As the Coordinator, the British Nutrition Foundation is delighted to invite you to join this webinar to learn more about the Diet and Health OIRC (Open Innovation Research Club) and how to apply for funding to support collaborative research that can help drive real-life improvements in diet and health.
Six OIRC Hubs fund early-stage innovative research encouraging UK academics involved in nutrition-related research and food industry experts to collaborate and co-design proposals.
UK research organisations and UK registered businesses.
All proposals for OIRC funding calls must be led by a researcher based at an eligible UK research organisation and must address a BBSRC/OIRC key strategic diet and health research priority:
1: Understanding the interplay between food components and human physiology
2: Improving Health and Nutrition Through Biofortification
3: Biological, Social and Psychological Determinants of Food Choice and Eating Behaviour
4: Investigating the Role of Functional Food and Beverages to Improve Health and Recovery
5: Understanding How Food and Beverages Can Deliver Improved Nutrition Across the Life-course
It is a requirement that at least one stakeholder from businesses is included as a project partner. Collaboration with civil society is also encouraged.
REGISTER TODAY FOR THE 2025 FUNDING EVENT WEBINAR AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITY
2.00pm-2.10pm Introduction – British Nutrition Foundation (www.nutrition.org.uk / www.oirc.org.uk) and Dr Fleuriane Fernandes, BBSRC
2.10pm-3.00pm 2025 Funding Call updates from the six Innovation Hubs
The OIRC Hubs provide support and funding to applicants aiming to undertake innovative research projects that drive improvements in our understanding of the relationship between food and health and how we can improve the nutritional and sustainable value of the food we eat, and explore what underpins food choices.
Presentations from the 6 Hubs
Prof Cathie Martin, Group Leader, John Innes Centre
Improving health and nutrition through biofortification: Working across the supply chain on the development of crops and food with higher levels of nutrients.
PI: Prof Martin Warren, Quadram Institute Bioscience
Focusing on ways to assess and understand everyday dietary behaviours to understand consumers’ real-world food choices
PI: Prof Jeff Brunstrom, University of Bristol
Understanding how food and beverages can deliver improved nutrition across the life course including healthy ageing.
PI: Prof Philip Calder, University of Southampton
Examining the potential for functional foods to improve human health via their impacts on gut microbes.
PI: Dr Gemma Walton, University of Reading
Understanding the interaction between foods and their components and physiology to improve health
PI: Prof Gary Frost, Imperial College London
Prof Louise Dye, University of Sheffield
Aligning public and planetary health through plant-based innovative plant-based products to improve cognitive and mental health across the life course.
PI: Dr Kourosh Ahmadi, University of Surrey
3.00-3.30pm Panel Discussion with the Hub Leads
3.30-3.45pm Closing remarks
3.45-4pm Comfort break
4.00-4.30pm Hub Breakout rooms
Join the breakout rooms for each of the Hubs for the opportunity to network, make new contacts, form new collaborations and ask your specific questions about funding. The rooms will be open for 30 minutes and you can join multiple rooms within this time.