Latest Briefing
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How investment in fundamental scientific research leads to practical outcomes
The societal benefits of funding applied scientific research – research which addresses a question that is immediately and directly relevant to an end user such as a farmer or policy maker – are clear. It is nearly always relatively straightforward to identify practical outcomes that emerge from such projects, making them highly attractive to funding bodies and industrial collaborations, particularly at a time of financial constraint. However, these applied outcomes frequently rely upon and develop previous fundamental research programmes for which practical outcomes were not immediately or obviously apparent at the time. This article describes how Scottish Government (SG) investment in a number of fundamental scientific areas at Main Research Providers (MRP), through the Strategic Research Programme has underpinned research which is now yielding practical outcomes that are making a difference in Scotland and beyond.
Read morePublished on 8 March 2016 in Food, health and wellbeing
Recent Briefings
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Published on 18 August 2011 in Climate, water and energy
Encouraging land-manager contributions to protecting and enhancing the water environment
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Published on 9 August 2011 in Climate, water and energy
How to expand the market for ethical food products?
This note discusses ways in which the market of ethical food can be expanded based on lessons extracted from several pieces of research carried out by the SRUC Food Marketing Research team. Read more
Published on 19 July 2011 in Sustainability and Communities
Addressing farmland biodiversity concerns effectively in the Common Agricultural Policy
Farmland is one of the dominant land covers in Europe, covering over 45% (173 million hectares) of the European Union’s 27 Member States. Read more
Published on 19 July 2011 in Sustainability and Communities , Ecosystems and biodiversity
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Published on 8 June 2011 in Food, health and wellbeing
Investigating the benefits of agritourism in Scotland using a typology-based approach
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Published on 26 May 2011 in Sustainability and Communities
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Published on 3 May 2011 in Sustainability and Communities
New vaccine hopes for endemic sheep disease
Since its introduction into the UK over two decades ago, caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) has become endemic within the national sheep flock. Read more
Published on 18 April 2011 in Sustainability and Communities , Food, health and wellbeing
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Published on 5 April 2011 in Food, health and wellbeing
Balancing protein and fibre in our diet
This brief describes research which explores the relationship between dietary protein, red meat, carbohydrate and dietary fibre on the formation of potentially harmful breakdown products in the human gut. Read more
Published on 31 March 2011 in Food, health and wellbeing