November 19, 2013
Mark Walport, chief scientific adviser of the UK Government, announced major funding to a project which aims to tackle major livestock diseases which threaten food security in the UK and globally, forming part of the £150 million (US$242 million) strong UK-India research portfolio.
About £6.5 million (US$10.5 million) has been awarded by the UK's Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), with matched funding from India's Department of Biotechnology (DBT), for collaborative research projects between universities and research institutes in both countries. It is the first international call on animal health for DBT and covers many important livestock species. The announcement was made as a part of Mark Walport's keynote address during Research Council UK (RCUK) India's fifth anniversary celebrations in New Delhi this week.
Science Minister David Willetts said, "In the face of a rapidly growing global population, it is vital that we work together to find innovative solutions to animal diseases and global food security. This significant £13 million (US$21 million) investment is ensuring this important work can take place and supports the Government's wider Agri-Tech strategy. This is helping UK businesses, including farmers, make the best use of new technologies and techniques to meet the needs of consumers and food producers worldwide, as well as contributing to economic growth."
The projects include: research towards Tuberculosis control in cattle; understanding the different responses to avian influenza viruses; studying tick-borne disease; creating biosensors for infectious reproductive diseases of cattle; assisting a global alliance against the goat plague 'Peste des Petits Ruminants'; finding an effective vaccination programme for the eradication of foot-and-mouth disease in India, and understanding why some animals have disease immunity.
BBSRC invests in world-class bioscience research and training on behalf of the UK public. Our aim is to further scientific knowledge, to promote economic growth, wealth and job creation and to improve quality of life in the UK and beyond.
