APPENDIX 22
Letter to the Committee Specialist from
Ms Kathryn Newell, Department of Trade and Industry
AGEING RESEARCH
FUNDERS FORUM
When we spoke a couple of weeks ago, I agreed
to find some more information concerning the Ageing Research Funders
Forum and the Cross Research Council Co-ordination Committee.
The Ageing Research Funders Forum was announced
in May by way of a Medical Research Council press release. The
approach has been founded by the MRC, Biotechnology and Biological
Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Engineering and Physical Sciences
Research Council (EPSRC), Economic and Social Research Council
(ESRC) and the Department of Health (DoH) and it aims to stimulate
and facilitate multidisciplinary work and develop research. I
attach a copy of MRC's press notice about the new Forum4.
Professor Sir John Pattison of the Department
of Health will chair the first Forum meeting, which will not take
place until the autumn. The Forum will provide an opportunity
for the principal funders of ageing-related research in the UK
to meet at regular intervals to discuss their current programmes
and future research priorities and will help to promote joint
working. The group's terms of reference will be discussed and
agreed at the first meeting.
The Cross Council Co-ordination Committee is
a Research Councils only forum with members from the four Research
Councils most directly involved with ageing research at the current
time: MRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, and ESRC. The first meeting took place
this week and it is envisaged that the Committee will meet at
least twice a year. OST are observers on this Committee.
The aim of the Committee is to develop an overall
strategic plan for the Research Councils; to discuss respective
funding strategies and initiatives; to encourage the development
of research activities across the Research Council boundaries
and to consider ways of encouraging multidisciplinary research
across the Councils.
Professor Alan Walker, Director of the ESRC's
Growing Older Programme, will develop the plans for the Cross
Council Co-ordinated approach. He will do this in consultation
with various stakeholders in ageing research. Professor Walker's
team will also be taking on the management of AgeNet resources
(website, database and registers) to ensure that these valuable
resources continue to be available to the scientific community.
I hope you find the above information and attached
document[4]
of help.
June 2000
4 Not printed. Back
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