The Pirbright Institute

22/10/2024

📣 Pirbright appoints two new science leaders.

Congratulations to Dr Georgina Limon-Vega, promoted to Group Leader of Applied Epidemiology, and Dr Steven Fiddaman who is joining us as an Institute Fellow!

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Two scientific specialists have been appointed to new roles at The Pirbright Institute.

16/10/2024

💉Scientists at Pirbright and the University of Oxford have taken a significant step towards developing a universal influenza vaccine.

A new study shows that T-cell responses induced through aerosol immunisation can offer significant protection.

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Scientists at The Pirbright Institute and the University of Oxford have taken a significant step towards developing a universal influenza vaccine.

01/10/2024

The Pirbright Institute and ProImmune are partnering to accelerate animal health research with the use of Ankyrons™.

These innovative target-binding proteins offer an alternative to antibodies and open new avenues for research on viruses like foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever.

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A strategic partnership between The Pirbright Institute and ProImmune aims to develop target-binding reagents that significantly accelerate research in animal health. Ankyrons™ are small, recombinant, target binding ankyrin repeat proteins developed by ProImmune. They are directly selected in vitr...

30/09/2024

The Pirbright Institute has signed a new five-year partnership with Chinese academic institutions to strengthen avian disease research.

The collaboration builds on the successful UK-China Centre of Excellence for Research on Avian Diseases (CERAD).

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Academic institutions across China have signed an agreement with The Pirbright Institute to develop a five-year programme of joint research. The partnership strengthens ongoing work to tackle a range of avian diseases that affect the poultry industry in the UK and China. The collaboration builds on....

24/09/2024

A new review, published in Nature, reveals global bird flu (H5N1) control strategies are 'not working'.

Researchers analysed whether outbreaks in European fur farms, South American marine mammals and United States dairy cattle raise questions about whether humans are next.

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A review of sustained mammal-to-mammal bird flu transmission in diverse species, led by The Pirbright Institute, shows global control strategies are not working. Writing in Nature, researchers analysed whether outbreaks in European fur farms, South American marine mammals and United States dairy cat...

20/09/2024

🐖🧬Pirbright scientists have generated a nearly complete genome assembly for the Babraham pig, enhancing the animal’s potential use as a biomedical model.

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Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have generated a nearly complete genome assembly for an in**ed domestic pig breed, enhancing the animal’s potential use as a biomedical model for better human and animal health. Derived from the domestic Large White pig breed, the highly in**ed Babraham pig is...

19/09/2024

A new UK-India partnership has been established to tackle lumpy skin disease (L*D).

L*D is a serious viral cattle disease, characterised by fever, nodular lesions, and swollen lymph nodes, which can severely impact the livelihoods of millions of Indian farmers who rely on milk yield.

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A research partnership co-funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Government of India aims to understand and control lumpy skin disease (L*D) in Indian cattle. The project aligns expertise from The Pirbright Institute, the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), and the Royal Ve...

17/09/2024

We're pleased to announce the launch of openFMD, a new web portal that will help scientists and policymakers tackle global foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

Developed in collaboration by The Pirbright Institute, EuFMD, and Epi-interactive, the platform brings together important resources for the global surveillance of FMD.

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A new web portal that helps scientists and policymakers tackle global foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has been launched. OpenFMD brings together important resources for global surveillance of FMD. The suite of new analytical tools has been developed by The Pirbright Institute, The European Commission f...

06/09/2024

Congratulations to 's Georgina Limon & Dr. Baldev Raj Gulati, Director of ICAR - NIVEDI, who are to lead a joint UK-India project to understand and control in Indian cattle.

The UK and India have announced a co-funded package of research initiatives.

29/08/2024

Did you know...?

The Pirbright Institute is the National Reference Laboratory for bluetongue virus (BTV).

📹 Watch Pirbright scientist Dr Carrie Batten (Head of the Non-Vesicular Reference Laboratory) explain more about BTV ⬇️

29/08/2024

What is bluetongue virus?

Pirbright scientist and bluetongue virus expert Dr Carrie Batten shares some insights on a disease that poses a threat to the livestock industry ⬇️

Our bluetongue virus specialist, Dr Carrie Batten, shares insights into a disease that threatens the livestock industry. What is bluetongue virus? Bluetongue does not affect people or food safety. It is a disease of sheep, cattle and other ruminants caused by the bluetongue virus (BTV). Transmitted....

27/08/2024

⚠️The Pirbright Institute has begun testing for bluetongue virus (BTV) following a single reported case in Norfolk.

Bluetongue virus infects wild and domestic ruminants, and causes the severe haemorrhagic disease, bluetongue (BT).

It's predominantly spread between ruminants through the bites of tiny infected Culicoides midges found in huge numbers on most farms.

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The Pirbright Institute has begun testing for bluetongue virus (BTV) following a single reported case in Norfolk. The UK Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer confirmed a case of bluetongue virus BTV3 in a single sheep at a premises near Haddiscoe, the first case detected in the 2024/25 midge season. Blue...