@epicscotland.bsky.social
Providing high-quality advice and analysis on the epidemiology of animal diseases in Scotland and strengthening animal health across the country.
A phylogenetic model of African Swine Fever virus (ASFV) genotype II identifies introductions of the virus worldwide. 🌍
Scientists from EPIC and @roslininstitute.bsky.social, highlight a need to expand genomic surveillance of ASFV.
Access the publication ➡️ doi.org/10.1101/2025...
Planning to travel outside the UK? ✈️
Don’t risk bringing back restricted animal and plant products, such as pork or seeds, as they could host harmful pathogens.
EPIC and @planthealthscot.bsky.social produced an animation showing the risks: youtu.be/92y4gdX5-Ms
EPIC’s Lucy Gilbert led a workshop which revealed the challenges the Scottish #livestock industry is facing due to the rise of ticks and tick-borne diseases.
28.08.2025 12:32 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0📢 The draft version of the 2027-32 ENRA Research Strategy is now available for public consultation.
The programme covers a broad range of issues critical to Scotland's environmental and agricultural futures.
Give your views to inform the strategy’s development ➡️ consult.gov.scot/environment-...
Using supporting EPIC resources, @dundee.ac.uk MSc Medical Art Masters student Mary Jo Eden, makes information on avian influenza more accessible for poultry keepers and communities.
Access her bird flu guide and 3D model ➡️ bird-flu-guide.weebly.com
Researchers at a board room table use their computers during an interactive workshop session.
Researchers at a board room table use their computers during an interactive workshop session.
Last week, EPIC scientists facilitated a workshop to explore data ethics and evaluate potential applications of artificial intelligence in animal disease modelling.
Professor Sam Lycett from @roslininstitute.bsky.social is developing a report based on the workshop’s findings.
Text reads, Report. Right side of image includes cows.
🐄 Livestock keepers in or near bluetongue control zones are concerned about the direct impact of the disease, the indirect impacts on farm businesses and the mental health of farmers.
Access the recent EPIC report ➡️ www.epicscotland.org/resources/re...
🚨 UK egg producers 🚨 Complete our survey by 31 July to tell EPIC and SRUC @ravicinverness.bsky.social scientists what data you collect and how it is kept. 🐓
23.07.2025 15:32 — 👍 2 🔁 2 💬 0 📌 0
As bluetongue restriction zones change, use the ‘Bluetongue Movements Checker’ for correct advice and requirements to move animals within or across a border in Great Britain.
Access the interactive tool ➡️ ruminanthw.org.uk/bluetongue-v...
Chickens in a field.
Calling all UK egg producers! Complete a survey to help EPIC and @srucnews.bsky.social @ravicinverness.bsky.social scientists assess if there is enough data available to design prediction models that alert egg producers to flock problems. 🐓
Access the survey ➡️ www.epicscotland.org/news/uk-egg-...
Jim Fairlie presents at EPIC and PHC launch.
Fiona Burnett presents at EPIC and PHC launch.
Gianluigi Rossi presents at EPIC and PHC launch.
John Jones presents at EPIC and PHC launch.
Today, EPIC and @planthealthscot.bsky.social launched an animation explaining the risks of bringing animal and plant products into Great Britain.
Watch the animation here ➡️ edin.ac/4kMtsqy
Our Iain McKendrick is at the Royal Highland Show 2025 to launch a new public information film. It warns about the risks from bringing animal and plant products into Scotland. 🧀🥩✈️
🎦Watch here: www.epicscotland.org/resources/an...
@epicscotland.bsky.social @planthealthscot.bsky.social @hutton.ac.uk
'Think before you pack and don't bring it back' 🧳⛱️
Come along to our event at the Royal Highland Show with @epicscotland.bsky.social on 20th June at 1pm
We will be showcasing our new animation 📽️
Talks from scientists @epicscotland.bsky.social @srucnews.bsky.social and @hutton.ac.uk
Blue tablecloth with EPIC logo. Banner sits behind the table along with a monitor showing a sheep behind a gate.
We’re here at the Royal Highland Show today and tomorrow. 🐄 🐖🐓
Stop by our stall in the Scottish Government marquee to learn about our new #animation, and try identifying #animals in our camera trap photos for a sweet reward!
Midge traps placed on farms allow EPIC researchers to study active times and diversity of #midge populations across #Scotland.
Watch BBC’s Landward starting at 03:15 to learn how this project helps determine risk periods for #Bluetongue virus ➡️ www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Cows in a field. Text reads: Poster, Modelling BTV-3 for Scotland. Click the URL in the post to access the poster PDF.
Historic Bluetongue (BTV-3) cases in cattle have limited the movement of livestock in England.
Early EPIC modelling work reported that higher temperatures lead to larger outbreaks of BTV-3 but impacts to Scotland are minimal ➡️ edin.ac/3ZnmVtC
Dr David Ewing recently spoke about the Mosquito #Scotland project, which will help scientists monitor future changes in #mosquito populations and assess mosquito-borne #disease risk.
Listen to David’s interview on BBC Sounds - from 30:52 ➡️ www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Watch EPIC’s cross-border #livestock movement analyses work receive a mention at the Scottish industry #Bluetongue virus webinar.
Neil Wilson, Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in #Scotland, discusses potential #trade impacts of #BTV movement restrictions ➡️ youtu.be/48aCElM09W8?...
Great to have you here, Grant!
25.04.2025 10:49 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0Hello! Great to meet you 👋 I'm new to Bluesky, but very happy to be here 💙
I'm based at @bioss.bsky.social, working as part of the @epicscotland.bsky.social consortium on Bayesian Inference approaches for stochastic epidemic modelling.
Check out this talk from our Dr Stephen Catterall at the recent @epicscotland.bsky.social Conference. 🦠🐖📊
#AnimalDisease #DataScience #Statistics
Tom Wilkinson speaking to audience at EPIC Conference 2025.
Can #AI tools be used to build trust? 💭
#Privacy Enhancing #Technology could help maximise #data reuse and build #trust in decision-making processes.
Watch the full talk from Chief Data Officer at Scottish Government, Tom Wilkinson, at EPIC Conference 2025. ➡️ youtu.be/vSYX4iEhrBU
Miruna presenting at EPIC Conference 2025.
Watch Miruna Clinciu from Edinburgh Centre for #Robotics present, "Taming the Black Box: Explainable #AI for #OneHealth," at EPIC Conference 2025 ➡️ youtu.be/8bci8Nft8oA
16.04.2025 16:10 — 👍 1 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Stephen Catterall speaks at EPIC Conference 2025.
While modelling the spatial spread of #AnimalDisease with limited #data, the iPAR approach can help fill a gap to ensure we are prepared for future #disease outbreaks.
Watch Dr Stephen Catterall from @bioss.bsky.social, speak at EPIC Conference 2025 ➡️ youtu.be/6-FpBdWi80Q?...
Niamh presenting at EPIC conference 2025.
Niamh presenting at EPIC conference 2025.
#MachineLearning approaches can offer cost and time efficiencies when diagnosing Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) cases.
Access Niamh Mimnagh’s full presentation on predicting #outbreaks of BVD for Irish #cattle herds, on our conference playlist ➡️ www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...
Visual minutes for EPIC conference 2025. Title: Building a resilient future for animal health and welfare. AI BVD iPAR Spatial Spread Positive messaging needed Data is imperfect.
Thank you to Jenny Capon for creating a graphic #illustration, capturing key topics and themes discussed at EPIC Conference 2025.
Is there a topic that you want to learn more about? Access the conference summary and full session recordings in our latest news post.
🔗 edin.ac/4lfj7UI
Dr Sibylle Mohr presented her work at EPIC Conference 2025
Dr Sibylle Mohr presented her work at EPIC Conference 2025
Demonstrating data-driven #innovation in EPIC’s research, Dr Sibylle Mohr presented her work at EPIC Conference 2025.
Access her full talk on using #livestock movement data for effective decision-making on #bluetongue control ➡️ youtu.be/zAPSFKQHZ80
EPIC staff photo
EPIC conference audience
Iain McKendrick opening the EPIC conference
Harriet Auty closing the EPIC conference
EPIC Conference 2025 gathered #scientists, #livestock industry stakeholders, and #policymakers to explore current and future uses of Data-Driven Innovation (DDI) in the livestock industry and other #OneHealth sectors.
Access all session recordings in our latest news story ➡️ edin.ac/4lfj7UI
Gianluigi Rossi opens the ASF workshop.
Presenter stands at front of room in front of map on screen.
Presenter at ASF workshop.
Screen displays conclusions at ASF workshop.
Today, EPIC scientist Gianluigi Rossi facilitated a #workshop on New #Technologies and Advances to tackle African Swine Fever, with six invited speakers from across the UK, Spain, Italy, and Germany.
Thank you to other supporters @roslininstitute.bsky.social and BBSRC.
Exciting news to see another of Centre of Expertise here! Can’t wait to chat #animalhealth and #planthealth🌿🐓🌳🐄
24.03.2025 14:17 — 👍 2 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
