The British Society for Immunology (BSI) has joined the strategic partners of the Royal Society of Biology (RSB) in signing a letter to Ian Chapman, CEO of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The letter calls for greater transparency around recent funding changes implemented by UKRI councils.
In late January, pauses to funding awards from the Medical Research Council (MRC) and Biotechnology and Biological Research Council (BBSRC) were announced. These followed the publication of the UKRI budget allocations for the 2026-27 to 2029-30 financial years. The BSI joins the RSB in requesting further transparency on the implementation and impact of these funding decisions, and on the data behind them.
It is important that members of the UK research community are given certainty on how these changes to funding strategy compare to previous years, and the confidence that these changes will be regularly assessed to ensure that continuity in research, development and innovation in the UK is maintained.
The full letter from the RSB can be viewed on their website.