Legacy of John Boyd Orr celebrated at CVR event
Published: 11 November 2025
The legacy of John Boyd Orr – the visionary researcher, Nobel Peace Prize winner, political activist and former alumni, rector and Chancellor of the University of Glasgow – was celebrated at an engagement event at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR) on Tuesday November 11
The legacy of John Boyd Orr – the visionary researcher, Nobel Peace Prize winner, political activist and former alumni, rector and Chancellor of the University of Glasgow – was celebrated at an engagement event at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR) on Tuesday November 11.
The event was attended by representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), together with representatives from the UK and Scottish Governments, alongside researchers from across the University of Glasgow and Edinburgh working in the field of One Health.
The event included presentations on the development and legacy of the Boyd Orr Centre at the University, the work of the CVR and a range of other pertinent research within the University’s international One Health portfolio of work.
Key themes explored over the course of the day included zoonotics, animal health and food, as well as an in-depth panel conversations with questions, discussion and networking, with an emphasis on exploring collaborative potential and strengthening research connections across Scotland and the UK.
Attendees were welcomed by Professor Ewan Cameron, Deputy Head of the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, and speakers included Dr Christine Middlemiss, UK Chief Veterinary Officer, Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and George Burgess, Director of Agriculture and Rural Economy, Scottish Government.
Professor Louise Matthews, Professor of Infectious Disease Ecology at the University provided an overview of work of John Boyd Orr and the Boyd Orr Centre followed by updates on international collaboration to tackle rabies, led by Katie Hampson, Professor of Infectious Disease Ecology at the University.
Panel discussions included expertise from Professor Sam Lycett, Molecular Epidemiologist and Phylodynamic Modeller at The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, on the Centre of Expertise on Animal Disease Outbreaks (EPIC) and One Health; reflections on emerging and zoonotic viruses from Professor Steve Sinkins, Associate Director of the CVR and Professor in Microbiology and Tropical Medicine; and insights from Dr Rheinallt Jones, Lecturer in Animal Nutrition from the Scottish Alliance for Food (SCAF).
The topic for the second panel centred around science-policy interfaces in One Health, and included a panel discussion with Dr Christine Middlemiss, Beth Bechdol and Prof Ewan Cameron.
Prof Ewan Cameron said: “The University of Glasgow was delighted to host this important event, celebrating the esteemed legacy of Sir John Boyd Orr, and it was a privilege to welcome such a high calibre of attendees to our globally-recognised CVR.
“Glasgow is an international leader in One Health research, and we place a great deal of importance in addressing international and national One Health questions through our interdisciplinary collaborations.
“The CVR was a fitting location for such an event, as it brings together the UK’s largest concentration of human virologists under one roof. By coming together at an event like this, we hope to further develop research connections and collaborations to tackle important One Health issues.”
The School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine brings together a wealth of internationally leading researchers, clinicians, educators and facilities to form an international powerhouse for One Health research and discovery science, and The Boyd Orr Centre for Population and Ecosystem Health is a cross-institute and cross-college organization designed to synthesize the expertise and activities of researchers interested in both the clinical and ecological health of populations and ecosystems.
The MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR) is the UK’s national centre of excellence for human virology research. Its mission is to improve global health and preparedness for viral threats by carrying out fundamental research on viruses and viral diseases, and translating this knowledge into advances for global health, biosecurity and societal benefit.
Enquiries: ali.howard@glasgow.ac.uk or elizabeth.mcmeekin@glasgow.ac.uk
First published: 11 November 2025