November 7, 2014

UK opens new animal disease research centre

The UK government has opened a virology centre at the Pirbright Institute in Surrey to contain the spread of viruses from animals to people.

The new BBSRC National Virology Centre, which opened October 31, uses bio-containment technologies that enable scientists to study animal diseases including bluetongue, foot-and-mouth disease, avian influenza and African swine fever.

Prof. Jackie Hunter, chief executive of the new lab, said: "The BBSRC National Virology Centre will ensure that the UK has the infrastructure to complement the Pirbright Institute's scientific excellence to better enable the fight against viral diseases that threaten agriculture and animal health, and which could pose a threat to humans."

For his part, Professor John Fazakerley, director of the Pirbright Institute, said the impact of the Institute's science was global. Its facilities and expertise, he said, "provide a national capability and its work makes a strong contribution to health and economic prosperity in the UK and worldwide."

"Our new high-containment facilities have an exceptionally high standard of design and finish and will allow us to retain and recruit the very best expertise and continue to deliver high-impact science," he said.