AN award-winning biologist is to join the University of Dundee as part of a prestigious fellowship which helps scientific research leaders of the future.

Dr Sebastian Eves-van den Akker will take up post in the university's Division of Plant Sciences, based at The James Hutton Institute, in February.

He has been awarded an Anniversary Future Leadership Fellowship (AFLF) of £300,000 from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).

The scheme enables scientists starting out in their career to carry out independent research while receiving support to gain leadership skills.

He will collaborate with Paul Birch, deputy head of Division of Plant Sciences at Dundee, and will also spend part of his time at the John Innes Centre in Norwich.

Dr Eves-van den Akker said: "I am thrilled to be given such a prestigious award and keen to get started. The chance to work on an area of particular interest at two fantastic host institutions is the best possible career start following my PhD."

Dr Celia Caulcott, BBSRC Executive Director of Innovation & Skills, said: "Our Anniversary Future Leader Fellowships enable us to develop future research leaders in areas of fundamental importance to BBSRC and UK bioscience, by providing support for their development as independent researchers.

"In doing so, BBSRC demonstrates its continued investment in supporting the UK bioscience research base to deliver world-leading research with wide-ranging benefits for society."

Fellows will receive funding for research, a personal salary, provisions and training as part of the AFLF investment.