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Research

Research

A multi-million pound programme of strategic research delivered over five years providing science and evidence to support policymakers and its partners. Informed by strong partnerships and the needs of a broad range of stakeholders. Science at the heart of society contributing to the health, wealth and wellbeing of Scotland and beyond.

Plant and Animal Health

Protecting Plant and Animal Health to underpin our globally competitive economy and ambition to be a Good Food Nation

Sustainable Food Supply System

Leading the way to a Sustainable Food System and Supply contributing to the economy, livelihoods and the health of Scotland

Human Impacts on the Environment

Supporting the large-scale and coordinated transition to net zero and reduction of Human Impacts on the Environment

Natural Resources

Protecting, valuing and optimising the multiple benefits we recieve from our vital Natural Resources

Rural Futures

Committed to empowered, inclusive and resilient Rural Futures for Scotland’s rural and island communities

Ongoing research (2022-2027)

Displaying 21 - 30 of 30
Novel diagnostic tools for improved control, monitoring and prevention strategies for the key endemic diseases of livestock in Scotland

Development of novel tools and technologies for the improved control and prevention of economically-important conditions and diseases of livestock in Scotland. These include reproductive failure, lungworms, Johne’s disease, sheep scab, bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) and bovine respiratory disease (BRD).

  • Animal Disease
  • 2022-2027
Novel Multi-Sector Approaches to Provenance and Food Tracking for use in Distributed Ledger Protocols

This project is designed to develop Distributed Ledger (blockchain) compatible methods – based on DNA and chemical analysis – to determine provenance across key Scottish produce and sectors to protect the safety, integrity, and quality of the food chain and the environment and the status of key Scottish produce. It is pertinent to the UK's EU exit and large-scale shifts in international food trade.

  • Food & Drink Improvements
  • 2022-2027
Novel vaccines to combat significant endemic diseases of livestock in Scotland: Gastrointestinal nematode parasites of ruminants

The aim of this project is to develop highly effective, optimised, safe, novel vaccines for the control of the most production- and welfare-limiting endemic diseases of Scottish livestock caused by parasitic gastrointestinal nematodes. 

  • Animal Disease
  • 2022-2027
Novel vaccines to combat significant endemic diseases of livestock in Scotland: Vaccine Delivery Platforms

This project is developing highly effective, optimised, safe, novel vaccines for the control of some of the most production- and welfare-limiting endemic diseases of Scottish livestock.

  • Animal Disease
  • 2022-2027
Research into zoonoses and emerging diseases to protect public health and animal health in Scotland

This project is focusing on understanding the risk of emerging vector-borne zoonoses that could affect human and animal health in Scotland and improving our understanding of the transmission of two bacteria which cause food-borne zoonoses in Scotland. Data generated in this project is informing control strategies and is providing mitigation which could break transmission chains, improve animal welfare and production, and save human life.

  • Animal Disease
  • 2022-2027
Role of transmission and pathogen components in virulence and disease pathogenesis for important endemic diseases of livestock in Scotland

Investigation of how pathogens responsible for key welfare and production-limiting diseases of Scottish livestock are transmitted to their host animal, determining the key pathogens that are important for infection and disease, and how they interact with the host immune system.

  • Animal Disease
  • 2022-2027
Strategies to promote sustainable parasite control and reduce anthelmintic usage

This project investigates the environmental impacts of grazing and the use of traditional wormers along with an assessment of the impacts of a range of alternative parasite management strategies on livestock productivity and environmental impact.

  • Improving Agricultural Practice
  • 2022-2027
Supply-chain-driven food and drink reformulation to achieve Scotland's dietary and climate targets

This project contributes towards supporting Scotland’s dietary and climate targets though supply-chain-driven food and drink reformulation. This will be achieved through developing new supply chain networks for crops that can be sustainably produced in Scotland. We are developing innovative prototype products for multi-sector use, which we will widely disseminate to encourage wider adoption.

  • Food & Drink Improvements
  • 2022-2027
Understanding the dynamics antimicrobial resistance genes flux in the soil, animals and humans in different fertilisation practices in grasslands

This project generates new insights on how the antimicrobial resitance bacteria and genes flow between farm and environment and the risk of different farms practices in the spreading of antimicrobial resistance to humans via the food chain. We analyse antibiotic and heavy metal residues for its role in antimicrobial resistance selection in soil samples. The data is informing the development of a risk model to help assess the impact of different farm management approaches.

  • Diet & Food Safety
  • 2022-2027
Livestock genetic improvement tools

The aim of this RD is to improve livestock production, efficiency and welfare, whilst decreasing the use of resources and impact on the environment. This will be achieved using current and next generation tools, focussing on genomics and targeted gene approaches for production (growth, efficiency), maternal and health characteristics (including economically important endemic diseases).

  • Livestock Improvement
  • 2016-2022

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