Grant winners – 18 August 2016

Leverhulme Trust

Research project grants
Sciences

• Award winner: John Trinick
• Institution: University of Leeds
• Value: £171,742

Structure and function of 50nm extracellular filaments in reproduction

• Award winner: Steve Tipper
• Institution: University of York
• Value: £266,328

Harnessing the power of visuomotor fluency to encourage healthy choices

• Award winner: Hendrik Ulbricht
• Institution: University of Southampton
• Value: £384,300

Non-interferometric test of the quantum superposition principle

National Institute for Health Research

Efficacy and Mechanism Evaluation programme

• Award winner: Morris Brown
• Institution: Queen Mary University of London
• Value: £1,095,758

Is metomidate PET CT superior to adrenal venous sampling in predicting outcome from adrenalectomy in patients with primary hyperaldosteronism (MATCH)? A multi-centre, randomised, within-patient comparison of diagnostic techniques

Health Services and Delivery Research programme

• Award winner: Frances Bunn
• Institution: University of Hertfordshire
• Value: £164,880

Supporting shared decision-making for older people with multiple health and social care needs: a realist synthesis to inform emerging models of health and social care

• Award winner: Susan Baxter
• Institution: University of Sheffield
• Value: £147,370

Understanding new models of care in local contexts: a systematic review using frameworks to examine pathways of change, applicability and generalisability of the international research evidence

Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

Research grants

• Award winner: Emma Robinson
• Institution: University of Bristol
• Value: £573,136

Investigating the neural circuits and molecular mechanisms that regulate emotional behaviour and cognitive affective bias

• Award winner: Alasdair Clark
• Institution: University of Glasgow
• Value: £615,649

DNA-directed construction of three-dimensional photosynthetic assemblies

In detail

Award winner: Daniel Bebber
Institution: University of Exeter
Value: £982,890

Securing the future of the UK’s favourite fruit

The UK is highly dependent on imported fruit, which makes it vulnerable to volatility in international production and supply. This insecurity is exemplified by the UK’s most popular fruit by consumption, the banana. Each year, more than 5 billion are purchased in the UK, and the nation accounts for 7 per cent of the global export market. Only one variety, the Cavendish, is traded internationally. A virulent new strain of Panama disease – which wiped out the previous export variety – now threatens the Cavendish’s existence. No alternative tradable varieties are available, and there is no chemical disease control for the new strain. If this strain reaches Latin America and the Caribbean, banana supplies to the US and Europe will collapse. There has been little analysis of the resilience of the banana trade or development of mitigation strategies to maintain supply or manage the impact of sudden catastrophe. This study will analyse patterns, trends and drivers of banana production, including pests, diseases, management and climate, to build robust models of production and to explore how this could vary as diseases spread and the climate changes.