August 1, 2013

 

 

The Roslin Institute has received funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) to support collaborative research with Zoetis that will bring valuable industry knowledge and input into its academic research programme. For three years, the BBSRC will contribute 80% of funding for the study - close to US$1 million - and Zoetis will not only provide the remaining 20% of funding but also provide in-kind services via research materials and expertise.

 

Researchers at The Roslin Institute and Zoetis will jointly investigate how Salmonella enters and persists within the bovine lymphatic system and can lead to contamination of beef for human consumption. The BBSRC grant also provides funding for a postdoctoral researcher and a research technician for three years. The Roslin Institute research team will work with Zoetis to help develop and implement solutions to reduce the prevalence of Salmonella in meat.

 

"Salmonella infections in cattle are significant for two reasons," Mark Stevens, chair of microbial pathogenesis said. "It can cause gastroenteritis and abortion in the animals, thereby harming their productivity and welfare, and contamination of beef and the farm environment can lead to infections in people." Cattle are a significant source of human Salmonella infections, he added. Although the animal's lymphatic system normally helps fight infection, some types of Salmonella have adapted to evade the immune system and survive in lymph nodes.

 

Funding from the BBSRC allows The Roslin Institute to work strategically with Zoetis on important Salmonella research in cattle, which impacts animal and human health and safety of the food supply across the globe, said Michelle Haven, senior vice president, Corporate Development, Alliances and Solutions at Zoetis. "Salmonella remains a health concern worldwide and is estimated to cause about 94 million cases of foodborne disease in humans and 155,000 deaths each year," Haven said.

 

Stevens added that Zoetis is an ideal partner for Salmonella research. "Zoetis will provide a link between our basic research and commercialisation," he said. "This study will add value to future studies at The Roslin Institute of other infectious diseases of food-producing animals."

 

Zoetis is the leading animal health company, dedicated to supporting customers and businesses focused on raising and caring for livestock and companion animals. It has been an industry partner on a variety of research programmes with the BBSRC since 2008 to help advance understanding of critical animal diseases and develop new solutions for those who raise food animals.

 

The Roslin Institute is a National Institute of Bioscience which receives Institute Strategic Programme Grant funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). It is a part of the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine of the University of Edinburgh. It undertakes research within the framework of BBSRC Institute Strategic Programmes focused on the health and welfare of animals, and applications of basic animal sciences in human and veterinary medicine, the livestock industry and food security.

 

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) invests in world-class bioscience research and training on behalf of the UK public. Their 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. Funded by government, and with an annual (2012-13) budget of around £500 million (US$758 million), they support research and training in universities and strategically funded institutes.