News

Read the latest news and updates from The Pirbright Institute.

Go to main content

Filters

Filters

Enter keywords

Select virus

Select month

Select researcher

Featured news

Pirbight's Plowright building from afar with wild plants in front

15 November 2024

Pirbright welcomes two successful Doctoral Landscape Awards in life and environmental sciences

The Pirbright Institute is celebrating two major doctoral training initiatives funded by the UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), each offering unique opportunities for the next generation of scientists. These programmes…

Close up of a pipette tip in a well of gel electrophoresis. Blue liquid is visible in the wells.

14 November 2024

Nurturing emerging leaders in science

Two talented Pirbright researchers have been awarded with Strategic Career Development Awards (SCDAs) to advance their research and career trajectories. Dr Rory Fortes de Brito, a Senior Postdoctoral researcher in the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) Immunology group and Dr Lidia…

Latest news

Mosquito taking a blood meal on human skin

23 September 2019

Pirbright scientists create mosquito GM method using scorpion venom component

Researchers at The Pirbright Institute have successfully inserted a scorpion venom gene into mosquitoes, which causes their paralysis after they feed on blood. This particular venom component is specific for arthropods, such as insects and millipedes, and harmless to mammals. Although this concept…

16 September 2019

Pirbright launches The Immunological Toolbox website

Scientists from The Pirbright Institute and The Roslin Institute have launched The Immunological Toolbox, a website that provides a platform for veterinary researchers to find resources and collaborate. The Toolbox aims to remove barriers to veterinary vaccine development by providing a central…

Vaccine being drawn from a vile

11 September 2019

Pirbright partners with ECO Animal Health to combat poultry diseases

The Pirbright Institute has entered into a worldwide exclusive partnership with ECO Animal Health Ltd (ECO), a wholly owned subsidiary of ECO Animal Health Group plc, on two new projects to combat significant diseases of poultry. The first project, led by Professor Venugopal Nair on the development…

Goats being herded by Maasai

05 September 2019

New peste des petits ruminants field test developed by Pirbright scientists

A new method for detecting peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) in the field has been developed by scientists at The Pirbright Institute. The novel diagnostic test is as reliable as laboratory tests, provides rapid results and is easy to use in the field. These features will help improve…

A man herds cows across land in Tanzania

02 September 2019

Pirbright grants licence for new foot-and-mouth disease vaccine

The Pirbright Institute and its research partners have granted MSD Animal Health a commercial licence for a new, effective and affordable vaccine to protect livestock against several serotypes of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). The new vaccine is more stable than current foot-and-mouth disease…

ducks and chickens at market

Pirbright scientists identify high risk poultry trading practices for flu in Vietnam

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…

Prof Venu Nair and Dr Zhiqiang Shen CERAD Newton fundUK-China Centre of Excellence for Research of Avian Diseases (CERAD)

Pirbright poultry disease scientist nominated for Newton Prize

Professor Venugopal Nair OBE, Head of the Viral Oncogenesis group at Pirbright is among the shortlisted nominees for the Newton Prize. The award celebrates outstanding international research partnerships and the £1 million prize will be divided between four winning research projects. Professor Nair…

pigs sleeping ASF african swine fever Pirbright

How Pirbright is working to protect our pigs against African swine fever and what you can do to help

African swine fever (ASF) is a deadly disease of pigs and wild boar, it does not affect people. ASF is currently threatening the world’s pig population. Separate outbreaks are decimating pig herds across Africa, Europe and Asia, with official figures from the the Food and Agriculture Organization of…

gene edited DNA

Pirbright scientists join Outreach Network for Gene Drive Research

The Pirbright Institute has become a member of the Outreach Network for Gene Drive Research, whose mission is to raise awareness with the public about the potential value of this technology. By joining the network, Pirbright scientists will help the public to understand what gene drive research…

Pirbright receives Leader in Openness award

The Pirbright Institute is one of 13 organisations who have been announced as recipients of the first Leader in Openness awards from Understanding Animal Research (UAR). UAR Concordat Leader in Openness award Held for three years, 2019-22, the award recognises Pirbright’s commitment to the UAR…

Sam Thevasagayam RCVS award

Pirbright Science Advisory Board member receives International Award

Dr Samuel Thevasagayam, member of The Pirbright Institute Science Advisory Board, has been presented with the prestigious ‘International Award’ from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons ( RCVS). First bestowed in 2017, the International Award recognises veterinary surgeons, nurses or laypeople…

Sir John Kingman unveilling the brick bull in celebration of WLRFMD 60 years

UKRI chair Sir John Kingman sees Pirbright’s world-class research first-hand

On Friday 12 July 2019, the Chair of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Sir John Kingman, visited The Pirbright Institute to explore its research and specialist facilities that together provide a critical function in protecting the UK from viral diseases of livestock. Sir John toured Pirbright’s…