Rowett Research Institute

The Rowett Research Institute is one of four publicly-funded Nutrition Research Institutes in the UK

• Rowett Research Institute (RERAD funded) - Aberdeen
• Institute for Food Research (BBSRC funded) - Norwich
• Dunn Human Nutrition Unit (MRC funded) - Cambridge
• Human Nutrition Resources Centre (MRC funded) -Cambridge

The Institute was established in 1913 with John Boyd Orr as its first Director. It is an independent Company with Charitable status and receives funding from the Scottish Government Rural and Environment Research and Analysis Directorate.

Rowett Research Services Limited

The Institute created Rowett Research Services Limited, a private company that is, in its own words "the knowledge transfer arm of the Rowett Research Institute and offers technology transfer, collaborative and contract research to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, food and related industries." It offer " customer service centred approach that combines technical, project and intellectual property management together with marketing skills to facilitate commercial development of intellectual property and foster links between industry and the science community."

Rowett Research services is then further broken down into four companies.

The Companies

• Provexis plc a specialist developer of health drinks for the food and nutraceutical industries. Formed initially in 2000 as Nutrition Enhancement Limited, a joint venture between Angle Technologies plc and Rowett, the company took its present name in 2003.
• PyrroNostics Lmited was created in 2003 and is developing diagnostic tools for the early detection of chronic disease. The company was formed jointly between Rowett and Immunodiagnostic Systems plc
• NovaBiotics Limited was formed in 2004 and develops and manufactures antimicrobials.
• Antoxis Limited was formed in 2006 and is developing products to target and destroy free radicals. With funding support from Genomia Seed Fund Antoxis is currently progressing its first lead compound.

People

The Institute has a governing body

• Brian Pack OBE, Chairman,appointed 1998

Chief Executive of ANM Group Ltd in November 1990. The Group consists of Aberdeen & Northern Marts, Scotch Premier Meat Ltd, Highland Country Foods Ltd, Yorkshire Premier Meat Ltd, Aberdeen & Northern (Estates) Ltd, Highland Cuisine Ltd, H & I Livestock Ltd,and EASIGOE Ltd. Managing Director of Farmdata Ltd Director of Financial Control Services Ltd Member of Grampian Food Forum, Was awarded an OBE in 1999 for services to agriculture, food and marketing.

• Jonathan Arch appointed 2004

Member of the scientific advisory boards of Biovitrum, Prosidion and Glennmark Pharmaeuticals.

• David R Whiteford OBE appointed 1998

Previously Chaired the Scottish NFU’s Pigs Committee and the Scottish Pig Industry Initiative.

Served on the Boards of Grampian Pig Producers,Moray Firth Livestock, Quality Meat Scotland and Checkmate International PLC.

• Dr Tom Walker appointed 1994

Chairman of the Board of Rowett Research Services Limited

• Professor Michael J Gibney appointed 2004
• Alastair J Gove appointed 2006
• R B (Jim) Leslie appointed 1998
• Tom T MacDonald appointed 2000
• C Duncan Rice appointed 1998
• Christine Richardson appointed 2004
• Drew Walker appointed 2004

Pusztai GM Controversy

Dr Arpad Pusztai worked at the Institute and between Between 1995 and 1998 experimented on genetically modified potatoes developed by the biotech company, Cambridge Agricultural Genetics. They later changed their name to Axis Genetics. The potatoes had been field-grown at Rothamsted Research , and were intended for commercial use. The potatoes were modified with a gene that caused the potatoes to express a particular lectin, known to be toxic to insects but harmless to mammals. Experimentation by Pusztai showed that rats fed on gm potatoes showed lower intestine damage and harm to their immune systems. The team concluded that the effects observed were a result of the genetic modification, not the lectin.

The Institute encouraged Pusztai to publicise the discoveries widely. In 1998 Arpad informed an ITV world in Action documentary that he had observed problems with the safety of GM potatoes. On 10th October, the day the documentary was due to be broadcast he was invited onto an early morning television debate, but informed beforehand by the Institute that he was not permitted to discuss details of the experiment. A spokesman for Monsanto made various claims about the experiments, including a claim that the potatoes had been modified with a different toxic lectin. That morning, the Institute allegedly received a phone call from Downing Street. According to Professor Robert Orskov OBE, who worked at the Institute for 33 years and is one of Britain's leading nutrition experts. Phone calls were made from Monsanto to Bill Clinton, from Clinton to Tony Blair, and then from Blair to the Institute director Philip James.

Phone calls were allegedly made to Arpad's office were diverted, and Arpad was suspended and legally gagged, along with his wife and colleague Dr Susan Bardocz. His data was confiscated and his team were disbanded. The potatoes were subsequently destroyed, along with all details of their modification. There then followed a series of contradictory statements. Initially the institute claimed that they were not doing any research on GM crops. Later it was claimed that Arpad had voluntarily retired, and apologised for his "mistake". The Institute stated that the experiments had never been performed, that control data and experimental data had been accidentally mixed up and that Arpad had modified the potatoes with a toxic lectin. The Institute announced that they were publishing the data online to allow the public to draw their own conclusions, however some of the data was omitted making the remainder statistically meaningless. In 1999 Arpad and his colleague Stanley Ewen published their results in The Lancet. The editor claimed that the Pro GM lobby had put strong pressure on The Lancet not to publish Dr Pusztai's results.

References, Resources and Contact

Contact Details

• Address: The Rowett Research Institute, Greenburn Road, Bucksburn,
• Aberdeen AB21 9SB, Scotland.
• Tel: +44 (0)1224 712751
• Website: www.rowett.ac.uk