Experts in infectious diseases link up with Government to protect public health
Wednesday 8 September 2010
Experts in infectious diseases at the University of Surrey have formed a unique partnership with a government veterinary agency to help tackle global animal and public health issues.
The pioneering collaboration brings together scientists from the Microbial Sciences Division of the University and the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA), part of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
Research collaborations will focus on a range of areas including Salmonella, TB, human gastroenteritis viruses, E. coli and the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in food producing animals.
The new Memorandum of Understanding is a landmark to acknowledge the major collaborative activities that have arisen between the two institutions over the last year covering joint activities in veterinary research and education.
The work includes the launch of a new joint undergraduate programme in Veterinary Biosciences, the appointment of a joint academic post, Professor Roberto La Ragione, and the award of a Visiting Professorship to Professor Martin Woodward of the VLA, which has its headquarters in Surrey.
Dr Lisa Roberts, Head of the Microbial Sciences Division at The University of Surrey, said: “I am delighted with the deepening relationship between the University and VLA, particularly in bringing together our complementary research expertise to answer important research questions.
Our working together has already resulted in the award of major joint funding to study microbial fuel cells and antibiotic resistance. I believe our future plans will even further enhance our research collaborations and development of joint teaching programmes".
Professor Martin Woodward, Head of Bacteriology and Chair of the VLA Training and Postgraduate Education Committee, commented: “The coming together of the VLA with the University of Surrey is without doubt a major step forward for both institutions.
“Both institutions are global players. Bringing together the highly specialist skills and knowledge bases of these two powerhouses is generating a great deal of potential advances which are now being realised.
“Within a very short time, a plethora of new opportunities have arisen already ranging from inventive EPSRC projects, new ideas in post genomics and systems biology through to PhD programmes, new undergraduate courses and new approaches to training. In these challenging financial times, close working relations will not only strengthen both institutions but also provide long term resilience in our respective fields for the benefit of UK plc”
Notes to Editors:
Professor Roberto La Ragione graduated in 1995 and then went on to study for a post graduate degree at the Royal Veterinary College. In 1996 he moved to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency to undertake a PhD and later was appointed to his current position of head of pathogenesis and control at the VLA. His current research interests focus on the pathogenesis of food-borne pathogens with a particular interest in the development of intervention strategies including pre- and probiotics for the control of bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli in food producing animals. In 2010 Roberto was appointed Professor of veterinary microbiology and pathology at the University of Surrey.
The VLA is an executive agency of Defra and is well known as a centre of scientific excellence. For more than a century it has been delivering research, surveillance and laboratory services for animal and public health.
Media enquiries: Howard Wheeler, Press Office at the University of Surrey, Tel: 01483 686141 or E-mail: h.wheeler@surrey.ac.uk
Notes to Editors:
The University of Surrey is one of the UK’s leading professional, scientific and technological universities with a world class research profile and a reputation for excellence in teaching and research. Ground-breaking research at the University is bringing direct benefit to all spheres of life – helping industry to maintain its competitive edge and creating improvements in the areas of health, medicine, space science, the environment, communications, defence and social policy. Programmes in science and technology have gained widespread recognition and it also boasts flourishing programmes in dance and music, social sciences, management and languages and law. In addition to the campus on 150 hectares just outside Guildford, Surrey, the University also owns and runs the Surrey Research Park, which provides facilities for 140 companies employing 2,700 staff.
Media Enquiries
Howard Wheeler, Press Office at the University of Surrey, Tel: +44 (0)1483 686141, or Email mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk
