Dr Sayavedra is one of 15 promising researchers around the UK to be awarded BBSRC fellowships and she will be researching nitrogen fixation in the human gut by sulphate-reducing bacteria.

“It’s a real honour to be awarded this BBSRC Discovery Fellowship and I’m looking forward to developing my research career here at the Quadram Institute,” said Lizbeth.

Dr Sayavedra did her MSc and PhD at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology Germany. Her PhD focused on host-symbiont interaction and metabolism of sulphur-oxidising and methane-oxidising symbionts from deep-sea mussels. She has since then work on sulphate and sulphite-reducing bacteria and their impact on human gut health at the Quadram Institute.

BBSRC has announced a £6 million investment in the future of biosciences, awarding prestigious fellowships to the 15 promising researchers.

Now entering its 10th year, the BBSRC Fellowship Scheme has become a cornerstone for supporting emerging bioscience leaders, offering early-career researchers a unique opportunity to pursue independent research.

From unravelling the genomic secrets of timekeeping in mammals to nitrogen fixation in the human gut, our Fellows will tackle challenges that extend the frontiers of bioscience knowledge and application.

Dr Robert Hardwick, Interim Associate Director for People, Talent and Culture at the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), said:

“We are immensely proud to support these fifteen outstanding researchers through our Fellowship scheme. Their projects not only demonstrate remarkable scientific promise, but also the potential to address pressing global challenges.

With BBSRC’s support, they are well-placed to lead innovative and impactful research. This latest investment underscores BBSRC’s firm commitment to fostering the next generation of scientific leadership in UK bioscience. I extend my congratulations to our new fellows and look forward to seeing where your curiosity and dedication will lead you.”

BBSRC fellowships are designed for ambitious early-career researchers aspiring to make substantial contributions to their fields. A PhD isn’t essential, but a bold vision for the future is.