The median ethnicity of pay gap at Wellcome doubled between 2023 and 2024, from 3.3% to 6.6% With its median gender pay gap stable at ~16%, the charity says it is "determined to eradicate our pay gaps" Sophie Hogan reports researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-cha…

AI-driven research is shifting up a gear Demis Hassabis, the Google DeepMind CEO who won a Nobel, said another company he leads, Isomorphic Labs, will “hopefully have some AI-designed drugs in clinical trials by the end of the year” By Craig Nicholson researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-world-…

Cautious optimism as Reeves trails review of visas for scientists. Research groups have welcomed the chancellor’s announcement of a review of visas for scientists, urging the government to address high upfront costs faced by researchers coming to the UK. researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-pol…

University of Leeds first Russell Group institution to quit X. researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-uni…

The University of Leeds is the first @russellgroup uni to quit X Leeds says Elon Musk's platform "no longer aligns with our university values of collaboration, compassion, inclusivity and integrity" Who's next? researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-uni…

Rachel Reeves said in Davos govt will "look again" at visas for "the highest-skilled people" Cue relief from science groups, but Martin Smith says unless govt considers high upfront costs "there’s a risk it will just be tinkering at the edges" researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-pol…

Frank statement from Patrick Vallance: “We know we’re not succeeding as we should be on scale-ups. We’ve got a significant gap in terms of the ability to scale those companies and turn them into things that are sustainable” By Sophie Hogan researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-inn…

Scoop: Major national science facilities are in line to be scaled back if anticipated budget cuts at the Science and Technology Facilities Council are confirmed for 2025-26. Cuts inc reductions of around 15 per cent to STFC’s research grants budget, a well-placed source tells me.

with some thoughts from me on echoes from 2008, when a budget crunch at STFC led to major cuts in astronomy and particle physics funding, and even a front page story in The Times

Julia King, chair of Lords Science & Technology Committee, has not pulled her punches when writing to ministers on visa barriers to scientists - particularly those early in their careers The UK's strict and expensive immigration policy is "an act of national self-harm" she says researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-pol…

Friday: AstraZeneca says it scrapped £450m investment because the govt lowered its £££ support Monday: Chris Bryant says govt dropped its offer because AZ scaled back R&D plans from £150m to £90m Pretty interesting to see govt come out swinging researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-pol…

The Data Bill is expected to become law in spring Two peers explain moves to change the bill’s definition of scientific research as being conducted “in the public interest”, after fears AI companies could have free rein Sophie Hogan reports researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-pol…

Sarah Richardson (Sarah Richardson), our editor in chief, getting #RPNLive2025 underway, praising the role of research in driving economic growth, improving public services, and working to give the UK population “a more secure, more sustainable future”.

The opening session here at #RPNLive2025 is underway! Research England executive chair Jessica Corner tells delegates the UK is still “world leading…really really strong” in R&D.

Jessica Corner tells 8am Playbook editor Martin McQuillan that expanded REF PCE strand feels “unchartered” to universities, who want to know which indicators will stay and “which we might drop”. “It is still open for deliberation and design” in coming months, she says. #RPNLive2025

The first #RPNLive2025 panel session sees UCL’s Graeme Reid, University of Manchester’s Andy Westwood, Case exec director Alicia Greated, N8 director Annette Bramley and the Russell Group’s Stephanie Smith research and inclusive growth.

On to the societal impact session at #RPNLive2025, with AHRC exec chair Christopher Smith, LSE's Christopher Daley (Dr Christopher Daley), LSHTM's Sumi David, the ISI's Dmytro Filchenko and Glasgow University's Kathryn Oliver

Next panel at #RPNLive2025 sees Clarivate’s Nandita Quaderi, Clear Skies founder Adam Day, Springer Nature’s Chris Graf, Taylor & Francis’ Nick Wise and ESRC’s Stian Westlake discuss threats to research integrity.