Roslin Institute

The Roslin Institute is an animal sciences research institute at Easter Bush, Midlothian, Scotland, part of the University of Edinburgh, and is funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.[1]

The Roslin Institute
Established1993
DirectorProfessor Bruce Whitelaw
Location
Midlothian
,
EH25 9RG
,
Scotland, UK
CampusEaster Bush
AffiliationsUniversity of Edinburgh, BBSRC
MascotDolly the Sheep
Websitewww.ed.ac.uk/roslin

In February 2020 Professor Bruce Whitelaw became Interim Director of the Roslin Institute, after Professor Eleanor Riley stepped down from the position.[2]

History

In 1947, the IAG's expertise was used to form two new research organisations, the Poultry Research Centre (PRC) and the Animal Breeding Research Organisation (ABRO). The PRC was located near the village of Roslin, Midlothian, which is known for the world-famous Rosslyn Chapel of the Sinclair family. The Roslin Institute was established in 1993, as genetic research in different species gradually consolidated on the one site at Roslin throughout the 1980s.

In April 2007, the Roslin Institute was joined by the Neuropathogenesis Unit of the Institute for Animal Health, well known for its role in deciphering the biology of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (mad cow disease, scrapie, CJD).

In 2008, the Institute was incorporated with the Royal School of Veterinary Studies within the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine of the University of Edinburgh.

In March 2011, the Roslin Institute moved from its previous home in Roslin to a £60.6M building on the University of Edinburgh's Veterinary Campus at Easter Bush, across the road from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies' new teaching building.[3] The new building was designed by global architecture firm, HDR, Inc. Despite the move, the Institute retained its now world-famous name. The Roslin Institute and Vet School are part of a formal consortium, the Easter Bush Research Consortium,[4] with the Moredun Research Institute and the Scottish Agricultural College. There are currently more than 500 staff and students.

Honours

In 1996, the Institute won international fame when Ian Wilmut, Keith Campbell, and their colleagues created Dolly the sheep, the first mammal to be successfully cloned from an adult cell, at the Institute.[5][6][7] A year later, two other sheep named Polly and Molly were cloned, each of which contained a human gene.

Roslin has made many other contributions to animal science and biotechnology research, especially in the area of livestock improvement and welfare through the application of quantitative genetics. In 2007, a Roslin team developed genetically modified chickens capable of laying eggs containing proteins needed to make cancer-fighting drugs.

Objectives

The Roslin Institute aims to enhance the lives of animals and humans through world-class research in animal biology. The principal objectives are to:

  • Enhance animal health and welfare through knowledge of genetic factors affecting resistance to disease.
  • Enhance sustainability and productivity of livestock systems and food supply chains through understanding of reproductive and developmental biology.
  • Enhance food safety by understanding interactions between disease-causing organisms and animals.
  • Enhance human health through an understanding of basic mechanisms of health and disease and comparative biology of animal species.
  • Identify new and emerging zoonoses and understand how pathogens might cross from animals to humans.
  • Enhance quality of life for animals by studying the mechanisms and behaviours associated with optimising their environment and life experiences.

Research

Research at the Roslin Institute is categorised into four scientific divisions:[8]

  • Functional Genetics and Development
  • Genetics and genomics
  • Infection and immunity
  • Clinical sciences

Three Institute Strategic Programmes, which are funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, span the Divisions of the Institute.

  • Blueprints for Healthy Animals
  • Control of Infectious Diseases
  • Improving Animal Production & Welfare

References
  1. "The Roslin Institute (University of Edinburgh) - Home Page". Retrieved 26 July 2011.
  2. "Professor Eleanor Riley, Director of the Roslin Institute to step down". bbsrc.ukri.org. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  3. "New home for Roslin Institute". Veterinary Record. 169 (2): 34–34. 2011. doi:10.1136/vr.d4061.
  4. ebrc.ac.uk
  5. Campbell, K. H. S.; McWhir, J.; Ritchie, W. A.; Wilmut, I. (1996). "Sheep cloned by nuclear transfer from a cultured cell line". Nature. 380 (6569): 64–66. doi:10.1038/380064a0. PMID 8598906.
  6. Firn, D. (1999). "Roslin Institute upset by human cloning suggestions". Nature Medicine. 5 (3): 253. doi:10.1038/6449. PMID 10086368.
  7. Jayaraman, K. S. (1998). "India's short cow drags Roslin Institute into controversy". Nature. 394 (6696): 821. doi:10.1038/29621. PMID 9732859.
  8. "Research at Roslin Institute".

Official website

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