Grantholders e-newsletter

Issue 10, June 2007

1. Universal Ethical Code for Scientists launched

In March the Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir David King, challenged scientists to back the Universal Ethical Code for Scientists. In a lecture at Imperial College London, as part of National Science and Engineering Week, King said:
"I have no doubt that the vast majority of scientists are highly ethical and already adhere to many elements of this code. There is a lot of existing good practice but the code sets down some basic practices and beliefs explicitly. We use the terms rigour, respect and responsibility as a simple illustration of our promise to the community as scientists, and as a demonstration to the public that scientists take ethical issues seriously."

In 2001 the Trust launched its own Guidelines on Good Research Practice including a Statement on the Handling of Allegations of Research Misconduct.

2. UK PubMed Central update

A reminder that UK PubMed Central (UKPMC) went live on 8 January 2007, affecting where grantees are required to deposit papers to meet the Trust's Grant Conditions.

Grantholders should have received a log on and instructions for using the system. If you have forgotten your password please go online to get this reset. Please see our website for full UKPMC information or consult the author FAQs. For any queries please contact: openaccess@wellcome.ac.uk.

3. Translation Awards

Translation Awards are open for business to fund early-stage product development for unmet needs across the spectrum of biomedical innovation – diagnostics, enabling technologies, medical devices, regenerative medicine, therapeutics and vaccines.

4. Highlight on medical technology and reducing antibiotic resistance

The Trust's Technology Transfer team has identified two individual areas where it believes there is a strong potential to make real impact on public health: medical technology and reducing the spread of antibiotic resistance. We actively encourage groups operating in these fields to consider submission of high-quality translation research applications.

5. Advanced Courses

The Wellcome Trust Advanced Courses Programme continues to flourish with further expansion of both the domestic (Hinxton, UK) and Major Overseas Programmes. A total of 18 courses and workshops are scheduled at the Genome Campus in Hinxton this year, along with four overseas workshops that include providing genome-analysis training at the Trust's units in Kenya and Vietnam. The Programme is part of a long-term commitment by the Trust to build scientific capacity in developing countries, by running regular informatics workshops and, ultimately, laboratory-based training courses for regional scientists at its overseas research units.

6 . Open access papers: recent highlights

Vitamin D protects against TB
A single 2.5 mg dose of vitamin D may be enough to boost the immune system to fight against TB and similar bacteria for at least six weeks.
Full story

Genetic risk factors for diabetes
UK researchers have identified variants in three genes that predispose people to type 2 diabetes.
Full story