First projects from UKRI’s new interdisciplinary scheme announced – UKRI

The projects are designed to stimulate exciting new interdisciplinary research.

Treatment for bile duct cancer, degradation of toxic organic pollutants, historical accounts that inform marine ecosystem management, and techniques to protect children’s digital data are among the breakthrough projects being funded.

Additionally, the second round of funding is launching today with a further £32.5 million available.

The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) cross research council responsive mode (CRCRM) pilot scheme is supporting new and creative interdisciplinary ideas emerging from the research community.

The scheme:

• unlocks new research, approaches and methods that would not be possible from established disciplinary thinking
• encourages new and unexpected types of interdisciplinary research not currently funded through existing UKRI responsive mode schemes
• supports research that will be potentially transformative for the participating disciplines or lead to the creation of new disciplines

A novel snake-like robot to treat bile duct cancer

Among the successful projects announced today is a 21-person interdisciplinary team led by Professor Guru Aithal from the University of Nottingham.

The team will develop ground-breaking technologies, a snake-like robot and wireless electrical treatment to diagnose, map and treat Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer).

The snake-like robot will navigate the narrowed bile duct and capture images to draw a 3D map of the cancer.

Stents placed across the narrowing will be pre-loaded with nanoparticles and activated using wireless electrical fields to stimulate the death of cancer cells.

To improve survival and quality of life outcomes for patients with bile duct cancer, the project brings together experts in:

• medicine
• endoscopy
• engineering
• robotics
• imaging
• bioelectrics
• genomics

Empowering young children to understand and benefit from their personal data

Professor Andrew Manches from The University of Edinburgh will lead a project to change perceptions about children and their personal data through the creation of cutting-edge, child-centred tools and teaching practices.

The project will work with 270 children aged three to eight in schools, Edinburgh Zoo and Glasgow Science Centre to construct physical representations of personal data that children can touch, explore, talk about and learn with.

It will contribute knowledge to early learning, cognitive psychology, child-centred design, data ethics, data visualisation and computer science.

The greatest impact of this project will be on children, who will be able to engage, enjoy and understand their data-saturated world better.

It will give them greater confidence that they should and can play a role in the design of their future.

Driving progress across diverse fields

Professor Alison Park, UKRI CRCRM Champion and Deputy Executive Chair of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) said:

The perspectives of different disciplines, working together in collaboration, are vital to solving some of the most pressing problems we face as a society.

The UKRI cross research council responsive mode scheme is designed to break down silos and champion research that transcends, combines and significantly spans traditional discipline boundaries.

The projects announced today will drive progress across diverse fields by creating fresh approaches to research questions, methodologies and ways of working.

We were all excited to see the innovative and bold approaches being adopted to tackle major issues ranging from climate change to global healthcare and look forward to following their progress.

Converting historical knowledge into sustainable ocean management

Dr Alec Moore from Bangor University will bring together historians and marine scientists to convert historical observations of fishers, past and present, into knowledge that will inform marine ecosystem management.

The project will focus on historical data about the Atlantic herring, a fundamentally important component of the marine ecosystem in the northeast Atlantic which collapsed in the mid-20th century.

It will use historical sources mostly from the 17th to the early 20th centuries, including:

• the writings of early modern naturalists and travellers
• newspaper archives
• government inquiries
• the memory of living fishers

The findings will help to identify ecologically important herring spawning areas and understand the long-term variations in spawning activity in response to changing climates.

Microbes that listen: sono-bio technology for persistent organic pollutants

Dr Madeleine Bussemaker and her team from the University of Surrey will combine ultrasound and microorganisms to develop a novel hybrid technology for the treatment of persistent organic pollutants.

Per and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of thousands of synthetic chemicals used in consumer products including non-stick food packaging, cleaning products and water-resistant clothing.

PFAS do not fully degrade naturally, so they persist in the environment and can be toxic to animals and humans.

Microbial and ultrasonic degradation work best on different PFAS types.

The combined sono-bio technology will aim to deliver a complete, sustainable and efficient treatment.

A sustainable building material to combat climate change

Dr Mehreen Gul with a team from Heriot-Watt University, Aston University and University of Birmingham will explore the use of biochar, a charcoal-like material made from non-recyclable biomass, as a low-carbon building material to help reach net zero.

The project will consult with key stakeholders, including policymakers and ministers to understand the effectiveness, readiness, cost, social acceptability and limitations of biochar as a building material.

It will test the performance, durability and thermal conductivity of biochar in materials such as concrete, brick, plaster and grout.

It will also run building modelling to investigate energy savings and thermal efficiency in buildings.

A tool to predict the age-appropriateness of children’s media

Professor Tim Smith from the University of the Arts London will lead a team across four research organisations to build an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can predict a video clip’s potential impact on children’s ability to learn, understand and develop self-control.

The AI tool will be used by media creatives to check whether content is developmentally appropriate for their target audience, aiding in the creation of higher-quality content and allowing parents to make more informed decisions on content selection.

This project will specifically focus on the impact of children’s media on children aged three to six, a key stage in neurocognition development.

It will bring together a unique team of researchers from:

• children’s animation practice
• media theory
• developmental psychology
• neuroscience
• AI

Why it’s vital to support cross council interdisciplinary research

Video credit: UK Research and Innovation
Video transcript and on-screen captions are available by watching on YouTube.