SalmoStrong community outreach programme launched at Fort William and Campbeltown schools
During December, a team of scientists and engagement staff from the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute visited Lochaber High School and Campbeltown Grammar School to launch a new secondary school biology outreach programme as part of ‘SalmoStrong’; a five-year research partnership involving aquaculture scientists at the Roslin Institute and Mowi Scotland, which aims to improve the health of farmed salmon.
Pupils studying National 5 Biology took part in a hands-on workshop on salmon gill health, using microscopes to learn about how salmon gills are adapted for efficient gas exchange underwater, and to identify key characteristics of healthy and unhealthy gills. The workshop also included activities on the inheritance of beneficial characteristics and selective breeding, and using microscopes to identify phytoplankton, zooplankton and other things found in seawater that might affect gill health.
Higher and Advanced Higher Biology classes joined the outreach team for workshops that illustrate how Roslin and Mowi scientists use techniques including DNA extraction, PCR and gel electrophoresis to genotype salmon prior to breeding for a newly discovered phenotype. Pupils learned how to use micropipettes and loaded DNA samples onto agarose gels, analysing their results with support from the visiting scientists.
Raising awareness and aspirations around scientific and veterinary careers in aquaculture is an important part of the SalmoStrong project, and pupils in both workshops had plenty of time to chat with scientists and ask them about their studies and career paths.
Speaking of the experience, Shannon Jeffrey, biology teacher at Lochaber High School, said: “Thank you to Mowi and Roslin Institute for giving our senior Biology pupils at Lochaber High School the opportunity to be part of the SalmoStrong programme. Our Higher and Advanced Higher pupils thoroughly enjoyed getting hands on experience genotyping salmon DNA samples and our N5 pupils studying salmon gill health using microscopy techniques. Pupils appreciated having the opportunity to ask questions and learn about the scientists’ research and career paths.”
The SalmoStrong project is funded via a Prosperity Partnership grant awarded by the UK’s Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), which combines BBSRC funds with matched contributions from industry partner Mowi Scotland.
SalmoStrong aims to reduce salmon mortality rates by 50% during seawater production by making breakthrough advances in scientific understanding and applying them to farming practices. Find out more at https://www.ukri.org/news/new-bbsrc-prosperity-partnerships-set-to-boost-uk-bioinnovation/.
