Research

This project is using genomic data to evaluate genetic diversity in major breeds of cattle and sheep in Scotland and link this the ability of animals to adapt to variability or extremes in their environment, particularly in the context of the effects of climate change. Results will be incorporated into selective breeding programmes aiming to achieve improved productivity, while protecting and enriching diversity and livestock sustainability in Scotland.

Infectious diseases, particularly when caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens, are major problems in farmed animals. New treatments are urgently needed to reduce infections. We aim to address this by harnessing the animal intestinal microbiome to boost their defence. We will screen our diverse gut bacterial culture collections to identify health-associated microbes with potent activity against pathogens, including antibiotic resistant strains

A healthy soil can provide us with nutritious food, clean water, provide habits for biodiversity, and can slow the impacts of climate change.  This project will strengthen our understanding and help protect soils, improve soil health, and identify the roles and contributions of Scotland’s soils in delivering key beneficial services (e.g. food production and other wider benefits).

It is vital to understand the contribution of resident intestinal bacteria to the environmental flow of antimicrobial resistance genes. We will isolate resistant commensal bacteria from diverse sources, assess the co-carriage of heavy metal resistance genes on mobile genetic elements, compare identical resistance genes between non-harmful and pathogenic bacteria, and investigate the impact selective pressure has on gene evolution and transfer.