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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 17th April 2020
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Pirbright supports global battle against COVID-19
More than 60 of Pirbright's diagnostic staff and scientists have volunteered to join the PHE COVID-19 testing effort.
Scientists utilising skills and equipment to support the testing effort

Researchers at The Pirbright Institute are utilising their unique facilities and expertise to help in the global battle against COVID-19.

Scientists are providing help in three key areas, allowing the UK to increase its capacity to test both NHS staff and patients and meet the Government’s pledge to deliver 100,000 COVID-19 diagnostic tests by the end of April.

Pirbright has supplied the UK's National Coronavirus Testing Centre in Milton Keynes with 13 of its high-throughput testing machines. Comprising seven nucleic acid extraction robots and six PCR machines, the equipment will be used to identify the presence of COVID-19 in samples taken from potentially infected people and/or healthcare workers.

Furthermore, more than 60 of Pirbright’s diagnostic staff and scientists have volunteered to join the testing effort at seven Public Health England testing sites across the nation. The volunteers have been working away from their families since 23 March and will be deployed on a rota basis for as long as is required.

Pirbright scientists with expertise in animal coronaviruses are also studying the virus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19 to further understand its biology and how it infects cells. A vaccine trial is already underway, in which a potential vaccine is being tested on pigs.

“This work is a fantastic collaboration between world-leading medical and veterinary scientists in immunology, virology and molecular biology,” explained Dr Toby Tuthill, head of the virus programme at Pirbright.

“It will provide an evaluation of new SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in a relevant model and will also generate a panel of antibody-based tools which will help us understand virus structure and how it stimulates the immune response. These antibodies could also be developed as additional novel therapeutics to treat COVID-19”, he said.

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here. 

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Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.