"It’s important we support and promote a more positive research culture"

Professor Dame Melanie Welham FRSB started her four-year term as president of the RSB this month, taking over from Professor Sir Ian Boyd. Dame Melanie is recognised for her contributions to the science of cell signalling and stem cell biology, and is best known for her role as executive chair of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) from 2018 to 2023. In 2023, the same year she became a trustee of the RSB, she was appointed a DBE for services to the biosciences in the King’s birthday honours.

Hi Melanie. Can you tell RSB members a bit about the pathway that led you into science and into your leadership role at the BBSRC?

I was fortunate to grow up in the countryside in East Anglia, so I was often running around outside in the fields and was interested in biology just because I was surrounded by nature. I had very inspiring teachers at school who encouraged me to think about going into higher education. No one in my family had been to university. It was the biggest decision I ever made and it really changed the course of my life. I studied biochemistry, learning about biomolecular processes and recombinant DNA technologies, things like that. It was really exciting and I was always curious, wanting to discover more. So it felt natural to go down the ‘traditional’ route: PhD, postdoc, then my first academic appointment at the University of Bath. I progressed there, doing all the things an academic does, but I was always interested in biology much more broadly. I also felt a strong sense of responsibility to support the community, as we rely so much on peer review and people volunteering for various organisations and committees. Because of that, headhunters approached me about becoming the BBSRC’s director of science. It wasn’t something that was on my radar. I was interested in policy, but it wasn’t necessarily a career move I was seeking. I didn’t know what it would be like, but it was the new challenge that I needed. I really enjoyed being at that interface, supporting the academic research community, shaping national strategy, really influencing policy and trying to create positive change.

It’s important that there’s an organisation that looks at the big picture to make sure that the health of the life sciences is maintained

In terms of scientific interests, what topics in the biosciences do you still take an active interest in or find particularly exciting?

There are so many different things – I used to live vicariously through others’ research when I was leading the BBSRC. I would think: “Gosh, that would be really interesting to follow up!” I still maintain an interest in my own research area, the molecular signalling processes that control cell behaviour, particularly stem cells. One of the biggest areas in which I was very deeply involved was developing the vision for the national programme for engineering biology in 2020. It felt like an incredibly positive thing to be doing when we were all struggling with other things. As a platform technology it has huge potential across many different sectors, from how we design and make vaccines and new medicines to creating crops that are more resistant to pests and diseases, through to bioremediation, recovery of metals, and low-carbon routes to new sources of energy, fuels and materials. Everybody understands that artificial intelligence is going to revolutionise how we design and predict things, and I think in the future we will see more predictive biology coming alongside synthetic and engineering biology. I think that’s going to be exciting.

How has your work intersected with the RSB over the years and what attracted you to the role of RSB president?

I was first elected as a Fellow in 2014, when I was at the BBSRC, which has long enjoyed a close partnership with the RSB. We co-sponsored Biology Week and the Society’s parliamentary receptions. I was also involved in the Biology Changing the World Blue Plaque Initiative and I was delighted to be at the unveiling of the plaque for Dolly the sheep at the Roslin Institute. More recently I was involved in the A to Z of Biology. Through all those interactions I understood what the Society did, but I have learned much more since I became a trustee in 2023. I can see the opportunities for the organisation to build on its legacy, to really advocate and be the voice of the biosciences more broadly.

Are there any areas of the Society’s work that are of particular interest to you?

The RSB is involved in so many different areas. I think it’s that diversity that attracted me to this role. What the Society is doing in the policy world is really important, of course. And supporting people is fundamental, too, whether it’s professional standards, accreditation, training or support for early-career researchers. With the financial pressures that universities are under, I think we’re starting to see limitations in career opportunities, particularly for earlycareer researchers or people looking to progress in their careers. And we have to pay attention to the environment and culture those people work in as well. I think a lot of people in the biosciences were shocked when the Wellcome Trust published its report on how scientists feel about research culture. [The 2020 report found worryingly high levels of depression and anxiety among researchers, bullying, “unkind and aggressive” working conditions and low levels of job security.] We must pay attention to how we can support and promote a positive research culture – one that supports creativity and collaboration, and values how the research is done. I think we’ll get better research as a result. The RSB is unique because it covers the entire trajectory of someone’s potential career in biology – all the way through primary, secondary and tertiary education, then whether people go into research or innovation, or become technical professionals or teachers. The Society can take a holistic view of all those things, which isn’t something many other organisations can do. And I think it’s really important that we’re paying attention to diversity and inclusion through the Society’s ‘Biosciences for all’ work. Many studies show that if you have a more diverse group of people working on a project, you’ll get superior outcomes. And it’s in this context that I’m excited that the RSB plans to launch a new survey to gather key data on the diversity of our individual members, which will help shape our activities. I’d like to encourage all members to participate!

We want people to be really creative, but that can be difficult in an environment where creativity isn’t always recognised or rewarded

Is there anything in particular that you’re hoping to achieve in your term as president?

It would be great if I could look back after the four-year period and say: “Okay, we’ve connected more deeply with our membership, strengthened the voice of biology and provided thought leadership.” We have more than 25,000 members and 90-plus member organisations, but I don’t think that we leverage their expertise and knowledge sufficiently. Working in partnership with our members, I would like to start a ‘big conversation’ that strategically and creatively considers the future of the biosciences. Part of this would be thinking about the bioscience workforce we need for the future, not just in academia, but across teaching and industry too, and how the Society can contribute most meaningfully. I think the experience I have touches on all of these types of things, spanning the academic research environment and public service.

In terms of bringing even more members into the network, what do you think the next generation of researchers want or expect from an overarching professional body such as the RSB?

I think they want an organisation to see the big picture and really promote the entirety of the biosciences and biology. The subdisciplines and areas will shift and change around that, and will benefit. We have so many learned societies in the biosciences that there could be lots of competing voices. I think we can provide thought leadership and a unified voice. In terms of issues facing life science and life scientists, I think younger people are thinking about what their future will look like and who will be there to advocate for them. I think a lot of early-career researchers are thinking about their futures and whether they want to be in this system, which is very competitive and where sometimes the culture isn’t great. We’ve seen changes to funding, which UKRI is rolling out, but we don’t know what the impact of those will be. So I think it’s important that there’s an organisation that actually looks at the big picture to make sure that the health of the life sciences is maintained across the UK and internationally. Plus having The Biologist is a great organisational publication for keeping up to date with all these things.

You mentioned UKRI’s transition period. Is there anything you can tell us about what might be happening there and what people should expect?

I think we won’t know what the full impact will be for a year or two – or possibly longer. One of the reasons the RSB has contacted UKRI is to try to get some certainty for the community and offer to act as a conduit and a partner for engagement with our community more broadly. I’m interested to see how it works out and how much of a shift there will be from curiosity-driven research to more strategic research, with the Government setting the agenda more than it did in the past. If it shifts too much in the direction of that more strategically focused research, there’s a risk of unintended consequences including the loss of expertise and activity. That’s very difficult to recover once you’ve lost it. We want people to have bold ideas, to be really creative, but that can be difficult in an environment where they feel [creativity] isn’t going to be recognised or rewarded. That’s the problem with these types of changes. I think clarity is really important.

Finally, what is the most memorable moment from your scientific career?

Oh, goodness! I would have to say the RSB’s 10th Anniversary Gala Dinner at the Science Museum in March 2020. I was extremely surprised and absolutely delighted to find myself sitting beside Sir David Attenborough! I had the best time talking to him about all manner of things – such an inspiration and a gentleman.

Tom Ireland MRSB is editor of The Biologist