The Roslin Institute-The
University of Edinburgh
Lisa Yeske
The University of Edinburgh
Founded in 1582 by
Bishop Robert Reid
 Originally called
Tounis College
 6th college in British
Isles- 4th in Scotland
 First buildings built in
1827

Famous Accomplishments
Professors discovered
Carbon Dioxide and
Nitrogen
 7 Nobel Prize Laureates
including

◦ Alexander Graham Bell
◦ Charles Darwin
University of Edinburgh Library
Started its collection
before the University was
founded in 1580
 Contains over 2 million
references in print or film
 This version built in 1962

History of the Roslin Institute
In 1919, it was the
Institute of Animal
Genetics
 1947- Agriculture
Research Council gave
more funding to provide
research for better food
production
 Formed two segments:
the Poultry Research
Centre and the Animal
Breeding Research
Organization

History
Still continued with Animal Genetics
 1985- Animal Genetics, Poultry Research
Centre and the Animal Breeding Research
Organization combined to form the
Institute of Animal Physiology and
Genetics. Breeding researches moved to
village of Roslin.
 1992- organizations split to pursue
different missions

History
April 1993, Roslin Institute was formed
 1995- Roslin Institute became a limited by
guarantee business supported by the
Biotechnology and Biology Research council.

Recent History
In 2007, the Roslin Institute
combined with the Royal
(Dick) School of Veterinary
Studies supported by the
University of Edinburgh.
 Each will gain the others
expertise and resources to
generate more research in a
wider range of topics
 To commemorate their
merger, they are building a
£60.6 million facility called
Easter Bush

Roslin Institute and RDSVS


The new merging groups are
also working with the cancer
center at the medical school in
order to study cancer in large
animals and apply that
knowledge to humans.
They also wish to grow in
employee numbers, hoping to
work with the Moredun
Research institute to work with
zoonotic diseases
Mission Statement


“The Roslin Institute's mission is to gain
fundamental understanding of genetic,
cellular, organ and systems bioscience
underpinning common mechanisms of
animal development and pathology, and
to drive this into prevention and
treatment of important veterinary
diseases and develop sustainable farm
animal production systems.”
From the Roslin Institute Website
Principle Objectives

To enhance
◦ Animal health/welfare by studying genetic factors to
disease resistance
◦ Sustainability and productivity of livestock systems
through reproductive and development biology
◦ Food safety by understanding relationship of disease
organism and animals
◦ Human health by understanding comparative biology
◦ Identification of emerging zoonosis and how a disease
crosses species barrier
◦ Quality of life by researching behaviors and
mechanisms to optimize environment and life
Dolly the sheep
Gave Roslin Institute global
recognition
 First animal to be cloned
from an adult cell.
 Pulled the nucleus out of an
udder cell and placed it in an
emptied egg cell to grow a
genetically identical version
of the udder cell donor.
 Born in July of 1996

Dolly
Died six years later in 2003 of degenerative lung
disease
 Many people blame the cloning, but there is no proof
that caused it
 Body showed signs of premature aging in the length of
her telomeres and arthritis in her back legs

Recent developments
Currently they are studying the hormone
involved with smell recognition by animals.
 Believe the hormone to be vasopressin
 Ability to recognize another by scent is crucial to
animals to form bonds with each other.
 Scent identification may also contribute to
certain types of autism and social phobia.

Funding




Main funding from
Biotechnology and Biology
Research Center.
Gave them £40 million in 2007
to last for 5 years
In 2008, their expected research
budget was £25 million.
Other donors include animal
and food organizations wishing
to promote healthier lifestyles
and better productions
Roslin Institute Hits home
Everyone benefits from the work done by the
Roslin Institute, even us.
 Our own country’s National Institute of
Health contributes to the funds
 Pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer also
contribute.
