Environment submissions database

Covid-19 has negatively impacted research careers and hampered research progress. In April 2020, Research Strategy Committee considered Contract Researcher applications for the Job Retention Scheme, and approved 13/20 (65%), allowing suspension of grant funding for 4 months – so lessening the impact of lockdown on those worst affected. Costed extensions provided by UKRI (institutional award), Wellcome, ERC and HBLB benefitted a further 17 projects. PhD students and supervisors adjusted their plans. We supported final-year students with funded extensions, with applications assessed in July 2020. All requests received RVC support (UKRI students were funded through the DTP). In October 2020, non-final year PhD students applied for extensions, having assessed progress when working with restricted facility access (from June). Thirty-seven students were granted funded extensions for 109 months in total. Further requests following subsequent lockdowns will be assessed. The effect is to reduce future PhD scholarship funding by 25% over 2 years. Academics were hampered in their research progress. Although the first lockdown provided time for data analysis and paper writing, time was consumed by online and blended teaching material preparation. Professional support was provided but time to develop new research ideas and write quality proposals was reduced. This will impact future funding. Delays in starting/progressing major projects in March-July of 2019-20 financial year is reflected in HESA research income data, particularly UKRI and collaborative industry, reduced c.15% below expected levels. How we take account of the variable effects of Covid-19 on individuals when assessing performance for progression and promotion purposes is currently under discussion. To support researchers and maintain community spirit, seminars resumed (online) in April 2020 and are well attended. Coffee-and-chat sessions with senior academics for PGR students and researchers are organised through the Graduate School and Researcher Association. Researchers, PGR students and technicians staffed our asymptomatic testing centre and they felt valued making this contribution. Wider pandemic contributions include: • PPE and ventilator donations • NHS testing centre volunteers • Academics seconded to: a) COVID-19 Genomics UK Consortium; b) WHO as an adviser in writing a COVID-19 Public Health document on genomic sequencing Research effort has been diverted from mainstream (UKRI and ERC-funded) research to Covid-19-related projects, including: • risks of Covid-19 transmission in Peruvian and Bolivian food markets; • comparative study of the pathophysiology and genetic susceptibility from fatal coronavirus infection in companion animals; • examining the pyroptosis pathway: a novel target for Covid-19 infection treatment; • Innovate UK-funded blood filtering system to remove key cytokines, prioritised in our BSU. Our forward-looking research strategic goal to limit pathogen flow within safe and sustainable livestock food systems, protecting public and animal health, is highly relevant to a post-Covid world. Development of affordable, adaptable vaccines which limit antimicrobial use is an important component. Life Sciences will drive UK economic recovery post-Covid. RVC is well placed to contribute with basic and clinical science into the major systems impacting the ageing population’s health, supporting our translational-medicine agenda in collaboration with medical partners to harness new technologies, benefitting both human and veterinary medicine.