Oxford to Head Two Major Projects in UKRI’s New Interdisciplinary Research Initiative

The CRCRM scheme aims to:

• unlock new research, approaches, and methods that would not be possible from established disciplinary thinking;
• encourage new and unexpected types of interdisciplinary research not currently funded through existing UKRI responsive mode schemes;
• support research that will be potentially transformative for the participating disciplines or lead to the creation of new disciplines.

Two of the new projects to be funded by the scheme will be led by University of Oxford researchers. 

CHAILD – Children’s Agency In the age of AI: Leveraging InterDisciplinarity

Led by Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt, Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford

This project addresses the pressing issue of fostering children’s digital autonomy in societies where childhood has become intricately intertwined with Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems, for instance through connected toys, apps, voice assistants, and online learning platforms. While these offer opportunities for supporting children’s development and learning, they present grave risks to children’s autonomy and agency through the pervasive practice of datafication and manipulation of their digital experiences and behaviours.

The outcomes of our project will shift the current mindset where children are passive consumers of technologies towards one where AI systems are designed to respect, nurture, and scaffold the development of autonomy in children, and equip them with better digital resilience and competence.

Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt, Department of Computer Science, University of Oxford

CHAILD will bring together an experienced team of computer scientists, learning scientists, social scientists, philosophers, and public policy partners to develop a comprehensive understanding of what algorithmic agency means for children in the digital context and define effective methods to create AI systems that actively foster and promote children’s agency while respecting their values and rights. To achieve this, the research team will not only work directly with children to understand their needs, but also with diverse groups of stakeholders, including parents, teachers, developers, and policymakers.

Professor Shadbolt said: ‘Agency forms the basis of individuals’ ability to regulate their thoughts and actions, based on their beliefs about themselves. However, currently, children’s agency is particularly vulnerable to technological influence and datafication, designed to exploit their autonomy and shape their behaviours and decision-making. This project will co-design principles for creating agency-fostering child-centric AI systems, and produce breakthrough empirical evidence through evaluating prototype designs.’

Three-dimensional patterning of cultured tissue using light-sensitive molecules 

Led by Professor Matthew Fuchter, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford

Tissue engineering holds great promise for revolutionising healthcare, in particular to enable therapeutic approaches to repair or regenerate tissues and organs. However, realising the huge potential of tissue engineering will need new and disruptive methods, requiring close collaboration between biologists, chemists, and engineers.

I am extremely excited about the potential of this project, which leverages scientific expertise developed over many years in my research group. Through the proof-of-concept data we plan to generate in this funded work, we believe our methodology may hold much promise in the future for regenerative medicine.

Professor Matthew Fuchter, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford

The pattern and shape of developing tissue is controlled by the dynamic regulation and distribution of soluble natural chemicals called morphogens. Replicating this to recreate the three-dimensional complexity of human tissues for engineering purposes presents a significant and unsolved challenge. Potentially, this could be achieved by controlling and directing tissue development using a precise light stimulus, however light-sensitive morphogens are currently unknown. Using a photopharmacology approach – where the activity of drugs is regulated using light – this project aims to develop light-sensitive and biologically-active morphogens to enable 3D light patterning of complex tissue.

Professor Fuchter said: ‘Successful achievement of this aim will provide a proof of concept that can be developed into downstream applications which would have transformational and disruptive impact. For example, using light-patterning to recreate complex 2D and 3D architectures of healthy or dysfunctional cells will allow for the generation of models to study diseases, models to investigate personalised medicine, models for further developmental biology studies, or the creation of synthetic organs.’

We know that lead is extremely harmful to the developing central nervous systems of young children, causing a range of cognitive, behavioural, and health problems, but there is no recent representative data to help policymakers understand the scope of childhood lead exposure in the UK. I am excited to be working with an amazing team to pilot what we hope will eventually develop into nationwide screening program.

Associate Professor Frank Di Traglia, Department of Economics, University of Oxford

In addition, the University of Oxford is to co-lead a project funded by the CRCRM to combat lead poisoning in UK children. The Elevated Childhood Lead Interagency Prevalence Study (ECLIPS) project will develop and pilot a home-based finger-prick test for monitoring blood lead levels in children, with the aim of creating a national screening programme. ECLIPS will be co-led by Associate Professor Frank Di Traglia (Department of Economics, University of Oxford) and Professor Jane Entwistle (Northumbria University).

Lead exposure harms children’s cognitive development, with consequences that extend beyond individual children to affect entire schools and communities. But despite lead’s well-known toxicity, no national screening programme currently exists in the UK. The project will initially be piloted in Leeds, with potential for national rollout and policy recommendations.