New CSIL Study on Foot-and-Mouth Disease Vaccine Development

CSIL has authored a new study assessing the development of an innovative Virus-Like Particle (VLP) vaccine for Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), a disease with major implications for global livestock health and the economy.

The study, led by Jessica Catalano, highlights the critical role of Diamond Light Source in enabling the vaccine’s development. Diamond’s unique combination of advanced X-ray crystallography and electron microscopy, the ability to collect in-situ data directly from sealed crystallisation plates, and the expertise of its highly skilled scientific and technical workforce accelerated the transition from fundamental research to an applied, market-ready vaccine. The VLP vaccine offers significant improvements over existing FMD vaccines in biosafety, stability, and disease management.

Key insights from the CSIL study include:

• The expected benefits of the VLP vaccine compared to current FMD vaccines;
• How advanced research infrastructures like Diamond enable complex biomedical innovation;
• The societal and economic value generated through long-term scientific collaboration in high-risk areas.

This study demonstrates how strategic public investment in research infrastructure can deliver tangible global benefits, from improved disease prevention to stronger, more resilient livestock systems.

For more details, read the full report and Diamond latest news.