Written evidence from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) (ENB0053)

 

  1. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) welcomes the Committee’s inquiry into engineering biology[1]. As one of the critical technologies, it has been prioritised by UKRI as well as HMG, noting that references to engineering biology proliferate through the Science and Technology (S&T) Framework published in March 2023, and feature prominently in the March 2024 update demonstrating the pace of progress. UKRI’s 5-year strategy 2022-2027 ‘Transforming tomorrow together’ recognises the importance of “securing UK strategic advantage in game changing technologies such as AI, quantum computing, and engineering biology, enriching and improving lives and opening up transformative opportunities for research and business.” This ambition is further reflected in the detail of the Strategic Delivery Plans of key partner Research Councils, particularly the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Medical Research Council (MRC) and Innovate UK.

 

  1. Since 2019, we’ve worked across UKRI to build the National Engineering Biology Programme (NEBP) which consolidates and accelerates the UK’s truly interdisciplinary capabilities. Engineering biology encompasses the entire innovation ecosystem, from breakthrough synthetic biology research[2] to translation and application. As a coordinated and integrated programme, encompassing fundamental and advanced research through to the delivery of commercially viable solutions, it is boosting British business and tackles the societal challenges we face. These aims strongly resonate with those outlined in the S&T Framework, and particularly align with the National Vision for engineering biology, published by HMG in December 2023.

Summary/ key points

  • Since 2007, UKRI has invested over £700M in synthetic and engineering biology in the UK, which has driven the establishment and development of the field.
  • UKRI plays a fundamental role in supporting key enablers of engineering biology such as skills, training, and infrastructure.
  • UKRI’s overall investment strategy is encapsulated through the National engineering biology Programme.
  • The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) backed Technology Missions Fund, announced in 2023, catalysed substantial investments in mission-oriented research and collaborative R&D with industry.
  • It is essential to continue to provide long-term support for fundamental research, upon which new applications will grow.
  • To maintain the UK’s ambitions of remaining amongst the global leaders, we must continue to provide opportunities for international collaboration.

 

1.  What are the UK’s key strengths in the area of engineering biology?

  1. As a result of sustained public investment for over a decade, the UK has built a unique capability in engineering biology that places us amongst the world leaders in the field[3], alongside the US, China and Germany.

 

  1. UKRI has played a driving role in this, investing over £700 million first in synthetic biology research and innovation, which evolved into engineering biology, since 2007. Simultaneously, UKRI has worked closely with government, academia and industry to set strategic priorities, foster national and international partnerships and help drive the UK’s world leading research towards application and commercialisation. The UK’s key strengths and capabilities have developed as a consequence of these activities (see Annex 1 for further details of UKRI activities).

 

  1. For example, the £115m (total investment) into the Synthetic Biology for Growth Programme (SBfG), funded as one of the previous Government’s ‘Eight Great Technologies’ and delivered by the Research Councils (principally BBSRC, EPSRC and MRC), from 2014-22. The SBfG Programme included:
  1. In total, 49 spinouts and startups were supported by the six SBRCs, with 40 of these companies (where data is available) collectively raising just over £79m in additional funding and investment and employing over 250 people.

 

  1. In addition to the SBfG programme, this period also saw other major investments, including the £6.8m Innovation and Knowledge Centre in Synthetic Biology - SynbiCITE (EPSRC, BBSRC and Innovate UK); the £12m EPSRC and BBSRC CDT in Synthetic Biology (2013) and BioDesign Engineering (2019); and the Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge (MRC) £27.1m (2017-27) engineering biology programmes.

 

  1. UKRI partners have invested almost £40m in large awards (>£2m) in CDTs for engineering biology since 2000 (EPSRC, £34.3m and BBSRC, £4.8m), with further new CDT investments recently committed but not yet started (>£10m). This does not include individual Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) studentship awards which for BBSRC total a further £37m.

 

  1. UKRI has also invested in talent, resources, infrastructure, and research and innovation across many disciplines that feed into engineering biology, whether it is fundamental technology development, biology, core engineering principles or the wider health, environmental or social aspects. These disciplines all provide the talent pool and knowledge necessary for enabling the greatest impact from engineering biology innovations.

Global positioning and international collaboration

  1.                     UKRI has worked closely in collaboration and partnership with many countries across the world, both in direct collaboration and through multilateral programmes, to maximise our access to world-leading talent and create a reputation as being a go-to partner for engineering biology projects. The UK also has a hard-won position of leadership in Europe on engineering biology, gained through active and constructive participation in large scale trans-European consortia (e.g. ERACoBioTech and ERASynBio), resulting in the UK being the partner of choice for projects run through these programmes.

 

  1.                     Current international collaborations include:

2.  What are the key applications for engineering biology?

  1.                     Engineering biology has a huge range of applications, from enabling new vaccines to novel materials for defence and transport; from plastic-free packaging to improved silk fibres for sports clothing. This means that the technology is also making a significant contribution to delivering many other government strategies including the Clean Growth and Net Zero Strategies, the UK Life Sciences Strategy, and the UK Research and Development Roadmap.

 

  1.                     In 2020, recognising the evolution of the technology to-date and potential for even greater impact across a wider range of cross-disciplinary interfaces, UKRI in collaboration with the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), held a series of stakeholder engagement events, with academia, business, government and funders, to produce an overarching vision for engineering biology in the UK. The outputs of these meetings resulted in the development of UKRI’s model for the NEBP. See Annex 2 for the NEBP ‘Programme on a page’.

 

  1.                     The diagram highlights the different application areas (the basis of the four Technology Missions Fund thematic missions – see below), which build on the fundamental research in the ‘Discovery-inspired’ themes, all underpinned and enabled by talent, technology advances and infrastructure. In addition to UK strengths directed towards these application areas, the UK is also recognised for its excellence in innovating new tools and services which have value in and of themselves, but also enable the discovery and application themes.

 

Technology Missions Fund

  1.                     In March 2023, it was announced that UKRI would be deploying £250m of DSIT investment into three critical technology areas (AI, Quantum, and engineering biology) through the Technology Missions Fund (TMF)[4]. The TMF is a dedicated fund that draws on both UKRI’s recent experience of successfully delivering large scale challenge-led activities and it’s long history of delivering strategic technology development programmes.

 

  1.                     The £70m engineering biology investments through the TMF are focused on building maturity in four key areas:

 

This mission includes challenges such as breeding and traits in crops and animals, soil microbiomes, the replacement of conventional nitrogen-based fertilisers, disease control and alternative agriculture, and farming solutions. It will deliver transformative solutions that enable the food system to be more secure, healthier, and more sustainable for the growing global population.

 

Engineering biology will provide new biologic therapies and provide sensors to create new classes of diagnostics. This will lead to improved health though prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases. This mission would enable development of novel technologies and solutions, such as engineered cells/tissues/networks and biomaterials for regenerative medicine, precision drug targeting, novel diagnostics and advanced therapies manufacturing technologies. It will transform and enhance our toolkit by which we can diagnose, prevent and fight disease.

This mission includes bio-manufacturing solutions, create sustainable and renewable supply chains, and develop efficient and smart power generation and storage solutions, increasing productivity and reducing carbon emissions. It will contribute to achieving the UK Government’s net zero targets.

In this mission engineering biology technologies could be developed and applied to address challenges including bioremediation, waste management, carbon-capture, biomining, and resilient agri-environmental systems and ecosystems.

For details on projects funded through the TMF which address each application area see Annex 3.

3.  How can Government policy support the development of engineering biology?

  1.                     The DSIT-backed TMF enabled UKRI to invest in Mission-oriented research and innovation, which will drive forward great ideas and fundamental discoveries to application. Utilising £30m of the TMF investment, plus £70m of core UKRI budget, we have been able to launch a £100m programme of investment in ‘Mission Hubs and Awards’ to academia and industry, as well as a further £13.5m in industry-led collaborative R&D. This builds upon relevant UKRI grants, including the engineering biology Breakthrough Ideas and Transition Awards (£20.6m). Through this investment strategy, we have also secured private leveraged funds against the awards made to both academic and industry grant recipients.

 

  1.                     Through the TMF a portfolio of activities has been deployed to create an integrated suite of investments that address the four NEBP mission themes described above (section 2). These will help to secure strategic advantage by strengthening capability and capacity in the UK. This portfolio of mission-driven activities (including critical mass hubs and CR&D funding) has been developed such that their contribution to the research and innovation landscape will be greater than the sum of its parts (See Annex 3 for details).

 

  1.                     UKRI has committed £70m to amplify the TMF funds and deploy longer-term opportunities beyond our current spending review period to further the impact of research and innovation programmes and maintain capacity and capability in engineering biology through Financial Year 25/26-28/29.

 

  1.                     While the TMF will provide a significant uplift to engineering biology funding in the UK, UKRI partners anticipate that additional investment in engineering biology is still required to establish the wider ambitions of the NEBP and realise the UK Government’s National Vision for Engineering Biology. Further programmes of activity are required to bolster the talent pipeline and address skills gaps, provide international collaboration opportunities, invest in and enhance fundamental technology platforms, as well as longer-term commitments to foundational R&D and innovation, translation and commercialisation programmes. All areas where progressive government policy can have a positive impact.

 

  1.                     It is essential that the importance of sustained funding for fundamental science is recognised, as failure to continue to support such research will jeopardise the UK’s long-term innovation pipeline and erode our hard-won competitive position.

4.  How can the UK maximise the economic potential of developments in engineering biology? 

  1.                     The UK's future industrial base will benefit most from a focus on enhancing our innovation ecosystem for engineering biology, including enhancing our research base and pipeline to full commercialisation such that it is well supported by policy and governance initiatives. Scale up of engineering biology infrastructure and affordable access to pilot scale biomanufacturing and biofoundries would provide opportunities for multiple sectoral innovations and economic growth. Government support and financial structures to support investment (particularly for startups and SME’s) are critical for reducing the risk to investors and for bridging a funding gap when private investors, especially in the case of disruptive technologies, are not ready to invest.
4.2 How should the Government best support engineering biology startups to scale-up in the UK?
  1.                     Innovate UK has supported engineering biology scale up and demonstration through a variety of different interventions. With specific reference to support start-ups, investments include:

 

  1.                     Feedback from the community highlights that support should be tailored to the specific needs of SMEs, innovation stage and application. Consistent feedback from industry suggests that certainty around long-term funding opportunities would allow businesses to begin planning activities, in particular seeking internal approvals for match funding.
4.3 How well are Innovate UK, British business Bank and British Infrastructure Bank supporting the commercialisation of engineering biology in the UK?
  1.                     Innovate UK supports engineering biology ‘specific’ projects through the TMF and the Transformative Technologies Fast Start Programme, with an allocation of approximately £18m over two years (23/24, 24/25). Innovate UK has participated in the NEBP and TMF programmes from inception, helping to shape strategy and develop the business case.

 

 

4.4 Are there any elements of UK taxation policy which could support engineering biology? How does it fit into efforts to increase investment in UK technology companies, such as the Mansion House reforms?
  1.                     Industry feedback is that moving from ‘legacy’ supply chains to new practices harnessing engineering biology solutions, is often impossible due to the current supply chains being so much more cost effective.  Targeted policies that support engineering biology supply chains could incentivise investment, research, and development.

5.  What are the risks posed to society by engineering biology? 

5.1 There are regulatory, ethical, and safety concerns that go along with any dual-use technology, particularly in the case of gene-editing. What are the major areas of concern?
  1.                     Many of the conceivable risks arising from engineering biology are not unique to this field of biological and biotechnological research. Where any novel organisms are created through recombinant DNA approaches, uncontrolled or accidental release, and any potential for dual use (e.g., weaponization or ‘bioterrorism’) are factors that researchers, research organisations and research funders consider (see our evidence at Question 5.3). Where a particular avenue of research raises dual use risks of concern, the benefits of pursuing this work need to be described and weighted carefully against the risks, recognising that these risks may sometimes be hypothetical and hard to quantify.

 

  1.                     Lowering the technological barriers to developing engineering biology applications allows rapid advancement, which means considerations of risks also have to be undertaken at pace. The broad utility and efficiency of genetic technologies such as CRISPR Cas-9 has expedited engineering biology towards potential applications, alongside advances in nucleotide sequencing technologies and more recent bench-top (albeit still improving) DNA synthesis capability.

 

  1.                     The views of wider society are also an important consideration as involving people in research and innovation makes it more relevant and useful for everyone.[5] Accordingly, we have funded public engagement and related activity relevant to engineering biology, including:
5.2 Does engineering biology pose national security risks and if so, what are they? Is the Government’s 2023 Biosecurity Strategy sufficient to address these risks and, if not, what more does the Government need to do to?
  1.                     Flowing from the National Security & Investment Act 2021, we are implementing UKRI’s Trusted Research & Innovation policy[10] as part of protecting the UK’s intellectual property, sensitive research, people and infrastructure from potential theft, manipulation and exploitation, including as a result of interference by hostile actors. This includes a specific question for applicants within our funding service platform (‘TFS’) [11], and clauses in UKRI’s Full Economic Costing (FEC) Grant Terms & Conditions.[12]

 

  1.                     The UK Biological Security Strategy 2023 includes specific actions relating to engineering biology. We are discussing the Strategy with DSIT where relevant to UKRI. We would urge balancing the principle of responsible research self-governance for UKRI-funded researchers and research organisations (see evidence at Question 5.3) with national security considerations for UK research. 
5.3 What early warning systems are in place, both nationally and internationally, to monitor whether engineering biology is being misused? Are these sufficient, or is further regulation needed, for example setting out what DNA synthesis technology can be used for?
  1.                     UKRI’s councils have a longstanding approach to responsible research and innovation. Self-regulation by researchers and their organisations with inputs from other key stakeholders is the underlying principle, supported by formalised checks and balances within the research and innovation system where necessary. Regulatory processes must not unduly restrict essential research, where a responsible approach has been demonstrated. Additional regulatory requirements should apply specifically to where there is tangible cause for concern.

 

  1.                     UKRI’s trusted research and innovation (TR&I) work programme has been established in response to the increasing need across the sector to:

The programme is working closely with partners across the sector to see where we can align policies, and where a coordinated approach may be useful.

  1.                     By definition UKRI only awards funding to prescribed eligible organisations, who in turn are responsible for ensuring that their researchers are trained on and aware of undertaking research responsibly and ethically. We also provide policy and guidance on this, including:

 

  1.                     BBSRC and MRC have also initiated additional work relevant to engineering biology:

6.  How should engineering biology be regulated?  

6.6 Is there a tension between the desire to support open-access science – for example in genome sequencing, genetic datasets, engineering biology platforms and techniques – and a risk that IP developed in the UK is exploited elsewhere?
  1.                     Given the extensive investment in engineering biology within the UK, we are well placed to exploit the outputs given our strong biotechnology industrial sector. UKRI considers open research (also referred to as open science) important, to maximise the impact and value of publicly funded research, support transparency, reproducibility and integrity and facilitate more collaborative and efficient research nationally and internationally. Research outputs should be as open as possible and as closed as necessary. UKRI’s open research policies[20] recognise there can be commercial, ethical, and security-based reasons that research outputs may need to be restricted or delayed until IP protection is in place, or risks mitigated. Our open access policy[21] concerning research publications primarily, is no different to the more traditional models of subscription-based publication in respect of IP. It applies only when a project team decides to publish their findings; requirements such as open licensing apply to the content of a research publication, not underlying data or IP. This is consistent with the government’s R&D Roadmap[22] and is also the position of other leading research and innovation nations, for example the USA[23], France and Germany. It is also reflected in international multilateral positions, including those articulated by the G7[24] and OECD.[25] UKRI also works with the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO); we understand there is a need for a balance so research organisations can make informed decisions in the long term regarding the active management of intellectual property and wider knowledge assets for the benefit of society and the economy.

 

  1.                     Our research data sharing and management policies[26] also recognise explicitly there may be commercial, ethical and security-based reasons why research data cannot always be shared without restrictions. This position is shared with other UK research funders and organisations, as articulated in the Concordat on Open Research Data.[27]  Recognising that requirements for open access, while preserving national security and any commercialisation considerations are complex issues, UKRI is continuously monitoring feedback and emerging issues. Building on the latter we are initiating work to improve our research data policies and open research guidance, to set out more clearly how our expectations for open research, commercialisation and trusted research and innovation sit alongside each other.  

7. What are the possible barriers and limitations to good and effective use of engineering biology?

7.3 Does the UK have a sufficient skills base to harness the potential of engineering biology?
  1.                     To grow and maintain a diverse talent pool in the UK to support and enable engineering biology requires an effective education and training system specific to the field (which includes scientific, technical and entrepreneurial skills at all levels). Other leading nations are investing in their engineering biology workforces and incentives are therefore required to encourage our best engineering biology researchers to stay in the UK.

 

  1.                     There are growing concerns that unless the UK acts promptly, we will lose our position as a global leader in the field and fall behind other countries who are investing in their engineering biology workforce. Examples noted in the National Vision include: The US National Institutes of Health, which is expanding its I-Corps programme, a biotech entrepreneurship programme, and the US Department of Agriculture has announced a $68 million investment in training the next generation of research and education professionals. Furthermore, the Canadian government has investment $92 million in the life sciences sector which incorporates companies using engineering biology techniques and facilities.

 

  1.                     Through responses to DSIT’s Call for Evidence, the engineering biology community stated that for developing, scaling and commercialising engineering biology-derived applications the following areas were essential in reaching government ambitions:

 

  1.                     The engineering biology community has noted the success of initiatives like the Networks in Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy and SynbiCITE. The community emphasised the need for training programmes for entrepreneurial skills, such as Innovation-to-Commercialisation of University Research (ICURe) and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships. The National Vision praised the success of the Synthetic Biology for Growth programme which supported over 140 studentships and noted its support of UKRI’s aspiration to support engineering biology in the current Centre for Doctoral Training funding opportunity.

 

  1.                     Subsequently, the new CDT in engineering biology (EngBioCDT) was announced in March 2024, which will provide bespoke cohort-based training with a focus on how synthetic biology concepts and technologies can be translated into products with real-world impact. This is a positive step but is insufficient to meet demand.

 

  1.                     In order to achieve the appropriate industrial growth in the sector, there needs to be a specially trained workforce at both the CDT and technician training levels within engineering biology. Initiatives to promote, support and recognise the importance of technical career pathways for engineering biology would be extremely valuable.

 

 

About UKRI

Launched in 2018, UKRI is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the largest public funder of research and innovation in the UK. UKRI is nine councils working individually and collectively across all disciplines and sectors. Together we connect discovery to prosperity and public good, enriching lives and enabling high productivity economic growth, job creation and high-quality public services across the UK.

UKRI invests in people, teams, places and infrastructure, strengthening the skills, organisations, and collaborations needed to explore and develop game-changing ideas within and across disciplines. We build and tune a portfolio of investments with aligned incentives to capture the benefits of research and innovation for the UK, tackling challenges from climate change to healthy aging, and harnessing the opportunities from new technologies from AI to engineering biology. UKRI works with our many partners and stakeholders to shape a dynamic, diverse and inclusive research and innovation system that gives everyone the opportunity to participate and to benefit.

 

Annex 1: Further examples of UKRI investment and activities in engineering biology

Development of a world-leading national capability

In 2008/2009, BBSRC, EPSRC, Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funded the first dedicated investment in the academic discipline of synthetic biology to develop and establish communication and networking between researchers across the biosciences, engineering, and the physical sciences, with input from the social sciences and humanities. This step was critical to the emergence of engineering biology as a vibrant and successful ecosystem in the UK.

In 2012, a group of key stakeholders including the Research Councils, published the UK Synthetic Biology Roadmap, which provided a strategic direction for the development of synthetic biology across the UK. This Roadmap also led to the development of the synthetic biology strategic plan “Biodesign for the Bioeconomy” (2016).

During this period, research, innovation and capacity in synthetic/ engineering biology in the UK were accelerated through the establishment of the first major UKRI research and innovation investments. The largest of these was the £115m (total investment) into the Synthetic Biology for Growth Programme (SBfG). This programme spanned multiple activities and implemented the recommendations of the UK Synthetic Biology Roadmap, delivering on the investment from government.

As per section 1, the SBfG Programme comprised four main strands of activity: Synthetic Biology Research Centres (SBRCs); DNA Synthesis facilities (foundries); equipment support for CDTs and a synthetic biology seed fund.

The six Synthetic Biology Research Centres (SBRCs) were BrisSynBio (Bristol University), OpenPlant (University of Cambridge and The John Innes Centre, Norwich), SynthSys (Edinburgh University), Synbiochem (Manchester University), SBRC Nottingham, and Warwick Integrative Synthetic Biology Centre (WISB).

The DNA Synthesis facilities (foundries) are the Earlham Biofoundry, Edinburgh Genome Foundry, Liverpool GeneMill and London Biofoundry.

Examples of the 49 spinouts and startups include:

The focus of the different SBRCs, and the critical mass of research staff and students at the centres, equipment and facilities, were also of benefit to several larger companies with a significant footprint here in the UK, for example:

 


UKRI’s investment portfolio in engineering biology

UKRI partners have supported synthetic, then engineering biology awards since 2000, with a total expenditure of ~£712m (Figure 1). However the first few years were very low level, with a significant ramping up from 2009 onwards.

The large spike in 2014 reflects the start of the major investments made through the Synthetic Biology for Growth Programme. If we were to extrapolate the graph forwards, a similar spike would be evident for 2024 onwards as these figures do not include further commitments of £170m which have been made for future spend. This includes the recently announced additional £100m and £13.5m on engineering biology Mission hubs and awards, and CR&D awards respectively, plus the new Centres for Doctoral Training.

Figure 1 – UKRI engineering biology annual spend by Financial Year

 


Annex 2: National engineering biology Programme (NEBP)

 

 


Annex 3: Technology Missions Fund Investments in engineering biology

Through the £70m earmarked for engineering biology from the Technology Missions Fund (TMF), plus £70m of core UKRI budget, the following funding streams have been deployed to create an integrated suite of investments that address the four mission themes:

This investment is being deployed through the following mechanisms:

 

The 6 awarded Hubs can be seen below in Table 1.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 22 funded Mission Awards can be seen below in Table 2.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 2. List of Awarded engineering biology Mission Awards

More details of the Mission Hubs and Awards can be found here:

UKRI News: New £100m fund will unlock the potential of engineering biology

 

 

More details of these awarded projects can be found via the following link: 

UKRI News: £13.5 million for 48 engineering biology R&D projects

More details of this project can be found via the following link:

UKRI News: UKRI and Science Creates launch engineering biology accelerator

 

 

14 May 2024

 

 

[1] UKRI describes engineering biology as the application of rigorous engineering principles to the design and fabrication of biological components and systems, from modifications of natural systems to new forms of artificial biology, with the objective of translating them into solutions to the problems people and the planet face, now and in the future. It encompasses the entire innovation system from breakthrough synthetic biology research to translation, commercialisation and application.

[2] Synthetic biology can be described as the design and construction of novel biologically based parts, devices and systems, as well as redesigning existing natural biological systems for useful purposes.

[3] https://raeng.org.uk/media/budd1vix/engineering-biology-a-priority-for-growth.pdf

[4] Subsequently increased to 5 critical technologies with the addition of future telecoms and semiconductors

[5] As set out in https://www.ukri.org/publications/ukri-public-engagement-strategy/

[6] https://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2008/212017945361.html

[7] https://research.manchester.ac.uk/files/28770312/FULL-TEXT.PDF

[8] https://www.ukri.org/publications/synthetic-biology-public-dialogue/

[9] https://www.nuffieldbioethics.org/publications/public-dialogue-on-genome-editing-and-farmed-animals-2

[10] https://www.ukri.org/manage-your-award/good-research-resource-hub/trusted-research-and-innovation/

[11] https://www.ukri.org/apply-for-funding/how-to-apply/how-applicants-use-the-ukri-funding-service/

[12] https://www.ukri.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/UKRI-020424-FECGrantTermsConditionsApril2024.pdf; clauses RGC 2.6.2; 2.7.1; 2.7.2

[13] For example https://www.ukri.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/MRC-280623-GuidanceforPeerReviewers-EmbeddingDiversityUpdates-June-2023.pdf

[14] https://www.ukri.org/manage-your-award/good-research-resource-hub/

[15] https://www.ukri.org/publications/managing-risks-of-research-misuse-joint-policy-statement/

[16] https://www.ukri.org/who-we-are/epsrc/our-policies-and-standards/framework-for-responsible-innovation/

[17] https://knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/responsible-innovation-guide?version=standard

[18] https://www.ukri.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/UKRI-020424-FECGrantTermsConditionsApril2024.pdf Section 3 Research Governance

[19] https://www.ukri.org/publications/managing-risks-of-research-misuse-joint-policy-statement/

[20] https://www.ukri.org/what-we-do/supporting-healthy-research-and-innovation-culture/open-research/

[21] https://www.ukri.org/publications/ukri-open-access-policy/

[22] UK Research and Development Roadmap - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

[23] 08-2022-OSTP-Public-access-Memo.pdf (whitehouse.gov)

[24] 2023 G7 Science and Technology Ministers' Meeting in Sendai (cao.go.jp)

[25] https://www.oecd.org/sti/recommendation-access-to-research-data-from-public-funding.htm#:~:text=On%2020%20January%202021%2C%20the,shown%20in%20the%20figure%20below.

[26] https://www.ukri.org/manage-your-award/publishing-your-research-findings/making-your-research-data-open/

[27] https://www.ukri.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/UKRI-020920-ConcordatonOpenResearchData.pdf; the Concordat states: “Not all research data can be open and the concordat recognises that access may need to be managed in order to maintain confidentiality, guard against unreasonable cost, protect individuals’ privacy, respect consent terms, as well as managing security or other risks.”