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Researchers at The Pirbright Institute have identified the genetic markers on avian influenza (‘bird flu’) viruses that could help the viruses to jump the species barrier and cause disease in people, in collaboration with other members of the One Health Poultry Hub. Co-investigators Professor Munir…

A new study by researchers at The Pirbright Institute shows that avian influenza viruses can combine two techniques to evade vaccine immunity, aiding their spread in the field. Understanding the dynamics between these methods could allow researchers to develop better vaccines that prevent flu…

Mutations in the H7N9 bird flu virus increase its replication rate and stability in avian cells, but reduce its preference for infecting human cells, a study from The Pirbright Institute has found. The results show that outbreaks in birds caused by strains with these mutations could pose a lower…

Hassaan Bin Aslam, a veterinarian and microbiologist from Pakistan, is a student at The Pirbright Institute and the Royal Veterinary College whose project explores the structure of the Pakistan chicken industry to provide information that will aid scientists and policy makers in preventing the…

The Pirbright Institute, working in collaboration with the University of Oxford, have successfully shown that two doses of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccine produce a greater antibody response than a single dose in pigs. The emergence and subsequent spread of SARS-CoV-2 has caused a global…

Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have shown that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), responsible for coronavirus disease (COVID-19), is able to enter cells using the receptors of multiple mammalian species. The broad host range of SARS-CoV-2 confirms the potential risk…

Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have engineered synthetic antibody molecules that can be administered to poultry to reduce the symptoms of influenza, as well as decreasing the amount of influenza virus they shed into the environment. These results suggest that there is potential for their use…

On 15 January 2020 The Pirbright Institute hosted Newton Fund Swine and Poultry Research Initiative delegates from the UK, China, Thailand and the Philippines. The projects funded through the initiative have been underway for almost two years and the meeting served as part of a midway point workshop…

Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have used genetic engineering to develop a vaccine that protects birds against both Marek’s disease and avian influenza, also known as bird flu. The process is faster and more efficient compared to previous methods, which will allow poultry vaccine producers to…

Researchers from The Pirbright Institute have been awarded US $5.5 million by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to establish a Livestock Antibody Hub aimed at improving animal and human health globally. The ambitious programme of work will see extensive collaboration between multiple UK research…

The flu season is upon us, but how much do you know about avian influenza? Do you know how to protect the birds you keep against infection? Find out the key facts about flu, why the disease is so hard to prevent, and what scientists at The Pirbright Institute are doing to understand more about avian…

Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have found that the transmission of avian influenza viruses in Vietnam is influenced by the structure of live poultry trading networks. Their work has identified the groups that are most likely to employ trade practices that impact the risk of infection in…