Competition to start projects
Competition to start projects
OPEN competition and peer review of research proposals, in addition to careful management, helps ensure the best scientific teams are chosen for TB research projects, according to MAFF.
Any scientific organisation can compete for research money for a specific project, explains MAFFs Fiona Stuart. "We want value for money – but most of all, we want the best expertise.
"We use experts in the field of TB and members of the Independent Scientific Group on cattle TB to appraise all projects and to choose those that are most appropriate."
But MAFF is also keen to ensure collaboration between institutes both in the UK and overseas to avoid duplication of effort.
"We want to get maximum benefit from research, so we actively encourage collaboration. Researchers looking at TB are currently dealing with colleagues in New Zealand, France, Northern Ireland, Eire and the US."