Definitions and practical interpretations of the research-teaching nexus are various, but almost invariably the link between teaching and research lies in the direction of transferring research into teaching rather than vice versa. This transfer is achieved by using research to inform teaching and, less frequently, by engaging students in research. Usually these students are final year undergraduates and the research project is purpose-built to develop in students the desired course learning outcomes. This paper reports an alternative realisation of the teaching-research nexus. It presents a case study of teaching that was informed by research and engaged both first year and final year undergraduate students in research, using problem-based learning. Subsequently, the research undertaken by the students as part of their learning process directly informed development of a large, government-funded research project, thus completing an unusual two-way relationship in which research underpinned teaching and learning activity, and teaching and learning activity underpinned research. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)