Research in Life Sciences

The majority of School academic staff are members of the Faculty of Science's Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Group (BPSRG)(http://www.kingston.ac.uk/bpsrg/index.html). This Group evolved from an embryonic Biomedical Sciences Research Group (BSRG) which was entered in the 1996 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) in Unit 11, Subjects Allied to Medicine and received HEFCE funding. This represented a very early stage in the development of the research group. Since 1996, the Group has grown substantially in staff numbers, PhD students and income received (Table 1), and has brought within its remit pharmaceutical scientists, exercise physiologists and a variety of healthcare scientists and medical staff from the Faculty of Health and Social Care Sciences at the University and St George's Hospital Medical School (SGHMS).

Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Group (BPSRG).

Collaborative research with SGHMS has led to the establishment of a jointly funded biomedical research laboratory located at SGHMS, known as the King-George Laboratory (put link here), which focuses on research in stem cells, immunology and oncology. The research links between the two the institutions led to a joint submission to the 2001 RAE into Unit 11, Subjects Allied to Medicine, which was awarded a 3a rating. The School will be commissioning an additional brand new suite of research laboratories including a category 3 microbiological facility in January 2004.

The BPSRG comprises of three main sub-areas:

1. Therapy, with themes of:
      a. Haematology and Immunology;
      b. Respiratory function, fatigue and exercise;
      c. Medical Physics
      d. Alimentary tract, gut flora and nutrition

2. Parasite Biology, with themes of:
      a. Parasite transmission and the role of vectors;
      b. Intracellular parasites, migration within the host and control;

3. Pharmaceutical Sciences:
This activity takes place jointly with the School of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and the department of Pharmacy. (see also www.kingston.ac.uk/cps) 

The School is also active in the field of Environmental Biology.
Our environmental biologists make important contributions to the University's Centre for Earth and Environmental Sciences Research group. They have carried out pollution and other ecological studies in Chile, Tunisia, Siberia and Outer Mongolia in conjunction variously with Raleigh International, the British Council or the Overseas Development Agency.

Collaborative research links also exist with Guy's Hospital, Kingston Hospital, Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital, Queen's University Belfast, St. Helier Hospital, St. Mark's Hospital (London), The Natural History Museum, The Newham General Hospital, The Institute of Zoology (London), The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, The Royal College of Surgeons, The Royal Free Hospital, The Royal London Hospital, The Royal Postgraduate Medical School, University College London and University College London Medical School, University of Queensland, and Harper Adams University College. Overseas links include those with the University of Oporto and the University of the Free State, University of Tasmania and Florida State University, whilst past and present commercial associations have been with Glaxo Smithkline, Hoffmann-La Roche, MAFF, Pfizer and Rhone Merieux. A number of staff also have honorary academic appointments at Medical Schools.

These research activities and their associated collaborative links play an important role in the teaching activities of the School. They provide the bases and opportunity for final year laboratory projects, carried out both within and outside the University, and library-based dissertations, a number of which have been published. Participation in research is also one way for academic staff to remain abreast of the most recent developments in their subject areas and to bring this material into their teaching effectively and authoritatively.

A number of staff also maintain subject expertise through carrying out various activities on behalf of professional bodies such as the Institute of Biomedical Sciences (IBMS), the Biochemical Society, the Institute of Biology and the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA).