Scientists have developed inside-out miniature intestines, also known as enteroids, grown from stem cells, for researching gut biology in poultry. The three-dimensional tissue cultures, mimicking the chicken gut, are composed of many cell types and will enable researchers to study poultry health and disease including infections such as Salmonella and bird flu, and reduce the number of animals used in research. They may also support the testing of feed additives, vaccines and drugs and determine gut health in chicken breeds through collaborative work with industrial partners. Read more

The Tracking and Modelling for Scotland dashboard provides interactive, detailed weekly maps to track disease spread across Scotland. The data and mathematical modelling results presented will help in formulation of timely, targeted, evidence-based, public health responses to Covid-19. The dashboard will be updated regularly with new information and features as the project progresses, including vaccination and testing results in the near future. Read more

Scientists have identified genes in chickens that could offer resistance to harmful bacteria commonly found in poultry. The findings could inform ways to limit the risk of associated food poisoning in people. The study, led by a Roslin team, has identified a large number of genes in chicken guts that may determine whether the birds are resistant to Campylobacter. The insights could inform research towards breeding chickens that are less likely to carry Campylobacter bacteria, and so limit the risk to poultry consumers. Read more

Pondering Pond Life is for teachers to support pupils to explore the microorganisms found in ponds. It aims to reveal how science is done, the people who do it, and give pupils a positive and realistic experience of carrying out science investigations. This project was funded by a Microbiology in Society Award to Roslin scientist Dr Laura Glendinning. Specialist Primary Science Development Officers across Scotland received boxes of equipment, including microscopes and pond life, and joined an online session. They are now rolling out the toolkits in their local areas. Download the toolkit

Meeting the growing demand for food in a sustainable way that helps mitigate climate change and meets societal expectations, poses the challenge of producing more food using fewer natural resources. Scientists around the world are working towards improving efficiency of food production by looking at the genome of farmed animals to better understand how it drives useful characteristics, such as resistance to disease, resilience to extreme climates and more efficient utilisation of feed. Read more

Roslin researchers are striving to develop novel ways to refine, reduce and replace the use of animals in research. This includes using animals as models of human disease, developing technology to monitor diseases in real time, stem cells models, and mini-organs. Their work will be supported by the recently opened Large Animal Research and Imaging Facility (LARIF) on campus. Read more