Physicssection.

Westminster Medal WinnerL-R: Lord Oxburgh, President, Parliamentary and Scientific Committee; Dr Stephen Benn, Society of Biology and a Vice-President of the Parliamentaryand Scientific Committee, Master of Ceremonies on the day; Andrew Miller MP, Chairman, Parliamentary and Scientific Committee; Robert Woodward

(Winner of the Gold Award for Physics and of the Westminster Medal); Julian Perfect, SCI; and Mrs Sue Wharton (widow of Dr Eric Wharton).

PRIZE WINNERSBIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCESGold Award and GW Mendel MedalMr Dean Lomax, University of ManchesterA NEW SPECIES OF ICHTHYOSAURUS FROM THE LOWER JURASSIC OF WESTDORSET, ENGLAND

Silver AwardMiss Kinda Al-Hourani, University of OxfordACTIVINS AND ANTIVIRAL IMMUNITY

Bronze AwardMs Sana Suri, University of OxfordPOOR BRAIN HEALTH IN YOUNG PEOPLE AT A GENETIC RISK FOR ALZHEIMER’SDISEASE

PHYSICAL SCIENCES (CHEMISTRY)Gold Award and Roscoe MedalDr Yuval Elani, Imperial College LondonARTIFICIAL CELLS AS MICROMACHINES: THE NEXT GENERATION OF DRUG DELIVERYVEHICLES

Silver AwardMiss Natalie Theodoulou, GlaxoSmithKline Research & DevelopmentTHE DEVELOPMENT OF I-BRD9: A SELECTIVE, CELL ACTIVE CHEMICAL PROBE FORBROMODOMAIN CONTAINING PROTEIN 9

Bronze AwardMr Ryan Gorman, University of YorkCOPPER-CATALYSED C-H ACTIVATION: A SUSTAINABLE, EFFICIENT AND INEXPENSIVEWAY TO PREPARE MEDICINALLY IMPORTANT STRUCTURES

Science in Parliament Vol 72 No 2 Whitsun 201528

Bioscience Prize WinnersBack row: James Perham-Marchant, Wiley (Bronze sponsor); Nick Kirk IBMS (Silver sponsor); Tom Crotty,

INEOS (Gold sponsor); Professor Mary Morrell, Chair, Policy Committee, The Physiological Society; Dr LauraBellingan, Director of Science Policy, Society of Biology; Dr Stephen Benn, Director of Parliamentary Affairs,

Society of Biology; Front row: Dean Lomax (Gold winner); Sana Suri (Bronze winner); Kinda Al-Hourani(Silver winner); Andrew Miller MP

Engineering Prize WinnersL-R: Jon Mason, Essar Oil UK (Gold Sponsor); Dr Nasrin Al Nasiri (Gold); Mr Davide Zilli (Silver);

Dr Stephen Benn; Miss Agnieszka Dzielendziak (Bronze); Andrew Miller MP

Joe Spencer and Caroline Nokes MP

Vincent Poon and Jim Cunningham MP

Nicky Morgan MP and Paul BrackDr Thomas Woolley and NicolaBlackwood MP

Stephen Williams MP and Dr Loren Picco

PHYSICAL SCIENCES (PHYSICS)Gold Award and Cavendish MedalMr Robert Woodward, Imperial College LondonEXPLOITING NANOMATERIALS FOR ULTRAFAST PHOTONICS

Silver AwardDr Elena Andra Muntean, Queens University BelfastDUST AND ICE: THE BIRTHPLACE OF NEW MOLECULES IN INTERSTELLAR SPACE

Bronze AwardMr Jason Hunt, Mullard Space Science Laboratory, UCLA PRIMAL VIEW OF OUR GALAXY, MADE POSSIBLE BY GAIA AND M2M MODELLING

ENGINEERINGGold Award and Engineering MedalDr Nasrin Al Nasiri, Imperial College LondonENVIRONMENTAL BARRIER COATING FOR SI-BASED CERAMIC COMPOSITES

Silver AwardMr Davide Zilli, University of SouthamptonSEE WHAT YOU CANNOT HEAR: SEARCHING FOR THE VANISHING NEW FORESTCICADA

Bronze AwardMiss Agnieszka Dzielendziak, University of SouthamptonDURABILITY OF SUSTAINABLE COMPOSITES IN SHIP DESIGN FOR ENHANCEDENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE: A MULTISCALE APPROACH

MATHEMATICAL SCIENCESGold Award and Mathematical Sciences MedalDr Peter Buchak, Imperial College LondonLIGHTING THE PATH: THE MATHEMATICS OF IMAGINARY NUMBERS IN VERY REALPROBLEMS OF HOLEY OPTICAL FIBRE FABRICATION

Silver AwardDr Lorna Ayton, University of CambridgeREDUCING THE SOUND GENERATED BY AEROENGINES

Bronze AwardDr Miho Janvier, University of DundeeSTATISTICAL STUDIES OF SOLAR STORM GEOMETRY FOR BETTER SPACE WEATHERPREDICTIONS

WESTMINSTER MEDALWinner of the Gold Award for PhysicsMr Robert Woodward, Imperial College London


Chemistry Prize WinnersBack row l-r: Dr Stephen Benn, Society of Biology; Andrew Miller MP;

Professor Helen Fielding, UCL (Chemistry Judge); Angela Strank BP (Goldsponsor); Front: Ryan Gorman (Bronze); Dr Yuval Elani (Gold);

Miss Natalie Theodoulou (Silver).

Physics Prize WinnersBack row l-r: Anne Milton MP; Dr Stephen Benn; Dr Elena Andra Muntean (Silver); AndrewMiller MP; Angela Strank, BP (Gold Sponsor); Professor Helen Fielding, UCL; James Perham-

Marchant, Wiley (Bronze Sponsor); Front row: Jason Hunt (Bronze) and Robert Woodward (Gold)

Mathematical Sciences Prize WinnersL-R: Professor Nick Woodhouse, Clay Mathematics Institute (Gold

Sponsor); Andrew Miller MP; Professor Dame Celia Hoyles, Institute ofMathematics and Its Applications; Dr Miho Janvier (Bronze);

Dr Lorna Ayton (Silver); Dr Peter Buchak (Gold).

All photos © John Deehan

Nick Brown MP, Dr Paola Crippa and Chi Onwurah MP

Andrew Lansley MP and Dr Ya-Chun Chen


VOICE OF THE FUTURE 2015

On Wednesday 4 March the Boothroyd Room was packed with young scientists and engineers –and some sixth form science students – who were taking part in this year’s Voice of the Future.

Organised by the Society of Biology on behalf of the whole science and engineering communitythese young scientists had a unique opportunity to sit as a special ‘select committee’ andquestion all the key Parliamentary and Governmental figures involved in science policy.

The event was opened by the Speaker of the House, Rt Hon John Bercow MP, and broadcast liveon the BBC Parliament Channel as well as streamed on the Select Committee website.

The first witness was Sir MarkWalport, Government ChiefScientific Adviser, who handled avariety of Questions about thescience policy-making process inGovernment.

Then it was the turn of the‘real’ House of Commons SelectCommittee on Science andTechnology – led by its outgoingChair Andrew Miller MP – torespond to Questions. Askedwhich of the Select Committee’srecommendations had beenignored by the Government,Andrew Miller cited the reporton the Forensic Science Serviceand he also hoped Ofqualwould reconsider its policy onpractical science for A level andGCSEs.

The Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt Hon John Bercow MP, opens the event

Sir Mark Walport, Government Chief Scientific Adviser


On 11 March 2015 representatives from six of the UK’s main political parties clashed over how immigration, tuition feesand fiscal policy were affecting science in a unique pre-election debate organised by the Society of Biology on behalf of thescience and engineering community.

Seen here are (l-r); Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Science Minister (Conservative); Pallab Ghosh (Chair); Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP, ShadowScience Minister (Labour); Dr Alasdair Allan, Minister for Learning and Science in Scotland (SNP). Dr Julian Huppert MP (LiberalDemocrat), Dr Julia Reid MEP (UKIP) and Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru) also took part.

Other Members of the S&TSelect Committee said thatmany MPs struggled tounderstand the most basicscientific issues that camebefore them – especially theconcept of “risk” which rendersMPs liable to believe scarestories and come to the wrongconclusions. Stephen MetcalfeMP advocated a constituency-based approach by scientistsseeking to raise science issue

with their local MP as “that is agood way of cutting through thenoise” of a “cacophony of voiceson hundreds of issues”.

Concluding the packedmorning session the ScienceMinister, Rt Hon Greg Clark MP,and the Shadow ScienceMinister, Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP,both talked about theirrespective party’s commitmentto science.

A question from the floor

Members of the Select Committee

Rt Hon Greg Clark MP

Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP


The frontiers of knowledge

advanced almost exponentially

recently. Although some may

question the investments in

space exploration, the adventure

of the Philae probe landing on

comet 67P/Churyumov-

Gerasimenko was a breath-

taking moment. It also revealed

that the earth's oceans’ waters

may have come from asteroids,

making us rethink the origins of

the world we now live in.

This mystery was compounded

by the amazing discovery that a

significant percentage of DNA

(around one third) on the

outside of a spacecraft can

survive atmosphere re-entry

after a thirteen minute low earth

orbit trip. Perhaps science fiction

may not be too far-fetched after

all.

Then there was the discovery

that Saturn's moon Enceladus

has a liquid ocean beneath its

icy surface and that the Milky

Way galaxy can be mapped in a

supercluster of 100,000 galaxies

across 500 light years; this

galactical cluster, Laniakea, is

beyond our comprehension.

Nearer to home, the threat of

water shortages and fossil fuel

exhaustion has been

investigated at Glasgow

University, where the production

of hydrogen fuel from water is

looking more viable for the

future. As ocean overfishing

threatens the whole of our food

chain, those creatures living

under phenomenal pressure in

the darkest of our oceans are

being investigated; a Black Sea

Devil anglerfish has been filmed

and captured. Is this one step

towards greater respect for our

fish stocks?

DEADLY INFECTIONSIn our daily lives we have

taken antibiotics for granted.

Now we face the threat again of

even the simplest infection

proving resistant to antibiotics

approaches to the worldwide

disease. But there will inevitably

be other new deadly infections

as well as the re-emergence of

known ones such as Ebola,

initially contracted by the child

Emile Ouamouno in Guinea

from tree bats.

A less known but critically

important fact is that five of the

fifty dedicated scientists involved

in tracing the Ebola epidemic

died pre-publication. The

dedication of so many British

healthcare professionals

volunteering to care for those

infected and to work to contain

the epidemic has been an

A SCIENCE LEGACY FOR THENEXT PARLIAMENT

The Baroness Finlay of Llandaff

A SCIENCE LEGACY FOR THE NEXT PARLIAMENTMeeting of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee on Tuesday 24th February

The past five years have seen some astonishing advances in science inthe UK, and yet we still see even the simplest application of sciencefailing in some communities and never reaching some of the mostvulnerable, who would benefit greatly.

Baroness Finlay is Professor ofPalliative Medicine, CardiffUniversity School of Medicineand is involved with thefollowing All-PartyParliamentary Groups: Cancer (vice-chair); Clinicalphysiology; Global health;Carbon monoxide (co-chair);Cardiac risk in the young;Alcohol misuse; Smoking andhealth (vice-chair); Ovariancancer; Brain tumours; Suicideand self-harm (vice-chair);Thrombosis; Continence;Parkinson’s disease (vice-chair); Antibiotics; Surgery;Dentistry; Dying well; Hospiceand palliative care (vice-chair).

... ocean overfishing threatens the whole of our food chain ...

and therefore potentially fatal.

Our abuse of antibiotics through

indiscriminate prescribing in

both medicine and in veterinary

science, has encouraged

resistant strains of bacteria to

become a widespread threat.

The investment in novel

infection control methods and in

new antibiotic drugs is lagging

behind the looming threat that

might return us to the horrors of

the world in the first half of the

20th century.

Vaccines, such as one that

totally blocks HIV infection in

monkeys, may bring new

amazing act of generosity in the

face of great personal risk.

SOME RECENTSUCCESSES FROM THEUK

New technology and simple

novel ideas are able to

transform healthcare. The next

Parliament must maintain

pressure for widespread

adoption of such advances,

particularly those developed

here.

Terrible trauma from warfare is

a fact of our age. Research in

Sheffield is harnessing 3-D


printing to try to create nerve

guidance conduits for

regeneration of nerves – a

process that until now has

seemed unachievable.

Prosthetics too are developing

so the bionic3 hand, produced

by RSL Steeper, is so sensitive

that Sean McHugh, a user, can

sign his signature with his

artificial limb.

Marc Kosta’s smart syringe is

another UK initiative that could

change the futures of millions,

preventing the dangerous reuse

of syringes. A WHO study found

that in 2010 alone, reuse of

syringes with consequential

transmission of blood borne

infections accounted for 1.7

million new cases of Hepatitis B,

315,000 cases of Hepatitis C

and 33,800 cases of HIV.

his care costs are no higher than

any other teenager, and his

quality of life measures are

excellent.

After the failure of Lord

Saatchi’s Bill, discussion is now

turning to whether the medical

Royal Colleges should maintain

registers of innovation, both to

disseminate lessons learnt and

associated with early innovation,

as was seen with early organ

transplantation. He cited the

case of a baby born with long

segment tracheal stenosis who,

at the age of 12 years, required

ground breaking experimental

innovative interventions as his

only hope of survival. Yet after

care costs of £360,000 in that

year, he now lives normally and

ONE-OFF SURGICALINNOVATION TO SAVELIFE

But there is another type of

innovation in the science of

medicine that occurs in the UK

and must be fostered, not stifled

by financial arguments about

tariffs for care. With narrowly

defined tariffs in the NHS, there

is a risk that the care costs

around lifesaving innovation will

not be funded.

In a thought provoking

Hunterian lecture on surgical

innovation, Professor Martin

Elliott discussed the ethics of

risks and the difficulties of

defining innovation through

hope in those situations that are

so rare that any standard

methodologies of clinical

assessment are impossible.

He explained the high risk

to provide a benchmark to

encourage NHS Trusts and

Commissioners to fund

innovation, while simultaneously

guarding against quackery.

For the next Parliament to

build on the achievements in

medical innovation in the past

five years, the transfer of clinical

information will need to be

revisited.

Public education about the

reality of what can and cannot

be achieved by clinicians is

needed to foster realistic hope,

rather than false hope, in

patients. Medicine needs to

define what we do and do not

do. And those commissioning

services need a new costing

about through collaborative

efforts of a wide range of

scientific and technological

disciplines. That creative free-

thinking is essential for future

advances across all aspects of

society; the legacy of good

science is a benefit to all in our

society.

framework to understand the

true costs of failing to innovate

and failing to intervene.

On the world stage the legacy

of medical sciences becomes

meaningless if we fail to meet

the most basic pain relief needs

across the globe. Currently 80%

of the world’s population cannot

access adequate analgesia.

Morphine is unavailable in many

countries because ignorance of

how to prescribe it safely is

linked to fears of diversion into

the addiction market. This leaves

many of the world’s poor, both

children and adults, to suffer

terribly and to die in unrelieved

pain.

Here at home, our NHS needs

innovation and research to

move into cost effective patterns

of service delivery and lower-

cost interventions and

treatments with greater efficacy.

Without active science in every

area of medicine, health care

will stagnate.

But the debate is far wider

than our shores. Whoever

comes into power must take a

fresh look at the data around

agrichemicals and their safety

profiles. Worrying data are

emerging on the herbicide

glyphosate, which may be a

carcinogen. We need to look at

contamination of our food

supply, our atmospheric

pollution and the effects on

wildlife and the food-chain.

It was Cicely Saunders who

said that the way a person dies

lives on in the memory of those

left behind. All the evidence

suggests that those children who

are traumatically bereaved and

who have no support fare far

worse in all domains. The legacy

of good care is found in lower

morbidity and better personal

and social attainment in the

bereaved.

The medical innovations of

recent years have often come

The UK can and should lead

the way in exploring safety.

Failure to do this will mean our

legacy will be an era of

unprecedented poisoning of our

planet. No amount of science

will reverse that. Extinct species

cannot be revived, depleted fish

stocks take decades to recover

and environmental pollutants

will remain poisons into the next

century.

Political policies towards the

poorer or politically unstable

nations must not leave our

science legacy unshared.

National security will be

enhanced by leading by

example, through good science.

... scientists involved in tracing the Ebola epidemic died pre-publication ...

... high risk associated with early innovation ...

... Morphine is unavailable in many countries ...

... an era of unprecedented poisoning of our planet ...


At my last meeting of theParliamentary and ScientificComittee I stood aside as Chairto enable me to become onethe presenters.

I wanted to cover a number ofkey points and to look at howParliament handles scientificissues touching on:

• the House of CommonsSelect Committee,

• things that are nowembedded in the annualdiary such as, “SET forBritain”, “Voice of the Future”and “Parliamentary LinksDay”,

• the role of POST,

• the P&SC,

• Parliament’s engagementwith learned societies,

• the Royal Society PairingScheme

• the House of Lords SelectCommittee.

election. I am not arguingagainst change, but making thecase for determining purposebefore form, something that inmy experience in Parliamentrarely happens!

THE SCIENCE &TECHNOLOGY SELECTCOMMITTEE IN THECOMMONS

During the current parliamentthe committee received writtenevidence from over 1900organisations or people as partof the production of some 40reports involving 661 witnesses,74 inquiries and 170 meetings.A number of other things havealso been done includingrevamping the website andpiloting an (almost) paperlessselect committee meetingsystem. I think the Committeewas pretty effective and hasbenefited from the consequenceof the direct election of the

The committee produced aLegacy Report designed to leavesome thoughts for our successorcommittee to consider, gaps thatwe identified, and also to look atthe strength and weaknesses ofthe current system.1

POSTThe Parliamentary Office of

Science & Technology 2 had aninteresting genesis and I playeda role in helping it become aformal part of the Parliamentarysystem. In the early 90s I was amember of the House ofCommons InformationCommittee (in those days as apressed man not a volunteer!)and it was that committee’srecommendation to bring POSTformally into the House. POSTwas created by members of theP&SC when Margaret Thatcherwas the Prime Minister. Shewould not give the project anymoney but gave it her blessingand as a consequence a numberof charitable foundationssupported the creation of theoriginal body. All of this wasachieved by way of anintermediate charity, theParliamentary Science &Technology InformationFoundation (PSTIF). This stillexists under the chairmanship ofthe Earl of Selborne. Its mostrecent significant role was to actas the funder of POST’s work inAfrica.

At the beginning of the 2010parliament there was an internalPOST Note Thinking About theNext Five Years. I challengeanyone not to recognise theimportance of the issues POSTraised, and point out there wasnot an item in the documentthat wasn’t subject of policy

On the last point I invited theaudience to think about theconsequences either of theHouse of Lords becoming a fullyelected chamber, or if it were tobe abolished. I argued that

chair. I stress that is not becauseI was the winner, but it gives therole considerably more authoritythan had my predecessors. Ithas also been helped by havinga number of committee

A SCIENCE LEGACY FOR THENEXT PARLIAMENT

Andrew Miller MPChairman, Parliamentary andScientific CommitteeChair, House of Commons SelectCommittee on Science andTechnology

A SCIENCE LEGACY FOR THE NEXT PARLIAMENT

... Relationships with the learned societies ...

members who have servedthroughout the parliament andhave contributed significantly toits working.

either would produce a sciencevacuum as people who havereached the peak of their careerare hardly likely to stand for

Recent POST documents


discussions during the lastParliament.

PARLIAMENTARY &SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE

Reflecting on the role of theParliamentary and ScientificCommittee over the last 5 yearsI would point to improvementsin Science in Parliament and theweb site. I would also praise theteam that has made SET forBritain 3 a formal part of thecalendar. We had some amazingentries for the last competition

on 9th March. This year’s SETgot a very wide coverage inlocal, national and specialistmedia and, thanks to DavidDent, a significant amount ofsocial media coverage. This is akey event in the Parliamentarycalendar at which MPs can

creation of the Council of

Mathematical Societies 5 deserve

a lot of credit as it is clear that a

more co-ordinated approach

that they now bring for

mathematics has had a

worthwhile impact.

Neither can we ignore some ofthe key science issues ineducation, whether it be

• the shortage of teachers withscience qualifications in ourprimary schools,

• the number of girls going onto do A Level physics,

• the unsatisfactory way inwhich Ofqal are handing thewhole issue around sciencepracticals,

• funding technical apprentices,

• HE & FE.

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTAlongside these challenges

there are some really positivethings for us to consider; howdo we grow the STEMAmbassador 7 network; how dowe give support to the ScienceMedia Centre, CaSE 8, Senseabout Science 9, and the British

issues that will not go away, like

anti-microbial resistance, climate

science, and funding. The

consequences of the Nurse

Review 6 either side of two

Triennial Reviews and alongside

a Communications Review being

undertaken within the Research

Councils by the Cabinet Office

remain for the future.

Science Association? The needfor Parliament to work withthese organisations to helpimprove public understanding ofthe complex issues that we facetoday is overwhelming.

Finally going back to mycomments in terms of the RoyalSociety pairing, I ampassionately of the view that weneed to do more to helpindividual MPs create their ownnetwork of contacts covering allof the key science andengineering disciplines to ensurethat we are an even betterinformed and better equippedparliament to deal with thechallenges of the next five years.

The Parliamentary & ScientificCommittee is a matureorganisation now past 75 yearsof age. Indeed we celebratedour birthday in 2014 atBuckingham Palace under thepatronage of our past presidentHRH The Duke of Edinburgh.Nevertheless we need tocontinue to refresh the ways inwhich we work. I hope that

scientists find it invaluable todiscover how Parliament actuallyworks!

Relationships with the learnedsocieties have gone fromstrength to strength. During thelast Parliament leaving aside thehuge benefit that comes fromthe energy and drive of peoplelike Dr Stephen Benn there havebeen further steps forward. Iwould highlight improvementswith the mathematicscommunity. David Youdan andothers who have driven the

... serious issues for the international community ...

... do more to help individual MPs ...

newly elected Members will playtheir part.

For my part, it has been apleasure to chair the P&SC forthe last five years. It would havebeen impossible without ourstaff, our volunteers andmembers, all of whom haveworked so hard.

References

1 This report has now been published athttp://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmsctech/758/75802.htm

2 http://www.parliament.uk/post

3 http://www.setforbritain.org.uk/background.asp

4 https://royalsociety.org/training/pairing-scheme/

5 http://www.cms.ac.uk/

6 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nurse-review-of-research-councils-terms-of-reference

7 http://www.stemnet.org.uk/ambassadors/

8 http://sciencecampaign.org.uk/

9 http://www.senseaboutscience.org/

There are some serious issuesfor the international community.We need genuine freedom ofmovement amongst our topscientists. If we allow the currentDaily Mail style condemnation ofall migrant labour to continuewe will be doing profound harmto our science base and to ouruniversities.

improve connections withscientists in their ownconstituency as well as providinga unique setting for early careerscientists to display their work.

EXTERNAL LINKSThe Royal Society Pairing

Scheme 4 has been in existencesince 2001. This model reallyworks and most importantlyprovides a means for a Memberof Parliament to create a longterm relationship with scientistswith whom he or she is paired. Ihave been involved from itsinception and I know that

SCIENCE IN THE 2010-15PARLIAMENT

Having reflected on the toolsavailable to Parliamentarians tokeep abreast of science andengineering I now pose thequestion, “What should we besaying to parliamentarycolleagues who find themselvesin this place on the 8th May thisyear?” Well, first of allcongratulations!

Our Select Committee legacyreport is going to be part of thatadvice. Some of the issues thatwe covered included really big

Andrew with Professor Sarah Coupland, Director of the NWCR CancerCentre at the University of Liverpool, his Royal Society “pair” in 2014.


Anyone who has, even once intheir life, been fortunate enoughto see a night sky unsullied bylight pollution will understandthe power that view has toprovoke soul-searchingquestions. Early civilisations wereinspired too, placing their godsand heroes in the sky inconstellations, and buildingstone circles to reflect themovement of the Sun andMoon.

Without the aid of moderninstruments, early astronomersused light entering their eyes tospeculate about the nature ofthe Sun, Moon, stars andplanets, with various attemptsmade to establish the scale ofthe universe and whether theEarth was really at its centre. TheIslamic world saw many of thebest efforts, like Ulugh Beg’s15th century observatory inSamarkand, which used a giantsextant to measure the positionsof the stars to high precision.

in what is now west London.Harriot drew the first image ofthe Moon and soon made asurprisingly good map of itssurface through a telescope, andalso recorded sunspots. Unlikethe deservedly more famousGalileo, little of his work waspublished in his lifetime, but henonetheless deservesrecognition for his efforts.

Galileo did far more acrossscience and engineering as awhole, and in astronomy hismore elegant lunar drawingsreflect his artistic training. Hisillustrations from those first yearslook crude today, but areremarkable given the poorquality and restricted field ofview of the earliest telescopes.With long tubes and unwieldymountings, astronomy at thetime was hindered by morethan just weather.

In the same century IsaacNewton and others designed

the telescopes that wouldimprove upon those first devices,using mirrors instead of lenses tobring light to a focus. Lensesmore than 1 metre across arenot practical for telescopes,because they can only be heldin place at their edges, whereasa mirror (supported frombehind) can be built on a farlarger scale. ‘Reflecting’telescopes are therefore at theheart of all modern professionaloptical observatories. (In passingit is worth noting that WilliamHerschel, first president of theRoyal Astronomical Society, useda Newtonian reflector to discoverUranus in 1781, in the processdoubling the size of the SolarSystem.) The issue of size iscentral to astronomy – seeingfainter objects more clearly isonly possible by collecting morelight with bigger mirrors andlenses – and this pushesastronomers and engineers todesign ever larger facilities.

STAR LIGHT

Dr Rob MasseyDeputy Executive Secretary, Royal Astronomical Society

LIGHTBritish Science Week Seminar on Thursday 19th March

There are few morefitting topics thanastronomy for 2015,the InternationalYear of Light, andthe RoyalAstronomical Societyis proud to be apartner in thecelebration ofeverything ourscience is about.Astronomers have tomake the most ofevery photon theydetect, in theprocess eking outinformation aboutthe universe aroundus, to betterunderstand theorigins and ultimatefate of the planetwe live on.

But the real revolution beganin 1608, with the application byDutch optician Hans Lippersheyfor a patent for a newinstrument. He assembled twolenses into a ‘telescope’,extending the view terrestrialobservers had of theirsurroundings, an invention thatwas rapidly adopted acrossEurope. Telescopes do twocrucial things; they collect morelight than the eye can alone,making it possible to see fainterobjects, and they improveresolution, letting us see thoseobjects more clearly.

In the UK one of these ‘Dutchtrunkes’ found its way to thetraveller, mathematician andscientist Thomas Harriot, who in1609 turned it to the night skyfrom his lodgings in Syon House

... using mirrors instead of lenses ...

A Hubble Space Telescope infrared image of the Horsehead Nebula, acloud of gas and dust in the constellation of Orion, located 1500 lightyears away. Credit: NASA, ESA and the Hubble Heritage Team(STScI/AURA).


As important though as thelimitations of telescopes, are theweaknesses of the human eye.Our eyes see and interpret lightin a complex way and for a shortperiod of time, meaning thatlooking through even the largestinstruments does not realisetheir potential. The use ofphotographic plates from the latenineteenth century improved thisdramatically, as surveys of thesky with exposures of an hour ormore revealed countless hithertounsuspected faint stars, clouds ofgas and dust (nebulae) andmany more galaxies like our own– none of which were visible tothe human eye simply lookingthrough a telescope.

and molecules. Withspectroscopy, astronomers cantell what an object is made of,how hot it is and also how fast itis moving towards or away fromus. The power of this techniqueis remarkable – for examplefinding the signatures of oxygenand water, in the spectrum of aplanet in orbit around a star,tens of light years from the Sun,could hint at the presence oflife.

These days, there is a renewedpush to build larger telescopes,but it is completely impracticalto make single mirrors that arebig enough to do the job.Engineers now make theequivalent from an array of

or artificial star (generated by alaser) in real time, deforminganother mirror to restore a sharpimage. These ‘adaptive optics’systems let telescopes on theground compete with those inspace.

A more intuitive and ambitioussolution is to put a telescope inspace to begin with, somethingfirst suggested in 1947. This isalso the only way to see manyregions of the spectrum of ‘light’or electromagnetic radiation,which extends far beyond whatwe can see with our eyes. Theatmosphere stops infrared andmicrowave radiation fromreaching the ground, along withultraviolet, X-rays and gammarays. Sounding rockets, balloonsand planes carry instrumentshigh enough for a temporarypeek, but only satelliteobservatories can operate forany length of time.

The most famous of these isthe Hubble Space Telescope,which celebrates its 25thanniversary this year andthrough our membership of theEuropean Space Agency, the UKhas been involved in Hubblefrom the start. This remarkabletelescope has made majordiscoveries, including ‘darkenergy’ (the mysterious forcespeeding up the expansion of

space. The VLT will be dwarfedby a new neighbour, theEuropean Extremely LargeTelescope, with a mirror 39metres across, and in space theJames Webb Space Telescopewill take over where Hubbleleaves off, observing the firststars that formed after the BigBang using infrared light. Morethan a hundred thousandantennas across South Africaand Australia with make up thegiant Square Kilometre Array,currently headquartered in theUK, a super-sensitive radiotelescope that will have to copewith flows of data 10 times asmuch as that handled by thewhole of the Internet puttogether.

We should therefore celebrateastronomy during thiscelebration of light. It has led tospin out companies andinventions in everything fromhospital scanners to security,from analysing paintings tomanaging ‘big data’ on anenormous scale. UKastronomers are a close third inthe world for the number ofpapers cited, have been highlyregarded across the world formore than four centuries andare active in the projects that willshape the field in the next twodecades.

In today’s observatories, so-called Charge Coupled Devices(CCDs) that record up to 90%of the light that falls on themhave long supersededphotography. They letobservatories run at maximumefficiency, wasting as little aspossible of the meagre amountsof light that strikes the telescopemirror. CCDs and similar sensorshave become ubiquitous ineveryday life, not least in thecameras in almost every newmobile phone.

Another indispensable part ofthe astronomer’s toolkit isspectroscopy, in which light froman object is dispersed into itsconstituent colours (a spectrum)by a prism or grating. For visiblelight these range from longwavelength red to shortwavelength blue and violet. Starsand planets have characteristicpatterns of dark and bright linesin their spectrum, correspondingto specific chemical elements

many hexagonal segments. Thelast two decades have seen theconstruction of a number oftelescopes with mirrors 8 metresand more across, with anexcellent example being the VeryLarge Telescope (VLT) in Chile,part of the European SouthernObservatory, which collects100,000 times as much light asHarriot’s first ‘trunke’. Thetheoretical resolution of thesemonster instruments isextraordinary, good enough tospot a hotel-sized building onthe surface of the Moon, butunfortunately (for astronomers)the Earth’s atmosphere gets inthe way.

Even on the highestmountaintop sites, chosen forobservatories to be above mostof the cloud and much of theatmosphere, still higher turbulentair turns a sharp image of a starinto a blurry, shimmeringsmudge. To overcome thisastronomers can monitor a real

the Universe), and sent back thefirst pictures of forming planetarysystems.

There is no sign that this questto push the boundaries will endany time soon. The 2020s willsee even more powerfultelescopes on the ground and in

However we should not losesight of the passion for scienceand engineering that astronomyfosters. Humans are innatelycurious about ‘star light’ andwhat it tells us about the wideruniverse, and our world is abetter place as a result.

An artist’s impression of the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT)on its site on Cerro Amazones, 3060 metres high in the Chilean AtacamaDesert. With a mirror 39 metres across, E-ELT will be the largestoptical/infrared telescope in the world and will start work in the nextdecade. Credit: ESO/L.Calçada.

Artist’s rendition of the part of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), showinghow the 15-m wide radio dishes will look when completed. Credit: SKAOrganisation.


THE POWER OF LIGHT

Susie WheeldonSolar Aid

LIGHT

When Edison startedselling electricity in1882, over a billionpeople lived off grid.Today, despite hugeadvances in technology– breakthroughs thatallow us to land spaceprobes on comets andfight elections byhologram – that numberremains unchanged 1. InAfrica, where thecharity SolarAidoperates, around 600million 2 lack even themost basic lighting andenergy services, morethan the populations ofMexico, Canada and theUS combined.

Yet for many, things arebeginning to change. Alldue to the power of thesimple solar light.

SIMPLE, SUSTAINABLESOLUTIONS

If you were to combine a mapof Africa showing areas ofhighest solar irradiation with oneshowing areas that do notreceive a power supply, youwould find, remarkably, thatthese areas overlap.

This provides us with a hugeopportunity.

About six years ago threemarket forces came together toenable solar lights to becomeaffordable to those living in low-income communities. Firstly thecost of solar panels came down,secondly LED technologybecame more efficient andthirdly, battery storage improved.

SolarAid was already working inAfrica at that time, driving awider programme including solarenergy systems on schools, solarlighting products andmanufacturing. But advances insmall lighting technology, thereduction in price and the speedat which they could be deployedopened the door to somethinghuge – something that couldtruly begin to tackle poverty andclimate change simultaneously.

THE IMPACT OF A SOLARLIGHTSavings

Research shows that each solarlight bought by a family in ruralAfrica results in the elimination ofthe regular use of a kerosenelamp, saving them around 10%of their annual income 3. Ourcustomers tell us that theyspend their savings on food,school costs and investment inlivelihoods, such as smallfarming inputs or, in someinstances, a larger solar light they

customers using their savings toopen small businesses and theirsolar lights to do productivework at night.

“Before I bought the solar Iused to close my shop early butnowadays I can stay up to9:30pm.. which has helped meto get more profits .. Thecustomers know that I alwaysstay for long so they alwayscome and refer other people aswell.” Charles Motoki, Kenya

Indeed, in many regions, solarentrepreneurs are nowbeginning to kick-start asustainable market, creating jobs

Health

As well as the huge economicbenefits this will bring, replacingkerosene lamps with solar lightalso means that homes are saferdue to reduced risk of fire. Evenmore significantly, solar lightsreplacing kerosene lampsreduces indoor air pollution –the ‘silent killer’ – that leads to4.3 million deaths per year 5.

“I used to find soot in thenoses of my children everymorning when they slept in aroom with kerosene, and theywould complain of chest pains.”Veledian Phiri, Zambia

can use to start a small businesscharging mobile phones.

“l use my savings for buyingsoap and foods.”Mphasto Gondwe, Malawi

Enterprise

Nine in ten of the people wereach live under the poverty lineof $1.25 per day – so saving10% of their income makes astaggering difference 4. Theknock on effects of reducedvulnerability, increased enterpriseand better nutrition are difficultto quantify, but we are buildingresearch in this area and hearthousands of stories of

and opportunity. SolarAid’smodel, in which it has created asocial enterprise to sell lights inAfrica, was adopted to enablejust that. By catalysing theintroduction of solar markets inrural areas, rather than givinglights away, the charity not onlyreinvests all income intoreaching more people withclean, safe light, but is creating afledgling solar market for otherorganisations to join.

Kick-starting a thriving solarindustry is the only way thecharity will achieve its goal oferadicating the kerosene lampfrom Africa by 2020.

Kerosene lamp


quantify, but nonetheless arevaluable. Parents tell us thathaving light in their home atnight they feel safer and nolonger have to worry aboutleaving their children in dangerof an open flame. When light isfree, families can come together,and enjoy sharing time withfriends and neighbours. There isless fear of standing on a snakewhilst going out to the latrine(something we don’t worryabout in the UK!), and morehope for students with the samedreams of those around the

On a micro scale, each solarlight replacing a kerosene lampremoves up to 200kg of CO2per year 7, as well as toxic blackcarbon – or soot – that has alarge, and immediate, impact onclimate warming. On a macroscale, not only do those figuresadd up to create a significantwhole, but the switch to solarlighting can drive low-carbongrowth. We are beginning to seeevidence of a clean energyladder, where a family that hasbought a small solar light, maylook to buy a larger light – oreven a home system.

Many of the parents we talk totell us that one of the mainbenefits the solar light brings isan improvement in the health oftheir children who no longer geteye irritation or flu-likesymptoms. And of course, solarlights have huge benefits foreducation.

Education

Our research shows that with asolar light children can study anaverage of an extra hour eachday 6. Kerosene is often a luxurywhich can only be usedsparingly. But with free solarlight, children can do theirhomework, do better in examsand can write their own futures.

“Kerosene was expensive. I didnot allow [my daughter] tostudy at night – now she is freeto study anytime.” HonorathaElipidi, Tanzania

Well-being and opportunity

Some of the other ways inwhich a solar light can benefit afamily may be more difficult to

world, to become teachers,doctors, lawyers or businessleaders.

“I understand the power ofenergy first-hand. It transformedmy life, my own life, when I wasa young boy in post-war Korea.A simple light bulb illuminated awhole new world of opportunityfor me, enabling me to studyday and night. This memory hasstayed with me such a longtime, throughout my life. I wantthe same opportunity for allyoung boys and girls aroundthe world. Widespread energypoverty still condemns billions todarkness, to ill-health, to missedopportunities for education andprosperity.” UN SecretaryGeneral, Ban Ki Moon

Solar lights and theenvironment

The switch from kerosene tosolar lights will have a doublebenefit. One relates todevelopment. The other willenable sustainable developmentto mitigate climate change.

provide a way for unelectrifiedrural communities to leapfrogthe need for carbon intensivesystems. We have seen howemerging economies moved tomobile phone technologywithout putting in land lines.They now lead the world inmobile enabled financialservices. A similar shift could giveemerging economies a clearadvantage as we move towardsa low carbon future.

Getting solar lights to thosewho need them most

Having solar light technology isone thing, getting it where itneeds to go is another. This iswhere SunnyMoney comes in.Unelectrified areas are oftenthose which lack transportinfrastructure, strong commerceand good communicationsnetworks. SunnyMoney worksthrough education authoritiesand a network of 700 solarentrepreneurs, to reach localcommunities with solar lightsand to build the awareness andtrust needed to encourageadoption of the new technology.

The organisation has nowbecome the biggest distributor ofsolar lights in Africa, having soldover 1.7 million lights, reaching10 million people. This has

and Zambia. SolarAid’s goal,however, is to develop solarmarkets across Africa by 2020,eradicating the toxic kerosenelamp. The educational uplift andfinancial savings this could bringwill be astounding. Families willsave billions of dollars. Atgovernment level, it will relievepressure on already stretchedresources and reduce the needfor kerosene subsidies –themselves costing billions ofpounds.

It is an ambitious goal. It is onewe will not achieve alone. But inthis UNESCO International Yearof Light, we will be doing all wecan to make it a reality.

For more information - or todonate or get involved, pleasesee www.solar-aid.org

References

1 Peter Alstone (2015), Luminanet

2 Lighting Africa (2013). Lighting Africabrochure.

3 SolarAid Impact Report (2014)


5 World Health Organisation (2012)


7 UNEP (2012)

“I have not used the money[that I’m saving] I have kept itsomewhere, [because I] amplanning to buy another solarwhich is big.” Gladys Ombati,Kisii-Kenya

Off-grid lighting, solar homesystems and mini grids can

enabled people living in some ofthe world’s poorest countries tosave over $300 million dollars,and children to study for morethan 2 billion extra hours.

Yet this is just the tip of theiceberg. SunnyMoney works inKenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda


ILLUMINATING LIGHT INMEDICAL DIAGNOSTICS ANDTREATMENT

Liz BensonClinical Scientist, King’s CollegeHospital, London

John Allen Clinical Scientist, Freeman Hospital,Newcastle Upon Tyne

LIGHT

The use of light in medicine iswidespread.

The International Year ofLight 2015 gives us anopportunity to appreciate well-established practices and toincrease awareness of noveltechniques for diagnosis andtreatment. The Clinical Scientisthas a crucial role in both thedevelopment and safe use ofoptical techniques acrosswavelengths from ultraviolet(UV) to the infrared (IR). Fromresearch and development tothe testing of existing andinnovations in medicalequipment, ensuring the safeimplementation of such devices,and carrying out procedures onpatients; our professional rolesare varied, challenging andinteresting.

signal detected by thephotodiode. Thesemeasurements may be used toindicate blood vesselabnormalities such as narrowing,abnormal physiology and toprovide a non-invasive measureof tissue oxygen saturation. Inimaging PPG (iPPG) the pulsesignals at each pixel of thecamera can be used to formmaps of the blood perfusion inlayers of the skin.

Laser Doppler PerfusionImaging (LDPI) can also beused for tissue perfusionmapping. A laser light is incidenton the skin and penetrates to adepth governed by wavelengthand power. The light is scatteredby blood flowing in the tissue,the Doppler shift in the receivedsignal indicates the degree of

pattern from a laser lightilluminating skin to giveinformation on the speed ofblood flow but with theadvantages of higher scanspeeds and higher spatialresolution.

All objects produce infra-red orthermal radiation. This radiationmay be detected using a thermalcamera. In humans, highertemperatures are associated withincreased blood flow. Thereforethermal imaging can be usedindirectly to detect conditionsindicated by abnormal levels ofblood flow such as Raynaud’sphenomenon, tissueinflammation, erythromelalgia,complex regional pain syndrome,and predicting the onset of foottissue problems in patients withdiabetes.

One can tell a lot by looking ata patient’s hands. Incapillaroscopy a microscope isused at the nail fold of the fingerto look for evidence of changesto blood vessel structure(‘morphology’) and which mightpoint to a connective tissuedisease. Capillaroscopy is simplein concept but very powerfulclinically. As well as the bloodvessels, light also enables thestructure of tissue to be seenand abnormalities identified. Inoptical coherence tomography(OCT) infra-red light is used in asimilar way to ultrasound withreflections detected to produce amap of the region of interest. Inthis way, tissue discontinuities,micro-structures and blood

... used to indicate blood vessel abnormalities ...

LIGHT FORDIAGNOSTICS

Many diagnostic applications oflight look close to the skinsurface: measuring blood flow,identifying skin and blood vesselanatomy and investigating thecomposition of tissues. Somekey examples are summarisedbelow.

In photoplethysmography(PPG) an LED and a photodiodeare used at sites such as the earlobe, finger and toe pads. TheLED light, often near infrared, ismodulated by changes in bloodvolume in the skin and acorresponding optical pulse

blood flow present. LDPI isparticularly useful in imagingburn wounds to give theclinician information about burndepth. When a perfusion image,taken in the window of 2-5 daysafter a burn, shows a highdegree of perfusion this isconsistent with good healingpotential of the affected tissue. Afurther application of LDPI is indiagnosis of endothelialdysfunction, an exciting areawhich has great future potentialin medicine. Using a techniquesimilar to laser Doppler, LaserSpeckle Contrast Imaging (LSCI)uses the changes in ‘speckle’


vessel composition can beimaged at very high spatialresolution.

The phrase ‘looking a bit offcolour’ is often used to describesomeone who is ill. This conceptis applied scientifically usingspectrophotometry to measurethe colour of tissue. The skin isilluminated using white light andthe reflectance at differentcolours in the spectrummeasured. One key colour rangein clinical measurements isgreen. This method can be usedto assess tissue oxygensaturation and in particular for

pigment in patches of tissue.UVB wavelength light is used tore-pigment the skin and reducethe appearance of patches.

The use of visible light in blue-light therapy is also well-established. In the treatment ofjaundice, exposure to blue-lightoxidises bilirubin to biliverdin,which is then excreted in bile. Inthe treatment of acne blue-lightactivates the porphyrins withinthe acne bacteria. Theseporphyrins then act to kill thebacteria and relieve the acne.Not to be forgotten, infra-redwavelengths are applied in

photons are detected and theenergy exchange that has takenplace indicates the state of thecell: normal, infected orcancerous. This application isused in areas that can bereached with a laser and via anendoscope, for example the skinand the urinary bladder. A mapof cells in a region of interest isproduced and the nature of cellsand boundaries of tumours maybe defined.

Cerenkov LuminescenceImaging (CLI) is also adeveloping technique with itsfirst use on humansdemonstrated in 2013. In CLIthe ß-emitting radionuclidesused in Positron EmissionTomography (PET) are utilised.When the radionuclide collects inits target organ these ß particlestravel through tissue and causethe emission of CerenkovLuminescence. This can bedetected and is proportional tothe concentration of radionuclidewithin an organ. The use of CLIhas been demonstrated intra-

endoscope, for example skincancer or oral cavity cancers.

Laser surgery is often carriedout to remove cancerous tissueand growths. The laser is a moreeffective cutting implement thanis a traditional scalpel. Laserbeams are high precision andblood is coagulated immediatelyso that bleeding is reduced andthere is less tissue damage,therefore healing times arelower. Lasers may also be usedfor excision of less accessibletumours.

A FINAL WORD ONLIGHT

This article describes thenumerous applications of light inmedicine. When implementingall of these an importantconsideration is the safety ofpatients and members of staff.The health implicationsassociated with excess exposureto UV are well documented, asare the hazards associated withthe use of laser beams. One ofthe most important roles of the

... higher temperatures are associated with increased blood flow ...

... porphyrins then act to kill the bacteria ...

... reduction of re-section and cancer recurrence rates ...

the assessment of tissue viabilityin leg amputation levelassessments.

We can all glow (“fluoresce”)in the dark! By shining light ofspecific colours on our tissue,typically in the UV, it can be re-emitted at slightly longer (“red-shifted”) wavelengths. Knowingthe fluorescence signatures ofdifferent tissues, such ascollagen or haemoglobin, allowsan “optical biopsy” to be made.This fluorescence spectroscopyapproach is largely a researchtechnique with great potentiallooking for a clinical application.

physiotherapy treatment. Infra-red light is applied directly to theinjured part of the body, theradiation acts to heat the areaand improve the circulation tothat area. This increasedcirculation leads to a more rapidhealing process.

Medical lasers of variouswavelengths are usedextensively throughouthealthcare for many applicationsincluding ophthalmology, lasereye surgery, urology,gynaecology and the treatmentof skin lesions.

operatively in the analysis of theremoval of cancerous cells. Thishas implications for cancersurgery, in particular thereduction of re-section andcancer recurrence rates in breastcancer.

Photo Dynamic Therapy (PDT)is one of the most establishedlight based cancer treatments. InPDT the patient is given aphotosensitizing drug which isexcreted from normal cells butremains in cancerous cells. Thepatient is then exposed to thespecific wavelength of lightwhich activates the drug. Thedrug emits active oxygen whichdestroys cancerous cells. Thistreatment is suitable for cancersin areas which can be reachedwith a light source eithersuperficially or using an

Clinical Scientist is to ensure thatall assessment techniques arerigorously tested prior tointroduction, that clinicalprotocols are in place for theuse of such techniques and ofcourse that the light emittingdevices within the healthcareenvironment are safe and fit forpurpose, to ensure optimalpatient treatment

There were two other speakersat the seminar: Professor SirDavid Payne, University ofSouthampton spoke onPhotonics andCommunication; and ProfessorSir Colin Humphreys, Universityof Cambridge, gave apresentation on Light EmittingDiodes. Summaries of their talkswill be published in the nextissue.

LIGHT FOR TREATMENT One of the most well-

established applications of lightfor treatment is UV therapy. UVis used to treat skin conditionssuch as psoriasis, eczema andvitiligo. Psoriasis is caused by thefast growth of skin cells, the UVwavelength penetrates beneaththe skin and slows the growth ofthese skin cells. UV radiationmay also be used to kill thebacteria that infect the plaquesassociated with psoriasis. Vitiligois an autoimmune response inwhich the body destroys the

LIGHT FOR CANCER One of the biggest challenges

facing healthcare today is thediagnosis and treatment ofcancer. The use of light hasbeen applied to this problem inseveral areas, a selection ofthese are discussed here.

Raman Spectroscopy is arapidly developing technique,used to indicate the nature ofcells. A laser light is directed atthe tissue of interest. As the lightinteracts with the tissue cells anenergy exchange takes place –Raman scattering. The scattered


THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OFLIGHT SHEDS LIGHT ON THE‘DARK AGES’

Dr Anne-Maria Brennan

Dr Anne-Maria Brennan isPrincipal Lecturer in Bioscienceand Forensic Biology at LondonSouth Bank University,represents the Foundation forScience, Technology andCivilisation on the Committeeand also Chairs the educationalcharity Curriculum Enrichmentfor the Future

The UNESCO International Year of Light and Light-BasedTechnologies is a multi-faceted celebration of light in itsscientific, technological and cultural context. Central to this hasbeen the recognition of Ibn al-Haytham as the founder of thescience of optics. Dr Anne-Maria Brennan who represents theFoundation for Science, Technology and Civilisation on theParliamentary and Scientific Committee explains why thisannouncement is not only timely but also sends out an importantmessage to policy makers and scientific advisors everywhere.

It’s not every day that you getto celebrate a millennium, but2015 represents the 1000thanniversary of the publication ofKitab al-Manzir (The Book ofOptics). The book was just oneof over 200 written by Ibn al-Haytham which has survivedand has gone on to becomeone of the key works inestablishing the science ofoptics. However, there is moreto the story of its writing thanmeets the eye, and it is for thatreason that the Ibn al-Haythaminitiative has become the focalpoint for the UNESCOInternational Year of Lightcelebrations.

culture of Medieval Europe andhelped to bring about theRenaissance. In 2005 this led tothe formation of its sisterorganisation, the aptly-named1001 Inventions, whichspecialises in global educationalcampaigns and award winningmulti-media productions. In

965 in Basra in present day Iraqand for that reason he issometimes referred to as al-Basri by reference to his origins.Little is known of his early years,however, the city of Baghdadwas less than 300 miles awayand was known for its House ofWisdom (Da al-Hikmah) – a

... Baghdad’s position as an international crossroads ...

2010 it won the Gold Award for

the best educational film at the

Cannes Festival for The Library

of Secrets, a film showcasing

some of the influential figures in

the history of Silk Road science.

world famous centre of learning.The library had been establishedby the Abbasid rulers tocapitalise on Baghdad’s positionas an international crossroadsand was an intellectual powerhouse of the known world.Here, people of manybackgrounds, beliefs andethnicities worked together totranslate documents andsubstantiate the facts withinthem.

We next find the young Al-Haytham working for the Fatimidruler of Egypt, Kalif Al-Hakim, inthe neighbourhood of theUniversity of al-Azhar in Cairo.Al-Hakim was known for hisinterest in astronomy and

... key works establishing the science of optics ...

The Foundation for Science,

Technology and Civilisation

(FSTC) has been researching

and celebrating this history of

science for over 15 years. It has

examined the important

contributions of individuals and

societies along the historic Silk

Road, the trade route from

Europe to the Far East which

impacted on technology and

As a result of this and otherprojects, 1001 Inventions wasinvited to become a UNESCOFounding Partner in theInternational Year of Light, withthe role of spearheading the1001 Inventions and the Worldof Ibn al-Haytham initiative.

Who was al-Haytham and whyis his story so relevant today?Ibn Al-Haytham was born in

International Year of Light logo –UNESCO


various technological advances

and Al-Haytham worked for him

on the age-old problem of the

flooding of the Nile. This

involved predicting and

measuring flooding events whilst

suggesting mechanisms for

regulating them. One possibility

was the construction of a dam

at the site of the present day

Aswan Dam. Like any good

scientific advisor, Al-Haytham

carefully researched the issues

and evaluated his findings and

reached the conclusion that the

scheme would be impracticable.

Legend has it that, in fear of his

life because this was not the

answer his employer wanted to

hear, Al-Haytham feigned

madness and was kept under

house arrest until Al-Hakim’s

death in 1021.

It was during this time that hecarried out experiments andwrote a number of books,including his seminal text on

However, al-Haytham sought toconduct experiments in whichkey aspects were controlled,leading to a fair test that was

paradigm shift in the theory ofvision, as early explanations ofhow we see had been based onthe ‘theory of emanation’,whereby objects were perceivedby the gaze emanating from theeye. Al-Haytham demonstratedthat eyes act like the cameraobscura, with light passingthrough the lens and projectingthe image into the eye.

Al-Haytham is also remarkablefor advancing the idea ofsystematic and methodologicalexperimentation. Early scientific

Not surprisingly, such advancesin scientific thought andtechnique had a massive impactof those who followed him. Hislegacy was recognisedthroughout the medieval worldand many of his works weretranslated into Latin. Followingthe convention of that time evenhis name was Latinised toAlhazen and he was alsohonoured with the titlePtolemaeus Secundus ‘Ptolemythe Second’ in recognition of

investigation had tended to beempirical, relying on the makingof observations andsubsequently drawingconclusions from them.

described this concept writing:

”The duty of the man who

investigates the writings of

scientists, if learning the truth is

his goal, is to make himself an

enemy of all that he reads

and,… attack it from every side.

He should also suspect himself

as he performs his critical

examination of it, so that he

may avoid falling onto either

prejudice or leniency.” For this

reason he is frequently referred

to as being the first true

scientist.

example to inspire the scientificcommunity, and young studentsof science in particular, toengage as a global community.There are other valuable lessonsin the story of Ibn Al-Haytham.Today, the word Basra conjuresup images of war and instabilityyet scientific heritage shows thatthis was not always the case. Inthis way it provides a positiverole model of a young scientistwho, as a citizen of the world,challenged adversity in hiscontinued pursuit of knowledge.

In declaring al-Haythamfounder of modern optics andlaunching a campaign in hisname to promote light-sciencefor the benefit for all, UNESCODirector General Irina Bokovanoted that as “a ground-breaking scientist and humanistfrom a thousand years ago, thelife and work of Ibn Al-Haythamhave never been as relevant asthey are today”.

The legacy of al-Haytham isconsiderable. He literally helpedrevolutionise the way we viewthe world, and also influencedthe way we undertake scientific

optics. He most famouslyconstructed a camera obscura –a darkened room in which theoutside world is projectedupside down and back to fronton the wall opposite a smallaperture. This formed the basisof the pinhole camera and alsoenabled al-Haytham to explainthe mechanism of the workingsof the human eye. It marked a

reproducible. In this way he isseen as key in the developmentof what we now know as theScientific Method. He alsoproposed an aspect ofscepticism in scientific enquirywhich has since become knownas ‘falsification’, in whichhypotheses are tested todestruction with the aim ofdiscovering the truth. He

this role as a polymath. His workcontinued to affect the world ofscience long after his death,influencing both Roger Baconand Leonardo Da Vinci as wellas later thinkers such as Galileoand Rene Descartes.

Al-Haytham still serves as anexample of the global reach ofscience. While experimentingwith the camera obscura heused ideas and techniques thatwere known to both AncientGreek and Chinese thinkers ofthe 7th Century. Thisdemonstrated that scientificendeavour is international innature and unifies a seeminglydivided world. Both FSTC and1001 Inventions have used his

research. Similarly, the legend ofal-Haytham’s problem ofspeaking truth to power acts asa powerful parable for policy-makers and their scientificadvisors everywhere. Happily,not all scientific advisors in themedieval world had such atough time. Al-Idrissi, the greatgeographer and cartographerworking in the Norman court ofKing Roger II of Sicily, had amuch better working relationshipwith his employer. When hearrived in court the King, and hiscourtiers, would rise to his feetto greet him! But that’s anotherstory – best left for anInternational Year of geography!

... the mechanism of the workings of the human eye...

... problem of speaking truth to power ...

... recognised throughout the medieval world ...

1001 Inventions


ELI IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

Otakar FojtSenior Adviser, UK Science &Innovation Network, Prague

2015 coincides with manyanniversaries in the history ofthe science of light: the workson optics by Ibn Al-Haytham(1015), Fresnel’s notion of lightas a wave (1815), Maxwell’selectromagnetic theory of lightpropagation (1865), Einstein’sphotoelectric effect theory(1905) and general relativity(1915), and Kao’s invention offibre optics (1965). Thanks tothe UK Science and InnovationNetwork, UK researchers are, in2015, at the forefront of worldleading discoveries in lasertechnologies together with theircolleagues in the CzechRepublic and in other parts ofEmerging Europe.

In 2014, the Czech Republicspent more on science thanever before and the 1.91% ofGDP it spent on R&D is a higherpercentage spend than that ofthe UK. Czechs invested over£2bn of EU Structural funds inR&D, with a focus on topscience opportunities.

The Extreme LightInfrastructure (ELI) project, isone such exciting opportunity.ELI is based in three locations ofEmerging Europe (in the Czech

Republic, Hungary andRomania) with an overall budgetof €920m paid from EUstructural funds and nationalresources. It is the largestscience project in new EUmember states. The aim is tobuild a new generation of thelatest laser equipment, 10 timesmore intense than the bestcurrently available. ELI willprovide ultra-short laser pulsesof a few femtoseconds durationand give performance up to 10PWs. It will enable thedevelopment of new techniquesfor medical image-display anddiagnostics, radiotherapy, toolsfor new materials developing

and testing, novel approaches inX-ray optics, and other industrialapplications.

Since the project’s inception in2009, the UK Science andInnovation Network in the CzechRepublic has built strongrelationships both locally and inHungary and Romania. It hasmaintained contact with UKstakeholders about the potentialboth for research collaborationand specialised R&Dprocurement. Britishcommitment was underlined bythe Prime Minister’s visit to theELI Beamlines facility in Praguein June 2011 with his Czechcounterpart, a nuclear physicist.The PM was impressed by arenewed installation of theBritish Tokamak Compass D inPrague and with the UKparticipation on ELI laser project.

£15.5m contracts for UK companies, another reason to celebrate2015 – the International Year of Light

In 2012, British company Gleedswon a contract for buildingsupervision, and the UKarchitects Bogle won acompetition to design the ELIsite. The Science and InnovationNetwork, working with UKTI,followed up with targeted inwardand outward specialist missions.In 2014, ELI Beamlinesmanagement announced thatUK companies had gained atotal £15.5 million inprocurement contracts. Thelargest contract was to theScience & Technology FacilitiesCouncil‘s Central Laser Facility,for the development anddelivery of two diode-pumped

... new techniques for medical image-displayand diagnostics ...

... nine UK companies won smaller tenders ...

lasers. A further nine UKcompanies won smaller tendersto supply this cutting edgeproject.

In January 2015, the UK STFCCentral Laser Facility (CLF) wasawarded €250k in a successfulStage One Teaming call from the

collaboration and partnership inmany areas of laserdevelopment and our usercommunities have conductedmany successful experimentstogether.”

International collaboration playsa crucial role in thedevelopment of science andtechnology in the UK. It providesUK researchers opportunities towork with the best in the world,to use the best facilities in theworld and to ensure science andinnovation supports UK growththrough international outreach.This is just one example of howthe Science and InnovationNetwork has contributed to thesuccess of UK science andsupported UK growth. Furtherexamples and backgroundinformation on the Science andInnovation Network can befound in the recently publishedSIN Report(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/science-and-innovation-network-report).

EU Horizon 2020. The HiLASElaser facility, an adjacent projectto ELI, will team up with CLF, inthe development of the “nextgeneration” laser technologybased on diode pumping withsignificant future commercialopportunities for the UK.Professor John Collier, Directorof CLF, said “Selection of ourStage One proposal is excellentnews. CLF and the Institute ofPhysics in Prague have a longand highly productive history of

References

ELI-ERIC – Consortium page -http://www.eli-beams.eu/old/evropsky-projekt/eric/

ELI-beamlines – Czech Republic webpage - http://www.eli-beams.eu/

ELI-attosecond – Hungary web page -http://www.eli-hu.hu/?q=en

ELI – Nuclear physics – Romania webpage - http://www.eli-np.ro/

2015 International Year of Light -http://www.light2015.org/Home.html

Bogle architects - http://www.boglearchitects.com/

Laser innovations - http://laserfest.org/lasers/innovations.cfm


DEMENTIA HAS NO BORDERS:Science and Innovation Networksupports the global dementia campaignSara Cebrian (SIN Madrid); Alison MacEwen (SIN Paris); Dr John Preece (SIN Toronto); Dr Mario Rivero-Huguet (SIN Montreal)

Dementia is a high priority forthe UK. The DementiaChallenge was launched in2012 by Prime Minister DavidCameron to respond to what isone of the most importantissues of the twenty first century.“One of the greatest challengesof our time is what I’d call thequiet crisis, one that steals livesand tears at the hearts offamilies, but that relative to itsimpact is hardly acknowledged.We’ve got to treat this like thenational crisis it is. We need anall-out fight-back against thisdisease; one that cuts acrosssociety”. The Foreign Secretaryidentified the Global Scienceand Innovation Network as theFCO’s primary instrument tobuild international contactnetworks and promote theDementia Challenge worldwide.

UK SCIENCE ANDINNOVATION NETWORKACTIVITIES

As a challenge which requiresinnovation, collaboration andnew approaches to overcomesocial and economic obstacles,the Science and InnovationNetwork was well placed tosupport the UK’s globalleadership on the dementiacampaign. This took the form ofseveral activities:

• a series of G7 Young LeadersAddress Dementia workshops

• a SIN-UKTI conference on theDementia Challenge in Madrid

• a SIN UKTI Dementia Forum inLisbon

• a dementia hackathon inToronto.

YOUNG LEADERSADDRESS DEMENTIA

In support of the UK G8Dementia Summit, the Scienceand Innovation Network inCanada, France, Japan and theUS hosted a series of youngleaders workshops in parallelwith the Global Action AgainstDementia (GAAD) LegacyEvents – aimed at engagingyoung G7 and EU experts. Theworkshops brought togetherover 120 future leaders in thefield, nominated by G7governments, patientorganisations, research agenciesand NGOs.

The aim of the workshops wasto develop innovative ideas toinform the work of the WorldDementia Council, on its prioritythemes of care, cure researchand awareness. Therecommendations were

consolidated in a declarationand a longer communiqué,hosted on UK Department ofHealth’s Dementia Challengewebsite and included in theGAAD progress report. TheYoung Leaders’ network signed anumber of commitments in theGlobal Dementia Framework.Key areas for considerationincluded a focus on preventivemeasures (lifestyle), a need toeducate young professionals,and to create a commonlanguage for all sectors tofacilitate collaboration, andincrease public awareness tobenefit individuals living withdementia.

Six delegates from theworkshops attended the FirstWHO Ministerial Conference onGlobal Action Against Dementia.The Young Leaders met the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt to discusstheir actions and thank him forleading the global initiative. Theconference gave the YoungLeaders the opportunity to meetwith world experts and decision-makers from over 80 countriesand promote this network as akey player in addressing thechallenge of dementia. Duringthe WHO conference theyjoined the World DementiaCouncil meeting to present theirrecommendations and fourgoals:

• Create a dementia challengeprize to encourage innovative,multidisciplinary and crosssector collaboration;

• Launch a competition todevelop an identifiabledementia-friendly symbol forproducts and services;

• Expand the dementia friendscampaign; as well as

• Increase the use of mobiletechnologies to support anintegrated health and socialcare system at home.

These raised awareness of theUK G8 Dementia Summit andits Legacy, and created anetwork of G7 and Europeanyoung leaders who will continueto make a contribution to thework of the UK-initiated WorldDementia Council as its prioritiesmove forward.

DEMENTIA POLICYEVENTS IN MADRIDAND LISBON

In order to support thepromotion of the UK dementiachallenge and collaborationbeyond the G7, SIN Spainorganised a conference focusedon research and commercialopportunities. Outcomes of thisevent included Spanishcompany Araclon Biotechinvesting £200k in the MedicalResearch Dementias Platform(DPUK), with associatedcollaboration including access toDPUK research resources anddata as a basis for futurecollaboration.

The UK company, IXICO,signed a research collaborationagreement with the SpanishR&D centre CITA and acommercial agreement with theSpanish imaging servicescompany Grupo Eresa, both onearly diagnosis. As a direct resultof the conference the Consularnetwork and UKTI Spain, incollaboration with BUPA, Tunstalland I-Spy organised an eventaddressing the needs of ageingBritish nationals living in Spain.

The Portuguese healthauthorities organised a


conference to discuss and buildthe new Portuguese NationalMental Health Plan, and the UKwas invited to present theDementia Challenge. Someresearch and commercialoutcomes were also identified:the British company IXICO andS24, their Portuguese partner,presented their partnership andthe pilot project to be launchedin Portugal for IXICO’s Assessatechnology. They will worktogether and also developfurther R&D.

DEMENTIAHACKLed out of Toronto, this event

brought together software

engineers, clinicians and peopleliving with dementia to exploreand create technologicalsolutions for self- andcommunity management. Ifsomeone living with dementiacould use an app or device toself-manage, then (s)he wouldbe able to live moreindependently for longer,reducing the strain on relatives,finances and the healthcaresystem.

SIN in collaboration withHackerNest ran a hackathon (anevent where solutions have tobe designed, coded anddemonstrated within 24 hours)

to tap into local tech creativity,attracting around 175 peopleand producing 16 productpitches. The overall winner wasa Web-based management toolcalled CareUmbrella whichintegrated NFC tags and mobiledevices to play a video from afamily member explaining howto use an appliance when aphone was placed near theappliance. CareUmbrella tookhome four years ofhosting/support from eventsponsor Linode and a businessdevelopment trip to the UK forthe UK HealthTech conference.They agreed a partnership with

UK-based GX Group to developtheir contactless technology(creating a UK entity in theprocess) and met partners whomay be interested in trialling thetechnology.

CONCLUSION REMARKSThe Science and Innovation

Network contributed to deliveryof the Dementia Challenge. Thismodel of a global thematiccampaign to support andpromote a priority issue for theUK, through science andinnovation, will be continued thisyear to support other subjectareas including Milan Expo, anti-microbial resistance and the lowcarbon economy.

FACTS:• Today, more than 47 million

people worldwide havedementia;

• A new case is diagnosed everyfour seconds;

• In 2010, the total cost ofdementia care was US$ 604billion, equivalent to 1% globalGDP;

• By 2030, the minimum cost ofcaring for people withdementia worldwide isestimated at US$ 1.2 trillion

PARLIAMENTARY OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (POST)

RECENT POST PUBLICATIONS Value Based Assessment of Drugs

January 2015 POSTnote 487

In 2010, the Government proposed movingtowards a broader value-based system forassessing and pricing branded drugs. Such anapproach aims to ensure that the price the NHSpays for a medicine better reflects its benefits.This outlines recent proposals to change thecurrent assessment methods.

The Darknet and Online Anonymity

March 2015 POSTnote 488

A small proportion of websites use sophisticatedanonymity systems, which allow their operatorsto conceal their identity. This part of the web iscommonly referred to as the darknet. Thedarknet helps citizens to protect their securityand privacy and to circumvent censorship. It alsofacilitates organised crime, such as the billiondollar drug market known as Silk Road. Thisdiscusses the challenge of preventing suchcrimes without compromising other uses ofanonymity technologies.


Vegetative and Minimally Conscious States


Medical advances mean that increasing numbers of people survivetrauma, stroke, periods of low oxygenation and severe braininfections. Some, however, are left with substantially reducedconsciousness for months to years. This discusses the medical,legal and ethical challenges associated with the care of patients invegetative and minimally conscious states.

Biodiversity Auditing


Biodiversity supports the ecosystem services on which we rely forwell-being and economic resources. Areas that have had an auditcan make more effective use of ecological data to meet planningand conservation objectives. This POSTnote summarises the datasources used and the advantages of the audit approach foraddressing biodiversity loss.

Measuring Living Standards


Living Standards (LS) refer to households’ level of access to goods,services and recreational activities. Assessments of LS vary in howthey set the thresholds that define a certain standard of living andhow they measure who achieves these thresholds. This POSTnoteoutlines different approaches to setting and measuring thresholdsand their strengths and limitations. It also summarises research onrecent trends in living standards and the key factors that influencethem.

Energy Storage

April 2015 POSTnote 492

The Government lists energy storage as one of eight greattechnologies in which the UK can become a world leader. Thisbriefing outlines the roles of energy storage in the electricity, heatand transport sectors and describes the technologies used fromthe household level up. It also discusses current barriers andpolicies for energy storage and potential future uptake.

CURRENT WORK Biological Sciences – Sugar and Health, Minimum Age of CriminalResponsibility, Health of Military Personnel, Anti-Ebola Treatments,Regulating Synthetic Biology, Trends in Crime and Justice, ForensicLinguistics, Cognitive Biases in Court, 100,000 Genomes.

Environment and Energy – Novel Food Production Technologies,Herbicide Resistance, Soils, Ecosystem Services & Food Security,Managing the UK Plutonium Stockpile, Offshore Mining, Trends inthe Environment, Future of Natural Gas, Precision Agriculture,Trends in Transport.

Physical sciences and IT – Broadband Internet Access, CommercialSpace Activities, Trends in ICT, Automation in Military Operations.

Social Sciences – Trends in Politics and Democracy, Trends inEducation.

CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS Reducing Greenhouse-Gas Emissions from Crops

On January 20th, POST hosted a working breakfast for MPs, Peersand their staff on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from crops.This briefing event brought together six experts in the field of

agriculture and emissions mitigation who spoke to the subjectbefore answering questions. The seminar was chaired by LordCameron of Dillington. The speakers included: Professor MalcolmBennett, Professor of Plant Sciences in the Plant and CropSciences Division, University of Nottingham; Professor SimonBlackmore, Head of Engineering and specialist in precisionagriculture, Harper Adams University; Professor Dave Reay,Assistant Principal and Chair in Carbon Management & Education,University of Edinburgh; Mr Laurence Smith, Senior SustainabilityResearcher, Organic Research Centre at Elm Farm and member ofthe Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Inventory Research Platform; DrLuke Spadavecchia, Agricultural Greenhouse-Gas R&D PlatformCoordinator, Defra; and, Mr John Williams, Principal ResearchScientist, ADAS UK Ltd and Work Package Leader for the UK’sAgricultural Greenhouse Gas Inventory Research Platform.

GM Insects and Disease Control

On 10th February, POST hosted a working breakfast for MPs, Peersand their staff to discuss the science and resulting policy issuesrelating to the subject of controlling disease with GM insects in anintimate and informal session. This briefing event brought togethereight experts who spoke on the subject before answeringquestions. It was chaired by Lord Naren Patel. The speakersincluded: Professor Andrea Crisanti, Professor of MolecularParasitology, Division of Cell and Molecular Biology, ImperialCollege London; Professor Luke Alphey, Head of ArthropodGenetics Group, The Pirbright Institute; Professor John Pickett,Rothamsted Research; Professor Paulo Paes Andrade, Departmentof Genetics, Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil; ProfessorJohn Mumford, Professor of Natural Resource Management,Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London; Dr JohnMarshall, Medical Research Council Research Fellow, Faculty ofMedicine, School of Public Health, Imperial College London;Professor Mike Bonsall, Professor of Mathematical Biology,Department of Zoology, University of Oxford; and, ProfessorAndrew Stirling, Professor of Science and Technology PolicyResearch Unit, University of Sussex.

Coping with a Large Nuclear Accident

On 11th March, in conjunction with the All Party ParliamentaryNuclear Energy Group, POST hosted a seminar on strategies tomitigate the effects of a large nuclear accident. Chernobyl (1986)and Fukushima Daiichi (2011) showed that nuclear accidents canoccur, even if they are very rare. This event was chaired by IanLiddell-Grainger. A multi-university team of academics led byProfessor Philip Thomas, City University London, presented workfrom its Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Councilfunded project.

STAFF, FELLOWS AND INTERNS AT POSTFellows

Beth Brockett, University of Lancaster, British Ecological Society

Lindsay Walker, University of Exeter, Natural Environment ResearchCouncil.

Stephanie Osborne, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, NaturalEnvironment Research Council

Claire Mawditt, Epidemiology and Public Health, University CollegeLondon, Economic and Social Research Council

Samuel Murison, Social Science, Health and Medicine, King'sCollege London, Masters intern


Daniel Slade, Geography and Planning, University of Liverpool,Economic and Social Research Council

Elo Luik, Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology, University ofOxford, Economic and Social Research Council

Claire Louise Carter, Science Policy Research Unit, University ofSussex, Economic and Social Research Council

David Neale, Faculty of Education, University of Cambridge,Economic and Social Research Council

Wybo Wiersma, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford,Economic and Social Research Council

Leila Jameel, Department of Experimental Biology, UniversityCollege London, Economic and Social Research Council

Sarah Foxen, Department of Modern Languages, University ofExeter, Arts and Humanities Research Council

Sophie Stammers, Department of Philosophy, King’s CollegeLondon, Arts and Humanities Research Council

Ruth Nottingham, University of Nottingham, Biotechnology andBiological Sciences Research Council

Lorna Christie, University of Glasgow, Engineering and PhysicalSciences Research Council

Harry Beeson, University of Cambridge, Engineering and PhysicalSciences Research Council

Karla-Luise Herpoldt, Imperial College London, Royal Society ofChemistry

INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIESOn 13th February, POST collaborated with the US GovernmentAccountability Office to host a presentation and panel discussion,Big Data: Challenges and Social Impacts, at the AAAS AnnualMeeting in San Jose, USA. The panel comprised Timothy MPersons from the US Government Accountability Office, ClaireCraig from the UK Government Office for Science, Dave Feinleibof The Big Data Group, George Poste from Arizona StateUniversity, Edward You from the US Federal Bureau ofInvestigation, and Piyushimita Thakuriah from the University ofGlasgow. This wide-ranging discussion looked at how society’simproved ability to collect, store, and analyse information, iscreating significant opportunities across healthcare, transport,business and numerous other sectors, while raising importantchallenges in areas such as privacy, security and governance.

On 17th February, Dr Aaron Goater presented at a meeting of thePACITA project in Lisbon. A proposal to establish a newParliamentary Office of Science and Technology within thePortuguese Parliament was discussed with Portuguese MPs.

On 25th-27th February, Dr Lydia Harriss, Dr Caroline Kenny and DrJonathan Wentworth attended a PACITA conference on ‘The NextHorizon of Technology Assessment’ in Berlin to speak at and chairsessions with colleagues from the European ParliamentaryTechnology Assessment network. These included sessions onGovernance of Big Data and the Role of Technology Assessment,The Role of Research Evidence in Improving ParliamentaryDemocracy and Horizon Scanning: Giving Policymakers the LongView. Proceedings of the Conference will be published shortly.

HOUSE OF COMMONS SELECTCOMMITTEE ON SCIENCE ANDTECHNOLOGYThe Science and Technology Committee scrutinises the expenditure, administration and policy of theGovernment Office for Science, a semi-autonomous organisation based within the Department for Business,Innovation and Skills.

At the Dissolution of Parliament the Members of the Science and Technology Committee were:

Dan Byles (Conservative, North Warwickshire), Jim Dowd (Labour, Lewisham West and Penge), David Heath(Liberal Democrat, Somerton and Frome), Stephen Metcalfe (Conservative, South Basildon and East Thurrock),Andrew Miller (Labour, Ellesmere Port and Neston), Stephen Mosley (Conservative, City of Chester), PamelaNash (Labour, Airdrie and Shotts), Sarah Newton (Conservative, Truro and Falmouth), Graham Stringer (Labour,Blackley and Broughton) and David Tredinnick (Bosworth). Andrew Miller was elected by the House ofCommons to be the Chair of the Committee on 9 June 2010.

ORAL EVIDENCEThe transcripts of these evidence sessions areavailable on the Science and TechnologyCommittee’s website.

On 21 January 2015, the Committee held asession on the Science and Innovation Strategywith Greg Clark MP, Minister of State forUniversities, Science and Cities, Cabinet Office andDepartment for Business, Innovation and Skills,Professor Sir Mark Walport, Government Chief

Scientific Adviser, Government Office for Science.This session provided the opportunity to discussthe Government’s recent science and innovationstrategy. It allowed the Committee to explore whatthe Government expects the strategy to deliver,what the timescales on those deliverables mightbe, what is new in the strategy and what simplyconsolidates previous policy decisions and whatmight be missing from it.

On 25 February 2015, the Committee held asession on The future of the Food and


Environment Research Agency with Chris Sellers, ExecutiveDirector, Capita, Dr Dan Heard, Market Director (Science), Capita,Professor Robert Edwards, Head of the School of Agriculture, Foodand Rural Development, Newcastle University; Lord de Mauley,Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Natural Environmentand Science, Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.The session followed the Government’s announcement on 11February 2015, that Capita and Newcastle University had beenselected to form a joint venture with the Food and EnvironmentResearch Agency (FERA), this session examined the future ofFERA and how the Agency’s scientific capabilities will besafeguarded.

CURRENT INQUIRIESIf re-established in the new Parliament, the Committee will decideupon a programme of inquiries.

REPORTSAdvanced genetic techniques for crop improvement:regulation, risk and precaution

On 26 February 2015, the Committee published its Fifth Report ofSession 2014-15, Advanced genetic techniques for cropimprovement: regulation, risk and precaution, HC 328.

Pre-appointment hearing with the Government's preferredcandidate for Chair of the Biotechnology and BiologicalSciences Research Council (BBSRC)

On 3 March 2015, the Committee published its Eighth Report ofSession 2014-15, Pre-appointment hearing with theGovernment's preferred candidate for Chair of the Biotechnologyand Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), HC 1087.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

On 4 March 2015, the Committee published its Seventh Report ofSession 2014-15, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, HC 866.

Current and future uses of biometric data and technologies

On 7 March 2015, the Committee published its Sixth Report ofSession 2014-15, Current and future uses of biometric data andtechnologies, HC 734.

Legacy-Parliament 2010-15

On 18 March 2015, the Committee published its Ninth Report ofSession 2014-15, Legacy-Parliament 2010-15, HC 758.

GOVERNMENT RESPONSESNational health screening

On 29 January 2015, the Department of Health published theGovernment Response to the Committee’s report on Nationalhealth screening, Cm 8999.

Responsible Use of Data

On 5 March 2015, the Committee published the Government’sResponse to its Report on Responsible Use of Data, HC 1086.

Responses to Reports not received by the time of Dissolution areexpected to be published by Command Paper, or by SpecialReport after the election.

FURTHER INFORMATIONFurther information about the Science and Technology Committeeor its current inquiries can be obtained from the Clerk of theCommittee, Stephen McGinness, or from the Senior CommitteeAssistant, Darren Hackett, on 020 7219 2792/2793 respectively;or by writing to: The Clerk of the Committee, Science andTechnology Committee, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA.Enquiries can also be e-mailed to [email protected] wishing to be included on the Committee’s mailing listshould contact the staff of the Committee. Anyone wishing tosubmit evidence to the Committee is recommended to obtain acopy of the guidance note at www.parliament.uk/commons/selcom/witguide.htm. The Committee has a website,www.parliament.uk/science, where all recent publications, terms ofreference for all inquiries and press notices are available.

HOUSE OF LORDS SCIENCE ANDTECHNOLOGY SELECT COMMITTEEThe members of the Committee, who served on the Committee for the 2014-15 session, were: Lord Dixon-Smith,Baroness Hilton of Eggardon, Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield, Lord O’Neill of Clackmannan, Baroness Manningham-Buller, Lord Patel, Lord Peston, Lord Rees of Ludlow, Viscount Ridley, the Earl of Selborne (Chairman), Baroness Sharpof Guildford, Lord Wade of Chorlton, Lord Willis of Knaresborough and Lord Winston. At the dissolution of Parliamenton 30 March 2015, the Committee ceased to exist until the start of the new Parliament. The rotation rule means thatnine Members are no longer eligible to serve.

Resilience of Electricity Infrastructure

In July 2014, the Committee launched aninquiry into the resilience of electricityinfrastructure. The inquiry focused on theresilience of the UK’s electricity infrastructure topeaks in demand and sudden shocks. It wasinterested in the resilience of the system both inthe short term (to 2020) and in the mediumterm (to 2030) as electricity generation is

decarbonised. Oral evidence concluded inJanuary 2015. The Committee reported on 12March 2015. A Government response will bepublished in the new Parliament.

2025: Priorities for Scientific Research

In July 2014, the Committee conducted aninquiry into the challenges that theGovernment’s Science and Innovation Strategyshould tackle and the UK’s priorities for scientific


research. No report was produced, but evidence was taken andtranscripts were published.

Behaviour Change

In May and June 2014, the Committee took evidence fromwitnesses to follow up on its 2011 report into behaviour change,and assess what progress has been made in this area. This focusedon the two behaviour change case studies that the Committee hadinvestigated in its original inquiry: modal shift in transport andobesity. The Committee wrote to the Minister for Government Policy,Rt Hon Oliver Letwin MP, making a number of observations andposing a series of questions. It received a reply.

International STEM students

In January 2014, the Committee launched a follow up inquiry to its2012 report on higher education in science, technology, engineering

and mathematics (STEM) subjects. The inquiry focused on the effecton international STEM students of immigration policy. Manysubmissions were received, seven oral evidence sessions were held,and a report published on 11 April 2014. A Government responsewas received in July. A debate was held on 19 March 2015.

FURTHER INFORMATIONThe reports, Government responses, written and oral evidence tothe Committee’s inquiries mentioned above, as well as the Calls forEvidence and other documents can be found on the Committee’swebsite. Further information about the work of the Committee canbe obtained from Chris Clarke, Committee Clerk,[email protected] or 020 7219 4963. The Committee Officeemail address is [email protected].

HOUSE OF COMMONS LIBRARYSCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTSECTION

Scientists and other staff in theScience and Environment Sectionprovide confidential, bespokebriefing to Members and theiroffices on a daily basis. They alsoprovide support to CommonsSelect Committees, and producelonger notes and research paperswhich can be accessed on line athttp://www.parliament.uk/topics/topical-issues.htm

Summaries of recently updatedbriefings are opposite.

For further information contact: Sarah Hartwell-NaguibHead of Section Tel: 020 7219 1665email:[email protected]

RECENT PUBLICATIONSMitochondrial Donation22nd October 2014 | SN06833

New mitochondrial donation techniques couldprovide an option for women with mitochondrialDNA mutations to enable them to give birth tohealthy children. They involve using donormitochondria in an in vitro fertilisation (IVF)treatment.

This provides a summary of the role ofmitochondria, mitochondrial disease and theproposed new techniques. It also providesinformation on the reviews and consultations. Themain safety and ethical considerations associatedwith the introduction of mitochondrial donationinto clinical practice are discussed. Summaries ofrecent Parliamentary debates and a House ofCommons Science and Technology SelectCommittee one off session are included.

The Parliamentary Office of Science andTechnology has provided two annexes. Theyprovide further information on other mitochondrialtransfer methods and mitochondrial matching.

Shale Gas and Fracking5th February 2015 | SN06073

Drilling for shale gas is at the exploratory phase inthe UK. In North America, the rapid developmentof shale gas resources has transformed the worldgas market.

The consensus seems to be that shale gas willnot be a ‘game changer’ here. There is less landavailable on which to drill, and landowners do notown the rights to hydrocarbons beneath their

land. However, in June 2013 Centrica acquired a25% stake in Cuadrilla’s exploration licence inLancashire, and the Government and BritishGeological Survey published raised estimates ofthe shale gas resource in Northern England. TheGovernment is also consulting on legislation tointroduce tax incentives for shale gas exploration,and has announced community financial benefits.

Provisions relating to the underground accessregime were included in the Infrastructure Act2015. Separate briefings are available on thedetail of the Infrastructure Bill.

Religious Slaughter of Animals19th February 2015 | SN07108

There has been a recent growth in public andparliamentary focus on methods used for religiousslaughter. This includes welfare concerns aboutwhether animals are stunned before slaughter,and which food outlets are serving halal meat as amatter of course to all customers, as well aswhether all meat prepared by halal and koshamethods is being labelled.

This provides information on slaughter regulationswhich set minimum welfare standards atslaughter. These require all animals to be stunnedbefore slaughter to minimise their suffering.Member States may exempt slaughter inaccordance with religious beliefs from the pre-stunning requirement and the UK implements thisderogation.

It details the Government position and the debatearound the scientific evidence on slaughter andanimal welfare.


Fixed Broadband: Policy and Speeds3rd March 2015 | SN06643

This describes current broadband access and coverage, and providesthe Government’s broadband policy. It focuses on the delivery ofbroadband targets and funding in England. The devolvedadministrations have their own delivery programmes.

It also contains data on broadband speeds and superfast availabilityby region, and by parliamentary constituency, including maps.

The Government’s ambition is to provide everyone in the UK withaccess to broadband with a download speed of at least 2 megabitsper second (Mbps) and to provide 95% of the UK with broadbandspeeds of at least 24 Mb/s (‘next-generation access’) by 2017.

Litter17th March 2015 | SN06984

Local authorities in England and Wales spend almost £1 billion peryear clearing up litter, but the cost of litter goes beyond the cost ofclearing it up. There are implications for health, the environment andtourism.

This outlines the cost of litter, relevant legislation and penalties forthe offence of littering, forthcoming legislation and how to combatlitter.

Planning Reform proposals17th March 2015 | SN06418

Since the Coalition Agreement, major reforms to the planningsystem have taken place with the introduction of the Localism Act2011 and the National Planning Policy Framework. Changes havealso been made in the Growth and Infrastructure Act 2013, aimedat speeding up the planning system.

The Infrastructure Act 2015 gained Royal Assent on 12th February2015 and contains changes to making and modifying developmentconsent orders for nationally significant infrastructure projects. It alsoprovides the basis of a new system for deemed discharge ofplanning conditions. Further information is set out in the Librarystandard note, Infrastructure Bill: Planning Provisions, SN06909.

As well as these Acts a number of other announcements onplanning reform have been made: in Budget 2014, the TechnicalConsultation on Planning July 2014, Consultation: planning andtravellers, September 2014, National Infrastructure Plan 2014 andAutumn Statement 2014, December 2014. Together these include:

• allowing further changes of use to residential use without requiringplanning permission;

• reforming the system of permitted development rights;

• amending the definition of “travellers” for planning purposes;

• proposals to get more brownfield land back into use;

• steps to speed up section 106 negotiations; and

• proposed reform of the compulsory purchase regime.

Most of the proposals would apply only to England.

This provides information about the key planning proposals.

For information about stimulating housing supply see Librarystandard note, “Stimulating housing supply”.

Smoking in Public Places27th March 2015 | SN04414

This note outlines the provisions of the smoking ban in England thatcame into effect in 2007. It includes developments such as the

introduction of regulations in 2015 regarding smoking in privatevehicles.

It is now against the law to smoke in a private vehicle when childrenare present.

ACTIVITIES2015 has led to a flurry of activity leading up to the dissolution ofParliament.

In addition to providing bespoke briefings for MPs, and publishingbriefing papers, the section has prepared debate packs, containingbriefing and supporting press and parliamentary material, for debateson: Energy; Contaminated blood; North sea oil and gas industryemployment; Financial support available for restoration of opencastcoal sites; Compensation for victims of badly installed cavity wallinsulation; Dairy industry; Effect of national infrastructure projects onlocal redevelopment; Pubs and planning legislation; E-petitionrelating to ending non-stun slaughter to promote animal welfare;Epilepsy; Low carbon electricity generation; Harvey's law; CountyDurham plan; Management and delivery of broadband; Planningand the national planning policy framework; and Reform of theVaccine Damage Payment Act.

The Science and Environment Section was pleased to have one ofits Research Papers shortlisted for the EU Commission’s CommonAgricultural Policy (CAP) Communication Awards 2014 in the“Communication to stakeholders” category. The paper, CAP reform2014-2020; EU Agreement and Implementation in the UK and inIreland (updated) was prepared by the Commons agriculturespecialist, Emma Downing, and the agriculture specialists in theDevolved Administrations’ and Irish (Oireachtas) research services.

The team was not selected as finalists, but were invited to Brusselsby the Commission to attend a conference on communicating theCAP. The awards were presented by Agriculture Commissioner PhilHogan. The project summary and impact can be viewed at:http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/cap-communication-network/best-practices/index_en.htm#project_23

Five Library Clerks from the Science Section spent two days at theScottish Parliament catching up with their opposite numbers andjoining some of their training talks from speakers including JasonLeitch, Clinical Director at the Scottish Government. This was anexcellent opportunity to share knowledge as well as current workingpractices.

Dr David Hirst coordinated training for Montenegrin Parliamentresearchers as part of a British Embassy funded project led byDeFacto Consultancy entitled: “Strengthening capacities ofParliament’s administration to prepare and evaluate public policiesbased on data analysis”. He also spoke at a public conferenceentitled: Making data available for the purpose of creating publicpolicies in Montenegro, where I spoke about “Sciencecommunication for non-experts: Using data in the UK Parliament. ”

David Hough visited the EU Parliament where he attended sessionsby the UK National Parliament Representatives to the EU, theDirector-General of the European Parliament Research Service andmet specialists dealing with climate change and energy.

The Section has made contributions to the Library publication: KeyIssues for the Parliament which will be published in hard copy andonline shortly after the election.


SCIENCE DIRECTORY

Economic andSocial ResearchCouncilContact: Jacky Clake, Head of Communications,Economic and Social Research Council,Polaris House, North Star Avenue,Swindon SN2 1UJTel: 01793 413117E-mail: [email protected]: www.esrc.ac.uk

The ESRC is the UK’s largest organisation forfunding research on economic and social issues andis committed to supporting the very best researchwith wide-ranging impact. Social sciencecontributes to greater knowledge andunderstanding of the many challenges our societyfaces today and by ensuring that ESRC-fundedresearch makes the biggest possible impact, ourresearch shapes public policies and makes business,voluntary bodies and other organisations moreeffective, as well as shaping wider society. We alsodevelop and train the UK’s future social scientists.

Biotechnologyand BiologicalSciences Research Council(BBSRC)Contact: Matt GoodeAssociate Director, Communications &External RelationsBBSRC, Polaris House, North Star AvenueSwindon SN2 1UH. Tel: 01793 413299E-mail: [email protected]: www.bbsrc.ac.uk

BBSRC invests in world-class bioscience research,innovation and training on behalf of the UK public.Our aim is to further scientific knowledge topromote economic growth, wealth and job creationand to improve quality of life in the UK and beyond.BBSRC research is helping society to meet majorchallenges, including food security, green energyand healthier lifespans and underpins important UKeconomic sectors, such as farming, food, industrialbiotechnology and pharmaceuticals.

Contact: Sarah Crew, Parliamentary Relations Manager, EPSRC, Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon SN2 1ETTel: 01793 444570E-mail: [email protected]:www.epsrc.ac.uk

EPSRC is the UK’s main agency for funding researchand training in engineering and physical sciences,investing around £800m a year in research andpostgraduate training, to help the nation handle thenext generation of technological change.

The areas covered range from informationtechnology to structural engineering, andmathematics to materials science. This researchforms the basis for future economic development inthe UK and improvements for everyone’s health,lifestyle and culture. EPSRC works alongside otherResearch Councils with responsibility for other areasof research.

MedicalResearchCouncilContact: Sophie Broster-JamesPublic Affairs ManagerOne Kemble Street, London WC2B 4AN.Tel: 020 7395 2275E-mail: [email protected]: www.mrc.ac.uk

Over the past century, the MRC has been at the forefrontof scientific discovery to improve human health. Foundedin 1913 to tackle tuberculosis, the MRC now investstaxpayers’ money in the highest quality medical researchacross every area of health. Thirty-one MRC-fundedresearchers have won Nobel prizes in a wide range ofdisciplines, and MRC scientists have been behind suchdiverse discoveries as vitamins, the structure of DNA andthe link between smoking and cancer, as well asachievements such as pioneering the use of randomisedcontrolled trials, the invention of MRI scanning, and thedevelopment of therapeutic antibodies. We also workclosely with the UK’s Health Departments, the NHS,medical research charities and industry to ensure ourresearch achieves maximum impact as well as being ofexcellent scientific quality.

NaturalEnvironmentResearch CouncilContact: Jane McKenzieProcess Manager (Government &Parliament Communications)NERC, Polaris House, North Star Avenue,Swindon, SN2 1EUTel: 01793 411742Email: [email protected]: www.nerc.ac.uk

NERC is the UK’s leading public funder of environmentalscience. We invest £330 million each year in cutting-edgeresearch, postgraduate training and innovation inuniversities and research centres.Our scientists study the physical, chemical and biologicalprocesses on which our planet and life itself depends –from pole to pole, from the deep Earth and oceans to theatmosphere and space.We partner with business, government, the public and thewider research community to shape the environmentalresearch and innovation agenda. Our science providesknowledge, skills and technology that deliver sustainableeconomic growth and public wellbeing.

Contact: Natalie BealingHead of Stakeholder EngagementSTFC Rutherford Appleton LaboratoryHarwell Campus, Didcot OX11 0QXTel: 01235 445484 E-mail: [email protected]

The Science and Technology Facilities Council is oneof Europe’s largest multidisciplinary researchorganisations undertaking and supporting a broadrange of research across the physical, life andcomputational sciences. We operate world class,large-scale research facilities in the UK and Europeand provide strategic advice to the UK Governmenton their development. We partner in two of the UK’sScience and Innovation Campuses. We also manageinternational research projects in support of a broadcross-section of the UK research community,particularly in the fields of astronomy, nuclear physicsand particle physics.

Research Councils UKContact: Alexandra SaxonHead of RCUK Strategy Unit Research Councils UKPolaris HouseNorth Star AvenueSwindon SN2 1ET

Tel: 01793 444592E-mail: [email protected]: www.rcuk.ac.uk

Each year the Research Councils invest around £3 billion in research covering the full spectrum of academicdisciplines from the medical and biological sciences to astronomy, physics, chemistry and engineering, socialsciences, economics, environmental sciences and the arts and humanities.

Research Councils UK is the strategic partnerships of the seven Research Councils. It aims to:

• increase the collective visibility, leadership and influence of the Research Councils for the benefit of theUK;

• lead in shaping the overall portfolio of research funded by the Research Councils to maximise theexcellence and impact of UK research, and help to ensure that the UK gets the best value for money fromits investment;

• ensure joined-up operations between the Research Councils to achieve its goals and improve services tothe communities it sponsors and works with.

Contact: Jonathan BrüünChief ExecutiveBritish Pharmacological SocietyThe Schild Plot, 16 Angel Gate, City Road, London EC1V 2PTTel: : 020 7239 0171Fax: 020 7417 0114Email: [email protected]: www.bps.ac.uk

The British Pharmacological Society is the primaryUK learned society concerned with research intodrugs and the way they work. Our 3000+ memberswork in academia, industry, regulatory agencies andthe health services, and many are medicallyqualified. We cover the whole spectrum ofpharmacology, including laboratory, clinical, andtoxicological aspects. Enquiries about the discovery,development and application of drugs arewelcome.

53

Contact: Laura Woodland Head of Membership EngagementBiochemical SocietyCharles Darwin House12 Roger StreetLondon WC1N 2JUTel: 020 7685 2433Email: [email protected]: www.biochemistry.org

The Biochemical Society exists for the advancementof the molecular and cellular biosciences; both asan academic discipline and their impact on areas ofscience including biotechnology, agriculture, andmedicine. We achieve our mission though ourpublications and journals, scientific meetings,educational activities, policy work, awards andgrants to scientists and students. The BiochemicalSociety is the largest discipline-based learnedsociety in the biosciences with 7000 members.

The BritishEcologicalSocietyContact: Ben Connor, Policy OfficerBritish Ecological SocietyCharles Darwin House, 12 Roger Street,London WC1N 2JUEmail: [email protected]: 020 7685 2512 Fax : 020 7685 2501Website: www.BritishEcologicalSociety.orgEcology & Policy Bloghttp://britishecologicalsociety.org/blog/Twitter: @BESPolicy

The British Ecological Society’s mission is to generate,communicate and promote ecological solutions. The Societyhas over 5,000 members worldwide, publishes fiveinternationally renowned scientific journals and organises thelargest scientific meeting for ecologists in Europe. Through itsgrants, the BES supports ecologists in developing countries,public engagement and research. The BES informs andadvises Parliament and Government on ecological issues andis committed to ensuring that policy-makers have access tothe best available evidence. The BES welcomes requests forassistance from parliamentarians.

AMPS

Contact:Tony Harding07895 162 896 for all queries whether formembership or assistance.Branch Office Address:Merchant Quay,Salford Quays,SalfordM50 3SG.

Website: www.amps-tradeunion.com

We are a Trades Union for Management andProfessional Staff working in the pharmaceutical,chemical and allied industries.

We also have a section for Professional Divers workingglobally. We represent a broad base of both office andfield based staff and use our influence to improveworking conditions on behalf of our members.

We are experts in performance based and field relatedissues and are affiliated to our counterparts in EUProfessional Management Unions.

BritishNutritionFoundationContact: Professor Judy Buttriss,Director GeneralImperial House 6th Floor15-19 KingswayLondon WC2B 6UNTel: +44(0) 20 7557 7930Email: [email protected]

Websites: www.nutrition.org.ukwww.foodafactoflife.org.uk

The British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), aregistered charity, delivers impartial, authoritativeand evidence-based information on food andnutrition. Its core purpose is to make nutritionscience accessible to all, working with anextensive network of contacts across academia,education and the food chain, and through BNFwork programmes focussing on education inschools and nutrition science communication.

BritishIn VitroDiagnostics Association(BIVDA)Contact: Doris-Ann Williams MBEChief ExecutiveBritish In Vitro Diagnostics AssociationDevonshire House164 – 168 Westminster Bridge RoadLondon SE1 7RW

Tel: 0845 6188224Email: [email protected]

BIVDA is the UK industry association representingcompanies who manufacture and/or distribute thediagnostics tests and equipment to diagnose,monitor and manage disease largely through the NHSpathology services. Increasingly diagnostics are usedoutside the laboratory in community settings and alsoto identify those patients who would benefit fromspecific drug treatment particularly for cancer.

SCIENCE DIRECTORYAIRTO

Contact: Professor Richard Brook OBE FREng AIRTO Ltd: Association of InnovationResearch & Technology Organisations Limitedc/o National Physical LaboratoryHampton Road, TeddingtonMiddlesex TW11 0LWTel: 020 8943 6600E-mail: [email protected]: @airtoinnovationWebsite: www.airto.co.uk

AIRTO – Association of Innovation, Research & TechnologyOrganisations – is the foremost membership body for theUK’s innovation, research and technology sector,representing 80% of organisations in the sector.

AIRTO’s members deliver vital innovation and knowledgetransfer services which include applied and collaborativeR&D, (frequently in conjunction with universities),consultancy, technology validation and testing, incubationof commercialisation opportunities and early stagefinancing. AIRTO members have a combined turnover ofover £5.5bn from clients both at home and outside the UK,and employ over 47,000 scientists, technologists andengineers.

Associationof the BritishPharmaceuticalIndustryContact: Audrey YvernaultHead of Policy and Public Affairs7th Floor, Southside, 105 Victoria Street,London SW1E 6QTTel: 020 7747 7136Email: [email protected]: www.abpi.org.uk

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI)represents innovative research-based biopharmaceuticalcompanies, large, medium and small, leading an exciting new eraof biosciences in the UK. Our industry, a major contributor to theeconomy of the UK, brings life-saving and life-enhancingmedicines to patients. Our members are researching anddeveloping over two-thirds of the current medicines pipeline,ensuring that the UK remains at the forefront of helping patientsprevent and overcome diseases. Topics we focus on include:

• All aspects of the research and development of medicinesincluding clinical research and licensing

• Stratified medicine

• Vaccines, biosimilars, small and large molecules, cell therapyand regenerative medicine

Contact: Dr Matt Norton3 Riverside, Granta ParkCambridge, CB21 6ADTel: 01223 824575E-mail: [email protected] Website:http://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/

Alzheimer’s Research UK is the UK’s leadingdementia research charity. Currently, we support132 projects worth over £26.4m and havecommitted over £60m to research since the charitybegan. As research specialists, we fund pioneeringresearch at leading universities across the UK andthe globe with the goal of defeating dementia. Ourexpertise brings together leading dementiascientists to share ideas and understanding. Wework with people with dementia to reflect theirconcerns and firmly believe that science holds thekey to defeating dementia.



SCIENCE DIRECTORY

Mrs Tracey GuiseChief Executive OfficerBritish Society for Antimicrobial ChemotherapyGriffin House | 53 Regent Place | BirminghamB1 3NJwww.bsac.org.uk | www.antibiotic-action.comwww.e-opat.com | www.nas-pps.com|www.appg-on-antibiotics.comwww.bsacsurv.org

The BSAC is an inter-professional organisation with overforty years of experience and achievement in antibioticeducation, research and leadership. The Society has anactive international membership and:

• Is dedicated to saving lives through the effective use anddevelopment of antibiotics, now and in the future.

• Communicates effectively about antibiotics and antibioticusage via workshops, professional guidelines and its ownhigh impact international journal, the Journal ofAntimicrobial Chemotherapy.

• Is home to the UK-led global initiative Antibiotic Action

• Serves as secretariat to the All Party Parliamentary Groupon Antibiotics

TheBritishPsychologicalSocietyContact: Tanja SiggsPolicy Advisor - LegislationThe British Psychological SocietySt Andrews House48 Princess Road EastLeicester LE1 7DRTel: 0116 252 9526Email: [email protected]: www.bps.org.uk

The British Psychological Society is an organisationof 50,000 members governed by Royal Charter. Itmaintains the Register of Chartered Psychologists,publishes books, 11 primary science Journals andorganises conferences. Requests for informationabout psychology and psychologists fromparliamentarians are very welcome.

BrunelUniversityLondonContact: Geoff RodgersBrunel University LondonKingston LaneUxbridge UB8 3PHTel: 01895 265609Fax: 01895 269740E-mail: [email protected]: www.brunel.ac.ukBrunel University London is an international research active universitywith 3 leading research institutes:Institute of Energy Futures: Led by Professor Savvas Tassou, the mainthemes of the Institute are Advanced Engines and Biofuels, EnergyEfficient and Sustainable Technologies, Smart Power Networks, andResource Efficient Future Cities.Institute of Materials and Manufacturing: The main themes of researchare Design for Sustainable Manufacturing, Liquid Metal Engineering,Materials Characterisation and Processing, Micro-Nano Manufacturing,and Structural Integrity. The Institute is led by Professor Luiz Wrobel.Institute of Environment, Health and Societies: Professor SusanJobling leads this pioneering research institute whose themes are Healthand Environment, Healthy Ageing, Health Economics Synthetic Biology,Biomedical Engineering and Healthcare Technologies, and SocialSciences and Health.Brunel University London offers a wide range of expertise andknowledge, and prides itself on having academic excellence at the coreof its offer, and was ranked in the recent REF as 33rd in the UK forResearch Power (average quality rating by number of submissions) anddescribed by The Times Higher Education as one of the real winners ofthe REF 2014.

CavendishLaboratoryContact: Departmental Administrator, The Cavendish Laboratory, J J Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK.E-mail: glw33.cam.ac.ukhttp://www.phy.cam.ac.uk

The Cavendish Laboratory houses the Department of Physicsof the University of Cambridge.

The research programme covers the breadth ofcontemporary physics

Extreme Universe: Astrophysics, cosmology and highenergy physics

Quantum Universe: Cold atoms, condensed matter theory,scientific computing, quantum matter and semiconductorphysics

Materials Universe: Optoelectronics, nanophotonics,detector physics, thin film magnetism, surface physics andthe Winton programme for the physics of sustainability

Biological Universe: Physics of medicine, biologicalsystems and soft matter

The Laboratory has world-wide collaborations with otheruniversities and industry

Contact: Jo Revill, CEOVintage House37 Albert EmbankmentLondon SE1 7TL.Tel: 020 3031 9800Fax: 020 7582 2882E-mail: [email protected]: www.immunology.org

The BSI is one of the oldest, largest and most activeimmunology societies in the world. We have over5,000 members who work in all areas ofimmunology, including research and clinicalpractice.

The BSI runs major scientific meetings, educationprogrammes and events for all ages. Wedisseminate top quality scientific research throughour journals and meetings and we are committed tobringing the wonders and achievements ofimmunology to as many audiences as possible.

CliftonScientificTrustContact: Dr Eric Albone MBEClifton Scientific Trust 49 Northumberland Road, Bristol BS6 7BATel: 0117 924 7664 Fax: 0117 924 7664E-mail: [email protected]: www.clifton-scientific.org

Science for Citizenship and Employability,Science for Life, Science for Real

We build grass-roots partnerships between school andthe wider world of professional science and itsapplications

• for young people of all ages and abilities

• experiencing science as a creative, questioning,human activity

• bringing school science added meaning andnotivation, from primary to post-16

• locally, nationally, internationally (currentlybetween Britain and Japan; also the Ukraine)

Clifton Scientific Trust Ltd is registered charity 1086933

The Council for the Mathematical SciencesContact: Lindsay WalshDe Morgan House57-58 Russell SquareLondon WC1B 4HSTel: 020 7637 3686Fax: 020 7323 3655Email: [email protected]: www.cms.ac.uk

The Council for the Mathematical Sciences is anauthoritative and objective body that works to develop,influence and respond to UK policy issues affectingmathematical sciences in higher education andresearch, and therefore the UK economy and society by:• providing expert advice;• engaging with government, funding agencies and

other decision makers; • raising public awareness; and• facilitating communication between the

mathematical sciences community and otherstakeholders

British Society of Soil Science

Contact: Ian Brown

LR8, Vincent Building, Cranfield University,

Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL

Tel: 01234 752983

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.soils.org.uk

The British Society of Soil Science (BSSS) or "BScubed" as it is fondly known was founded in1947 by a number of eminent British soilscientists. It was formed with the aims: toadvance the study of soil; to be open tomembership from all those with an interest inthe study and uses of soil; and to issue anannual publication.

Contact: Dr Christopher FlowerJosaron House5-7 John Princes StreetLondon W1G 0JNTel: 020 7491 8891E-mail: [email protected]: www.ctpa.org.uk &www.thefactsabout.co.uk

CTPA is the UK trade association representingmanufacturers of cosmetic products andsuppliers to the cosmetic products industry.‘Cosmetic products’ are legally defined andsubject to stringent EU safety laws. CTPA is theauthoritative public voice of a vibrant andresponsible UK industry trusted to act for theconsumer; ensuring the science behindcosmetics is fully understood.

Contact: Sophia Griffiths5 Cambridge Court210 Shepherds Bush RoadLondon W6 7NJTel: 020 7603 6316E-mail: [email protected]: www.ifst.org

IFST is the independent qualifying body for foodprofessionals in Europe. Membership is drawn fromall over the world from backgrounds includingindustry, universities, government, research anddevelopment and food law enforcement.

IFST’s activities focus on disseminating knowledgerelating to food science and technology andpromoting its application. Another importantelement of our work is to promote and upholdstandards amongst food professionals.

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GAMBICAAssociation Ltd

Contact: Dr Graeme PhilpBroadwall House21 BroadwallLondon SE1 9PLTel: 020 7642 8080 Fax: 020 7642 8096E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.gambica.org.uk

GAMBICA Association is the UK trade association

for instrumentation, control, automation and

laboratory technology. The association seeks to

promote the successful development of the industry

and assist its member companies through a broad

range of services, including technical policy and

standards, commercial issues, market data and

export services.

TheGeologicalSocietyContact: Nic BilhamDirector of Policy and CommunicationsBurlington HousePiccadillyLondon W1J 0BGTel: 020 7434 9944Fax: 020 7439 8975E-mail: [email protected]: www.geolsoc.org.uk

The Geological Society is the national learned andprofessional body for Earth sciences, with 11,500Fellows (members) worldwide. The Fellowshipencompasses those working in industry, academiaand government, with a wide range of perspectivesand views on policy-relevant science, and theSociety is a leading communicator of this science togovernment bodies and other non-technicalaudiences.

Glass and GlazingFederation Contact: James Lee54 Ayres StreetLondon SE1 1EUTel: 020 7939 9100Fax: 0870 042 4266E-mail: [email protected]: www.ggf.org.uk

The GGF is the main representative organisation forcompanies involved in all aspects of themanufacture of flat glass and products and servicesfor all types of glazing, in commercial and domesticsectors.

Members include companies that manufacture andinstall energy efficient windows, in homes andcommercial buildings, the performance glass usedin every type of building from houses to high-risetower blocks and the components that are used tomanufacture every type of glazing.

Fera

Contact: Director of ScienceFera Science Ltd. (Fera)Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZTel: 01904 462000E-mail: [email protected]: www.fera.co.uk

Fera provides expert analytical and professionalservices to governments, agrichemical companies,food retailers, manufacturers and farmers tofacilitate safety, productivity and quality across theagrifood supply chain in a sustainable andenvironmentally compatible way.

Fera uses its world leading scientific expertise toprovide robust evidence, rigorous analysis andprofessional advice to governments, internationalbodies and companies worldwide. Our foodintegrity, plant health, agri-tech and agri-informatics services ensure that our customers haveaccess to leading edge science, technology andexpertise.

First Group

Contact: Mac Andrade50 Eastbourne TerracePaddingtonLondon W2 6LGTel: 07715 038 436E-mail: [email protected]: www.firstgroup.com

FirstGroup is the leading transport operator in the

UK and North America.

Our services help create strong, vibrant and

sustainable local economies and our opportunity is

to be the provider of choice for our customers and

communities. During the last year around 2.5 billion

people relied on us to get to work, to education, to

visit family and friends and much more.

SCIENCE DIRECTORYEli Lilly andCompanyLtdContact: Thom Thorp, Senior Director,Corporate AffairsTel: 01256 315000Fax: 01256 775858Eli Lilly and Company Ltd, Lilly HousePriestley Road, Basingstoke, Hants,RG24 9NLEmail. [email protected]: www.lilly.co.uk

Lilly UK is the UK affiliate of a major Americanpharmaceutical manufacturer, Eli Lilly and Companyof Indianapolis. This affiliate is one of the UK’s toppharmaceutical companies with significantinvestment in science and technology including aneuroscience research and development centre andbulk biotechnology manufacturing operations.

Lilly medicines treat schizophrenia, diabetes, cancer,osteoporosis, attention deficit hyperactivitydisorder, erectile dysfunction, depression, bipolardisorder, heart disease and many other diseases.

Tamzin CaffreyHead of CommunicationsEngineeringUKWeston House, 246 High HolbornLondon WC1V 7EXTel: 020 3206 0444Fax: 020 3206 0401E-mail: [email protected]: www.EngineeringUK.com

EngineeringUK is an independent organisation thatpromotes the vital role of engineers, engineeringand technology in our society. EngineeringUKpartners business and industry, Government and thewider science and technology community:producing evidence on the state of engineering;sharing knowledge within engineering, andinspiring young people to choose a career inengineering, matching employers’ demand forskills.

Energy InstituteContact: Louise Kingham OBE FEI Chief Executive61 New Cavendish StreetLondon W1G 7ARTel: 020 7467 7100Email: [email protected]: www.energyinst.org

The Energy Institute (EI) is the chartered professional bodyfor the energy sector, supporting over 20,000 individualsand 250 companies worldwide. The EI provides learningand networking opportunities, professional recognitionand technical and scientific knowledge resources onenergy in all its forms and applications.

The EI’s purpose is to develop and disseminateknowledge, skills and good practice towards a safe,secure and sustainable energy system. It addresses thedepth and breadth of the energy sector and informspolicy by providing a platform for debate andscientifically-sound information.

A registered charity, the EI serves society withindependence, professionalism and a wealth of expertisein all energy matters.



SCIENCE DIRECTORY

Contact: Rosemary Cook CBE (CEO)Fairmount House, 230 Tadcaster Road,York, YO24 1ESTel: 01904 610821 Fax: 01904 612279E-mail: [email protected]: www.ipem.ac.uk

IPEM is a registered, incorporated charity for theadvancement, in the public interest, of physics andengineering applied to medicine and biology. Itsmembers are medical physicists, clinical and bio-engineers, and clinical technologists. It organisestraining and CPD for them, and provides opportunitiesfor the dissemination of knowledge throughpublications and scientific meetings. IPEM is licensed bythe Science Council to award CSci, RSci and RSciTech,and by the Engineering Council to award CEng, IEngand EngTech.

Institute ofPhysics andEngineeringin Medicine

The Institution of Chemical Engineers

W ith over 40,000 members in 120 countries, IChemE is the global membership organisation for chemical engineers. A not for profit organisation, we serve the public interest by building and sustaining an active professional community and promoting the development, understanding and application of chemical engineering worldwide.

Alana Collis, Technical policy manager+44 (0) 1788 [email protected]

Kuala Lumpur | London | Melbourne | Rugby | Singapore | Wellington

Institutionof Civil EngineersContact: Joanna Gonet, Public Affairs Manager,One Great George Street, Westminster,London SW1P 3AA, UKTel: 020 7665 2123E-mail: [email protected]: www.ice.org.uk

Established in 1818 and with over 85,000

members in 167 countries worldwide, ICE is a

leading source of expertise in infrastructure and

engineering policy and is widely seen as the

independent voice of infrastructure. ICE provides

advice to all political parties and works with

industry to ensure that civil engineering and

construction remain major contributors to the

UK economy.

Institution ofEngineeringDesigners

Contact: Libby MeyrickCourtleighWestbury LeighWestburyWiltshire BA13 3TATel: 01373 822801Fax: 01373 858085E-mail: [email protected]: www.ied.org.uk

The only professional membership body solely forthose working in engineering and technologicalproduct design. Engineering Council and CharteredEnvironmentalist registration for suitably qualifiedmembers. Membership includes experts on a widerange of engineering and product designdisciplines, all of whom practise, manage oreducate in design. New for 2015: Chartership forProduct Designers (CTPD).

Institution ofMechanicalEngineersContact: Richard Campbell1 Birdcage WalkLondon SW1H 9JJTel: 020 7973 1293E-mail: [email protected]: www.imeche.org

The Institution provides politicians and civil servants

with information, expertise and advice on a diverse

range of subjects, focusing on manufacturing,

energy, environment, transport and education

policy. We regularly publish policy statements and

host political briefings and policy events to establish

a working relationship between the engineering

profession and parliament.

Contact: Paul DaviesIET,Michael Faraday House,Six Hills Way,Stevenage,SG1 2AYTel: +44(0) 1438 765687Email: [email protected]: www.theiet.org

The IET is a world leading professional organisation,sharing and advancing knowledge to promotescience, engineering and technology across theworld. Dating back to 1871, the IET has 150,000members in 127 countries with offices in Europe,North America, and Asia-Pacific.

Contact: Alex Connor76 Portland Place, London W1B 1NTTel: 020 7470 4819E-mail: [email protected]: www.iop.org

The Institute of Physics is a leading scientific society.We are a charitable organisation with a worldwidemembership of more than 50,000, workingtogether to advance physics education, researchand application.

We engage with policymakers and the generalpublic to develop awareness and understanding ofthe value of physics and, through IOP Publishing,we are world leaders in professional scientificcommunications.

In September 2013, we launched our firstfundraising campaign. Our campaign, OpportunityPhysics, offers you the chance to support the workthat we do.

Visit us at www.iop.org, follow us@physicsnews

Institute ofMarine Engineering,Science andTechnology (IMarEST)Contact: Bev MackenzieInstitute of Marine Engineering, Scienceand Technology (IMarEST), Aldgate House,33 Aldgate High Street, London, EC3N 1EN

Tel: +44(0) 20 7382 2600Fax: +44(0) 20 7382 2667E-mail: [email protected]: www.imarest.org

Established in London in 1889, the IMarEST is aleading international membership body and learnedsociety for marine professionals, with over 15,000members worldwide. The IMarEST has an extensivemarine network of 50 international branches,affiliations with major marine societies around theworld, representation on the key marine technicalcommittees and non-governmental status at theInternational Maritime Organization (IMO) as wellas other intergovernmental organisations.

Contact: Mr Peter Martindale,CEO and SecretaryThe Institute of Measurement and Control87 Gower Street, London WC1E 6AFTel: +44 (0) 20 73874949Fax: +44 (0) 20 73888431E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.instmc.org.ukReg Charity number: 269815

The Institute of Measurement and Control provides aforum for personal contact amongst practiioners,publishes learned papers and is a professionalexamining and qualifying organisation able to conferthe titles EurIng, CEng, IEng, EngTech; Companies andUniversities may apply to become Companions.Headquartered in London, the Institute has a strongregional base with 15 UK, 1 Hong Kong and 1 MalaysiaLocal Section, a bilateral agreement with the ChinaInstrument Society and other major international links.

57

NationalPhysicalLaboratoryContact: Fiona AutyNational Physical LaboratoryHampton Road, TeddingtonMiddlesex TW11 0LWTel: 020 8977 3222Website: www.npl.co.uk/contact-us

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is the UnitedKingdom’s national measurement institute, aninternationally respected and independent centre ofexcellence in research, development andknowledge transfer in measurement and materialsscience. For more than a century, NPL hasdeveloped and maintained the nation’s primarymeasurement standards - the heart of aninfrastructure designed to ensure accuracy,consistency and innovation in physicalmeasurement.

Marine BiologicalAssociation

Contact: Dr Matthew FrostMarine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PBTel: 07848028388Fax: 01752 633102E-mail: [email protected]: mba.ac.uk

Since 1884 the Marine Biological Association hasbeen delivering its mission ‘to promote scientificresearch into all aspects of life in the sea, includingthe environment on which it depends, and todisseminate to the public the knowledge gained.’The MBA represents its members in providing aclear independent voice to government on behalfof the marine biological community. It also has anextensive research programme and a long history asan expert provider of advice for the benefit of policymakers and wider society.

Met Office

Contact: Dr Matt HuddlestonMet Office127 Clerkenwell RoadLondon EC1R 5LP.Tel: 020 7204 7469E-mail: [email protected]: www.metoffice.gov.uk

The Met Office doesn’t just forecast the weather ontelevision. Our forecasts and warnings protect UKcommunities and infrastructure from severeweather and environmental hazards every day –they save lives and money. Our Climate Programmedelivers evidence to underpin Government policythrough the Met Office Hadley Centre. Our MobileMeteorological Unit supports the Armed Forcesaround the world. We build capacity overseas insupport of international development. All of thisbuilt on world-class environmental science.

NaturalHistoryMuseumContact: John JacksonHead of Science Policy and CommunicationNatural History MuseumCromwell Road, London SW7 5BDTel: +44 (0)20 7942 5257E-mail: [email protected]: www.nhm.ac.uk

We challenge the way people think about the natural world– its past, present and future

We use our unique collection and unrivalled expertise totackle the biggest challenges facing the world today.

We are leaders in the scientific understanding of the originof our planet, life on it and can predict the impact of futurechange.

We study the diversity of life and the delicate balance ofecosystems to ensure the survival of our planet.

We help enable food security, eradicate disease and manageresource scarcity.

We inspire people to engage with science to solve majorsocietal challenges.

Advancing the science of nature

NEF: The InnovationInstituteContact: Vicki ChenBective House, 10 Bective Place, London,SW15 2PZTel: 0208 786 3677Fax: 0208 271 3620E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.thenef.org.uk

The Innovation Institute aims to drive innovation and growthin science, technology and engineering to achieve growth,prosperity and wellbeing in the UK. Our partners, clients andstakeholders include: � Businesses� Education providers � Government bodiesNew Engineering Foundation, our charitable arm, focusses onSciTech skills development. NEF work in vocational trainingand further education is supported by a Panel drawn from keyindustries.Our Institute of Innovation and Knowledge Exchange is aprofessional body and a “do tank”, led by the InnovationCouncil to support the role of innovation in society.

Boughton Green Road, Northampton, NN2 7ALTel: 01604 735500Fax: 01604 716502E-mail: [email protected]: www.northampton.ac.uk

The University of Northampton is a Top 50 UK

University*. We are committed to science education

through initial teacher training, a STEM

Ambassador network which works within the

community and teaching and research to doctoral

level. We are an Ashoka U ‘Changemaker Campus’

status university recognising our commitment to

social innovation and entrepreneurship.

(*Guardian University Guide 2015)

SCIENCE DIRECTORYLGCQueens Road, TeddingtonMiddlesex, TW11 0LYTel: +44 (0)20 8943 7000 Fax: +44 (0)20 8943 2767E-mail: [email protected]: www.lgcgroup.com

LGC is an international science-based company andmarket leader in the provision of analytical, forensicand diagnostic services and reference standards tocustomers in the public and private sectors.

Under the Government Chemist function, LGCfulfils specific statutory duties as the referee analystand provides advice for Government and the wideranalytical community on the implications ofanalytical chemistry for matters of policy, standardsand regulation. LGC is also the UK’s designatedNational Measurement Institute for chemical andbiochemical analysis.

With headquarters in Teddington, South WestLondon, LGC has 36 laboratories and centres acrossEurope and at sites in China, Brazil, India, SouthAfrica and the US.

Contact: Dr Elizabeth Rollinson, Executive SecretaryThe Linnean Society of LondonBurlington House, Piccadilly,London W1J 0BFTel: 020 7434 4479 ext 12E-mail: [email protected]: www.linnean.org

As the world’s oldest biological society, the LinneanSociety of London is an essential forum and meetingpoint for those interested in natural history. The Societyholds regular public events, publishes three peer-reviewed journals, promotes the study of the naturalworld with several educational initiatives and is home toa world famous library and collection of natural historyspecimens. The Society’s Fellows have a considerablerange of biological expertise that can be harnessed toinform and advise on scientific and public policy issues.

A Forum for Natural History

Contact: Katriona Methven, Director of

Scientific and Technical-Regulatory Affairs,

L’Oreal UK & Ireland

255 Hammersmith Road, London W6 8AZ

Tel: 0208 762 4489

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.loreal.co.uk

L’Oréal employs more than 4,000 researchersworld-wide and dedicates over €850 million eachyear to research and innovation in the field ofhealthy skin and hair. The company supportswomen in science research through the L’OréalUNESCO For Women In Science Programme andengages young people with science through theL’Oréal Young Scientist Centre at the RoyalInstitution. L’Oréal also collaborates with a vastnumber of institutions in the UK and globally.



SCIENCE DIRECTORY

Contact: Saranjit SihotaDirector of External AffairsHodgkin Huxley House30 Farringdon LaneLondon EC1R 3AWTel: +44 (0) 20 7269 5728E-mail: [email protected]: www.physoc.org

Physiology is the science of how molecules, cells andorgans work in the body. Representing over 3000life scientists, The Physiological Society supportsscientific research through its grants schemes,conferences and its three open access journals.

The Society also supports the teaching of physiologyin schools and universities, and works to promote anunderstanding of physiology amongst policy-makersand the general public.

Prospect

Contact: Sue Ferns, Director of Communications and Research,New Prospect House8 Leake St, London SE1 7NNTel: 020 7902 6639 Fax: 020 7902 6637E-mail: [email protected]

Prospect is an independent, thriving and forward-looking trade union with 117,000 members acrossthe private and public sectors and a diverse range ofoccupations. We represent scientists, technologistsand other professions in the civil service, researchcouncils and private sector.

Prospect’s collective voice champions the interests ofthe engineering and scientific community to keyopinion-formers and policy makers. Withnegotiating rights with over 300 employers, we seekto secure a better life at work by putting members’pay, conditions and careers first.

Contact: Dr Andrew Muirc/o STFC Innovations LtdHarwell Campus Oxford OX11 0QXTel: 0121 710 1990E-mail: [email protected]: www.rainbowseedfund.com

The Rainbow Seed Fund is a £24m, early-stageventure capital fund dedicated to kick-startingpromising technology companies emerging fromthe UK science base. The Fund is backed by ten UKpublicly-funded research organisations and theDepartment of Business, Innovation and Skills andholds investments in some of the UK’s mostinnovative companies in areas as diverse as novelantibiotics, research into Alzheimer’s disease,“green” chemicals and airport security. The Fund ismanaged by Midven, a specialist venture capitalcompany. We are prepared to invest early and helpbuild a proposition to attract additional investmentand get to market.

Contact: Helen WilkinsonDallam Court, Dallam LaneWarrington, WA2 7LTTel: 01925 41 3984E-mail: [email protected]: www.risksol.co.uk

Risk Solutions provide decision-support where there is ahigh degree of complexity, uncertainty or risk. A smallhighly motivated and client focused team we deliver:

• policy design, appraisal and decision support

• strategy development and asset management

• training, coaching and guidance

• evaluation assurance and organisational review, and

• risk assessment and research.We tailor solutions to clients’ needs, combiningtraditional qualitative and quantitative methods withcutting-edge participative modelling and decisionanalysis. We work with clients from across Governmentdepartments and agencies.

Contact: Juniour BlakeExternal Relations ManagerRoyal Academy of Engineering 3 Carlton House TerraceLondon SW1Y 5DGTel: 020 7766 0600E-mail: [email protected]: www.raeng.org.uk

As the UK’s national academy for engineering, webring together the most successful and talentedengineers for a shared purpose: to advance andpromote excellence in engineering. We have fourstrategic challenges: drive faster and more balancedeconomic growth; foster better education and skills;lead the profession; and promote engineering at theheart of society.

Contact: Office of the Science DirectorateRoyal Botanic Gardens, KewRichmond, Surrey, TW9 3ABTel: 020 8332 5050Email: [email protected]: www.kew.org

RBG Kew is a centre of global scientific expertise in plant andfungal diversity, conservation, and sustainable use, housed intwo world-class gardens. Our scientific vision is to documentand understand global plant and fungal diversity and its uses,bringing authoritative expertise to bear on the criticalchallenges facing humanity today.Kew’s strategic priorities for science are:

1. To document and conduct research into global plant andfungal diversity and its uses for humanity.

2. To curate and provide data-rich evidence from Kew’sunrivalled collections as a global asset for scientificresearch.

3. To disseminate our scientific knowledge of plants andfungi, maximising its impact in science, education,conservation policy and management.

These priorities enable us to curate, use, enhance, exploreand share Kew’s global resource, providing robust data and astrong evidence base for our UK and global stakeholders.Kew is a non-departmental government body with exemptcharitable status, partially funded by Defra.

Royal BotanicGardens, Kew

Contact: Dr Gail CardewDirector of Science and EducationThe Royal Institution21 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4BSTel: 020 7409 2992 Fax: 020 7670 2920E-mail: [email protected]: www.rigb.org,www.richannel.orgTwitter: ri_science

The Royal Institution (Ri) has been at the forefront ofpublic engagement with science for over 200 yearsand our purpose is to encourage people to thinkfurther about the wonders of science. We run publicevents and the famous CHRISTMAS LECTURES®, anational programme of Masterclasses for youngpeople in mathematics, engineering and computerscience, educational activities at the L’Oréal YoungScientist Centre and policy discussions with sciencestudents. And through the Ri Channel we share thestories behind cutting-edge science with peoplearound the world.

PHARMAQ LtdContact: Dr Benjamin P North PHARMAQ Ltd Unit 15 Sandleheath Industrial Estate FordingbridgeHants SP6 1PA. Tel: 01425 656081 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.pharmaq.no

PHARMAQ is the only global pharmaceutical companywith a primary focus on aquaculture. Our mission is toprovide environmentally sound, safe and efficacious healthproducts to the global aquaculture industry throughtargeted research and the commitment of dedicatedpeople. We have a product portfolio that includes over 20fish vaccines along with specialist feed additives,anaesthetics, antibiotics, sea lice treatments and biocidedisinfectants. Through our sister company, PHARMAQAnalytiq, we also offer a range of diagnostics services thatcan be used to help safeguard fish welfare and improveproductivity.

Contact: Tim Utton,Deputy Director of CommunicationsUniversity Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RDTel: +44 (0) 115 846 8092Fax: +44 (0) 115 846 6787E-mail: [email protected]: www.nottingham.ac.uk

With 43,000 students and campuses inNottingham, China and Malaysia, The University ofNottingham is ‘the nearest Britain has to a trulyglobal university’. With more than 97 per cent ofresearch at the University recognised internationallyaccording to the Research Excellence Framework2014, the University is ranked in the top 1% of theworld’s universities by the QS World UniversityRankings.

59

Society of MaritimeIndustriesContact: John MurraySociety of Maritime Industries28-29 Threadneedle Street,London EC2R 8AYTel: 020 7628 2555 Fax: 020 7638 4376E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.maritimeindustries.org

The Society of Maritime Industries is the voice of the

UK’s maritime engineering and business sector

promoting and supporting companies which

design, build, refit and modernise ships, and supply

equipment and services for all types of commercial

and naval ships, ports and terminals infrastructure,

offshore oil & gas, maritime security & safety,

marine science and technology and marine

renewable energy.

Societyof Biology

Contact: Dr Stephen BennDirector of Parliamentary AffairsSociety of Biology Charles Darwin House12 Roger StreetLondon WC1N 2JUTel: 020 7685 2550E-mail: [email protected]: www.societyofbiology.org

The Society of Biology is a single unified voice,representing a diverse membership of individuals,learned societies and other organisations. We arecommitted to ensuring that we provide Governmentand other policy makers – including funders ofbiological education and research – with a distinct pointof access to authoritative, independent, and evidence-based opinion, representative of the widest range ofbioscience disciplines. Our vision is of a world thatunderstands the true value of biology and how it cancontribute to improving life for all.

Society of CosmeticScientists

Contact: Gem Bektas,Secretary GeneralSociety of Cosmetic ScientistsSuite 109 Christchurch House40 Upper George StreetLuton Bedfordshire LU1 2RSTel: 01582 726661Fax: 01582 405217E-mail: [email protected]: www.scs.org.uk

Advancing the science of cosmetics is the primaryobjective of the SCS. Cosmetic science covers a widerange of disciplines from organic and physicalchemistry to biology and photo-biology, dermatology,microbiology, physical sciences and psychology.

Members are scientists and the SCS helps themprogress their careers and the science of cosmeticsethically and responsibly. Services include publications,educational courses and scientific meetings.

SCI

Contact: Reshna RadivenSCI14-15 Belgrave SquareLondon SW1X 8PS

Tel: 020 7598 1500E-mail: [email protected]: www.soci.org

SCI is an inclusive, multi-disciplinary forumconnecting scientists and business people toadvance the commercial application of chemistryand related sciences for public benefit. SCI is opento all to join and share information, ideas,innovations and research. Members can networkwith specialists from sectors as diverse as food andbio-renewables, water, waste and environment,energy, materials, manufacturing and health.

Contact: Dariel BurdassDeputy Chief ExecutiveSociety for General MicrobiologyCharles Darwin House12 Roger Street, LondonWC1N 2JUE-mail: [email protected]: www.sgm.ac.uk

The Society for General Microbiology is the largestlearned microbiological society in Europe with aworldwide membership based in universities, industry,hospitals, research institutes and schools. The Societypublishes key academic journals, organisesinternational scientific conferences and provides aninternational forum for communication amongmicrobiologists. The Society promotes theunderstanding of microbiology to a diverse range ofstakeholders, including policy-makers, students,teachers, journalists and the wider public, through acomprehensive framework of communication activitiesand resources.

Society for UnderwaterTechnology

Society for Underwater TechnologyContact: David Liddle, BusinessDevelopment Executive1 Fetter Lane, London EC4A 1 BRTel: 020 3440 5535Fax: 020 3440 5980E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.sut.org

The SUT is a multidisciplinary learned society thatbrings together individuals and organisations with acommon interest in underwater technology, oceanscience, and offshore/subsea engineering. Thesociety was founded in 1966 and has membersfrom over 40 countries, including engineers,scientists, other professionals and students workingin these areas.

SCIENCE DIRECTORYThe Royal SocietyContact: Becky PurvisHead of Public AffairsThe Royal Society, 6-9 Carlton House TerraceLondon SW1Y 5AG.Tel: 020 7451 2261 Email: [email protected]: www.royalsociety.org

The Royal Society is the UK academy of science

comprising 1400 outstanding individuals

representing the sciences, engineering and

medicine. It has had a hand in some of the most

innovative and life-changing discoveries in scientific

history. Through its Fellowship and permanent staff,

it seeks to ensure that its contribution to shaping

the future of science in the UK and beyond has a

deep and enduring impact.

Contact: Clare VineyExecutive Director, Communications, Policy and CampaignsRoyal Society of Chemistry, Thomas GrahamHouse (290), Science Park, Milton Road,Cambridge, CB4 0WFTel 020 7440 2267Email [email protected] Website: www.rsc.org

The Royal Society of Chemistry is the world’s leadingchemistry community, advancing excellence in thechemical sciences. With over 50,000 members and aknowledge business that spans the globe, we are theUK’s professional body for chemical scientists; a not-for-profit organisation with 170 years of history andan international vision of the future. We promote,support and celebrate chemistry. We work to shapethe future of the chemical sciences – for the benefitof science and humanity.

Society forAppliedMicrobiologyContact: Lucy HarperSociety for Applied MicrobiologyBedford Heights, Brickhill DriveBedford MK41 7PHTel: 01234 326661Fax: 01234 326678E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.sfam.org.uk

SfAM is a UK organization, serving microbiologistsinternationally. It works to advance, for the benefit ofthe public, the science of microbiology in its applicationto the environment, human and animal health,agriculture, and industry. With Wiley-Blackwell, SfAMpublishes five internationally acclaimed journals. Valuefor money and a modern, innovative and progressiveoutlook are its core principles. A friendly society, SfAMvalues integrity, honesty, and respect, and seeks topromote excellence and professionalism and to inspireyoung microbiologists.



Published by the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, 3 Birdcage Walk, London SW1H 9JJ. Published four times a year. The 2015 subscripton rate is £80. Single numbers £20. ISSN 0263-6271All enquiries, including those from members wishing to take the front or back covers, advertise in the journal or appear in the directory to Mrs Annabel Lloyd, Tel 020 7222 7085. Copyright ©2014 by Parliamentary and Scientific Committee. Allrights reserved. None of the articles in this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying recording or otherwise without the prior written permission ofthe copyright owner. Type/layout by VAL Design Services and printed by Premier Print Group.

SOCIETY OF BIOLOGYTuesday 23 June 10.00-16.00Parliamentary Links Day 2015Science and the New ParliamentAttlee Suite, Portcullis HouseOrganised by the Society of Biology onbehalf of the scientific and engineeringcommunity–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

THE ROYAL SOCIETYDetails of all events can be found atwww.royalsociety.org/events–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

THE ROYAL INSTITUTIONDetails of future events can be found atwww.rigb.orgBooking is essential. For more informationand to book visit www.rigb.orgThere is a charge for tickets. Members gofree.

PARLIAMENTARY OFFICE OFSCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYFor details of events organised by POST visithttp://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/offices/bicameral/post/post-events/–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

THE INSTITUTION OFMECHANICAL ENGINEERSFor details of events visit:www.imeche.org/events–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

THE LINNEAN SOCIETY OFLONDONFor details visit: www.linnean.org –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––More information on P&SC members’events can be found at: www.scienceinparliament.org.uk/members-news

SCIENCE DIARY

OFFICERS OF THE PARLIAMENTARY& SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE

President: The Lord Oxburgh KBE FRS Chairman: to be elected Deputy Chairman: to be elected Hon Treasurer: The Lord Willis of KnaresboroughHon Secretary: to be electedVice-Presidents: Mr Paul Ridout

Mr Philip Greenish CBEMr John SlaterDr Stephen BennMr Atti EmeczProfessor Ian Haines

3 Birdcage WalkLondon SW1H 9JJT: 020 7222 7085F: 020 7222 7189

www.scienceinparliament.org.ukEditor: Professor Alan MalcolmEditorial Assistant: Annabel Lloyd


Dr Guy HemburyProfessor Colin Seabrook MBE

Advisory Panel: Dr Stuart TaylorMr David YoudanDr David Dent

Secretariat: Professor Alan MalcolmMrs Annabel Lloyd

THE PARLIAMENTARY ANDSCIENTIFIC COMMITTEETel: 020 7222 7085office@scienceinparliament.org.ukwww.scienceinparliament.org.uk

Tuesday 16 June 17.00Annual General Meetingfollowed at 17.30 by Discussion MeetingThe Future of Road TransportSpeakers: The Lord Borwick;Rob Wallis, Chief Executive Officer, TransportResearch Laboratory;Steve Yianni, Chief Executive Officer,Transport Systems Catapult

Tuesday 14 July 17.30NanotechnologyDiscussion Meeting

SCIENCE DIRECTORYUniversitiesFederation for Animal WelfareContact: Dr Robert HubrechtChief Executive and Scientific DirectorThe Old School, Brewhouse HillWheathampstead, Herts. AL4 8AN.Tel: 01582 831818. Fax: 01582 831414.Email: [email protected]: www.ufaw.org.uk Registered in England Charity No: 207996

UFAW, the international animal welfare sciencesociety, is an independent scientific and educationalcharity. It works to improve animal lives by:

• supporting animal welfare research

• educating and raising awareness of welfareissues in the UK and overseas

• producing the quarterly scientific journal AnimalWelfare and other high-quality publications onanimal care and welfare

• providing advice to government departmentsand other concerned bodies.

Contact: Chris EadyThe Welding Institute, Granta Park, GreatAbington, Cambridge, CB21 6AL

Tel: 01223 899614Fax:01223 894219E-mail: [email protected]: www.twi-global.com

The Welding Institute is the leading institution providingengineering solutions and knowledge transfer in allaspects of manufacturing, fabrication and whole-lifeintegrity management.

Industrial membership provides access to innovativeproblem-solving from one of the world’s foremostindependent research and technology organisations.

Non-Corporate services include membership andregistration, education, training and certification forinternationally recognised professional developmentand personnel competence assurance.

TWI provides Members and stakeholders withauthoritative and impartial expert advice, knowhowand safety assurance through engineering, materialsand joining technologies.

STEMNET

Contact: Kirsten Bodley, Chief Executive3rd Floor, Lion Court25 Procter StreetLondon WC1V 6NYTel: 020 3206 0450E-mail: [email protected]: www.stemnet.org.uk

STEMNET is an independent charity which enables youngpeople to meet inspiring role models, understand real worldapplications of STEM and experience practical activities thatbring learning and career opportunities to life. We do thisthrough three core programmes:• STEM Ambassadors - We run the UK network of STEM

Ambassadors: over 29,000 inspiring volunteers • STEM Clubs Programme - We provide free, expert advice

and support to all schools which have set up or plan todevelop a STEM Club

• Schools’ STEM Advisory Network (SSAN) - We deliver freeimpartial advice to teachers and use our business links andpartnerships to enhance the STEM curriculum in secondaryschools in the UK

Research witha global impactThe University of Nottingham is an exciting place to be for the researchers and scientists of the future

Inside: The University of Nottingham has been selected as one of only four new University Enterprise Zones in the UK. Read about the work that Nottingham is doing to create new jobs and foster innovation through developing spin-out businesses, nurturing new enterprises and supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs.

www.nottingham.ac.uk

From MRI to global food security we have long been associated with world-changing research which has a real impact on everyday lives. More than 90% of our research is of international quality, according to the most recent Research Assessment Exercise

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