The Diet and Health Open Innovation Research Club (OIRC)
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Helping UK businesses collaborate with the UK research base Calling UK forward thinkers in food business and nutrition research! Interested in changing the healthiness and sustainability of our foods and increasing their acceptance? Why not sign up to the OIRC Innovation Hubs? |
What is the OIRC?
The Diet and Health Open Innovation Research Club (OIRC) initiative from BBSRC and partners* which is being coordinated by the British Nutrition Foundation supports new research across businesses and academia.
Six Innovation Hubs have been launched to drive improvements in understanding of the relationship between food and health, how we can improve the nutritional value of the food we eat and explore what underpins food choices. The aim of OIRC is to address some of the major diet and health-related priorities we face.
Membership to the Innovation Hubs is free - join the Hub(s) that are relevant to you.
The Hubs provide:
- Access to collaborative funding opportunities for innovative research projects.
See Current funding opportunities
- Access to events including workshops and community meetings to network and build relationships.
- Insight into areas of research need and opportunities to impact diet and health.
The six Innovation Hubs provide funding opportunities throughout the year. Below are the opportunities currently open.
Flexible Mobility Awards
These awards support mobility between academia and industry funding up to £20k for a placement of up to 3 months duration. Beneficiaries of these Awards can be either Early Career Researchers from academia wanting to explore working in industry, or staff from industry (such as technicians, specialists, engineers, researchers) wanting to gain experience in a public research organisation.
Biofortification Hub - increasing the nutritional value of food, feed and fodder: Next review date 1 December 2023. Find out more and apply
i-Nutri Life Hub – nutrition across the life course. Find out more and apply
Business Interaction Vouchers
These awards lasting up to 6 months help to initiate, develop and enhance collaboration between academics and industrialists within diet, health and nutrition.
STAR Hub – innovation in plant-based products Closes 16 November 2023. Find out more and apply.
Feasibility Awards
Feasibility Awards can support new collaborations between an academic partner and an industry partner for a project of 9-12 months’ duration. Industry partners can access – and benefit from – academic expertise, solutions and resources otherwise unavailable to them. In return, academics can carry out work that is at the forefront of industry R&D remits.
STAR Hub – innovation in plant-based products Closes 26 January 2024. Find out more and apply
Improving Health and Nutrition through Biofortification – First Biofortification Hub community meeting
29-30 November, John Innes Conference Centre, Norwich Research Park, UK
With attendees from across academia and industry, this meeting will explore how to work together to improve health and nutrition through biofortification. Register here
If you’d like to find out more about the Diet and Health OIRC, please contact Sarah Coe at s.coe@nutrition.org.uk
*Support from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Innovate UK and the Medical Research Council (MRC).
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