Partners in Aquatic Biotechnology

OverviewOverview

• The ATC is an EU-supported initiative

• It aims to make more accessible to the commercial sector, the skills and facilities of the Institute of Aquaculture

• The ATC brings together several long-standing commercial services, and helps to nurture new ones

• It provides a central contact point for commercial enquiries

The ATC Especially Serves:The ATC Especially Serves:

• Biotechnology, environment, food & animal health sector companies seeking contract research partners and analytical facilities

• Public & finance sector institutions requiring guidance on aquaculture & aquatic biotechnology

• Any company requiring additional resources and advice to develop products for the aquaculture industry worldwide

• Existing aquaculture enterprises requiring support with diagnostics, health management, environmental assessment & monitoring etc.

Access to Leading Access to Leading ExpertiseExpertise

Reproduction & Genetics

Aquatic animal health Nutrition Environment Systems

Research & Teaching Administration

Aquaculture Technology Centre Services

DiagnosticsDiagnostics ContractResearch

ContractResearch

Environ-mental

Services

Environ-mental

Services

Stirling Aquaculture

Stirling Aquaculture

Commercial activities

Academic activities

ServicesServices• Contract research• Analytical services• Disease diagnostics• Environmental

assessment• Expert advice• Supporting market and

sector studies• Training

Contract researchContract research

• The Institute has over 2,500 m2 of wet laboratory area, split between 6 aquaria

• Aquaria are mostly temperature controlled, two with full disease isolation facilities

• These aquaria are complemented by around twenty specialist laboratories totalling 800 m2

• Over 200 m2 of GLP accredited research laboratories

• Excellent analytical equipment and highly trained staff

External facilitiesExternal facilities

• The Institute additionally has three external facilities available for contract research– Machrihanish

– Howietoun

– Buckieburn

Machrihanish Machrihanish • The Marine Environmental

Research Laboratory makes available:

– More than 100 holding tanks of various sizes, ranging from 1m to 4m diameter

– Heated and cooled seawater for temperature-dependent or out-of-season studies

– Purpose built facilities for drug testing and feed trials

– Isolation suite with effluent disinfection for research on infectious diseases of marine organisms

– Heated full-recirculation units for studies with tropical and warm-water species

Buckieburn Buckieburn

• The Freshwater Research Laboratory makes available:– Around 100 holding tanks

of various sizes, ranging from 1m to 5m diameter housed in three separate steel buildings

– Purpose built laboratory for initial processing of research material

Analytical servicesAnalytical services

• Analytical services can be provided based on the following major items of equipment:

– DNA Sequencer– PCR machines– HPLC & GC-MS – Amino Acid Analyser– AA Spectrophotometer– CHN/SO Analyser– Coulter Multisizer– Transmission & scanning electron

microscopes– Radioisotope facilities

• Plus a full range of standard chemical analysis for water and feeds etc.

Diagnostic servicesDiagnostic services

• 3 Senior vets available for on-site advice and lab-based diagnostics

• Full access to diagnostic laboratories, including– Histology– Bacteriology– Virology – Molecular & immunology

based diagnostics– Electron microscopy

• On-demand, contract and postal services available

Environmental servicesEnvironmental services

• Resource assessment and management

• Impact assessment and monitoring

• Training

Consultancy Consultancy

• Primarily carried out through the “Stirling Aquaculture” arm of the Institute

• 5 Stirling based staff, 2 overseas project managers, several part-time associate consultants and access to other staff of the Institute of Aquaculture or University Department of Marketing

• Regularly carry out sector, market and feasibility studies, manage aquaculture start-ups and expansion, provide expert witnesses or trouble shooting

TrainingTraining

• Training placements are available in most sections of the Institute.

• Assistance with funding may be available through EU or local training schemes

PartnershipsPartnerships

• The Institute is keen to partner with commercial organisations for the development of new products and services

• Various facilities exist to support academic and commercial partnerships

                        

BBSRC Related FundingBBSRC Related Funding

• BBSRC for instance have several support facilities:– LINK– Industrial Partnerships– Small Business

Research Initiative– Industrial CASE

Scheme– Industry Fellowships– Faraday Partnerships

Other supportOther support

• EC – CRAFT and Innovation projects under the Framework RTD programmes

• SEERAD – Agriculture and biological Research Group

• Scottish Enterprise- Small Company Innovation Scheme & Expert Help

• Local Council – various assistance schemes• TCS – funding from DTI and BBSRC

• Funding to support the employment of a graduate on a project that is central to the needs of the company – jointly supervised by a University and company supervisor

• Involves 1 or more “Associates” on programmes lasting 2 (or exceptionally 3 or 4) years

• Companies improve competitiveness by gaining access to knowledge that helps them to innovate, improve operations and quality and to expand sales and markets. Companies are expected to contribute financially to the programme

• University gains insights into business needs and can relate its research and training to business. Benefits staff and reputation

• The graduate gains through responsible employment, business related training and other personal development opportunities

                        

The Aquaculture Technology Centre is supported by the European Regional Development Fund through the East of Scotland European Partnership