St Andrews leads the way in foot and mouth disease (research)

The University’s biology department is at the centre of a £5.6 million research project into one of the most deadly and contagious viruses affecting domestic livestock. Headed by the department’s […]

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The University’s biology department is at the centre of a £5.6 million research project into one of the most deadly and contagious viruses affecting domestic livestock.

Headed by the department’s Translational Virology international expert, Professor Martin Ryan, the research will focus on how the virus grows in and interacts with cells in order to create more practical and effective vaccinations.

Professor Ryan said, “Success would stimulate the routine use of vaccine to control foot-and-mouth disease virus around the globe. This would reduce the global incidence of Foot and Mouth Disease with enormous economic and social value worldwide.”

The five year project is funded by the The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and is a joint venture with our Scottish University neighbours Dundee and Edinburgh, as well as Leeds University and the Pirbright Institute.

The last outbreak of Foot and Mouth in 2007 severely damaged the UK’s agriculture industry and meant millions of cows, pigs, sheep and goats had to be killed. The Stand hopes that with the help of our University’s farmidable research team, this will not be repeated in the future.

Image courtesy of Reuters