Why is our work important?
The work of The Roslin Institute is designed to Enhance Lives.
The results of our research are important in many ways. We aim to improve animal health and welfare with a view to benefiting the environment, developing countries, farmers and the public. Our research goals are to conserve genetic diversity, control animal diseases, develop new diagnostics and therapeutics for animals and humans and improve food quality and safety.
The increase in global demand for livestock products as the world's population increases and becomes more affluent means new methods of production that ensure long-term sustainability must be developed. The research of The Roslin Institute addresses this issue and our research is making an impact through its key objectives:
- Enhance animal health and welfare through knowledge of genetic factors affecting resistance to disease.
- Enhance sustainability and productivity of livestock systems and food supply chains through understanding of reproductive and developmental biology.
- Enhance food safety by understanding interactions between disease causing organisms and animals.
- Enhance human health through an understanding of basic mechanisms of health and disease and comparative biology of animal species.
- Identify of new and emerging zoonoses and understand how pathogens might cross from animals to humans.
- Enhance quality of life for animals by studying the mechanisms and behaviours associated with optimising their environment and life experiences.