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Government minister visits UCL to explore life sciences research
29 July 2024
One of the highlights of my role as Dean of Life Sciences is to help showcase the amazing research and to celebrate the people behind this work.
Last week I welcomed Baroness Gillian Merron, the Health Minister responsible for life sciences and innovation who toured some of UCL鈥檚 life sciences facilities to see first-hand how research is helping to tackle some of the world鈥檚 biggest health challenges. Baroness Merron was joined by Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Scientific Adviser.
Our first stop was the where Steve Wilson, Associate Research Director for University Partnerships at the Francis Crick Institute and Isaac Bianco, Principal Research Fellow, UCL Research Department of Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology demonstrated how the fish are used for a wide range of research projects at 皇家华人 including the mechanisms of eye development, bone cancer, neural circuit function and stem cell renewal. Zebrafish are one of the favoured animal model systems for research in many areas including embryonic development, genetic analyses of disease, neural circuit function and behaviour. Researchers are also conducting research into the care, biosecurity and best means of monitoring the zebrafish themselves which inform their care and use around the world.
We continued our tour at 皇家华人 Drug Discovery Institute and UK Dementia Research Institute in the Cruciform teaching laboratories where Baroness Merron and Lucy Chappell met with a group of UCL research students. As always, it is great to hear from our students who are working with our community of world-leading researchers.
Reflections on my first term
22 July 2024
As another academic year concludes, I am delighted to welcome you to the first聽edition of my blog,聽as Dean of Life Sciences.
I am thrilled to announce that our Faculty continues to excel in global rankings. The Faculty of Life Sciences is ranked fourth in the world for Pharmacy and Pharmacology, sixth for Biological Sciences, and ninth for Life Sciences ().
One of the highlights this year has been the opening of the People and Nature Lab Rooftop Garden, a testament to UCL鈥檚 commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and our Grand Challenges. This innovative space is already a vibrant hub for both research and relaxation.
I extend my congratulations to Professors Ijeoma Uchegbu FMedSci and Andreas Schatzlein from the UCL School of Pharmacy, who have been honoured with the King鈥檚 Award for Enterprise 2024 in the category of innovation. This remarkable achievement underscores the cutting-edge work within our Faculty.
We are also celebrating the School of Pharmacy鈥檚 recent success in achieving the Silver Athena SWAN Award, reflecting our ongoing dedication to advancing gender equality and supporting career progression for all staff.
Our alumni continue to shine on the global stage, with three of our own 鈥� Sioned Jones, Tara O鈥橠riscoll, and James McBride 鈥� making the latest list. Their achievements are a source of great pride and inspiration.
In research news, we are thrilled to announce that Professor J眉rg B盲hler from the UCL Institute of Healthy Ageing has secured two large funding grants. Professor B盲hler has been awarded an ERC Advanced Grant, one of nine awarded to UCL researchers this year. This prestigious funding will support his pioneering work on the roles of priority unstudied proteins in cellular quiescence and ageing. Additionally, he has received an eight-year Wellcome Discovery Award to pursue bold and creative research ideas that promise significant advances in our understanding of human life, health, and wellbeing.听
Our Faculty鈥檚 research continues to capture widespread attention. Professor Roberto Mayor鈥檚 study on how pressure in the womb may influence facial development has garnered significant media coverage. Additionally, a global analysis co-led by Professor Ian C.K. Wong and Dr Kenneth Man suggests that the link between maternal diabetes and child ADHD may not be causal, challenging previous assumptions and opening new avenues for research.I am immensely proud of our Faculty鈥檚 accomplishments and the extraordinary team that makes them possible. I look forward to sharing more exciting developments with you in the months ahead.
Professor Gail Taylor
Dean, UCL Faculty of Life Sciences
Faculty of Life Sciences News
Genes provide hope for the survival of Arabia鈥檚 last big cat
The release of captive bred Arabian leopards carefully selected for their genes could make a significant contribution to the successful recovery of the critically endangered wild population and avert extinction, according to new research involving UCL. Read more here.
Left side story: new insights into the genetics of brain asymmetry
Differences between the left and right sides of the nervous system are seen in all animals, including humans. This study reveals a new piece in the puzzle of how such asymmetries can arise. Read more here.
Cell division, fishing, Latin and some far eastern languages - Richard Poole's lab combines all!
Richard Poole鈥檚 lab (UCL Cell and Developmental Biology) has recently had a paper published in the prestigious journal, 'Development'. Here, we reveal their findings - and links to fishing, and the Latin, Japanese and Korean languages!
The development of multicellular organisms creates various cell types with unique molecular signatures and specific sizes, often through asymmetric cell division. This paper suggests that the regulation of neural fate and cell size is a mechanism to ensure adequate neuronal size during聽C. elegans聽embryonic development, where cell growth mechanisms do not operate. Read more here.
Analysis: A new AI tool to help monitor coral reef health
PhD candidate Ben Williams (UCL Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research and ZSL鈥檚 Institute of Zoology) writes with a colleague about why they built SurfPerch, an AI led system to make it faster and easier for marine scientists to answer ecological questions.
Coral reefs cover only 0.1% of the ocean's surface 鈥� yet they host 25% of all known marine species. It is critical that we greatly scale-up our efforts to monitor, manage, protect and restore reefs around the world that are in crisis as a result of threats such as overfishing, disease, coastal construction or heatwaves. Read more here.
Faculty Awards and Accolades
Nanomerics awarded the King's Award for Enterprise 2024 鈥� Innovation
Nanomerics Ltd, founded by Professors Ijeoma Uchegbu and Andreas Sch盲tzlein, has received a King's Award for Enterprise in the category of Innovation. The King's Award for Enterprise is the most prestigious business award in the UK. Read more here.
Professor of Neuroesthetics elected International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Semir Zeki, Professor of Neuroesthetics in the Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, has officially been confirmed as an International Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Read more here.
ISIS Impact Award 鈥� understanding therapeutic antibodies
Professor Steve Perkins (Division of Biosciences) and Dr Jayesh Bhatt (Department of Physics & Astronomy) have received the Society Impact Award 2024 from ISIS, STFC (UKRI). Read more here.
Athena Swan Silver Award for the UCL School of Pharmacy
We are delighted to announce that the UCL School of Pharmacy has been awarded a Silver Athena Swan award following the application submission in March 2024. Read more here.
Meet the Expert: Joanne Littlefair
