Having had a number of disappointments in recent attempts to get funding and with the onset of the proposed EPSRC policy on unsuccessful grant applicants, the arrival of a letter from BBSRC this lunchtime filled me with trepidation. However, this time I have been successful in achieving a small 1 year “Tools and Resources” grant award to continue our work on inkjet printing cells and proteins. So thank you to the anonymous referees and panel members and thank you to my biologist co-investigators without whom the project would not be able to run.
I should perhaps add some background to this news. About half of my “research group”: 
is working on developing inkjet printing as a manufacturing tool with applications in printed electronics, 3-D printing, biosensors and tissue engineering. This project will investigate patterning surfaces with gradients in concentration of proteins and sugars followed by printing cells. The spatial position of the cell will define its local environment and thus we can rapidly screen how cell behaviour is influenced by its surroundings and hence the local concentration of an appropriate stimulus. This will build on existing work where we have developed methods of printing protein and cell suspensions without damaging them.
Next week I am off to Portugal to give a plenary lecture at their local Materials Meeting, which is being organised by one of my ex-students. They have asked me to present on our bioprinting work. It is always easier to give an upbeat presentation if one has had good news on funding.
Congrantulations!
Beats being scooped I guess – congrats!
At least you got some good news after the scoop! Congrats.
Well done you!
Also – surely Agilent would like to put large amounts of cash into this? [Sorry, I’m sure you tried them already.]