The Roslin Institute

Congratulations to our former director Professor Bruce Whitelaw, who has been made an OBE in the King’s birthday honours.

Professor Whitelaw worked at the Roslin Institute for almost four decades, and served as Director from 2022 until 2025.

Former Director awarded OBE in King's honours | The Roslin Institute | The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies Professor Bruce Whitelaw recognised in royal birthday honours list for services to bioscience.

Prof Neil Mabbott discusses the latest developments in using AI towards designing a universal vaccine, in The Conversation.

World’s first AI-designed vaccine explained A vaccine designed entirely by AI has been tested in people for the first time.

Professor Kenny Baillie, a pioneer in understanding and treating infectious diseases including Covid-19, gave an overview of his career at a recent inaugural lecture showcase.

Professor Baillie shared the stage with Professor Jim Wilson, who studies genetic influences on disease risk.

Watch again at the link below.

College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine inaugural lecture showcase | College of Medicine & Veterinary Medicine | College of Medicine and Vet Medicine With professors Kenneth Baillie and Jim Wilson.

Genomic tools could help support the long-term management of critically endangered eastern black rhinos in Kenya.

Roslin scientists are collaborating on an international project to develop DNA-based resources that could make it cheaper and easier to monitor genetic diversity.

This will help conservation teams make evidence-based decisions as rhino numbers continue to recover.



Find out more: https://edin.ac/43dFy4O
International Rhino Foundation

A bacteria linked to mastitis in dairy cattle has evolved to access nutrients in milk, enabling it to sustain infection in cows' udders, scientists have shown.

Their findings help explain how mastitis adapted after moving from humans into cattle, and highlight potential ways to control the infection in livestock.



https://edin.ac/463lu7b

Breeding poultry to shed less virus through feather dust could help improve flock-level protection against Marek’s disease, research suggests.

Roslin scientists found that vaccination reduced virus shedding and helped protect susceptible flock mates, while genetic resistance protected individual birds but did not reduce spread.

Feather viral load could provide a practical measure to guide future breeding and vaccine strategies.

Find out more: https://edin.ac/4wU6eVT

Feather insights could curb spread of poultry virus | The Roslin Institute | The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies Breeding poultry according to their capacity to shed virus from feathers could improve flock-level protection against a costly infectious disease.

Efforts to expand woodland in Scotland should consider potential disease risks linked to increased contact between wildlife and livestock, research suggests.

Our researchers used economic modelling, land use data, cattle movement records and wildlife distribution estimates to explore how woodland expansion could affect contact between wild deer and cattle.

The findings highlight the importance of careful planning to support environmental goals while minimising unintended risks to livestock health.

Read more: https://edin.ac/4uFPv7m