Two researchers from the University of Bath have been awarded funding from the Academy of Medical Sciences, as part of a £6.7 million programme to test new ideas in tackling the global health challenges of Type 2 diabetes and antimicrobial resistance.
Dr Íris Luz Batalha from the Department of Life Sciences and Dr Maria Shchepinova from the Department of Chemistry are two of only 55 researchers from across the UK to receive these awards.
Delivered through the Academy’s flagship Springboard programme , the grants support curiosity-driven, discovery-stage research – the foundational science that underpins future treatments and interventions.
The awards support researchers to take their first steps as independent group leaders, testing bold ideas with the potential to improve lives, reduce health inequalities and strengthen the UK’s long-term research base.
Now in its eleventh year, Springboard supports researchers at a critical point in their careers, when many are establishing laboratories for the first time and need the freedom to explore ambitious questions.
Tackling antibiotic resistance through targeted drug release
In the University’s Department of Life Sciences , Dr Íris Luz Batalha is developing a pioneering technology to transform the treatment of life-threatening infections.
Her project, CellScan, addresses the critical challenge of antimicrobial resistance by moving away from high-dose, systemic antibiotics that can damage healthy tissue and encourage antimicrobial resistance.
The project aims to create a precision-targeted therapy by engineering nanoparticles that act as biosensors. These drug-containing particles will be designed to detect the metabolic fingerprints that infected cells naturally display on their surface and release medication exactly where it is needed. This approach offers a universal platform for localised drug delivery that could be adapted to treat a wide range of infections across diverse patient populations.
Dr Batalha said: “I am incredibly grateful for this support from the Academy of Medical Sciences, which allows us to tackle one of the most pressing health challenges of our time: antimicrobial resistance.
“Most of us have experienced the toll of a severe bacterial infection, or have watched someone we care about struggle, or even die, because of one.
“Unfortunately, this is not a problem that is going away; bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to the antibiotics we have, and we desperately need new ways of fighting back.
“For too long, our approach to treating an infection has been a bit like setting off an alarm for a whole city when we really just need a quiet knock on the right door.
“Our bodies already have a remarkable way of flagging infected cells by sending out specific ‘SOS’ signals.
“With CellScan, we are building the technology to recognise these unique chemical signatures and deliver help directly.
“By ensuring the right drug dose reaches the right place at the right time, we can reduce side effects and give bacteria fewer chances to develop resistance. My hope is that this research leads to treatments that are not only more effective, but also much kinder to the patients who need them.”
Understanding why the drugs don’t work
Dr Maria Shchepinova, from the University’s Department of Chemistry has also been awarded funding for her project, which investigates why some treatments for Type 2 diabetes (T2D) don’t work for everyone.
Type 2 diabetes is a growing health crisis affecting around 10% of people aged 20-79 across the world. Leading T2D drugs, such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, work by targeting specific cell surface proteins called GPCRs. However, these drugs can cause side-effects and require painful injections, whereas many similar drugs work inconsistently between patients or fail in trials. The Springboard Award will explore a novel perspective on why this happens.
Dr Shchepinova, said: “In T2D, oxidative cellular damage called lipid peroxidation creates harmful substances that permanently stick to proteins in cell membranes, right where the GPCRs reside.
“This project will reveal whether lipid peroxidation alters GPCR function, causing the drugs to fail.
“Ultimately, this will guide smarter, personalized therapies tailored to an individual’s level of cellular oxidative damage.
“I’m beyond thrilled and honoured to get the Springboard Award at such a defining moment in my career.
“I am grateful to the University of Bath, the AMS panel, and the reviewers for believing in my idea and supporting me in so many ways – through resources, mentorship, visibility and networking. This is truly incredible. Thank you!”
Turning ideas into impactful research
The awards are supported by the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Wellcome and the British Heart Foundation, and give early career researchers the time and flexibility to turn promising ideas into impactful research.
Professor James Naismith FRS FRSE FMedSci, Vice President (Non-Clinical) at the Academy of Medical Sciences, said: “The transition to research leadership is one of the most challenging stages in a research career, yet it is also when creativity is often at its strongest.
“Springboard invests in people at the moment when bold ideas begin to take shape, providing the freedom, confidence and backing researchers need to strike out on their own and ask big questions.
“The projects announced today show the impact this approach can have – demonstrating how early support can translate into meaningful benefits for patients, communities and the wider health system.”
UK Science Minister Lord Vallance FMedSci said: “To tackle cruel diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and chronic pain, and ultimately save lives, we must help researchers to take their ambitious discovery-stage work to the next level.
“This support is backing researchers at a stage where attracting commercial investment can be a challenge and builds on the Government’s record investment in research – unlocking more discoveries that benefit people across the UK and beyond.”