Since the publication of the Dearing report (1997) there has been an increasing emphasis on the quality of teaching and learning provision within higher education institutions (HEIs). This focus on provision has in turn generated much educational research into "approaches" to both teaching practice and student learning within higher education (HE). Educational researchers such as Trigwell and Prosser, are writing predominantly for other educational researchers, and in doing so a substantial body of literature relating to learning and teaching in HE has been built. Unfortunately, many biologists remain oblivious to this literature and as such it remains unread by them. As a consequence of this, helpful research findings such as those related to curriculum design, are not readily implemented by either tutors or managers in HE. In bioscience, with the timely introduction of the "Getting Started with Educational Research" programme, practicing biologists are being encouraged by this educational research programme to: (1) Explore the literature on particular issues of teaching and learning practice, such as formative assessment; (2) Use research to design learning environment and challenge anecdotal beliefs; (3) Evaluate and discuss the implementation of their experimental design; and (4) Communicate those findings. The other attribute of this programme is that the Centre for Bioscience is developing, in many HEIs across the country, biologists who are becoming increasingly familiar with the language and practices of educational research. As such, and "providing they are given the opportunity," these tutors can offer a "research informed" contribution to key institutional discussions on learning and teaching. They can bridge the divides that exist between established educational research/literature with HEIs learning and teaching policy, and the actual teaching environment where those policies are implemented.