{"id":49537,"date":"2014-10-31T11:24:19","date_gmt":"2014-10-31T11:24:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=7dadc125b88663fdc38d95ccce3bf679"},"modified":"2014-10-31T11:24:19","modified_gmt":"2014-10-31T11:24:19","slug":"news-story-pioneering-new-facilities-to-protect-the-uk-from-viruses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=49537","title":{"rendered":"News story: Pioneering new facilities to protect the UK from viruses"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Opened by Business Secretary Vince Cable and funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council<\/a> the laboratory uses new, world-leading bio-containment technologies developed specifically for The Pirbright Institute<\/a> to enable scientists to study diseases such as bluetongue, foot-and-mouth disease, avian influenza and African swine fever.
\nThe new facilities will help to predict and prevent outbreaks and develop vaccines and diagnostics in order to protect the UK from devastating diseases that can affect animals and humans and cost millions to the UK economy. <\/p>\n

Business Secretary Vince Cable, said: <\/p>\n

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Disease spreading from animals to humans isn\u2019t a plot from a Hollywood movie. Its results can have devastating impact on our health and the health of the countryside economy. This new centre will help protect both.<\/p>\n

Investment like this is why we are designing a long-term science and innovation strategy, which will help British science to keep breaking barriers.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Professor John Fazakerley, Director, The Pirbright Institute, said:<\/p>\n

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Our new high-containment facilities have an exceptionally high standard of design and finish and will allow us to retain and recruit the very best expertise and continue to deliver high-impact science.<\/p>\n

The impact of the Institute\u2019s science is global, its facilities and expertise provide a national capability and its work makes a strong contribution to health and economic prosperity in the UK and worldwide.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Professor Jackie Hunter, BBSRC<\/abbr> Chief Executive, said: <\/p>\n

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The BBSRC<\/abbr> National Virology Centre will ensure that the UK has the infrastructure to complement The Pirbright Institute\u2019s scientific excellence to better enable the fight against viral diseases that threaten agriculture and animal health, and which could pose a threat to humans. In an era of global trade and climate change the UK cannot rely on its island status to protect us and cutting-edge science and facilities are vital to safeguard against these threats.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n