Researchers from The Pirbright Institute, the University of Oxford’s Division of Structural Biology and Diamond Light Source have showcased their expertise at the Harwell Open Day, which highlights UK science and innovation to the public.
Staged for the first time in eight years, the event gave the public behind-the-scenes insight into leading-edge research and the chance to meet scientists and technicians who deliver discoveries that make the news.
Diamond is based at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, and contains the UK’s synchrotron light source (a source of high brilliance X-rays for physical and biological sciences) and the Electron Bio-Imaging Centre (eBIC).
These instruments for Biological Cryo-Imaging provide unparalleled opportunities for obtaining virus structures at atomic resolution and for visualising viruses replicating inside infected cells.
Scientists at Pirbright and Diamond use the facilities to understand how viruses such as bovine respiratory syncytial virus, Marek’s disease virus, infectious bronchitis virus and foot-and-mouth disease virus, replicate, cause disease and interact with the immune response in farm animals.
Previous studies to view the outer shell of the foot-and-mouth disease virus were instrumental in the design of improved vaccines now in commercial development.
Dr Toby Tuthill, virologist and group leader at Pirbright, said: “We had a really enjoyable day engaging with people, explaining virology and imaging, and giving away Pirbright goodies to curious families. It’s important that our work to understand the biology of veterinary viruses is known and appreciated by the public, and the Open Day provided an ideal platform for this.”
Dr Eva Perez, an FMD specialist at Pirbright, added: “Yet again, our FMDV assembly challenge proved to be very popular. I particularly enjoyed interacting with the children who participated.”
Dr Sue Baigent, from the Viral Oncogenesis group, said: “It was great to engage with so many members of the public. Children and adults alike showed a genuine interest in the work of Pirbright scientists and asked some really good questions.”
Professor Gianluigi Botton, CEO of Diamond Light Source said: “We hope that by opening our doors to thousands of people during the Harwell Open day, we have helped to open more eyes than ever to the wonders of the world-changing science that happens here at Diamond. Collaborations like that with Pirbright will help tackle some of the most challenging animal health of our times.”
The Open Day also gave visitors the chance to experience the science and technology carried out both at Harwell and other locations run by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) – from supercomputing, accelerator science, and next-generation telescopes to biological sciences and robotics.