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Science and the economy
08/10/2009
A report published today highlights the contribution Scotland's Science Institutes can make to the economy.
It highlights some of the ways that knowledge has been transformed into 'innovative' products, including the development of livestock vaccines and grazing systems to benefit farming, DNA fingerprinting tests to improve water quality and the use of 3-D imagery to inform planning assessments.
Minister for Environment, Roseanna Cunningham met some of the scientists involved in this work to hear about recent achievements.
Ms Cunningham said:
"Though we may not always appreciate it, science contributes a huge amount to our everyday lives; preventing and curing illnesses, delivering food to the table, clean water to our homes and protecting our environment.
"When the Scottish Government commissions research from the Main Research Providers (MRPs) the results can aid us in making informed policy decisions and best use of our resources - financial and environmental. And while the MRPs create high-value jobs, and boost Scotland's intellectual reputation this report reveals they also make and crucially, save us, vast sums of money.
"In these tough times innovation is vital, which is why the Scottish Government's economic recovery plan focuses strongly on encouraging this. I am delighted to see the achievements of Scotland's scientists recognised as we remain determined to help nurture cutting edge ideas such as those on show today, from the laboratory to the market place."
Detailed analysis shows:
- Work by the Rowett Institute (University of Aberdeen) could reduce NHS costs in treating obesity and spin out companies such as Novabiotics and GT Biologics target markets potentially worth billions
- The Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI) returns £12 to the economy for every £1 invested in its work
- Eight out of ten of the top global animal health companies are customers of Moredun Scientific Ltd
- Every £1 from Scottish sources invested in the Scottish Agricultural College generates a further £1- £2 of investment from outside Scotland
- The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute tests more than 50,000 laboratory samples each year and generates an additional £1 million annually for the North East economy from commercial analytical work
Recent initiatives from the Main Research Providers include:
- Work on the role of 'friendly' bacteria in the human gut resulting in a spin-out company GT Biologics being set up to establish new drugs for treatment - for a market potentially worth £16 billion (Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health)
- DNA fingerprinting technology, commonly used in criminal investigations, being used to improve water-quality testing (Scottish Crop Research Institute)
- A new company being established at Moredun Research Institute to produce commercial livestock vaccination products
- A new grazing system developed by the Scottish Agricultural College reduces worm infestation and improves lamb health while minimising drug use.
- The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute using 3-D technology to assist in assessing cumulative and visual impacts of proposed planning developments
The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, Scottish Crop Research Institute, Scottish Agricultural College and Moredun Research Institute are major beneficiaries of Scottish Government science funding. They are collectively known as the Main Research Providers (MRPs).
While not all of the MRPs science is directly funded by the Scottish Government their long-term science capacity remains very much dependent on Scottish Government investment.
The Rural and Environment Research and Analysis Directorate (RERAD) provides almost £60 million of funding each year towards research in a range of areas including the environment.
Past research projects of the Main Research Providers include:
- Development of potential new treatments offering hope to people suffering from a range of illnesses
- International contracts being signed with countries who want to utilise the breakthroughs of Scottish scientists
- Blackcurrant varieties now making up 50% of all blackcurrants grown in the world
- Improved barley production, essential for the Scottish whisky industry - one of the UKs top five exports
- Production of some of the highest cereal yields in the world
- Development of the only commercially available vaccine in the world against congenital toxoplasmosis
- World leading selection indexes for ruminant livestock, offering breeders improved production efficiency and better health and welfare