Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

The proposal seeks funds to renew and refresh the Centre for Doctoral Training in Formulation Engineering based in Chemical Engineering at Birmingham. The Centre was first funded by EPSRC in 2001, and was renewed in 2008. In 2011, on its 10th anniversary, the Centre received one of the Diamond Jubilee Queen's Anniversary Prizes, for 'new technologies and leadership in formulation engineering in support of UK manufacturing'. The scheme is an Engineeering Doctoral Centre; students are embedded in their sponsoring company and carry out industry-focused research. Formulation Engineering is the study of the manufacture of products that are structured at the micro-scale, and whose properties depend on this structure. In this it differs from conventional chemical engineering. Examples include foods, home and personal care products, catalysts, ceramics and agrichemicals. In all of these material formulation and microstructure control the physical and chemical properties that are essential to its function. The structure determines how molecules are delivered or perceived - for example, in foods delivery is of flavour molecules to the mouth and nose, and of nutritional benefit to the GI tract, whilst in home and personal care delivery is to skin or to clothes to be cleaned, and in catalysis it is delivery of molecules to and from the active site. Different industry sectors are thus underpinned by the same engineering science. We have built partnerships with a series of companies each of whom is world-class in its own field, such as P&G, Kraft/Mondelez, Unilever, Johnson Matthey, Imerys, Pepsico and Rolls Royce, each of which has written letters of support that confirm the value of the programme and that they will continue to support the EngD. Research Engineers work within their sponsoring companies and return to the University for training courses that develop the concepts of formulation engineering as well as teaching personal and management skills; a three day conference is held every year at which staff from the different companies interact and hear presentations on all of the projects. Outputs from the Centre have been published in high-impact journals and conferences, IP agreements are in place with each sponsoring company to ensure both commercial confidentiality and that key aspects of the work are published. Currently there are 50 ongoing projects, and of the Centre's graduates, all are employed and more than 85% have found employment in formulation companies. EPSRC funds are requested to support 8 projects/year for 5 years, together with the salary of the Deputy Director who works to link the University, the sponsors and the researchers and is critical to ensure that the projects run efficiently and the cohorts interact well. Two projects/year will be funded by the University (which will also support a lecturer, total >£1 million over the life of the programme) and through other sources such as the 1851 Exhibition fund, which is currently funding 3 projects. EPSRC funding will leverage at least £3 million of direct industry contributions and £8 million of in-kind support, as noted in the supporting letters. EPSRC funding of £4,155,480 will enable a programme with total costs of more than £17 million to operate, an EPSRC contribution of 24% to the whole programme.

This project will unlock the potential of wheat grain heterogeneity. We will: 1) Develop a novel single seed phenotyping tool based on hyperspectral imaging technology (HSI) integrated with next generation machine learning 2) Explain the determinism of the variance of uniformity of single seed grain quality parameters and explore a broad range of both known, and novel and exotic wheat genotypes for previously undefinable unique single seed traits, this will allow breeders to target previously unavailable grain quality uniformity traits, as well as speed selection from segregating populations. 3) Deploy the single grain HSI technology as a novel molecular breeding tool by determining key genes controlling single grain quality uniformity traits and validating the candidate genes by developing lines with contrasting expressing of the novel genes which we will test in field experiments. 4) Demonstrate the application of the single seed phenotyping tool as a sorting technology at laboratory and pilot production scale for wheat. This will demonstrate the ultimate value of the approach by producing exemplar food products (bread, biscuit and malted wheat) with enhanced quality and health credentials and validating the findings through sensory and consumer insight testing. Ultimately this project offers the potential for breeders to significantly upgrade the UK wheat grain production, reduce the requirements to use imported wheat of millers, and enhance the nutritional quality and sensory quality traits of bread, biscuits and food products containing malted wheat for the consumer. The impact of this project will be very significant as sorting by hyperspectral classification for protein content would allow tighter segregation of the wheat supply chain into defined applications such as those that require lower protein (cakes, biscuits, pastry) from those that require higher protein with good protein quality and consistency and resulting good rheology (bread, pasta, high protein flour) and allow tighter adherence to supplier specifications in addition to reducing the need of imported wheat. At the highest capacities, a single sorting machine can process around 0.5 million tons per year, this indicates a very significant impact on the UK wheat industry with a relatively low-cost intervention, often in centralised milling sites. Furthermore, premium wheat with unique bread-making properties (e.g. elevated micronutrients, very high protein) and unique flavour potential through the malting process, will be sold with a price premium. If a further 20% of UK farmers growing bread-making wheat varieties were to achieve the grain protein market specification of 13% for the premium each year, it would be worth an extra £25 M per year to the UK agriculture sector.

Synthetic biology is a new and exciting research field that brings together biological scientists and engineers with the aim of developing new ways to build and alter biological systems and cells. Biological cells can perform a vast array of activities driven by instructions, which are encoded by DNA. This DNA makes up the cells genome, which act as a blueprint for different types of cells and is composed of four complementary chemical building blocks called nucleotides (G, C, A and T) linked together in a sequence. The beauty of DNA is that these building blocks pair up specifically (G-C and A-T) thus the DNA template can be easily copied and replicated. The instructions encoded in DNA are translated specifically into an array of large molecules called proteins which act as the engines of the cell performing all the necessary functions for cells to live divide and grow e.g. the conversion of food sources like sugar into energy. Over the last 20 years advances in our ability to 'read' DNA has resulted in the complete genome sequences of a variety of living organisms including humans. These sequences encode the basic instruction parts for that specific organism. More recent advances in the chemical synthesis of DNA, has resulted in our increasing ability to 'write' DNA. Synthetic biology therefore aims to provide an engineering framework that allows researchers to design and write DNA tailored to specific applications such that these new synthetic DNA sequences can be placed in cells to perform specific human defined functions. One overarching aim at present is to develop a series of foundational techniques in synthetic biology such as assembling complex DNA components, characterising the instruction parts in detail and computer modelling of more complex DNA designs such that these can be applied to different applications. One overarching concept for synthetic biology is the development of standard DNA components that can used in an engineering 'design, build and test' cycle to create new biological systems and cells that display defined and predictable functions. Many researchers, policy makes and national governments anticipate that synthetic biology will provide a range of benefits to society in different industrial sectors including human health; agriculture and food production; environmental protection and remediation; bioenergy and chemical. To accelerate the translation of synthetic biology technology to new applications we propose to establish a national UK Innovation and Knowledge Centre in synthetic biology with three main objectives: (1) To act as an industrial translation engine which translates university and industry based research in synthetic biology into industrial process and products (2) To be an effective vehicle for the support of small to medium sized UK companies including Start-ups in synthetic biology (3) To actively engage in open dialogue with the public and other stakeholders focusing on the risks and benefits of synthetic biology technologies The IKC aims to place the UK as one of the World's leaders in translating academic synthetic biology research into new products and process but under the framework of 'Responsible Innovation' where the public worth and potential risks of specific applications are considered before such applications are implemented or even reach the market. Such an approach will establish new sustainable synthetic biology industries in the UK, allow other non-UK companies to invest in the UK and develop a skilled workforce in synthetic biology all of which will ultimately lead to new economic growth.

A report "Waste or resource?-stimulating the bioeconomy", published in March 2014 by the House of Lords Science and Technology select committee, highlighted the level of waste generated in the UK and the potential to exploit this for the generation of high value products. BBSRC funded research at The University of Nottingham over the past five years has been looking at the technical barriers behind the conversion of agricultural residues (such as wheat straw) into fuels such as ethanol. This research has developed a range of techniques to handle waste biomass streams and highlighted the need to generate higher value products in addition to energy. This has been accompanied by research, funded by Innovate UK, into alternate waste streams and products. This fundamental research has identified a number of potential high value products from a range of waste streams arising from the food industry. It has also developed techniques to extract, purify and concentrate these products. Overcoming these technical barriers to the exploitation of waste is only the first step in the process. Commercial implementation is subject to another range of barriers such as capital costs to establish the process; cost effectiveness of the process; considerations of intellectual property and potential disruption to the current operations. This FLIP application is to allow a research fellow, who has been primarily responsible for this basic research at Nottingham, to spend a period of 18 months with New Food Innovation Ltd (NFI). NFI is a small company that provides a conduit and consultation role for the introduction of novel products and processes into the food industry. The company has an extensive network of contacts within the industry and has expertise in all areas related to the commercial exploitation of research. The company will provide the fellow with training in aspects of commercial exploitation. At the same time the fellow will develop business plans for those waste streams and products that have been identified from the preliminary research. These include the extraction and purification of proteins from potato waste and brewers spent grain that may have functionality in structuring foods. Another example is the preparation of pulp material from fruit waste that may have functionality in food structuring due to its high water retention properties. A small part of the placement will include the fellow visiting other research groups (at Nottingham and elsewhere) to help identify other potential waste streams and products. This FLIP will deliver a range of benefits to the interchanger and the partners. The interchanger, who is already skilled in the technical aspects of the research, will receive training and gain an appreciation of the equally important commercial barriers and how they may be assessed and crossed. This will benefit and inform their future research activities. Nottingham University, and the PI in particular, will be able to explore potential "pipelines to exploitation" for the existing research portfolio that it has accumulated and, along with other institution, identify other areas of investigation. NFI will have access to new technologies and products that they can assess and as appropriate help transfer these into the relevant industry.