Sandpits

We invite Network members to arrange sandpit meetings where a select number of key collaborators (UK, EU and international) can be gathered to discuss a particular research idea which can be turned into a grant application to EPSRC, BBSRC and other research councils. Meetings will receive up to £5k in organisation costs and administrative help (if required). Following from the meetings, successful collaborations seeded from sandpits can receive a further £5-10k to pump prime any proof of concept research in support of grant applications.
 
The aim of this resource is to assist the formation of new collaborations, with an emphasis on projects bringing together physical scientists and biologists.

The Sandpit platform

Sandpits are interactive meetings which involve a small group of researchers, including lead academic(s), who define a topic and facilitate discussion, a team of subject experts, working as mentors in support, and a number of independent stakeholders. Sandpits have a highly multidisciplinary mix of participants, some active researchers and others potential users of research outcomes, to drive lateral thinking and radical approaches to address research challenges. Participation will be open, but numbers will need to be limited, prioritising key collaborators working towards a particular key research question and future grant application. 

The sandpit platform is designed to inject innovation through enabling participants to transcend boundaries across disciplines, mindsets and institutions to produce new and innovative grant proposals. As such, it is anticipated that outputs from sandpits will be draft grant proposals, associated teams and if required an application to PoLNET2 Pump Priming funds (£5-10K). To see the range of sandpits already supported by PoLNET2, see ​section below; Sandpits already awarded during PoLNET2.

Funding availability

The maximum award available for a sandpit event is £5K. Linked to each sandpit event, Pump Priming funds (£5-£10k) may be available to support of larger grant applications that result from a given sandpit.

How to apply

There is an open call application. In order to propose a sandpit please complete the Sandpit PoLNET Application Template and submit to [email protected].

polnet2_sandpit_application_form.docx
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Selection Procedure

Applications will be circulated to the PoLNET2 steering group for comment. High quality ideas which are aligned to PoLNET aims (i.e. strong evidence of collaboration between physics and biology) will be among the criteria for success. In your applications, please use clear evidence of interdisciplinarity between Biologists and Physicists, anticipated outputs and the development of excellent collaborative relationships. It is aimed that a decision will be made within one month of the application being submitted.

• Airborne Pollution Protection Factor; Prof. Elena Lurie-Luke (P&G) and Prof. Stefan Przyborski (Durham University), £3k awarded for 2 day meeting at Durham University, May 2016 (20 participants).
• How do ATPase proteins work? Rhoda Hawkins (University of Sheffield) and Martin Cann (University of Durham), £500 awarded for 1 day meeting at University of Sheffield in February 2018 (5 participants). 
• Physical biology of the hoof: improving the welfare of working equids; Cyril Rauch and Sarah Blott (University of Nottingham), £4.3k awarded for travel to meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, January 2019 (10 participants).
• Epigenetic Dynamics in Mitosis, Davide Marenduzzo, Davide Michieletto (Edinburgh University), Daniel Rico and Jonathan Higgins (Newcastle University), £1k awarded for various meetings November 2018 to February 2019 in Newcastle and Edinburgh (4 participants).
• Inside-Out: Exploring how mechanics of health and disease are related in internal and peripheral soft tissues, Michael Crichton (Herriot Watt University), £2.5k awarded for 2 day meeting in Edinburgh, April 2019 (10 participants). 
• Multiscale mechanics in biology: next challenges for theory and experiment, Lorna Dougan (University of Leeds), £5k awarded for 2 day meeting in Leeds, date in 2109 TBC (20 participants). 
• Polymer Physics and Topography of Transposable Genomic Elements, Davide Michieletto (University of Edinburgh), Hans-Wilhelm Nuetzmann (University of Bath) and Alexandros Bousios (University of Sussex), £1k awarded for meeting in Edinburgh, May 2019.
• Towards a quantifiable relationship between the composition of multi-component vesicles and their emergent physical properties affecting stability under a range of environmental pressures and its relevance to the origin of life, Sean Jordan (UCL), Omer Markovitch  (University of Groningen) and Eloi Camprubi Casas  (Utrecht University), £2k awarded for meeting in London, July 2019.
  
• Physics and Mechanics of Living Systems, Sami Al-Izzi and Matthew Turner (University of Warwick), £500 awarded for meeting in Warwick, September 2019. 
  
• The physics and chemistry of ice in plants, Heather Knight (Durham University) and Thomas Whale (University of Warwick), £1300 awarded for meeting in Warwick, November 2019.