Science Science

Largest concentration of animal science related expertise in Europe

The Easter Bush Campus is home to the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The Roslin Institute, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and the Animal Hospitals. 



The Roslin Institute is part of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, the University of Edinburgh. 

The Institute undertakes research on the health and welfare of animals and seeks to apply findings in basic animal sciences to human and veterinary medicine, the livestock industry and food security.

Further growth will cement world-leading capacity to address livestock improvement, food security and alleviation of poverty in developing countries.


Young cows representing animal science research on the Easter Bush Campus


One Heath Infographic

The Easter Bush Campus is delivering solutions to global challenges within livestock industries and both veterinary and human medicine.

We offer immediate proximity to world leading, strategic, translational science.

Genetics and Genomics: To advance understanding of complex animal systems through the development of improved predictive models.

Infection and Immunity: To enhance understanding of the mechanisms of host defence against infection, and translate this understanding into prevention and treatment.

Development Biology: To improve fundamental knowledge of cellular growth to develop better disease intervention strategies.

Neurology and Behaviour: To identify the key mechanisms that preserve healthy brain function and those that contribute to neurodegeneration.

Translational Clinical Science: To enhance understanding of disease processes in companion and large animals, and to translate that understanding into improved therapies for both animal and human disease.




Exterior of Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies

In 2007, The Roslin Institute merged with the University of Edinburgh to become the research arm of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. In 2011, the Institute moved into a new £60.6 million building on the Easter Bush Campus. 

The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies is a world leader in veterinary education, research, and clinical practice and aims to make a real difference through research, directly relevant to the improvement of health and welfare of domestic animal species and the protection of public health. 




Agriculture farming image representing research at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC)

Research at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) is focused on rural, environmental and land-based activity and underpins education and consultancy.  

The main SRUC research is based at The Roslin Institute and addresses health and productivity in animals, animal welfare and crops, promotes low carbon farming and increases farm output through efficiency and innovation.

 Themes are:

  • Future Farming Systems 
  • Crop and Soil Science 
  • Land Economy & the Environment 
  • Animal & Veterinary Science 


Centres for Agricultural Innovation are a new collaborative model between the agri-tech sector and government to test and develop new agricultural technology and products. As well as creating capacity in the UK to translate agricultural innovation into commercial opportunities for UK businesses, the new centres will stimulate inward investment and help to revolutionise farming practices in the future. 



Logo for Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock (CIEL)

The Centre for Innovation Excellence in Livestock (CIEL) is part of a family of centres launched by the Government, which includes Agrimetrics, the Centre for Crop Health and Production (CHAPS) and Agri-EPI.

CIEL will create new livestock technology and products to boost the profitability and productivity of livestock farming.

The Roslin Institute will receive funding to host CIELivestock’s Informatics Hub, which will support livestock genomics and informatics, and provide training to individual breeders, farmers, recording and breeding companies in their delivery of genomic improvement.



Agri_EPI Centre logo

Agri-EPI operates in the new, fast-moving market of precision agriculture to help the UK’s agri-food sector develop advanced technologies that will increase productivity and sustainability in UK agriculture.

The Agri-EPI Centre is a consortium of key organisations in the field of precision agriculture and engineering. It brings together expertise in research and industry, as well as data gathering capacity in all areas of farming, to increase the efficiency and sustainability of the land-based industries.

The core partners in the Centre are Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), Harper Adams University, Cranfield University, Harbro Ltd, Ag Space Agriculture Ltd, Kingshay Farming and AGGO Ltd. A further 69 companies are supporting the Centre, including large supermarkets, food producers, farmers, processors and engineering and technology businesses.


The Easter Bush Campus supports a joined up UK research and innovation environment which works together with investors and a wide variety of agencies to help provide of a sustainable UK bioscience research base which contributes to and underpins the UK bioeconomy.



NIB logo

The National Institutes of Bioscience (NIB) is a strategic partnership delivering bioscience solutions to address the global challenges of:

  • feeding a growing population sustainably
  • climate change and the scarcity of natural resources
  • the ageing population
NIB comprises of eight partner institutes, including The Roslin Institute. Campuses actively contribute to the UK bioscience and agri-food research, to ensure  they are co-ordinated and have the widest possible impact.

Each campus stimulates jobs and growth in important UK economic sectors such as farming, food, biofuels, chemicals and pharmaceuticals.



The Roslin Innovation Centre also facilitates access to:

  • Heads of the science divisions and academic group leaders
  • Edinburgh BioQuarter for academic scientists, clinicians and patients 
  • The University of Edinburgh’s College of Science and Engineering enabling collaborative development of new drugs, diagnostic tools and medical devices
  • A wide network of business professionals; mentors; non-executives and investors
  • Company growth opportunities plus adjacent brown field development options


"The One Health theme of our research provides unique opportunities to map traits between animal and human disease." 

Professor David Argyle, Head of the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Easter Bush Campus