To find out which AMRC member charities collected the prizes at our Science Communication Awards event last night please go to our website. Congratulations to them all on behalf of AMRC, our excellent judges and sponsors! And time permits me to also briefly mention the review which has appeared on BioNews of our stem cell … Continue reading And the prize goes to..AMRC announces 2011 Science Communication Award winners
Author: simondenegri
Communication is all you need….
So we are a few days into National Science and Engineering week which lasts until the 20th March. The theme of this year's week is 'Communications.' Yesterday afternoon I had the good fortune of seeing one of the performances of 'Mind the Gap' being put on this week at the Royal Albert Hall (RAH) by … Continue reading Communication is all you need….
Dame Sally Davies interview in the FT
Dame Sally Davies, England's new Chief Medical Officer, gives a frank and open interview in today's Financial Times. In it, Dame Sally says that she will continue to play a leadership role with respect to NHS R&D but with perhaps less involvement in the day-to-day running (my interpretation).
NIHR Funding Announcement and hats-off to Diabetes UK
The UK National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has today announced £775 million worth of funding over five years for translational research. The funding will be made available through NIHR to NHS/university partnerships. Also, in what has to be an exemplar for others in terms of dissemination, Diabetes UK have today made a very public … Continue reading NIHR Funding Announcement and hats-off to Diabetes UK
CMO England..and Wales
AMRC's warmest congratulations to Dame Sally Davies, currently Director of R&D at the Department of Health, on her appointment as Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for England. I wasn't quite sure from the news release whether Dame Sally will continue to hold the R&D portfolio as she has been doing since becoming interim CMO. Anyway, all … Continue reading CMO England..and Wales
Health and Social Care Bill and other reasons to switch-on
I begin with a public information announcement....If you are following the debate about the Health and Social Care Bill then you really must come to AMRC's workshop on 29th March to discuss its impact on research and what's to be done about it. If it is anything like the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Medical Research … Continue reading Health and Social Care Bill and other reasons to switch-on
HEFCE Announces Impact Weighting for REF 2014
The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has today announced the weighting for 'impact' for the Research Excellence Framework (REF) in 2014. It will be 20% with the expectation that it will increase in future exercises. Sounds like a sound and balanced decision given the history of the debate but also the learning from … Continue reading HEFCE Announces Impact Weighting for REF 2014
Willetts at UUK Spring Conference – white paper, postgraduate education etc
The Science Minister, David Willetts MP, has been speaking today at University UK's Spring Conference (have UUK actually seen the weather out there?). The full text of his speech is available from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills website but I was very pleased to see this section in it: 'There's another issue too. We are … Continue reading Willetts at UUK Spring Conference – white paper, postgraduate education etc
Wellcome Trust Image Awards 2011…and kidney disease survey
I was unable to get to the Wellcome Trust Image Awards last night so as recompense I am posting the link to the online gallery of winning photos. The picture of the kidney transplant by David Bishop from UCL Medical School is my favourite and got a special award. This also gives me an opportunity … Continue reading Wellcome Trust Image Awards 2011…and kidney disease survey
mICRA, PROSPERO, Beddington and Bell
Announcements are like buses. There are none for what seem like days and then several come all at once. My job is to make sure you get on the right one... NIHR has several announcements out today which AMRC and its members have had some involvement or interest in. The first is the launch of the new … Continue reading mICRA, PROSPERO, Beddington and Bell
Willing providers
I notice that Frank Dobson MP had a parliamentary question answered yesterday about research in the new NHS. He asked whether, under the Health and Social Care Bill, 'willing providers' (the new term for those organisations including Trusts and independent organisations providing care) would be under a duty to recruit patients to clinical trials. In … Continue reading Willing providers
A letter from Cornwall
Last week I was lamenting the demise of the Royal Society's science book award. The growth in science literature - fiction or non-fiction - has not been matched with recognisable awards. Happily AMRC's Science Communication Awards recognising the very best in charity science communication do live on. I hope you will visit our - website … Continue reading A letter from Cornwall
Stem cell research and charities
The world has gone consultation mad. Another two dropped into my inbox yesterday. I'm seriously considering booking myself into consultation rehab. A few days off next week will at least allow me to undergo an intensive consultation detox programme in the meantime. For those of you who have set aside today to write a response to … Continue reading Stem cell research and charities
UKCMRI Task Gets Bigger
So the UKCMRI partners were in front of the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee yesterday as were representatives of the local community. Meanwhile the Science Minister, David Willetts, announced that the Government had agreed the business plan for the new centre as put forward by the Medical Research Council (MRC). A good day all … Continue reading UKCMRI Task Gets Bigger
EU plants green shoots of recovery
I mentioned yesterday about the EU Commission's plans to radically overhaul its approach to funding research and innovation. As expected these were launched in the form of a green paper today which is now open for public consultation until 20 May 2011. Quick summary as follows ( eGov also has quite a good overview). The … Continue reading EU plants green shoots of recovery
The NHS reforms and patients…and EU research shake-up?
Science fear not. Those of you disappointed that the EU summit on 4th Feb only got round to the subject of 'innovation' at a late hour and to little discussion should take heart from the fact that patients have been used to being at the end of a conference/meeting agenda etc for most of the … Continue reading The NHS reforms and patients…and EU research shake-up?
Some reflections on the vCJD blood test story
The BBC's Fergus Walsh wrote an excellent blog this week about the prototype blood test for vCJD (Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease). But there is another story implicit behind it that is worth telling - what has been achieved through the fortitude of patients and scientists working together in the face of insurmountable odds. I can not do justice … Continue reading Some reflections on the vCJD blood test story
HEFCE Funding Announcement – Lord Willis Comment
LORD WILLIS, AMRC CHAIR, COMMENTS ON HEFCE FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT Reacting to today’s announcement of funding allocations for Higher Education Institutions by the Higher Education Funding Council For England (HEFCE) Lord Willis, Chair of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC), said: “These are uncertain times for science and research with a tightening spending budget and considerable … Continue reading HEFCE Funding Announcement – Lord Willis Comment
More on Pfizer
Ther's a couple of good pieces in the FT (link will take you to the front page) about the Pfizer announcement yesterday. Actually, it's quite interesting reading the comments of Pfizer's CEO as reported this morning. They give some insight into the self-critical eye that pharma is taking on how it has done things in the … Continue reading More on Pfizer
Pfizer…and innovation emergencies
The news that Pfizer is to close its R&D facility in Sandwich in Kent has shaken us from our sleepy winter hollows. I've been watching the reactions and comments come over the wires as I am sure you have. This is clearly a company going through considerable transition as it tries to change with the … Continue reading Pfizer…and innovation emergencies
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