Nottingham research partnership to tackle obesity and drive UK-wide innovation

The New Investigator Obesity and Metabolism Network (NOBLE) aims to create a UK-wide, community-led network that encourages collaboration, provides training, ensures access to world-class resources and expertise to drive collaborative, discovery science and answer the most pressing questions in the field.

Through a £570,000 award by the UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council  (BBSRC), NOBLE will provide flexible funding, including six grants (at a value of up to £20,000 each) for teams of new investigators across the UK to develop  collaborative research ideas tackling the most important questions in the field and to develop these for larger funding awards. In addition, there will be 20 skill-sharing grants (up to £2,000 each) for PhD students and Postdocs to learn new techniques and drive knowledge exchange across the network

Training and capacity building are a key focus of this network. An MBA-level course will be developed in collaboration with the Business Schools at both Universities aimed at teaching new-investigators the fundamental business skills required for leading, growing and promoting research groups globally. Alongside this, the MAGnify+ summer school will be co-designed with postdocs from underrepresented groups to support their transition to independent roles.

The NOBLE network will be bolstered by support from industry leaders and local project partners, Sygnature Discovery and We Are Pioneer Group. As part of our goal to transform Nottingham into a hub for discovery science in the field they will provide members with training and support in drug discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Dr Peter Aldiss, NOBLE Director, based at the NIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, and Biodiscovery Institute,  at the University of Nottingham said: “Ultimately, NOBLE seeks to transform how new investigators work in UK bioscience, creating a lasting model for collaborative, team-led research and innovation across the sector.

“By addressing overweight and obesity—a major health challenge affecting around 64% of UK adults—NOBLE will drive scientific advances and improve lifelong health outcomes, setting a blueprint for future research networks.”

Dr. Craig Doig, Co-Director of NOBLE based at the Centre for Systems Health and Integrated Metabolic Research, in Nottingham Trent University’s School of Science and Technology, said: “At this crucial and often challenging stage of their careers, emerging academics deserve a consistent, high-quality experience. Through NOBLE, we will unite academics during this pivotal period of independent development, fostering a supportive and collaborative community.

“By working together as a national cohort, the NOBLE community will enhance the early career researcher experience and drive both the quality and quantity of bioscience research across the UK”

Professor Anne Ferguson-Smith, BBSRC Executive Chair, said: “Supporting the next generation of research leaders is vital to sustaining the UK’s world-class bioscience capability. Initiatives like NOBLE provide the tools, networks and collaborative opportunities that early career researchers need to thrive and tackle major challenges such as obesity and metabolic disease. By investing in people and fostering an environment where innovative ideas can flourish, we are helping to secure the future of UK bioscience and deliver real benefits for health and society.”