AgResearch

Moredun was proud to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AgResearch, the largest Crown Research Institute (CRI) in New Zealand, in 2008.

Moredun has had many links with AgResearch over the years, especially in projects relating to important roundworms in sheep. The Hopkirk Institute, which is part of AgResearch in New Zealand used the Moredun Research Institute as a blueprint for its own organisational structure.

There are important similarities between Scotland and New Zealand, including a relatively small geographical area and a low human population density. Very significantly, grazing livestock, and especially sheep, remain important to the agricultural sector and to the national economy.

This MoU will allow new opportunities to work together to fulfil the aims of both Institutes: AgResearch – “Farming and Food” and Moredun Research Institute -  “To control and prevent infectious diseases of livestock”.

The MoU has led to significant collaboration between the two organisations already: a senior scientist has been appointed in a joint project to investigate potential vaccines for Johne’s disease and a PhD student has been appointed to look at the problem of anthelmintic resistance.