Institutional Strategic Support Fund FY2013/14 (360G-Wellcome-097833_Z_11_B)

The 2022 Futures initiative will make the step change required to ensure that our research can make the significant developments needed to address some of the world’s biggest challenges Imagine:Imaging Life is a major strategic project to establish a unique and world-leading microscopy resource in Sheffield. The combination of three very different imaging approaches; cryo-electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and super-resolution optical microscopy within this centre of excellence is the focus for a growing community of interdisciplinary researchers, who will apply these powerful technologies to the visualisation of biological structures and molecular interactions to a level or resolution not presently achievable. The Florey Institute for Host-Pathogen Interactions will establish Sheffield as an international hub for the understanding and treatment of infectious diseases. Medical Humanities Sheffield (MHS) was granted university centre status in 2013 and has grown to a membership of over 170 academics and practitioners across the university and the NHS, including Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Sheffield Children’s Hospital and Primary Care Trusts Enhancing facilities:1) A post-doctoral fellow providing essential academic input to a new Biological Mass Spectrometry Facility funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research and UniversityISSF 05/142investment.2) Significant capital investment to support the University’s flagship Imagine: Imaging Life Initiative to enable the purchase of new Atomic Force Microscopy, Cryo-Electron Microscopy and image capture equipment. This supports investments made by the University, EPSRC and MRC and leveraged an additional £650K award from The Wolfson Foundation to fund laboratory refurbishments. Translational development:A second business manager within the Sheffield Healthcare Gateway supporting new translational activities to work with a new HEIF-5 business manager and associated biddable funds to bridge projects at the crucial stage between proof of concept and commercial development. 18 projects have been supported including two subsequently awarded MRC DPFS and one Wellcome SDDI funding.Public Engagement:ISSF, University funds and an RCUK Catalyst award were combined to support the recruitment of a new Public Engagement Team to deliver on the University’s new PE Strategy, providing central support to a range of initiatives across the whole University. Funds were also used to support specific initiatives including: 1) The University’s Festival of the Mind programme, ISSF contributed to eight individual collaborative bioscience projects as part of the extensive public engagement activities across the city; 2) Life: A Festival of Health, From Head to Toe which delivered 42 events over six days, involving 2,300 members of the public and school groups.Developing careers:Post-Roberts provision for Early Career Researchers (ECR) by funding one of two dedicated life science development posts and delivering two ECR Crucible programmes; ISSF significantly increased participation in this scheme by funding the attendance of double the number of bioscientists than could be provided by core funding alone, and by supporting increased funds for small grants. Six project grants were awarded to life scientists all of which were developed into RCUK submissions, including one to an ECR appointed as a Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow in January 2014.