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Research
A multi-million pound programme of strategic research delivered over five years providing science and evidence to support policymakers and its partners. Informed by strong partnerships and the needs of a broad range of stakeholders. Science at the heart of society contributing to the health, wealth and wellbeing of Scotland and beyond.
Explore our research projects
Nitrogen emitted from farming, industry and domestic sources impacts negatively on the wider countryside. This project examines the impacts of nitrogen deposition on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in Scottish natural habitats and the interactions between nitrogen impacts and climate change. Methods for monitoring nitrogen impacts will be developed and the potential for mitigation are explored.
- Air Quality
- 2022-2027
Development of novel tools and technologies for the improved control and prevention of economically-important conditions and diseases of livestock in Scotland. These include reproductive failure, lungworms, Johne’s disease, sheep scab, bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD) and bovine respiratory disease (BRD).
- Animal Disease
- 2022-2027
The unique characteristics, challenges, and aspirations of the local business base, and opportunities for community wealth building in rural and island communities are examined. We focus on understanding the role of economic infrastructure in prosperity and consider how future changes to agricultural support may impact on rural and island regions of Scotland.
- Rural Economy
- 2022-2027
This project is designed to develop Distributed Ledger (blockchain) compatible methods – based on DNA and chemical analysis – to determine provenance across key Scottish produce and sectors to protect the safety, integrity, and quality of the food chain and the environment and the status of key Scottish produce. It is pertinent to the UK's EU exit and large-scale shifts in international food trade.
- Food & Drink Improvements
- 2022-2027
The aim of this project is to develop highly effective, optimised, safe, novel vaccines for the control of the most production- and welfare-limiting endemic diseases of Scottish livestock caused by parasitic gastrointestinal nematodes.
- Animal Disease
- 2022-2027
This project is developing highly effective, optimised, safe, novel vaccines for the control of some of the most production- and welfare-limiting endemic diseases of Scottish livestock.
- Animal Disease
- 2022-2027
This project is developing vaccines to control reproductive diseases in sheep and cattle.
- Animal Disease
- 2022-2027
Using large datasets related to trade, launching of products, and consumer purchases, this project is studying current trends in markets relevant for the Scottish food and drink sector.
- Food & Drink Improvements
- 2022-2027
This project reviews existing community interventions designed to support healthy eating, identifying effective elements that people from low-income households value and engage with. These elements combine with strategies shown to effectively helping people to change behaviour, and used to create a new holistic healthy eating intervention for delivery to clients from low income families through the social prescribing service.
- Food & Drink Improvements
- 2022-2027
We explore dietary choices people make when they switch to a more plant-based diet. Plant-based diets are viewed as healthier and sustainable, but little is known about the plant-based foods people choose in place of meat and why. We conduct a series of studies to explore personal and social barriers, both perceived and real, to eating less meat and the health and environmental impacts when meat consumption and purchasing patterns vary.
- Food & Drink Improvements
- 2022-2027