Training
BUILDING ENTREPRENEURIAL SKILLS
TRAINING NEED
DEPTH AND BREADTH 
ACROSS DISCIPLINES
PROBLEM-SOLVING IN 
MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS
WORLD LEADING SCIENTIFIC 
RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE
OPPORTUNITY TO WORK 
ACROSS NATIONAL AND 
INTERNATIONAL SITES
ENTREPRENEURSHIP, 
INNOVATION, IP 
TRANSLATION
LEADERSHIP MANAGEMENT
RESPONSIBLE INNOVATION
COMMUNICATION, IMPACT, 
OUTREACH
EMPLOYABILITY
PREVENT
DETECT
MANAGE
ENGINEER
Knowledge-based design 
of surfaces, interfaces and 
materials
Innovative sensing, 
tracking and diagnostic 
technologies
Kill, remove or control 
established biofilms from 
exploiting their life cycle 
dynamics
Control and direct complex 
microbial communities in 
process applications
WORLD-CLASS RESEARCH PLATFORMS
SECTORIAL CHALLENGES
AMR
‘OMICS AND 
BIOINFORMATICS
FUNCTION 
& ACTIVITY
COMPLEX COMMUNITY 
INTERACTIONS
INTERFACIAL 
INTERACTIONS
PREDICTIVE 
MODELLING
NEXT GENERATION 
IMAGING & SENSING
ENGINEERED INTERFACES 
AND MATERIALS
BIG DATA
IMPROVED HEALTH
GROWTH THROUGH BIOTECH 
AND BIO-REFINERY
PREVENT CORROSION 
AND BIOFOULING
NEXT GENERATION 
ENABLING TECH
IMPROVED CONSUMER 
PRODUCTS
SAFE FOOD
The mission of the NBIC skills training strategy is to deliver a diverse and rewarding training 
programme that addresses skills gaps and equips the biofilm innovation ecosystem with 
the interdisciplinary research, innovation, and business skills necessary to nurture and 
upskill the next generation of leaders in the UK Bioeconomy. This aligns closely to the UK 
Government’s R&D roadmap, which states that ‘delivering a trained R&D workforce for 
industry is a key component of how the UK academic and industry sectors must work 
together to address national innovation ambitions’. Our skills training strategy includes:
•	 Doctoral Training: We have combined the NBIC Doctoral Training Centre in Biofilms Innovation, 
Technology and Engineering (BITE) with the BBSRC-funded industry-led Collaborative Training 
Partnerships (CTP) programme to create a single national BITE training programme.
•	 Upskilling Industry: We have extended our training for industrial delegates and key stakeholders through 
access to bespoke technical modules, developed under BITE, to ensure cross-sectoral industrial upskilling.  
•	 Entrepreneurship, Commercialisation and Connectivity: NBIC’s partnership with the Edinburgh 
Business School, Software Sustainability Institute and the Innovate UK, and SETsquared ICURe programme 
provide researchers and academics, at various points of their career, with entrepreneurial and business 
training to better understand the commercial environment. This year, NBIC launched the Biofilms ICURe 
Discover programme in June 2026 with 12 teams. Positioned as the next stage following Engage within 
the ICURe pathway, this programme supports participants in further developing early-stage ideas and 
building the confidence and capability required to undertake more in-depth market exploration. 
43

View this content as a flipbook by clicking here.