Record-Breaking Year
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
| 2 Alzheimer’s blood test | 3 Peanut allergies trial | 4 Spanish Minister speaks | 6 Hospital Doctor Award | 11 Prospect debate | 12 Remembrance ceremony CommentThe College newsletter Issue no 171 | December 2006 Record-breaking year GRANTS AND CONTRACT INCOME awarded to King’s reached a Ice magic for King’s staff at Somerset House record-breaking £110.2 million in GREG FUNNELL the year from 1 August 2005 to 31 July 2006. This represents a rise of 9.3 per cent on the previous year’s figure of £101.2 million. The total number of new awards and contracts has risen from 711 to 761 over the year. In the main, awards come from the Research Councils, Government Departments, UK and overseas industry, charities and from the European Union. The highest amount of Government funding Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman, Vice-Principal (Research), comments: ‘While one year’s figures do not constitute a trend this is a very encouraging indication that the On Sunday 19 November a number of King’s staff enjoyed what has become an essential winter experience – open-air ice skating at College’s strategic investment and Somerset House. Absolute beginners and seasoned skaters took in the spectacular setting of Somerset House’s 18th century courtyard, emphasis on high-quality research a stone’s throw from King’s Strand Campus. As darkness fell the rink was transformed by flaming torches and architectural lighting. is increasingly being recognised by outside funders.’ Schools that have particularly good year for King’s as the Medicine (who recently joined the Department of Mathematics increased their new funding for Medical Research Council the College from St George’s being awarded £201,000 from the last year include Physical Sciences (MRC) has awarded or renewed Hospital Medical School). He was EPSRC to research ‘Topological & Engineering, up from £3.6 four Centre Awards [see awarded a £2.8 million grant from defects in conformal field theory million to £7.1 million; Biomedical Comment 162]. Their total the Oak Foundation to undertake and string theory’. Mr Michael & Health Sciences, up from funding to the College is now a project on stem-cell based Gabbay received £215,994 from £10.2 million to £19.9 million; the in excess of £14 million. therapy for vascular disease. the British Academy for his work Dental Institute from £1.3 million Another major grant includes: Prestigious grants have been ‘Normalistaion in mathematics: to £6.7 million and the School of one for Qingbo Xu, British awarded to the Centre for elementary mathematical terms Social Science & Public Policy Heart Foundation John Parker Computing in the Humanities are logical constants’. from £5 million to £11.2 million. Professor of Cardiovascular for their digitalisation work as well This has been a particularly Science, in the School of as Dr Ingo Runkel, Lecturer in continued on page 2 News Record-breaking year Principal’s Column JULIAN ANDERSON continued from page 1 funding from industry and former students and members On the most recently available commerce is one of our great of staff and I am happy to report comparisons, King’s receives the strengths this year. King’s has that the College held its first highest amount of government recognised the value of working reception for alumni in the funding among all the London with business for mutual gain City last month. The ‘King’s colleges and is third overall in the and these figures highlight community’ continues to grow UK for funding from this source. knowledge transfer in action. and plays a vital ambassadorial Within the University of London, With recent strategic investment role for the College. King’s is second only to Imperial at King’s and the encouragement I am delighted that the College in industrial funding of the funding Councils, I am Russell Group, which consists and fifth nationally, competing confident that the upward trend of the country’s top 20 research- vigorously also with Cambridge, will continue.’ led universities, has appointed Nottingham and Cranfield for Professor Michael Clarke, Dear Colleagues its first Director General, Wendy the top spots in industrial income. Director of Research I am naturally very pleased that Piatt, and that, furthermore, she The total of new industrial Development, said: ‘We pride the College’s research income is an alumna of the College. funding for King’s from UK ourselves at King’s on our applied is at record levels, and there is Dr Piatt will lead the Group’s and overseas sources stands at research and our ability to work every expectation that this will policy development and strategy £11 million up from £8.9 million closely with Government and continue to rise. This mirrors our and I have no doubt that this in the previous year. industry. Last year’s figures aspirations for King’s as stated will lead to a stronger focus King’s is GlaxoSmithKlines’ offer further proof that we are in the College’s Strategic Plan on the mutual interests of the fourth highest-funded institute consolidating our reputation in bringing together ideas widely institutions which are members. in the UK, and has significant these vital fields, and we are on discussed around the College Complementary to the work funding from a range of other the verge of more breakthroughs during the last couple of years, of the Russell Group are the companies working both within in the coming year.’ which has just gone to Academic efforts of Universities UK and without the health sciences. New awards last year totalled Board and will go to Council in (UUK), which represents all Dr Alison Campbell, Managing £105.8 million, with a research mid-December. There was some the country’s universities and Director of KCL Enterprises, income for the year recorded at discussion of these issues at the seeks to promote the many comments: ‘The increase in £110.2 million. Principal’s Fora which I held at interests common to them different campuses in October. all. You may have read that I Another topic which was aired have been elected President BREAKDOWN BY AWARDERS (1 August 2005-31 July 2006) was the possibility of awarding of UUK for two years as from Research councils £33,318,293 our own degrees, which has August 2007. In the meantime UK charities £31,660,186 subsequently been ratified by I plan to substantially reduce Central government, local authorities & health hospitals £13,235,203 Academic Board and now goes my commitments outside UK & overseas industry £11,021,820 to Council. The recent Fora the College and have every EU £9,750,810 were well attended (although confidence that the Presidency perhaps the enticement of a will not impinge on my work at Overseas other £6,721,485 free lunch was the attraction!), King’s; indeed, I see the role as Others £159,868 and I hope that increasing a great opportunity to promote Total £105,867,665 numbers of staff will take the College to a wide variety of advantage of attending in future audiences at the same time as as these events provide a useful helping to shape the future of opportunity to ask questions higher education in the UK. and discuss issues. With best wishes for the Alzheimer’s blood test King’s puts great store on Christmas season. maintaining good relations with Rick Trainor PROTEINS FOUND IN THE BLOOD CAN currently diagnosed using indicate an increased risk of methods including memory tests Alzheimer’s disease, according and brain scans, but a definitive to groundbreaking new research diagnosis can only be given at carried out on 500 Alzheimer’s help get treatments to patients from the Institute of Psychiatry post mortem. patients in the UK. when they might most benefit. published in the journal Brain. It This five-year project based Lead researcher Simon Further research is now needed is the first time markers for the at the IoP and funded by the Lovestone, Professor of Old Age to establish if a simple, accurate development of Alzheimer’s have Alzheimer’s Research Trust, Psychiatry, said: ‘This is certainly blood test for Alzheimer’s can been identified in blood. used a cutting-edge process an exciting development in become a reality.’ The findings take researchers known as proteomics to identify the battle against Alzheimer’s. Professor Lovestone was a step closer to knowing whether proteins increased in the blood It is a devastating disease and interviewed about his research a blood test can be used to of Alzheimer’s patients but not in we currently have problems on Radio 4’s Today programme diagnose and measure progression a control group of healthy older diagnosing it and measuring and he also appeared on BBC of the disease. There is no cure, people. Two of these proteins its progression in patients. We One’s Breakfast. The research long-term treatment or prevention were confirmed as markers for need to find new methods of was also covered in The Times for Alzheimer’s disease. It is the disease through blood tests diagnosing Alzheimer’s early to and the Daily Mail. 2 | Comment | December 2006 News Major trial of peanut allergies KING’S SciENtiSTS ARE EMBARkiNG of peanuts in the first year of life on a major study into peanut and the development of peanut allergy in children. The £5 million allergy,’ explains Professor Lack seven-year study involving 480 of King’s. ‘Children who eat infants will explore whether early peanut snacks early in life may exposure to peanuts can reduce be protected against peanut the risk of developing an allergy. allergy. At present we do not Funding is provided by know whether avoidance or early amongst others, the National introduction to peanuts is the Institutes of Health, the Immune correct strategy.’ Intolerance Network and the US- Professor Lack’s team will based Food Allergy Initiative.