The LSI DTC provides a comprehensive training programme, and facilitates leading-edge research, in the mathematical, physical, and engineering science techniques that underpin four interlinked application areas at the Life Sciences Interface within the University: biological physics arising from the joint EPSRC/BBSRC IRC in Bionanotechnology based primarily in the Physics Department; medical imaging and signals arising from the joint EPSRC/MRC IRC: From Medical Images and Signals to Useful Clinical Information based primarily in the Engineering Science Department; mathematical genetics and bioinformatics linked to the Oxford Centre for Gene Function and based in the Statistics Department; and Computational Biology arising from the Integrative Biology e-Science Pilot Project and based in the Computing Laboratory. Each of these application areas and associated groups are involved in extensive interdisciplinary collaborations with life sciences and clinical colleagues across the University, and more widely, and each represents a key strategic research direction for both the host depaitinents and the University. Demand for trained researchers in both industry and academia is very strong in all four research areas, and the DTC has very strong industrial input into the programme, including a pilot industry-based D. Phil programme.

Now that the DNA sequence of the human and other genomes has been determined it is necessary to understand how the individual gene products encoded interact with each to generate the complexity characteristic of biological systems. Surface plasmon resonance is a technique that allows interactions between biological molecules such as proteins and nucleic acids to be assessed quantitatively and allows insights into how these interactions regulate biological processes. The BIACORE T100 instrument will be a powerful tool for this cutting edge research and will support not only the seven applicants but other groups in the Schools of Biological and Physical Sciences.

With the increasing move to more electric systems in aircraft, ships and automobiles, there is a need to ensure that electromechanical actuators are designed to satisfy the conflicting specifications of low cost, low volume/weight, high performance and requiring little maintenance. The conclusion of the more for less design philosophy is that power electronic motor drives will be work harder, in harsher environments, for longer periods of time. Scheduled maintenance periods will be longer, and therefore it is imperative that drives, especially those used for safety critical applications will employ prognosis and diagnosis algorithms as part of their basic control structure, to predict and prevent in-service failure. The work proposed here will investigate the production of new signatures for indicating the condition of a motor drive and its load, and also determine how these signatures can be used to determine the type and severity of a fault. The aim is to embed the condition monitoring into the normal operation of an electromechanical actuator, in order to detect and distinguish between faults in the electrical machine, the power converter and the mechanical system.

The PSIBS Doctoral Training Centre (DTC) will focus on the development of the physical sciences of imaging and the computational analysis of image data to address key problems in the biological and biomedical sciences.The importance of Imaging to Bioscience and Medicine has been highlighted both by the N111 and the UK research councils.There is art apparent and growing need for people with these skills within UK industries with diverse business focuses (proposal section 3). This is reflected by their involvement in this PSIBS DTC and their contributions to the training.Two key benefits of training cohorts of students rather than individually funded students are: (1) The PSIBS multi-disciplinary taught programme that will upgrade the skill- and knowledge-base of traditional UK bachelors-level single-discipline graduates to underpin and enable cross-disciplinary PhD research. (ii) The students will develop extensive and cross-disciplinary links and networks, both with other PSIBS students and the many PSIBS academics, which will persist throughout their future research careers.Imaging technology is evolving faster than the standard grant turnaround time and dynamic, responsive PhD research within a critical mass of experts will enable (a) rapid response and (b) cutting edge research against our overseas competitors (proposal section 4).

This proposal is for the renewal of the block grant for the Engineering Innovative Manufacturing Centre at the University of Bath. The Centre is unique in combining a design focus with a strong emphasis on manufacture in a closely integrated group. The context of the Centre's work is:* globally distributed design and manufacture of complex products and processes;* pressure on price, quality and timescale;* the move from test-based (physical prototypes) to simulation-based (virtual prototypes) engineering* the movement towards sustainable engineering practice. * the key importance in engineering of knowledge and information management. The Bath Engineering IMRC's mission is to develop tools, methods and knowledge, underpinned by appropriate theory and fundamental research, to support engineering enterprises in these new circumstances. In particular, the focus of the Centre is on whole life design information and knowledge management, and improving the design of machines, processes and systems.