Lancaster University

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2024 · 2024-11

Novel deep fake technology poses a serious and imminent threat to society and work is urgently needed to better protect ordinary people. Deep fakes (also termed synthetic media) refer to audio, image, text, or video that has been automatically synthesised by a machine learning system. Although such technological advances can have impressive and entertaining applications, they are already being weaponised for the purposes of image-based sexual abuse, financial fraud, and amplifying disinformation campaigns. Over 90% of deep fake videos are non-consensual porn and, of those, 99% feature women, yet most research focuses on technical approaches for protecting celebrities and world leaders. In my FLF I will examine how psychological science can help find ways to detect deep fakes and protect ordinary people from the harms that deep fake technologies present. I will work with partners including the police, the public, government, and technology experts to co-design and develop an innovative forensically assured verification system to detect deep fake pornography. This system will be built using state-of-the-art facial recognition technology and ongoing partner consultation will ensure development of a practically useful, usable, trusted, and sustainable system that protects ordinary people. In this ever-evolving space, my work will also examine emerging threats from the newest wave of deep fakes and seek to appreciate the effectiveness of currently available protective tools. In this FLF I will adopt an interdisciplinary approach to undertake six interrelated research and dissemination work package (WP)s: WP1 draws on state-of-the-art facial recognition software to develop a forensically assured verification system (FAVS) to address the challenge of deep fake pornography. The system will be developed and refined as a proof of concept using non-sexual material before being applied to the detection of deep fake pornography (refinements also based on relevant learnings from other WPs). Accuracy across different sociodemographic groups will be examined to check and improve algorithmic fairness. WP2 combines methodologies and theory from psychology and computer science to examine 1) the realism of the latest deep fake media, 2) modality-based individual differences in detection ability by comparing typical, early-blind, and early-deaf individuals' detection of image, audio, video deep fakes, and 3) how neuropsychological theory unpinning the results can be used to inform and create sociotechnical tools to tackle the threats from deep fakes. WP3 uses interviews and focus groups with the police, public, and tech experts to gain in-depth understanding of the current and emerging threats from deep fake technology, victim reporting and police response, and to allow co-design and development of FAVS. The findings will feed into the development of FAVS (WP1) to ensure the system is useful, usable, trusted, and sustainable. WP4 is a collaboration with Google to examine the effectiveness of their latest tools aiming to protect ordinary people from visual misinformation. Drawing on psychological theory and experimental methods I will analyse their approach and recommend ways to improve their tools. WP5 explores optimal aftercare provision for victim-survivors of online image-based sexual abuse through interviews with victim-survivors who have publicly spoken about being targets of online sexual abuse. I will also talk to senior representatives from relevant Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) charities. WP5 will also include a systematic review of the literature on 'what works' in the provision of aftercare and justice for victim-survivors of image-based sexual abuse. The findings will feed into the development of FAVS (WP1) to ensure responsible innovation. WP6 focuses on career development, knowledge sharing, and impact, ensuring clear scientific advances, strong practical impacts, and the legacy of the research.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2024 · 2024-11

Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is arguably the most powerful technology for providing atomic-level structure and dynamics understanding of molecules and materials. The physical and life sciences communities exploit this analytical science technique extensively to address challenging issues in a wide range of systems relevant to, for example, pharmaceuticals, battery materials, catalysis and protein complexes. Importantly, the advances enabled by solid-state NMR as an analytical technique are continually increasing in line with technological progress in the development of new NMR hardware. In particular, the recent development of commercial 1.2 GHz NMR systems stands to open up exciting new directions in NMR methodological development and deliver unprecedented levels of structural, dynamic and mechanistic information. Seven 1.2 GHz NMR systems are already in operation across Europe with further systems soon to be installed in Germany and the USA. UKRI has recently invested in two such systems at the High-Field Solid-State NMR National Research Facility (NRF) at the University of Warwick, and at the Henry Wellcome Building for Biomolecular NMR Spectroscopy at the University of Birmingham. These systems are expected to be operational in the UK in 2025. The proposed project aims to optimise UKRI's substantial investment in high-field solid-state NMR spectroscopy (notably £23M in 1.2 GHz NMR) by working in partnership with fifteen internationally leading laboratories and seven industry partners. The work will focus on sharing technical and application know-how and expertise to deliver new experimental NMR methodologies and protocols, as well as new scientific insight into complex chemical systems. The project will be divided across three main classes of systems: inorganic materials, biosolids and pharmaceuticals, with researchers working in each of these fields. New experimental methodologies will be designed and investigated within the NRF itself, and also exploiting the wide range of NMR hardware and expertise available in the co-investigator team and partner institutions. As well as the main focus of ultra-high field NMR, the NRF and partner institutions will provide access to specialist NMR hardware such as very high- and low-temperature apparatus (100 - 1000 K) to enable complex structural and dynamic phenomena to be probed in greater detail. The techniques developed within the project will enable the capabilities of ultra-high field NMR to be fully realised and will lead to new atomic-level insights into systems of relevance to the wider scientific community and industrial partners. The dissemination of the research and the interaction with international academic and industry partners will help to maintain the UK's position as a world leader in solid-state NMR research.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2024 · 2024-11

Context: Developmental differentiation is a universal biological process that allows cells to adapt to different environments. Every step of the differentiation process involves coordinated changes in gene expression profiles generating changes in specific surface proteins, metabolism, morphology, and organelle activity. The cellular dynamics of protein composition is a vital process studied in many organisms, but not yet in parasitic trypanosomes during differentiation. A fast and efficient way for cells to regulate protein function is to attach different 'flags' to them depending on the specific needs of the cell. These flags are called post-translational protein modifications (PTMs), and I am specifically interested in two of them: Neddylation and Ubiquitination. Eukaryotic cells use the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) as their major protein degradation pathway. E3-ubiquitin ligase complexes are important components in the UPS pathway since they specifically select the relevant ubiquitination substrates. Cullin-ring-based E3-ligases (CRLs) are critical regulators of cell division, and many aspects of their composition and substrate-specific adaptors have been elucidated. However, we know little about their regulation and the identity and function of their key substrates in parasites. Aims: Considerable insights have been gained into the regulation of post-translational modifications in mammals and yeasts, yet these findings merely scratch the surface of eukaryotic diversity. Our understanding of PTM processes remains limited when it comes to divergent organisms like Trypanosoma brucei, an impactful pathogen accountable for afflictions in both human and cattle populations across sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, its kinship with human parasites responsible for Chagas disease and Leishmaniasis in other parts of the world underscores its significance. What's fascinating is that, from an evolutionary perspective, humans and yeast cells are more genetically similar to each other than they are to trypanosomes. This intriguing fact underscores the urgent need to delve deep into the intricate world of PTMs in these diverse organisms. My goal: Unravel the role of PTMs in steering trypanosome differentiation - a pivotal shift from division to cell cycle arrest, a critical phase culminating in infectious disease transmission. Impact: This comprehensive investigation enriches our understanding of parasite differentiation and underscores the overarching goal of mitigating infectious disease transmission among cattle and humans. The confluence of my pursuits aspires to illuminate the profound impact of post-translational modifications on parasite life transitions and transmission, potentially unearthing pharmacological targets for intervention. This multifaceted approach extends beyond immediate applications, promising insights into the broader landscape of eukaryotic biology and its pertinence to diseases characterised by deregulated neddylation, such as cancer and inflammatory disorders.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2024 · 2024-10

The realm of cation disorder chemistry has greatly broadened the chemical space for designing novel cathode materials, leading to extensive study of cation disordered rocksalts (DRX). These DRX materials represent a series of metal oxides that share the rocksalt (NaCl) structure with fcc anion and cation sublattices. In Li-based DRX oxides (Li1+xM1-xO2), the lithium and transition metal (M) mix with each other in the cation sublattice, a phenomenon expected to augment lithium storage and foster high performance. Traditionally, mechanochemical synthesis, such as ball milling, is a common approach for obtaining DRX materials. Yet, this method yields products with poor crystallinity and can induce undesirable side reactions, ultimately compromising battery capacity. To address these challenges, this proposal presents a novel strategy to synthesize DRX-LinMxOy materials through electrochemical pathways, aiming to enhance their electrochemical performance. To unravel the complexity, this project leverages sophisticated techniques including advanced pair distribution function (PDF), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (ssNMR) to probe the structure transformation and capacity fading in DRX-LinMxOy materials. This in-depth analysis aims to strategically guide the synthesis and optimization of novel DRX materials.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2024 · 2024-09

Farming plays a crucial role in the UK, supporting food security and contributing to economic growth, whilst preserving and shaping our landscapes, natural habitats, and wider environment. Farming households, in which the family home is woven into the fabric of the business, are often deeply rooted in their communities, contributing to the social cohesion of rural areas. The interplay between the farmer, farm household and farm business is significant, due to colocation of living and working spaces and the contribution (paid and unpaid) of family members to farm work. In the context of unprecedented challenges facing farming households, due to the combined pressures of climate change, exit from the EU, policy shifts and profit margins that are increasingly modest and volatile, the viability of many farms is uncertain. Policies designed to support the sustainability of farming are multiple, although developed with little knowledge about the intricacies of farming households or family wellbeing, including the varied impact for communities. Developments in the availability of population-scale administrative data on farming households holds the promise of filling these knowledge gaps. However, administrative data has rarely been used to advance knowledge about farming households. To-date, most empirical data used to develop national policy has related to farm business activities with little regard to the human dimension underpinning farming communities. My vision for the research is to deliver a new farming-household typology based on characteristics of the farmer (individual(s) within the household reporting their main occupation as 'farming'), farm household (all children and adults living in the household) and farm business (registered to the farm household), and subsequently identify patterns in policy engagement and health vulnerabilities. This will be achieved by utilising the Administrative Data | Agricultural Research Collection (AD|ARC), with additional health data linkages for Wales (detailed below). The population will comprise of all household members in England and Wales who lived at an address for which a farm business received a subsidy payment under the Single Payment Scheme in 2010. The findings will provide vital insights for policymakers, farming unions and third sector organisations by providing: a comprehensive profile of farmers, farming households and farm businesses; and initial insights into the policy engagement and health vulnerabilities of different types of farming households. The project aims to assist policymakers, markedly those charged with the delivery of agricultural policies in England and Wales by providing a nuanced understanding of farming households through a new typology. In particular, it is anticipated this new typology will allow policymakers to refine proposals and inform a more equitable approach to policy intervention by offering a nuanced understanding of the socio-economic and business characteristics of farming households. This understanding will aid policymakers and farming stakeholders in anticipating the diverse impacts of policies across different farming sub-groups. Additionally, researchers using ADR UK data assets will benefit from methodological insights and open-access code, enhancing survey sampling strategies and qualitative research designs. The new farming-household typology may facilitate the development of population indicators for comparing farm and non-farm rural households. Lastly, planned knowledge exchange activities will foster new collaborative opportunities between academia, government, and the public.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2024 · 2024-09

Doctoral Training Partnerships: a range of postgraduate training is funded by the Research Councils. For information on current funding routes, see the common terminology at https://www.ukri.org/apply-for-funding/how-we-fund-studentships/. Training grants may be to one organisation or to a consortia of research organisations. This portal will show the lead organisation only.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2024 · 2024-09

The proposed fellowship has three main aims: to build my (1) academic profile (50%) and (2) non-academic impact (20%) as well as (3) secure further funding (30%). 1. To build my academic profile, I will engage with the following objectives: (a) research dissemination via academic journals and participation in national and international conferences, (b) develop collaboration with international research teams through two research visits, and (c) extend my portfolio of research by pursuing additional research. (a) I will submit three manuscripts to high-impact journals to enhance my publication track record. I will participate in national and international conferences, including the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (USA), the Psychology for Human Animal Intergroup Relations Society (PHAIR) meeting (Edinburgh, UK), and the German Psychological Society Congress (Germany). Conference participation will enable me to disseminate my research, gain feedback from leading experts in Social Psychology, develop new research ideas, strengthen current networks and forge new collaborations. (b) I will visit Prof. Chris Hopwood at the University of Zurich and Dr. João Graça at the University of Groningen. Both academics are currently engaged in research similar to my own and have been key players in enhancing the impact of work in this space. The aim of these research visits is to develop collaboration and identify ways to integrate these international teams into the funding proposals that I plan to submit. (c) During the fellowship, I will spend approximately 20% of my time conducting new research. This will build on an ongoing line of inquiry that I am presently pursuing, which concerns the maintenance of sustainable diets. The objective of the proposed research is to assess the probability of former plant-based dietary adherents returning to plant-based eating, by analysing the attitudes, behaviours and identity profiles of former vegans. Insights from this project will inform key stakeholders (e.g., advocates and policy makers) of the factors that derail once-committed individuals from maintaining plant-forward diets and how these barriers might be overcome in order to renew sustainable eating commitments. 2. To build my non-academic impact, I will engage with the following objectives: (a) research dissemination and (b) collaboration with impact partners. (a) I will present my research at a number of relevant research seminars and write blog posts for interested groups (e.g., The Vegan Society). (b) During the PHAIR Society meeting, which brings together social scientists, advocates and non-profit organisations, I will identify impact partners to write a white paper with, on tips for promoting plant-forward eating among individuals and households, for use by the organisation(s). 3. To secure further funding, I will develop a funding application proposing a three-year research programme. This will investigate how cohabiting units (i.e., families and cohabitating couples) work together to coordinate their eating practices, and how these processes are adapted and managed during transition to sustainable diets (i.e., plant-based diets). This work will build directly upon my PhD research and will be co-developed with Dr. Jared Piazza, Prof. Chris Hopwood and Dr. João Graça. I will submit this grant application to the ESRC New Investigator Grant.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2024 · 2024-09

Melanoma is the cancer of melanocytes, our pigment producing cells. It is the deadliest form of skin cancer with a rising global incidence. In its early stages, melanoma can be successfully treated. However if detected later in its progression, when cells have migrated from the primary tumour, survival rates drop significantly. New therapies have drastically improved short term outcomes but patients invariably develop resistance and the disease returns. We urgently need a better understanding of the mechanisms that drive melanoma initiation, progression and resistance so that we can develop new and improved therapeutic options. Melanoma undergoes a process known as phenotype switching which drives disease progression and resistance. Its is thought that this process involves the reactivation of genes involved in the embryonic development of melanocytes. We have identified a family of three related genes that impact melanoma survival and control the expression of a large number of genes involved in development. This project is designed to uncover the function of this gene family in the development of melanocytes and their transformation into melanoma.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2024 · 2024-09

The doctoral network "Mem-Fast" - Membranes as Enablers for Future Biorefineries: from Fabrication to Advanced Separation Technologies - aims to educate 11 future professionals (one UKRI subsidised), who have the needed understanding to facilitate the utilisation of membranes in the growing biorefining industry. The research and training activities implemented in the Mem-Fast network form a "first of its kind" novel and unique doctoral training program. This reflects changing research priorities and emerging disciplines related to improving biorefinery processes to grow the Circular Economy. The network structures training at the European level in beneficiaries (CNR-ITM, LUT, LU, ULANC, UMK, UNL, UT) and associated partners (Alfa Laval, Aquaporin, Fibenol, Deltamem, Domsjö, B4C asp, MemBrain, NX Filtration, RAIZ-Navigator, UNICAL, UPM) across 11 countries giving the doctoral students a highly applied understanding on both membrane manufacturing and membrane processes and biorefinery processes that are critical to the future of EU's chemical sector and circular economy. The individual projects of the doctoral candidates aim to push forward the use of membranes in biorefineries through the development of advanced membranes, novel tools for monitoring and controlling of fouling and novel continuous processes for simultaneous bioconversion and recovery of products. The network program leads to a new approach to training for the sector and will provide a first cohort of highly skilled future research leaders and managers by combining this network knowledge. Furthermore, it creates a basis for a European doctoral education focused on membranes in biorefineries that will be continued in the future

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2024 · 2024-09

Bio-GENTLE will train 12 doctoral candidates (DCs, 2 UKRI subsidised) with an overarching goal to propel Europe to the forefront of research and development of biomolecules that can be used as high-volume commodities or low-volume, but high-value compounds in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. The scientific aim of this network will be to produce and share knowledge, insights, and solutions to these objectives, thereby enabling major steps towards, and providing evidence of sustainable biomaterials production on larger scales for application in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics in Europe. Furthermore, the implementation of the actions will connect professionals of various backgrounds from academics and from industry in this network, thus strengthening collaboration and discussions to bring the biomolecules separation and utilization field to the next level of the circular economy. Bio-GENTLE is both original and innovative because it utilizes a unique interdisciplinary approach combining the power of fundamental analysis, experimentation, and mathematical modeling, to create a flexible bioseparation platform geared toward a green and circular economy. The holistic approach, from material to process, is enclosed in this training network. Such an approach is strongly recommended for the successful development of novel membrane processes. The 12 DCs will be trained and experience the complete chain from materials properties to complete process design and evaluation.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2024 · 2024-09

Lancaster University, together with a formidable consortium of industrial and third-sector partners, proposes a Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) aimed at cultivating international research leaders in Statistics and Operational Research (STOR) through a programme in which real-world challenge is the catalyst for cutting-edge methodological advancement. Our partners face a challenging reality: the demand for highly-trained STOR data specialists consistently exceeds the available supply. This situation is exacerbated by the ever-growing significance of data in both the economy and society. Our proposal directly addresses this pressing demand, focussing on the priority area "meeting a user-need". The newly envisioned Centre builds upon the strengths and knowledge derived from an existing, internationally recognised EPSRC CDT. Expanding upon this foundation and with the input of an enlarged partner network, including blue-chip companies, SMEs, and third-sector organisations, we propose a Centre poised to recruit and train 70 students across five cohorts. This program will harness industrial and charitable challenges as inspirational springboards for conducting the highest calibre research. The new programme will innovate by * Developing a new MRes programme co-designed and delivered with our partners; * Including a comprehensive training programme on advanced, reproducible programming for STOR, co-ordinated by the Centre's dedicated, industry-funded, Research Software Engineer; * Embedding industrial and third-sector collaboration throughout the student experience; * Hosting seeded research clusters: vibrant, cross-cohort, cross-sector retreats to explore and develop early-stage challenges emerging from the shared interests of STOR-i and its partners; * Developing an ambitious doctoral exchange programme with highly regarded international university partners, comprising student exchanges, co-supervision and shared training activities. Our partners play an integral role in the Centre's plans, with 80% of doctoral projects adopting a CASE-like approach, receiving co-funding and co-supervision from industrial partners. All other students will engage in industrial research internships. Additionally, partners will lead problem-solving events, data immersion experiences, and contribute to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities such as leadership talks, fireside chats, and advanced programming training. The partnership is deeply committed to ensuring the broader impact of STOR-i as a national resource. To this end, the Centre will establish a suite of funded activities open to all UK STOR doctoral students. These include an annual STOR summer school with an emphasis on leadership skills, advanced programming, and a data dive focused on charitable endeavours. Additionally, students will have access to masterclasses and research visits. STOR-i will deliver a wide range of benefits and scientific outcomes to the end-user community, underpinned by three fundamental pillars: 1. People: Our CDT will inject 70 highly talented, diverse PhD graduates into the field, armed with the technical, interpersonal, and leadership skills essential for flourishing careers in STOR across a range of sectors. These graduates will serve as catalysts for innovation, driving cutting-edge research, and enhancing the UK's economic competitiveness. 2. Knowledge: The CDT will generate a wealth of cutting-edge research, disseminated in top STOR journals, and presented at major international conferences. This research will tackle substantial real-world challenges, yielding fresh insights and breakthroughs in STOR. 3. Impact: Our CDT will make a tangible difference in society and the economy by producing (i) case studies and (ii) a repository of documented and reproducible software, available to the public. This will facilitate widespread adoption of our research, leading to meaningful societal and economic impact.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2024 · 2024-09

This application concerns the late-stage commercialisation of a portable, time-of-flight fast neutron spectrometer. Measuring neutron energy is important in some industries because of the non-linear relationship between neutron energy and equivalent dose. Changes in shielding or reactor operations, can require that the spectrum is measured to obtain the necessary nonlinear correction. Neutron energy measurement is complicated because the dynamic range is large (~10 orders of magnitude) requiring a variety of detection methods and, because neutrons interact via a variety of indirect mechanisms with their energy manifest in a range of detected responses, constituting an ill-posed problem. Neutron spectrometry has, to date, been a largely metrological requirement associated with standards laboratories. However, three very important investments are driving this requirement into the commercial domain in the UK: 1) the UK Nuclear Roadmap and its intent to meet the requirement for a quarter of UK energy to be derived from nuclear fission, especially small modular and advanced modular reactors (SMRs and AMRs respectively); 2) UK fusion, and particularly investments such as STEP and LIBERTI exploiting neutrons for lithium breeding feasibility and 3) the UK nuclear deterrent via Dreadnought etc. For light water reactors (LWRs) - the world's most popular nuclear reactor design - the single, water-based coolant/moderator reservoir results in a compact reactor core and hence greater neutron leakage than for most other reactors. This can mandate neutron spectrum measurements if people are required to access this environment, recognising all SMR designs selected thus far in the UK (see Cortinho et al. www.gov.uk press release, 2 October 2023) are small LWRs. The corresponding environment on a nuclear submarine is similar, except: i) the core is more compact, resulting in different neutron leakage properties, and ii) the crew can be closer to the core more often, with the scope for shielding more limited. Consequently, the environment has to be modelled and these results assured with measurements on-board, with any measurement system having to be transportable and free from prohibited substances, i.e., flammable materials, volatile media, toxins, cadmium etc. In fusion systems, in addition to the need to inform the measurement of neutron dose and shielding effectiveness, fast neutron metrology is the main route by which fusion power is inferred. Portable neutron spectrometers usually comprise a suite of detectors, with each detector designed to respond to a specific energy region. However, this approach is not absolute because detectors' response is not limited to a single neutron energy and hence the spectrum has to be derived from what is a combined response, often based on an initial guess. Boron trifluoride with cadmium was used for low energies and a flammable organic scintillant for fast but these have been banned on-board submarines, with much of the electronics (i.e., Link discriminators) now obsolete. We have addressed this challenge differently, exploiting the principle of time-of-flight (ToF, as per nToF at CERN) but based on two organic liquid scintillator detectors separated ~ 70 cm measuring the neutron ToF relative to the gamma flash from fission. This is enabled using fast digital discriminators to yield a flight distance compatible with a portable instrument. This approach provides good-quality, absolute spectra but the liquid scintillants are undesirable in industrial applications. Hence, in this project we wish to explore the use of large-volume discriminating plastic scintillators as they constitute a viable, commercial alternative.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2024 · 2024-08

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted clear differences in the burden of disease between locations and communities, and sharp inequalities in infection and reinfection risk. Sociodemography, behaviour, employment, infrastructure, and public health interventions determined the opportunities individuals had to travel and interact, and thus were critical in determining individual-level infection risk. An individual's infection risk can be amplified by the wider contact network they inhabit: infection risk is a product of individual behaviour and the behaviour of those around them. This 'higher-order' structure of contact networks ultimately determines variation in infection risk, and drives epidemic dynamics, yet is unquantified. A better understanding of the network structure of society will enable improved identification of communities at highest infection risk and settings with high-transmission, and more precise epidemic modelling. This will enhance and inform the public health response to future outbreaks of respiratory pathogens. The goal of this project is to identify the key network structures from the vast and underutilised contact tracing data collected in England during the pandemic, and to establish and assess methods to identify network structure when detailed contact tracing data is unavailable, through three aims: Aim 1: Characterise the network structure of social interactions using data from the COVID-19 contact tracing program in England. The dataset contains interaction information between 27.9 million individuals. We will characterise how contact patterns differ by individual attributes (including age, ethnicity and occupational status), by geography, and over the course of the pandemic, from lock-downs to a fully open society. We will use this network structure to identify where infection risk is greatest within geo-social space. We will also explore the role of specific contact settings - such as households, shops, personal services, visiting friends, workplaces - in transmission. Aim 2: Critically assess the ability of population census data, coupled with pathogen genomic and telecom-mobility data, to recover the network structure observed from contact tracing. Large scale contact tracing data is unlikely to be readily available in future outbreaks. In this context, we will assess how different models applied to more readily available data sources can recover the network structure of contacts. Additionally, we will identify if additional information about higher-order network structure can be inferred by combining genomic and tracing data. Aim 3: Identify appropriate levels of population complexity required for general epidemic modelling and public health purposes. We will assess the required complexity of contact networks for them to be of use in policy decisions during future outbreaks and pandemics. We will identify the minimal set of characteristics (eg. age, ethnicity, vaccination status) required to accurately predict population-scale infection heterogeneities. We will also assess the ability of telecom and census data sources to explain infection heterogeneity and transmission hotspots in the absence of tracing data. This project will provide a comprehensive, high-resolution description of how England's population interacts, identify the structural elements of the network that generate observed variation in infection risk within the population, and inform data requirements for future epidemics. It will provide a critical assessment of the minimal set of data that can reconstruct the interaction structure of the population in situations when extensive contact tracing is unavailable. This will be especially useful in revealing the contact network structure of populations in other countries, where tracing has not been performed, and to understand the likely course of future epidemics.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2024 · 2024-08

With the exponentially increasing prevalence of networked sensors and other devices for collecting data in real-time, automated data analysis methods with theoretically justified performance guarantees are in constant demand. Often a key question with such streaming data is whether they show evidence of anomalous behaviour. This could, e.g., be due to malignant bot activity on a website; early warning of potential equipment failure or detection of methane leakages. These and other motivating examples share a common feature which is not accommodated by classical point anomaly models in statistics: the anomaly may not simply be an 'outlying' observation, but rather a distinctive pattern observed over consecutive observations. The strategic vision for this programme grant is to establish the statistical foundations for Detecting Anomalous Structure in Streaming data settings (DASS). Discussions with a wide-range of industrial partners from different sectors have identified important, generic challenges that cut across distinct DASS applications, and are relevant for analysing streaming data more broadly: Contemporary Constrained Environments: Anomaly detection is often performed under various constraints due, for example, to the restrictions on measurement frequency, the volume of data transferable between sensors and a central processor, or battery usage limits. Additionally, certain scenarios may impose privacy restrictions when handling sensitive data. Consequently, it has become imperative to establish the mathematical underpinning for rigorously examining the trade-offs between, e.g., statistical accuracy, communication efficiency, privacy preservation and computational demands. Handling Data Realities: A substantial portion of research in statistical anomaly detection operates under the assumption of clean data. Nevertheless, real-world data typically exhibit various imperfections, such as missing values, labelling errors in data streams, synchronisation discrepancies, sensor malfunctions and heterogeneous sensor performance. Consequently, there is a pressing need for the development of principled, model-based procedures that can effectively address the features of real data and enhance the resilience of anomaly detection methods. Identifying, Accounting for and Tracking Dependence: Not only are data streams often interdependent, but also anomalous patterns may be dependent across those streams. Taking into account both types of dependence is crucial in enhancing the statistical efficiency of anomaly detection algorithms, and also in controlling the errors arising from handling a large number of data streams in a principled way. Other challenges include tracking the path of an anomaly across multiple data sources with a view to learning causal indicators allowing for precautionary intervention. Our ambitious goal of comprehensively addressing these challenges is only achievable via the programme grant scheme. Our philosophy is to tackle the methodological, theoretical and computational aspects of these statistical problems together. This integrated approach is essential to achieving the substantive fundamental advances in statistics envisaged, and to ensuring that our new methods are sufficiently robust and efficient to be widely adopted by academics, industry and society more generally.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2024 · 2024-08

Pathogens with the greatest potential to cause fast-paced, disruptive epidemics and pandemic are those that spread readily between hosts. Human behaviour drives epidemics, and human interactions provide many infectious diseases, such as influenza, measles or the coronavirus behind Covid-19, opportunities to transmit. Many social, economic and cultural factors are thought to determine how people interact outside of homes, in schools, workplaces, shops, transport systems, and leisure activities. Public health responses to epidemics often rely on selectively reducing these interactions and opportunities for transmission, such as contact tracing and quarantine, or, as used during the Covid-19 pandemic, the closure of workplaces, hospitality venues and schools and stay-at-home 'lockdown' directives. Our scientific understanding of human interactions, however, is poor. We do not know how best to monitor interactions during a future pandemic. We do not understand the social and economic pressures that determine how individuals interact and potentially infect their communities (or be infected themselves). We have no ability to predict how individuals and the population will respond to the imposition or removal of a public health intervention, such as restricting the opening of different hospitality or retail venues, or lifting of a lockdown or travel restrictions. We also have a poor understanding of which types of interactions are most important for infection to occur. This lack of understanding was the cause of significant uncertainty in planning and policy during the covid-19 pandemic, in the UK and elsewhere. This project seeks to lay important foundations for future research, aimed at addressing this lack of scientific understanding. We will establish a multi-sectoral and inter-disciplinary network of academic researchers, public health practitioners and government agencies, commercial partners, and the public. The network will identify key data sources and methods with which to conduct research and address the scientific challenges regarding human interactions, as well as review the current extent of knowledge. Importantly, the network will have significant input from public representatives, ensuring public opinion and concerns are considered at every stage of our research. A program of research, building upon the collaborations established by this project and its findings, would tackle an important knowledge gap in the management of future pandemics and epidemics. A deeper, data-driven understanding of human interactions and their role in driving epidemics will improve pandemic preparedness, planning and public health responses to epidemics, for a wide range of infectious diseases threats, including pandemic influenza, coronavirus, measles, and norovirus. Real-time monitoring of infection-relevant interactions will provide policy-makers and epidemic modellers with important information during an epidemic or pandemic. The ability to predict interaction dynamics will improve the efficacy of public health interventions focussed on modifying interactions, enabling better targeted, responsive, and effective interventions to supress transmission. Advancing the science of human interactions will transform our ability to prepare for, predict the course of and mitigate against future epidemics and pandemics, and help to minimise their societal, economic and health impacts.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2024 · 2024-06

The current project aims to explore the signalling pathways of epidermal development and their connection with mesophyll development and elucidate the impact on photosynthetic performance. We will combine plant signalling and physiology, integrating both disciplines with molecular biology and functional genomics methodologies. Stomatal pores on the leaf surface and a porous leaf mesophyll are prerequisites for effective plant gas exchange for photosynthesis and transpiration. The rate at which the stomata or mesophyll facilitate gas exchange is called conductance. The stomatal conductance (gs) depends on the size and density of the stomata, and the arrangement of the air spaces and other structural factors, including cell wall thickness and composition of the plasma and chloroplast membranes, determines the mesophyll conductance (gm). We believe that the coordination of the development of the stomata and the mesophyll structure is possible through signalling pathways to optimize potential gs and gm at the leaf level. With this, there is potential to improve water use efficiency by manipulating the relationship between the structures and, therefore, the conductance of these two tissues. Although the epidermal development, patterning, and inner anatomy of the leave have been well studied in the past years, they have barely been studied together. In this sense, the A. thaliana mutants stomagen and cdk8 are ideal for addressing this hypothesis. In these mutants, the stomata development is induced or repressed; for instance, CO2 exchange and photosynthesis may be affected.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2024 · 2024-06

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2024 · 2024-06

Background: Diabetes damages nerves in the feet, known as 'neuropathy', affecting 1 in every 2 people with diabetes. This can cause people to lose all sensation and feeling in their feet and means that people with diabetes and neuropathy put high pressure on their feet without knowing. With nerves that are damaged, people do not have any natural way of knowing how much high pressure they put on their feet and can literally wear a hole in the bottom of their foot, known as a diabetic foot ulcer. Although it can start off as a small hole in the foot, a diabetic foot ulcer can become infected and someone may need to have part of their foot or leg removed (amputated) to stop the infection and save their life. In the UK, there are over 120 amputations every week because of a diabetic foot ulcer. Our Aim: The 'Socksess' project aims to create new technology to help make people with diabetes aware of how much pressure they put on their feet and prevent ulcers. We will develop and test a new 'smart-sensing sock' that will 'reconnect people with their feet' and help prevent ulcers and amputations. Our approach: We will do this through 'co-design' - working closely with people who have experience of living with diabetes, their families and healthcare professionals, to develop the technology, make design choices and publicise the work. We will also be supported by a panel of international experts in diabetic foot care and industry partners who will help guide long-term development, clinical evaluation and commercialisation. Planned Work: the project involves four main areas of work: 1. Understanding the needs and preferences of people with diabetes, their carers and clinicians, to co-design a smart-sensing sock that will suit the lives of people with diabetes and help them to protect their feet. 2. Developing and testing small sensors built into stretchable sock fabric for measuring foot loading in two ways: i) directly against the foot (pressure) and ii) side-to-side (shear stress). 3. Testing prototypes of the smart-sensing socks in a group of people with diabetes who are at high-risk for getting an ulcer, and using this new technology to better understand how foot loading affects ulcer risk at specific points on the foot. 4. Developing an easy to use feedback system: a way of letting people know when the loading on their feet might be too high and begin to cause a foot ulcer. This will be co-designed (as in 1 above) to make it as easy as possible for everyone to use. Working towards this goal, we will develop a number of advances: - new sensing technology for measuring pressure and shear stress (side-to-side foot loading) - integration of sensing into a 'smart-sock' measuring across the whole foot - new data from our clinical studies providing better understanding of foot loading in diabetes - Easy to use feedback system designed to 'reconnect people with their feet' and help them better monitor their foot health Impact: This project will help address the global issue of diabetic foot ulcers and amputations that affect the lives of millions of people living with diabetes by developing a much-needed digital health monitoring solution. Through its ease of use, this technology will help to support a range of people with diabetes to better manage their foot health and 'reconnect with their feet', improving quality of life and preventing diabetic foot ulcers and amputations. The work will also bring benefits beyond use in diabetic foot health. It could also be used to assess and help manage conditions affecting mobility (e.g. arthritis) by monitoring and providing feedback on walking and balance. The technology could also help prevent bed sores on the feet and backs of the legs when people are lying in hospital beds for long periods of time. These smart-sensing socks could also help with better fitting of new footwear.

UKRI Gateway to Research · FY 2024 · 2024-06

Five percent of children have disabling hearing loss. These children often experience delayed speech and language development. Although the majority of these children attend mainstream schools in the UK, only 34% achieve two A-levels (or the equivalent), compared to 55% of their hearing peers. Mild-to-moderate hearing loss (MMHL) is the most common hearing impairment in children. However, despite the effect of their hearing impairment on development it is the least understood form of hearing loss in children. This means there is an urgent need for research on this group in order to meet the goal set by the National Deaf Children's Society (the UK's biggest children's hearing charity and a partner on this project) of making sure that "by 2030, no deaf child will be left behind". Children with MMHL are prescribed auditory technology (AT) to assist them. Hearing aids are more advanced and accessible than ever, and assisted listening devices - where a talker's speech is streamed directly to the hearing aid to reduce the effects of a noisy background - are now common in classrooms. However, AT is designed based on how adults communicate: adults generally look at the person they are talking with and ask for information to be repeated when they do not hear clearly. On the other hand, children with normal hearing do not look. It is unknown if children with MMHL look at the talker while they listen. This has an impact on the effectiveness of the AT algorithms. PI Stewart has shown that children with MMHL do not have the same improvements in attention, memory and learning as adults do when using AT. This could be due to 1) the children are not wearing their AT; 2) the ATs are "too much of a good thing" and have short- or long-term effects on key hearing and listening skills (e.g. children have found that they can hear without turning to look at the talker); or 3) the ATs are not appropriate for children. To test these hypotheses, we will first systematically review children's AT usage across the UK. Second, we will gather data on the developmental impact of ATs over an 18-month period. Key hearing and listening skills including working out where a sound came from and combining audio with visual information will be assessed. Third, we will assess how children with MMHL communicate with adults and children. We will do this in a research lab in the form of a classroom where eye and head movements and brain activity can be measured. This will allow iCAT to evaluate if AT algorithms (e.g. designed for the listener to look at the talker) are appropriate for children. iCAT will work with industry, audiologists and teachers of the deaf throughout the project to ensure change towards providing child-appropriate ATs for the benefit of children with MMHL. Through the publication of white papers, iCAT will work with UK-based charities and professional bodies to create evidence-based recommendations for policy regarding the use and fitting of the AT in children with MMHL.