In the news

The UK Science Budget for 2003-04 to 2005-06, published in December, commits the Government to providing funding to the Research Councils for a major new investment in stem cell research and for an expansion of its post-genomics programme to include new research in proteomics. A total of just over £9 million pounds for stem cell research in 2004-05 will rise to nearly £31 million in 2005-06. The money will fund the establishment of the UK Stem Cell Bank at the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (see item in September 2002 newsletter), as well as basic research on stem cell biology and applied research on the therapeutic potential of stem cells. These programmes will be administered by the Medical Research Council and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. Smaller amounts of funding to the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council will support research on the development of methods for following grafted stem cells, and the ethical and social issues surrounding stem cell research, respectively. The UK is among a fairly small number of countries where it is legal to use public funds for research that involves the derivation of new embryonic stem cell lines. In recognition of the uneven regulatory situation across the world, talks were held recently in London with a view to the possible establishment of an international stem cell consortium (see Nature, 9 January, p. 102) – this might allow scientists in countries with more restrictive regulatory regimes to collaborate with those in countries where a wider range of research is permitted.

The UK’s cross-council programme in post-genomics also received a boost in the Science Budget. The additional funding, shared mainly between the MRC and BBSRC, is intended in particular to support research on proteomics, including areas such as protein folding and predictive modelling; protein function; the regulation, modification and expression of proteins; bioinformatics; and technology development for proteomics. By 2004-05 and 2005-06, the MRC and BBSRC will share a total annual budget of around £50 million for post-genomic research.