The first of two calls from the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Physics of Life Strategic Priority Fund was made in December 2018 for April 2019 start dates (See: https://epsrc.ukri.org/files/funding/calls/2018/collaborationphysicsoflife/). The call seeked to support internationally leading research which required collaborative, interdisciplinary working to address key challenges at the interface of physics and the life sciences. The call of £15 m funded 7 high-quality, interdisciplinary research projects each 3 years in duration. Funded research projects were relevant to human, animal, plant or microbial systems and work within and across length scales, from molecules to complex organisms. These projects demonstrate deep integration of cutting edge experimental, theoretical and/or computational physics with life sciences research to advance our understanding of living systems in biological or biomedical contexts. The funded projects were announced in April 2019, see here:
The Physics of Life Strategic Priority Fund programme is a unique opportunity for researchers who are working, or looking to work, in a truly integrated manner at the interface of physics and the life sciences, under a mechanism designed to better facilitate interdisciplinary research in the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) landscape. A second funding call of similar scale will be announced in 2021, for April 2022 grant start dates (see below). The role of Physics of Life Network 3 is to facilitate new ideas and support new ways of working in preparation for this call.
Call Two
Nine new Physics of Life projects from Call Two have now been announced. To view these projects follow the link below:
Alongside this announcement anEPSRC blog, authored by Professor Stephen Smye, has been written to highlight research being undertaken as part of the Physics of Life Network 3 and four animations, that showcase impacts from projects funded through Call 1's Physics of Life Programme have been published. The animations have relevance to agriculture, antimicrobial resistance, bioinspired metamaterials and air pollution demonstrating how cutting edge physics is unlocking new insights across multiple domains. The films feature a as a UKRI Highlight, see here: Unlocking the physics of life (ukri.org).