A N NU A L REV I E W April 2007 – March 2008

8/6/2019 A N NU A L REV I E W April 2007 – March 2008

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A N N U A L R E V I E W

April 2007 – March 2008

Royal Societyof Edinburgh

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providing public benefit through:

increasing the number of world-class scienceand culture researchers working in Scotland

Arts & Humanities AwardsFollowing the success of the Society’s pilot scheme in Arts and Humanities in 2007,the development phase of this new scheme was advanced with the introduction

of Research Networks which are designed to create and/or to consolidatecollaborative partnerships over a two year period. ‘Partnerships’ may be definedin a range of ways, and may involve collaboration between colleagues in differentdisciplines (which may extend into areas beyond the arts and humanities), indifferent HEIs, and/or in HEIs and Scottish Cultural Institutions. Two Networkawards were made in early 2008 along with three Workshop awards. The Societyplans to continue the development of this award scheme by providing smallresearch grants in 2008/09.

Lloyds TSB Foundation for ScotlandIn 1999 Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland began funding research awards administered

by the RSE. Since then, 29 academic researchers have been funded for research into themedical, psychological, sociological or economic consequences of ageing. In 2007, onethree-year Personal Fellowship, one year-long Support Fellowship, and one three-yearResearch Studentship were awarded. Funding was also made available for ResearchWorkshops and the first two of these were awarded to Marion McGee-Lennon of theUniversity of Glasgow, on behalf of Mobilising Advanced Technologies for Care at Home

(MATCH), for a workshop entitled Including Stakeholders in theDesign ofHomeCare Technology and a joint project between Dr Kathleen Riach of the University of Glasgowand Dr Wendy Lorreto of the University of Edinburgh for a project entitled, The changing workinglives of the over-50s: control, choice andflexibility.

Recognising ExcellenceThe Royal Medals of the Royal Society of Edinburgh are its most prestigious awardsrecognising research excellence and scholarship. The 2007 medals were awarded toSir Thomas McKillop FRSE, (pictured right – back) for his outstanding contribution to

business and public service in Scotland and internationally, particularly in the fields of biotechnology and finance; to Professor John Laver CBE FRSE (back – middle) for hisoutstanding contributions to the Humanities and Social Sciences, particularly in the fieldof phonetics, and his inspired academic leadership; and, to Professor Sir David CarterFRSE, (left – back) for his outstanding contribution to Life Sciences as a Surgeon, a clinicalacademic and a leader in the field both nationally and internationally. The awards werepresented by HRHThe Duke of Edinburgh, KG, KT at the RSE Summer Soirée held atEdinburgh’s Telford College in July. The evening also marked the 250th Anniversaryof the birth of Thomas Telford. At the meeting Dr Andrew Viterbi was awarded theinaugural IEEE/RSE/Wolfson, James Clerk Maxwell Award. (pictured front – left with

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and SirMichael Atiyah).

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improving connections between businessand academia

Gannochy Trust Innovation AwardThe Gannochy Trust Innovation Award of the Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland’shighest accolade for individual achievement in innovation. It was created in 2003, in

partnership with the Gannochy Trust, to encourage and reward Scotland’s younginnovators for work which benefits Scotland’s well-being. The purpose of the awardis to encourage younger people to pursue careers in fields of research which promoteScotland’s inventiveness internationally, and to recognise outstanding individualachievement which contributes to the common good of Scotland. In 2007 this award waspresented to Dr Andrew Mearns Spragg of Aquapharm Bio-discovery Ltd, Oban, for hisinnovative development of antibiotics from marine micro-organisms, to target chronicmulti-drug-resistant infections, including MRSA. The award was presented to Dr MearnsSpragg by Sir Michael Atiyah PRSE at the Royal Museum of Scotland in October 2007(pictured). The Trust also announced its commitment to continue to fund the award fora further three years and the RSE is extremely grateful for this continuing support.

Renewed funding forScottish Enterprise / RSE FellowshipsFollowing a positive independent reviewby Ernst & Young of the Scottish Enterprise RSEFellowships programme, theBoard of Scottish Enterprise agreedto fund the programmeforanother five years with an overallfunding package of £5.6 m, making availablea total of sixty Fellowships. An event to celebrate tenyearsof theRSE/SE Enterprise Fellowships andto launch PhaseIIIof theprogramme was held in the MitchellLibrary, Glasgow, in March

2008. The keynote speaker was SirTom Hunter(pictured left with Dr Sonia Schulenberg) who encouraged the Enterprise Fellows present by telling them “Scotland needsyou!”An exhibition of nineteen photographs of Enterprise Fellows,commissioned by ScottishEnterprise, ran throughout the evening. The Entrepreneurial Exchange providedtheirphotographs of well known established, entrepreneurs basedin Scotland,to addto theevent.

RSE Entrepreneurs’ ClubThe RSE Entrepreneurs’ Club, launched, in January 2005, comprises all past and currentEnterprise Fellows of the Society. These individuals are people who have a concept,developed from their academic research, which they feel is worth commercialising andhave the desire to form a spin-out company. The Enterprise Fellows have been, or arecurrently being funded by: Scottish Enterprise; the Science and Technology FacilitiesCouncil (STFC) (formerly PPARC); and the Biotechnology and BiologicalSciencesResearchCouncil (BBSRC). The RSE Entrepreneurs’ Club meets twice a yearand providesan opportunity for the Fellows to meet up and network. In April 07the club met at theScottish National PortraitGallery around the Entrepreneurial Scotland photographicexhibition. Dr David Sibbald FRSE was the speaker at the event, chaired by ProfessorWalter Nimmo, Convenor of theRSE’s Enterprise Fellowship Committee. In October, theClub held a discussion dinner(pictured). Again chaired by ProfessorNimmo,past EnterpriseFellows, Dr John March andDr Sonia Schulenburg together with ProfessorIan Underwood

FRSE gave their views on the themeof thediscussion,Commercialisation: thegood, thebad andthe ugly! Mr BobRichards, a businessmentorfortheEnterprise Fellowship Programmealso spoke andprovided sound adviceon customersand sales.



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increasing the number of people in Scotlandwho adopt science as a career

Schools Lecture ProgrammeThe RSE actively supports the education of young people throughout Scotland,from Dumfries to the Highlands and Islands, covering diverse topics, including forensic

science, astronomy, genetics, physics, biology, the chemistry used in common medicinesand the science behind computers. During 2007 lecturers visited schools and delivered the RSE@Schools programme to primary 6/7 and secondary school pupils to stimulate anddevelop interest in science, society and culture and to enthuse them about the relationship

between subjects studied at school and their daily lives. In 2007 Mrs Winifred Sillitto, wifeof the late Mr Richard M Sillitto FRSE, an experimental physicist, donated £32,000 toencourage young people to develop an interest in physics. As a result, a separate series of physics lectures was established which led to an increased uptake of the RSE@Schools physics lectures. The RSE is grateful to Mrs Sillitto and to the other generous individualsand organisations that provide donations and support to the programme.

The RSE Annual Inspiration AwardsThe 2007 Annual Inspiration Awards ceremony was held at the RSE in October.Sir Michael Atiyah welcomed 65 invited guests, thanking them for their continuedsupport of the RSE’s Young People’s programme. He emphasised the RSE’s commitmentto promoting science and technology and the arts and culture to young people throughoutScotland, recognising thata high level of scientific literacy and arts appreciation is crucialfor the future prosperity of Scotland. The RSE’sprogramme of events for Young People ispresented by volunteer expertsfrom academia and industry, many of whom are Fellows

of the Society. Six of these volunteerswere recognised at the meeting and the awards were presented by the President and Professor Miles Padgett, the Convenor of the YoungPeople’s committee. The awards, given in recognition of long-standing contributions to theprogramme, were presented this year to: Professor Thomas Krauss, Dr Susan Armstrong,Dr ValMann (pictured), Mr Bob Kibble, Professor Anthony Busuttil and Dr Bruce Davies.

SET (Science, Engineering and Technology)Summer SchoolThe RSE organises theSET SummerSchoolannually at Heriot-Watt University inEdinburgh in partnership with Heriot-Watt and supported by the City of Edinburgh,Midlothian, East Lothian and West Lothian councils. Two week-long courses were held in

July and Augustwhen local S5 and S6 pupils were offered theopportunity to experience university life and to explore the broad range of subjects on offer in a relaxed and informalsetting. Throughout the week the pupils participated in various activities, includinganumber of interactive workshops and group-work sessions covering differentapproachesto studying at university compared to schooland offering hints on areas such as best-exampractice and how to manage finances and balance studies with social life. On the last day of each week, the pupils gave presentations in groupsto staff andparents/carers about whatthey had gained from the week. Their feedback waspositive and enthusiastic.



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enhancing the public’s appreciation andunderstanding of science and culture issues

Arbroath ProjectA year-long programme of educational activitiesin Arbroath was launched in February 2008.This is a new venturein which the RSE is focusing on one geographical area, beyond the central

belt. Working collaboratively, key organisations in and around the town are teaming up tocelebrate and explore the achievements and culturaldiversity of Arbroath. The activities are

being delivered by drawing upon a combination of local and outside expertise, including RSEFellows, Arbroath Primary and Secondary schools, Angus College, youth and drama groups, businesses, the local Council and the tourist board. The opportunity for the RSE to join forces with these community organisations arose from the enthusiastic reception thatvisiting RSEspeaker, Professor SueBlackOBE, FRSE received when she gave talks in Arbroath Academyon Identity and Forensic Anthropology in 2004. RSE@Arbroath encompasses the arts andhumanities, as well as science and technology-based subjects. The programme willculminatein the RSE Christmas Lecture, in December 2008 given by Professor Anne Glover FRSE,the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Scottish Government, who also hails from Arbroath.

Tall Tales eventThis event took place in September2007, starting with a lecture delivered by Professor MichaelCorballis,Department of Psychology, University of Auckland andProfessor James Alcock,Departmentof Psychology, University of York, Toronto. This wasfollowedby a two-day

conference at OurDynamic Earth, which aimed to unravel psychology and neuroscience topicsthat are seen in thepopular press butoften misinterpreted – so-calledTallTales . Topicsdiscussedchallenged conventional thinking and explored myths and ‘old wivestales’. The conference was

uniquein that ratherthan sharing scientific issueswith ‘peers’, it wasintended to disseminateknowledge and aimed mainly at high-school teachers and their upper-year pupils, along withscience journalistsand otherinterested lay-people.

Civil liberties TrialA Mock Trial, chaired by Dr Magnus Linklater FRSE was staged at the Society in November 2007

before a capacity audience, who acted as jurors. The debate centred on the question, Are ourcivil

libertiesbeingundulyeroded? The protagonists were Baroness Helena Kennedy QC (pictured), who led three witnesses: Shami Chakrabarti, Director of Liberty; Henry Porter, Novelist and Journalist; and, Roy Martin QC,former Dean of the Faculty of Advocates arguing for theproposition and Lord (Charlie) Falconer, PC QC arguing to the contrary, leading Lord Elder,House of Lords; AlistairBonnington, Solicitor to the BBC in Scotland; and Lord McCluskey,former Solicitor General for Scotland. This interesting and entertaining debate can be viewedon the Society’s website.

RSE JournalsThe RSE continued its long tradition of publishing learned journals, with its two journalsTransactions of theRoyalSociety ofEdinburgh:EarthSciences and Proceedings of theRoyalSociety of Edinburgh,SectionA:Mathematics . In 2007, Transactions was re-titled EarthandEnvironmental Science Transactions of theRoyalSociety ofEdinburghand re-launched, with a broader remit and a

modern full-colour cover design. Copies of the journals are sent to over 200 University Libraries,Academies and Institutions world-wide, as part of the Society’s long-standing exchangeprogramme. The journals are highly regarded by academics as publication vehicles for theirresearch, and they both maintain a respectably high impact factor in comparison with similar

journals in their fields.



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informing and influencing public decisions

Hills & IslandsIn May 2007, the RSE launched an Inquiry into the Future of Scotland’s Hill and IslandAreas, to find ways to help secure a prosperous and environmentally-sustainable futurefor Scotland’s rural areas, especially the more economically-fragile communities. The

inquiry reportwill make recommendations that seek to respond not only to threats posed by changes in agricultural support as a result of present and anticipated reform to theCommon Agricultural Policy, but also to the opportunities for expansion in other parts of the economy, such as tourism and forestry, and measures to safeguard the environment.Over the course of the year, the Inquiry committee received over 80 pieces of writtenevidence, and heard oral evidence from 25 organisations at the RSE, and from numerousstakeholders across the country during its visits to Islay, Mull, Skye, Selkirk, Dumfries,Inverness, the Western Isles, Orkney, Shetland and Aberdeenshire. The Committee also

visited the Republic of Ireland to learn from approaches taken there, and met withmembers of the EU Commission in Brussels. The Committee of Inquiry was chaired

by Professor Gavin McCrone FRSE (pictured at the Inquiry launch).

Consultations/responsesUsing the expertise of its Fellows, the RSE responded to various consultations andsubmitted evidence and advice to eleven parties, including the Scottish Parliament RuralAffairs and Environment Committee’sInquiry on Flooding and Flood Management,The House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee Inquiry into the Economic Impactof Immigration, and The House of Commons Science and Technology SelectCommittee’s Inquiry into Renewable Energy-Generation Technologies. Thesesubmissions are available on the RSE website. Most of these responseswere carried

out using small expert working groups.

Cross party groupThis year, the RSE and The Royal Society of Chemistry jointly appointed their firstScottish-based Parliamentary Liaison Officer, Bristow Muldoon. Thepost hasbeen createdto make it easier for MSPs and Researchers of allparties to tap into the wide rangingknowledgeand expertise both organisations offer. The Society encouraged theestablishmentof a Cross Party Group in theScottish Parliament on Science and Technologyto stimulate debate amongst MSPs on current issuesof relevanceand interest to policymakers. Formally recognised by theParliament, the group elected Dr ElaineMurray MSPand Dr Bill Wilson MSP as Co-conveners. All political parties in theParliament arerepresented, and a broad range of organisations with an interest in science have expressedan interest in supporting the group. The first main meeting took place in May 2008 on thetopic of carboncapture and storage.



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One of the main purposes of the RSE InternationalProgramme is to award short-term travel grants toenable Scottish-based researchers to establish linkswith colleagues in other countries with a view to a

long lasting collaboration, through joint publicationsand joint applications for longer-term funds.The following are excerpts from three reports of visitssupported by the International Exchange Programme.

Scottish based host:Dr David Middleton,The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Visitor: Dr Pramote Triboun,Bangkok Herbarium, Thailand

RSE / Scottish Government International Exchange

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is oneof the world’s leading herbaria for holdings of tropicalAsian plants. RBGE’s long history of research onGesneriaceae (theAfrican Violet family) makes it anindispensable location for research on Southeast AsianGesneriaceae. An important component of the

understorey vegetation in tropical forests, theGesneriaceae of Thailand are currently poorly known.A programme of research has been initiated as acollaborative project between Scottish and Thai botaniststo provide a thorough taxonomic account of the family

within five years. Dr Pramote Triboun is the principalThai collaborator and, once complete, his work willprovide an important contribution to the overallrevision of the Gesneriaceae for the Flora of Thailand.Dr Triboun worked on the genera Paraboea andTrisepalum in Thailand when in Edinburgh. Over 400specimens were examined for morphological characters,species were delimited and preliminary descriptionsprepared. He has continuedhis work on these genera

back in Thailand and his current assessment is that thereare about 40 species of Paraboea and twelve speciesof Trisepalum in thecountry, including six new speciesof each genus. He is presenting his work at aninternational conferencein Copenhagen in August 2008.

Discussions were also held with Dr Michael Möller of RBGE. Dr Möller conducts research on theevolutionaryrelationships within Gesneriaceae and Dr Triboun willprovide materials from his fieldwork in Thailand forthese investigations.

Scottish based host:Dr James Brockmole, University of Edinburgh

Visitor: Dr Walter Boot, University of IllinoisUrbana-Champaign, USA


What determines the allocation of visual attentionin a scene? Focusing on fundamental human responses,the answers to this question have far-reaching implicationsin education, advertising andallareas of life that involve

visual communication. Several studies were conducted attheUniversity of Edinburghby Dr Boot andDr Brockmoleto answer the question of whether unique items not onlyhave the ability to capture attention, but to hold attentionas well. It was found that unique features that typicallycapture attention have very little power to hold attention.

However, unique items that violate the observers’expectations do seem to hold attention, even when theseitems are completely irrelevant to the primary task.

During the visit, new lines of research were initiated,data collected and results obtained that have importantimplications for both models of visual attention and visualsearch. Active collaboration between the universities isongoing, a manuscript on the findings is to be producedand further research will be undertaken.

Dr Neil Stuart, Institute of Geography,

University of EdinburghVisited: Keizo Nonomura, Rural Development Bureau,Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tokyo, Japan


Dr Stuart used his visit to refine a technique for producingcomputer mapping of less favourable areas foragriculture.Originally created for use in Scotland, he discussed howsimilar methods could be developed for use in Japan.His hosts considered the visit to be particularly timely.Both the Japanese and Scottish governments recognisethe need to identify remoter and less productive areas as

a first stage in developing policies to support agriculturein disadvantaged areas. During the visit, Dr Stuart hosteda seminar and had meetings with senior staff in theMinistry, also giving presentations to Japan’s NationalAgriculture and Food Research Organisation and toacademics at the University of Tsukaba.

International Case Studies



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Dr Sabrina Malpede,Co-founder and Director of SMAR-Azure Ltd

RSE/ SE Enterprise Fellowship (2003– 2004)

Sabrina Malpede is co-founder andmanagingdirectorof SMAR-Azure Ltd, an Edinburgh-basedcompany that develops and provides softwaretechnology andconsultancy services foroptimaldesignsolutionsto leading sail, sailclothandmastmakers and yachtdesigners.

As a result of theintegrated aerodynamic, structuralandaeroelastic analysismethods, oneof its commerciallyavailable products allows simulation of the behaviourof sails in realistic working conditions, aiding in theiroptimisation.

SMAR-Azure,was setup in October 2004,when

Sabrina completed an RSE/SE Enterprise Fellowshipand was awarded a SMART:Scotland Award.SMAR-Azure has four full-timeand three part-timeemployees. TheCompany has captured theinterest of themain sail designers worldwide, with £150,000salesin 2007– 2008, predicted to double in 2008– 2009.SMAR-Azure’s sails are already winning competitionsand Sabrina recently received a 2nd place award at theprestigious ‘Premio Italiano perla Vela’ organisedbythe Italian Naval Academy.

Sabrina believes that the RSE Enterprise Fellowshipprovided a unique opportunity to puther entrepreneurialplan into action. Firstly, it enabled her to devotetwelvemonthsfull-time to thebusiness (evaluatingthe marketingopportunityanddeveloping a viable business plan).Secondly,duringthat year shereceivedcritical adviceand support from knowledgeable professionals, such aslawyers, accountants andprivate investors, whowere ableto help with a broad spectrum of issues. Some of thesecontacts have proved to be extremely important duringthefollowing years, offering vitalexpertisein areas

where young companies tend to be wanting, such asintellectual-property protection, business-planningand building strategic alliances.

Dr Andrew Almond, Chief Executive of Conformetrix

RSE / BBSRC Enterprise Fellowship (2007–2008)

Expediting drug discovery by determining

the 3-D structure of small key molecules The cost of producing new drugs and the number thatare being brought to market are going in the wrongdirection for the pharmaceutical industry and thus, ultimately, the patient. New research and developmenttools are needed to reverse this trend, in order to speeddevelopment times, improve success rates and reduce costs.Accurate computational drug design is currently oneof the ‘holy grail’ approaches that could achieve this.However, one of the major barriers to using computersin drug design is a lack of reliable 3-D shape informationfor the small molecules that are typically the basis of drugs, leading to computational drug modellingexercises that are frustratingly described by the maxim,‘garbage in, garbage out.’

To address this important need, Conformetrix hasdeveloped a novel platform technology that can rapidlyand accurately determine the 3-D shape of small moleculesin solution from experimental data. In contrast to existingtechnologies, the high accuracy of its proprietary solution

uniquely facilitates a wide range of medicinal chemistryapproaches across the drug discovery pipeline, such asproviding rational relationships between chemistry andactivity during the design phase. Ultimately, Conformetrixintends to be the leading supplier of this small molecule3-D structure information to the pharmaceutical sectorand aims to licence its platform technology to majorpharmaceutical clients.

The Enterprise Fellowship is providing the Chief Executiveof Conformetrix, Dr Andrew Almond, with the skillsand support to develop an investor-ready business planand its team the time to perfect their research anddevelopment efforts and work towards an automatedsolution that can provide the short turn-around timesdemanded by industry.

Case Studies



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Dr Andrew Mearns Spragg,CEO of Aquapharm Biodiscovery Ltd

Gannochy Trust Innovation Award of the Royal Societyof Edinburgh, 2007

From the seabed to the hospital bed Based at theEuropeanCentre forMarine Biotechnology(ECMB) near Oban, Aquapharm Biodiscovery Ltdispioneering thediscovery of new bioactive moleculesproduced from microbes found in thesea. Aquapharmsecured over £1.25m in equity and grant funding in 2005and completeda £4.2m seriesinvestment in July 2007.Thecompany’s focus is thedevelopment of itsantimicrobial discovery and development projectsanddeveloping novel ingredients for nutrition andhealthcareincludingnew anti-oxidantsand anti-inflammatories.Thecompany hasalso seen continued commercial success,

securing a royalty-bearing license deal in December 2007.Dr Mearns Spragg is using the £50,000 Gannochy award tohelp with the preclinical development of a novelantibioticcompound (P-216CM), isolatedfrom a new species of marine micro-organism active against MRSA. A positiveoutcome of tests will allow the company to develop thecompound into late preclinicalstage. This will enhancethefirm’sability to either license out thecompound topharmaceutical companies or raise moreequity financingto advance the molecule into human trials and socontribute further to Scotland’s knowledge-economy.

Dr Rosalind Allen, The University of EdinburghRSE / Scottish Government Personal ResearchFellowship 2006 –2009

Rare events in non-equilibrium systems

Dr Allen’s research focuses on rare events innonequilibrium systems. Rare events happen rapidly,

yet very infrequently: examples include earthquakesand computer system failures. Computer simulationsare an obvious tool for studying this kind of event,

yet simulating rare events is notoriously difficult.This is because few, if any, events happen in a typicalsimulation run, making it impossible to collect good

statistics from the simulations. In Dr Allen’s previous work, she developed a method, known as Forward FluxSampling (FFS), for the efficient simulation of rareevents. This method extracts the information on therare events of interest, without the need to simulatethe uninteresting waiting times between events.

The award of an RSE/Scottish Government PersonalResearch Fellowship has allowed Dr Allen to furtherdevelop the FFS method, as well as applying it to a wide

variety of different rare event problems.

Ravindran Manoharan, The University of Aberdeen

J.M. Lessells Travel Scholarship

Visited MP Interconsulting, Le Locle, Switerzerland,September– November 2005

Novel excitation system for the study of nonlinear acoustics as a tool for non-destructive testing of ground anchorages

Ground anchorages are safety critical elementsemployed in almost all types of civil, structural and

geotechnical applications. Current test methods for ground anchorages involve bulky system and aredestructive in nature while non-destructive test (NDT)methods which are portable, require expertise andare expensive and time-consuming to setup and test.Hence, only small proportions, between 5 and 10%of anchorages are actually monitored in service.

The purpose of the research initiative was toinvestigate a novel concept of high frequency vibrationtechnique as an NDT tool for the integrity assessmentof ground anchorages. The collaborative work was carriedout with MP Interconsulting and VSL International Ltd,Switzerland. Based on the valuable findings of thisresearch work, a new test system was conceptualised

and developed and extensive testing was carried out onfull-scale rock bolt samples at the University of Aberdeenin order to assess the potential of the system.

The NDT system can be designed to be highly portable whilstbeing robustand easy to use, requires minimal setupand testing time andis capable of assessingall major aspectsof integrity of a ground anchorage system in a single testhence, a larger proportion of bolts can tested in practice.This would ideally increase the safety, efficiency andproductivity of operationsand reduce catastrophic failures.The method can be potentially applied to almost all typesof ground anchorages and steel reinforcements. Currently

a patentapplication is being pursued. A number of majorcivil, structural and mining companies have expressedakeen interest on theNDT system. The funding provided bythe RSE was central to the development of the concept andrealisation of the NDTsystem.

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Professor John R Speakman,The University of Aberdeen

RSE / Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland SupportResearch Fellow 2007–2008

Experimental induction of uncoupling as a mechanism

for reducing free-radical production: an experimental test in the mouse .

One of the most enduring ideas about ageing is that it islinked in some way to our expenditure of energy. This ideais encapsulatedin many popular idioms such as ‘living fast

but dying young’ and ‘burning the candle at both ends’, both of which imply that expending largeamounts of energy will be detrimentalto ourlifespan. In the1950s thisidea (often called the ‘rate of living’ theory) was given apotentialmechanismwhen it was shown that oxidativephosphorylation in mitochondria is a potent sourceof free-radicals that may be implicated directlyin theageing

process by thedamagethey cause to macromoleculessuchas lipidsin membranes, proteins andDNA.

As our understanding of mitochondrial function hasincreased, however, it has become apparent that radicaloxygen species (ROS) generated during oxidativephosphorylation do not occur in direct proportion toenergy expenditure as previously thought. Insteadmitochondria actually produce the most ROS when theyare running at their lowest metabolic rates. By makingmitochondria run faster in an ‘uncoupled state’ it would

be theoretically possible to reduce the production of damaging ROS and thereby retard the ageing process.

In 2004 John Speakman and colleagues at the Universityof Aberdeen showed that mice which have more

uncoupled mitochondria have greater energy demandsand live longer – in fact it seems therefore that living fastis actually linked to dying late (Aging cell 2004: 3: 87-95).

This researchfellowship has enabled Professor Speakmanto seeif it is possible to experimentallyuncouplemitochondria usingpharmaceuticals and thereby stifle therates of oxidative damageto macromolecules. So farit hasnot proved possible to reduce oxidative stress by dosingwiththyroxine (the best prospect for safe uncoupling of mitochondria) at levels that do not generate unwanted

effects such as weight loss.Thereasons why are uncertain, but probably liein compensatorymechanisms enabled bytheanimals in responseto thetreatment. Thenext phaseof thework is to identify andexplore these compensations.

Dr Anna Dickinson, The University of Dundee

RSE / Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland PersonalResearch Fellowship 2004–2007

A usable and appropriate communication system for older people

Being in regular, high quality contact with family andfriends is an important contributor to our happinessand wellbeing. Age-related changes may impede easeof communication, especially when correspondents liveat a distance from one another.

Computers are commonly used by younger people tostay in touch: they offer huge potential for supportingolder adults as well. We know, however, that many olderpeople are not confident computer users. In thisFellowship, Dr Dickinson set out to explore the barriersthat older people learning to use email and the internet

encounter and ways in which these could be removed.In an early study she showed that alterations to theappearance of the programme interface can changethe way in which people interact with page content.She followed this by a long-term study exploring waysof presenting the functions that people want to use asthey learn, without overwhelming beginners withmore options than they could ever imagine needing.She has been working closely with a panel of forty

volunteers, aged 70 and over, to explore the experiencethat individuals have when they learn to use emailand the internet.

She is now interested in exploring the ways in which virtual worlds and social networking could be usedto facilitate informal communication between

grandparents and their grandchildren and lookingat ways of finding funding to pursue this research.

The Society allowed her to have a year’s break formaternity leave in 2007, and to return to work half-time.

Case Studies



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Charles Duffy, The University of Strathclyde

RSE / Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland ResearchStudentship 2004– 2007

Neuromuscular adaptations to innovative exercise programmes for improving functional abilities in

older people

The focus of Charles’ PhD was to improve the understanding about some of the neural mechanisms underlying the inevitable decline in muscle powerand functional abilities which occur with ageing.The importance of muscle power, which is the productof muscle force (strength) and speed of movement, ishighlighted by its greater association with the ability toperform everyday tasks and by its even greater decline

with advancing age than muscle strength. This has ledexercise training for older people to focus more onimproving muscle power through utilising resistance

type training methods, which involves lifting weights.However, the training weight and the speedat which thetraining weight should be lifted to produce optimal gainsin muscle power still remain elusive. Hence, the researchfocused on developing an effective exercise resistancetraining programme to attenuate or reverse thedetrimental effects of ageing on muscle power.

The award allowed Charles to learn and interprettechniques that were crucial to investigating the effectsof ageing on the nervous system and determiningthe most effective cycle resistance training load foroptimally improving functional ability in older women.

The project successfully involved 24 older womenexercising twice weekly for 8 weeks and improving,as a result, their muscle function and ability to carryout daily living activities.

With increasing life expectancy andthehigher proportionof older people above65 years in ourpopulation, Charles’research importantly highlights that cycle resistancetraining twice weekly can crucially assist in prolongingolder people’s independence and conserve their qualityof life. The results from these investigations are beingtaken forward for further studies investigating the effectsof utilising the optimal load during recumbent cyclingin frail older people in Scotland.

Eleanor Beth Wilson, The University of Dundee

RSE / Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland ResearchStudentship 2004 – 2007

Remembering the self: Autobiographical memory in an ageing population

This research into Quality of Life in the AgeingPopulation investigated memory functioning in olderadults with Parkinson’s disease. Beth Wilson’s aim wasto find out whether the damage to the brain that occursin Parkinson’s disease affects the ability to rememberspecific events from one’s past (autobiographicalmemories). Older adults often reminisce about theirautobiographical memories, a process which contributesto overall wellbeing. Being unable to retrieve thesememories can cause distress, particularly where thesememories are integral to a person’s life story.

When older adults are asked about how their memory works, a common response is that ‘My memory for 20 years ago is as clear as day, but ask mewhat I did last weekand I couldn’t tell you.’ Beth’s research shows that thiscommon view is a misconception. She found that olderadults, particularly those with Parkinson’s disease, findit more difficult to remember specific autobiographicalmemories compared to younger adults. Older adultscould remember information about the past, such as‘I remember enlisting in the army’ or ‘I remember goingto dances’, but were less able to remember the specifics of particular events. However, her results also show that thismemory retrieval difficulty can be alleviated if the right

memory cues are provided.

These findings can be applied to the design of reminiscence-based therapies that are often used witholder adults who have memory retrieval difficulties.The research will affect the quality of life of olderadults with Parkinson’s disease by providing accurateinformation about the kinds of memory changes theycan expect, and the best ways to manage these changesas the disease progresses.

Case Studies



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E X E R C I S E T R A I N I N G F O R

O L D E R P E O P L E

A N I MA G E O F D O P A MI N E

P A T H WA Y S I N T H E B R A I N

T H A T A R E A F F E C T E D B Y

P A R K I N S O N ' S D I S E A S E



The RSE financial position was maintained

in 2007–08 with an operating surplus of

£174,000 and net assets increasing by

£55,000.

Total incoming resources remained steady at£3.5 million on a like for like basis, before

legacies received. This was achieved despite

a reduction in public sector income in this

year as compared to 2006– 07, because of

the transfer of the Scottish Science Advisory

Committee activities back to government

and the conclusion of the second phase of

Enterprise Fellowships funded by Scottish

Enterprise.

As well as the challenge of maintaining

income levels in 2007–08, there were several

developments in the year which will lead

to significant increases in income over the

next few years. The first of these was the

successful Spending Review bid to Scottish

Government in which the RSE was awarded

funding to support additional and extended

postdoctoral research fellowships. In the

period to 2011, this element of the funding

is expected to increase to £2 million per

annum. In February 2008 the RSE entered

into a contract with Scottish Enterprise,

with a value of £4.4 million over five years,

to administer phase III of the RSE/SE

Enterprise Fellowships programme. These

two developments provide an excellent

foundation on which to build.

The total costs of £3.328 million were

reduced by 2% from the previous year,reflecting increased support of research,

offset by the fall in support for innovation

as phase II of the Enterprise Fellowships

ended. A new area of expenditure that will

contribute more in future years was the

addition of the Scottish Bioinformatics Forumto the work of the RSE from January 2008.

Governance costs remained stable at 4.5%

of total income.

The result for the year of £174,000 included

a net surplus of £66,000 in the restricted

income fund, which represents the net effect

for 2007– 08 of the requirement to account

for income in the year received although the

corresponding expenditure arises in a future

year. This treatment is required by theStatement of Recommended Practice for

Charities. The income raised for the James

Clerk Maxwell statue contributed a surplus

of £119,000 to this net result.

The net asset position remained stable,

despite the fall in investment values

resulting in an unrealised loss of £331,000.

This was partially offset by an actuarial gain

of £217,000 on RSE’s pension arrangements

with Lothian Pension Fund.

In summary, 2007–08 was a year of

consolidation, with a satisfactory result

and some excellent preparatory steps taken

towards strengthening the financial base to

enable RSE to respond quickly and flexibly

to new opportunities that contribute to

the public benefit in Scotland.

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F I N A N C I A L R E V I E W



Income and expenditureGeneral Fund Designated funds Restricted income Restricted funds 2008 total 2007 total

£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000

Incoming resources from generated funds 721 89 212 545 1,567 1,387

Incoming resources from charitable activities 168 – 1,506 261 1,935 2,251

Total incoming resources 889 89 1,718 806 3,502 3,638

Cost of generating funds (150) (10) – (61) (221) (207)

Charitable activities (796) (61) (1,652) (440) (2,949) (3,024)

Governance (130) – – (28) (158) (161)

Total resources expended (1,076) (71) (1,652) (529) (3,328) (3,392)

Net incoming resources (187) 18 66 277 174 246

Group balance sheetGeneral Fund Designated funds Restricted income Restricted funds 2008 total 2007 total

£’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000 £’000

Tangible fixed assets 9 2,256 – 1,803 4,068 4,160

Investments 88 1,405 – 4,610 6,103 6,440

RSE Scotland Foundation – loan – 1,844 – (1,844) – –

RSE Scotland Foundation – current account (457) – – 457 – –

Current assets 101 – – 117 218 178

Deposits 942 – 531 169 1,642 1,200

Cash 202 – 119 33 354 445

Current liabilities (91) – (179) (185) (455) (354)

Provisions for liabilities and charges – – (352) – (352) (304)

Pension fund asset /(liability) 292 – – – 292 49

General fund 1,086

Designated funds 5,505

Restricted income 119

Restricted funds 5,160

Total net assets 11,870 11,814

The figures above have been extracted from the audited accounts for the period ended 31 March 2008 which carried an

unqualified audit report. The full Trustees’ report and audited accounts are obtainable in hard copy from 22– 26 George Street,

Edinburgh EH2 2PQ or on the RSE website www.royalsoced.org.uk.

Independent auditors’ statementWe have examined the summarised financial informationwhich is prepared for the purpose of inclusion in the Society’s

annual review.

The Council is responsible for the preparation of the financialinformation. We have agreed to report on its consistency withannual accounts on which we reported on 3 September 2008.

Basis of opinionWe have carried out the procedures we consider necessaryto ascertain whether the summarised review is consistent

with the annual accounts from which it has been prepared.OpinionIn our opinion the financial review is consistent with theannual accounts for the year ended 31 March 2008.

HENDERSON LOGGIE, EDINBURGH, SEPTEMBER 2008

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0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

126

142

1,440

342

733

255

132

158

Cost of generating funds

Providing advice

Supporting research

Supporting innovation

Communicating knowledge

Promoting international awareness

Sustaining and utilising Fellowship

Governance

Resources expended (£’000)

898

590

86

192

115

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Promotion of research & innovation

Other charitable activities

Voluntary income (donations & grants)

Investment income

Activities for generating income

Income by source (£’000)

Own income

Public

sector bodies

Scottish

Executive

Charitable

trusts

Companies

Individuals

& legacies

Fellows

0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400

321

1,300



Corporate Governance & Management

Council of The Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE)

President: Sir Michael Atiyah OM

Vice-President: Baron Patel of Dunkeld

Vice-President: Professor Tariq Durrani* OBE

Vice-President: Professor Jan McDonald

General Secretary Professor Geoffrey Boulton* OBE

Treasurer: Mr Edward Cunningham CBE

Fellowship Secretary: Professor Andrew Walker

Councillors Sir John Arbuthnott*

Professor Sue Black OBE

Professor April McMahon

Ms Shonaig MacPherson

Professor Christopher Whatley

Executive Board

General Secretary Professor Geoffrey Boulton*OBE

Treasurer: Mr Edward Cunningham CBE

Curator: Professor John Howie CBE

Research Awards Convener: Professor Peter Holmes OBE

International Convener: Professor Sir David Edward* KCMG QC PC

Programme Convener: Professor David Ingram OBE

Young People’s Programme Convener: Professor Miles Padgett

Chief Executive: Dr William Duncan

Director of Finance: Kate Ellis

*denotes Office Bearers elected in October 2007

The Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland’s National Academy, is Scottish Charity No. SC000470

Inland Revenue Claim Board Reference CR 18102



Documents

A N NU A L REV I E W April 2007 – March 2008