THIS JOURNAL IS PRODUCED WITH THE SCIENCE IN PARLIAMENT SUPPORT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION FOUNDATION

The Journal of the Parliamentary and

Scientific Committee – SPRING 2021 All-Party Parliamentary sip Group

This is not an official publication of the House of Commons or the House of Lords. It has not been approved by either House or its Committees. All-Party Groups are informal groups of members of both Houses with a common interest in particular issues. The views expressed in this Journal are those of the Group. This Journal is The Government-funded UK Autodrive project, completed in 2018, saw funded by the members of the Parliamentary and industry come together to trial connected and automated vehicles on Scientific Committee (All-Party Parliamentary Group). Milton Keynes and Coventry. On Page 2, Transport Minister, Rachel Maclean MP, writes about the UK’s self-driving vehicle revolution. ASK THE EXPERTS BRIEFING ON COVID-19 DISCUSSION MEETING 15 MARCH 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed all our lives also heard how it’s vital that the vaccine passports meet an dramatically over the past year. In this fast changing time, this international standard, to allow for international travel. briefing offered people the opportunity to hear from experts We also heard about how new variants pose a potential from a variety of fields about the current situation. There were threat to immunity. The new variants which have been identified four experts presenting and taking questions in this 15th March are associated with a decreased level of immunity, although evening discussion, which was organised in partnership with the evidence suggests the current vaccines still prevent severe National Academies. Dr Shaun Fitzgerald from the Royal illness. The UK has seen an expansion of its genomics industry Academy of Engineering discussed how we can make spaces since the pandemic started and this will be a crucial monitoring COVID-safe and what we have learnt about ventilation during tool as we go forward. New variants will have an impact on this pandemic. Professor Melinda Mills was an author of the decisions about the need for an annual vaccination programme Royal Society’s report on vaccine passports, and she discussed or an expiry date on vaccine passports, and so this knowledge this reports conclusions and how these are important will be vital. considerations for government policy. Professor Charles Bangham from Imperial College London discussed long-COVID As we see levels of COVID-19 decrease in the UK, many are and how we can best deal with this syndrome. Professor Judith still suffering the effects from having the disease. Long-COVID is Breuer from University College London discussed the associated with a variety of symptoms, most commonly fatigue. emergence of new variants and what threats these pose to our Professor Bangham explained that the mechanism of post-viral current situation. There was a varied and extensive Q&A around fatigue is poorly understood and so currently treatment is these topics. focused on relieving symptoms. As businesses start to operate again, it’s key that employers recognise the syndrome and A lot of discussion was centred around the vaccine rollout. If support their employees who are suffering from this condition. the government wishes to follow the path of other countries and issue vaccine passports, there are many ethical questions to Since the pandemic started, we have learnt a lot about how be considered. Some are concerned about the risk of creating a viruses spread throughout society. Aerosol transmission was two-tiered society between those who are vaccinated and those under recognised at the beginning of the outbreak, but we now who can’t or won’t access the vaccine. Although willingness to know that this is a key cause of infection. Looking forward, take the vaccine is high in the UK, the government must making sure that all building meets the requirements for consider what role a vaccine passport will play in accessing ventilation will reduce this mode of transmission for future many areas of life, from public spaces to social care jobs. As the outbreaks. vaccine rollout continues and restrictions decrease in the UK, we By Alfie Hoar, Parliamentary & Scientific Committee

L-R: Professor Charles Bangham, Imperial College London; Professor Judith Breuer, University College London; Dr Shaun Fitzgerald, the Royal Academy of Engineering and Professor Melinda Mills, University of Oxford. Committee. He was a delight to who made this ‘different’ event know and work with. P&SC has lost such a success, including our SCIENCE IN PARLIAMENT a wonderful friend, supporter and sponsors and supporters, the adviser. John will be very sadly panel judges, the STEM organising missed. An appreciation, by team, and the parliamentary Dr Stephen Benn, will appear in colleagues who assisted me in the next issue. chairing the presentations for each Inevitably, our successful category: the Father of the House, sip discussion programme has Sir Peter Bottomley MP, Chi continued online, drawing a high Onwurah MP and Carol Monaghan level of interest from members MP. I also wish to thank other The Journal of the Parliamentary and and guests across the United colleagues, whose constituents Scientific Committee (All-Party Parliamentary Group). Stephen Metcalfe MP Kingdom. were finalists, for looking in on the Chairman, Parliamentary & Scientific various judging sessions and at the Since the last edition of Science in Committee (All-Party Parliamentary announcement event. Group) Parliament, I have had the pleasure of chairing four excellent My thanks to Commander Barry Brooks who has stepped down as A very warm welcome to the meetings: ‘UK a member of the P&SC Council. Spring 2021 edition of our Telecommunications and His contribution is much journal, and my sincere thanks Infrastructure’ on the 18th January; appreciated. to the Parliamentary Science & ‘What does the UK-EU deal mean Technology Information for science?’, in partnership with At the recent AGM, we were Foundation for its valued The Royal Society, on the 1st pleased to welcome Professor support. February, which drew a record to Narender Ramnani, Professor of date attendance of 150; This was Neuroscience, Royal Holloway In this, issue we have, in addition followed on 15th February when University and a Trustee of the to our usual features a great range the theme was, ‘Sector Deals for British Neuroscience Association, of articles which are listed below in SMEs’ and on 15th March, ‘Ask the to Council. Science in Parliament has two main the Contents section. objectives: experts briefing, Covid-19’ in Finally, I am also delighted to I want to thank each of our first cooperation with the National welcome to P&SC, parliamentary 1. to inform the scientific and class contributors, and particularly industrial communities of activities Academies. colleagues Baroness Young of want to welcome to these pages, within Parliament of a scientific My thanks to all the distinguished Old Scone; Lord Taylor of nature and of the progress of Rachel Maclean MP, Parliamentary speakers who contributed to these Holbeach CBE and Lord Sterling relevant legislation; Under-Secretary of State for discussions and answered a large of Plaistow, together with new 2. to keep Members of Parliament Transport, who writes on the UK number of questions. organisational and individual abreast of scientific affairs. Government’s autonomous members: Pembrokeshire vehicles policy. All our meetings are recorded on YouTube should you wish to catch- Coastal Forum; bit-bio; As members will be aware, the up or view again. Dr Elizabeth Rollinson, former Earl of Selborne sadly passed away CEO of the Linnean Society and On 8th March I hosted the annual on the 12th February. John, one of Dr Ashley Thomas Lenihan, STEM for BRITAIN awards the longest-serving members in Senior Policy Adviser, Academy of ceremony online. Parliament, was twice Chair of the Social Sciences. House of Lords Science and My congratulations to our 17 Technology Committee and a worthy early career researcher With best wishes. former President of the winners who are featured in this Parliamentary & Scientific issue, and grateful thanks to all CONTENTS The Journal of the Parliamentary and Scientific Committee (All-Party Parliamentary Group). FROM CALIFORNIA TO COVENTRY, HARVESTING BLUE ELECTRONS IN POOR DIET QUALITY: IMPACT ON CELTIC ACADEMIES ALLIANCE MICHIGAN TO MILTON KEYNES: WALES 9 HEALTH, SARCOPENIA AND AGING 19 LAUNCHED TO POOL EXPERTISE 32 WHY THE EYES OF THE WORLD ARE Stephen Hall Professor Ailsa Welch ON THE UK’S OWN SELF-DRIVING SECTOR DEALS FOR SMEs 33 TREEVIEW: PRECISION FORESTRY STEM FOR BRITAIN 2021 22 VEHICLE REVOLUTION 2 HOUSE OF COMMONS SELECT Rachel Maclean MP FROM SPACE TO SUPPORT THE UK STEM FOR BRITAIN 2021, COMMITTEES 34 RESPONSE TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WHAT DOES THE UK-EU DEAL MEAN CHANGE 12 FOR SCIENCE? 4 WINNERS! 23 HOUSE OF LORDS SELECT Dr Kadmiel Maseyk and Dr James Endicott Sir Richard Catlow ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE – COMMITTEES 36 THE POWER OF LIGHT IN MEDICINE – NOW THAT WE HAVE THE EU-UK TCA, A CLEAR AND FUTURE EPIDEMIC 27 PARLIAMENTARY OFFICE OF CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO Dr Bryan Hanley SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (POST) 37 ENSURE UK HIGHER EDUCATION IN VASCULAR OPTICS 14 Professor John Allen THE FUTURE OF HOUSE OF COMMONS LIBRARY 39 AND RESEARCH CAN THRIVE? 5 TELECOMMUNICATIONS: NATIONAL Anne-May Janssen THE FUTURE OF THE UK’S SECURITY IMPLICATIONS OF SCIENCE DIRECTORY 40 TELECOMMUNICATIONS FOREIGN INVOLVEMENT AND NUCLEAR ENERGY’S WIDER ROLE IN SCIENCE DIARY 49 A LOW CARBON FUTURE 7 INFRASTRUCTURE 17 INVESTMENT IN 5G 29 Paul Davies and Professor Robin Grimes Roger Brown and David Essery Dr Ashley Thomas Lenihan

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 1 FROM CALIFORNIA TO COVENTRY, MICHIGAN TO MILTON KEYNES: WHY THE EYES OF THE WORLD ARE ON THE UK’S OWN SELF-DRIVING VEHICLE REVOLUTION One of the great privileges of being a Minister is the opportunity to experience the unfamiliar. This thought loomed large as I was being driven through the Milton Keynes countryside last autumn. If I closed my eyes, I wouldn’t have been able to tell that the car was in fact not being driven by a human, but by a computer.

The weather may not have economic and social benefits of improve access to transport for been as sunny as in California, the technology in the UK are people with mobility issues as but my remarkably comfortable vast. well as reducing the cost and Rachel Maclean MP, Parliamentary journey in the Government- improving the reliability of A report by the Connected Under Secretary of State at the supported Nissan HumanDrive transport services, helping to Places Catapult in January found Department for Transport vehicle showed me that UK- level-up access to transport in that CAV could be worth £42 based companies are going historically disconnected and billion to the UK by 2035 as the toe-to-toe with those in The rural areas. technology becomes increasingly Golden State, which is commercially available. It could Crucially though, CAV could synonymous with Silicon Valley create 38,000 new skilled and save lives. In 2018, 85% of road self-driving start-ups. In fact, you well-paying jobs in areas like collisions in Great Britain that may be surprised to hear that agile vehicle design, coding, resulted in personal injury nowadays you re just as likely to cyber security and fleet involved human error. Even at find the next big connected and management. As MP for relatively low levels of automated vehicle (CAV) start- Redditch, I know how important automation the technology could up in Oxford, Milton Keynes or the automotive industry is to the reduce this number. At higher Coventry as you are in the USA s West Midlands. To remain levels it could massively improve hubs for automotive and tech globally competitive, we must safety on our roads by innovation such as California and look to the future and the next eliminating human mistakes Michigan. generation of mobility altogether. Indeed, the Society of The Government has had a technologies. Just as we are Motor Manufacturers and Traders strong hand in making this the supporting the UK automotive (SMMT) estimates that CAV tech case. The UK is currently ranked companies in their transition to could save 3,900 lives and second in the G7 for automated zero-emission, we are helping prevent 47,000 serious accidents vehicle readiness overall after the sector and the wider between 2019 and 2030. the USA, but first in the world for emerging CAV industry to get To take advantage of these policy and legislation. As we look ahead in the global race to opportunities the Government to build back better following harness self-driving technology. set up the Centre for Connected COVID-19, we cannot afford to CAV has the potential to and Autonomous Vehicles ignore the UK CAV sectorʼs smooth traffic flow and reduce (CCAV) in 2015, a joint DfT and potential to make transport emissions per vehicle mile, BEIS unit that is shaping the safe greener, safer, easier and more improving air quality and helping and secure emergence of CAV, reliable. the UK to meet its ambitious Net making the UK the best place in My Department is supporting Zero goals: an issue that is front the world to develop and deploy the development and of mind for us all, especially as the technology and ensuring that deployment of CAV because we the UK looks forward to hosting we can all benefit from its know that the potential COP26 this year. It could also effects.

2 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 recently setting up base at worldʼs first comprehensive legal HORIBA MIRA in the West framework to ensure the safety Midlands – one of the leading of self-driving vehicles on our CAM Testbed UK facilities. roads. We are also currently consulting on exciting new The future is bright for Automated Lane Keeping homegrown CAV companies, but we must not become System (ALKS) technology, and complacent given fierce establishing whether it will be competition from around the legally defined as the first world. I want to help UK automated vehicle technology companies attract even more on British roads, ahead of its private investment, securing the introduction to the market in late UKʼs reputation as a scientific 2021. For the first time ever, this and tech superpower and would mean that a driver of an leading to more well-paid, skilled ALKS-enabled vehicle would The Government-backed HumanDrive project, led by Nissan, developed an jobs across the country. legally be able to hand over total advanced, automated vehicle system that emulates the natural driving style control of the driving task – in of a human at the wheel. The project culminated in a successful 230-mile My Department is also rapidly some conditions – to the on- fully self-driving demonstration from Cranfield to Sunderland in 2019. scaling up its work on CAV board self-driving system. regulation. The Law Commission The Governmentʼs pioneering physically, all within a three-hour of England and Wales and the The coming years will prove to CAVPASS project is developing drive. These facilities are Scottish Law Commission are be crucial for CAV innovation in the worldʼs first comprehensive genuinely world-leading, with coming to the end of the the UK, determining not only safety and security assurance unique abilities to collaborate Government-commissioned whether we can take advantage process for CAVs and the UK across organisational borders to three-year review into UK law. of its potential environmental also offers an enabling regulatory share safety cases, data and They will publish landmark and societal benefits, but also framework for safe CAV learning. proposals later this year for the ensuring that associated technology innovation. Our Code The UK should be proud of its of Practice for testing automated thriving CAV sector. UK SMEs vehicles on public roads, for with an interest in this field such example, is recognised as one of as Five AI, Oxbotica and Arrival the most flexible in the world. are attracting funding from global Government and industry are investors. Interest from across working in partnership to invest the Atlantic is particularly strong, in homegrown CAV innovation, with US tech companies with over £400 million invested acquiring UK SMEs such as in more than 90 CAV projects Latent Logic and Blue Vision. involving over 200 organisations. Global automotive and tech From highly automated logistics companies are also choosing the trials to self-driving buses and UK as a location for CAV advanced accident-avoidance innovation, with Nissan opting systems, these projects led by for the UK as one of a small The Government-backed Robopilot project is led by UK-based electric UK businesses and academia number of locations to vehicle company, Arrival, to develop self-driving capabilities for its electric are setting the global standard undertake R&D on automation, van, which could then be adapted for its planned future rollout of larger for CAV innovation. Nearly and Israeli company REE electric trucks and buses. £200m has also been economic benefits are brought committed alongside industry to to UK shores. The Transport establish a globally unique Secretary and I are determined testing and proving ground that we take full advantage of ecosystem that is attracting the opportunity CAV presents companies from around the the UK as we continue our world to develop their efforts to build back better technology here in the UK. With following the COVID-19 six core facilities, CAM pandemic. (connected and automated mobility) Testbed UK offers a If you would like to discuss unique set of environments and Governmentʼs work on CAV, capabilities for the testing and please contact my team at [email protected]. development of CAV The Government-backed Endeavour project is trialling highly automated  technologies. It is the only place vehicles in London, Oxford and Birmingham. The world-leading project is worldwide with the capability to demonstrating automated driving in a variety of urban and city take ideas from concept to environments and will develop engagement models with local authorities development both virtually and and communities to help them prepare for the future launch of self-driving vehicle services.

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 3 WHAT DOES THE UK-EU DEAL MEAN FOR SCIENCE? The 2016 referendum heralded the beginning of a period of uncertainty for scientists. The value of international scientific collaboration and participation in Horizon 2020, the most ambitious multilateral funding scheme in the world, had been recognised by all sides in the debate. But the result put the UK’s future participation into question.

That is why the news on 24 uncertainty and passionate system, which adds extra December 2020 that a deal had debate about the UK’s future impetus to the important work been struck, including agreeing relationship with the EU have that is underway to ensure that Sir Richard Catlow FRS, vice-president and Foreign Secretary the terms for UK association to damaged confidence and the UK is an attractive of the Royal Society and Becky Horizon Europe, the successor to dented relationships and so destination for international Purvis, Head of Public Affairs at the Horizon 2020, was excellent speedy ratification of the talent. This includes the cheaper Royal Society news. The deal also allows the association deal is really and more flexible Global Talent UK access to Euratom Research important. Even ahead of this visa, which the Royal Society was and Training programme, the however, we can begin to involved in delivering and fusion test facility ITER, rebuild valuable partnerships administers on behalf of the Copernicus and the EU’s Satellite with colleagues working across Home Office. Surveillance & Tracking (SST) the EU and further afield. All of But there is more to be done. services. It should bring about an us in the science community Currently the upfront costs of end to the uncertainty and sets have a role to play in reaching work and study visas for out a path for an ongoing and out to our colleagues overseas researchers and innovators close scientific partnership and forging new relationships considering coming to the UK between the UK and EU, and partnerships going forward. are up to six times higher than representing a new chapter in a Association secures us access to the average across leading key scientific relationship. the programme, but it is now science nations. The UK must our job to go out there, build The UK’s considerable financial reduce these costs in line with collaborations and partnerships commitment to associate and our international competitors. It and apply for the money that will remain a central partner in may also be valuable to review support research and innovation European research and the list of permitted activities that in the UK, and collaborations innovation demonstrates the visiting scientists and academics with researchers and innovators value that the government can undertake on short-term around the world. places on this international trips to the UK. The newly collaboration. It is a huge The UK must continue to be a created Office for Talent in opportunity for researchers and welcoming magnet for talent Downing Street offers a valuable innovators in the UK to from all over the world. opportunity to drive this work. strengthen and build new While association to Horizon The end of UK association to partnerships and access Europe is hugely welcome, we Erasmus+ is a sad casualty of valuable, world-class must recognise that the UK has the deal. Personal experience is programmes, such as the left the EU, which does have very important and can underpin European Research Council and some practical consequences future relationships. Throughout the vitally important multilateral that will impact directly on my career I have travelled widely collaborations that Horizon science. The end of free and over the past four years I Europe will enable. movement means that most EU have had the honour to be the It is important that the researchers and innovators who society’s Foreign Secretary. In association agreement is want to come and work in the that role I have visited many quickly ratified. UK will now need to navigate countries and have seen first- the visas and immigration The past few years of hand the value of scientific

4 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 relationships and their role in the pandemic and we would not To realise this end, UK foster the growth of scientific building international links. We have vaccines now being participation in international expertise in the developing must ensure that the UK delivered. It will also be crucial to scientific collaborations must be world. a core component of a remains an attractive destination addressing future challenges Finally, the costs of association successful domestic research for people from around the such as climate change, to Horizon Europe must be and innovation strategy. We world to study, train and gain biodiversity loss and new covered by additional funding to must maintain the UK’s experience. We all benefit from pandemics. that already committed to this. excellence in cutting edge basic The EU Framework building the UK’s domestic and science as well as fostering Realising the UK’s global Programmes are the most global strength in research and innovation, replacing valuable innovation. The government’s ambitions as a responsible ambitious multilateral funding programmes that the UK can no commitment to increase public and visionary global science schemes in the world, and longer access such as the EU funding for R&D to £22 billion superpower. participation is increasingly Structural funds. The new UK per year by 2024 to 2025 is Science is increasingly global global, which provides a perfect Shared Prosperity Fund for crucial to delivering growth and with 55% of UK academic platform for building additional instance, which will replace EU productivity across the UK, upon scientific collaborations across publications the result of structural funds, can play a which we build our international the globe. The UK can be an international collaboration in valuable role in supporting the collaboration. To secure the long- 2018, compared with 26% in active participant in European UK’s innovation landscape in the term health of the research and 1998. The past year has science as well as being future. And we must seek innovation system, the UK highlighted the benefits of ambitious in creating new ambitious new deals with should be seeking to increase international scientific bilateral and multilateral deals established and emerging overall investment in R&D to 3% cooperation: without it, many with leading and established science nations around the of GDP.  more people would have died in science nations. world, as well as continue to NOW THAT WE HAVE THE EU-UK TCA, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO ENSURE UK HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH CAN THRIVE?

When the EU-UK Trade and future of the UK higher stakeholders of what a ‘no deal’ Cooperation Agreement was education sector looks like, would mean while helping them announced on Christmas Eve, where there is still work to be prepare for the ‘no deal cliff everyone at Universities UK done, and how the UK edge’ moments. In the most International (UUKi) gave a government can help. recent Brexit webinar that we collective sigh of relief. Naturally, hosted with the Science and In the years immediately after the days and weeks that Innovation Network, almost the referendum, Team Europe at followed were focussed on 1,000 sector professionals from UUKi embarked on relationship getting a better understanding of across Europe and the UK tuned building exercise to let our the text and the implications for in live to hear about the deal, European friends know that, the UK higher education sector. and we were inundated with come what may, we would find It will come as no surprise that questions afterwards. These a way to continue to work Anne-May Janssen although the deal was ranged from technical questions Head of European Engagement together. Something that welcomed by our sector, there about Erasmus+, to whether or Universities UK International became apparent early on was were disappointments too, but not UK academic degrees will that there was a lot of negotiations are exactly that – continue to be recognised in the misunderstanding among our negotiations - and neither side EU. (Answer: yes they do! European partners around Brexit gets everything they want. Now Academic degree recognition is and the implications for the that the dust around the TCA is part of the Bologna Process sector. We also became acutely starting to settle, we are forming which is voluntary and aware of the lack of a clearer picture of what the intergovernmental, rather than understanding among many UK

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 5 EU legislation, and the UK Another big topic that requires UK for a work placement must among others. We have remains part of the process.) a lot of attention going forward is go through Tier 5 and students compiled a summary of existing the Turing Scheme. We are very who want to study in the UK for measures that can be taken What does this reality mean for grateful that, in the current a period between six and twelve (that we are aware of) which our work – and that of the economic climate, the UK months have to go through the you can find on our website. We government - going forward? government is committed to Student route. Both are admin- will be closely monitoring the One of the first priorities should student mobility. The sector and heavy routes and very expensive developments in EU Member be to communicate implications government need to work for what are essentially very short States around the provision of of the deal to a wide audience, together to make this new stays. Not only that, but the UK TNE delivery, because including our European partners. scheme a success and to ensure Student route also includes an although the agreed deal means The best example, and most a multi-annual financial English language requirement, that there are more barriers for prominent one, would be the commitment. We are aware that which is counterproductive as UK TNE providers, TNE could message that the UK will fully potentially play an important role associate to Horizon Europe and there continues to be quite a bit improving the level of English for those EU students who wish that our European partners of disappointment around not often is one of the key reasons to obtain a degree from a UK should have no qualms about associating to Erasmus+, but we students want to come to the UK provider, but cannot due to the working with our researchers. As have to make the Turing Scheme for their mobility placement. We rise in tuition fees. you probably know, the UK’s a success or risk losing it. The are hoping that this year the success rate in Horizon 2020 sector needs to rally behind this Home Office and DfE will work Naturally, there is more detail went down from 16% around scheme to make it work and with us to develop an to all of this and there are other the time of the referendum to help the Department for immigration route that will solve topics that impact universities 9%, which was due to the Education (DfE) further develop these issues to ensure the UK which need our attention the uncertainty that Brexit created. the scheme over the coming remains an attractive destination. coming years, such as the We as a sector body are years. The first year is a pilot year If we do not, we run a real risk of recognition of professional delighted that the UK will and DfE have indicated that they not only decreasing the diverse qualification. For those interested associate to Horizon Europe, but are open to tweaking the and international nature of our I would recommend having a we need to make it work and scheme in the future to match university campuses, but also look at our briefing on the TCA drive the UK’s participation back the needs of the sector. UUKi lose out on the huge economic and its implications for UK higher up to pre-referendum levels. Part will, for example, be making the contribution (£420 million education on our website. of that equation is making sure case to include staff mobility and annually) these students make to The coming months, and years that the right information shorting the mobility period the UK. These are large and I dare say, we will continue to below the current minimum of detrimental consequences, for an reaches the right people, so that work not only on making the four weeks. Our research has issue that has a practical solution. researchers based in the EU feel deal work for UK higher shown that students from confident in working with Then the last topic I would like education, but also to strengthen disadvantaged backgrounds researchers based in the UK, but to mention is Transnational our relationships with our often go on shorter placements also so that researchers in the Education (TNE). Pre-departure, international partners. The deal abroad initially, which help UK see Horizon Europe as a UK TNE delivery in EU Member may be done, but there are increase their confidence and fundamental part of the UK States was regulated through the many resulting issues that need leads to longer study placements science landscape. EU Services Directive. The TCA addressing and we should tackle abroad afterwards. A more detailed issue that agreement includes provisions these together.  needs addressing is international Another crucial issue that that offer other, more limited, PhD recruitment in the UK, needs to be addressed to make access for privately funded UK which has been dropping for sure the UK remains an education services to EU several years, despite the attractive destination for students member states. For existing and positive step by UK Research who want to study in the UK for future TNE provision, the and Innovation (UKRI) last year a short time as part of their agreement establishes that any to open their studentships to degree, is to create a dedicated limitations need to be consistent more international students. EU immigration route for inbound with those applied to local students make up a substantial students on study and work and/or third country providers. In proportion of PhD students in placements for up to a year. At practice, this means that areas like physical sciences, the moment, the new points- depending on the specific engineering, and technology, based immigration system does member state, conditions could which means that we need to not have an immigration route be imposed on legal form, find ways to mitigate the impact that fits the needs of these licencing or national of higher fees and immigration incoming students. In fact, two of accreditation, student numbers, costs and bureaucracy to avoid the three available routes will access to government support or destabilising our academic talent most likely act as deterrents. qualification of students for pipeline in these areas. Students wanting to come to the benefits or financial assistance,

6 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 NUCLEAR ENERGY’S WIDER ROLE IN A LOW CARBON FUTURE

NUCLEAR POWER IN A generate electricity directly but electricity for the grid to RENEWABLE ENERGY nuclear produces large quantities supplying other products, nuclear WORLD of heat. Currently all nuclear can compensate for the In the UK nuclear energy heat is turned into electricity, but intermittency of renewable currently delivers stable baseload that does not have to be the electricity. Used in this way, the low carbon electricity at scale. In case. combination of nuclear and renewables will allow the UK to other words, once operational a So, how could nuclear fit in? achieve the 2050 target of a net reactor provides a large, constant When the need for electricity is zero-carbon economy, including amount of electricity 24/7 until it high, the heat created in a that ‘hard to reach’ final 20% of requires refuelling (after about nuclear reactor can be used to decarbonisation. 18 months). Whilst nuclear will generate electricity. This may be Paul Davies is a Senior Policy continue to generate base load because the demand for COGENERATION – IT’S Advisor at the Royal Society and electricity, it must be more electricity is high, but it may also leads the Low Carbon Energy NOT JUST NUCLEAR flexible if it is to contribute an programme. Before entering the be that the wind is not strong, or ELECTRICITY world of policy and public affairs, important fraction of UK total the sun is not shinning. When Options for nuclear co- Paul was a Chartered engineer, energy. This is because future the requirement for electricity is generation were described in developing the manufacture of high nuclear must integrate within an low, nuclear heat and/or nuclear tech products for a number of detail in a recent Royal Society multinational companies. energy system dominated by electricity can be used directly in report (See intermittent renewables. To industrial processes to generate https://royalsociety.org/topics- understand how nuclear can chemicals, including hydrogen. policy/projects/low-carbon-energ contribute, it is important to This is known as co-generation. y-programme/nuclear- remember that solar and wind Thus, by switching from cogeneration/). The range of

Professor Robin Grimes is the Steele Chair of Energy Materials at Imperial College and Chief Scientific Adviser (nuclear) to the Ministry of Defence. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 7 options for cogeneration are feedstock product. For example, replace the current aging nuclear THE ROAD TO NET ZERO categorised as using either low the production of ammonia fleet. The UK is already engaged The UK must generate much (less than 300C) or high requires the reaction of in this ‘new build’, with Hinkley more zero carbon electricity to temperature (greater than hydrogen with nitrogen using the Point C construction well under achieve the 2050 500C) heat or using the Haber Bosch process at 350 - way. This is developing UK decarbonisation goal. Increased electricity generated. 500°C. For ‘green ammonia’ nuclear civil engineering sector renewables will make a crucial production nuclear hydrogen skills that will be used in With low temperature heat, contribution but come with the could be used directly as it is subsequent stages. space heating, especially via challenge that renewable produced, or from storage and generation is intermittent. Part of district heating, holds the most The second stage focuses on the power required could be the answer will come from new potential. The Haiyang nuclear small modular reactors (SMRs). delivered by renewables or from large gigawatt nuclear power plant in Shandong This could provide the UK with nuclear depending upon grid generation, but more flexibility is province is China’s first an entirely ‘built in the UK’ availability. Ammonia is widely needed to address renewables commercial nuclear heating supply chain if a conventional used to make agricultural intermittency. That’s where project. The plant is run by water-cooled design were fertilisers and has the potential smaller modular reactors and Shandong Nuclear Power selected. The modularity of this to be used as a clean fuel and advanced modular reactors Company. This winter, the design means building three or energy store. Optimum contribute. They deliver system is heating 700,000 more adjacent reactors, decarbonisation could therefore electricity when electricity is square metres of housing and increasing build-efficiency and result from a commitment to a needed but employ their heat when subsequent units are reducing costs. systems approach. complete it will heat all of directly for co-generation when SMRs will demonstrate some Haiyang city (population Synthetic hydrocarbon fuel electricity is not needed. AMRs direct heat applications - but >300,000) and provide 20TWh production, for example for use are especially suited to deliver they have a limitation. SMRs of electricity (around one third of in aviation, also benefits from a hard to decarbonise products, produce heat but not the high the annual domestic demand of systems approach. In this case like hydrogen and synthetic temperature heat required to Shandong province). Low production is via Fischer Tropsch fuels. produce hydrogen and other temperature heat has also been synthesis, which requires the Using this idea of co- chemicals directly – though this used by industry, for example at reaction of hydrogen with carbon generation, it is possible to does not preclude water Gösgen in Switzerland for monoxide at up to 300°C. Again, develop a robust and secure electrolysis. For this reason, cardboard production. nuclear heat and power could energy supply. Other countries progression to stage 3 and the be used to generate hydrogen, are pursuing the similar ideas, In addition to the chemical development of a high with direct capture of carbon but the UK has the historic processes, high temperature temperature advanced modular dioxide from the air for expertise in technologies that nuclear heat can be used as the reactor (AMR) build is attractive conversion to carbon monoxide. deliver higher temperature energy source in hard to for decarbonisation. This could output that lend themselves to decarbonise industrial processes be based on a high temperature A STRATEGY FOR industry needs. In the longer such as steel and cement gas cooled design. While more NUCLEAR term the same high temperature making. High temperature heat COGENERATION engineering development is can also be stored directly and applications developed with While the potential for nuclear required, a demonstrator could efficiently, to be used when the AMRs can be serviced by fusion cogeneration to contribute to a be operational by 2035, need for electricity production is reactors, the ultimate nuclear zero-carbon future is clear there accompanied by the high (e.g. compensating for energy source.  is a long way to go. The UK development of a UK supply renewables intermittency). would have to employ a staged chain. The production of “green” approach that integrates into the The final stage in a UK nuclear hydrogen is a particularly 2050 decarbonisation energy cogeneration strategy versatile cogeneration option as programme. This is because the involves the development of there are many immediate and different nuclear options that are nuclear fusion. This delivers potential uses for this product. needed are more or less similar high temperatures as the For example, much has been technologically ready. It could AMR but is based on different written about hydrogen for be achieved in four stages. physics. The UK has been a transport, especially via fuel cell Progression through the stages world leader in fusion for 50 technologies in vehicles. contributes gradually to years with many ‘firsts’ in Hydrogen can replace natural decarbonisation targets, resulting technology deployment as well gas in domestic and some in the upskilling of the workforce as research achievements. The industrial settings but can also and the development of a UK UK Atomic Energy Authority at be used as a bulk low carbon supply chain. Culham (UKAEA) hosts JET, the energy store. In the first stage large gigawatt worlds most advanced fusion Hydrogen is an important reactors continue to be built to reactor.

8 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 HARVESTING BLUE ELECTRONS IN WALES

2021 marks the beginning of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, tied-in closely with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the aspirations by many nations to achieve their Paris Accord carbon reduction targets, and greatly expanded marine protected areas, such as the ‘30% by 2030’ goal advocated by the Global Ocean Alliance which Britain has led since 2019.

The United Kingdom is a Two hundred years ago Wales 2120 km – but we have an leader in taking these goals was the powerhouse of in the offshore area of 32,000 km2 Stephen Hall CMarSci FIMarEST seriously, and we are making industrial revolution, our coal blessed with powerful winds, good progress, helped by our powering industry, locomotives predictable currents, and in the Steve Hall is CEO of the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum scientific excellence that has and the steamships that flew the case of the Bristol Channel the (www.pembrokeshirecoastalforum.o given high-quality policy advice Red Ensign across the world, second-highest tidal range in the rg.uk) a community interest to deliver broad cross-party protected by the coal-fired White world at some 13m. These company with a portfolio of projects consensus that climate change Ensign. Coal production peaked natural resources present many that includes Marine Energy Wales. He was previously CEO of the is real, driven largely by human by the Great War, and as oil and ways to generate clean, secure Society for Underwater Technology, activities, and that there are gas supplanted coal as the and reliable power. In October and led the international office of actions we can realistically take driving force for transportation, 2020 Prime Minister Boris the National Oceanography Centre that will help us deliver a the role of Wales as a source of where he was head of the UK’s Johnson stated that he wanted delegation to UNESCO’s cleaner, more sustainable world, energy rapidly fell away, with the to see 40 gigawatts of offshore Intergovernmental Oceanographic with a thriving post-carbon last deep colliery, Tower, closing wind power in place by 2030, Commission, and Vice-Chair of said economy. in 2008. enough to power every home in Commission 2015-17. Steve is a Chartered Marine Scientist, and How we rebuild after COVID Could energy still be a Great Britain. We’ll certainly play Fellow of the Institute of Marine presents Britain with an early cornerstone of the Welsh our part - Wales is taking the Engineering, Science and opportunity to build back better, economy in a zero-net carbon necessary actions to grow our Technology and Society for infrastructure and renewable Underwater Technology. cleaner and greener, and world? It turns out that yes, it can He can be contacted at initiatives are emerging in all – and as we enter the second generating capacity. [email protected] four nations to grow a new kind quarter of the 21st Century of economy that attempts, as far Wales is once again a net GROWING OFFSHORE as possible, to work in balance exporter of energy. As early as WIND CAPACITY with nature. So how are we in 2017 1 land-based wind turbines Building on the success of the Wales playing our part? were producing 1 GW, 35% of Gwynt y Mor project already in renewable energy in Wales, and place off the coast of North One way is by investing in the the 726 MW of offshore wind Wales, in February 2021 BP and broad ‘Blue Economy’ – a term turbines along the North Wales German energy company EnBW that refers to all of those coast were producing 30%. won the seabed development businesses and activities that Solar photovoltaic cells were rights to build a 500km2 wind can generate wealth from the generating useful amounts of farm 30km from the North sea and coastal region. Wales power and biomass had grown Wales coast that will generate has a small fisheries industry, significantly too. enough power for 3.4 million aggregate extraction, and a homes - a significant part of the successful and tourism and Wales now has a target of UK’s capability to achieve zero leisure sector that relies upon 70% of our energy from net carbon by 2050. having clean, beautiful beaches renewables by 2030, and is on and coast – but the ability to track to meet or exceed that The shallow sea off North generate copious clean energy target, largely through the use of Wales is fine for monopile wind from ocean resources is going to offshore renewables. Wales isn’t turbines that are driven into the be key to our sustainable a large nation, with a land area seabed, but if you want to economic future. of 21,000 km2, a coastline of deliver wind energy from deeper

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 9 waters in the west you can build able to achieve net zero carbon In Pembrokeshire, Australian project by Nova Innovation, 8 your turbines to float, and tow for electricity production from company Bombora 5 has which aims to use the natural them out to a site offshore wind alone. launched a £17 million project ebb and flow of the tide around optimised for wind conditions, to construct and test the 1.5MW However floating wind is not Ynys Enlli to become the world’s away from shipping lanes or mWave wave energy device. the only way to generate first blue energy island, initially land-nesting seabird colonies. 6 electricity from the ocean. In Minesto UK Ltd in Anglesey are with five 100kW turbines on the The deep-water harbour of Anglesey, the community-owned developing the Deep Green tidal seabed. Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire stream energy device, and Morlais Project 3 manages a Alongside these developments is aiming to become the home Marine Power Systems 7 in 35km2 area of seabed near Holy is a growing network of of a new generation of floating Swansea are developing Island that has the potential to organisations to support and wind turbines that will be technology to harvest energy become one of the largest tidal grow the new industry. We’re moored over 40km offshore in from ocean waves with a stream energy sites in the world, building META – the Marine the Celtic Sea. A collaboration capable of generating 240MW. mission to become a world Energy Test Area, 9 to develop between Total and Simply Blue Orbital Marine Power 4 are leader in the manufacturing and and test prototype units in Energy, Blue Gem Wind, 2 has developing floating tidal stream supply of marine energy Milford Haven, and MEECE 10 – been formed to start work on turbines, manufacturing the extraction. Another innovative the Marine Energy Engineering the Erebus 96MW anchors in Llangefni, North project quite near the Morlais Centre of Excellence – at demonstration project. Blue Wales. site, is the Enlli Tidal Energy Pembroke Dock via the Offshore Gem aim to be producing Renewable Energy Catapult will electricity by 2027, and other deliver research, development developers are looking to enter and demonstration activities to the sector and produce energy support innovation in the supply from Welsh, Irish and Cornish chain. The Pembrokeshire waters in coming years, using Marine Demonstration Zone 11 is large floating wind generators to also being established via eventually produce some 50GW Wavehub Ltd. of energy from a resource estimated at 150 to 200GW. With any form of intermittent That’s more than the Prime energy, it’s essential to also Minister’s target of 40GW invest in the storage of power, without even counting what has both to provide electricity when The Orbital O2 2MW tidal turbine design includes components built in already been built around the Wales, and improved versions will soon be in service off Anglesey with the the wind doesn’t blow but also UK coast – we clearly will be Morlais Project. to smooth-out fluctuations to the

Floating offshore wind turbines will be deployed in the Celtic Sea as part of the Erebus programme by the late 2020s Photo courtesy of Principle Power. Artist: DOCK90

10 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 Looking towards the sea from Milford Haven, home of the Pembroke Dock Marine cluster that includes the Marine Energy Test Area, Marine Energy Engineering Centre of Excellence, and Pembrokeshire Demonstration Zone. Photo by Marine Energy Wales grid. The most well-established The other way of effectively CONCLUSION References technology is that of pumped storing renewable energy and The Wales that once powered 1 https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/ publications/2019-06/energy- storage where water is pumped one I believe will be core to how the industrial revolution of Britain generation-2017-report.pdf uphill into reservoirs at peak we power our homes, a century and more ago will re- 2 https://www.bluegemwind.com/ supply of power, then released transportation and industry in the emerge as a clean energy hub, a 3 https://www.morlaisenergy.com/ to flow through turbines when near future, is to turn those blue clean blue revolution driven by 4 https://orbitalmarine.com/ more power is required. electrons into hydrogen, wind, wave, current and tide, 5 https://bomborawave.com/ Batteries can be used, but an electrolysing seawater to split the that by the end of the decade 6 https://www.minesto.com/ innovative way of storing energy H2O then compress, store and will be harnessed to store 7 https://www.marinepowersystems. created by renewables is being transport the hydrogen building energy as hydrogen that can be co.uk/ 8 https://www.novainnovation.com/ developed by Gravitricity Ltd.12 on decades of experience by our used to power transportation, 9 https://www.meta.wales/ It’s a simple concept – raising hydrocarbons industry. legacy gas turbines, heat our 10 https://www.meece.org.uk/ and lowering a heavy weight to Chancellor Rishi Sunak home and manufacture clean 11 https://www.wavehub.co.uk/ store and release energy, in this announced £4.8 million for a steel. We’re successfully downloads/Pembrokshire_Site/Pembr case weights of 500 to 5000 hydrogen hub on the island on encouraging new investors to okeshire_Demo_Zone_Leaflet.pdf tonnes in deep shafts held by a Anglesey in his budget speech of relocate to Wales, enabling our 12 https://gravitricity.com/ number of cables, each attached 3rd March 2021, which will use young people to see that there is  to its own winch with plenty of renewable energy to produce a future for them to stay in safety redundancy. hydrogen from seawater to fuel Wales and build their lives here, heavy goods vehicles, and It’s ideally suited to be used whilst working wherever possible eventually hydrogen-powered alongside the renewables in harmony with protecting our ferries and trains. Milford Haven industry in Wales, building on world-class landscape and is ideally suited to servicing the our legacy of mining coastline to help encourage hydrogen economy too, already engineering, and offers some healthier, more active population having an extensive advantages compared with who understand the benefits of infrastructure developed since pumped storage and batteries ‘vitamin sea’. the 1960s to support the oil and including long design life, very The future is bright, clean, and gas sector, connections to fast response time of less than ‘blue’. Britain’s natural gas grid, and one second, and low cost readily adaptable to adapting to compared with lithium battery hydrogen. storage.

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 11 TREEVIEW: PRECISION FORESTRY FROM SPACE TO SUPPORT THE UK RESPONSE TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE

Authors: Dr Kadmiel Maseyk There is now widespread enrichment and rainfall retention management of this valuable Principal Investigator for TreeView recognition that unprecedented due to the trees promotes a asset. Tree planting initiatives are and Senior Lecturer in the School action is required to address the significant increase in biodiversity, expected to increase the of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The Open University, Dr significant disruption being addressing the other main number of small-scale plantings, James Endicott Technical Co-PI brought to the climate system. environmental crisis requiring and the development of urban for TreeView, The Open University The UK is positioning itself to urgent attention: the accelerating green infrastructure and a become a leading nation loss of species. Trees are shifting emphasis in large scale amongst developed economies engrained in our culture and plantations to mixed species in confronting the climate crisis woodlands provide highly valued stands calls for new technology by being the first to legislate for space for recreation. Hundreds to monitor, and new data a net zero emissions status by of millions of hours are spent products to help manage, this 2050. Across the nations, a each year by Britons in expanding asset. The scale of number of institutions, woodland visits, and the health information required underpins organisations, and local and wellbeing benefits and the emerging area of Precision authorities are declaring their importance of local green space Forestry and has motivated the commitment and formulating access has been brought to the conceptualisation of a new Earth and implementing policy to fore during the pandemic. Trees Observation project dedicated to tackle ongoing climate change. also trap and neutralise the management of the UK A combination of technological, pollutants, providing healthier treescape. environments and saving Dr Kadmiel Maseyk is a plant behavioural, and nature-based TreeView is a satellite mission ecophysiologist interested in how solutions will be required to millions of pounds in health that intends to fill a data gap that plant function affects ecosystem achieve this ambitious, but costs each year. exists between very large, carbon and water biogeochemistry. essential, goal. Nature-based Dr Maseyk has a strong interest in An increase in tree cover in expensive satellites providing solutions are those that use urban environments provides plant and ecosystem responses to very high-resolution sub-metre environmental variability and global elements of the natural world to additional benefits. Urban areas spatial coverage with limited change processes. mitigate environmental tend to be warmer than spectral information, and pressures, and extensive tree- surrounding areas, placing scientific missions that typically planting is a nature-based greater demands on energy for have coarser spatial resolution, solution that forms a major pillar cooling and stress on the 10 m and above, but high to of the UK national response to population in summer, which is very high spectral resolution. the climate emergency. Trees only going to worsen as With TreeView, the aim is to remove carbon dioxide from the temperatures increase. Trees in map, characterise, and monitor atmosphere through the process cities help mitigate this ‘urban the UK treescape in a manner of photosynthesis, returning it heat island’ effect both through not previously achieved. As a first to the living biomass of the shading and through the process secondary priority to the UK, tree and then over time locking it of evapotranspiration. As trees data from other countries, both away in the soil. evaporate water from their forests and urban environments, canopy, they cool the air around But trees provide many more will be captured within the them. Dr James Endicott has spent 15 benefits than carbon capture. As constraints of the spacecraft years in industry working with trees establish and grow, The combined benefits of UK’s operations and mission budgets. image sensors and instrumentation complex ecosystems develop woodlands were valued at over for space and terrestrial around them through the £130 billion pounds by the For tree identification, applications. He supports space processes of ecological Office for National Statistics in classification and research activities at The Open characterisation, spatial University alongside his main role succession. Increasing habitat 2017. Threats to the treescape as the co-ordinator of the Space diversity provided by the trees from pests, disease, fire, and resolution on the scale of a Academic Network. www.span.ac.uk themselves and the shelter, soil climate change necessitate active typical tree crown is required,

12 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 and multiple spectral bands are %&'()*+, needed to differentiate between $&%)*+, species, and to determine key factors such as the health of the %&'()*+, trees, resilience to drought, rate of growth and when the leaves might fall. TreeView is being studied with funding from the UK Space $&'()*+, Agency’s pathfinder National Space Innovation Programme. 1 Partners from academia and industry have been studying the mission feasibility from the hardware and technical requirements through to the !"# !"# $-&!"# $-&!"# science, commercial and societal -0"# -%.&/"# benefits.

The technical solution being Figure 1:Full coverage of the UK is achieved by a combination of nadir and off-nadir pointing, maximising the use proposed makes use of UK of a compact small satellite with a modest swath of 16 km within a field of view 104 km wide. expertise and heritage in the opportunities. It will develop the areas will enable a new era of the feasibility study we have design and development of most detailed maps yet of the urban-focussed EO science and developed an end-to-end small satellites and optical UK treescape that will answer new understanding of the role of simulation of TreeView to start instrumentation. The satellite is a questions about the size, species trees in our urban landscapes. exploring these possibilities. pioneering design currently distribution and potential of UK’s One of TreeView’s goals is to Working from airborne imagery undergoing qualification through tree-based carbon stores and the provide a national monitoring provided by project partners ESA programme funding from a current state, resilience and system for understanding threats 2Excel-geo, we have produced UK disruptive SME, In-Space vulnerability of UK tree to our national tree resources for maps of key vegetation indices Missions Limited based in biodiversity. The potential to the early detection of climate- across an urban area that Hampshire, in the heart of the monitor individual trees and stress, such as drought, or onset demonstrate the detection that Enterprise M3 Space Cluster. The green infrastructure in urban of pests and disease. As part of can be achieved in these telescope design was led by the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory based in the Harwell Space Cluster. The camera or eyes of the telescope is utilising leading technology from Teledyne e2v headquartered in Chelmsford Essex, leveraging previous UK government funding for the development of the next generation high resolution multispectral image sensors. The sensor and telescope, making up the satellite payload will be controlled by electronics under the leadership of XCAM, a Northamptonshire SME recognised nationally and internationally for high-end space and scientific solutions. The team is led by The Open University with expertise in space instrumentation, optical payloads and most importantly, in the Figure 2: High resolution data from aerial reconnaissance of an urban (top left) and mixed woodland (bottom classification and characterisation left) scene. Simulated satellite imagery of the vegetation indices for Sentinel-2 (central figures) and TreeView of trees with remote sensing. (righthand column) showing the improved resolution of TreeView. In the urban scene we can see the complex patterns and location of the trees in the urban environment. In the woodland scene the finer-scale variations in TreeView will provide a number tree condition, and the difference between the oak-dominated and ash-dominated stands are visible in of innovative scientific TreeView’s data (2m GSD) but not at 10 m GSD.

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 13 complex environments, and are engage the public through the investment in the mission is four years. This represents a fast exploring the potential to detect citizen science platforms. In considered in the context of the and affordable mission and monitor the onset of ash particular, we will be linking with coverage, frequency of revisits, compared to ESA Earth Explorer dieback in a woodland. Treezilla, a citizen science project and duration of even a short or Sentinel spacecraft which run by the Open University space mission. Despite that typically take ten years or more During the feasibility study, the to develop and launch and cost team has been looking at which includes the largest advantage, potential commercial several hundred million euros. commercial opportunities for the database of urban trees in the users are still very reluctant to data. Whilst many ideas are still UK. We will use this rich spend significant sums per With the importance and value in their infancy, there are database for ground truthing the annum on satellite data. of trees to society so clear, from potential applications in satellite data as well as integrate Furthermore, with scientific and their mitigating effect on climate dedicated land use monitoring, TreeView information into societal benefit at the heart of change, to their roles in urban encroachment of canopies on Treezilla. Users will therefore get this mission’s objectives, there is cooling, mental health and infrastructure such as rail and space-derived information about a drive to make the data as wellbeing; investments in tools power lines, monitoring carbon their trees as well as be able to freely available as possible. One such as TreeView for monitoring offsetting through tree validate satellite outputs and solution is to marry commercial and informing the management plantations, forecasting of pollen indicators of, for example, tree use with government funded and protection of this valuable release and as a consequence of health. This will enable public data for monitoring the UK’s asset are essential for the future. land use monitoring and carbon engagement in a significant treescape through tasking of the www.precision-forestry.org offsetting, factoring into science programme and inspire satellite to image areas of Reference companies’ corporate social younger users to engage in commercial interest and priority. responsibility and nature based STEM subjects. 1 Government funds UK companies at The budget for the mission solutions. the forefront of space innovation - Satellite data presents a more remains at £15 million. From an GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)  Another innovative aspect of affordable solution than airborne authorisation to proceed we TreeView is the opportunity to imagery or Lidar datasets when would expect to launch within THE POWER OF LIGHT IN MEDICINE – CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN VASCULAR OPTICS

INTRODUCTION experiment. Despite its been publicised in the Covid-19 Light has to be important sometimes-puzzling nature, it is pandemic). I believe there is (@IDLofficial, clear that the impact of light on great scope to achieve much www.lightday.org/). It helps us modern medicine and surgery more with optical techniques, to define our universe, from the has been enormous, with for example, in the way patient larger scales gauging widespread clinical applications measurements can be made themselves by the speed of in the assessment of health and and also the way these are light, to the smallest of scales wellbeing as well as for subsequently analysed and looking towards quantum diagnosis and/or treatment of communicated. theory. There is also that disease. Assessments include All the ‘colours of the Professor John Allen PhD ASIS wonderful light from our own the detection of cardiovascular FRPS CEng CSci and microcirculatory disease, spectrum” can be utilised for Professor of Biosensors and star, our primary source of clinical optical measurements, Bioinstrumentation energy on Earth. However, measuring tissue composition, from the ultraviolet (UV) to the behind what seems to be the perfusion and viability, cancer Healthcare Technology and red, through to the far infrared. Innovation obvious, light can also be a diagnosis, researching Centre for Intelligent Healthcare, mystery with its duality in which Raynaud’s phenomenon, and The choice of colour Coventry University (‘wavelength’) being a https://pureportal.coventry.ac.uk/en the same beam of light behaves the monitoring of oxygen in the /persons/john-allen as a particle (‘photon’) and/or blood (for example, using a fundamental consideration for a as a wave depending on the pulse oximeter device as has diagnostic technique, its

14 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 selection depends upon what Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital, Perfusion i.e., blood flow: The and predicting the onset of foot needs to be detected. For providing specialist diagnostics Laser is a remarkable invention tissue problems in patients with example, the wavelengths of for patients from across the – it can give a monochromatic diabetes. In Raynaud’s, the green, red or near infrared are North East of England. and coherent light source with fingers (toes) change colour on often used to study blood flow Significant R&D was also designer wavelength to just mild cold exposure and and dynamics in skin. More undertaken on medical device illuminate tissue for typically in a sequence which generally though, there can be development and innovative measurements. A key laser can include ‘white’, ‘blue’, and some uncertainty as to what approaches to patient imaging technique being Laser burning ‘red’. Raynaud’s is exactly is being measured measurement. With a recent Doppler Perfusion Imaging important to study objectively optically since the interaction of promotion and move into (LDPI) which can provide tissue because it can be an early light with tissue is complex. The academia I have since brought perfusion mapping. The laser symptom of an underlying validation of novel health the know-how to Coventry light penetrates the skin to a autoimmune condition or a technology devices thus forms a University’s new research Centre certain depth governed by number of other medical specialist field of study, and one for Intelligent Healthcare (the wavelength and power and the conditions. Thermography can which goes hand-in-hand with CIH), and despite the light is scattered by the blood be used to assess the degree of ensuring the safe use of optical unprecedented Covid-19 flowing in the tissue, the vasoconstriction of the finger radiation for the target medical situation the planned new VO Doppler shift in the received blood vessels on mild cold application. measurement and R&D facilities signal indicates the degree of exposure. at CIH are almost ready – their blood flow present. LDPI is VASCULAR OPTICS Structure: The thermal official opening will be in 2021. particularly useful in imaging imaging test for Raynaud’s goes This article focuses on the burn wounds to give the hand-in-hand with a simple field of Vascular Optics (VO) - a SOME KEY clinician information about microscope test for studying the growing area in the application APPLICATION AREAS wound depth, noting images finger nailfold area to look for of light to medicine. VO can AND TECHNIQUES need to be taken 2-5 days after significant microvascular probe the micro-structures and VO techniques have the a burn when a hyperaemic blood flow in tissue, it can capability to assess tissue healing response is expected. damage linked to autoimmune characterise the microcirculation perfusion, structure as well as There is also Laser Speckle conditions. This imaging test is where early-stage disease can composition. However, there is Contrast Imaging (LSCI) which known as nailfold capillaroscopy sometimes be detected. There a challenge as non-invasive can provide faster and higher (NFC). It is low-cost and used are of course challenges but measurements are often resolution perfusion images by carefully can be very powerful. there are also opportunities. VO restricted to the skin surface. measuring the changes in One can tell a lot just by looking is a specialist field and for the One can probe deeper though ‘speckle’ pattern from a laser at a person’s hands with UK there are only a small in a number of ways, by the light illuminating the target capillaroscopy and thermal number of clinical careful selection of operating tissue. imaging (Figure 1). measurement facilities currently wavelength, by optically Another important research Composition: We can all glow undertaking such work. There changing the surface properties technique in a VO facility is (“fluoresce”) in the dark. By are also only a limited number of skin, e.g., with clear oil, by thermal imaging. All objects shining light onto tissue, of types of VO devices on the closing down superficial blood (including humans) that are typically in the UV, it can be re- market, but there are many vessels with skin cooling, but above the temperature of emitted at slightly longer innovations under development also by being skilled in knowing absolute zero produce thermal (“red-shifted”) wavelengths. and new ideas continue to be about the referred medical radiation which can be detected There are known fluorescence explored. VO includes imaging symptoms for the disease being using a thermal camera. In signatures for different tissues, and non-imaging technologies, studied. For example, with some humans, higher temperatures such as collagen or many being non-invasive. types of thyroid disease there is are associated with increased haemoglobin, allowing an In my former life as an NHS also active eyelid inflammation blood flow. Thermal imaging “optical biopsy” to be made. Clinical Scientist I had spent a – in this case, the eyelid area has a number of clinical uses This fluorescence spectroscopy few recent decades establishing can be imaged to get the but most fall within the research approach is largely a research state-of-the-art VO specific information needed domain, for example in studying technique but with great measurement and research and rather than trying to look at the Raynaud’s phenomenon, potential looking for a clinical development (R&D) facilities at deeper tissues of the neck. detecting tissue inflammation, application.

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 15 machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI), have opened up exciting opportunities for PPG-based diagnostics (Figure 2).

SUMMARY The power of light applied to medical diagnostics has been highlighted in this focus article on vascular optics. These technologies have the capability for miniaturization and for modern manufacture, they utilise an improved know-how on clinical application to give optimal measurement quality,

Figure 1: The power of vascular optical imaging using combined thermal imaging and green light nailfold and they seem to be capillaroscopy. They have detected thermal patterns consistent with Raynaud’s as well as localised microvascular developing alongside a ‘crest of disease consistent with the auto-immune connective tissue disease Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). The capillary image the wave’ in AI (and ultimately is 3x2 mm. quantum) computing methods A more sophisticated way to measurements at a target skin PPG is utilised extensively in for medical image or signal measure tissue structure is to site, e.g., the ear lobe, finger or pulse oximeters, wearable analysis. There are so many use Optical Coherence toe pad sites. PPG lends itself to sensors – including personal clinical applications and Tomography (OCT). OCT is an miniaturization and also for use health monitors and watches opportunities for light in imaging technique that uses in digital e-health systems / and also for research devices medicine, for the benefit of the low-coherence light to capture smartphones, but there is also for cardiovascular assessment. patient, the NHS and also for micrometre-resolution 2D or 3D capability for tattoo sensing and Recent advances in image / UK plc.  images from tissue. It can use fibre optics implementation. signal processing, including infra-red light to detect tissue discontinuities and reveal micro- structures in blood vessels and layers of the eye.

PHOTOPLETHYSMOGRA PHY (PPG) – FOR OPTICAL PULSE PPG is a simple and very low- cost optical technology that can detect the pulsatile blood volume changes in skin tissue with each heartbeat. The PPG pulse signature can change with advancing age and also in arrange of cardiovascular diseases. Figure 2: Example toe PPG spectrogram ‘images’ comparing a healthy subject and a patient with significant arterial disease in their legs, with the optical pulse measurements collected over 2.5 minutes. Their time- PPG sensors are essentially a frequency dynamics can be represented in an image which captures the low and high frequency information light source (light emitting changes with vascular disease. This imaging approach lends itself well to automatic, robust, and quick classification by AI using a deep learning approach. (This new AI-empowered vascular assessment technique diode, LED) and a light detector piloted by Allen is covered in a unique new holistic book on PPG technology, i.e., Photoplethysmography: (photodiode) packaged to allow Technology, Signal Analysis and Applications. 2021 Academic Press books - Elsevier. Editors: Prof. P Kyriacou & Prof. J Allen.)

16 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 THE FUTURE OF THE UK’S TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE Since the advent of the Internet the UK telecommunications infrastructure has undergone a massive transformation; from the initial dial-up connections through to high-speed fibre optic connections. The growth in Internet usage and the proliferation of Internet based services has increased demand in fast, reliable, and cost-effective network services. The UK saw its Broadband usage double in 2020.

BROADBAND SERVICES the UK with over 1.5m DELIVERY OF Roger Brown, CEO and President, IN THE UK connections being provided. By BROADBAND SERVICES CiOUX Group The Broadband market is now 2009 almost 50% of all IN RURAL AND REMOTE a major part of the UK households in the UK had LOCATIONS telecommunications industry access to Broadband services. One of the major challenges in reaching around 82% of the Broadband services initially ran providing Broadband services to UK’s population. across the legacy telephony rural and remote locations is the The term Broadband covers infrastructure utilising copper lack of supporting infrastructure. both fixed and mobile services. cables. The legacy copper Technically, standard Broadband Fixed-based being those cabling system has its limitations, services are available anywhere provided via a cable and Mobile- particularly in terms of the speed that has a BT phone line. based refers to 3G/4G/5G of service that can be provided. However, due to distances and the quality of the infrastructure services available from all of the Today the copper infrastructure available these lines are so slow main Mobile service providers. is being phased out and they cannot support a usable replaced with fibre optic Broadband services in the UK Broadband service. are relatively new with the first technology. To overcome some of these cable-based service launched in The demand for Broadband challenges and limitations David Essery, COO and Principal 2000. At this time, speeds were services has grown exponentially several options are available: Consultant, CiOUX Group limited to 512Kbps (Kilobits per with the growth of online second). Today we are looking services. • Fibre Broadband where fibre at services providing 1Gbps can be delivered easily and (Gigabits per second), these The current pandemic has also cost effectively. being 2,000 times faster than added significant pressure on when the service was first the infrastructure through home • Mobile Broadband schooling, working from home launched 20 years ago. We are • Satellite Internet via services. seeing the demands on and the increase of online bandwidth doubling year on year. shopping. The proliferation of • Fixed wireless Broadband video streaming services such as Home consumer Broadband Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC 5G TECHNOLOGY services are often bundled with iPlayer and Disney+ during 5G, as it is known, is the 5th other telecommunications lockdown has also put significant Generation of wireless mobile services such as fixed and demand on the infrastructure. communication. It will ultimately mobile telephony with extras replace the current 4G service. such as premium television 5G is set to offer new technical channels and streaming services. capabilities through its high 2008 saw the biggest step speed, ultra-reliable, low-latency change in Broadband services in and high device density service.

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 17 The roll-out of 5G across the UK By 2019, over 3 billion Wi-Fi consumer ink replacement. launching of communication is well underway with a number enabled devices were being Another example are fridges. satellites is becoming more of towns and cities providing shipped globally each year. Fridges will be able to commercially viable. SpaceX’s coverage. automatically order food direct Starlink satellite Internet service Almost every piece of electrical from retailers when items of is well underway with its satellite With 5G Speeds of up to equipment sold today will have food begin to get low. launch program and will 1Gbps are achievable. some form of Wi-Fi connectivity. continue to provide Internet This can be from a fridge, a In conjunction with 5G, IoT can coverage in areas hard to reach. SATELLITE INTERNET cooker, washing machine be used to provide connectivity Other satellite Internet service SERVICE through to your vacuum cleaner across devices within factories, providers such as OneWeb are Starlink is a satellite-based and television. Also, more and manufacturing, restaurants, well on the way to launching Internet access service. It is the more people are utilising smart education, and healthcare. brainchild of Elon Musk’s SpaceX their service. home technology and can Combining the technologies will company and the plan is to have remotely control their lighting enable more automation and The benefit of low orbiting around 42,000 satellites orbiting and heating in the home. Cars efficiencies through the IoT satellite communications bring is the Earth providing Internet are now utilising the technology enabled devices. that it provides access to connectivity. The service is transmitting diagnostic data back consumers in remote and rural currently in deployment with The potential for IoT to the manufacturers, tracking locations where the provision of over 1,000 satellites already applications is endless. performance and journeys. high bandwidth cable-based launched. New satellite chains Insurance companies are now services is cost prohibitive. are being launched on a weekly FUTURE DEVELOPMENT using this technology to analyse basis. Testing has already begun OF BROADBAND The growth in Internet based driver habits using the data to in the UK with estimated speeds SERVICES TO ACHIEVE applications in conjunction with calculate driver risk and of around 150mps being THE GOVERNMENT’S our increasing reliance on online insurance premiums and achievable to the consumer. TARGETS services, social media, and logistics companies can drive Although Gigabit speeds will not With the continued increase in streaming services will continue efficiencies through tracking their be available with the service, the demands on Internet access to stretch the infrastructure. fleets. 150mps will be sufficient to and development of Internet The more bandwidth that is support most applications in Over the coming years we are based applications significant available the more we consume; rural and remote communities. going to see a continued growth investment is required in the where will this stop? The obvious benefit of this in Wi-Fi enabled devices. There UK’s telecommunications service is its ability to provide a will also be a continued growth infrastructure. To meet the needs of the relatively high bandwidth in applications utilising Wi-Fi The Government has initiated a consumers we are going to see Internet service to areas that devices. £5bn Broadband investment an increased use of blended have limited Internet access plan to facilitate full fibre roll-out cable, mobile and satellite enabling us to achieve our target THE GROWTH OF IoT – across the UK. This will make Broadband services in the of 100% Internet coverage. THE INTERNET OF 1gigabit services more immediate future. THINGS accessible to both businesses INCREASING USE OF The Internet of Things (IoT) LAST BUT BY NO Wi-Fi TECHNOLOGY and home consumers describes physical objects, or particularly in the more remote MEANS LEAST - DATA We all use Wi-Fi in some shape “things”, that contain sensors, and less populous rural areas. SECURITY or form, sometimes without software and other technologies With all the advances and even realising it. Whether it is in enabling them to connect and There are currently 3.5m direct development in the the office, the coffee shop or at exchange data with other fibre Broadband connections to communications industry the home. Wi-Fi provides networking devices and systems over the businesses and consumers in biggest challenge facing us going of devices and access to the Internet. the UK. Openreach currently forward is protecting our data internet wirelessly. plan to provide access to and privacy. Every time we add When all these connected another 3.2m premises by the a device to the network there is Wi-Fi offers the benefits of devices are combined with mid. 2020s. a possibility that device could be increased efficiency, ease of automated systems it is possible breached to provide access to access and availability, flexibility, to analyse the data and create With regards to mobile Internet our private and personal data. it is economic to deploy and actions. A good example of this access, we will see the enables new opportunities to be is the Smart Ink facilities the continued deployment of 5G Along with improving and exploited through the speed to large printer manufacturer offers. services across the UK. The increasing ways of access to the market. The printers communicate back technology will continue to be telecommunications developed with 6G already However, there are some to a central system reporting on infrastructure whether it be being tested in other countries. disadvantages such as security, printer usage and ink levels. cable, mobile or satellite based, radio interference, coverage and Through a subscription service With the advances in space we need to ensure the can be less efficient than a the printer manufacturer can launch technology and increased mechanisms are in place to physical connection. then automatically send the competition in this area, the protect us. 

18 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 POOR DIET QUALITY: IMPACT ON HEALTH, SARCOPENIA AND AGING

INTRODUCTION Reversing the changes bn/year for malnutrition. Not The condition of Sarcopenia associated with sarcopenia, only do these conditions exists in older people and malnutrition and frailty is impose huge costs on the UK consists of low skeletal muscle difficult, so preventing and government, they also impact reducing progression to on quality of life for individuals function or strength, sarcopenia is crucial. Evidence and on their ability to maintain accompanied by low muscle is accumulating that higher independence during aging. mass. This condition develops quality diets could slow down slowly during aging due to SARCOPENIA, AGING the processes of aging, which is gradual losses of both muscle AND MICRONUTRIENTS important given that diet is mass and function, starting from modifiable. My recent research uses 1 the age of 30 years . Over the population epidemiological Professor Ailsa Welch age of 50 years, rates of loss of Sarcopenia and its associated approaches to study the links Ailsa is a professor of nutritional muscle mass and strength conditions not only reduce between the nutritional quality epidemiology and researches into accelerate, being 2-3% per year quality of life in individuals but of diet and the risks of the protective factors in diet for for strength and 0.5-1% for also increase the costs of health sarcopenia and fractures in aging particularly for musculoskeletal health (sarcopenia, muscle mass. These changes and social care in the UK. middle and older aged skeletal muscle mass and function), osteoporosis and fracture risk. She Key points: also has research in identifying malnutrition, dietary assessment • Sarcopenia (low skeletal muscle mass and function) occurs during aging and is methods, quantifying measurement error, and evaluating public health associated with frailty, osteoporosis, falls, fractures and malnutrition improvement interventions. Ailsa aims to understand the effects of • Better diet and physical activity are important modifiable factors that can slow micronutrients (vitamins & minerals), diet quality (dietary the progressive decline in skeletal muscle mass and power that occurs with patterns, fatty acids & acid-base aging load) on aging. • In middle and older age eating a balanced diet rich in micronutrient vitamins Ailsa has been based at Norwich Medical School, University of East and minerals, coupled with regular physical activity is an effective way to prevent Anglia since 2007. She has 210 the risk of age-related chronic disease publications and an H index of 72. Ailsa is the Public Health Nutrition Scientific Theme lead for the UK with aging may seem small but Around a third of people over populations, with the aim of Nutrition Society and chairs the UK by the time a man who is 60 the age of 60 years have slowing down progression of initiative ‘Optimising Nutrition and years old today reaches his 70th sarcopenia, and a third have aging of muscle and bone. Hydration in Care Homes’. She chaired the Nutrition & Lifestyle birthday he will have lost around malnutrition, with frailty being (Epidemiology studies the Forum of the UK Royal 30% of his muscle strength, present in a quarter of people differences across populations Osteoporosis Society and was a 10% of his muscle mass, and over the age of 80 years 3. One that determine health or member of their Scientific Advisory in two women and one in five disease.) A large body of Committee until this year. Ailsa is may notice these changes. also a State Registered Dietitian. men over the age of 50 years research has already focussed Sarcopenia is associated with will also sustain a debilitating on how much protein needs to the conditions of frailty, fragility fracture during their be consumed to ensure muscle osteoporosis, and malnutrition, lifetime. The financial burdens mass and function is increasing the risk of falls, on the NHS of sarcopenia and maintained in older people. This fractures and morbidity (or associated conditions range is because protein is important chronic diseases) 2. Loss of from £2.5 bn/year for muscle for the structure of muscle and muscle mass also contributes to weakness, to £4.4 bn/year for the delicate balance between the onset of type-2 diabetes and osteoporosis and fractures, £6 muscle breakdown (catabolism) the onset of obesity 1. bn/year for frailty, and to £10.0 and build up (or protein

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 19 Figure: The Eatwell Guide, UK Healthy Eating Guidelines: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-eatwell-guide synthesis - anabolism) needs to magnesium, iron, vitamin D and So not only is it essential for inflammation and ROS in aging 6. be maintained. However, vitamin B12. health that micronutrients are Magnesium is essential for comparatively little research has consumed in large enough We have long known that synthesis of protein, and vitamin focussed on the importance of quantities to prevent deficiency or low intakes of C for formation of collagen; a micronutrient vitamins and deficiencies, but many of these vitamins and minerals leads to structural component of skeletal minerals for muscle health, physical symptoms. Deficiency micronutrients also interact with muscle and of carnitine; a although more recent research of vitamin C causes scurvy and and moderate the physiological molecule required for muscle has found that vitamin D is 5 symptoms of lethargy and mechanisms of aging of skeletal contraction . likely important. muscle 4-6. During aging there is fatigue 4, 5. Vitamin D deficiency Recent research from my group an increase in basal The micronutrients are found in causes osteomalacia (soft and shows that higher intakes of inflammatory status, known as small quantities in foods in our weakened bones) in adults, magnesium, vitamins C, E, and diet and micronutrient dense with symptoms also including inflammaging, as well as an carotenes are related to greater foods contain high fatigue, weakness and muscle increase in reactive oxygen muscle mass and strength or concentrations of vitamins and pain. Anaemia, arising from iron species (ROS) which cause function in middle-aged, as well minerals. Examples of vitamins deficiency, also causes fatigue direct damage to muscle cells. as older men and women 4-6. In Aging also leads to negative include vitamins C, D, E, B12, and weakness, as does our studies differences, in either folic acid, and the carotenoids magnesium deficiency which effects on the mitochondria muscle mass or function, (carotenes). Minerals include leads to disorientation. These present in cells which is a between the lowest and highest iron and magnesium. Examples symptoms of deficiency indicate problem as the mitochondria intakes of these nutrients varied are vegetables and fruits which the importance of burn (or metabolise) the between 1% and 8%. One are rich in carotenoids (found in micronutrients to the nutrients we eat to generate study found that women had brightly coloured vegetables and physiological, biochemical and energy. Many of the leg power measurements fruits such as carrots, lettuce, metabolic processes in the micronutrients, such as vitamin (strength of muscle contraction) broccoli and oranges), vitamin body. They also mirror the C, magnesium and carotenoids, that were 25% higher in those C, folate and magnesium. Also, symptoms of aging. act to dampen down the effects with the greatest intakes of fish and meat are rich in of these increases in magnesium compared with

20 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 those with the lowest 4-6. So, that are micronutrient dense or to be done to improve diet Mass and May Attenuate the Association Between Circulating C- compared with annual losses of high in fibre, while limiting quality in the UK population. Reactive Protein and Muscle Mass in foods high in sugar and 1-3% per year of skeletal Women. J Bone Miner Res, 2016. muscle mass or strength, saturated fats such as 31(2): p. 317-25. CONCLUSION increasing intake of vitamins C, chocolates, crisps and sweets. 7. Jennings, A., A.A. Mulligan, K.T. Khaw, E and carotenoids as well as The guide emphasises the The science shows that better- R.N. Luben, and A.A. Welch, A Mediterranean Diet Is Positively magnesium could have significance of eating 5 or more quality micronutrient dense potential clinical significance. vegetables and fruits a day (5-a- Associated with Bone and Muscle diets are protective for skeletal Health in a Non-Mediterranean Also, our findings were over and day) and moderate amounts of muscle, bone, and Region in 25,450 Men and Women above protein intake, indicating protein foods from animal or cardiovascular health during from EPIC-Norfolk. Nutrients, 2020. 12(4). micronutrients may be more plant sources. aging in our population. We also important. We also found that Despite the recommendations know that many vulnerable 8. England, P.H. National Diet and C-Reactive protein, a measure Nutrition Survey PHE publications outlined in the Eatwell Guide sectors of the population have of inflammation in the blood, gateway number: 2014051 2019 large sectors of our population poor or inadequate diets. [cited 2015 22/3/2020]; was lower in the women with do not reach them. These Comprehensive public health Available from: the highest intakes of https://www.gov.uk/government/statis vulnerable sectors of our approaches are needed to magnesium 4-6. Several of our tics/ndns-time-trend-and-income- population include adults over ensure access and affordability results have been confirmed by analyses-for-years-1-to-9  65 years, those in low income of good quality foods to our measurements of nutrients in groups and in Care Homes. We population. After all, prevention blood, such as vitamins C, E know these vulnerable is better than cure. and carotenes, so adding populations are at nutritional reassurance to our findings with risk from our extremely valuable References dietary intakes 5. We also National Diet and Nutrition 1. Welch, A.A., R.P.G. Hayhoe, and D. published evidence that good survey 8 which monitors the Cameron, The relationships between quality diets, such as the sarcopenic skeletal muscle loss during nutritional health of all sectors Mediterranean Dietary pattern, ageing and macronutrient of our population, using are protective for skeletal metabolism, obesity and onset of measures of dietary intake as diabetes. Proc Nutr Soc, 2020. 79(1): muscle or risk of fracture 7. well as nutritional status p. 158-169. These effects of better dietary 2. Landi, F., M. Camprubi-Robles, D.E. patterns are mediated through measured in blood. Of real concern are low intakes of Bear, T. Cederholm, V. Malafarina, A.A. the higher intakes of Welch, et al., Muscle loss: The new vegetables and fruits within our micronutrients dense founds malnutrition challenge in clinical found in better-quality diets, population, with only 20% of practice. Clin Nutr, 2019. 38(5): p. 2113-2120. such as vegetables and fruits. people over 75 years Our earlier research also shows consuming 5-a-day or more. In 3. Bunn, D., L. Hooper, and A. Welch, that better quality diets as well care homes 40% have blood Dehydration and Malnutrition in concentrations of vitamin C Residential Care: Recommendations as micronutrient status prevent for Strategies for Improving Practice death from all causes and indicative of scurvy, as do 4% of Derived from a Scoping Review of cardiovascular disease. older adults in the population. Existing Policies and Guidelines. Also, 57% of men and 39% of Geriatrics (Basel), 2018. 3(4). PREVALENCE OF women have blood 4. Welch, A.A., A. Jennings, E. Kelaiditi, J. MICRONUTRIENT concentrations of vitamin C Skinner, and C.J. Steves, Cross- DEFICIENCY AND POOR considered insufficient. Sectional Associations Between Dietary Antioxidant Vitamins C, E and DIET QUALITY IN THE UK Prevalence of vitamin D POPULATION Carotenoid Intakes and Sarcopenic deficiency in care homes is also Indices in Women Aged 18-79 Years. While evidence is accruing for high (40%) and is 15% in free- Calcif Tissue Int, 2020. 106(4): p. 331-342. the influence of better-quality living older adults. Dietary diets on conditions of aging, at intakes of magnesium are also 5. Lewis, L.N., R.P.G. Hayhoe, A.A. present there are no dedicated low: a quarter of those over the Mulligan, R.N. Luben, K.T. Khaw, and A.A. Welch, Lower Dietary and dietary guidelines for older age of 75 years consume Circulating Vitamin C in Middle- and adults. So how should the amounts below the Low Older-Aged Men and Women Are population eat? In the UK the reference Nutrient Intake. Given Associated with Lower Estimated Eatwell Guide provides the importance of Skeletal Muscle Mass. J Nutr, 2020. 150(10): p. 2789-2798. guidance on how to eat to meet micronutrients for healthy aging, our requirements for protein as these examples of low intakes 6. Welch, A.A., E. Kelaiditi, A. Jennings, C.J. Steves, T.D. Spector, and A. well as micronutrients, see and deficiency of micronutrients MacGregor, Dietary Magnesium Is Figure. The Guide encourages in the population are Positively Associated With Skeletal eating a broad range of foods concerning. Much more needs Muscle Power and Indices of Muscle

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 21 STEM for BRITAIN 2021

STEM for BRITAIN 2021, the Parliamentary & Scientific Committee’s annual competition for early-career researchers, hosted by Stephen Metcalfe MP, was held online this year.

The standard of work displayed was exceptionally high.

The announcement of the awards and medals was made on the 8th March and included all finalists in each of the five major categories, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Engineering, Mathematical Sciences, Physics, and Chemistry, and for the Westminster Medal.

The finalists had presented their work during the previous week to the judges and their local constituency MPs were encouraged to join the zoom sessions to see their constituents present their work.

All the winners and their posters can be accessed at https://stemforbritain.org.uk/

Stephen Metcalfe MP, Chair STEM for BRITAIN

Prof Julie Lovegrove, The Nutrition Society

1 L-R: Dr Stephen Benn, MC, STEM for Britain; Dr Isabel Spence, STEM for Britain, Leigh Jeffes, STEM for Britain, Lucinda Bruce-Gardyne, Society of Chemical industry 2 L-R: Prof Allan Wilson, Institute of Biomedical Science; Sue Wharton, STEM for Britain; Stephen Metcalfe MP, Chair STEM for Britain; Lucy Green, The Physiological Society 3 L-R: Prof Geoffrey Grimmett, Heilbronn Institute for Mathematical Research; Dr Mark Downs, Royal Society of Biology; Prof Martin Freer, Institute of Physics; Prof Rory Duncan, United Kingdom Research and Innovation Prof Mary P Ryan, Royal Academy 4 L-R: Prof Gill Reid, Royal Society of Chemistry; Prof Martin Bridson, Clay Mathematics Institute; Prof Sylvia of Engineering Richardson CBE, Council for the Mathematical Sciences; Dr Derry Mercer, Biochemical Society

We thank all those who supported STEM for BRITAIN 2021

22 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 STEM for BRITAIN 2021 CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS!

BIOSCIENCES AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES Gold Medal and The Physiological Society Award Nikita Patel TACKLING TRAUMA ONE ORGAN AT A TIME USING A REVERSE TRANSLATIONAL APPROACH Translational Medicine & Therapeutics, The William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University London “I’m absolutely thrilled to not only win The Physiological Society Prize but also the Gold Medal at this year’s STEM for Britain! The event was a great opportunity to share my research and raise awareness to the field of trauma and blood loss, given its high prevalence in society. The ability to communicate and discuss scientific research to a non-expert audience is an important skill to have and I’d definitely encourage other early career researchers to take part. I’d like to thank the organisers for giving me the chance to present my poster and a platform to engage with a wider audience.”

Silver Paula Martin PERSONALISING THERAPY IN OVARIAN CANCER: AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CRUK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge "It is not very common to find opportunities where we can share our research with policy-makers and I think STEM4Britain does a great job generating these spaces. For me, it was really interesting to share my PhD work with MPs during the Biomedical Sciences session. The discussions with them about the impact of the work we are doing and how they can translate to real- world solutions were really encouraging.”

Bronze Siân Morgan ENHANCED DRUG DELIVERY METHODS TO COMBAT CORNEAL BLINDNESS School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University “I am extremely proud and honoured to have been awarded Bronze in the category of ‘Biological and Biomedical Sciences’ at this year’s STEM for BRITAIN. It was a fantastic experience, and I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to share my research at this prestigious event. I highly recommend that early-career researchers in UK universities apply for future events as it really is an excellent platform to showcase your research. The poster that I presented at the event described my current research which centres around the development of more effective methods of delivering medications to the cornea of the eye in an attempt to combat corneal blindness.”

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 23 Nutrition Society Award Amber Bozward TRANSLATING DISCOVERY SCIENCE INTO A NEW THERAPY TO CURE AUTOIMMUNE LIVER DISEASES Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham “I was personally delighted to be able to present our exciting research programme on T cell immunotherapy at University of Birmingham to parliament at the Stem for Britain 2021. I am very honoured and grateful to have received The Nutrition Society award for this presentation. Although we were unfortunately unable to visit the Palace of Westminster this year for the event, the virtual presentation and subsequent award ceremony was made an enjoyable experience by everybody involved. I am looking forward to celebrating this win with my colleagues when we are able to do so.”

ENGINEERING Gold Bernard Cooper MINATURISED COOLING OF QUANTUM DETECTORS TO -272C Electrical Engineering, University of Glasgow “I am delighted to have won gold in the engineering category of STEM for BRITAIN. It is a great motivator to know my research was appreciated by both Members of Parliament and other top academics from across the country. I am now looking forward to achieving the ambitious targets set out in my poster over the course of my doctorate.”

Silver Marlini Simoes ADDITIVELY MANUFACTURED SMART CELLULAR MATERIALS FOR SPACE APPLICATIONS Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge “I feel very honoured to win Silver in the Engineering category, given the strong competition. The award is important because it recognises our ability to communicate our projects, not only to other scientists but also to MPs and the public in general. I feel very grateful to receive the award because it also highlights the importance of my field of research: aerospace. Being a medallist will also be a boost for me in disseminating my work in the future.”

Bronze Joseph van Batenburg-Sherwood JAMVENT: A ROBUST VENTILATION APPROACH FOR COVID-19 AND BEYOND Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London “Communication of science and engineering to policy makers and the public is more important now than ever. STEM for Britain supports and encourages this communication and it is an honour to be a medal winner amongst such excellent researchers.”

Bronze Andrew Creagh THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL BIOMARKERS FOR NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES THROUGH SMARTPHONE- AND SMARTWATCH- BASED REMOTE PATIENT MONITORING Institute of Biomedical Engineering, University of Oxford “I feel very honoured to win Silver in the Engineering category, given the strong competition. The award is important because it recognises our ability to communicate our projects, not only to other scientists but also to MPs and the public in general. I feel very grateful to receive the award because it also highlights the importance of my field of research: aerospace. Being a medallist will also be a boost for me in disseminating my work in the future.”

24 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES Gold Scott Harper CLASSIFYING ISOLATED SYMMETRIES School of Mathematics, University of Bristol “Mathematics underpins so much of our lives and it gives a fascinating perspective on the world. It was a pleasure to share the importance and beauty of mathematics to parliamentarians at this year's STEM for Britain event, and I was delighted to be awarded a Gold Medal for my poster on how mathematics sheds light on symmetry, something we see all around us every day.”

Silver Georgia Brennan MATHEMATICALLY MODELLING CLEARANCE IN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE; A MATHEMATICAL DRUG TRIAL FOR THE UK’S PROTEIN PANDEMIC Mathematical Insititute, University of Oxford “The UK faces an aging crisis; neurodegenerative diseases present the next health and economic pandemic facing this great nation. As a woman in mathematics, I am also aware of the need to be a voice for underrepresented communities, including the elderly. My DPhil research, at Oxford University, speaks directly to both challenges. I have introduced the first mathematical models, and software, which combine patient data with mathematical dynamics to simulate 40 years of Alzheimer’s disease progression in less than 40 seconds of computational time. My current phase of research leads in early exploratory drug development, providing a foundation for the rapid and non-invasive testing of novel treatments for dementias. Parliament stands with the people of the United Kingdom. Their selection of my work for presentation re-affirms their long-standing commitment to mathematics and neurodegenerative disease research. In accepting the silver award for the mathematical sciences division, I stand in agreement with parliament: it is time to fight for our elderly and to rally behind the resounding excellence of the United Kingdom's women in mathematics and science.”

Bronze Gioia Boschi OPINION DYNAMICS WITH MEMORY: HOW A SOCIETY IS SHAPED BY ITS OWN PAST. Mathematics, King’s College London “Given the social implications that my research has, it’s has been a great opportunity for me to present my work to the UK Parliament. I find that all the posters presented were amazing and I feel very honoured to have been awarded the bronze prize.”

PHYSICS Gold Medal and The Westminster Medal Ben Fernando SEISMOLOGY AT THE EXTREMES – FROM THE OCEANS TO MARS Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford “It’s a real honour to have won both the Physics Gold award and the Westminster Medal. I’m really grateful to both the STEM for Britain organisers and the judges for giving up their time to hear about my work! I would very much encourage other early-career scientists and parliamentarians to get involved with the competition next year, as it was a really worthwhile experience.”

Silver Vicky Fawcett RED QUASARS: THE MISSING LINK IN GALAXY EVOLUTION? Centre for Extragalactic Astronomy, Durham University “I am so happy and honoured to have won this award. It was really interesting trying to communicate my research to such a wide audience, and to summarise everything in three minutes was quite difficult. Quasars are extremely bright objects powered by gas that spirals into supermassive black holes. The majority of quasars have very blue colours but recently we have found a subset that show much redder colours ("red quasars"). In my research, I have found fundamental differences in the radio properties of red quasars that suggest these red quasars may play an important part in galaxy evolution. I also found this enhanced radio emission to be on very small scales, rather than the huge galactic jets we sometimes see, which suggests this emission is driven by out-flowing material such as winds. This outflow could have a big impact on the host galaxy, and shape how it evolves.”

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 25 Bronze Heidi Thiemann SUPERWASP VARIABLE STARS: CLASSIFYING STARS USING CITIZEN SCIENCE School of Physical Sciences, The Open University “Taking part in STEM for Britain 2021 was a fantastic experience and I'm really happy to have been awarded the Physics Bronze award! It was a good opportunity to represent The Open University to the Parliamentary & Scientific Committee and showcase the work we're doing in the School of Physical Sciences. I personally enjoyed talking to MPs about how we can engage with the general public in astronomy research to produce real scientific results, and I valued the discussions we had. The power of citizen science has been demonstrated time and time again, most recently through the discovery of the Winchcombe meteorite, the first UK meteorite in 30 years, and through my project's discovery of a new type of binary star.”

CHEMISTRY Gold Ben Lewis IMAGING G-QUADRUPLEX DNA USING FLUORESCENCE LIFETIME IMAGING MICROSCOPY (FLIM) Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London “It was a huge honour to be selected as a finalist for this year's STEM for Britain competition, and I am delighted to have won the Gold Medal for Chemistry. It was clear from looking at all of the other posters that there is a huge amount of excellent and fascinating research being done, and it has been a great opportunity to see what everyone else has been working on. Whilst it was a shame we couldn't be physically together in Westminster this year, it was great to still be able to come together virtually and have the opportunity to share what we do with such a broad audience. It is particularly special to be able to show our research to parliamentarians - it is a rare and important opportunity to have, and I am incredibly grateful to the organisers for facilitating it.”

Silver Rachel Irlam TOWARDS A NEXT-GENERATION BIOINK FOR 3D BIOPRINTING: FINE CONTROL OF THE RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF CAF1-BASED HYDROGELS VIA MODULATION OF PROTEIN FOLDING Chemistry, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University “The STEM for Britain experience was a very exciting one; I’ve presented my research to people many times, but never to an audience of MPs! The nature of research means it can sometimes feel mundane and it’s disheartening when things don’t work, so it is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. Taking my work out of the lab and into Parliament made me realise how important research really is for society and how big an impact it could have! I finished my PhD in September and then started a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in October, at a new university and in a different field to the one I was working in. This was very challenging, particularly in the middle of a pandemic, since the people who would usually have been around to show me the ropes weren’t and it was a very steep learning curve. This was my first presentation of my postdoctoral research, so to have received an awarded for it, when I have often felt in the last few months that I’ve just been struggling along, feels incredible. I’m delighted to have had the opportunity to partake in the competition!”

Bronze David Brossault WHEN LEGO BRICKS INSPIRE MICROSCOPIC MATERIALS: SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION OF MULTIFUNCTIONAL PARTICLES Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge “STEM for Britain is a great opportunity for early-career academics to connect with politicians and share the importance of academic research to tackle current societal challenges. It was an honour for me to be shortlisted and be given the opportunity to present my PhD project during the Chemistry finals. I really enjoyed explaining to Daniel Zeichner (Cambridge MP) and other Members of Parliament, how multifunctional microparticles could be produced using commercial nanoparticles as building blocks, and how such systems could be used for both biological (e.g. Bio-separation) and environmental (e.g. Water treatment) applications. I was over the moon to discover a few days later that my project was awarded the Chemistry Bronze at this year's event. This award motivates me even more for the future, and I am now looking forward to going further with my project before submitting my PhD thesis in the coming few months.”

26 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE – A CLEAR AND FUTURE EPIDEMIC INTRODUCTION Many approaches to preventing now and in the future, we can Alzheimer’s disease is the most or curing Alzheimer’s disease determine the numbers who will common form of dementia. The have concentrated upon suffer from Alzheimer’s Disease loss of cognitive function in the preventing formation of plaques at different time points in the elderly was known to the or tangles however these have future. In this way we can also Ancient Egyptians and has also been largely unsuccessful and determine the socioeconomic formed part of literature (e.g. new approaches are being burden that will be associated King Lear) and folk knowledge. examined including the with such a prevalence. “Antimicrobial Infection Pythagoras defined six ages of The Alzheimer’s Society has Hypothesis” which postulates life - infancy (age 0–6), estimated that in 2019 there that the development of adolescence (age 7–21), were over 850,000 people with Alzheimer’s disease is, at least in adulthood (age 22–49), middle dementia in the UK. This is Dr Bryan Hanley, FRSC, FRSB, age (age 50–62), senescence part, a consequence of pathogen Biophys Ltd, Usk, UK and ACTA, equivalent to 1 in 14 of the interference and the response of Amsterdam, Netherlands (age 63–79), and old age (age population aged 65 years and 80 or older). Senescence and the innate immune system over. By 2040, the figure will be old age were times of decline in (Moir et al, 2018). over 1.5 million people. Up to bodily and mental functions and In this brief review, we will 75% of those will be suffering the decline in mental function outline the growing problem of from Alzheimer’s disease. The was generally considered to be cognitive decline in our ageing cost of dementia in 2040 an inevitable consequence of populations, the current [healthcare costs (costs to the ageing. approaches to dealing with NHS), social care costs (costs of Alzheimer’s disease was Alzheimer’s disease, how the homecare and residential care), eventually described in detail by most recent hypotheses offer and costs of unpaid care Dr Alois Alzheimer in 1906 who some hope for future efforts to (provided by family members)] recorded both the symptoms of mitigate the disease and its is estimated to be around a patient (referred to as ‘Auguste effects. £100bn. This is an annual and D’) and, after post mortem rising cost. In comparison, when analysis of her brain, reported PREVALENCE the UK government bailed out the presence of plaques and The proportion of the the banks in 2008 they spent neurofibrillary tangles. The population that are over 65 £500 billion and this triggered protein constituents of these years of age will continue to 10 years of austerity. The Office physiological characteristics – increase in most countries in the for Budget Responsibility (OBR) beta-amyloid and tau – were world. Large population-based has said that UK government found to be typical of those who studies demonstrate an borrowing would be £355bn for suffered from Alzheimer’s exponential increase in dementia the current financial year (April disease and this, together with incidence after 65 years of age, 2020 to April 2021. The cost of neuropsychological testing, doubling roughly every five Alzheimer’s disease is of the forms the basis of diagnosis years. Based on the numbers of same order of magnitude as (Yang, HD et al, 2016). people in different age groups these– with the exception that this cost will happen every year and will rise year on year.

CURRENT THERAPIES AND PROSPECTS Since the cost will be so high and the numbers likely to be affected are predictable, there should be a strong impetus to reduce the impact of Alzheimer’s disease. There seems to be a Figure 1: Beta amyloid plaques in Alzheimer’s and normal brains genetic predisposition to

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 27 Porphyromonas gingivalis, which (2) establish mechanisms by causes gum disease. Work is which microbial pathogens continuing to determine if impact neurodegenerative specific microbial agents could processes in AD, and act as triggers for an (3) inform aspects of future inflammatory response that translational studies in AD, might act as a trigger for the including discovery of development of Alzheimer’s candidate therapeutics disease. There are, however, a aimed at regulating number of caveats. pathogen-associated Neuroinflammation is part of the networks and molecules in normal ageing process so AD. infection may not be required. Trials with anti-inflammatory A UK-based consortium led by Figure 2 – A representation of Cognitive Decline agents have failed. A non- Biophys Ltd and involving a steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs multidisciplinary group from the Alzheimer’s Disease While both plaques and tangles (NSAIDs) trial with UK and the Netherlands has (susceptibility runs in families) have been associated with the asymptomatic people in their responded to this call and are and more than 40 genes/loci disease, it was considered that using a novel paradigm to 60s at high risk of Alzheimer’s have been linked to the risk of the former were causative while develop potential therapies for disease gave them daily developing the disease the latter were more indicative of further investigation. This naproxen for two years. The (Bellenguez et al, 2020). disease progression. proposal – Inflammatory drugs did not affect their Identification of genetic risk Unfortunately trials of drugs that Signatures of Oral and Neural cognition or imaging and factors is an active area of inhibit the beta amyloid plaque Cells – is currently under review cerebrospinal fluid markers, and investigation. In addition, process have been unsuccessful by the NIH. may have even made a substantial efforts have been and others have suggested that composite of all these measures Dr Michael Graz, made to develop a tau accumulation is a more a bit worse. Nonetheless, several Dr Heather Graz pharmaceutical approach that important trigger and occurs at immune related genetic risk Biophys Ltd. Usk, NP15 1BE focuses on beta amyloid plaque an earlier (and hence more factors which may contribute to formation and to thereby treatable) stage in the disease process. In addition, the brains of the inflammatory process and prevent the physiological References many people who died after increased cytokine production in consequences of the disease. Bellenguez C, Grenier-Boley B, Lambert J- diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease have been One particular genetic trait, C. Genetics of Alzheimer’s disease: where did not contain beta amyloid identified (Shi et al, 2020). we are, and where we are going. Curr. having an inherited form of a plaques so causality has Opinions in Neurobiology, 2020, 61, 40- particular gene – the E4 variant continued to be questioned (Shi CONCLUSION AND 48. doi.org/10.1016/j.conb.2019.11.024. of apolipoprotein E, increases et al 2020). FUTURE PROSPECTS Liu, C. C., Liu, C. C., Kanekiyo, T., Xu, H., & the likelihood that an individual Further work is needed to Bu, G. (2013). Apolipoprotein E and will develop Alzheimer’s disease. INFECTIVE HYPOTHESIS confirm if a single or multi- Alzheimer disease: risk, mechanisms and therapy. Nature reviews. Neurology, 9(2), Other, rarer forms of the gene targeted approach to Alzheimer’s The idea of an inflammatory 106–118. may reduce that risk while the aspect to Alzheimer’s Disease is disease might be successful. The https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2012.2 most common form is neutral – not new. The cause and National Institutes of Health 63 i.e. it does not affect consequences are, however, (NIH) in the US has launched a Moir RD, Lathe R, Tanzi RE. The susceptibility. (Liu CC et al, becoming clearer. It is known major programme of work to antimicrobial protection hypothesis of 2013). The identification of other that one of the normal functions investigate the infectious theory Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement. 2018 Dec;14(12):1602-1614. doi: predisposing genetic traits is of Alzheimer’s disease (NIH of beta amyloid protein in the 10.1016/j.jalz.2018.06.3040. Epub 2018 underway. brain is to act as an anti-infective Notice number NOT-AG-19-012. Oct 9. PMID: 30314800. agent. In addition, it has been "Research on Current Topics in Much of the research into the Shi J, Sabbagh M N, Vellas B. Alzheimer’s Alzheimer's Disease and Its development of pharmaceutical suggested that disease beyond amyloid: strategies for Related Dementias (R01 Clinical future therapeutic interventions BMJ approaches to Alzheimer’s neuroinflammation may be linked to beta amyloid Trial Optional)" regarding the 2020; 371 :m3684 disease has been directed doi:10.1136/bmj.m3684 production. Neuroinflammation towards the beta amyloid infectious etiology of Alzheimer’s itself can also occur as a result of disease. This high-priority topic Yang HD, Kim DH, Lee SB, Young LD. plaques which, together with History of Alzheimer's Disease. Dement infection by bacteria or viruses. aims to: accumulations of the tau protein Neurocogn Disord. 2016;15(4):115-121. (generally referred to as ‘tau Several microbes have been (1) determine whether microbial doi:10.12779/dnd.2016.15.4.115  tangles’) form a characteristic proposed as triggers of pathogens represent a agglomeration in the brains of Alzheimer’s, including human causal component of those affected by the disease. herpes viruses and Alzheimer’s disease (AD),

28 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 THE FUTURE OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS: NATIONAL SECURITY IMPLICATIONS OF FOREIGN INVOLVEMENT AND INVESTMENT IN 5G

As technology evolves, The telephone and telegraph Western and non-western. These telecommunications become changed personal protections often involve even more intertwined with communication, as well as restrictions on greenfield and national security – necessitating diplomatic and military non-greenfield foreign direct that those involved in our possibilities and outcomes. investment, supply chain information and communication Radio and TV made restrictions, and export controls. technology (ICT) infrastructures instantaneous mass The strategic importance of must be trusted partners. In communication possible, telecoms and ICT is so high that addition to the general security changing culture and the ability even foreign investments risks raised by 5G, foreign to spread information, originating from close allies and competitor involvement in propaganda, and other friendly states have been Western 5G (and future) messaging during times of hot Dr Ashley Thomas Lenihan blocked or mitigated in the past telecommunications and cold war. Telecoms have Dr Lenihan is a Fellow at the Centre (see Figure 1), especially when for International Studies at the infrastructures raises specific played a crucial role in statecraft there are concerns over London School of Economics, and concerns, all with distinct policy since WWI, from its military use an Associate at LSE IDEAS, where adherence to export control implications. in intelligence gathering and her research focuses on foreign laws, or fears that untrusted sharing, to its role in shaping investment and national security. component suppliers might be She is also the Head of Policy & TELECOMMUNICATIONS alliance relationships. 1 Wireless used in future. 2 Engagement at the British Academy AND NATIONAL capability and the mobile phone of Management, and a Senior SECURITY were particularly Policy Advisor at the Academy of Secure and timely 5G AND NATIONAL Social Sciences, though the views transformational. Their communications have been vital SECURITY presented here are her own. integration with computer to strategic planning, diplomacy, 5G will significantly increase technology cemented telecoms, and military operations data rates, mobility, reliability, and ICT more broadly, as a throughout history. What has connection density, and area critical strategic asset. changed is the speed at which traffic capacity – all while these communications can take As critical national infrastructure decreasing latency, and offering place, the number of people that (CNI), telecoms and other ICT potentially greater security can be reached and influenced, have historically been protected through, for example, and how these communications from foreign influence and authentication and roaming are sent and secured. control in many countries, security improvements. By

Figure 1. Cross-border Mergers & Acquisitions in the Telecommunications, Satellite, and ICT Sectors

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 29 enabling the Internet of Things fighting, personal data can also infrastructure of certain Chinese The ‘China Standards 2035’ (IoT), it will lead to a massive be used for leverage, ransom, or companies like Huawei and ZTE strategy outlines the increase in the number of worse in the wrong hands. In have raised specific security government’s plans to set global connected devices, and 5G use addition to basic privacy issues, concerns in the West, we must standards for next generation cases will range from smart perhaps more concerning is the look beyond market dominance, technologies. cities, grids, and military bases to improved capabilities for and at the wider strategic and More importantly, China’s factory automation, autonomous precision location (to inches or policy context. National Intelligence law vehicles, and remote medicine. 3 feet), which in the wrong hands First, China is emerging as a mandates that all companies, could endanger personal liberty All of this will again transform near-peer competitor with organizations, and citizens in and security. the relationship between fundamentally different values China assist in national telecoms and national security, Third, are the risks associated (on the liberal economic order, intelligence efforts, that they not as increased connectivity will with the quality and security of freedom, democracy, liberty, and disclose those efforts, and that affect almost every area of the 5G supply chain. The human rights), making it a focal they will be protected by the society and the economy, reach potential for malicious software point for concern in the area of State for doing so. China’s 2014 wider populations, and go and built-in backdoor access ICT influence and control. Counterintelligence Law makes deeper into every aspect of points – and concern over poor similar requirements. peoples’ lives. Moreover, almost quality components, service, or Second, Chinese law and It is thus understandable why all 5G improvements will be future provision of updates and policy gives companies like concerns have been raised over dual-use: enabling government patching – again all require Huawei and ZTE distinct companies like Huawei and ZTE. and military, as well as civilian countries to trust vendors at all competitive advantages, while A history of attempted purchases and industrial, innovation. On points in their supply chain. making it difficult to trust that of sensitive companies, lack of top of the need to maintain the they could not be compelled to There are also concerns raised transparency, suspected links network’s physical security, the comply with requests from the by the fact that many potential with the Chinese government greatest challenges will be in the Chinese government in future. 5 5G security enhancements are and military, and repeated area of cyber security. A recent optional (and often expensive) China’s ‘Going Out’ strategy, for charges of industrial espionage / report by the US Government for providers to implement. example, encourages and intellectual property theft in the Accountability Office (GAO) There will be continued legacy supports (often through US – all within the context of outlines some significant vulnerabilities as backward financing and subsidies) outward Chinese state policy and law challenges in these areas, that compatibility with 4G is required foreign investment in strategic requiring companies to comply may be summarized here as until core networks are fully sectors, like ICT, to gain a global with information requests and follows: upgraded.4 competitive and technical engage in espionage – makes it First, 5G architecture significantly increases the ‘surface area’ and volume of potential points of attack by state and non-state threat actors. Greater reliance on software and network virtualization increases network flexibility and reduces dependency on purpose-built hardware, but also means quality coding, consistent monitoring, updating, and patching will be required from highly trusted vendors. Similarly, 5G network Figure 2. ‘Going out’ – Attempted Chinese Investments in the Telecommunications, ICT, and Semiconductor slicing creates efficiencies, but Sectors also the potential for malign All of these are in addition to advantage. Figure 2 shows clear why the US, and more actors to attack one slice through the unknown, and as yet examples of attempted strategic recently the UK and other the vulnerabilities of another. undiscovered, points of investments by Chinese countries, have either formally or Continuously connected devices vulnerability. companies that were blocked or effectively banned Huawei from (like medical devices) and IoT mitigated on national security their 5G infrastructures going devices (like autonomous cars) 5G AND CHINA grounds, highlighting the types forward. Yet, while concern can also be vulnerable to attack. The primary 5G equipment of companies targeted, many of focuses on these companies which were government now, other actors may be of Second, the increased volume providers globally are Huawei, contractors or held sensitive greater concern in future. and scope of personal data offer Nokia, Ericsson, Samsung, and technology. more targets for attack. Though ZTE. Yet, to truly understand why In sum, the major risks raised useful for industry and crime the involvement in 5G by foreign competitor

30 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 involvement and investment in ‘clean’ telecommunications staffing, training, and funding if it Acquisitions. Cambridge University domestic 5G infrastructures infrastructure going forward. This is to truly fulfill its purpose and Press: Cambridge. https://doi.org/10.1017/97813168554 6 include: means purchasing equipment, protect national security. 30. software, and integration services • espionage, Third, none of this need result 3 US GAO. (2020). ‘5G Wireless: from trusted vendors in allied in a Cold War with China. China Capabilities and Challenges for an • intellectual property theft, and partner countries; and certainly limits inward foreign Evolving Network.’ GAO-21-26SP, • the potential lowering of investing in R&D to ensure a November. investment and involvement in security standards, competitive edge in next https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-21- its domestic ICT infrastructure, 26sp.pdf generation innovation. • the use of data, or the and benign Chinese investment provision of supply and 4 https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-21- Second, it shows that the UK or trade should continue to be 26sp.pdf maintenance, as leverage by and its allies require strong welcomed by the West. 5 See foreign actors, and foreign investment regulations to https://ccdcoe.org/uploads/2019/03/C • the future availability of the review transactions on national CDCOE-Huawei-2019-03-28-FINAL.pdf; network (i.e. – due to security grounds. Passage of the References https://fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/IF11251. pdf. potential discontinuity or National Security & Investment 1 Howe, G.F. (n.d.) ‘The Early History of the NSA.’ attack on service/supply). Bill will help achieve this aim – 6 https://parliamentlive.tv/event/ https://www.nsa.gov/Portals/70/docum index/c7c4733e-0ca9-4f45-858c- but, as I have argued elsewhere, ents/news-features/declassified- 2c09598a4605; POLICY IMPLICATIONS documents/cryptologic- the challenging volume and https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/de spectrum/early_history_nsa.pdf. First, with regard to the scope of covered transactions 472ea0-c918-4733-8000- Telecommunications (Security) under the proposed regime 2 Lenihan, A.T. (2018) Balancing Power 7529e0c37e97  Bill, the above shows the means it will require regularized without Weapons: State Intervention into Cross-Border Mergers and importance of maintaining a multi-agency feed-in, adequate

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 31 CELTIC ACADEMIES ALLIANCE LAUNCHED TO POOL EXPERTISE

The Alliance will enable the RSE, LSW and RIA to pool the wide-ranging expertise and practitioner experience that exists within their memberships to inform public policy developments at both • Work to strengthen links account of the distinctive CELTIC ACADEMIES the UK level and within the between our academies and priorities and needs of the ALLIANCE ACTIVITIES devolved nations. relevant UK bodies, including devolved nations and the 2020–2021 The Celtic Academies Alliance government departments and Alliance can play its part in • Submissions and responses brings together the national research bodies; supporting this process.” to government initiatives and academies of Ireland (the Royal consultations, e.g. letter to the • Produce briefing papers and Dr Mary Canning, RIA Irish Academy), Scotland (the UK Secretary of State for other documents that set out President commented: “A Royal Society of Edinburgh) and Business, Energy and the Alliance’s shared great strength of the three Wales (the Learned Society of Industrial Strategy on the Wales) to provide a forum for positions; and academies is that they span the full range of academic implementation of the UK researchers, policy makers, • Share learning and Research and Development industry, and the arts and cultural disciplines within their respective information between our fellowships. This together with Roadmap; sectors on the island of Ireland member academies. and in Scotland and Wales to their independence and • Roundtables on research and connect, communicate and The establishment of the convening power makes them development in the devolved collaborate, while working to Alliance comes at a critical time invaluable in analysing the nations; as the higher education and many complex issues which strengthen understanding at UK • Explainer notes, e.g. The research sectors deal with the underpin and permeate level of issues facing the European Structural and scientific, economic, social and devolved nations. major twin challenges of Covid- Investment Funds: cultural development. The Celtic 19 and Brexit. It also presents contribution to UK research The Celtic Academies Alliance Academies Alliance will act as a significant opportunity with the and innovation (with the aims to: catalyst for enhanced and UK Government developing a British Academy). • Provide independent expert new R&D strategy for the UK, synergistic academic and advice on higher education including commitments to research collaborations between For more information contact: the nations for the mutual and research and other ‘levelling up’ investment across Royal Irish Academy: shared issues; benefit of all.” the whole of the UK and with [email protected] • Support the evolution of plans emerging for the UK Professor Hywel Thomas, Royal Society of Edinburgh: more effective intra-UK and Shared Prosperity Fund. LSW President remarked: “The [email protected] UK–Ireland governance, Celtic Academies Alliance is an Speaking at the launch on the Learned Society of Wales: especially in the post-Brexit opportunity to further develop 25th March 2021: [email protected]  context; and and amplify the voices of the Professor Dame Anne Glover, research and innovation • Ensure that the UK RSE President said: “The communities of Scotland, Government and its bodies establishment of the Celtic Northern Ireland, and Wales. We take proper account of the Academies Alliance is a will work together to understand needs and differing situations significant development. Our what is needed to build of the devolved nations. national academies are research capacity, productivity, To meet these aims, the uniquely placed to draw upon and impact in the devolved Alliance will: our extensive and nations, recognising regional • Organise meetings and multidisciplinary expertise, variation within the nations events that bring together experience and networks to help themselves. We hope to policy makers, institutions and inform and shape policy contribute constructively to the other stakeholders; developments at all levels of discussions around levelling up government. It is vital that policy research, development and making at the UK level takes innovation funding.”

32 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 SECTOR DEALS FOR SMEs DISCUSSION MEETING FEBRUARY 15, 2021

Representing the vast majority of the UK businesses, as well as over 2,000 of those projects. The benefits of Innovate UK’s work being a large section of the GDP, SMEs are vital for the UK have been demonstrated, as they have been able to support the economy. Prof. Karl Ryder from the University of Leicester talked creation of over 100,000 jobs in around 8,500 companies, and about how the university sector can help SMEs with research and have added an estimated £2.9billion to the UK economy since development. Paul Mason from Innovate UK gave us insight into this 2007. Innovate UK works to connect companies and organisations organisation and how it helps connect companies to facilities for with similar research areas through their Knowledge Transfer research and development, as well as how crucial innovation is for Network, all in order to speed up development. They also provide the future of the UK economy. direct grants for companies to carry out research into areas where the private sector is unable to. Competition for these grants is high Brian Norton, the Managing Director of Indestructible Paints Ltd, however, and they often have to reject credible ideas due to spoke about how his SME has been innovating in their sector and demand. how crucial this has been to the sustainability of the company. The Q&A focused mostly on how this process has been effected by the The university sector is a crucial resource for innovation. Being Covid-19 pandemic, and ways that the Government can ease this funded by the public sector, there is a real desire to support strain on resources. economic growth throughout the UK. Universities have high quality research facilities that can be exploited to push forward The UK currently ranks 4th on the recent Global Innovation Index, development of cutting edge ideas. Innovate UK works to connect and exploiting our resources here will be crucial for the future UK businesses, including many SMEs, to universities for this purpose, economy. With 97% of the world’s GDP existing outside our and many universities also have grants specifically for business borders, looking outwards provides a massive opportunity for development. growth. The UK is in a position to be able to provide goods and services of high quality which are difficult to copy, but tomorrow’s SMEs currently face many challenges. The economic hit of the trade will come from today’s innovation, and supporting new Covid-19 pandemic as well as the changes to international trade development will be crucial to growing our economy. due to Brexit means SMEs are having to navigate difficult economic times. Research and development is often one of the first budgets SMEs represent 99.9% of the UK’s business population and in cut when a business faces tough time, but evidence shows that 2019 had a turnover of £2.17billion. This large section of the companies that continue to innovate come out of the economic economy is also one of the most innovative, often having to downturn stronger. Therefore, access to research facilities is crucial develop unique, sophisticated services and products in order to for the future economic growth of SMEs. Competition for these compete with larger businesses. For these reasons, the ability to facilities was already high, but due to the strain of the pandemic access resources for research and development is vital to the many universities are focusing more resources onto teaching and success of these enterprises. However, this is no easy task. Access to fundamental research. If we wish for SMEs to continue innovating research facilities is competitive, and larger companies are able to and increasing their contribution to the economy, widening access outperform SMEs when applying for these resources. to these facilities will be crucial. Innovate UK is one organisation that helps many companies By Alfie Hoar, Parliamentary & Scientific Committee  access research and development resources. They have around 5,990 live projects running, and have partnered with an SME on

L-R: Professor Karl Ryder, University of Leicester; Paul Mason, Innovate UK and Brian Norton, Managing Director of Indestructible Paints Ltd.

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 33 HOUSE OF COMMONS SELECT COMMITTEES

HOUSE OF COMMONS SELECT COMMITTEES • Freed Labour in UK value chains – Opened 18th September 2020. Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee • Decarbonising heat in homes – Opened 2nd October. Accepting The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee scrutinises written evidence until 13th November 2020. the policy, spending and administration of the Department for • Business and Brexit preparedness – Opened 17th November 2020. Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and its public bodies, including Ofgem, the Financial Reporting Council and the • Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme – Opened 18th March 2021. Committee on Climate Change. Deadline 12th April 2021.

The Committee regularly holds accountability evidence hearings with For further details: Tel: 020 7219 5777 Government Ministers and with bodies such as the Financial Email: [email protected] Reporting Council, the Committee on Climate Change and Ofgem.

The BEIS Committee also hears from a range of stakeholders in the course of its work, receiving evidence from academics, business ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT COMMITTEE groups, NGOs and charities to its inquiries. The remit of the Environmental Audit Committee is to consider the Membership: extent to which the policies and programmes of government Darren Jones MP, Labour, Chair departments and non-departmental public bodies contribute to environmental protection and sustainable development, and to audit Alan Brown MP, Scottish National Party their performance against sustainable development and Judith Cummins MP, Labour environmental protection targets. Richard Fuller MP, Conservative Nusrat Ghani MP, Conservative Unlike most select committees, the Committee’s remit cuts across government rather than focuses on the work of a particular Paul Howell MP, Conservative department. Mark Jenkinson MP, Conservative Charlotte Nichols MP, Labour From its beginning in 1997, in carrying out its environmental 'audit' Sarah Owen MP, Labour role the Committee has had extensive support from the National Audit Office, providing seconded staff and research and briefing Mark Pawsey MP, Conservative papers. Alexander Stafford MP, Conservative Membership: Inquiries: Rt Hon Philip Dunne MP, Conservative, Chair • Post Office and Horizon - Opened 4 March 2020 Duncan Baker MP, Conservative • My BEIS inquiry - Opened 5 March 2020 Published 11th July Dan Carden MP, Labour 2020 Sir Christopher Chope MP, Conservative • Net zero and UN climate summits - Opened 6 March 2020 Barry Gardiner MP, Labour

• The impact of coronavirus on businesses and workers - Opened Rt Hon Robert Goodwill MP, Conservative 13 March 2020 Helen Hayes MP, Labour Ian Levy MP, Conservative • Delivering audit reform - Opened 18 March 2020. Marco Longhi MP, Conservative • Work of the Department and Government Response to Caroline Lucas MP, Green Party coronavirus - Opened 14 April 2020 Cherilyn Mackrory, Conservative • Post-pandemic economic growth - Opened 3 June 2020. Jerome Mayhew MP, Conservative John McNally MP, Scottish National Party • Post-pandemic economic growth: Industrial Strategy – Opened 23rd July 2020. Dr Matthew Offord MP, Conservative Alex Sobel MP, Labour • Post-pandemic economic growth: Levelling up local and regional Claudia Webbe MP, Independent structures and the delivery of economic growth – Opened 24th Nadia Whittome MP, Labour July 2020.

• ONE WEB – Opened 16th September 2020.

34 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 Inquiries Inquiries • Electronic Waste and the Circular Economy - Opened 13 March • UK Science, Research and Technology Capability and Influence in 2020. Global Disease Outbreaks. Opened 20 March 2020. Deadline 31 July 2020. • Technological Innovations and Climate Change: Offshore Wind - Opened 6 April 2020. • Commercial genomics - Opened 9 April 2020.

• Technological Innovations and Climate Change: Hydrogen - • UK telecommunications infrastructure and the UK’s domestic Opened 7 May 2020. capability - Opened 9 April 2020.

• Greening the post-Covid Recovery - Opened 13 May 2020. • A new research funding agency – Opened 9th April 2020. Deadline 14 August 2020. • The role of technology, research and innovation in the COVID-19 • Energy Efficiency of Existing Homes - Opened 18 May 2020. recovery – Opened 24th July 2020. Deadline 13 July 2020. • Coronavirus – Lessons Learnt – Opened 6th October 2020. • Biodiversity and Ecosystems – Opened 13th July • The Role of Hydrogen in Achieving Zero – Opened 4th December • Technological Innovations and Climate Change: Tidal Power – 2020. Opened 9th November 2020

• Green Jobs – Opened 17th November 2020. • Water Quality in Rivers – Opened 8th December 2020. HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE COMMITTEE The Committee scrutinises government and in particular the work of • Next steps for deposit return schemes – Opened 12th February the Department of Health and Social Care. It is chaired by Jeremy 2021. Hunt MP. • Technological Innovations and Climate Change: Community Energy The Committee also scrutinises the work of public bodies in the – Opened 19th February health system in England, such as NHS England and Improvement, For further details: Tel: 020 7219 5776 Public Health England and the Care Quality Commission, and Email: [email protected] professional regulators such as the General Medical Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Council. They do so by holding inquiries on specific topics and accountability hearings with the Secretary of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE State, and Chief Executives of relevant public bodies. For further details: Tel: 020 7219 2793 Membership: Email: [email protected] Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, Conservative, Chair Paul Bristow MP, Conservative The work of many Government departments makes use of — or has implications for — science, engineering, technology and research. Rosie Cooper MP, Labour The Science and Technology Committee exists to ensure that Dr James Davies MP, Conservative Government policies and decision-making are based on solid Dr Luke Evans MP, Conservative scientific evidence and advice. It is chaired by Greg Clark MP. Neale Hanvey MP, Scottish National Party The Committee has a similarly broad remit and can examine the Barbara Keeley MP, Labour activities of government departments that make use of science, Taiwo Owatemi MP, Labour engineering, technology and research (otherwise known as science Sarah Owen MP, Labour for policy). In addition, the Committee scrutinises policies that affect Dean Russell MP, Conservative the science and technology sectors, such as research funding and Laura Trott MP, Conservative skills (often referred to policy for science). Inquiries Membership: • Management of the Coronavirus Outbreak - Opened 3 March Rt Hon Greg Clark MP, Conservative, Chair 2020 Aaron Bell MP, Conservative • Pre-appointment hearing for the role of Chair of NICE - Opened 4 Dawn Butler MP, Labour March 2020 Chris Clarkson MP, Conservative Katherine Fletcher MP, Conservative • Social care: funding and workforce - Opened 10 March 2020. Andrew Griffith MP, Conservative • Delivering Core NHS and Care Services during the Pandemic and Mark Logan MP, Conservative Beyond - Opened 22 April 2020. Published 30th October. Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Labour • Safety of maternity services in England – Opened 24th July 2020. Carol Monaghan MP, Scottish National Party • Workforce burnout and resistance in the NHS and social care – Graham Stringer MP, Labour Opened 30th July 2020. Zarah Sultana MP, Labour

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 35 • Coronavirus – Lessons Learnt – Opened 6th October 2020. • Department’s White Paper on health and social care – Opened 25th February 2021. • Coronavirus – Recent developments –Opened 5th January 2021. For further details: Tel: 020 7219 6182 • Children and young people’s mental health – Opened 29th Email: [email protected]  January 2021.

• Treatment of autistic people and individuals with learning disabilities – Opened 3rd February 2021.

HOUSE OF LORDS SELECT COMMITTEES SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE Members The Science and Technology Committee has a broad remit “to The Lord Krebs, Crosbench, Chair consider science and technology”. It is chaired by Lord Krebs and The Lord Patel KT, Crossbench, Chair Lord Patel. The Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford, Conservative The Committee scrutinises Government policy by undertaking cross- Viscount Hanworth, Labour departmental inquiries into a range of different activities. These The Rt Hon. the Lord Kakkar, Crossbench include: The Baroness Manningham-Buller LG DCB, Crossbench • public policy areas which ought to be informed by scientific The Lord Mitchell, Labour research (for example, health effects of air travel), The Baroness Rock, Conservative • technological challenges and opportunities (for example, genomic The Lord Sarfraz, Conservative medicine) and The Baroness Sheehan, Liberal Democrat • public policy towards science itself (for example, setting priorities The Baroness Walmsley, Liberal Democrat for publicly funded research). The Baroness Warwick of Undercliff, Labour In addition, the Committee undertakes from time to time shorter The Lord Winston, Labour inquiries, either taking evidence from Ministers and officials on topical issues, or following up previous work. For further details: Tel: 020 7219 5750 Email: [email protected] 

Inquiries • Ageing: Science, Technology and Healthy Living - Opened 25 July 2019 • The science of COVID-19 Opened 7 May 2020. • The Contribution of Innovation Catapults to Delivering the R&D Roadmap – Opened 11th November 2020. • Role of batteries and fuel in allowing Net Zero – Opened 3rd March

36 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 PARLIAMENTARY OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (POST)

POST is a bicameral body that bridges research and policy, POSTbriefs are responsive policy briefings based on mini-literature providing reliable and up-to-date research evidence for the UK reviews and peer reviews. Those produced in 2020 and 2021 Parliament. It is overseen by a Board of MPs, Peers and were: external experts. 40: Proposals to increase UK recycling of plastic food packaging POST briefings are impartial, non-partisan, and peer-reviewed. Timely 39: Outward medical tourism and forward thinking, they are designed to make scientific research 38: Understanding research evidence accessible to the UK Parliament 37: Key EU space programmes POSTnotes are four-page summaries of public policy issues based on 36: Understanding insect decline: data and drivers reviews of the research literature and interviews with stakeholders 35: Evaluating the integration of health and social care from across academia, industry, government and the third sector. They are peer reviewed by external experts. POST has also introduced some rapid response articles that POSTnotes are often produced proactively, so that parliamentarians summarise the research around COVID-19: have advance knowledge of key issues before they reach the top of COVID-19: Current understanding the political agenda. COVID-19: Behavioural and social interventions And those produced in 2020 and 2021 were: COVID-19: Insights from behavioural science 638: Food and drink reformulation to reduce fat, sugar and salt COVID-19: School closures and mass gatherings 637: AI and healthcare Vaccines for COVID-19 636: Woodland creation Models of COVID-19: Part 1 635: Screen use and health in young people Models of COVID-19: Part 2 634: Mental health impacts of COVID-19 on NHS staff Vaccines for COVID-19 633: Interpretable machine learning COVID-19 misinformation 632: Heat networks Face masks, face coverings and COVID-19 631: Edge computing Models of COVID-19: Part 3 630: Digital sequence information COVID-19 therapies 629: Cloud computing Mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 outbreak 628: Remote sensing and machine learning Light switches and clusters: social distancing strategies for COVID-19 627: Managing land uses for environmental benefits Contact tracing apps for COVID-19 626: A resilient UK food system COVID-19 and international approaches to exiting lockdown 625: Marine renewables COVID-19 in children 624: Food fraud Immunity to COVID-19 623: Natural mitigation of flood risk Antibody tests for COVID-19 622: Online extremism COVID-19 and social distancing: the 2 metre advice 621: Infrastructure and climate change COVID-19 Vaccines: July update on research 620: 3D bioprinting in medicine Effects of COVID-19 on the food supply system 619: UK insect decline and extinctions COVID-19 in children – July update 618: Bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) Child and adolescent mental health during COVID-19 617: Climate change-biodiversity interactions COVID-19, children and schools 616: Low-carbon aviation fuels COVID-19: July update on face masks and face coverings for the 615: Climate change and aviation general public 614: Brain computer interfaces Immunity to COVID-19: August update 613: Non-custodial sentences Influenza immunisation programme, NHS winter pressure and COVID- 612: Autism 19 611: Human Germline Genome Editing COVID-19 vaccines: Immunisation and prioritisation of eligible groups 610: Misuse of Civilian Drones COVID-19 and the disadvantage gap Long-term health effects of COVID-19 Contact tracing apps for COVID-19: September update Interpreting COVID-19 test accuracy

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 37 Mental health impacts of COVID-19 on NHS healthcare staff Environmentally efficient residential buildings The latest in COVID-19 testing: developing new technologies Net zero and decarbonising construction Impact of COVID-19 on different ethnic minority groups COVID-19 and occupational risk DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES Test, trace and isolate programmes for COVID-19 In production Test, Trace and Isolate: Behavioural aspects Smart cities COVID-19 vaccines November update: progress of clinical trials Digital skills for life Technology and domestic abuse Mass testing for COVID-19 using lateral flow tests Regulatory approval of COVID-19 vaccines in the UK SOCIAL SCIENCES In production Monitoring wastewater for COVID-19 Distance learning Monitoring COVID-19 vaccine safety in national immunisation programmes Remote and flexible working COVID-19 and the digital divide Manufacturing COVID-19 vaccines The POST Board oversees POST’s objectives, outputs and future work programme. It meets quarterly. SARS-CoV-2 virus variants: a year into the COVID-19 pandemic Mass testing for COVID-19: January update on lateral flow tests Officers The performance of COVID-19 vaccines in clinical trials and in real world • Chair: Adam Afriyie MP conditions • Vice-Chair: Professor the Lord Winston, FmedSci, FRSA, FRCP, COVID-19 in pregnant women and newborn babies FRCOG, FREng Changing the UK COVID-19 vaccine dosing schedule • Secretary: Claire Quigley Latest evidence on impacts of COVID-19 in children: March 2021 House of Commons • Rt Hon Greg Clark MP POST has also recently asked its COVID-19 Expert Database of 5500 • Alan Whitehead MP experts what their main short-, medium- and long-term concerns are House of Lords related to COVID-19 and what data they want to see the Government • Lord Oxburgh, KBE, FRS release. 17 articles covering different sectors are all available on the • Lord Haskel POST website here: https://post.parliament.uk/category/horizon- • Lord Patel KT, FMedSci, FRSE scanning/2020/. The evidence gaps identified through this work and that of parliamentary staff have been published as Parliament’s first Non-parliamentary Areas of Research Interests: https://post.parliament.uk/covid-19-areas- • Professor Elizabeth Fisher, FMedSci of-research-interest/ • Paul Martynenko, FBCS • Professor Sir Bernard Silverman, FRS, FAcSS Ongoing and future projects approved by the POST Board. • Professor Dame Sarah Whatmore, FBA

BIOLOGY AND HEALTH Ex-officio In production • Vacant, Head of the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology Disorders of consciousness • Penny Young, House of Commons Librarian and Managing Director Researching gambling of Research & Information Influence of industry on public health policy • Farrah Bhatti, Principal Clerk, Committee Office, House of Testosterone and sports performance Commons Mental health impacts of COVID-19 • Edward Potton, Head of Science and Environment Section, House Living organ donation of Commons Library Developments in vaccine technologies • Nicolas Besly, Clerk of Select Committees, House of Lords Childhood obesity Head of POST Preventing zoonotic diseases • Vacant ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT PARLIAMENTARY OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND In production TECHNOLOGY Food waste Houses of Parliament Sustainable cooling Westminster Hydrogen London SW1A 0AA  Regulating product sustainability Coastal management

38 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 HOUSE OF COMMONS LIBRARY

The House of Commons Library is an impartial research and End of Brexit transition: chemicals regulation (REACH) information service for Members of Parliament of all parties Published 3 March 2021 CBP-8403 and their staff. This service supports MPs in their work This briefing discusses plans for UK REACH and the impact of Brexit scrutinising Government and legislation, and supporting on the chemicals industry. constituents. Building telecommunications infrastructure The Library provides confidential, impartial and bespoke briefing to Published 4 March 2021 CBP-9156 Members of the House of Commons and their offices on a daily This briefing explains the rules and permissions needed to build basis supporting the full range of parliamentary work, from policy broadband and mobile infrastructure including proposals for development to constituency issues. reforms to make building infrastructure easier. The Commons Library publishes a range of products including Gigabit-capable broadband in the UK research briefings, shorter insight articles and briefings for non- Published 4 March 2021 CBP-8392 legislative debates, all of which are available online for MPs and the This briefing provides information on the Government's gigabit- general public. These briefings include in-depth and impartial capable broadband targets, policy and funding for hard to reach analysis of all major pieces of legislation. The briefings also cover areas. areas of policy, frequently asked questions and topical issues. You Estimates Day Debate: COP26 Climate Conference can find the briefings on the Commons Library website Published 9 March 2021 CDP-2021-0033 (https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk) where you can also sign up A briefing for the Estimates Day debate on Wednesday 10 March for personalised alerts for new or updated briefings in subject areas. on preparations for the COP26 Climate Conference. A recent focus of briefing has been Coronavirus and a webpage provides access to all the relevant material published Forensic Science Regulator Bill 2019-21 by the Commons Library as well as the Lords Library and POST Published 10 March 2021 CBP-8815 (see https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/). A briefing for the Private Members’ Bill which completed Commons This includes: stages on 12 March. A series of briefings on Coronavirus restrictions: The future of research and development funding https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/coronavirus- Published 16 March 2021 CDP-2021-0035 restrictions/ A briefing covering trends of, and policy on, research and development spending prepared for a debate. A series of briefings on Vaccination: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/coronavirus- UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement: Fisheries vaccination/ including: Published 18 March 2021 CBP-9174 UK Vaccination Policy A short overview of some of the changes that took place for the Published 21 January 2021, CBP-9076 fisheries industry on 1 January 2021 after the Brexit transition ended. Coronavirus: Covid-19 vaccine roll-out - Frequently Asked Questions Advanced Research and Invention Agency Bill 2019-21 Published 4 March 2021, CBP-9081 Published 19 March 2021 CBP-9176 A briefing on the Government Bill to establish a new research

funding agency specifically aimed at providing long-term support for The Science and Environment Section (SES) is one of eight high risk ‘blue-skies research’. teams in the Research Service in the House of Commons Library. In recent months they have published, and continue to update, Plastic waste briefings on issues as varied as: Published 24 March 2021 CBP-8515 A briefing on plastic waste in the UK, including statistics on plastic Establishing the National Institute for Health Protection waste and information on UK Government and devolved (Insight) Government plans and ambitions to reduce avoidable plastic waste Published 17 February 2021 and examples of voluntary initiatives from the plastics industry, An article on the functions moving to the new organisation. environmental groups and retailers.  Energy bills and tariff caps Published 17 February 2021 CBP-8081 This briefing provides a summary of the UK energy market, a breakdown of the components of energy bills, and details of concerns and reforms in the market, including the tariff cap.

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 39 SCIENCE DIRECTORY UK Research and Innovation Contact: Roxy Squire Parliamentary Affairs Lead, UKRI 58 Victoria Embankment, 4th floor EC4Y 0DS, London

Tel: 02073952280 | 07706000363 Email: [email protected]

Website: www.ukri.org

Big challenges demand big thinkers - those who can unlock the answers and further our understanding of the important issues of our time. Our work encompasses everything from the physical, biological and social sciences, to innovation, engineering, medicine, the environment and the cultural impact of the arts and humanities. In all of these areas, our role is to bring together the people who can innovate and change the world for the better. We work with the government to invest over £7 billion a year in research and innovation by partnering with academia and industry to make the impossible, possible. Through the UK’s nine leading academic and industrial funding councils, we create knowledge with impact.

Website: www.ahrc.ukri.org Website: www.bbsrc.ukri.org Website: www.esrc.ukri.org

AHRC funds outstanding original research across BBSRC invests in world-class bioscience research ESRC is the UK’s largest funder of research on the the whole range of the arts and humanities. This and training. This research is helping society to social and economic questions facing us today. This research provides economic, social and cultural meet major challenges, including food security, research shapes public policy and contributes to benefits to the UK, and contributes to the culture green energy and healthier, longer lives and making the economy more competitive, as well as and welfare of societies around the globe. underpinning important UK economic sectors, such giving people a better understanding of 21st as farming, food, industrial biotechnology and century society. pharmaceuticals.

Website: Website: www.epsrc.ukri.org www.gov.uk/government/organisations/innovate-uk Website: www.mrc.ukri.org EPSRC invests in world-leading research and Innovate UK drives productivity and economic MRC is at the forefront of scientific discovery to postgraduate training across the engineering and growth by supporting businesses to develop and improve human health. Its scientists tackle some of physical sciences. This research builds the knowledge realise the potential of new ideas, including those the greatest health problems facing humanity in the and skills base needed to address scientific and from the UK’s world-class research base. They 21st century, from the rising tide of chronic diseases technological challenges and provides a platform for connect businesses to the partners, customers and associated with ageing to the threats posed by future UK prosperity by contributing to a healthy, investors that can help them turn these ideas into rapidly mutating micro-organisms. connected, resilient, productive nation. commercially successful products and services, and business growth.

Website: www.nerc.ukri.org Website: www.re.ukri.org Website: www.stfc.ukri.org NERC is the driving force of investment in Research England creates and sustains the STFC is a world-leading multi-disciplinary science environmental science. Its leading research, skills conditions for a healthy and dynamic research and organisation. Its research seeks to understand the and infrastructure help solve major issues and bring knowledge exchange system in English universities. Universe from the largest astronomical scales to the benefits to the UK, such as affordable clean energy, Working to understand their strategies, capabilities tiniest constituents of matter, and creates impact air pollution, and resilience of our infrastructure. and capacity; supporting and challenging on a very tangible, human scale. universities to create new knowledge, strengthen the economy, and enrich society.

40 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 SCIENCE DIRECTORY Association of the British Contact: Dr Jane Gate, Executive Director Contact: Pharmaceutical AIRTO Ltd: Association of Innovation Tony Harding Industry Research & Technology Organisations Ltd 07895 162 896 for all queries whether for c/o National Physical Laboratory membership or assistance. Contact: Audrey Yvernault Hampton Road, Teddington Branch Office Address: Head of Policy and Public Affairs Middlesex TW11 0LW Merchant Quay, 7th Floor, Southside, 105 Victoria Street, Tel: 020 8943 6600 Salford Quays, Salford London SW1E 6QT E-mail: [email protected] M50 3SG. Tel: 020 7747 7136 Twitter: @airtoinnovation Email: [email protected] Website: www.airto.co.uk Website: www.amps-tradeunion.com Website: www.abpi.org.uk AIRTO, the Association of Innovation, Research and We are a Trades Union for Management and The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) Technology Organisations, comprises approximately sixty represents innovative research-based biopharmaceutical Professional Staff working in the pharmaceutical, companies, large, medium and small, leading an exciting new era principal organisations operating in the UK’s Innovation, chemical and allied industries. of biosciences in the UK. Our industry, a major contributor to the Research and Technology (IRT) sector. The IRT sector has a economy of the UK, brings life-saving and life-enhancing We have produced a training programme funded by medicines to patients. Our members are researching and combined turnover of £6.9Bn, employs over 57,000 people the EU on diversity and helping women managers developing over two-thirds of the current medicines pipeline, and contributes £34Bn to UK GVA. AIRTO’s members work remain in the workplace after a career break. This ensuring that the UK remains at the forefront of helping patients at the interface between academia and industry, for both training programme is aimed at both men and women prevent and overcome diseases. Topics we focus on include: private and public sector clients. Members include and is intended to address the shortfall in qualified • All aspects of the research and development of medicines personnel in the chemical and allied industries. including clinical research and licensing independent Research and Technology Organisations, • Stratified medicine Catapult Centres, Public Sector Research Establishments, We are experts in performance based and field related issues and are affiliated to our counterparts in EU • Vaccines, biosimilars, small and large molecules, cell therapy National Laboratories, some university Technology Transfer and regenerative medicine Offices and some privately held innovation companies. Professional Management Unions.

Contact: Colin Danson Contact: Ivana Knyght Distinguished Scientist & Head of Profession Director of Society Programmes Contact: Linda Capper, MBE, MCIPR for Physics and Mathematics Biochemical Society Head of Communications AWE 5th floor, British Antarctic Survey Aldermaston, Reading RG7 4PR 90 High Holborn, High Cross Email: [email protected] London, WC1V 6LJ Madingley Road Cambridge CB3 0ET www.awe.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)20 3880 2793 Email [email protected] Tel: 0118 98 56901 Email: [email protected] Website: www.biochemistry.org Tel: +44 (0)1223 221448 AWE plays a crucial role in our nation’s defence by providing Mobile: 07714 233744 and maintaining warheads for the UK’s nuclear deterrent and The Biochemical Society works to promote the delivers advice and guidance on a 24/7 basis to UK molecular biosciences; facilitating the sharing of British Antarctic Survey (BAS), an institute of NERC, delivers government in the area of national security. expertise, supporting the advancement of and enables world-leading interdisciplinary research in the We are a centre of scientific, engineering and technological biochemistry and molecular biology and raising Polar Regions. Its skilled science and support staff based in excellence, with some of the most advanced research, design Cambridge, Antarctica and the Arctic, work together to and production facilities in the world. AWE is contracted to awareness of their importance in addressing deliver research that uses the Polar Regions to advance our the Ministry of Defence (MOD) through a Government- societal grand challenges. We achieve our mission understanding of Earth as a sustainable planet. Through its owned-contractor-operated (GOCO) arrangement. While our by : extensive logistic capability and know-how BAS facilitates sites and facilities remain in government ownership, their access for the British and international science community to management, day-to-day operations and maintenance of • bringing together molecular bioscientists; the UK polar research operation. Numerous national and Britain’s nuclear stockpile is contracted to a private company: • supporting the next generation of biochemists; international collaborations, combined with an excellent AWE Management Limited (AWE ML). AWE ML is a • promoting and sharing knowledge and infrastructure help sustain a world leading position for the consortium comprising three partners: Jacobs Engineering UK in Antarctic affairs. For more information visit Group, the Lockheed Martin Corporation and Serco Group plc. • promoting the importance of our discipline. www.bas.ac.uk @basnews

British In Vitro

Diagnostics Association Contact: (BIVDA) Contact: Policy Officer Ben Connor, Policy Manager British Pharmacological Society British Ecological Society Contact: Doris-Ann Williams MBE Chief Executive The Schild Plot, 16 Angel Gate, 42 Wharf Rd, Hoxton, City Road, London EC1V 2PT London N1 7GS British In Vitro Diagnostics Association Tel: 020 7239 0171 Email: [email protected] 299 Oxford Street, London W1C 2DZ Email: [email protected] Tel: 020 3994 8282 Tel: 0845 6188224 Website: www.bps.ac.uk Website: www.BritishEcologicalSociety.org Email: [email protected] Twitter: @BESPolicy www.bivda.org.uk The British Pharmacological Society is a charity with a mission to promote and advance the whole spectrum of The British Ecological Society is an independent, BIVDA is the UK industry association representing pharmacology. It is the primary UK learned society concerned with drugs and the way they work, and authoritative learned society, and the voice of the companies who manufacture and/or distribute the UK’s ecological community. Working with our leads the way in the research and application of diagnostics tests and equipment to diagnose, pharmacology around the world. members we gather and communicate the best monitor and manage disease largely through the NHS Founded in 1931, the Society champions pharmacology available ecological evidence to inform decision pathology services. Increasingly diagnostics are used in all its forms, across academia, industry, regulatory making. We offer a source of unbiased, objective agencies and the health service. With over 3,500 ecological knowledge, and promote an evidence- outside the laboratory in community settings and also members from over 60 countries worldwide, the informed approach to finding the right solutions to to identify those patients who would benefit from Society is a friendly and collaborative community. Enquiries about the discovery, development and environmental questions. specific drug treatment particularly for cancer. application of drugs are welcome.

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 41 SCIENCE DIRECTORY

Contact Dr Doug Brown, CEO Contact: Sarah Garry Tracey Guise, Chief Executive Officer British Society for Immunology British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy Building 42a Cranfield University 34 Red Lion Square Cranfield, MK43 0AL (BSAC) Holborn 53 Regent Place, Birmingham B1 3NJ Email: [email protected] London WC1R 4SG Website: www.soils.org.uk +44 (0)121 236 1988 Tel: 020 3019 5901 [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] The British Society of Soil Science (BSSS) was www.bsac.org.uk Website: www.immunology.org founded in 1947 and is an established international BSAC is a learned society whose members are among the membership organisation and charity committed to world’s leading infectious disease physicians, pharmacists, The British Society for Immunology’s mission is to the study of soil in its widest aspects. The society microbiologists, and nurses. promote excellence in immunological research, brings together those working within academia, With more than 45 years of leadership in antibiotic research scholarship and clinical practice in order to improve practitioners implementing soil science in industry and education, BSAC is dedicated to saving lives by fighting human and animal health. We are the leading UK and all those working with, or with an interest in infection. It does this by supporting a global network of soils. experts via workshops, conferences, evidence-based membership organisation working with scientists guidelines, e-learning courses, and its own high-impact We promote research and education, both international journal. and clinicians from academia and industry to forward immunology research and application academically and in practice, and build BSAC also provides national surveillance and susceptibility collaborative partnerships to help safeguard our soil testing programmes, an outpatient parenteral antimicrobial around the world. Our friendly, accessible for the future. This includes hosting the World therapy (OPAT) initiative, research and development grants, community of over 3,500 immunologists gives us a and the secretariat for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Congress of Soil Science 2022 in Glasgow, where Antibiotics. powerful voice to advocate for immunological those with an interest in soil science can meet to BSAC has members in 40 nations and active learners in science and health for the benefit of society. discuss the critical global issues relating to soil. more than 135 countries. Cavendish Laboratory

Contact: Departmental Administrator, The Cavendish Laboratory, Contact: Geoff Rodgers Contact: Dr Noorzaman Rashid Brunel University London J J Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK. Kingston Lane E-mail: [email protected] Chief Executive Uxbridge UB8 3PH http://www.phy.cam.ac.uk Tel: 01895 265609 [email protected] Fax: 01895 269740 The Cavendish Laboratory houses the Department of Physics +4407966335309 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.brunel.ac.uk of the University of Cambridge. www.ergonomics.org.uk Brunel University London is an international research active university The research programme covers the breadth of with 3 leading research institutes: contemporary physics Our vision is integrated design to improve life, Institute of Energy Futures: Led by Professor Savvas Tassou, the main themes of the Institute are Advanced Engines and Biofuels, Energy Extreme Universe: Astrophysics, cosmology and high wellbeing and performance through science, Efficient and Sustainable Technologies, Smart Power Networks, and Resource Efficient Future Cities. energy physics engineering, technology and psychology. The Institute of Materials and Manufacturing: The main themes of research Quantum Universe: Cold atoms, condensed matter theory, are Design for Sustainable Manufacturing, Liquid Metal Engineering, Institute is one of the largest in the world Materials Characterisation and Processing, Micro-Nano Manufacturing, scientific computing, quantum matter and semiconductor and Structural Integrity. The Institute is led by Professor Luiz Wrobel. physics representing the discipline and profession of Institute of Environment, Health and Societies: Professor Susan Human Factors and Ergonomics. We have sector Jobling leads this pioneering research institute whose themes are Health Materials Universe: Optoelectronics, nanophotonics, and Environment, Healthy Ageing, Health Economics Synthetic Biology, detector physics, thin film magnetism, surface physics and groups in most industries from defence to aviation Biomedical Engineering and Healthcare Technologies, and Social the Winton programme for the physics of sustainability Sciences and Health. and pharmaceuticals that provide expert advice to Brunel University London offers a wide range of expertise and Biological Universe: Physics of medicine, biological knowledge, and prides itself on having academic excellence at the core industry and government. We accredit university of its offer, and was ranked in the recent REF as 33rd in the UK for systems and soft matter courses and consultancy practices and work closely Research Power (average quality rating by number of submissions) and The Laboratory has world-wide collaborations with other described by The Times Higher Education as one of the real winners of the REF 2014. universities and industry with allied learned societies.

Contact: Dr Christopher Flower Contact: Dr Eric Albone MBE, Director, Contact: Lindsay Walsh Clifton Scientific Trust Josaron House De Morgan House 5-7 John Princes Street 49 Northumberland Road, Bristol BS6 7BA Tel: 0117 924 7664 Mob:07721 683528 57-58 Russell Square London W1G 0JN E-mail: [email protected] London WC1B 4HS Tel: 020 7491 8891 Website: www.clifton-scientific.org Tel: 020 7637 3686 E-mail: [email protected] We bring school students and their teachers Fax: 020 7323 3655 Website: www.ctpa.org.uk & • to work closely with scientists and engineers Email: [email protected] www.thefactsabout.co.uk • to experience science as a creative, questioning, team Website: www.cms.ac.uk exploration

• to add real-life meaning and motivation, from primary to The Council for the Mathematical Sciences is an CTPA is the UK trade association representing post-16 authoritative and objective body that works to develop, manufacturers of cosmetic products and • internationally to build global awareness and experience influence and respond to UK policy issues affecting science as a cultural bridge mathematical sciences in higher education and suppliers to the cosmetic products industry. • to build transferable skills for employability and citizenship research, and therefore the UK economy and society by: ‘Cosmetic products’ are legally defined and Two powerful Exemplars • providing expert advice; subject to stringent EU safety laws. CTPA is the • Post-16; our unique UK-Japan Young Scientist • engaging with government, funding agencies and other decision makers; authoritative public voice of a vibrant and Workshop Programme hosted in universities in England and Japan since 2001 • raising public awareness; and responsible UK industry trusted to act for the • Primary; our local Meet-a-Medic Programme since 2005 • facilitating communication between the consumer; ensuring the science behind Clifton Scientific Trust Ltd is registered charity in England mathematical sciences community and other stakeholders cosmetics is fully understood. and Wales 1086933

42 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 SCIENCE DIRECTORY

Contact: Louise Kingham OBE FEI Chief Executive Contact: Dr Katie Perry 61 New Cavendish Street Chief Executive London W1G 7AR Louise Wren The Daphne Jackson Trust Tel: 020 7467 7100 Head of External Affairs Department of Physics University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH Email: [email protected] The Francis Crick Institute Tel: 01483 689166 Website: www.energyinst.org Midland Road, London NW1 1AT Email: [email protected] M: 07734396168 Website: www.daphnejackson.org The Energy Institute (EI) is the chartered professional Press office: 020 3796 5252 membership body bringing together expertise for urgent Founded in 1992 in memory of the UK’s first female global challenges. Our ambition is that energy, and its E: [email protected] Professor of Physics, the Trust is the UK’s leading charity critical role in our world, is better understood, managed W: www.crick.ac.uk dedicated to realising the potential of scientists and and valued. We’re a unique network with insight spanning engineers returning to research after career breaks for the world of energy, from conventional oil and gas to the The Francis Crick Institute is a biomedical discovery institute family, caring and health reasons. Recently, we have most innovative renewable and energy efficient dedicated to understanding the fundamental biology expanded our remit to incorporate the social sciences and technologies. We gather and share essential knowledge underlying health and disease. Its work is helping to arts & humanities. Our Fellowship programme, working in about energy, the skills that are helping us all use it more understand why disease develops and to translate partnership with universities, UKRI, charities, learned discoveries into new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat societies and industry, enables individuals to undertake part- wisely, and the good practice needed to keep it safe and illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, infections, time research in universities and research institutes. secure. We articulate the voice of energy experts, taking and neurodegenerative diseases. Fellowships comprise a research project alongside an the know-how of around 20,000 members and 200 companies from 120 countries to the heart of the public The Crick was formed in 2015, and in 2016 it moved into individually tailored retraining programme, with additional debate. And we’re an independent, not-for-profit, safe a brand new state-of-the-art building in central London mentoring and support, enabling recipients to re-establish which brings together 1500 scientists and support staff their research credentials, update skills and redevelop space for evidence-based collaboration, an honest broker working collaboratively across disciplines. confidence, in a suitably supportive environment. between industry, academia and policy makers.

First Group

Contact: Mac Andrade Contact: Director of Science Director Infrastructure Suzanne King Fera Science Ltd. (Fera) First Group Policy and Voice Manager Sand Hutton, York, YO41 1LZ 4th Floor, EngineeringUK Tel: 01904 462000 Capital House Northern & Shell Building, 5th floor E-mail: [email protected] 25 Chapel Street 10 Lower Thames Street Website: www.fera.co.uk London London, EC3 6EN NW1 5DH Email: [email protected] Fera provides expert analytical and professional E-mail: [email protected] services to governments, agrichemical companies, Website: www.firstgroup.com EngineeringUK is an independent organisation that food retailers, manufacturers and farmers to promotes the vital role of engineers, engineering facilitate safety, productivity and quality across the FirstGroup are the leading transport operator in the and technology in our society. EngineeringUK agrifood supply chain in a sustainable and environmentally compatible way. UK and North America and each day, every one of partners business and industry, Government and Fera uses its world leading scientific expertise to the wider science and technology community: our 110,000 employees works hard to deliver vitally provide robust evidence, rigorous analysis and important services for our passengers. During the producing evidence on the state of engineering; professional advice to governments, international sharing knowledge within engineering, and bodies and companies worldwide. Our food last year around 2.2 billion passengers relied on us inspiring young people to choose a career in integrity, plant health, agri-tech and agri- to get to work, to school or college, to visit family informatics services ensure that our customers have engineering, matching employers’ demand for and friends, and much more. access to leading edge science, technology and skills. expertise.

Contact: Steven Brambley Contact: Florence Bullough Head of Policy and Engagement Contact: Lynda Rigby, Executive Head of Rotherwick House Marketing and Membership Burlington House Institute of Biomedical Science, 3 Thomas More Street Piccadilly 12 Coldbath Square, London, EC1R 5HL London, E1W 1YZ London W1J 0BG Tel: 020 7713 0214 Email: [email protected] Tel: 020 7642 8080 Tel: 020 7434 9944 Twitter: @IBMScience E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 020 7439 8975 Website: www.ibms.org Website : www.gambica.org.uk E-mail: [email protected] Advancing knowledge and setting standards in Website: www.geolsoc.org.uk biomedical science GAMBICA is the voice of the laboratory technology, With over 20,000 members in 61 countries, the The Geological Society is the national learned and Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) is the leading instrumentation, control and automation industries, professional body for scientists, support staff and professional body for Earth sciences, with 12,000 students in the field of biomedical science. providing influence, knowledge and community. Fellows (members) worldwide. The Fellowship Since 1912 we have been dedicated to the promotion, We offer members a common platform for voicing encompasses those working in industry, academia development and delivery of excellence in biomedical and government, with a wide range of perspectives science within all aspects of healthcare, and to their opinions and representing their common providing the highest standards of service to patients and views on policy-relevant science, and the interests to a range of stakeholders. GAMBICA and the public. Society is a leading communicator of this science to By supporting our members in their practice, we set seeks to spread best-practice and be thought government bodies and other non-technical quality standards for the profession through training, leaders in our sectors. audiences. education, assessments, examinations and continuous professional development.

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 43 SCIENCE DIRECTORY Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) Contact: Delia Mertoiu Contact: Michelle Medhat Contact: Bev Mackenzie 5 Cambridge Court Institute of Innovation & Knowledge Institute of Marine Engineering, Science 210 Shepherds Bush Road Exchange and Technology (IMarEST), Aldgate House, London W6 7NJ Rex House 33 Aldgate High Street, London, EC3N 1EN 4 – 12 Regent Street Tel: 020 7603 6316 Tel: +44(0) 20 7382 2600 London SW1Y 4PE E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +44(0) 20 7382 2667 www. InnovationInstitute.org.uk Website: www.ifst.org E-mail: [email protected] We are the UK’s leading professional body for those IKE is the UK’s professional body for innovators. It Website: www.imarest.org involved in all aspects of food science and technology. We are an internationally respected accredits and certificates innovation practices. We influence the inter-relationship between education, Established in London in 1889, the IMarEST is a independent membership body, supporting food leading international membership body and professionals through knowledge sharing and business, and government through research and learned society for marine professionals, with over professional recognition. collaborative networks. Our Innovation Manifesto 15,000 members worldwide. The IMarEST has an highlights our commitment to support the Our core aim is the advancement of food science extensive marine network of 50 international and technology based on impartial science and development of innovative people and branches, affiliations with major marine societies knowledge sharing. organisations. IKE runs think-tanks, conducts around the world, representation on the key marine Our membership comprises individuals from a wide research, develops new business models and tools technical committees and non-governmental status range of backgrounds, from students to experts, and supports organisations to benchmark their at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as working across a wide range of disciplines within innovation capabilities. well as other intergovernmental organisations. the sector.

The Institute Institute of

of Materials Measurement Finishing and Control Contact: Patrick Cusworth Head of Policy Contact: Dr Trevor Crichton FIMF; Contact: Dr. Patrick A Finlay Institute of Physics, 37 Caledonian Road, MInstCorr; MRSC; CChem. Chief Executive Officer London N1 9BU Email : [email protected] The Institute of Measurement and Control Tel : 0121 622 7387 87 Gower Street, London WC1E 6AF Tel: 020 7470 4824 Tel: +44 (0) 20 73874949 E-mail: [email protected] The Institute of Materials Finishing is the premier E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.iop.org technical organisation representing industry, Website: www.instmc.org academia and individual professionals in both the Reg Charity number: 269815 UK’s and global surface engineering and materials The Institute of Physics (IOP) is the professional body finishing sector. The Institute of Measurement and Control is a professional engineering institution and learned society dedicated to the and learned society for physics in the UK and Ireland. We actively promote continual education and science and application of measurement and control The IOP’s mission is to raise public awareness and knowledge dissemination by providing both technology for the public benefit. The InstMC has a distance learning and tutored training courses, as comprehensive range of membership grades for individuals understanding of physics, inspire people to develop well as a technical support service. We also provide engaged in both technical and non-technical occupations. their knowledge, understanding and enjoyment of bespoke courses that are tailored to an employer’s Also, it is licensed by the Engineering Council to assess and register individuals as Chartered Engineers (CEng), physics and support the development of a diverse specific needs. The Institute also publishes Incorporated Engineers (IEng) and Engineering Technicians and inclusive physics community. As a charity, the Transactions of the Institute of Materials Finishing (EngTech). IOP seeks to ensure that physics delivers on its and a bimonthly newsletter (IMFormation), as well The InstMC works to develop the knowledge and skills of exceptional potential to benefit society. as holding regular regional and international individual engineers, fostering communication and technical meetings, symposia and conferences. advancing the science and practices within the industry.

Institute of Physics and Engineering

in Medicine The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) Contact: Joanna Cox advances chemical engineering’s contribution IET Contact: Philip Morgan (CEO) worldwide for the benefit of society. We support Michael Faraday House Fairmount House, 230 Tadcaster Road, the development of chemical engineering Six Hills Way York, YO24 1ES professionals and provide connections to a Stevenage Tel: 01904 610821 Fax: 01904 612279 powerful network of around 35,000 members SG1 2AY E-mail: [email protected] in 100 countries. Tel: +44(0)1438 765690 Website: www.ipem.ac.uk We support our members in applying their Email: [email protected] expertise and experience to make an influential Web: www.theiet.org IPEM is a registered, incorporated charity for the contribution to solving major global challenges, advancement, in the public interest, of physics and and are the only organisation to award engineering applied to medicine and biology. Its Chartered Chemical Engineer status and The IET is a world leading professional organisation, members are medical physicists, clinical and bio- Professional Process Safety Engineer sharing and advancing knowledge to promote engineers, and clinical technologists. It organises registration. science, engineering and technology across the training and CPD for them, and provides opportunities for the dissemination of knowledge through world. Dating back to 1871, the IET has over publications and scientific meetings. IPEM is licensed by 163,000 members in 127 countries with offices in the Science Council to award CSci, RSci and RSciTech, Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific. and by the Engineering Council to award CEng, IEng and EngTech.

44 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 SCIENCE DIRECTORY

Contact: Dr Julian Braybrook Queens Road, Teddington Contact: Jagdeep Rai Middlesex, TW11 0LY Contact: Dr Elizabeth Rollinson, Tel: +44 (0)20 8943 7000 Director of Scientific and Regulatory Executive Secretary E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44(0)20-8762-4752 The Linnean Society of London Website: www.lgcgroup.com Email: [email protected] Burlington House, Piccadilly, Website: www.loreal.co.uk London W1J 0BF LGC is a global leader in the life sciences tools sector, Tel: 020 7434 4479 ext 212 including human healthcare and applied markets (food, E-mail: [email protected] agbio and the environment). LGC provides a L’Oréal employs more than 3,800 researchers Website: www.linnean.org comprehensive range of measurement tools, proficiency testing schemes, supply chain assurance world-wide and dedicates over €877 million each As the world’s oldest active biological society, the standards and specialty genomics tools (oligos, PCR Linnean Society is an essential forum and meeting point tools, NGS reagents), underpinned by leading analytical year to research and innovation in the field of for those interested in the natural world. The Society and measurement science capabilities. Under the healthy skin and hair. The company supports Government Chemist function, LGC fulfils specific holds regular public lectures and events, publishes three statutory duties as the referee analyst and provides women in science research through the L’Oréal peer-reviewed journals, and promotes the study of the advice for Government and the wider analytical UNESCO For Women In Science Programme and natural world with several educational initiatives. The community on the implications of analytical Society is home to a world famous library and collection measurement for matters of policy, standards and engages young people with science through the of natural history specimens. The Society’s Fellows have regulation. LGC is also the UK’s National Measurement L’Oréal Young Scientist Centre at the Royal a considerable range of biological expertise that can be Laboratory for chemical and bio-measurement. harnessed to inform and advise on scientific and public Institution. L’Oréal also collaborates with a vast With headquarters in Teddington, South West London, policy issues. LGC has laboratories and sites across Europe, the US, number of institutions in the UK and globally. China, Brazil, India, and South Africa. A Forum for Natural History

Marine Biological Association

London School of Hygiene & Tropical Contact: Dr Matthew Frost Contact: Paul Haines Marine Biological Association, Medicine Head of Content & Communications The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB 1 Birdcage Walk Contact: Professor Peter Piot, Director Tel: 07848028388 London SW1H 9JJ Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT Fax: 01752 633102 Tel: 020 7636 8636 E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)20 7304 6833 Email: [email protected] Website: mba.ac.uk E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.imeche.org www.lshtm.ac.uk Since 1884 the Marine Biological Association has The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine been delivering its mission ‘to promote scientific The Institution provides politicians and civil servants (LSHTM) is a world-leading centre for research and research into all aspects of life in the sea, including with information, expertise and advice on a diverse postgraduate education in public and global health the environment on which it depends, and to with over 4,000 students and more than 1,300 staff disseminate to the public the knowledge gained.’ range of subjects, focusing on manufacturing, working in over 100 countries across the world – The MBA represents its members in providing a energy, environment, transport and education including at two MRC Units in The Gambia and clear independent voice to government on behalf policy. We regularly publish policy statements and Uganda which joined LSHTM in 2018. Our depth of the marine biological community. It also has an host political briefings and policy events to establish and breadth of expertise encompasses many extensive research programme and a long history as a working relationship between the engineering disciplines, and we are one of the highest-rated an expert provider of advice for the benefit of policy research institutions in the UK. makers and wider society. profession and parliament.

Contact: Policy Officer Contact: Fiona Auty Contact: Kirsty McBeath Microbiology Society National Physical Laboratory Met Office, 14–16 Meredith Street Hampton Road, Teddington Fitzroy Road, London EC1R 0AB Middlesex TW11 0LW Exeter, Tel: 020 3034 4870 Tel: 020 8977 3222 EX1 3PB E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.npl.co.uk/contact-us Email: [email protected] Website: www.microbiologysociety.org Website: www.metoffice.gov.uk The Microbiology Society is a membership charity The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is the United The Met Office doesn’t just forecast the weather on for scientists interested in microbes, their effects Kingdom’s national measurement institute, an television. Our forecasts and warnings protect UK and their practical uses. It is one of the largest internationally respected and independent centre communities and infrastructure from severe microbiology societies in Europe with a worldwide of excellence in research, development and membership based in universities, industry, knowledge transfer in measurement and materials weather and environmental hazards every day – hospitals, research institutes and schools. science. For more than a century, NPL has they save lives and money. Our Climate Programme Our principal goal is to develop, expand and developed and maintained the nation’s primary delivers evidence to underpin Government policy strengthen the networks available to our members measurement standards - the heart of an through the Met Office Hadley Centre. Our Mobile so that they can generate new knowledge about infrastructure designed to ensure accuracy, Meteorological Unit supports the Armed Forces microbes and ensure that it is shared with other consistency and innovation in physical around the world. We build capacity overseas in communities. The impacts from this will drive us measurement. support of international development. All of this towards a world in which the science of microbiology provides maximum benefit to society. built on world-class environmental science.

Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 45 SCIENCE DIRECTORY

Advancing the science of nature Contact: John Jackson Head of Science Policy and Communication Contact: Alex Miles Natural History Museum Contact: Nick Allen Deputy Director, External Relations Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD Executive Officer, Office of the Vice Chancellor (Public Affairs) Tel: +44 (0)20 7942 5257 University Drive, Northampton, NN1 5PH University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 01604 735500 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.nhm.ac.uk E-mail: [email protected] Mobile: 07917115197 Website: www.northampton.ac.uk Twitter: @AlextoMiles We challenge the way people think about the natural world www.nottingham.ac.uk – its past, present and future

We use our unique collection and unrivalled expertise to The University of Northampton is an institution tackle the biggest challenges facing the world today. committed to science education through initial With 43,000 students and campuses in We are leaders in the scientific understanding of the origin teacher training, a STEM Ambassador network Nottingham, China and Malaysia, The University of of our planet, life on it and can predict the impact of future which works within the community and teaching Nottingham is ‘the nearest Britain has to a truly change. and research to doctoral level. We are an Ashoka U global university’. With more than 97 per cent of We study the diversity of life and the delicate balance of ‘Changemaker Campus’ status university research at the University recognised internationally ecosystems to ensure the survival of our planet. recognising our commitment to social innovation according to the Research Excellence Framework We help enable food security, eradicate disease and manage and entrepreneurship. resource scarcity. 2014, the University is ranked in the top 1% of the We inspire people to engage with science to solve major world’s universities by the QS World University societal challenges. Rankings.

Andrew Mackenzie Contact: Garry Graham, Contact: Mark Hollingsworth Deputy General Secretary, Head of Policy and Communications Chief Executive Officer Senior Management Team Hodgkin Huxley House The Nutrition Society New Prospect House 10 Cambridge Court, 210 Shepherds Bush 30 Farringdon Lane 8 Leake St, London SE1 7NN Road, London, W6 7NJ, UK London EC1R 3AW Tel: 020 7902 6678 Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0) 20 7269 5728 E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)20 7602 0228 E-mail: [email protected] www.prospect.org.uk www.nutritionsociety.org Website: www.physoc.org Prospect is an independent, thriving and forward- looking trade union with over 120,000 members The Nutrition Society is a not for profit, membership As the largest network of physiologists in Europe, across the private and public sectors and a diverse organisation which is dedicated to delivering its with academic journals of global reach, we continue range of occupations. We represent scientists, mission of advancing the scientific study of technologists and other professions in the civil nutrition and its application to the maintenance of our 140-year tradition of being at the forefront of service, research councils and private sector. human and animal health. Highly regarded by the the life sciences. Prospect’s collective voice champions the interests scientific community, the Society is one of the of the engineering and scientific community to largest learned societies for nutrition in the world We bring together scientists from over 60 countries, key opinion-formers and policy makers. With and anyone with a genuine interest in the science and our Members have included numerous Nobel negotiating rights with over 300 employers, we of human or animal nutrition can become a Prize winners from Ivan Pavlov to John O’Keefe. seek to secure a better life at work by putting member. members’ pay, conditions and careers first.

QUADRUM INSTITUTE Contact: Office of the Science Directorate Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB Contact: Laura Knight Tel: 020 8332 5050/5248 Head of Corporate Affairs Email: [email protected] Website: www.kew.org Quadram Institute Bioscience, Norwich Contact: Juniour Blake RBG Kew is a centre of global scientific expertise in plant and Research Park, NR4 7UA External Relations Manager Tel: 01603 255000/5310 fungal diversity, conservation, and sustainable use, housed in Royal Academy of Engineering two world-class gardens. Our scientific vision is to document Email: [email protected] 3 Carlton House Terrace and understand global plant and fungal diversity and its uses, Website: www.quadram.ac.uk London SW1Y 5DG bringing authoritative expertise to bear on the critical challenges facing humanity today. Tel: 020 7766 0600 Opening fully in mid-2018, the Quadram Institute will be Kew’s strategic priorities for science are: E-mail: [email protected] an interdisciplinary research centre capitalising on the 1. To document and conduct research into global plant and Website: www.raeng.org.uk academic excellence and clinical expertise of the Norwich fungal diversity and its uses for humanity. 2. To curate and provide data-rich evidence from Kew’s Research Park. Its mission is to understand how food and As the UK’s national academy for engineering, we unrivalled collections as a global asset for scientific the gut microbiota link to the promotion of health and bring together the most successful and talented research. preventing diet and age related diseases. The Quadram engineers for a shared purpose: to advance and 3. To disseminate our scientific knowledge of plants and Institute brings together fundamental and translational promote excellence in engineering. We have four fungi, maximising its impact in science, education, science with a clinical research facility for human trials and conservation policy and management. strategic challenges: drive faster and more balanced one of Europe’s largest gastrointestinal endoscopy units. These priorities enable us to curate, use, enhance, explore economic growth; foster better education and skills; This will synergise interactions between basic and clinical and share Kew’s global resource, providing robust data and a lead the profession; and promote engineering at the strong evidence base for our UK and global stakeholders. research, delivering a step change in the understanding of heart of society. Kew is a non-departmental government body with exempt the role of food in health. charitable status, partially funded by Defra.

46 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 SCIENCE DIRECTORY

Contact: Becky Purvis Contact: Dr Gail Cardew Head of Public Affairs Director of Science and Education The Royal Society, 6-9 Carlton House Terrace Contact: Dr Stephen Benn The Royal Institution London SW1Y 5AG. Director of Parliamentary Affairs 21 Albemarle Street, London W1S 4BS Tel: 020 7451 2261 Royal Society of Biology Tel: 020 7409 2992 Fax: 020 7670 2920 Email: [email protected] 1 Naoroji Street E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.royalsociety.org London WC1X 0GB Websites: www.rigb.org, Tel: 020 3925 3440 www.richannel.org The Royal Society is the academy of science in the UK E-mail: [email protected] Twitter: ri_science and the Commonwealth comprising 1400 outstanding Website: www.rsb.org.uk individuals representing the sciences, engineering and The Royal Institution (Ri) has been at the forefront of medicine. The Society has played a part in some of the The Royal Society of Biology is a single unified public engagement with science for over 200 years most fundamental, significant and life-changing voice, representing a diverse membership of and our purpose is to encourage people to think individuals, learned societies and other further about the wonders of science. We run public discoveries in scientific history and Royal Society ® scientists continue to make outstanding contributions organisations. We are committed to ensuring that events and the famous CHRISTMAS LECTURES , a we provide Government and other policy makers – national programme of Masterclasses for young to science across the wide breadth of research areas. Through its Fellowship and permanent staff, it seeks to including funders of biological education and people in mathematics, engineering and computer research – with a distinct point of access to science, educational activities at the L’Oréal Young ensure that its contribution to shaping the future of science in the UK and beyond has a deep and enduring authoritative, independent, and evidence-based Scientist Centre and policy discussions with science opinion, representative of the widest range of impact, supporting excellence in science and students. And through the Ri Channel we share the bioscience disciplines. Our vision is of a world that encouraging the development and use of science for stories behind cutting-edge science with people understands the true value of biology and how it the benefit of humanity. around the world. can contribute to improving life for all.

Society for Underwater Technology Contact: Lisa Rivera Contact: Matt Davies Policy and Public Affairs Manager Society for Underwater Technology Public Affairs Manager LABS, 90 High Holborn, London, WC1V 6LJ Contact: David Liddle, Business Royal Society of Chemistry, [email protected] Development Executive Thomas Graham House (290), 1 Fetter Lane, London EC4A 1 BR Science Park, Milton Road, +44 (0)207 685 2596 Cambridge, CB4 0WF Tel: 020 3440 5535 Tel 01223 438 322 SfAM utilises the expertise of its international Fax: 020 3440 5980 Email [email protected] membership to advance, for the benefit of the E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.rsc.org public, the application of microbiology to the Website: www.sut.org The Royal Society of Chemistry is the world’s leading environment, human and animal health, chemistry community, advancing excellence in the The SUT is a multidisciplinary learned society that chemical sciences. With over 50,000 members and a agriculture, and industry. Our values include brings together individuals and organisations with a knowledge business that spans the globe, we are the equality, diversity and inclusivity; collaboration to common interest in underwater technology, ocean UK’s professional body for chemical scientists; a not- amplify impact; scientific integrity; evidence-based science, and offshore/subsea engineering. The for-profit organisation with 170 years of history and society was founded in 1966 and has members decision-making and political neutrality. With an international vision of the future. We promote, from over 40 countries, including engineers, support and celebrate chemistry. We work to shape Wiley-Blackwell, SfAM publishes five internationally scientists, other professionals and students working the future of the chemical sciences – for the benefit acclaimed journals. in these areas. of science and humanity.

Society of Chemical Society of Industry Cosmetic Scientists Contact: Tom Chant Contact: Sharon Todd Contact: Gem Bektas, Society of Maritime Industries SCI Secretary General 28-29 Threadneedle Street 14-15 Belgrave Square Society of Cosmetic Scientists London SW1X 8PS Suite 109 Christchurch House London Tel: 020 7598 1500 40 Upper George Street EC2R 8AY E-mail: [email protected] Luton Bedfordshire LU1 2RS 020 7628 2555 Website www.soci.org Tel: 01582 726661 Fax: 01582 405217 [email protected] Established by Royal Charter in 1881, SCI is a unique E-mail: [email protected] multi-disciplinary community. Set up by a prominent www.maritimeindustries.org group of forward thinking scientists, inventors and Website: www.scs.org.uk entrepreneurs, SCI continues to be a multi-science and Advancing the science of cosmetics is the primary The Society of Maritime Industries (SMI) is the voice industry network based around chemistry and related objective of the SCS. Cosmetic science covers a wide and champion of the UK maritime engineering, sciences. Our charitable objective is to promote links range of disciplines from organic and physical between science and industry for the benefit of society. marine science & technology and business service Our passion is invention and creation. chemistry to biology and photo-biology, dermatology, microbiology, physical sciences and psychology. sectors. We deliver our charitable objective by: Members are scientists and the SCS helps them • Supporting the commercial application of science into progress their careers and the science of cosmetics industry ethically and responsibly. Services include publications, • Tackling global challenges across Agrifood, Energy, educational courses and scientific meetings. Environment, Health and Materials

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Contact: Dr Andrew Muir Contact: Chris Magee Contact: Dr Rob Singh c/o STFC Innovations Ltd Head of Policy and Media Deputy Director, Enterprise Harwell Campus Oxford OX11 0QX Understanding Animal Research Wivenhoe Park Tel: 0121 710 1990 Hodgkin Huxley House Colchester CO4 3SQ E-mail: [email protected] 30 Farringdon Lane, London EC1R 3AW T 01206 874278 Website: https://ukinnovationscience direct tel: 020 3675 1234 E [email protected] seedfund.co.uk/ email: [email protected] W www.essex.ac.uk/business The UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund is a http://www.understandinganimalresearch.org. leading patient capital investor with more than uk/ Established in 1964, the University of Essex is £330 million private investment leveraged to date. ranked as one of the Top 20 universities in the The Fund works to build technology companies Understanding Animal Research is a not-for-profit Research Excellence Framework and is awarded from the earliest stage by working closely with its organisation that explains why animals are used in Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework. It is partners led by STFC, BBSRC, NERC and Dstl, with medical, veterinary, environmental and other scientific home to world-leading expertise in analytics and the National Research and Innovation Campuses research. We aim to achieve a broad understanding of data science, with research peaks spanning the they support, and with entrepreneurial science-led the humane use of animals in medical, veterinary, social sciences, sciences, and humanities. Pioneers teams. UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund is also scientific and environmental research in the UK. We of quantitative methods and artificial intelligence closely aligned with the Catapults and InnovateUK, work closely with policymakers to ensure regulation is techniques, Essex is also in the UK top 10 for helping to commercialise key technological effective and are a trusted source of information for Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, and works with advances in industrial biotech, agricultural the national and international media. We are funded businesses to embed innovation into operations, technology, healthcare, medicine, clean energy, by our members who include universities, professional through KTPs, knowledge exchange and contract materials, artificial intelligence, software and space. societies, trade unions, industry and charities. research.

Universities Federation for Animal Welfare Contact: Dr Robert Hubrecht OBE Contact: Chris Eady Chief Executive and Scientific Director The Welding Institute, Granta Park, Great The Old School, Brewhouse Hill Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AL Wheathampstead, Herts. AL4 8AN. Tel: 01582 831818. Fax: 01582 831414. Tel: 01223 899614 Email: [email protected] Fax:01223 894219 Website: www.ufaw.org.uk E-mail: [email protected] Registered in England Charity No: 207996 Website: www.twi-global.com The Welding Institute is the leading institution UFAW, the international animal welfare science providing engineering solutions and knowledge society, is an independent scientific and educational transfer in all aspects of manufacturing, fabrication and charity. It works to improve animal lives by: whole-life integrity management. Industrial membership provides access to innovative • supporting animal welfare research problem-solving from one of the world’s foremost • educating and raising awareness of welfare independent research and technology organisations. issues in the UK and overseas Non-Corporate services include membership and registration, education, training and certification for • producing the quarterly scientific journal Animal internationally recognised professional development Welfare and other high-quality publications on and personnel competence assurance. animal care and welfare TWI provides Members and stakeholders with authoritative and impartial expert advice, knowhow • providing advice to government departments and safety assurance through engineering, materials and other concerned bodies. and joining technologies.

48 Science in Parliament | Vol 77 No 1 | Spring 2021 SCIENCE DIARY PARLIAMENTARY AND SCIENTIFIC Monday 8th November COMMITTEE – ALL-PARTY Discussion Meeting on COP 26 SCIENCE IN PARLIAMENT PARLIAMENTARY GROUP Sponsored by the National Physical Email: [email protected] Laboratory sip www.scienceinparliament.org.uk 5.30pm to 7.00pm follow us on Twitter @ParlSciCom Tuesday 16th November ADVERTISING IN Annual Lunch SCIENCE IN PARLIAMENT DISCUSSION AND OTHER Cholmondeley Room, House of Lords Space for advertising in the MEETINGS 2021 12.30pm – 2.00pm Summer issue, which is due to be Monday 17th or 24th May Monday 29th November published in late July 2021, Discussion Meeting topic and details to Discussion Meeting on topic to be is currently available. be advised advised The closing date is Sponsored by The Physiological Society Sponsored by the Nuffield Council Friday 18th June Virtual Meeting 5.30pm to 7.00pm Current rates for P&SC member Monday 7th June Monday 6th December organisations are as follows: Discussion Meeting on Natural Capital Discussion Meeting and STEM for Britain Front Cover (members only): £948 Initiative 2021 Awards Ceremony Back Cover (members only): £779 In partnership with the Plymouth Marine Attlee Suite, Houses of Parliament Inside Front or Back Cover Laboratory 10.00am – 1.00pm (members only): £667 All Other Full Pages: £450 5.30pm to 7.00pm Virtual Meeting ROYAL SOCIETY Tuesday 22nd June Non-Members: Details of all events can be found on the Extraordinary General Meeting Full Page: £900 events calendar at [email protected] 12.30pm – 1.30pm Virtual Meeting Half Page: £500 For scientific meetings queries: VAT is chargeable, except for charities. Monday 5th July [email protected] Discussion Meeting on Climate Change To take an advertisement, please Sponsored by the Met Office THE ROYAL INSTITUTION contact the Editor, Leigh Jeffes: 5.30pm to 7.00pm Virtual Meeting Details of all events and booking [email protected] Monday 13th September Information can be found at Discussion Meeting on Mathematics and www.rigb.org/whats-on Algorithms Sponsored by the Institute of Mathematics ROYAL SOCIETY OF BIOLOGY and its Applications For further details please contact Karen Patel or 5.30pm to 7.00pm Dr Stephen Benn at [email protected] Monday 12th October Discussion Meeting on Neurological topic ROYAL SOCIETY OF CHEMISTRY Sponsored by the British Neurological For further details please contact [email protected] Association 5.30pm to 7.00pm

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Westminster Medal and Physics - GOLD Ben Fernando

Biosciences - GOLD Chemistry - GOLD Engineering - GOLD Mathematics - GOLD Nikita Patel Ben Lewis Bernard Cooper Scott Harper