Institute for Animal Health
Encyclopedia
The Institute for Animal Health is a research institute
in the United Kingdom
dedicated to the study of infectious disease
s of farm animals
. It forms part of the UK government's Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
(BBSRC). The institute employs many scientists and vets, along with a handful of PhD students.
. More buildings were added in 1925. Compton was established by the Agricultural Research Council in 1937. Pirbright became a research institute in 1939 and Compton in 1942. The Houghton Poultry Research Station at Houghton, Cambridgeshire
was established in 1948. In 1963 Pirbright became the Animal Virus Research Institute and Compton became the Institute for Research on Animal Diseases. The Neuropathogenesis Unit (NPU) was established in Edinburgh in 1981. This became part of the Roslin Institute in 2007.
In 1987, Compton, Houghton and Pirbright became the Institute for Animal Health, being funded by BBSRC. Houghton closed in 1992, operations at Compton are being wound down with the site due to close in 2013.
The Edward Jenner Institute for Vaccine Research
was sited at Compton until October 2005.
There are incipient plans to build a new National Centre (for viruses) at Pirbright.
(commonplace) animal diseases (mainly tuberculosis and salmonella
), and Pirbright works on exotic (unusual) animal diseases (usually caused by virus outbreaks). Pirbright has National and International Reference Laboratories of diseases.
). The remaining 25% comes from direct payments for work carried out.
Valley. There are 480 Friesian Holstein cows and a flock of Dorset
sheep. These animals are involved in research. The genotypes of the animals are known.
carried by animals, of which rabies is a well-known type, although not in farm animal
s. Anthrax
is a bacterium. Understanding of viruses comes from molecular biology
.
It carries out surveillance activities on general animal health in the UK, and spread of disease.
Research institute
A research institute is an establishment endowed for doing research. Research institutes may specialize in basic research or may be oriented to applied research...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
dedicated to the study of infectious disease
Infectious disease
Infectious diseases, also known as communicable diseases, contagious diseases or transmissible diseases comprise clinically evident illness resulting from the infection, presence and growth of pathogenic biological agents in an individual host organism...
s of farm animals
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
. It forms part of the UK government's Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council is a UK Research Council and NDPB and is the largest UK public funder of non-medical bioscience...
(BBSRC). The institute employs many scientists and vets, along with a handful of PhD students.
History
It began in 1913 to test cows for tuberculosisTuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. More buildings were added in 1925. Compton was established by the Agricultural Research Council in 1937. Pirbright became a research institute in 1939 and Compton in 1942. The Houghton Poultry Research Station at Houghton, Cambridgeshire
Houghton, Cambridgeshire
Houghton is a village in the English county of Cambridgeshire. Prior to 1974, it was part of the former county of Huntingdonshire. The village is in the civil parish of Houghton and Wyton and is situated between Huntingdon and St Ives on the A1123 road, and not far south of RAF Wyton...
was established in 1948. In 1963 Pirbright became the Animal Virus Research Institute and Compton became the Institute for Research on Animal Diseases. The Neuropathogenesis Unit (NPU) was established in Edinburgh in 1981. This became part of the Roslin Institute in 2007.
In 1987, Compton, Houghton and Pirbright became the Institute for Animal Health, being funded by BBSRC. Houghton closed in 1992, operations at Compton are being wound down with the site due to close in 2013.
The Edward Jenner Institute for Vaccine Research
Edward Jenner Institute for Vaccine Research
The Edward Jenner Institute for Vaccine Research was an independent research institute named after Edward Jenner, the inventor of vaccination. It was co-located with the Compton Laboratory of the Institute for Animal Health on a campus in the English village of Compton...
was sited at Compton until October 2005.
There are incipient plans to build a new National Centre (for viruses) at Pirbright.
Structure
Compton works on endemicEndemic (epidemiology)
In epidemiology, an infection is said to be endemic in a population when that infection is maintained in the population without the need for external inputs. For example, chickenpox is endemic in the UK, but malaria is not...
(commonplace) animal diseases (mainly tuberculosis and salmonella
Salmonella
Salmonella is a genus of rod-shaped, Gram-negative, non-spore-forming, predominantly motile enterobacteria with diameters around 0.7 to 1.5 µm, lengths from 2 to 5 µm, and flagella which grade in all directions . They are chemoorganotrophs, obtaining their energy from oxidation and reduction...
), and Pirbright works on exotic (unusual) animal diseases (usually caused by virus outbreaks). Pirbright has National and International Reference Laboratories of diseases.
Funding
25% of its income comes from a core grant from the BBSRC of around £11m. Around 50% comes from research grants from related government organisations, such as DEFRA, or industry and charities (such as the Wellcome TrustWellcome Trust
The Wellcome Trust was established in 1936 as an independent charity funding research to improve human and animal health. With an endowment of around £13.9 billion, it is the United Kingdom's largest non-governmental source of funds for biomedical research...
). The remaining 25% comes from direct payments for work carried out.
Farm
The Institute has a 780 hectare farm at Compton in the PangRiver Pang
The River Pang is a small chalk stream river in the west of the English county of Berkshire, and a tributary of the River Thames. It runs for approximately from its source near the village of Compton to its confluence with the Thames in the village of Pangbourne.The river, and its water voles, are...
Valley. There are 480 Friesian Holstein cows and a flock of Dorset
Dorset (sheep)
The Dorset or Dorset Horned breed of sheep is known mostly for its prolific lambing. It has been known to produce two lambing seasons per year: bred in May for lambs finished by the holidays, and bred again immediately after the first lambing to produce again in March or April...
sheep. These animals are involved in research. The genotypes of the animals are known.
Function
It mostly investigates virusesAnimal virology
The study of animal viruses is important from a veterinary viewpoint and many of these viruses cause diseases that are economically devastating. Many animal viruses are also important from a human medical perspective...
carried by animals, of which rabies is a well-known type, although not in farm animal
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
s. Anthrax
Anthrax
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals...
is a bacterium. Understanding of viruses comes from molecular biology
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
.
It carries out surveillance activities on general animal health in the UK, and spread of disease.
Location
The institute has campuses at:- ComptonCompton, BerkshireCompton is a village and civil parish in the River Pang valley in the Berkshire Downs about south of Didcot. It has a population of 1,521. The Pang flows through the village as a winter bourne, a stream that only flows after periods of unusually high rainfall.-Parish church:The bell tower of the...
in BerkshireBerkshireBerkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and... - PirbrightPirbrightPirbright is a village in Surrey, England. Neighbouring villages include Worplesdon, Deepcut, Brookwood and Normandy. Pirbright parish has an area of some falling into two distinct communities with the military area to the north of the railway and the village to the south...
in SurreySurreySurrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
— shared with commercial company MerialMerialMerial is a multinational animal health company. It was formed as a joint venture between Merck & Co. and Sanofi-Aventis in 1997. Merial is now the animal health subsidiary of Sanofi-Aventis. Merial is a company leader in innovation, and provides an ample range with products to improve the...
See also
- 2007 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreak2007 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth outbreakAn outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom was confirmed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs , on 3 August 2007, in the parish of Normandy, Surrey....
- World Organisation for Animal Health
- Bluetongue diseaseBluetongue diseaseBluetongue disease or catarrhal fever is a non-contagious, non-zoonotic, insect-borne, viral disease of ruminants, mainly sheep and less frequently cattle, goats, buffalo, deer, dromedaries and antelope...
- Veterinary Laboratories AgencyVeterinary Laboratories AgencyThe Veterinary Laboratories Agency is an executive agency of the UK government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs . It carries out animal disease surveillance, diagnostic services and veterinary scientific research for government and commercial organisations...
- Animal HealthAnimal HealthAnimal Health is the UK government's executive agency primarily responsible for ensuring that farmed animals in Great Britain are healthy, disease-free and well looked after....
(DEFRA's related government agency)