Scratch side steps forward

Biosciences: University of Hertfordshire, 1992 rating: 1, 1996 rating: 2

CHRISTOPHER Atterwill, head of the biosciences department at the University of Hertfordshire, joined the institution in 1990, just two years, before the last RAE.

"None of the research we now specialise in existed as distinct, focused topics in 1990, we started from scratch," he said. The department secured a grade 1 rating in the 1992 RAE. Since then there has been a restructuring to improve the productivity and quality of research in areas including cellular toxicology, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. Professor Atterwill said that this had involved reorganisation of units, better management of resources and more effective matching of staff expertise with research topics.

The department has 470 undergraduate students on courses including applied biology, environmental biology, physiology and molecular biology. It boasts 26 academic staff including three professors. There are 74 postgraduates including 14 postgraduate researchers and four postdoctoral research fellows. Fifteen technicians back up their work.

Professor Atterwill believes advances in the department's research activities since the last exercise will produce a higher rating.

Research at the department is carried out in three units: cellular toxicology; gastrointestinal pharmacotoxicology and molecular technologies. The department has strong links with leading industrial players, most notably Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham. The department boasts two industrial secondees including Mike Parsons of SmithKline Beecham and co-developer of Tagamet, a leading antiulcer drug.

A study in 1994/95 showed the institution to be the top new university in attracting research funds from industry, commerce and public corporations. Of the Pounds 687,000 secured from these sources that year by the university, about half was through work at the biosciences department. The department has attracted a similar level of funding this year, with industry being a strong contributor. "We work very closely with industry so I guess we are pretty applied," said Professor Atterwill, who is also Glaxo professor of bioscience at the university.