BBSRC

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) is a United Kingdom government-funded research council that oversees funding for bioscience research in universities and research institutes. Established in 1994, it is one of the councils that form UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the umbrella body for public science funding in the UK.

BBSRC supports research across a broad spectrum of bioscience, including plant science, animal health and welfare, microbiology, genetics, systems biology, bioinformatics, and related technologies. It funds through open-responsive project grants, strategic longer-term programmes, fellowships, and centres of excellence, as well as investment in national facilities and technology platforms. The council aims to enable discovery, translation, and training, helping to strengthen the UK’s bioscience base and its contribution to agriculture, health, and the bioeconomy.

Governance is provided through a council and executive team within UKRI, with funding decisions made via competitive funding streams and strategic partnerships. BBSRC collaborates with higher education institutions, industry, international funders, and other government bodies. It places emphasis on responsible innovation, biosafety and biosecurity, and skills development, supporting early-career researchers through fellowships and doctoral training partnerships to build a skilled science base for the future.