News
Red squirrels' low genetic diversity poses disease vulnerability
Worryingly low levels of genetic diversity make Scotland’s red squirrels especially vulnerable to disease, a study has shown.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh said this could explain why the mammals are so slow to develop resistance to the squirrelpox virus, which is carried by non-native grey squirrels and fatal to reds.
Source: The National
Launch of a New Digital Trust Centre of Excellence in Scotland
Leading financial and technology experts have set up a new Digital Trust Centre of Excellence in Scotland to make the digital world safer and more secure.
Source: The Scotsman
Converge seeks 100 most promising academic innovators
Converge has officially launched its 2025 programme, seeking 100 exceptional researchers, creators and inventors from across Scotland’s universities to apply for a coveted place.
Large-scale study focuses on fish health and welfare
An £8.5m, large-scale research partnership seeks to improve the welfare and productivity of farmed salmon in Scotland.
In a project led by the Roslin Institute partnered with the UK’s largest salmon farmer Mowi Scotland, experts will seek to understand how to limit the impact of chronic complex diseases, enabling better health and welfare.
Edinburgh image sensor company emerges from stealth mode
Singular Photonics has emerged from stealth mode, launching a new generation of image sensors based on single photon avalanche diodes (SPADs).
A spin-out from the University of Edinburgh lab of professor Robert Henderson, Singular is one of the first companies to bring advanced computation to SPAD-based image sensing, enabling in-pixel and cross-pixel storage and computations at the lowest light levels to reveal previously invisible details.
Source: Business Insider
Pig studies support ongoing Covid-19 research
Researchers from across the University of Edinburgh and Moredun Research Institute, are collaborating in a study of gene-edited pigs to better understand severe Covid-19, providing insights into disease progression and treatment development.
How Edinburgh pioneer behind 'holy grail' gene therapy technology raised £3 million
An Edinburgh-based biotech pioneer behind technology described as the “holy grail for emerging gene therapies” has been given a £3 million funding injection.
Concinnity Genetics - co-founded by Jessica Birt and Matthew Dale - has developed novel control mechanisms using a cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) platform and its synthetic biology expertise.
Source: The Scotsman
Carbogenics secures funding for overseas expansion
Carbogenics has closed its latest funding round, securing just under £500,000.
The University of Edinburgh spin-out turns difficult-to-recycle secondary-biomass into a product called CreChar. This is a carbon-rich, porous material should help stabilise the performance of anaerobic digestion plants.
Source: Business Insider
Call to ‘turn up the dial’ as Edinburgh University unveils record-breaking stats
Edinburgh University’s commercialisation arm has unveiled record-breaking annual results including the launch of 127 companies.
The latest report also shows that Edinburgh Innovations filed 140 patents during the financial year 2023/24, while £141 million was invested into university-associated companies.
Source: The Scotsman
Edinburgh Space Testing Facility relaunches after major investment
Following nine months of renovations and over £400,000 investment via the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), the Higgs Centre for Innovation’s space testing facility at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh is reopening for business.