Professor Helen Sang of The Roslin Institute has been announced as one of five new members appointed to the Council of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) by the Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts. Image The new members are: Doctor Neil Brewis Professor Richard Cogdell Professor Margaret Dallman Professor Judith Petts Professor Helen Sang The appointments are with affect from 1 April 2014 and will run until 31 March 2018. I am pleased to welcome the new members to BBSRC Council during its 20th anniversary. As we look back on our achievements over the last two decades, it is clear that our new and reappointed council members have played an important role in shaping the UK's world-leading bioscience landscape. I am delighted that their academic and commercial expertise will help to further enhance BBSRC's capabilities in the coming years. Professor Sir Tom Blundell FRSBBSRC Chair Professor Helen Sang is Personal Chair in Vertebrate Molecular Development at The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh. Helen's main research focus at The Roslin Institute is the development of technologies for genetic modification of the chicken. These technologies have been applied in several areas of research and are being applied to studies using the chick as a model for vertebrate development. Having developed genetic modification of the chicken, particularly in regards to generating chickens resistant to bird flu, Helen has been involved in many public engagement activities, working with the Science Media Centre and engaging with the public at various festivals and events. Helen has been a member of the BBSRC Bioscience for Industry Panel for the last three years, was previously a member of response mode grants committees and the former Studentships and Fellowships Committee, and has spent eight years on the Executive Committee of the UK Genetics Society. For more about this story, please go to: www.bbsrc.ac.uk/news/people-skills-training/2014/140411-pr-bbsrc-announces-new-council-members.aspx