Aim
The aim of this funding opportunity is to establish a single interdisciplinary network to bring the UK research and innovation community together to:
- advance the understanding of the mechanisms of the gut-immunology-brain axis (GIBA) across the life course
- convene and create networking and other collaborative opportunities and facilitate a range of activities in support of this goal
This funding opportunity will be a two-stage process:
- stage one aims to establish a leadership team to lead the GIBA network+
- stage two aims to provide funding to the GIBA leadership team to develop and lead the GIBA network+ and associated activities
Background
The gut-immunology-brain axis (GIBA) is a complex network of direct and indirect bidirectional communication routes involving multiple biological systems and signalling pathways such as neural, endocrine, metabolic and immune pathways.
The GIBA is an emerging area of research with potential to improve physical, cognitive and mental health across the life course. However, many of the biological mechanisms underpinning the GIBA, and how it is modulated by lifestyle and other factors, are not well understood.
In March 2023, BBSRC held a community building workshop to explore the opportunities, challenges and the research and innovation needs to advance understanding of the GIBA and to inform future activities. The recommendations from this workshop have helped to inform this network opportunity. Read the workshop report (PDF, 2MB).
Through this network+ investment we expect the network to:
- facilitate networking, new collaborations and knowledge exchange across disciplines and sectors
- generate mechanistic understanding of the bi-directional communication pathways within the GIBA to improve health across the life course
- build research capacity and interdisciplinary capability
- deliver tangible outputs (for example, publications synthesising existing evidence, framework for future activity, mapping the UK landscape in GIBA, research and innovation gap analysis, stakeholder engagement plan and novel research proposals)
- have a diverse and inclusive membership across disciplines, sectors and career stages and be geographically distributed across the UK
What we will fund
Leadership team
We are seeking to establish a leadership team for the network to:
- submit a network proposal to BBSRC in consultation with the wider GIBA research community
- take responsibility for setting direction, maintaining focus and momentum of the network
- have the appropriate leadership and management skills (appropriate to career stage) to deliver the network and to drive interdisciplinary inclusion and develop others
- contribute to developing a positive research environment and wider community
- develop a baseline understanding of the relevant GIBA research base in the UK
- take the lead in generating and identifying opportunities for coordination of GIBA activities and outputs to ensure overall delivery of the network vision and dissemination of emerging knowledge and best practice
- ensure maximum impact of the network through developing a clear and effective proactive framework for engagement with stakeholders, other networks and strategic investments
- be fully accountable for effective use of own time and network resources
- ensure that targets and objectives are met and the outputs are communicated to BBSRC, key stakeholders, committees, advisory groups and researchers
- be responsible for monitoring and evaluating network activities including annual and mid-term reporting to BBSRC
The leadership team will consist of a maximum of five people and will include:
- one UK project lead, who will act as the network director
- maximum of four UK-based project co-leads, one of whom will act as co-director to assist the network director in the leadership of the network, and at least one of whom should be an early-career researcher
The network leadership team will be supported by a network manager (full or part-time) who will be responsible for activities such as:
- the day-to-day network management
- event coordination
- website development for the network
Network events
Costs for supporting and facilitating network meetings and events, mobility funding and pump priming activities can be requested. Further details will be provided when the full network application funding opportunity opens.
Duration
The duration of the network is four years.
Eligible Costs
Salaries and support costs
The project lead (director of the network) and project co-leads will be able to request funds to cover their salary costs at 80% of full economic cost (FEC) for the time spent directing and managing the network. However, it is envisaged that staff costs will not form the majority of costs of the proposal and be reasonable.
Salary costs for a network manager (full or part-time) will also be supported.
Further details will be provided when the full network application funding opportunity opens.
