Transcript Document

ESRC Framework to Enable Biosocial
Research
Why does biology matter to social scientists?
▶ Social experiences get biologically embedded
– Blood analytes and biomarkers
– Brain and Central Nervous System
– Genome (e.g. epigenetics, gene expression, telomere length)
▶ Lasting effects on health
– E.g. Diabetes, Inflammation, and Obesity/ Sleep
▶ Biology interplays with experiences for
socioeconomic outcomes
– Cortisol reactivity to stress, immune systems, etc.
– Gene x Environment interactions, genetic sensitivity
– ? Gene expression
Biosocial Research
– Dynamic interplays between biology, experiences and
behavior over life course
– Understanding pathways and mechanisms
– Interplays and feedbacks across levels from molecules to
macro-contexts (cells to society; neurons to
neighborhoods)
▪ Genomic, neurological and physiological systems
▪ Physical and mental health
▪ Social behaviors, experiences and outcomes
– Multidisciplinary collaboration required
– Biological, medical and social sciences
ESRC Commitment
▶ Enabling innovative research using rich data sources
▶ Investing to enable biosocial research over several
years
▶ Interdisciplinary research requires collaboration
– Across disciplines and funders
– Across nations
▶ Ensuring scientific quality, impact and high ethical
standards
▶ Framework developed to ensure greater coherence
in achieving goals
The Framework
▶ Developed by ESRC Biosocial Advisory Group
▶ Chair Neil Serougi (MIC)
▶ 8 independent members
– Benzeval, Dezateux, Elliott, Hedgecoe, Hobcraft, Kumari,
Mathers, and Wellings
▶ ESRC, MRC, BBSRC and Wellcome Trust
▶ http://www.esrc.ac.uk/research/majorinvestments/biosocial.aspx
▶ ESRC monitoring and evaluating success in delivery
Enabling Biosocial Research
▶ Three key elements:
▶ Building Partnerships
▶ Building Resources
▶ Building Capacity
Building Partnerships
▶ Across Research Councils
– RCUK - Lifelong Health and Wellbeing
– MRC – Life Study, CLOSER, BCS70, Farr Institute,
– BBSRC – Epigenetics initiative
▶ Government – Health and ADRN data linkage
▶ NIHR – Dementia
▶ Clinical Research Collaboration – Public health
▶ International -NIA – ELSA GWAS, Reversibility Network;
– NIH, NSF - Epigenetics
Building Resources
▶ Understanding Society
– Biomedical sweep - cognition, biomarkers and whole blood
– Blood analytes and genome-wide scan
▶ ELSA – genome-wide scan
▶ MCS age 14 – salivary DNA collection (2015)
▶ BCS70 – biomedical sweep (with MRC, 2016)
▶ Life Study – strongly biosocial (with MRC)
▶ NCDS biomedical sweep (MRC funded, 2003)
Research and Capacity
– CLOSER
– EAGDA
– Targeted Collaborative Research and Training awards to CLS
and Understanding Society
– ESRC International Centre For Life course Studies In
Society and Health (UCL)
– NCRM – especially Pathways Node
– Cathie Marsh Institute for Social Research (Manchester)
The Cohorts and Longitudinal Studies
Enhancement Resource
– CLOSER brings together 9 major longitudinal studies
– Training and Capacity building
– Uniform Search Platform – improve data discovery
– Harmonisation – biosamples, biomedical measures, data
linkage, socioeconomic measures
– Stimulate collaborative cross-study and interdisciplinary
research
– Raise impact and awareness
http://www.closer.ac.uk/
Expert Advisory Group for Data
Access (EAGDA)
▶ Wellcome Trust, MRC, ESRC, CRUK
▶ High-level independent expert group
▶ Provides guidance and advice to funders
▶ Current topics:
– Identifiability
– Data Access Committees: improving accessibility
– Incentives: data sharing, service provision & infrastructure,
career prospects & rewards
– Public trust and commercial data access
Building Capacity -1
▶ CLOSER, NCRM, Understanding Society, CLS and
ELSA
– Series of collaborative training and capacity building events
on biomarkers and genetics in social science
▶ ESRC, BBSRC, NICHD, NIA, NSF
– Series of cross-national meetings on social and behavioral
epigenetics
Building Capacity - 2
▶ Training activities and plans
– DTC review – how to include biosocial?
– NCRM Pathways, Essex Summer School, Manchester,
CLOSER etc
– SAT Report to MIC and TSB on Skills and Capacity for Big
Data and Biosocial Science
▶ Need for coordinated and planned delivery
mechanisms
▶ ESRC statement about investment in biosocial
science and planned activities to build capacity in
early 2015
Funding opportunities
▶ Epigenetics call with BBSRC:
– £3m, closing date 15 January 2015
– Building capability, methodology, longitudinal
– Networks (<£200K); Proof of Principle (<£500K); Larger
research projects (<£1M)
▶ Secondary Data Analysis Initiative 3
– Early career researchers
– 20-25 awards, max £200K; closed 27 January 2015
– Interdisciplinary, including biosocial; ESRC data resource
Funding Opportunities
▶ Future Research Leaders:
– Early career researchers
– Up to 40 awards, max £350K; closed 20 January 2015
– Big data, Biosocial, Longitudinal
▶ Research Seminars and Strategic Networks
– max £30k seminars; £100K Networks; closes 8 April 2015
– Biosocial, Big data, Education & neuroscience, Civil society
Science Capital Roadmap 2015
▶ Up to £75m to ESRC
▶ Big Data and Information Economy
– International interdisciplinary centre in real-time data
analytics
– Secure, seamless access to global data infrastructure for all
– Integrated programme of biosocial data resources
▪ Ensure innovative use of existing collections for
longitudinal studies
▪ Integrate the biosocial across life-course to enhance
understanding of behaviours and society