Scots scoop £1.7m research grant

New equipment will include a state-of-the-art system capable of high-level lipid and protein analysis to advance researchers’ and producers’ development of sustainable alternative feeds. This will be based at the University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture and at the University of the Highlands and Islands. The first of its kind in Scotland dedicated to Aquaculture research, the liquid chromatography with mass spectometry (LC-MS/MS) system is also the system of choice for analysing shellfish toxins.

Other equipment funded by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) award will include a digital polymerase chain reaction (PCR) system, a new technology that enables the detection of viral pathogens and diseases at very early stages, which will add significantly to Scottish researchers’ ability to detect and tackle disease outbreaks in Scotland.

Speaking at the recent UK Aquaculture Forum meeting in Brussels, Heather Jones, CEO of the SAIC (pictured with Scotland's Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse), said: "I am delighted that within its first 6 months of existence, SAIC has leveraged a substantial sum for specialist capital equipment into Scottish universities, creating the capability for new innovative research projects to be developed in response to needs identified by the aquaculture industry.

"Businesses and researchers could find high-profile and profitable innovation opportunities by working together, and we look forward to seeing the fruits of the research projects that these new equipment purchases will enable."

The award followed a successful application to the Scottish Funding Council’s capital investment fund, part of a wider £14 million capital investment in Scotland’s Innovation Centres announced in August. The equipment will be installed at higher education institutions across Scotland, including the University of Stirling, the University of St Andrews, University of the Highlands and Islands and the University of Aberdeen.