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Funding boost for foot-and-mouth vaccine consortium
Foot-and-mouth is one of the most economically important infectious diseases of livestock across the world.
Investment marks the final step in bringing an affordable vaccine to market 

An international foot-and-mouth (FMD) vaccine research and development consortium has been awarded more than £3 million of funding from the Wellcome Trust to produce a more affordable and effective vaccine.

The consortium, led by The Pirbright Institute, will use the funding to build on initial research and answer remaining product development challenges. Welcoming the news, Dr Bryan Charleston of the Pirbright Institute said:

“This represents the final step in being able to bring an affordable and effective FMD vaccine to the market that does not require special facilities to produce, is less reliant on a cold chain, and so will transform the livelihood of those farmers in the poorest areas of the world who depend on their livestock for food and economic security.”

FMD is one of the most economically important infectious diseases of livestock across the world, affecting sheep, goats, pigs and other cloven-footed animals.

Initial research into a new vaccine to protect against the disease showed that virus-like particle (VLP) copies of FMD, grown in insect cells, were effective in protecting cattle against four serotypes of the disease. Researchers say the new research aims to translate these findings into a commercially viable vaccine that is effective against multiple strains of FMDV.

Consortium member Ian Jones, professor of virology at the University of Reading, said: “I am very grateful to the Wellcome Trust for their continued support of our research aimed at making vaccination against foot-and-mouth disease virus far more widespread. The basic science has progressed well but there is still a gap in making its manufacture a practical reality, which this funding should allow us to bridge.

“The principles we learn could also benefit other vaccines made in a similar way, for both animal and human disease.”

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.